Criterion and Fox / MGM / Universal

[oldsheperd]

I wonder if Clockers is a possibility given the current DVD is barebones and also Universal's recent BD announcement of Do The Right Thing (packed with the extras from Criterion's DVD release).

I've always been hoping for a CC of Clockers. I think it is tremendously underrated. I think Crooklyn should be added to that list as well.

I certainly wouldn't mind a CC of Duck Soup. It's arguably the Marx Bros.' best work and pretty politically savvy to boot. The MGM edition is pretty light. The box set only has like an extra disc with some vintage interviews. I was hoping Universal would have put something out more akin to the Warners box.

[MoonlitKnight]

I certainly wouldn't mind a CC of Duck Soup. It's arguably the Marx Bros.' best work and pretty politically savvy to boot. The MGM edition is pretty light. The box set only has like an extra disc with some vintage interviews. I was hoping Universal would have put something out more akin to the Warners box.

As much as I like "Duck Soup," I don't get why almost everybody thinks it's the Marxes' best. Many of its jokes strike me as rather...obvious (the motorcycle/side car gag -- all 3 times, the mirror gag, etc.) compared to some of their other movies. For me, "A Night at the Opera," "Horse Feathers," "Animal Crackers," and "Monkey Business" are all funnier. To each his own, I guess.

[HarryLong]

I can't speak for others, but one reason I think DUCK SOUP the best is that the anarchy of the Marxes' comedy style in forms (infects?) the plotting of the film as well. There's a situation established and then a series of (for lack of a better word) sketches follow. They are prompted by the plot but they don't necessarily advance it, though they sometimes lurch the audience ahead into it. A huge production number starts out & then simply disintegrates into a series of blackout jokes that then transitions into the final sequence of the film.

Any of their other films are, by comparison plot-bound.

And once at MGM they ended up always in the service of uniting the young lovers (a set-up that wouldn't be ditched until NIGHT IN CASABLANCA). Such things should be left to Mary Worth.

[Oggilby]

Whether it's Universal or Criterion, Horse Feathers and Animal Crackers need the most work. HF has a section with a ton of splices. There has to be a film source somewhere in the world that's intact.

Also, I think all of the Paramount Marx films are supposed to be 1.20:1 except for Duck Soup. They're all cropped to fit 4x3 and it's kind of obvious.

[MoonlitKnight]

... one reason I think DUCK SOUP the best is that the anarchy of the Marxes' comedy style in forms (infects?) the plotting of the film as well. There's a situation established and then a series of (for lack of a better word) sketches follow. They are prompted by the plot but they don't necessarily advance it, though they sometimes lurch the audience ahead into it. A huge production number starts out & then simply disintegrates into a series of blackout jokes that then transitions into the final sequence of the film.

Any of their other films are, by comparison plot-bound.

And once at MGM they ended up always in the service of uniting the young lovers (a set-up that wouldn't be ditched until NIGHT IN CASABLANCA). Such things should be left to Mary Worth.

That's kind of what I thought. But for me, when it comes to comedy, laughs take precedence over structure...and there weren't as many of them for me in "Duck Soup" than in the other 4 I mentioned.

[Props55]

Good God Harry, I haven't even thought of Mary Worth in decades! The last of the four-panel daily comic "soaps". My synapses are firing like an acid flashback and I'm dying for a double vodka and tonic! Thanks for the memories!

[PfR73]

No banging your head on the display case, please; it contains a very rare Mary Worth in which she has advised a friend to commit suicide. Thank you.

[AfterTheRain]

Here in Salem, OR, we're having a screening of Mark Rydell's The Rose on Saturday as part of the film festival taking place. In the paper announcing this, it says right below the description: "Print Courtesy of 20th Century Fox & Criterion". This makes me wonder if this might be up for a future Criterion release. Something to look into, if you ask me.

[Cinephrenic]

"Print Courtesy of 20th Century Fox & Criterion".

This comes up every once in a while. Criterion Pictures is a sister company of 20th century Fox and NOT related to the Criterion Collection in any way.

