Criterion & Eclipse in the Press

[Never Cursed]

Becker also has his eye on Ava DuVernay's Middle of Nowhere

No one has their eye on this film besides Ava DuVernay

[soundchaser]

Evidence of what I was talking about yesterday re: people not broadening their horizons. Criterion posted on their Instagram today that Ganja & Hess is streaming on the Channel. The top comment, of course, is “Put a spine # on it.” If the person who said this were actually interested in having the film on Blu-Ray, they’d know why it’s impossible for Criterion to do that (namely: because Kino already has a release!) Needless posturing.

[therewillbeblus]

Becker also has his eye on Ava DuVernay's Middle of Nowhere

No one has their eye on this film besides Ava DuVernay

I wouldn't be surprised if Criterion does too following all this mud on their shoes, but I'd be even more surprised if Bressonaire is wrong so who knows what's driving my belief system anymore

[Luke M]

If Criterion were to release a DuVernay film it'd have to be 13th right?

[hearthesilence]

If Criterion were to release a DuVernay film it'd have to be 13th right?

I hope so. That's the only one I would pick.

[knives]

That one’s pretty bad though I suppose Criterion is the only way currently to release Netflix movies.

[FrauBlucher]

Becker also has his eye on Ava DuVernay's Middle of Nowhere

No one has their eye on this film besides Ava DuVernay

Do Criterion's standards change when it comes to which African American's film enter the Collection because of this? Can they still say no to an AA director that wants to have his/her film released by Criterion because there will be pushback? It'll be interesting to see how they handle this going forward.

[knives]

They’re not saying no in this case though. They’re saying can’t.

[FrauBlucher]

Which may be a convenient way of saying no

[knives]

What makes you say so? Why can’t we take them at their word that it’s hard to work with a company you’ve never worked with before especially when it comes to the unusual case of licensing one movie?

[FrauBlucher]

I'm just assuming that not everyone that wants their film released by CC that CC wants to release it based on their standards or preference

[knives]

That’s fair, but in this case they’re presenting an argument which is legitimate that doesn’t need to go into that. If DuVarney were to get the rights and then they said no, then sure, but as long as it’s in Lionsgate we don’t need to reach.

[FrauBlucher]

I was thinking more in general terms. As I said what happens if they don’t want to release a film but are afraid of pushback.

[therewillbeblus]

That one’s pretty bad though I suppose Criterion is the only way currently to release Netflix movies.

I actually like 13th as a very watered down and condensed summation of systemic oppression against black people in America, mostly because it’s so damn accessible that I’ve recommended it to clients with very short attention spans and little-to-no knowledge on the subject, who have used it as a door-opening piece for deeper studies. I’m interested if you feel like the doc does something wrong outside of smooth out a more complex historical path, that may be harmful in showing to people (because that would certainly be important food for thought in my professional life going forward!) I don’t think it follows a specific thesis close enough but that’s forgiven since I find the last act’s specific dissection of the ‘politicians in bed with corporations’ belief to be affirming regarding ALEC’s role in developing legislation.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

I’ll always remember The 13th as the film that portrays Newt Gingrich as a moderate Republican.

[ianungstad]

re: Netflix

Not that I think it really looks Criterion worthy either but Netflix has Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Old Guard. Gina comes across very well in her quote and made me much more interested in knowing more about her work.

I don't see why Ava DuVernay's mini-series When They See Us couldn't be a possibility...unless that bridge is now burnt.

[Bressonaire]

For me, one of the most disturbing, if not pernicious, aspects of the Times package is the facile singling out of Whit Stillman’s three films vs. two by Spike Lee in the artwork. I can’t imagine that it’s for any reason except that Stillman focuses on rich white people in his movies. There are films that Criterion has released that it's easier to claim are inferior to many of Lee’s (When Horror Came to Shochiku, Jellyfish Eyes, et al.), but they can’t be cited because the authors want to imply specific white vs. Black racial bias—or at least neglect—in Criterion’s choices. Why didn’t the editors of the package choose the Before Trilogy films to contrast with Lee’s duo to imply that a "more deserving" minority director (Lee) has fewer films in the collection than a "less deserving" white one (Stillman)? Because it’s only Stillman’s chosen milieu that provides them a knee-jerk response to a complex topic—a complexity that many of the contributions to this thread have rightly pointed out. Ironically, the three Stillman films are superior, IMO, to Lee’s ghastly Bamboozled. Satire should tickle, but Lee’s film employs a sledgehammer. I would even argue that Stillman’s satiric Love & Friendship deserves to have entered the collection before Bamboozled, regardless of the director’s race.

