criterionforum.org

I wonder if Second Sight might be working on an upgrade

therewillbeblus wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:13 pm Don’t all A24 site-exclusive products sell out eventually?

Their Midsommar UHD initially sold out but they restocked them after a while and it’s available ever since. I’m not sure if that also happened with another title but no limited edition BD/UHD once they started sold out - other items yes. I suppose it‘ll be the same with Stop Making Sense, which is a blessing as importing from A24 is so ridiculously expensive to Germany (49$ shipping!) and the possibility of Second Sight doing a UHD themselves makes it much less tempting to order now.

Do their exclusives ever get a Black Friday or flash sale?

hearthesilence wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 9:22 pm Do their exclusives ever get a Black Friday or flash sale?

I don't believe so. I inquired about this before I made a large purchase a year ago, and their team and other forums seemed to indicate a negative there. I think there was some kind of offer early on when the site started getting traction, but that was it

swo17 wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:42 pm I wonder if Second Sight might be working on an upgrade

A BR.com user asked Second Sight and they (very) unfortunately denied it. I take their word for it as they’ve been very generous in the past with their early announcements of films they’re working on. They did this for Possession, Mean Streets and others when competitors announced their versions before Second Sight. I also take this pretty much as a guarantee that A24 have exclusive rights to the restoration.

therewillbeblus wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 10:07 pm

hearthesilence wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 9:22 pm Do their exclusives ever get a Black Friday or flash sale?

I don't believe so. I inquired about this before I made a large purchase a year ago, and their team and other forums seemed to indicate a negative there. I think there was some kind of offer early on when the site started getting traction, but that was it

If anyone is interested in getting a little bit of a discount on this, see here

nicolas wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 6:25 pmwhich is a blessing as importing from A24 is so ridiculously expensive to Germany (49$ shipping!)

I was curious as to whether their shop might have a free shipping threshold : it's actually the opposite, so a $201 cart with 2 BDs, a zine, a towel and a book adds $204.9 in shipping !! (Shipping 129.11 USD, Tax 67.02 USD, Duty 8.77 USD)
I originally did even worse and added more books and other stuff and reached a $400+ cart : got $400+ of shipping fees !

Absolute BS non sense.

Does anyone know if Storefront Hitchcock has ever been released on disc in anything better than the 1997 MGM DVD in 1.33:1?

I take it from this clip that it’s available streaming in a wider AR, but so far I’ve not been able to even find what the OAR was.

We really need Something Wild and Married To The Mob on 4k. And Storefront Hitchcock and Citizens Band in hd.

jt938 wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:58 amWe really need Something Wild and Married To The Mob on 4k. And Storefront Hitchcock and Citizens Band in hd.

Citizens Band is “out there” in HD. It just popped up on the library app Hoopla, so it’s presumably been cleared for Blu-Ray

jt938 wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:58 am We really need Something Wild and Married To The Mob on 4k. And Storefront Hitchcock and Citizens Band in hd.

A while ago I watched Storefront Hitchcock on Amazon Prime and it had an HD scan and was in 1.85:1. It had its issues, sure, but it was nice seeing it. What I would do for a Demme music movie boxset.

beamish14 wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 2:20 am

jt938 wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:58 amWe really need Something Wild and Married To The Mob on 4k. And Storefront Hitchcock and Citizens Band in hd.

Citizens Band is “out there” in HD. It just popped up on the library app Hoopla, so it’s presumably been cleared for Blu-Ray

Yes, the copy I purchased off iTunes/Apple TV a few years ago is in HD.

Incidentally, the last time I purchased a "lost" movie from iTunes because I never thought it would get a release was Little Darlings, and Cinématographe announced its 4K a couple of months later. Fingers crossed!

DeprongMori wrote: Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:26 am Does anyone know if Storefront Hitchcock has ever been released on disc in anything better than the 1997 MGM DVD in 1.33:1?

I take it from this clip that it’s available streaming in a wider AR, but so far I’ve not been able to even find what the OAR was.

I think that's it for on-disc content. I have the MGM full-frame DVD and it's even signed by Robyn Hitchcock but I would gladly trade it for a new HD OAR disc from Criterion or anyone at this point.

Melvin & Howard is the Demme film that really needs rescuing now. No offense to stuff like Something Wild and Married to the Mob, but the existing editions are solid.

mfunk9786 wrote: Mon Jul 21, 2025 5:54 pm Melvin & Howard is the Demme film that really needs rescuing now. No offense to stuff like Something Wild and Married to the Mob, but the existing editions are solid.

Out of print at the moment, but there's always copies available on Ebay for <$30.

The Truth About Charlie and the DC of Swing Shift would be my priorities

Criterion should just do a Demme boxset at this point.

I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up with Criterion along with a UHD upgrade for Something Wild.

Drucker wrote: Mon Jul 21, 2025 7:12 pm

mfunk9786 wrote: Mon Jul 21, 2025 5:54 pm Melvin & Howard is the Demme film that really needs rescuing now. No offense to stuff like Something Wild and Married to the Mob, but the existing editions are solid.

Out of print at the moment, but there's always copies available on Ebay for <$30.

Jesus, I had no idea there was a Twilight Time of this. Bought. I'm an idiot. To be fair, however: sounds like people aren't very happy with the PQ, so yeah.. point still stands? Kinda?

Melvin And Howard might be with Cinematographe considering how much Demme they've been doing.

