Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[therewillbeblus]

Right, I didn't mean an outlier as in the only time they've ever done this in this history of being a label, but that, sadly, the odds are not in favor of Criterion including all cuts of a film. However, I believe this film has endured a similar kind of revisionist editing that Mr. Arkadin and Touch of Evil had with three cuts including a final one build from a third party based on notes, so one would assume Criterion would treat it with the same concern they did their Welles, and the other Welles has been given that treatment in various editions regardless of the label. I'm pretty sure the stateside DVD copy I've rented of the Peckinpah has included at least two of these versions (the DC and the 115 minute 2005 edit), so it would be weird of Criterion decided to downgrade the old DVD's offerings

[FrauBlucher]

...Unless they are picking one version for UHD.

[dwk]

He said "will presumably pick a favourite." Which reads like an assumption on his part.

[omegadirective]

Can anyone tell me what I should be seeing in the Color bars for the 4K releases?
How am I supposed to set up my TV?

[criterionsnob]

Janus Twitter just confirmed Lost Highway 4K coming this summer.

[FrauBlucher]

Probably means a summer tour and not a physical media release. That should happen later in the year

[therewillbeblus]

I wonder if they'd upgrade a bunch of titles into a Lynch 4K box - there are at least two coming in close succession, Mulholland Dr. was already announced, and I'd imagine some of the other Lynch titles they have would be ripe for the format. Just a thought, but I imagine they'll come out individually as well, if this even does come to fruition

[FrauBlucher]

Hhmm, interesting. I could see that

[flyonthewall2983]

Probably means a summer tour and not a physical media release. That should happen later in the year

Sounds perfect for November

[Finch]

I hope they do them individually. The only one I want (other than Studio Canal's 4k of MD) is Fire Walk With Me in 4k.

[tolbs1010]

Would love to see Wild At Heart get a 4K release. Lynch's most colorful film, both literally and in the style of the performances. I need to see Willem Dafoe's quivering lips and gummy grin in 4K.

Lost Highway? Meh. Other than Robert Blake and the music ("Perfect Drug" is one of NiN's best), I have never been able to appreciate it. I've tried multiple times. The mystery and obscurity of it feels lazy...like it's a substitute for actual development.

[ianthemovie]

I'm guessing (hoping) that we'll get Inland Empire next, simply because it's been in the works for several years at this point and the theatrical re-release is already underway. I'm gonna predict Inland Empire later this year and Lost Highway some time next year.

[dwk]

Lost Highway starts its theatrical re-release in June, which means it is very likely that it will get a disc release in November.

[ianthemovie]

Where would that put Inland Empire then? I can't see Criterion releasing both of these within months of each other.

[dwk]

I don't know why not, they've done plenty of paired releases in the past.

[yoloswegmaster]

I could see them releasing Inland Empire in July and then Lost Highway in November. They did a similar thing when they released Parasite in October 2020 and then released Memories of Murder months later.

[lethallyfab]

Blue Velvet is the film that got me into film, after an art teacher (not *my* art teacher, mind you) recommended it when I was in High School but Lost Highway is undoubtedly my favorite Lynch. I had the letterboxed VHS and I was *determined* to “solve” it, so I would watch it again, and again, and again (at one point, I developed a theory based on the colors of Patricia Arquette’s nail polish). It took me *years* to come to terms with the fact that Lynch’s films can’t be “solved.” Plus, regardless of how one feels about it, it did set the template for Mulholland Dr and Inland Empire. There are no supplements for LH in any R1 release, so I’m very much looking forward to the extras. I wonder if they’ll get the rights to David Foster Wallace’s making-of essay for the booklet. Inland Empire actually has a decent selection of extras on the existing dvd, which I hope they can import, I’m just not sure what more they can add.

[Finch]

Would love to see Wild At Heart get a 4K release. Lynch's most colorful film, both literally and in the style of the performances. I need to see Willem Dafoe's quivering lips and gummy grin in 4K.

