Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[swo17]

Well now that it's been named it won't happen ](*,)

[black&huge]

I have my heart set on a ludicrously reaching 'Robert Altman in the 70s' box set, because somebody needs to release A Wedding on blu-ray already

[swo17]

I assume Criterion won't be able to release California Split any sooner than Indicator will be

[dwk]

Well now that it's been named it won't happen ](*,)

#-o Oh no! I'll fix it.

I am still kind of amazed that The Elegant Dandy Fop guessed what I was talking about with absolutely no clues.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

I am still kind of amazed that The Elegant Dandy Fop guessed what I was talking about with absolutely no clues.

It was all because of the Bruce Lee set. It would’ve made more sense to just use the soundtrack for any of the films on that set foe the doc, but it struck me as bizarre when it was specifically the Wong Fei-hung theme, which to me didn’t make sense to just license the song, so I assumed they licensed the films. Sort of surprised to hear it includes the two Warner Bros. films. I wonder if it’ll include The Master, which was sat on by Golden Harvest for a few years and ended up coming out solely due to the success of the Wong Fei-hung films.

I have to also add, that if Golden Harvest titles that Warner owns are finally being licensed, all I want is Too Many Ways to Be. No 1.

[swo17]

Either way, The Master has a great release out from 88 Films

[MongooseCmr]

It seems obvious when you see how hard Criterion has gone for the biggest Hong Kong titles available in the past few years (Bruce Lee, Police Story and the early Chans, Wong Kar-Wai, King Hu, and hopefully the first of many Johnnie To’s). Seems like they’ve taken the place Japanese films did in the 00s

[TT in Mpls]

Why is there no Tsui Hark in the collection? I need a shined-up version of Peking Opera Blues!

[dwk]

Why is there no Tsui Hark in the collection? I need a shined-up version of Peking Opera Blues!

If the rumors are correct at least 4 Tsui Hark titles will be released in November. But Peking Opera Blues may be tied up in the same rights issue as most of John Woo's titles.

It seems obvious when you see how hard Criterion has gone for the biggest Hong Kong titles available in the past few years (Bruce Lee, Police Story and the early Chans, Wong Kar-Wai, King Hu, and hopefully the first of many Johnnie To’s). Seems like they’ve taken the place Japanese films did in the 00s

A big part, obviously, is that the rights are available, but I wonder if the move away from Japanese films is because of how difficult to deal with those companies have become. Like, Toho has always been difficult, but look at what they let Criterion do with Godzilla in 2012 (loaded with extras, new transfer for both versions of the film) vs. what they wouldn't let Criterion do with the Showa Era boxset in 2019.

[tenia]

Could most of those Hark simply be the first 3 OUATIC ? There could also be Time and Tide, though it's quite in need of a new remaster.

[dwk]

Tsui Hark directed OUATIC parts 1-3 and part 5.

Time and Tide does need a new master, but I would assume being a Sony title in the US complicates that. (Speaking of Sony, OUATIC 1-3 were, and may still be, with Sony in the US. So I am curious who they are licensed from.)

[omegadirective]

What if the set has the episodes of the OUATIC TV series as a bonus feature in the box set, too?

[FrauBlucher]

Not sure if this means anything. Les enfants terribles and Le deuxieme souffle are both listed as DVDs unavailable. Possible upgrades?

[swo17]

Those have been OOP since StudioCanal took the rights back years ago

[FrauBlucher]

It would say OOP like Le Cercle Rouge says. Plus, Le deuxième souffle is a Janus film.

[dwk]

Neither of those are StudioCanal titles. Le deuxieme souffle was licensed from Editions Rene Chateau (same as Le samourai) and Les enfants terribles from Cinexport

Les enfants terribles does have a 4K master (and recently announced Blu-ray in the UK from the BFI)

[swo17]

I stand corrected

[yoloswegmaster]

KL Insider also stated that Le deuxieme souffle is still with Criterion, and it does show up on the Janus site (though only in DVD format).

[ftsoh]

Re: Once Upon a Time in China, hope they can throw in the Wong Fei Hong films starring Kwan Tak Hing for Golden Harvest in the late 70's and early 80's as bonus.
By the way, can't wait to see comments calling OUATIC racist. LOL.

[captveg]

Is this the first month without a DVD release since Criterion started releasing on the DVD format?

[dwk]

At the end of this article about Blow Out it notes that Criterion (misidentified as Criterion Channel) will be releasing Body Double.

[Ribs]

As it’s not an interview and it’s not done with seemingly any contributions from Criterion at all, I am not entirely sure how this person would know such a thing and have to cast extreme doubt on it given a lack of any kind of attribution.

[dwk]

Yeah, it could be another Ferris Bueller, but it saw print, so I'm sharing it.

[R0lf]

With Criterion going UHD we’re now waiting on upgrades for 1102 spines.

[Computer Raheem]

Wayne Wang revealed at a Q&A that Chan Is Missing is going to be released by Criterion.