Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[onedimension]

You needn't doubt this forum's capacity to obsess. We've still got The Mother and the Whore, Welles' Othello, Kiarostami's Koker Trilogy, the uncut Shanghai Express, Greed, and what have you, not to mention the countless movies that are equally deserving but have fewer boosters.

Do we still have the thread of forthcoming titles? It got trimmed down significantly.. If you want some additions to the unattainable fetish object list, there's also Andrei Rublev, and my own personal fantasy of a von Sternberg/Dietrich box set, which is very do-able.

Peter Watkins deserves a good R1/A treatment, especially lately. Bela Tarr, Kusterica's 'Underground', Straub-Huillet.. More Pasolini, esp. the Gospel.... Could also start clamoring for Hou, though it sounds like there's not much to do in rights/prints..

[chaddoli]

I'd love to obsess over The Mother and the Whore, but it just seems so impossible to release.

Why is that? I've never heard why it hasn't been properly released. On another note, a 35mm print is playing in New York next month. http://www.fiaf.org/events/winter2016/2 ... aman.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mizo]

The director's son is asking for a ridiculous amount of money for the rights, I believe, and is holding Eustache's entire filmography back till he gets it. You can read about the whole debacle here.

[thatobscurecharm]

Mike Leigh and Roger Pratt take a break from color grading in London.

This is High Hopes! Finally, it's one of my favorites and I'd argue it was Leigh's best work prior to Naked and his later masterpieces. It's been unavailable in the States for a very long time, and the only alternative was a crappy Blu-Ray in the UK that was clearly taken from not only a very old SD transfer (and upscaled to HD), but one of terrible quality, possibly a VHS master.

What's the possiblity of Happy-Go-Lucky or even Vera Drake? Neither of those are on BR as far as I know.

[Noiradelic]

Any Mike Leigh is potentially in play (though his last couple already have Blu releases).

[hearthesilence]

What's the possiblity of Happy-Go-Lucky or even Vera Drake? Neither of those are on BR as far as I know.

Happy-Go-Lucky was actually issued on a region-free Blu-Ray in Germany, and Amazon.de has it brand-new for 9 euros (with used copies going as low as 5 euros) . I have no idea what the quality is like though. I myself would like to see it on a U.S. Blu-Ray with solid extras - one of my favorite films from that year.

[mteller]

Looks like City Lights, Hidden Fortress and Tokyo Story are getting Blu-only releases in March.

[Cinephrenic]

via Blu-ray.com

RAN 4K Restoration Trailer
Posted January 5, 2016 05:55 PM by Webmaster



Janus FilmsRialto Pictures has sent us a brand new trailer for the recent 4K restoration of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's classic film Ran (1985), starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, and Mieko Harada. Ran opens Friday February 26 at New York's Film Forum.

Synopsis: With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.

[FrauBlucher]

via Blu-ray.com

RAN 4K Restoration Trailer
Posted January 5, 2016 05:55 PM by Webmaster



Janus FilmsRialto Pictures has sent us a brand new trailer for the recent 4K restoration of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's classic film Ran (1985), starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, and Mieko Harada. Ran opens Friday February 26 at New York's Film Forum.

Synopsis: With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.

This is not a Janus release. Bluray.com removed the Janus logo from the story.

[dwk]

Kurosawa's Dreams is in the works

[hanshotfirst1138]

via Blu-ray.com

RAN 4K Restoration Trailer
Posted January 5, 2016 05:55 PM by Webmaster



Janus FilmsRialto Pictures has sent us a brand new trailer for the recent 4K restoration of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's classic film Ran (1985), starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, and Mieko Harada. Ran opens Friday February 26 at New York's Film Forum.

Synopsis: With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa reimagines Shakespeare's King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Majestic in scope, the film is Kurosawa's late-life masterpiece, a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.

This is not a Janus release. Bluray.com removed the Janus logo from the story.

Who does have the rights to Ran now?

[criterion10]

Kurosawa's Dreams is in the works

Further evidence of that list of WB titles suddenly going OOP having all gone to Criterion. (Bring on Blow-Up and The Magnificent Ambersons \:D/ )

[mizo]

Bring on Blow-Up

Hopefully Criterion would correct this terrible oversight.

