Criterion Random Speculation Vol.4

[kaujot]

I'd also love to see updated versions of Kinji Fukasaku's Street Mobster and Graveyard of Honor. They're both Home Vision, but I can never remember HVe's relationship with Criterion. Anyone?

And yes, the video/audio of Street Mobster are both good, but there are NO extras whatsoever, and I really think the guy deserves a bit more recognition than HVe can give him.

[domino harvey]

I can never remember HVe's relationship with Criterion. Anyone?

Incestuous but reformed.
HVe used to be a dumping ground for Janus titles that weren't high profile enough for Criterion, but now I believe it's been bought out by Image and it's situation is a little different

[kaujot]

And yes, the video/audio of Street Mobster are both good, but there are NO extras whatsoever, and I really think the guy deserves a bit more recognition than HVe can give him.

Oh wait. I forgot about some lame Yakuza/filmmaker interview on Street Mobster.

[Tribe]

I'd also love to see updated versions of Kinji Fukasaku's Street Mobster and Graveyard of Honor...I really think the guy deserves a bit more recognition than HVe can give him.

You mean seven individual releases and a six disc metal box set loaded with extras with an additional five movies wasn't recognition?

Tribe

[kaujot]

I'd also love to see updated versions of Kinji Fukasaku's Street Mobster and Graveyard of Honor...I really think the guy deserves a bit more recognition than HVe can give him.

You mean seven individual releases and a six disc metal box set loaded with extras with an additional five movies wasn't recognition?

Perhaps by recognition, I meant substantive features that explore his life, work, etc. Besides that, I'd never even heard of The Yakuza Papers until I saw it at the video library I work at. Furthermore, I think a director's film, put out by Criterion, does count as a bit more "recognition" when, in all likelihood, more people will be aware of it strictly because it's a Criterion release.

[tryavna]

For what it's worth, I've always felt that Under the Flag of the Rising Sun was Fukasaku's most "important" film, and it surely should have been a Criterion title. At any rate, the HVe edition does boast an interesting commentary track, though it's a bit too sparse to be as rewarding a listen as it really should be.

My theory is that Criterion and HVe simply made a deal: HVe bargained to get all the Fukasakus if they agreed to let Criterion handle more Suzukis than would have been normally allowed.

In my opinion, however, Fukasaku's themes and style are so remarkably consistent that watching several of his films in a row almost renders Criterion-like contextualizing special features redundant. You sort of "get" what he's doing on your own.

[Cronenfly]

I agree on Fukasaku; the volume of his work that HVE got out is pretty impressive (and laudable), and after a couple of titles you can get a really good feel for his work on your own (HVE's releases of his movies get the features just right, I feel, the chart of characters on The Yakuza Papers being a case in point). And this is coming from someone who's a pretty big dope when it comes to appreciating a large body of a director's work without a little (or a lot of) help.

As well, the Fukasakus, unlike a lot of HVE's releases (many of which I have yet to get to, so pardon the judgement), didn't feel "secondary" to me for getting released on HVE; the sheer volume of Fukasaku titles that HVE released wouldn't have been possible on Criterion. And in this case I'll without a doubt take volume (which was still handled very well) over any prestige being released on the main Criterion label might've brought.

[kaujot]

Fair points, all.

[kittens.galore]

Since they got Mishima, I'd love for them to also put out Schrader's Hardcore or Blue Collar. Hardcore is unlikely, I think, since Sony (well, Amazon says Sony. DVD Savant says Columbia Tri-Star, but aren't they somehow connected?) put out the (barebones) DVD in 2004. However, Anchor Bay (And Starz, apparently) released the now OOP release of Blue Collar.

I'd like to see another Harvey Keitel film re-released, Bad Lieutenant. And maybe King of New York. Ok, and Ms. 45. Abel Ferrara is just too often looked over as a good filmmaker cuz his film are like, ultra-violent.

How do you find out who owns these films?

[miless]

I disagree that Abel Ferrara gets overlooked due to violence, I believe he gets overlooked because his films aren't that great. (I mean Scorsese, Kubrick, etc... have created 'ultra-violent' films but no-one complains about them being overlooked).
King of New York could have been an interesting movie, but the way it was filmed makes it so confusing to watch (I really had no idea what was going on for several long sequences because I couldn't figure out how all the shots could be from the same scene). Not to mention it looks about as terribly dated as (the terrible, TERRIBLE, film) Scarface (the DePalma version, of course).

as to who owns them, look for current DVD's.

[denti alligator]

I randomly speculate that Criterion will follow Blue Underground in announcing Blu-rays in the works ... by sometime before the summer is over.

[jaredsap]

How do you find out who owns these films?

The "company credits" section on imdb is a good resource.

[Matt]

I disagree that Abel Ferrara gets overlooked due to violence, I believe he gets overlooked because his films aren't that great. (I mean Scorsese, Kubrick, etc... have created 'ultra-violent' films but no-one complains about them being overlooked).

Er, uh... well, I won't jump to the conclusion that you haven't seen more than a couple of Ferrara's films, but his best films aren't really his most well-known films. I'm sort of a fan of the man (though I haven't really kept up with his work of the past decade, so "Ferrara apologist" would not really be apt), but I don't like King of New York either (except for the Larry Fishburne "and don't give me none of that cat" part). The Funeral, however, is probably one of his best films, and unjustly overlooked. It suffered on its release from October Films being too busy promoting Breaking the Waves and Secrets and Lies. It didn't appear on video until almost two years later and by that time Ferrara was persona non grata with fans and distributors because he wasn't interested in remaking Bad Lieutenant over and over again.

[kittens.galore]

Not to mention it looks about as terribly dated as (the terrible, TERRIBLE, film) Scarface (the DePalma version, of course).