[knives]

That one’s pretty bad though I suppose Criterion is the only way currently to release Netflix movies.

I actually like 13th as a very watered down and condensed summation of systemic oppression against black people in America, mostly because it’s so damn accessible that I’ve recommended it to clients with very short attention spans and little-to-no knowledge on the subject, who have used it as a door-opening piece for deeper studies. I’m interested if you feel like the doc does something wrong outside of smooth out a more complex historical path, that may be harmful in showing to people (because that would certainly be important food for thought in my professional life going forward!) I don’t think it follows a specific thesis close enough but that’s forgiven since I find the last act’s specific dissection of the ‘politicians in bed with corporations’ belief to be affirming regarding ALEC’s role in developing legislation.

I think I originally called it the Buzzfeed listicles of documentaries. I just think it’s poorly made and uses each decision to its disadvantage.

[domino harvey]

I doubt they release a DuVernay film, because they surely know that such a move would not be met with laurels by the vocal naysayers but instead a moving of goal posts to something else

[dwk]

The article seems be suggesting that the failure is in the exclusion of modern African American filmmakers, after all why bring up the stat of no African American filmmaker born after '57. So that got me thinking how many US films from the 1980s to the 2010s (when a person born after '57 would be working.) the number (including Eclipse sets, which I'm not sure the article counted): 154 (minus the 4 eclipse titles and you really have about 147 when the NY times did its count.) So titles released between 1980 to 2019 account for 14% of the titles released.

Since Janus doesn't really release new release films (what was the last "new" nondoc film that Janus handled before and after The Great Beauty in 2013?), this seems like it is a bigger failure on the types of films that Criterion's licensing partners pickup or produce, which causes a whiter pool of films that Criterion can license for disc release. Obviously Criterion could dig deeper into the titles they license from the US studios and there maybe some indie titles that have reverted to their producers, but I'm weary of the notion that there is some great well of available and licensable titles directed by African Americans that they can tap.

[Bressonaire]

Before: possibly Revanche in 2009?

[hearthesilence]

I'm weary of the notion that there is some great well of available and licensable titles directed by African Americans that they can tap.

This is partly why I thought they should focus much more of their energies on African cinema - rights issues and the possible lack of good materials (or the need for restorations or funding for restorations) will make it a slower process, but there are so many great films over many years that have been neglected for far too long, in terms of distribution and archiving. With time, they've only become more vital to film history. That work seems to carry much more urgency and it's certainly a much better fit when you look at Criterion's strengths and advantages over other boutique labels.

Re: The 13th, it's not great documentary filmmaking - really, none of her films are great filmmaking - but if you had to pick one, it's still the most edifying work she's done for the subject matter alone.

[dwk]

Before: possibly Revanche in 2009?

Oh, that reminds me, to answer my own question the Kaurismäki films, Le Harvre in 2011 and The Other Side of Hope in 2018, would be the last before and after The Great Beauty

[Boosmahn]

Also: The Lure.

[TheKieslowskiHaze]

Ironically, the three Stillman films are superior, IMO, to Lee’s ghastly Bamboozled. Satire should tickle, but Lee’s film employs a sledgehammer.

Whether one thinks satire should tickle or employ a sledgehammer is inseparable from that person's race, gender, sexuality, etc., i.e. it is inseparable from that person's emotional proximity to the issue being satirized. I like subtle satire too, but I've not had the same life experiences Lee has had.

Lee employs a satirical sledgehammer because, as a black man, the stakes are much higher for him than for your typical, white political film-maker. Lee has embraced bluntness and didacticism as trademarks of his style (see: characters staring into camera) as a way of emphasizing the importance of his movies' themes. He doesn't play around. His movies have messages, and he is unapologetic about making sure you get that message loud and clear. That's Lee as an artist.

This illustrates why the canon should diversify, to expand our understanding of what art can or should do. Criterion can lead the way on that front.