[AfterTheRain]

This comes up every once in a while. Criterion Pictures is a sister company of 20th century Fox and NOT related to the Criterion Collection in any way.

I did some research and found out that The Rose IS NOT a Criterion Picture; looks like the CC may have acquired this for future release, but too early to tell.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

It's still listed in Criterion Pictures' catalog. Where did you hear they don't have it anymore?

[Tribe]

Is The Rose serious speculation...or is it just one of those things pulled out of someone's ass? Jesus, The Rose would be a frightening prospect.

[Jeff]

I did some research and found out that The Rose IS NOT a Criterion Picture; looks like the CC may have acquired this for future release, but too early to tell.

Criterion Pictures is the theatrical distributor for all of Fox's rep. catalog. If any of Fox's catalog product plays in a theater, it will be distributed by Criterion Pictures. Even if (God forbid) the Criterion Collection were releasing The Rose, they wouldn't be credited in an acknowledgment for the print.

[Narshty]

I guess only me and Pauline Kael would be happy to see The Rose in the collection.

[domino harvey]

I just had to Wikipedia this to make sure you all weren't talking about that Bette Midler film. Imagine my surprise...

[HerrSchreck]

Good lord, could you imagine? That would just about nuke the excitement of this relatively nice month.

"Criterion Collection, a joint venture with Janus Films to bring to home video a bunch of color films running mostly between the 1960's and the present.."

[Tribe]

I just had to Wikipedia this to make sure you all weren't talking about that Bette Midler film. Imagine my surprise...

You mean we're not? I'm actually relieved if I misunderstood.

[domino harvey]

My point was more along the lines of YIKES. The only saving grace would be that it'd take the heat off Monsoon Wedding

[Tribe]

A two disc box set: The Rose with A Star Is Born (1976 version).

[flyonthewall2983]

I'd be more excited for the Jackie Jormp-Jomp bio-pic.

[Gregor Samsa]

I'd be more excited for the Jackie Jormp-Jomp bio-pic.

How about a nice deluxe edition of Black Cop White Cop while we're at it?

[Zumpano]

A two disc box set: The Rose with A Star Is Born (1976 version).

These would be the Halloween releases, no?

[Andre Jurieu]

I'd be more excited for the Jackie Jormp-Jomp bio-pic.

How about a nice deluxe edition of Black Cop White Cop while we're at it?

Those films are uninspired, pedestrian, hack-work compared to Honky Grandma be Trippin', which I think we can all agree is the only film within his oeuvre that deserves the lavish Criterion treatment.

[geoffcowgill]

I don't know. After pulling out all the stops with the lavish Imamura box set and The Human Condition on the way, I imagine more Japanese films, like Who Dat Ninja, are likelier choices.

[ianungstad]

Well, Criterion obviously has some kind of deal set up with Universal's arthouse label Focus Features, with both Monsoon Wedding and Cronos coming out in the near future.

Some possibilities that I think Criterion would be interested in out of Focus's catalogue:

Lost Highway (current DVD has no special features)
21 Grams (current DVD has no special features)
Secrets and Lies (out of print)
Breaking the Waves (out of print)
The Idiots (out of print)
Kika (out of print)
Cookie's Fortune (out of print)
Year of the Horse (out of print)
The Wedding Banquet (via Good Machine, out of print)
Ride with the Devil (via Good Machine, has almost no special features)
Far From Heaven
The Motorcycle Diaries

The head of Focus James Schamus obviously has a very close relationship with Ang Lee and he did the commentary with Ang on the Criterion Ice Storm. I would be surprised if The Wedding Banquet wasn't included in this deal. (I'm making the assumption that MGM's home video rights lapsed and they reverted back to Good Machine, much like most of the October Films stuff.)

While unlikely, Mulvaney did say another Altman title is in the works. Gosford Park is a Focus title. The current dvd is pretty loaded..but that hasn't seemed to deter Criterion as of late, so who knows. Cookie's Fortune seems much more likely to be the forthcoming Altman.