Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[JSC]

Rialto has a new trailer for the restoration of Carnal Knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpRWoqfEpZs&t=88s

The approach to the trailer kinda reminds me of this old nugget.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QgNuZcxTw

[Quote Perf Unquote]

Yeah that trailer is shit. It's more concerned with letting you know whoever edited it saw a few Wes Anderson films instead of representing the actual film at hand. It's not even darkly ironic or deliberately misleading, it's just twee ignorance. It might as well be a trailer for "Goodbye, Columbus" but even then it would sell that lousy film short.

[Drucker]

Well I wasn't aware of the film's existence until I saw the trailer in theaters a few months ago, and am seeing it tonight, so I'm looking forward to being surprised!

[beamish14]

Well I wasn't aware of the film's existence until I saw the trailer in theaters a few months ago, and am seeing it tonight, so I'm looking forward to being surprised!

I sincerely hope you love it. Jules Feiffer is an American treasure, and Rita Moreno’s performance at the end features what is probably my single favorite monologue in a feature film

[hearthesilence]

I'll have to catch this again. I didn't like it all that much when I saw it, but it was a special event that highlighted what that film and Nichols meant to a lot of new filmmakers at the time. I imagine its stature has been growing since it was released.

[therewillbeblus]

Carnal Knowledge is a masterpiece for so many reasons, but that final scene beamish14 mentions, and especially Nicholson's reaction to it, makes this one of the saddest films I've ever seen in the best possible way. It's a film that asks us if we'll ever be able to transcend our own insecurities, ennui, personal and external mistrust, and barriers inherent in social mystery and the unwillingness to look inward, to locate and hold onto true intimacy. Somehow, the film walks an impossibly middle road where it doesn't fear the answers like its characters do, but it's also willing to get vulnerable enough with its empathy to be one with us in our joys and disappointments at the various answers ethereally arrived at throughout

I believe this is coming out from Indicator too though, right?

[Pavel]

I believe this is coming out from Indicator too though, right?

Yep, very exciting even though I haven’t seen the film. beamish14 called Jules Feiffer an American treasure, and if the incredible Little Murders is anything to go by, I have to agree

[therewillbeblus]

He is, though most of us of a certain age know him as an author. I grew up on The Phantom Tollbooth and The Man in the Ceiling, but even his recent, incredibly-dark graphic novel Kill My Mother is excellent and well worth <an hour of your time

[knives]

Didn’t know he was still working. That’s exciting. Also, seconding Phantom and an extra shoutout to Popeye.

[beamish14]

He is, though most of us of a certain age know him as an author. I grew up on The Phantom Tollbooth and The Man in the Ceiling, but even his recent, incredibly-dark graphic novel Kill My Mother is excellent and well worth <an hour of your time

Only a handful of feature film credits, but he’s worked with the likes of Alain Resnais, Altman, and Nichols.

He wrote/designed the Oscar-winning short Munro for expat American director Gene Deitch in 1960, which is a must-see. I’m a big fan of his novel Harry the Rat with Women, too

[ryannichols7]

Andrei Rublev is one of the films that Mosfilm have put up on their YouTube channel in 4K UHD

not sure if this is the right spot for it, thought it was worth mentioning there's quite a few Criterion/other boutique titles on here (I'm still amazed they didn't do Viy) too that got similar treatment:

War and Peace (which I'd imagine would've actually gotten a UHD)
Viy
The Cranes are Flying

weirdly, 4K restored titles like Stalker and Come and See are not available in such a format. I thought Andrei Rublev wasn't a 4K restoration, anyone have any idea?

there are of course, other Eisenstein and Tarkovsky restorations here, as well as an unrestored Dersu Uzala. conspicuously, Solaris is absent - wasn't this rumored to be getting restored soon? either way, any Mosfilm license coming from a Western label is obviously off the table for who knows how long

[andyli]

Both Stalker and Come and See were restored in 2K by Mosfilm, at least according to Criterion's blurbs. Very few Mosfilm restorations are done in 4K, and they haven't been consistent in providing specs for even their most prestigious restorations. Plus there's the practice of offering 4K DCP of 2K-restored titles such as War and Peace (hence no surprise of this 4k streaming thing).