I never did quite get it when someone would say a movie looks dated. if scarface was filmed in the 80's and was about the 80's, wouldn't it look dated at any time outside of the early 80's? Couldn't you say the same thing about Do the Right Thing?

[miless]

yes, many of Spike Lee's films borrow heavily from the period they were made. It's all taste, and I prefer films by filmmakers with a more timeless aesthetic quality (Lynch comes to mind the fastest).
And I generally don't buy movies with fully modern (or fully period) aesthetics, as they should also incorporate styles from the past (as few people throw out everything old in favor of replacing it with the newest trend).

It is true that I have only seen four Ferrara films (King of New York, Bad Lieutenant, Body Snatchers and The Addiction), I can honestly say that I don't necessarily feel I need to watch more. I'd rather watch the Antonioni or Altman films I've missed. Those that I have seen have generally presented some pretty good ideas (except for Body Snatchers, which didn't really bring much new to the table), especially that behind The Addiction (vampires being blood junkies). I just don't care for his style.

I'm sorry if I stated my opinion as fact, I didn't mean to do that.

[kittens.galore]

I'm sorry if I stated my opinion as fact, I didn't mean to do that.

Doesn't bother me. I rarely get to chat about movies anymore, mostly because I'm in Wyoming. bah.

I personally would just like to see more American films being released. Ok, and Canadian maybe outside of Cronenberg.

That reminds me, since Criterion is releasing alot of the Cronenberg stuff, do you think eXistenZ will ever be on that list?

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I'd love to see Criterion give Ferrara's The Addiction their deluxe treatment. I've always felt it to be one of his underrated and underappreciated films (everyone always hypes King of NY and Bad Lt). I also think it is one of the best vampire films made in the last 30 years (along with Martin, Near Dark and Habit). I can't believe it hasn't been released on Region 1 DVD yet which makes me wonder if there is some rights issue that is keeping it in limbo.

[kittens.galore]

I'd love to see Criterion give Ferrara's The Addiction their deluxe treatment. I've always felt it to be one of his underrated and underappreciated films (everyone always hypes King of NY and Bad Lt). I also think it is one of the best vampire films made in the last 30 years (along with Martin, Near Dark and Habit). I can't believe it hasn't been released on Region 1 DVD yet which makes me wonder if there is some rights issue that is keeping it in limbo.

I think Near Dark just had a re-release. That would have been one of my choices for a Criterion release.

[Cold Bishop]

That reminds me, since Criterion is releasing alot of the Cronenberg stuff, do you think eXistenZ will ever be on that list?

No... If they were to release another Cronenberg it would probably have been Crash. The current eXistenZ DVD is perfectly a perfectly fine transfer as I remember. No extras, but whatever, its still in print.

I wish someone would get around and release M. Butterfly, however.

And Bad Lietuenant is a GREAT film and does need another dvd release.

[Buttery Jeb]

No... If they were to release another Cronenberg it would probably have been Crash. The current eXistenZ DVD is perfectly a perfectly fine transfer as I remember. No extras, but whatever, its still in print.

And Bad Lietuenant is a GREAT film and does need another dvd release

Or, as per Criterion's tradition of getting a Cronenberg title from every studio they license from, perhaps a new edition of "The Dead Zone" is in the works.

With regard to "Bad Lietuenant," I believe Lionsgate is holding off a re-release until after the new sequel/prequel/remake that's was announced last year comes out. Criterion would have better luck going after "Fear City" or "Driller Killer" instead.

-BJ

[kittens.galore]

And Bad Lietuenant is a GREAT film and does need another dvd release.

It seriously made me cringe the whole time.

Hey, so when are they gonna give the CC treatment to some of the John Sayles' pics?

[kaujot]

And Bad Lietuenant is a GREAT film and does need another dvd release.

It seriously made me cringe the whole time.

Hey, so when are they gonna give the CC treatment to some of the John Sayles' pics?

I have been living with the very faint hope that Warner's rights to Sayles's Lone Star will lapse back to Sayles and Criterion will pick it up for several years now.

[kittens.galore]

I have been living with the very faint hope that Warner's rights to Sayles's Lone Star will lapse back to Sayles and Criterion will pick it up for several years now.

seriously. its the second best Matthew McConaughey movie ever!

i'd just like to see a new copy of matewan. used copies are going for like 60 bucks. ridiculous.

[Cronenfly]

That reminds me, since Criterion is releasing alot of the Cronenberg stuff, do you think eXistenZ will ever be on that list?

No... If they were to release another Cronenberg it would probably have been Crash. The current eXistenZ DVD is perfectly a perfectly fine transfer as I remember. No extras, but whatever, its still in print.

The Canadian Alliance Atlantis edition has an anamorphic transfer, three commentary tracks, and a featurette, easily besting the Dimension edition. It's OOP but not in an impossible to find way (I see it all the time in stores here); it goes for upwards of $30 used on Amazon.ca, but can be also be found inthis fairly inexpensive boxset.

[cdnchris]

That reminds me, since Criterion is releasing alot of the Cronenberg stuff, do you think eXistenZ will ever be on that list?

No... If they were to release another Cronenberg it would probably have been Crash. The current eXistenZ DVD is perfectly a perfectly fine transfer as I remember. No extras, but whatever, its still in print.

The Canadian Alliance Atlantis edition has an anamorphic transfer, three commentary tracks, and a featurette, easily besting the Dimension edition. It's OOP but not in an impossible to find way (I see it all the time in stores here); it goes for upwards of $30 used on Amazon.ca, but can be also be found inthis fairly inexpensive boxset.

Yeah, this is about the ONLY good thing Alliance has ever released on their own onto DVD.