Criterion Newsletter (Part 2)

[oldsheperd]

Something to do with Furries no doubt!

[HelenLawson]

Woody Allen's Another Woman?

[med]

I know one should never read too much into these things, but it could be the Schrader Cat People, since that film's DP is this month's top 10 contributor.

[Jameson281]

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS, which has been rumored for a while, prominantly features a panther woman.

[Max von Mayerling]

I'm assuming this is all playful sarcasm prompted by frustration that they would actually bother to give us yet another clue for Kuroneko.

[Le Samouraï]

The apron is clearly a reference to HOSTEL. The cat is just for shit and giggles.

[jwd5275]

[felipe]

Is that film good?

[knives]

Yes.

[Finch]

If we actually get ISLAND OF LOST SOULS in the mainline AND on Blu instead of an Eclipse set with one or two other Uni horror titles, I'll be estatic! If this is a double or triple clue and relates to Cat People, then it's got to be the Schrader version, not least because Warner flat out refuses to licence their titles out to other companies.

[jbeall]

As long as it's not The Island of Dr. Moreauj, I'm cool with whatever that clue represents, even Hostel.

[swo17]

If this is a double or triple clue...

Why are we ruling out the possibility that this is a quadruple clue?

[colinr0380]

I'd be happy if it was either Island of Lost Souls or the Cat People remake (especially if Cat People secured another Paul Schrader commentary!) Even happier if it were both!

Here's the trailer for the Cat People remake (which somewhat overstates Malcolm McDowell's presence). It would be great to see one of the other defining Nastassja Kinski roles in the collection. I actually found the original Cat People rather lacklustre compared to all the other Lewton productions despite obvious standout elements and sequences ("Moi Sestra?", the bus scene, the swimming pool, the mere presence of Simone Simon). The remake is kind of De Palma-esque in the way that it coarsens in an interesting way the rather too coy original material (the gory attack in the zoo, of Lyn Lowry's prostitute or Annette O'Toole's topless replay of the swimming pool scene) to really poke uncomfortably at the sexual violence themes. And of course it features the strangest literal climax to any supposed 'horror' film involving a scene of tender bondage!

[SpiderBaby]

^I'm with you. Either of those 2 I would be happy with.

[Peacock]

Has there ever been a double or triple clue?

Remember Criterion said they were working on this and the elements weren't in great condition so it was taking quite a while, it was posted on here from the Facebook page around a year ago.... So I doubt they'd go through months of restoration just for an Eclipse release (when they normally/always? just use preexisting masters)

Can't wait to finally see this film!

[Cinephrenic]

More Lugosi and Karloff like Monsters and Madmen?? Possible for another Universal horror set.

[ellipsis7]

MISHIMA was lastly on a Warner DVD prior to its Criterion incarnation, so why not CAT PEOPLE too?....

[swo17]

There is a guy on Facebook who rather hilariously refuses to accept that the clue could point to anything other than Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

[colinr0380]

Remember Criterion said they were working on this and the elements weren't in great condition so it was taking quite a while, it was posted on here from the Facebook page around a year ago.... So I doubt they'd go through months of restoration just for an Eclipse release (when they normally/always? just use preexisting masters)

I've got an old VHS version of Island of Lost Souls and even factoring in the VHS image quality the film does look really, really rough. This trailer seems in slightly better shape, but I did hear that it is also one of those films which had some (understandable!) censorship issues which might complicate matters further.

So I can see why it would need a lot of work done to even get to Eclipse standards. But the film itself fully deserves a restoration effort - just saying it is better than the mostly terrible later Dr Moreau adaptations doesn't get close to how powerful it is.

[ianungstad]

MISHIMA was lastly on a Warner DVD prior to its Criterion incarnation, so why not CAT PEOPLE too?....

Warner didn't own Mishima. They licensed the film from Francis Ford Coppola. Warners and Coppola decided not to renew the rights and the film was then licensed to Criterion. Warners flat out own the two versions of Cat People. The Warner discs for both films are fine. Even if Criterion did get a small handful of films from Warners, I don't think either version of Cat People would be a priority. The clue is certainly for Island Of Lost Souls.

[PfR73]

Warner doesn't own the Schrader Cat People. I have it on DVD & it's from Universal.

[Tom Hagen]

I demand a Devo performance of "Jocko Homo" as a special feature.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Actually, Schrader's Cat People is owned by Universal and doesn't really need the upgrade. Universal did an HD master a few years ago and released it on DVD and HD-DVD with a Schrader commentary, making of features and even a discussion with Robert Wise on the original. I'm sure it will eventually come to Blu-Ray too.

I posted about a year ago that I knew for a fact that Criterion was working on this, Ministry of Fear and Design for Living, this is just the first of those three that I mentioned that's coming out. I heard the elements were rough for it, but I know a lot of restoration and careful preparation was done for this film.

[hdowns]

Hey- Going out on a limb here, but how about Godard's "Sympathy for the Devil??"

[agnamaracs]

I demand a Devo performance of "Jocko Homo" as a special feature.

"Are we not men?"
"er... sorta?"