Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[Bruce]

The more Altman, the better. It's a shame that Criterion couldn't (or didn't want to) pick up COME BACK TO THE FIVE AND DIME, but I really hope that some of his more under-the-radar TV works at least get an Eclipse, particularly TWO BY SOUTH and THE LAUNDROMAT (which, like TANNER '88, was for HBO).

Come to think of it, Criterion also did 'Secret Honor' on DVD. I know it was shot on 16mm, but a Blu-ray upgrade of this would still be welcome.

[repeat]

Well California Split is certainly way overdue for a proper (uncut) release, but weren't there some issues with that?

I was wondering about Short Cuts because it's coming up on my Criterion shopping list and I really don't want to end up with another DVD that's impossible to get rid of once a Blu is announced.

[Bruce]

Well California Split is certainly way overdue for a proper (uncut) release, but weren't there some issues with that?

I was wondering about Short Cuts because it's coming up on my Criterion shopping list and I really don't want to end up with another DVD that's impossible to get rid of once a Blu is announced.

Re California Split, I think one of the music tracks had to be dropped or substituted due to rights clearance problems.

[jindianajonz]

Well California Split is certainly way overdue for a proper (uncut) release, but weren't there some issues with that?

I was wondering about Short Cuts because it's coming up on my Criterion shopping list and I really don't want to end up with another DVD that's impossible to get rid of once a Blu is announced.

Go for the OOP edition with the book included; that way if it does come out on blu you can at least argue with which one is the "definitive" edition.

It's worked for me for Two Lane Blacktop and Last Emperor!

[Roger Ryan]

According to this Amazon Instant View page, ERASERHEAD already has a cover design in place. Nothing surprising, but it's nice to have confirmation of an imminent Criterion release.

[swo17]

That's the same art up for the film on Hulu. It's most likely just temporary.

[CSM126]

Yeah, but it's pretty much perfect.

Which means they'll have a cartoonist do some goofy-looking Tim Burton-y doodle for the actual disc cover.

[beamish13]

Well California Split is certainly way overdue for a proper (uncut) release, but weren't there some issues with that?

I was wondering about Short Cuts because it's coming up on my Criterion shopping list and I really don't want to end up with another DVD that's impossible to get rid of once a Blu is announced.

H*E*A*L*T*H apparently has a music rights issue as well, which is a shame, as it's an extremely funny film. It screens sporadically on the Fox Movie Channel, which is where bootlegs of it have originated from.

[Jgh8xxx]

As far as likely Altman's to be released, I'd say the MOST certain title to join the collection will be his masterpiece and, in my opinion, THE greatest American film, Nashville, which was undoubtedly acquired in the latest Paramount Deal that's thus far given us Harold and Maude and Rosemary's Baby.

It is also completely feasible that they picked up Images, Thieves Like Us and The Long Goodbye from MGM (though if not all three, I'd say The Long Goodbye is most likely.)

California Split could've easily been licensed from Sony, and Gosford Park from Focus. McCabe and Mrs. Miller would've likely been near the top of their list of desired titles from Warner Bros.

I can't imagine any of his other titles being priorities before these seven which would have been relatively painless acquisitions.

[MongooseCmr]

Yeah, but it's pretty much perfect.

Which means they'll have a cartoonist do some goofy-looking Tim Burton-y doodle for the actual disc cover.

No, I think they'll do what they did for Rosemary's Baby and just adapt the iconic poster art.
Then again, look at Badlands

[Gregory]

I think they'll do what they did for Rosemary's Baby and just adapt the iconic poster art. Then again, look at Badlands.

They'll probably follow whatever whim of Lynch's will make him happy. A story quoted in another thread, about the Twin Peaks Gold Box:

The whole gold motif came from David Lynch himself. I remember being up at his house with Ken Ross, David Grant and Ryan Adams from CBS, and David was obsessed with this thing being housed in a gold box. I remember him closing his eyes intently saying, "It's got to be gold..."