[Cinephrenic]

MGM has just discontinued the following according to dvdlist, perhaps some might appear back in print via Criterion?

Rebecca (1940/ MGM/UA) 1940 Mystery/Suspense MGM/UA Discontinued
This Is Spinal Tap (MGM/UA/ Special Edition) 1984 Comedy MGM/UA Discontinued
Sid & Nancy (MGM/UA) 1986 Drama MGM/UA Discontinued
Princess Bride (MGM/UA/ 20th Anniversary Edition) 1987 Action/Comedy MGM/UA Discontinued

[criterion10]

MGM has just discontinued the following according to dvdlist, perhaps some might appear back in print via Criterion?

I never thought I'd say this, but it actually wouldn't surprise me. Do also remember that it was Jonathan Turell (I believe) who stated in an interview a few months back that he had a great interest in releasing The Princess Bride. Whether or not there is much to be done with this films, I could picture Criterion releasing any number of these.

[Minkin]

Lest anyone is wondering whether the New Years clue points towards some of the Robert Drew documentaries, I discovered the following:

Primary | Robert Drew | 1960 | 60 mins
This landmark cinéma vérité work—the first feature-length film Albert Maysles worked on—follows John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey during the 1960 Wisconsin primary.

Janus Films has generously provided the print for Primary.

[knives]

Kurosawa's Dreams is in the works

Finally. I think this was confirmed through a commentary recording nearly five years ago.

[Bruce]

Looks like City Lights, Hidden Fortress and Tokyo Story are getting Blu-only releases in March.

Thanks for the heads-up. Have Criterion already re-released any of their other dual-format editions as BD-only editions?

[Roscoe]

"Who does have the rights to Ran now?"

The Studio Canal logo appears at the start of the trailer, so it seems a safe assumption that they've still got the rights.

[Yaanu]

Looks like City Lights, Hidden Fortress and Tokyo Story are getting Blu-only releases in March.

Thanks for the heads-up. Have Criterion already re-released any of their other dual-format editions as BD-only editions?

Foreign Correspondent, Tess, The Big Chill, and Throne of Blood are so far the only DF releases to go split BD/DVD.

[FrauBlucher]

"Who does have the rights to Ran now?"

The Studio Canal logo appears at the start of the trailer, so it seems a safe assumption that they've still got the rights.

The only real question at this point, is Lionsgate still releasing Studio Canal films in the states? It's been a long time since Lionsgate released any SC classics. You would think if they still had an agreement Lionsgate would have released the new 4K restoration of The Third Man. So, who knows.

[Arthur House]

Looks like City Lights, Hidden Fortress and Tokyo Story are getting Blu-only releases in March.

Thanks for the heads-up. Have Criterion already re-released any of their other dual-format editions as BD-only editions?

Foreign Correspondent, Tess, The Big Chill, and Throne of Blood are so far the only DF releases to go split BD/DVD.

Correct me if I'm wrong and that this was always a thing, but the last time I was browsing at Barnes & Noble, they had a solo Blu of Red River that was in a regular case sans the novel.

[criterion10]

Correct me if I'm wrong and that this was always a thing, but the last time I was browsing at Barnes & Noble, they had a solo Blu of Red River that was in a regular case sans the novel.

Nope, I believe that's new. (Even the website is still selling the Dual-Format version.) Shame that they had to lose the novel.

[Yaanu]

Correct me if I'm wrong and that this was always a thing, but the last time I was browsing at Barnes & Noble, they had a solo Blu of Red River that was in a regular case sans the novel.

Nope, I believe that's new. (Even the website is still selling the Dual-Format version.) Shame that they had to lose the novel.

Ooh, thanks for the heads-up. I'm trying to get all of the DF releases (since apparently I'm one of the twelve people to like them), so news of DF => BD/DVD replacements are always good to learn.

[movielocke]

Correct me if I'm wrong and that this was always a thing, but the last time I was browsing at Barnes & Noble, they had a solo Blu of Red River that was in a regular case sans the novel.

Ah I've been waiting to buy red river without the space killing book, good to know. You're sure it wasn't the single disc DVD edition?

I'm surprised fantastic Mr fox hasn't been un dual formatted, yet.