Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[yoloswegmaster]

Grady Hendrix tweeted on Thursday that he shot an interview at Criterion's office. I'm guessing this is for the Dragon Inn Blu-ray

What's his relationship with 'Dragon Inn' if you don't mind me asking?

[dwk]

Nothing in particular. He used to write a column on Asian cinema for Variety and later Film Comment and he is writing the booklet essay for Kino's release of King Hu's Legend of the Mountain.

[whaleallright]

Re. Hendrix, I figured he was no longer writing that column since he hadn't published one for nearly two years, but I don't recall seeing or hearing about any announcement to that effect. I really enjoyed reading it, much more than nearly anything else in that magazine or on its website.

[Ribs]

Um... they’re up?

[jedgeco]

Um... they’re up?

Better luck next month, Quarantined Monthly Guessing Thread contestants.

[Ribs]

It’s been a real roller-coaster ride of vindication for us Bergman 100 truthers this week

[connor]

Disappointing. I was hoping for another selection from Hollywood's Golden Age.

Oh well.

[Minkin]

Here's your Speculation Summary:

Bowling for Columbine - 2018 New Years Clue (bullet bowling pins + bowling ball)

El Sur - 2018 New Years Clue (the "L" (not worm) knight) + also on Filmstruck

Female Trouble - Confirmed recently by Waters (along with Polyester)

Manila in the Claws of Light - Was making the rounds by Janus + a WCP film (expect more of those) + on Filmstruck

Virgin Spring - First of the Bergman 100 celebration films + an upgrade
====================================================================
More New Years clues then (only 2, possibly 3 left +however you interpret Ribs' avatar). No real surprises with any of these. 261 upgrades remain. Glad we resolved the L/worm knight from the clue - as that was the last clue to be solved - and didn't really have the most consensus. Surprised we didn't also get Quince Tree Sun - as that has been rumored forever.

This might put a hold on the "big Bergman box" theory - or that might still be coming, though only as an AK100 style barebones selections. But I guess we can wait until November to find out. Maybe it will just be a "rather than spread these out over years, here's all the remaining un-released Bergman films we have in one box" collection.

[Ribs]

It’s actually only emboldened my belief the box is coming, and now I think it won’t be barebones but featuring the full discs of the releases as they’ve come out/still to come when broken individually. And I still think it’ll be announced for July considering that’s also a frequent box set month and is the actual centennary.

[kekid]

I would like Criterion to issue a Bergman box which contains all his films available to them, including variant versions and all supplemental material. In other words, if something is there in an individual release, it should be in this box. Such a box, with restored versions whenever available, would be a crowning achievement for the Criterion Collection. An AK100 type barebones box will be an utter waste of resources, at least for people who have slightest interest in Bergman, because they will have collected most of his works available on Criterion label, and will need to keep those in addition to the box for all other material. And if they choose not to buy the box, they will be compelled to wait for years to get the few films that will be new to the box. I hope Criterion does this right.

[dwk]

Wes Anderson and Criterion haven't started to work on Grand Budapest Hotel, but it is likely the next thing he is going to do

[Never Cursed]

On that note, Kadokawa/Janus are releasing a new 4K restoration of Floating Weeds (1959) in April

EDIT: In the same article, Janus is listed as the provider of prints for three Ichikawa movies (Conflagration, Her Brother, and Odd Obsession) as well as Masahiro Shinoda's Silence. Yet Janus' website doesn't list any of those movies as being with Janus. Furthermore, Conflagration and Her Brother were restored by Kadokawa along with An Actor's Revenge and screened in 2015, and An Actor's Revenge was recently put out on Blu by Criterion. Maybe we'll be getting more Ichikawa soon?

[domino harvey]

Discussion of the moon in the New Years clue has been moved here-- but stop talking about it, really

[Luke M]

Are there any hints of Criterion releasing The Limey? It seems like it’s in some purgatory right now and 2019 will be the 20th anniversary.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

It's with Lionsgate, so the chances are... not good.

[flyonthewall2983]

I won't mind holding onto my DVD for that as I imagine for Blu-ray LG would just slap on some generic artwork and get rid of the isolated score, and perhaps even the commentary tracks.

[ledcam]

I’m fairly new to collecting Criterion blurays. That said I’d love to see a Criterion release of -

Cabaret
Klute
The Lacemaker
Daddie Nostalgie released here in the UK as These Foolish Things
The Music Lovers
The Devils
Performance

I’m not up on which studios hold the various rights so unaware which releases would be likely/unlikely but keen to hear opinions.

[Werewolf by Night]

Just get the Warner Blu-ray of Cabaret. It looks and sounds great and is stacked with Criterion-worthy extras. Criterion would be unlikely to put out a better edition, and it will only cost more.

[Big Ben]

The Devils is sort of a Holy Grail release. Quite a few people want it but Warner Brothers for some ungodly reason doesn't want it out. No one has ever given me a clear example of why this is other than the half answer of "someone at the top doesn't want it out there."

[spectre]

Puzzling, I agree. Someone needs to challenge this Warner honcho to a scissors-paper-rock tournament with Boris Eustache; loser has to go to a Carthusian Monastery and leave their film reels to people who actually care about cinema.

[kekid]

I’m fairly new to collecting Criterion blurays. That said I’d love to see a Criterion release of -

Cabaret
Klute
The Lacemaker
Daddie Nostalgie released here in the UK as These Foolish Things
The Music Lovers
The Devils
Performance

I’m not up on which studios hold the various rights so unaware which releases would be likely/unlikely but keen to hear opinions.

"Lacemaker" is a mystery. It was a Criterion Laserdisc. It was announced in UK, but after years of delay just vanished. It was the first film I saw with Huppert, and found it quite unforgettable. Does anyone know what is holding it up?

[Buttery Jeb]

I’m fairly new to collecting Criterion blurays. That said I’d love to see a Criterion release of -

Cabaret
Klute
The Lacemaker
Daddie Nostalgie released here in the UK as These Foolish Things
The Music Lovers
The Devils
Performance

I’m not up on which studios hold the various rights so unaware which releases would be likely/unlikely but keen to hear opinions.

Can't speak to most of these, but I think word was The Music Lovers was included in the same deal as Women in Love

[Bruce]

I’m fairly new to collecting Criterion blurays. That said I’d love to see a Criterion release of -

Cabaret
Klute
The Lacemaker
Daddie Nostalgie released here in the UK as These Foolish Things
The Music Lovers
The Devils
Performance

I’m not up on which studios hold the various rights so unaware which releases would be likely/unlikely but keen to hear opinions.

'Klute' has long been one of my most-wanted titles on Blu-ray. I remember there was some speculation on this forum a year or two ago that Criterion might have licensed it from Warner as part of their deal, but I haven't heard anything recently. Has anyone heard anything about a possible release?

[Omensetter]

There was a list that ianungstad posted on page 14/15 of the Warner Bros. thread that prompted speculation that actually came into fruition. The list was a sort of backbone to their release slate from Cat People in 09/16 to Barry Lyndon in 10/17, but nothing from that list has cropped up since. The only films not released from that list are Klute, The Magnificent Ambersons, and A Face in the Crowd, all still as good candidates for Criterion as any.

[Noiradelic]

More so the first two.