[ryannichols7]

you know, I pulled Rublev off the shelf to fact check before posting that, should've done the same for Stalker (I don't own Come and See). I was thinking that their restoration claims seem wonky though, I was sampling Rublev and it honestly looks no better than the CC BD to my eyes. so likely, they don't know what exactly they're working with here, nor will they get the guidance they need. I know in a few cases, the film stock used wasn't exactly the best, or something along those lines

the most important thing is that all the Eisenstein restorations are there, that's honestly my biggest upgrade priority now that Mirror is out there. barring a legitimate UHD of Solaris (something I imagine Criterion would like to do, given the opportunity). Eisenstein's sound films are of course wildly absent on Bluray, and I'm not presently satisfied with the BDs for the silents either (though haven't seen the BFI Potemkin) - it doesn't have to be Criterion necessarily, but these really should be the biggest priority once Mosfilm can actually be worked with again, whenever that may be.

[isakorg2]

I highly recommend the BFI Potemkin - the most satisfying transfer of any Eisenstein to digital that I've seen and I've seen a lot. I'm still waiting for a Ten Days That Shook the World that works for me, and Ivan the Terrible I & II. I believe there's a Russian blu-ray of Ivan, but have never seen it reviewed, and availability of it, if it exists, must be difficult these days.

[Bressonaire]

It looks like Criterion is releasing Wall E in November as well. Just got an email.

[captveg]

It looks like Criterion is releasing Wall E in November as well. Just got an email.

A rather interesting additional announcement, especially since I love the film, but I can't help but think a Criterion-Disney collaboration would better spend their time on titles not already out on the 4K UHD format already. Sleeping Beauty, for example; or Fantasia.

[dwk]

Wow. I am stunned that the Mouse House licensed something like WALL-E.

[Buttery Jeb]

It looks like Criterion is releasing Wall E in November as well. Just got an email.

A rather interesting additional announcement, especially since I love the film, but I can't help but think a Criterion-Disney collaboration would better spend their time on titles not already out on the 4K UHD format already. Sleeping Beauty, for example; or Fantasia.

My personal vote would be The Muppet Movie or maybe Lynch's The Straight Story, as those are Disney-branded titles that seem to be of lesser importance to the Mouse than one of the biggest Pixar titles they've released.

[Luke M]

WALL-E is my favorite Pixar. I'm shocked/excited they chose it for their first collaboration.

[What A Disgrace]

If Criterion is going to start releasing animated films from the Pixar and Disney catalog, then it's a trend I frankly welcome. I do hope they extend this to films that Disney hasn't already released, of course.

[Ribs]

It looks like Criterion is releasing Wall E in November as well. Just got an email.

A rather interesting additional announcement, especially since I love the film, but I can't help but think a Criterion-Disney collaboration would better spend their time on titles not already out on the 4K UHD format already. Sleeping Beauty, for example; or Fantasia.

My personal vote would be The Muppet Movie or maybe Lynch's The Straight Story, as those are Disney-branded titles that seem to be of lesser importance to the Mouse than one of the biggest Pixar titles they've released.

Thr Straight Story will probably be reverting back to Lynch in the near future, as it was acquired after production independently much like Lost Highway. So I don’t think it’s really a priority until that time.

[captveg]

I wonder if there will be any mention of this agreement and any possible future titles to come at D23 this weekend.

[DarkImbecile]

Excuse my ignorance on licensing, but does Disney still control most of the Touchstone titles, like Bringing Out the Dead or The Insider?

[captveg]

Excuse my ignorance on licensing, but does Disney still control most of the Touchstone titles, like Bringing Out the Dead or The Insider?

Yes, Disney owns the Touchstone (and Hollywood Pictures) catalog.

However, Bringing Out the Dead is a Paramount owned film.

With that in mind, I gotta think Criterion has sought to bring Dead Presidents back into the collection.

[Calvin]

I doubt we'll get to know any of the details about how this came about but it feels like one of those releases that is the result of someone from the inside (like Andrew Stanton) reaching out rather than Criterion reaching in.