Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[ryannichols7]

novice question here, and sorry if it's not the right place for it: is 16mm able to benefit a lot from UHD? I know that HDR is going to be a selling point here, but unsure about the resolution. I know stuff that's shot on 2K (Arri Alexa) is going to not pay off well, but this is the first I've heard of something 16mm being on UHD. would love to be filled in - For All Mankind is one of my very favorite movies and is definitely one I'd pick up if there's going to be a big step up.

I'm sure this question also came up when it was one of Criterion's first bluray titles

[DarkImbecile]

I think digging around for info in this thread might be fruitful

[yoloswegmaster]

April titles are up:

For All Mankind 4K
The Girl Can't Help It
Round Midnight
Miracle in Milan
Eyimofe
Walker (upgrade)

[Finch]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

[McNulty]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

This post had me excited for four UHDs, but only For All Mankind is getting a UHD disc. All 4k restos though!

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

This post had me excited for four UHDs, but only For All Mankind is getting a UHD disc. All 4k restos though!

The Girl Can't Help It is only billed as a "new high-definition digital transfer," which despite the "new" will probably be the same HD master that pops up on TCM occasionally.

[Finch]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

This post had me excited for four UHDs, but only For All Mankind is getting a UHD disc. All 4k restos though!

Sorry! I really only meant to imply 4k for the last film but see how my wording could have been interpreted to mean all four. Pity that they didn't see at least the Tashlin commercially worthwhile for UHD. That cover is gorgeous.

[captveg]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

This post had me excited for four UHDs, but only For All Mankind is getting a UHD disc. All 4k restos though!

Sorry! I really only meant to imply 4k for the last film but see how my wording could have been interpreted to mean all four. Pity that they didn't see at least the Tashlin commercially worthwhile for UHD. That cover is gorgeous.

I doubt Disney/20th Century have the film prepped to do 4K HDR, or would allow Criterion to do such a transfer themselves.

[fdm]

About time they finally got to 'Round Midnight.

[Maltic]

Tashlin, Tavernier, DeSica and For All Mankind in 4k, loving this announcement. The first two were particularly pleasant surprises.

This post had me excited for four UHDs, but only For All Mankind is getting a UHD disc. All 4k restos though!

The Girl Can't Help It is only billed as a "new high-definition digital transfer," which despite the "new" will probably be the same HD master that pops up on TCM occasionally.

So how does it look on TCM (for those of us without a subscription)?

[domino harvey]

Be glad if this is a Fox title not given a new restoration, since that means this colorful candy musical hopefully won’t be teal-biased

[FlickeringWindow]

The Fox DVD came out around the same time as Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, so I would expect similar quality (likely a transfer done by HTV Illuminate, maybe Criterion was allowed to do a new cleanup/master).

[soundchaser]

If the screenshots on the release page are anything to go by, it looks serviceable but not necessarily superb.

[Finch]

I'd forgotten Girl was a Fox title and is in the clutches of the Mouse House now. I wonder how long Criterion were sitting on the film. I'd frankly take an old master with accurate colors over a 2k/4k restoration with the fucking teal on it. I feel like, with any of the Disney licences, we best not take any chances and get our copies sooner than later.

[Ribs]

As has been elaborated on every single time a title appears, Criterion maintains a relationship with 20th Century Pictures, there have been numerous titles all licensed from them (as opposed to Fox, as it was known pre-merger), and the titles are constantly on the channel. (This title is licensed from Pictures, not Fox, so came post-Disney). There is no reason whatsoever to think that it will stop. It’s weird panic buy fearmongering when the titles have continued to appear years afterwards now.

[DimitriL]

As has been elaborated on every single time a title appears, Criterion maintains a relationship with 20th Century Pictures, there have been numerous titles all licensed from them (as opposed to Fox, as it was known pre-merger), and the titles are constantly on the channel. (This title is licensed from Pictures, not Fox, so came post-Disney). There is no reason whatsoever to think that it will stop. It’s weird panic buy fearmongering when the titles have continued to appear years afterwards now.

Thanks for that very useful information. Is there any way to see that licensing info in the disc credits?

[FrauBlucher]

Just to add to Ribs, Criterion notoriously sits on titles they have licensed. So it's no surprise that there have been a fair number of Fox titles to show up after the merger. There are probably more in pipeline.

[Vegeta84]

I do wonder what's going on with Cure. Criterion usually releases their theatrical showings on disc a few months after their theatrical release. Cure was October and Miracle in Milan was December and is already getting a release. Hope there aren't any unforeseen issues occurring.

[FrauBlucher]

I don't know, I'm guessing but could it be that a UHD release will take a little longer to turn around

[Hogfather]

I do wonder what's going on with Cure. Criterion usually releases their theatrical showings on disc a few months after their theatrical release. Cure was October and Miracle in Milan was December and is already getting a release. Hope there aren't any unforeseen issues occurring.

I mean, The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (and presumably several other Wim Wenders films) was restored in 4K back in 2015, toured by Criterion, and still hasn’t been released yet. I think their releases depend on what seems the most exciting to them in the moment (like titles newly available after signing a new deal) or at least nearest to completion.

[Vegeta84]

I do wonder what's going on with Cure. Criterion usually releases their theatrical showings on disc a few months after their theatrical release. Cure was October and Miracle in Milan was December and is already getting a release. Hope there aren't any unforeseen issues occurring.

I mean, The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (and presumably several other Wim Wenders films) was restored in 4K back in 2015, toured by Criterion, and still hasn’t been released yet. I think their releases depend on what seems the most exciting to them in the moment (like titles newly available after signing a new deal) or at least nearest to completion.

Interesting, and scary at the same time. I had assumed it would be released soon after it's theatrical showing since they went out of their way with the trailer, poster, etc. Now, I'm having my doubts, but I do hope it's not that far out.

[Ribs]

Janus releases a lot of things that Criterion does not get to at a set schedule - for example, Tales of the Four Seasons was a year ago, Ikarie XB1 a little before that, Distant Journey in June, all of which were real Janus releases with marketing materials that played multiple theaters. It’ll come eventually in all likelihood but I wouldn’t extrapolate anything - especially as Kurosawa indicated in an interview with the Film Stage at about the time of release he wasn’t aware the film was being rereleased, which means he hasn’t been approached for an interview which he surely would be for the actual release.

[captveg]

A lot can also depend on the bonus content being gathered and/or created for a video release, including the schedule of the participants of that bonus content.

[dwk]

It is possible that they are planning on releasing Cure in October.

[FrauBlucher]

Oh, I hope not