Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[hearthesilence]

eBay is now demanding my social security number if I want to sell anything, so even they're not casual enough for me anymore...

Holy crap, what for?

[hearthesilence]

I'm first and foremost a movie-lover, but seem to be cursed with trying to make any money from my collecting--I sold my Chungking Express blu when the box was hinted at in the New Year's clue, only to find out about the "restorations" (still going to use that money to buy the box)

That restoration to me MIGHT be all right and may soon be available separately from Nova Media. At first glance, the color doesn't look wrong or off, but compared with the old BD, there are notable differences. The loss of the Rayns commentary is unfortunate but I'm sure someone has uploaded it somewhere.

[senseabove]

Holy crap, what for?

Dunno! I searched around and saw people complaining about being asked for it over the past few years, and a few people on Twitter complaining about it in the past few weeks/months, but no definite explanations. I saw some suggestion that it's to do with new IRS rules that dramatically lower the threshold for reporting income from online sales from a few thousand to $600 or so, but the "give it—or else!" emails from eBay didn't mention that, that doesn't jive with complaints about the demand going years back, and I haven't sold that much on eBay in a single year recently (or ever, iirc), so I'm not sure why I'd get the pinch now given that my eBay account is literally old enough to drink! But whatever the reason, it means I'm not selling on eBay anymore.

[schellenbergk]

'The Grand Illusion', 'The Third Man' and 'Contempt' are back on the Channel, and they all open up with the Criterion Collection logo and they seem to be using the newer remasters.

I noticed that on 'The Third Man' - I also noticed the wacky C on "A nous la liberte" - but I can't tell if it's been remastered. I would have to dig out the old disc - but I think they both used the earlier 'pre-wacky-C' logo... the one with the line.

I never did upgrade my DVD of 'The Third Man' - it was my very first DVD purchase and was a brand new release (!) at the time. The DVD transfer still looks pretty darn good. I watched it just a few weeks ago and even on a large TV it looks pretty sharp, which is amazing for such an old DVD. It looks so good I didn't upgrade to Blu when I had a chance earlier. But I'd happily do so now if they re-release it. Ditto 'Grand Illusion'

And I would upgrade the Rene Clair film as well - I love his French work and think he's rather overlooked these days.

[yoloswegmaster]

I noticed that on 'The Third Man' - I also noticed the wacky C on "A nous la liberte" - but I can't tell if it's been remastered. I would have to dig out the old disc - but I think they both used the earlier 'pre-wacky-C' logo... the one with the line.

I just checked looked at it and it looks to me that they are using the DVD version.

[hearthesilence]

'The Grand Illusion', 'The Third Man' and 'Contempt' are back on the Channel, and they all open up with the Criterion Collection logo and they seem to be using the newer remasters.

I noticed that on 'The Third Man' - I also noticed the wacky C on "A nous la liberte" - but I can't tell if it's been remastered. I would have to dig out the old disc - but I think they both used the earlier 'pre-wacky-C' logo... the one with the line.

I never did upgrade my DVD of 'The Third Man' - it was my very first DVD purchase and was a brand new release (!) at the time. The DVD transfer still looks pretty darn good. I watched it just a few weeks ago and even on a large TV it looks pretty sharp, which is amazing for such an old DVD. It looks so good I didn't upgrade to Blu when I had a chance earlier. But I'd happily do so now if they re-release it. Ditto 'Grand Illusion'

And I would upgrade the Rene Clair film as well - I love his French work and think he's rather overlooked these days.

The original Criterion DVD of The Third Man has the best mastering of the soundtrack - dynamic range fully intact without any of the harsh EQ or compression that was applied later on. (Criterion may have applied some denoising later on too - that's been a problem with a lot of Criterion reissues, where they suck some of the life out of the soundtrack just to clean out some audible but easily ignorable hiss.)

I was hoping they'd upgrade the Clair title and properly restore the excised scenes into the feature, where they were meant to be. For some reason I sold off my DVD thinking it would happen anytime soon, and that was probably ten years ago!

[Bressonaire]

Isn't it time to open the guessing thread? Announcements should be tomorrow.

