Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[Matt]

Either that, or it's just a cool video of a filmmaker talking about other filmmakers (all of whom made films with Criterion releases).

[Jeff]

So how many unrealized new year's drawing clues are we dealing with? Scanners and Eraserhead, and maybe All That Heaven Allows, Le Samourai, The Kid? (depending on how you interpret some of the pictures)

I'm convinced Le Samourai wasn't hinted at all. Jef doesn't carry a sword. The samurai was clearly Zatoichi (upside down grip, whited out eyes), and he's got Barton Fink's hair, glasses, and suit on. I think people were thrown by the suit and the birdcage (which was for La Cage aux Folles). I have no doubt that Criterion will release a Blu-ray of Le Samourai, but I don't think they've issued a formal hint yet. Besides Barton Fink playing the role of Zatoichi, I think the whole "building engulfed by the fires of Hell" thing is a reference to that film.

[perkizitore]

Y Yu Mama Tambien and Bitter Rice are forthcoming forever now...

[onedimension]

So how many unrealized new year's drawing clues are we dealing with? Scanners and Eraserhead, and maybe All That Heaven Allows, Le Samourai, The Kid? (depending on how you interpret some of the pictures)

I'm convinced Le Samourai wasn't hinted at all. Jef doesn't carry a sword. The samurai was clearly Zatoichi (upside down grip, whited out eyes), and he's got Barton Fink's hair, glasses, and suit on. I think people were thrown by the suit and the birdcage (which was for La Cage aux Folles). I have no doubt that Criterion will release a Blu-ray of Le Samourai, but I don't think they've issued a formal hint yet. Besides Barton Fink playing the role of Zatoichi, I think the whole "building engulfed by the fires of Hell" thing is a reference to that film.

Ahh, Zatoichi makes much more sense in hindsight.. I buy Barton Fink, too.. And obviously we won't get another Chaplin so soon, so that leaves-

New Year's drawing: Barton Fink, Eraserhead, Scanners, All That Heaven Allows
newsletters: Y Tu Mama..., Bitter Rice, Grey Gardens, Nashville, ...Mad World

I could see either Scanners/Brood or 2 Sirk upgrades, and one high profile disc- which, to me, would be Eraserhead or Nashville, but to others might be IAMM(M?)W or Barton Fink..

[cdnchris]

Last year's December schedule was pretty big (Following, Qatsi, Purple Noon, Brazil) so I wouldn't be surprised to see a bunch of big/long awaited titles for this upcoming December.

[onedimension]

Ah, true, I'd forgotten about that. Wasn't the Qatsi trilogy an unexpected delay from November, though?

[Feego]

So, was Bitter Rice ever officially hinted at? I was under the impression that what we first took to be a Bitter Rice hint was actually Summer with Monika.

[Drucker]

There seems to be a lot of people certain that Sirk upgrades are coming, with month after month of people guessing them, but unless I missed something, there really is no tangible reason to suspect them, right? There's been no major restoration, and the DVD transfer of Heaven and Wind aren't even HD...

[Moe Dickstein]

Since those are Universal, they might get re-transferred without a lot of fanfare

[Arthur House]

So, was Bitter Rice ever officially hinted at? I was under the impression that what we first took to be a Bitter Rice hint was actually Summer with Monika.

Bitter Rice is on Criterion's Hulu channel.

[johnnysnatchclub7]

So, was Bitter Rice ever officially hinted at? I was under the impression that what we first took to be a Bitter Rice hint was actually Summer with Monika.

Bitter Rice is on Criterion's Hulu channel.

True, but the thought is that it was never hinted at. Of course they own it.

And also, while an immediate Chaplin is not probable, The Kid still counts as a forthcoming hint.

[Gregory]

There seems to be a lot of people certain that Sirk upgrades are coming, with month after month of people guessing them, but unless I missed something, there really is no tangible reason to suspect them, right? There's been no major restoration, and the DVD transfer of Heaven and Wind aren't even HD...

The speculation about Heaven began because of the curtain/snow/Xmas tree part of the drawing, and Written on the Wind because it's a paired spine number and also overdue for an upgrade.
Sirk is one of just a handful of directors with three or more different releases in print in the main line but nothing on Blu. Preston Sturges is another, and Dassin with five to upgrade!

[andyli]

We did discuss the possibility of an HD transfer when Criterion posted this photo set for All That Heaven Allows.

[Frumaster]

Has a Blu-ray of Godard's Alphaville ever been rumored? Is this a Studio Canal title? If not, any chance of seeing a Criterion upgrade? This is one of my favorite Godard films but the current DVD is pretty bad.

[RyanGallagher]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

[nsps]

If they have a synchronized soundtrack, they most certainly should not be shown with a live band playing or with an alternate soundtrack.

But wouldn't these films have been exhibited silently with live music in theaters that hadn't yet been equipped for sound? The Czech print of Sunrise had no soundtrack on it, unless I'm mistaken.

In the case of Sunrise, and most other silent films with synchronized scores, the recording was not necessarily considered a replacement to live accompaniment. (The LA premiere featured a compiled score, NOT the Movietone score/soundtrack, which did play at the NYC premiere and in most other theaters as Fox pushed its product.) Hugo Riesenfeld, who did the Movietone score, said that a live orchestra was ideal. But if you lived in a place where all you had was a drunken pianist, Movietone could offer an approximation of the orchestra experience.

[Moe Dickstein]

Has a Blu-ray of Godard's Alphaville ever been rumored? Is this a Studio Canal title? If not, any chance of seeing a Criterion upgrade? This is one of my favorite Godard films but the current DVD is pretty bad.

It's OOP and Studio Canal. Don't hold your breath, if you get it it will be Lionsgate

[Askew]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

That's huge news. Now I can't wait until the bluray gets announced. Unfortunately I don't think we're lucky enough to get three Bergman films released in one year, so I don't expect it to come out until next year.

[Bando]

Bergman's Persona is now available (for pre-order, hits on September 17th) on the Criterion channel on iTunes

And we already know they have the Liv & Ingmar documentary and at least one of the Faro Document films on deck for likely supplements. Great news!

[Perkins Cobb]

So based on the press release I just got, we now know that Herzog's new distributor is Shout Factory, not Criterion. Mildly surprising. I guess Peter Becker really DOES hate Herzog!

[johnnysnatchclub7]

So based on the press release I just got, we now know that Herzog's new distributor is Shout Factory, not Criterion. Mildly surprising. I guess Peter Becker really DOES hate Herzog!

That is quite disappointing and a real missed opportunity but Shout! does great work.

[knives]

So based on the press release I just got, we now know that Herzog's new distributor is Shout Factory, not Criterion. Mildly surprising. I guess Peter Becker really DOES hate Herzog!

Hopefully this starts with New Yorker owned films.

[Perkins Cobb]

Doubtful. Signs of Life isn't mentioned in the release (which someone has posted in the Shout thread).

[knives]

But In the Land of Silence and Darkness is.

[andyli]

That is quite disappointing and a real missed opportunity but Shout! does great work.

They do? The last time I heard about them is when they screwed up the big Bruce Lee blu-ray box with SD-upconverts.