And so it was. Then there was lime green.
Fortunately, almost any imaginable packaging would be an improvement on that big Eraserhead "2000" DVD box.

[dwk]

Sent an email asking about Blu-ray upgrades for their remaining Melville titles and got the following response:

To the best of my knowledge, there are no immediate plans to upgrade
these titles.

[Gregory]

"To the best of my knowledge, form-letter responses are the best way of dealing with questions such as yours."

[perkizitore]

Le Samourai is probably going to be upgraded by the end of the year.

[hearthesilence]

I hope so, without the digital-f***ery on Pathe's Blu-Ray.

[Minkin]

Via Criterion Cast:

Criterion to restore 18 films from Satyajit Ray

Having bought the home video rights of The Apu Trilogy, Charulata, Mahanagar and Nayak among others, they are set to do “frame by frame” restoration before distributing them in the US and Canada. What’s more, director Abbey Lustgartern is in town to film personal accounts shared by artistes who have worked with Ray, to go with each film.

By April 2014, all other films will be restored.

[Timec]

We already knew that they were working on The Apu Trilogy and at least one other Ray film - but 18?! That's pretty the best news ever.

Most of the older films that I've seen from that part of the world tend to be in pretty bad shape - I've always wished someone would come along and give them the detailed restoration work that they deserve (I imagine I'll still be waiting a long time before I can finally see some decent quality prints of Guru Dutt films.)

I already have the 3 Artificial Eye sets of Ray's films, but the restored versions (assuming the 18 films Criterion chose include all 9 in the AE sets) should end up being revelatory - particularly if The Music Room is anything to go by. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long to see the results.

[Askew]

Hopefully none of the Ray films end up in Eclipse sets if they are doing such thorough restorations. Either way, I think it will take Criterion a decade to get these all out.

[knives]

Eclipse sets never have restorations by them so I wouldn't worry on that. If Hulu is any indication his doc on Tagore will be amongst the 18 so I hope that means we get a boxset of his adaptations.

[albucat]

The Music Room looked so beautiful, I'm thrilled by this news. Yes, it will take forever, but well worth the wait.

[colinr0380]

This is excellent news, and the number of films bodes well for some of the less celebrated Ray films to finally receive their due, beyond just the obvious contenders such as the Apu Trilogy, Charulata and Days And Nights In The Forest. Maybe pair Charulata up with Mahanagar in a 'female empowerment' double! And hopefully Nayak/The Hero, a kind of melding of Wild Strawberries and Paper Flowers, will finally get its due too.

I know this is getting ahead of myself, but I also hope that this might move Criterion beyond just Satyajit Ray into releasing other Indian films - Kaagaz ke Phool/Paper Flowers of course, but I'm also thinking that the melding between gritty drama and Chaplin-esque sentiment in Boot Polish would be a great contender too! I could imagine that the Dardennes would go crazy about it in an introduction!

[MichaelB]

Are Criterion actually doing the restoration themselves, or have they merely licensed the existing restorations by AMPAS/The Film Foundation?

My money's on the latter, especially as I think around eighteen titles were involved.

[andyli]

I think it depends on your definition of 'restoration'. If you mean digital scan and clean-up then I think Criterion must have done their own work just as they cleaned up The Music Room with their Phoenix software. But if you mean full-blown restorations starting from researching all the viable film elements then they must not have time to do so from scratch, with more or less a year in hand you can barely even complete a full restoration on one film, let alone eighteen. Then again they don't need to as fine work has already been done over The Film Foundation.

[leo_floyd]

Le Samourai is probably going to be upgraded by the end of the year.

*fingers crossed*

[Drucker]

I know this is getting ahead of myself, but I also hope that this might move Criterion beyond just Satyajit Ray into releasing other Indian films.

So hoping for this. Hopefully they can bring the Gaumont Guru Dutt set to Eclipse (though Mother India is certainly deserving of mainline consideration, from what I've read/from what it seems).