Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[knives]

Probably not as it is one of the more popular Twilight Time discs and probably will be republished by them soon.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Probably not as it is one of the more popular Twilight Time discs and probably will be republished by them soon.

Wanting an out of print Twilight Time disc is an expensive proposition, I'm here to tell you...

[Gregory]

The good thing about having options is that the Arrow release is £7.99 or something like that and was a better release and value than the TT that came just after the few months the TT was available. I'd rather see Criterion spend their time on something Arrow hasn't already covered as well as they have.

[ShellOilJunior]

The MGM release is already pretty good, the Arrow one even better.

I actually think the MGM blu-ray can be improved upon, picture wise, but that's just me.

Agreed. It's OK but not great. If Criterion can produce new extras and a 4K transfer then it's day 1 for me. The fact Arrow has released it doesn't matter either way to me.

[knives]

Probably not as it is one of the more popular Twilight Time discs and probably will be republished by them soon.

Wanting an out of print Twilight Time disc is an expensive proposition, I'm here to tell you...

That's irrelevant to my point. What I was saying was that TT will probably reprint it when given the option.

[bradass]

If there was any doubt about where the rest of the former Kino Kieslowskis ended up, No End, The Scar, Camera Buff and A Short Film About Killing will all be on the Fandor's Criterion/Hulu channel next week, which can be seen on the "Coming Soon" page.

[Ribs]

I don't remember exactly, has Criterion indicated the plan is that Short Film About Killing & Love will be included with Dekalog whenever they get around to it?

[FrauBlucher]

In watching the Grundmann supplement on the Code Unknown disc, he kept referring to Haneke's first three features (The Seventh Continient, Benny's Video and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) as the glaciation trilogy. Perhaps CC will present this as a box set.

[criterion10]

In watching the Grundmann supplement on the Code Unknown disc, he kept referring to Haneke's first three features (The Seventh Continient, Benny's Video and 71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) as the glaciation trilogy. Perhaps CC will present this as a box set.

It's likely that they picked up the rights to these, as well as the other Kino Haneke titles, so I could certainly see this happening.

[Noiradelic]

On the subject of MGM (and De Palma), do we know whether Carrie is a possibility?

Seems unlikely for now since MGM/Fox recently rereleased this (new artwork, same transfer unfortunately) and also put out an "Icon" steelbook.

[onedimension]

Just saw this in a TCM e-mail about the 2016 Festival -- just wondering if it bodes well for that long-rumored Criterion release:

SHANGHAI EXPRESS (1932) World Premiere Restoration
The pairing of director Josef von Sternberg and actress Marlene Dietrich turns this melodramatic tale of bandits and ladies of easy virtue into one of the most exotic experiences in film history, shown in a new restoration presented in collaboration with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

I'm still idealistic enough to dream of an entire Sternberg/Dietrich box set, or at least a Sternberg/Dietrich Hollywood box set.. I believe Universal has the rights to five or six..

[dwk]

On the subject of MGM (and De Palma), do we know whether Carrie is a possibility?

Seems unlikely for now since MGM/Fox recently rereleased this (new artwork, same transfer unfortunately) and also put out an "Icon" steelbook.

I wouldn't read too much into those MGM re-releases. Scream announced that they are working on a Return of the Living Dead special edition for 2016 and MGM still re-re-re-issued it this year with a faceplate with new art and they re-released Mad Max twice around the same time Scream's special edition came out.

[bainbridgezu]

Some new Oshima people are being added to Criterion's site, beginning here.

So far, all were involved in Death by Hanging. Hopefully this isn't just another Eclipse dump.

[jwd5275]

The Kid is coming too.

[Buttery Jeb]

Antonio Pietrangeli's I Knew Her Well also seems to be on the docket.

[swo17]

And The Graduate.

[ptatler]

And The Emigrants/The New Land

[Ribs]

Guess Criterion's just toally given up on upgrading any titles

[Drucker]

Guess Criterion's just toally given up on upgrading any titles

We get a 4k restoration of a masterpiece of American cinema, Chaplin silent, and three new restored non English films. I feel like I'm already buying more titles in 2016 than I bought in 2015, but yes, there's always something to complain about.

[Ribs]

I really don't think it's that crazy an expectation - it's not like there's a shortage of fancy 4K restorations still waiting a release (some in the US, some altogether). I'm interested in every single release of the month for the first time since, well, this month's releases were announced, but I look forward to Criterion throwing us the spare curve-ball BD releases of old stuff like Ikiru or Downhill Racer.

Emigrants/New Land is the most exciting release announced since I first started following Criterion's releases, mind. I'm a little bit confused by the understated reaction it got when it was first seriously mooted as coming this soon a week ago.

[pzadvance]

Infinitely more excited about these brand new titles entering the collection than I ever would be about pre-existing releases getting a new coat of paint. I've never seen the Troell films so those in particular have me eagerly anticipating February.

[FrauBlucher]

Guess Criterion's just toally given up on upgrading any titles

We get a 4k restoration of a masterpiece of American cinema, Chaplin silent, and three new restored non English films. I feel like I'm already buying more titles in 2016 than I bought in 2015, but yes, there's always something to complain about.

I think this speaks to the fact that there are so many new titles to CC in the pipeline that upgrades will be a little slower in getting released.

[Finch]

Excellent month with the Graduate the only title that elicits a yawn from me.

[criterion10]

What a great month. I've only seen two titles, but I'll likely be buying all of these. Let's hope the rest of 2016 is as good.

[Minkin]

As for the speculative roundup for this month:

Graduate - confirmed by Midnight Sun screening
I Knew Her Well - Long ago confirmed, wasn't even aware it was, a goof on my part! No mentions since 2012
Death by Hanging - Hulu
The Kid - Hulu / Janus screening / some possible mix-up on New Years Clue from 3 years ago.
Emigrants / New Land - Long rumored, only finally confirmed this past week

A great month. I've been wanting The Kid for quite some time now. Graduate will be great to see again (didn't Moe mention this as well many moons ago? Its another laserdisc pickup from this MGM-re-release deal). The other 4 will be new to me - kept meaning to watch the Troells on TCM, but decided to wait for this long rumored set.