[domino harvey]

The parking lot is open now, Deep Throat

[FrauBlucher]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but this hi-rez screen image is from the Trouble In Paradise page. This looks incredible

[DRW.mov]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but this hi-rez screen image is from the Trouble In Paradise page. This looks incredible

This isn’t a screenshot, it’s an on set production still. Therefore not indicative of a film’s restoration.

[FrauBlucher]

Too bad.

[therewillbeblus]

Am I making this up, or aren't the materials for Trouble in Paradise supposedly in rough shape? I'm pretty sure there'd be more notice for a resto if it'd look so pristine, but I could see Criterion giving up and doing their best with a Lady Eve upgrade job

[soundchaser]

Yeah, I think Eureka released it DVD-only in 2012 because they didn’t feel the elements were up to snuff for Blu-Ray. My guesses of it are absolutely wishful thinking.

[dustybooks]

I would be more than thrilled with a Lady Eve-caliber release of just about any MIA classic Hollywood title at this point. Maybe sans the Zoom conference.

[therewillbeblus]

Oh I definitely think it'll get released on blu, I just think it'll be a compromised effort unless we get big neon signs alerting us to a miracle enterprise (and like dustybooks, I too would be thrilled with any upgrade, as I was with The Lady Eve)

[yoloswegmaster]

Am I making this up, or aren't the materials for Trouble in Paradise supposedly in rough shape? I'm pretty sure there'd be more notice for a resto if it'd look so pristine, but I could see Criterion giving up and doing their best with a Lady Eve upgrade job

You're in luck since a restored version of Trouble in Paradise was screened back in 2018. I also noticed that Universal will be releasing a bluray in Spain next month.

[FrauBlucher]

They're up
Mirror, Bringing Up baby, Working Girls, Deep Cover and La piscine.

[Finch]

Tarkovsky, Hawks and the very promising sounding Deep Cover, for me the best of all the July line ups from the boutique labels (the ones announced yet).

[movielocke]

nothing box set big for the sale, but getting Bringing up Baby finally is huge. I'm not sure if watching Mirror again will be able surpass watching it high on pain killers after a surgery, so I may pass on it. Deep Cover and Working Girls are obvious blind buys and the La Piscine cover made me scoff out loud, I wonder, is it the type of arthouse film that markets nudity but coyly avoids it or is it the type of arthouse film that has copious nudity that is rationalized because its 'arthouse'.

[DarkImbecile]

...is it the type of arthouse film that markets nudity but coyly avoids it or is it the type of arthouse film that has copious nudity that is rationalized because its 'arthouse'.

I can’t tell which of these is the offensive option to you, or whether you’re just opposed to nudity (suggested or otherwise) in arthouse movies altogether.

[domino harvey]

the La Piscine cover made me scoff out loud, I wonder, is it the type of arthouse film that markets nudity but coyly avoids it or is it the type of arthouse film that has copious nudity that is rationalized because its 'arthouse'.

The film stars two of the biggest sex symbols of the sixties and while there is a little nudity overall the film is focused on languidly paced eroticism that the raincoat brigade would never show up or stick around for. Much of the film is just the two of them frolicking around the poolside, so not an inaccurate "sell" of the movie in the cover

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Hasn't part of the appeal for foreign arthouse films since the early days been the laissez faire attitude about sex and nudity that you'd never get in an American movie? Seems like a real foundation of it.

[domino harvey]

I mean the same year as this you had Leigh Taylor Young way more naked in the Hollywood film the Big Bounce, so at one time but not by 1969 at least

[Calvin]

I wonder if Les enfants terribles is being prepared for an upgrade? It's listed as 'Currently Unavailable' on Criterion's website and it recently got a release in France from a new 4K restoration that got a good write up at DVDClassik

[kekid]

I read in the latest Sight and Sound magazine that this is Satyajit Ray's 100-year anniversary. A major box set of his works would seem a no-brainer for Criterion Collection. Perhaps they are still planning it later this year. In my opinion, it would have been a far worthier undertaking than Wong Kar Wai, even if the latter was not plagued by the issues we have been talking about.