Lost Highway? Meh. Other than Robert Blake and the music ("Perfect Drug" is one of NiN's best), I have never been able to appreciate it. I've tried multiple times. The mystery and obscurity of it feels lazy...like it's a substitute for actual development.

Kino Lorber Insider said on the other forum either earlier today or yesterday that they did not have Wild at Heart since Lynch "wants all his films with Janus/Criterion". I just checked and the Shout BD is older than I remembered, released in 2018. So it's possible that the BD rights have lapsed or are going to soon, and Criterion could do a dual format release, but with both Inland Empire and Lost Highway looking like they are likely to get released this year, I don't see Wild at Heart happening until 2023. Again, it depends on what Criterion deem most viable commercially to justify the production costs for a UHD but a Blu-Ray only release of WAH might possibly feel even more redundant than FWWM's release unless it was from a 4k source and at least matched the bonus material from the Lime Green box. Do we have any indication of how many units each of Lynch's films shifted for Criterion? Lynch evidently sells well enough for them to continue business with him.

Re Lost Highway and Perfect Drug: Reznor thought so little of that song that NIN didn't play it live until a year or two ago? I didn't recall it being in the film which, considering that Reznor wrote it for Lynch, felt odd, and indeed Lynch only uses snippets of it in the scene where Mr Eddy tails the other driver.

[dwk]

The UHD rights for MGM titles were not included in earlier Blu-ray deals. So even if Shout still has Wild at Heart's Blu-ray rights under license, Criterion could have poached the UHD rights.

[tolbs1010]

Re Lost Highway and Perfect Drug: Reznor thought so little of that song that NIN didn't play it live until a year or two ago? I didn't recall it being in the film which, considering that Reznor wrote it for Lynch, felt odd, and indeed Lynch only uses snippets of it in the scene where Mr Eddy tails the other driver.

Now that you mention it, my memories of that song are more from seeing the music video a hundred times than from the film itself. Surprised to hear that Reznor thinks so little of it. I'd rather he retired "Hurt" forever.

Do we have any indication of how many units each of Lynch's films shifted for Criterion? Lynch evidently sells well enough for them to continue business with him.

I'm pretty sure I've seen the exact question about where to find Criterion sales stats asked on this Forum more than once, though I don't recall any solid answers. Are our personal assumptions about which titles do well for them and which are busts correct? Inquiring minds want to know.

Wild At Heart seems like a title that would do well for them. Palme d'Or winner, entertaining over-the-top performances from some fairly big names, and an opportunity for updated extras with some of those principals. The look of the film would really pop in 4K as well. Yet....it is rarely talked about anymore and is somewhat polarizing among his fans. I know a couple of Lynch fans that think it's his worst.

[swo17]

I can't remember--has it ever been released on Blu-ray with that one explosion shot uncensored?

[Adam X]

Not to my knowledge. An uncensored release of Wild at Heart would be worthwhile, no matter what else was provided. Having only ever experienced that version until the digital era, the censored ending’s jarring every time I see it.

[tenia]

Have you got UHD yet, Tenia?

It's not on the cards for me, but I'm curious whether I will start to sound like those posters after a while once I do get an UHD system.

I haven't, it'd require convincing my GF I have to buy a new TV and a new player while both the current ones are perfectly working, and I would most likely have to buy new cables since my 5.1 system are on a Yamaha received that's not at all HDMI 2.0/2.1 and HDCP 2.2 compatible.

[FrauBlucher]

Kino Lorber Insider said on the other forum either earlier today or yesterday that they did not have Wild at Heart since Lynch "wants all his films with Janus/Criterion".

How great would a Twin Peaks boxset be!

[Boosmahn]

The UHD rights for MGM titles were not included in earlier Blu-ray deals. So even if Shout still has Wild at Heart's Blu-ray rights under license, Criterion could have poached the UHD rights.

Certainly they're aware of the furrowed brows that only releasing a film on UHD would cause. They announced they were going to not release a title on DVD, not Blu-ray, if there were a previous edition in the format available.