Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[ryannichols7]

I gotta hand it to them for doing the whole "delay the announcements thing and then wait all the way to the end of the delay day to announce another delay" multiple times this summer. absolutely hilarious

[therewillbeblus]

I mean, that felt more typical of Criterion in the years pre-pandemic. It's not atypical for them to announce between 3 and 6pm EST and I wouldn't consider no announcement by now synonymous with waiting all day. We've just been spoiled with morning/noon announcements lately when there's been a delay

[FrauBlucher]

They've spoiled us in recent times with early afternoon announcements, but it used to be a regular thing that they'd announce late day around 5PM est. So, there is still time me thinks

[justeleblanc]

I doubt it will be announced today. They tend not to announce new titles on a Tuesday, as that's typically when they promote that week's new release(s). in this case, CC probably doesn't want to steal the thunder away from Frownland and Daddy Long Legs. (My guess is they are using the dangle of the announcement to promote these two titles.) So I would expect the announcement tomorrow.

[soundchaser]

I doubt it will be announced today. They tend not to announce new titles on a Tuesday, as that's typically when they promote that week's new release(s). in this case, CC probably doesn't want to steal the thunder away from Frownland and Daddy Long Legs. (My guess is they are using the dangle of the announcement to promote these two titles.) So I would expect the announcement tomorrow.

They Tweeted yesterday that announcements would be today. Still expect they will until we hear otherwise.

[therewillbeblus]

I doubt it will be announced today. They tend not to announce new titles on a Tuesday, as that's typically when they promote that week's new release(s). in this case, CC probably doesn't want to steal the thunder away from Frownland and Daddy Long Legs. (My guess is they are using the dangle of the announcement to promote these two titles.) So I would expect the announcement tomorrow.

What better way to promote Frownland than makes their customers fr-

[ryannichols7]

I've been around guys! I remember the old end of workday ones. they definitely have changed tune on doing the early day ones

that said I tend to think it'll be delayed. as said above, they seem hell bent on promoting their new releases

[guyetgenevieve]

Another delay. The Power of the Dog tease

[bottlesofsmoke]

If they keep delaying and hinting, they won’t even need to make an announcement!

[soundchaser]

Another delay. The Power of the Dog tease

Why wait when we know this is the slate now?

The Power of the Dog
Libeled Lady
The Girls (Flickorna)
Medicine for Melancholy
Something from left field: a silent, an animation, or something akin to Painlevé

Upgrade of Z

[FrauBlucher]

They are annoying with this c teasing. Just announce them when your ready to announce.

[Finch]

The tease for the Campion means there's already one November title I'm not interested in. Should have gone for the far superior Bright Star instead. Hoping for two or three UHDs (one of which unfortunately could be Power of the Dog if Netflix permits it) and a BD of Pepe le Moko. Less excited about a Coup de Torchon upgrade after reading that the new restoration has had a color grade that doesn't reflect the film's original appearance.

[therewillbeblus]

If the delay means they're securing a supplement featuring Sam Elliott and David Hare in roundtable with the cast and crew, I'm cool with that

[Self]

Fingers crossed for an interview with Jonny Greenwood or any supplement on the score.

[ryannichols7]

can't help but feel stiffed that this is coming before The Other Side of the Wind, which I think myself and all other Welles disciples have been patient on, and I know it'll be worth the wait and loaded with extras (something POTD probably won't be)...but it's still a little tough

hopefully The Trial as a consolation prize...which would be funny as to me it's a much bigger deal

[Finch]

Need to watch Daisies and Malcolm X but outside of Infernal Affairs, the rest of the line-up is disappointing with a UHD of an all-time favorite with shit colors and Jane Campion's worst film.

[Maltic]

They really seem to take the boutique tag seriously, all very Vogue and stylish. I also wonder whether they consider critical analysis, at least in the audio/audio-visual format, to be a bit... tacky? Quite a different approach to extras compared to the UK labels, these days.

[senseabove]

Just to add to the Pasolini Centenary speculation, BAMPFA posted a partial narrative retrospective, and everything but the Trilogy Of Life lists Janus as rightsholder. The only ones not playing are Saló, Theorema, Medea, Oedipus Rex, and Pigsty. We know the first two and Trilogy of Life are available to Janus as they're in print. So all they'd need is the last three. The Medea US BD is more than a decade old and appears to be on its way out of print, so that seems likely to be a lock... Anyone know the status of Oedipus Rex and Pigsty in the US? The Academy schedule doesn't list rightsholders, unfortunately. I see a 2019 LA screening for Oedipus Rex crediting Compass Films, who appear to have, at one point, been theatrical distributors of Mathew and Accattone...

[dwk]

Pigsty/Porcile is on the channel and opens with both the Criterion and Janus logos.

[Hogfather]

can't help but feel stiffed that this is coming before The Other Side of the Wind, which I think myself and all other Welles disciples have been patient on, and I know it'll be worth the wait and loaded with extras (something POTD probably won't be)...but it's still a little tough

hopefully The Trial as a consolation prize...which would be funny as to me it's a much bigger deal

We'll probably get The Trial sometime in 2023, after Rialto does their tour of it. That's probably why a Criterion release wasn't announced with the European 4k announcement; Rialto wasn't planning to distribute The Trial for a little while, and so Criterion wasn't planning to put out their release of it for even longer. I think we'll probably also see The Eyes of Orson Welles get a standalone release at the same time as The Trial.

What really gets me is seeing Okja and The Power of the Dog recently released. I have nothing against those movies, but knowing that Netflix is just sitting on The Other Side of the Wind and refusing to put it out even though everyone who worked on the film and Criterion both want to make it happen is kind of annoying.

[Calvin]

As you say, Oedipus Rex hasn't been confirmed to be with Janus but it's owned by the same company as Accattone and The Gospel According to St Matthew so I would be surprised if it was absent from any potential box set.

I think now that the November announcements have passed, I think the ship has pretty much sailed on a complete Pasolini set. December is typically a light month and would they miss his centenary and release in 2023? I am pretty flabbergasted that it looks like we might get through his entire centenary year without a single Pasolini release though.

[movielocke]

Only six blugrades thus far in 2022, seven was the previous floor in 2016, so hopefully we will at least tie that with the December announcements next month.

[vsski]

…but knowing that Netflix is just sitting on The Other Side of the Wind and refusing to put it out…

Sorry, I haven’t kept up to date on this, but why are they refusing to put it out?

[FrauBlucher]

Only six blugrades thus far in 2022, seven was the previous floor in 2016, so hopefully we will at least tie that with the December announcements next month.

Blast of Silence is a contender

[Ribs]

Don’t really see what the benefit is of tracking specifically the Blu-ray upgrades - there’s been 12 upgrades this year, 13 if you count Daisies. The amount of work to upgrade something like Night of the Living Dead will be the same as it should be for Walker.