Some questions about Storefront Hitchcock:

1) The 2001 MGM DVD states "SCREEN FORMAT: STANDARD VERSION: Modified to fit your screen", and displays at 1.33:1. I just purchased the streaming version on iTunes, which displays at 1.78:1. Comparing the two, the 1.33:1 is not a "pan-and-scan", but rather an open matte full frame image. There is more vertical space in the 1.33:1 and little to no image cropping on the left and right. I understand that because it was released during the collapse of Orion, it was only ever screened at SXSW in March 1998 and at Film Forum in NYC in November of 1998. Does anyone know what the "official" aspect ratio is for this film, or how it was screened at SXSW and Film Forum?

2) Both the DVD and streaming version have the same 77 minute runtime. The opening credits state "all [ ] songs composed by robyn hitchcock", with a "15" then inserted into the blank space between "all" and "songs". However, there are only 14 songs in the film on home video.

The November 18, 1998 review by Stephen Holden in the New York Times of the screening at Film Forum lists the runtime as 81 minutes. Demme has stated in his Guardian interview that he had final cut on all his films with Orion, so presumably it was Demme who trimmed the 15th song out of the film sometime between the Film Forum screening in November 1998 and the DVD release in 2001. Scrutinizing the closing credits of the film reveals the missing song is "I Got A Message for You". Does anyone why it was removed for home video (and opening credits not updated accordingly)?

Robyn Hitchcock discusses the difference between what was in the film versus what appears on the soundtrack(s) as questions of what performances had more visual appeal, but may not come off as well sonically especially under repeated listening. The soundtrack CD and LP have different tracks from each other and from the film. For one, they both leave off "Devil's Radio" and "I Am Not Me" which both appear in the film. A cover of Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" appears in the soundtrack, but not in the film as it is not by Hitchcock. The Hitchcock-composed tracks on the soundtrack releases which not in the film are: "Statue With A Walkman", "Where Do You Go When You Die?", "Beautiful Queen", "Eerie Green Storm Lantern". The track "I Got A Message For You", deleted from the film, now ends up neither in the soundtrack(s) nor in the film.

I'm also not sure whether this was all filmed in a single performance as Hitchcock is wearing a different shirt for the second-to-last concert number in the film, "Alright Yeah", which is performed with Tim Keegan, and "No, I Don't Remember Guildford" over the closing credits. At the end of "Guildford", Hitchcock asks "JD, should we knock it off at this point?" which implies it might be the last number performed.

Demme discusses Storefront Hitchcock quite a bit in his October 1998 interview with The Guardian, but none of this comes up.

DeprongMori wrote: Sun Aug 31, 2025 6:38 pm Some questions about Storefront Hitchcock:

2) Both the DVD and streaming version have the same 77 minute runtime. The opening credits state "all [ ] songs composed by robyn hitchcock", with a "15" then inserted into the blank space between "all" and "songs". However, there are only 14 songs in the film on home video.

I noticed this on my first viewing too and I don't know for sure but I have a pretty good speculation at the answer.

Hitchcock wrote four brand new songs especially for the film which are "1974," "Let's Go Thundering," "No I Don't Remember Guildford," and "Where Do You Go When You Die." For whatever reason "Where Do You Go When You Die" does not appear in the film though it was written for it (it does appear on the soundtrack both CD and vinyl versions).

My *guess* is that the fourth new song may have been a last minute cut from the film but they did not consider it in the math of the credits which may have already been made.

I would have to bust out my DVD to be sure but I think it is even listed in the end credits.

HitchcockLang wrote: Thu Sep 04, 2025 8:02 pm

DeprongMori wrote: Sun Aug 31, 2025 6:38 pm Some questions about Storefront Hitchcock:

2) Both the DVD and streaming version have the same 77 minute runtime. The opening credits state "all [ ] songs composed by robyn hitchcock", with a "15" then inserted into the blank space between "all" and "songs". However, there are only 14 songs in the film on home video.

I noticed this on my first viewing too and I don't know for sure but I have a pretty good speculation at the answer.

Hitchcock wrote four brand new songs especially for the film which are "1974," "Let's Go Thundering," "No I Don't Remember Guildford," and "Where Do You Go When You Die." For whatever reason "Where Do You Go When You Die" does not appear in the film though it was written for it (it does appear on the soundtrack both CD and vinyl versions).

My *guess* is that the fourth new song may have been a last minute cut from the film but they did not consider it in the math of the credits which may have already been made.

I would have to bust out my DVD to be sure but I think it is even listed in the end credits.

The one song that gets mentioned in the closing credits on the DVD/stream but was not in the film was “I Got A Message For You”. I wonder if the original theatrical cut still exists somewhere, either in a print or source material.

DeprongMori wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 3:55 am The one song that gets mentioned in the closing credits on the DVD/stream but was not in the film was “I Got A Message For You”. I wonder if the original theatrical cut still exists somewhere, either in a print or source material.

Apologies, I see you already mentioned that now. "I Got a Message For You" is an old outtake from Hitchcock's early career that was ultimately released on the compilation "Invisible Hitchcock." Interesting that it was nearly included in the film but cut at the last minute and also doesn't appear on the soundtrack. I know Hitchcock has had fickle feelings about some of his early outtake material. I wonder if he requested it be cut.

Also makes it even more interesting that "Where Do You Go When You Die" was written for the film but seemingly never seriously considered for inclusion. I will say that I find it by far the weakest of the four new songs.

I have a faint recollection that "Where Do You Go When You Die" does appear at the very start of the film (Robyn stating the title in a hushed voice, followed by a short guitar riff), until it cuts to his entrance onto the stage, which would possibly account for that credit's inclusion.

Also, I haven't seen the film since I played it for a few months on a loop in college, so please forgive my memory. But if it helps, I never listened to the audio soundtrack release, so at least I wouldn't mix the two up. I would love to be wrong, however