Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[Marwood]

It's owned by the same guy who owns Raise the Red Lantern and he is trying to sell it as a package deal, so it is likely they have A City of Sadness (if the news about them working on the restoration for Raise the Red Lantern is indeed true).

A new restoration of Raise the Red Lantern was screened in Il cinema ritrovato in Bologna this summer, so that is indeed confirmed.

[yoloswegmaster]

It's owned by the same guy who owns Raise the Red Lantern and he is trying to sell it as a package deal, so it is likely they have A City of Sadness (if the news about them working on the restoration for Raise the Red Lantern is indeed true).

A new restoration of Raise the Red Lantern was screened in Il cinema ritrovato in Bologna this summer, so that is indeed confirmed.

I suggest you re-read what I posted, as I am specifically talking about the rumor that Criterion were involved with the restoration. I am well aware that there is a new restoration for it.

[dwk]

I've seen a couple people say that Criterion was credited for the restoration of Raise the Red Lantern, so I think that is legit.

[yoloswegmaster]

I've seen a couple people say that Criterion was credited for the restoration of Raise the Red Lantern, so I think that is legit.

Were those posts coming in around the time of the screening at the Shanghai Festival, which I believe is where the reports were first coming from. I don't have Twitter, so I have no idea if new posts were coming from people who saw it screened at the Ritrovato festival. I also find it interesting and strange that Ritrovato didn't provide notes on the restoration on their website or on the programme guide.

[dwk]

I see a post from June 24th and while they didn't mention Ritrovato, they did say they were there in a post the next day (and that they were going to the festival this year in an earlier post.)

[yoloswegmaster]

From this month's additions to the Channel, the Breillat films open with the Criterion and Janus logos (no surprise there), as well as Alejandro Amenábar's Open Your Eyes, Jacques Audiard's The Beat That My Heart Skipped and Read My Lips, Harrod Blank's Wild Wheels, Automorphosis, Dugout Dick, and Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You (as well as the documentary Oh My God! It’s Harrod Blank!), and Maureen Gosling and Chris Simon's This Ain’t No Mouse Music.

I see a post from June 24th and while they didn't mention Ritrovato, they did say they were there in a post the next day (and that they were going to the festival this year in an earlier post.)

Whoops, I didn't see this at the time but I just looked at the schedule for this years festival and there was a screening for it on that day, so it looks like the info is true.

EDIT: I just realized that we didn't see any Netflix films from last year get a release. Hopefully we see a release for May December and The Killer. I would also love to get a release for The Other Side of the Wind for older Netflix titles. Complete shame that Netflix pushed that to the wayside.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

My assumption with Netflix titles is that Netflix will only license them if requested by the director, which obviously posed a problem for The Other Side of the Wind with the director being dead and all. But it's such a rare circumstance that I'm not sure we'll ever have another film to confirm or disprove the theory.

[yoloswegmaster]

As you said, it would be hard to confirm something like that since they don't have many films from directors that have passed. Still a more likely theory than the one presented by Jonathan Rosenbaum.

[Walter Kurtz]

I just realized that we didn't see any Netflix films from last year get a release.

According to DEG, during the first half of 2024 digital is now fifty times larger than physical. Fifty. People like Best Buy, Netflix?, et.al. figure its like stepping on an ant. Why bother?

[yoloswegmaster]

Why release anything at all then? All home video companies should cease operations at this moment.

[dwk]

I assume they'll release the Wes Anderson Roald Dahl shorts (In fact I saw someone on twitter post a selfie they took with Wes Anderson in New York last week. So, maybe he was in NYC to work on some Criterion releases.) and del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation seems likely for 2026 or 2027.

[Walter Kurtz]

Why release anything at all then? All home video companies should cease operations at this moment.

Do you seriously not understand the difference in scale between $36 BILLION Annual Revenue (Netflix)/$42 BILLION Annual Revenue (Best Buy) compared to the pipsqueak mom & pop specialty boutiques? These boutiques are closer to Etsy do-it-from home businesses compared to multi-billion dollar enterprises!

The old-time studios? They (Warner, Paramount) issue scraps (a few blus/K's) every month to keep some people interested in the idea of watching movies so that they spend money to go to theaters and spend money to stream channels where their products are showing. It's like handing out trinkets at sneak previews. It's not their main line of business by any means. It's just a form of advertising.

Criterion? They have three streams of income. The Channel, the catalogue, and new releases. They are doing new (mostly barebone) releases to keep people interested in the viability of the catalogue and as advertising for the channel. If they suddenly quit issuing new releases and concentrated only on the channel, catalogue sales would dry up as more and more people stop collecting.

[yoloswegmaster]

My original comment was talking about the lack of Netflix films from 2023 getting a Criterion release this year, so I have no idea what your rambling on Best Buy and the major studios is about (and I really don't want to know). I'm going to leave it at that.

I assume they'll release the Wes Anderson Roald Dahl shorts (In fact I saw someone on twitter post a selfie they took with Wes Anderson in New York last week. So, maybe he was in NYC to work on some Criterion releases.) and del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation seems likely for 2026 or 2027.

I forgot about the Roald Dahl shorts, so good call. From their slate for this year, I honestly can't think of any other title getting a release besides maybe Emilia Perez.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Any chance that ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT comes to the collection in a similar case to Drive My Car or is it all but destined to be dumped in Janus Contemporaries. It’s brilliant and easily one of the best films of the past ten years.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

From this month's additions to the Channel, the Breillat films open with the Criterion and Janus logos (no surprise there), as well as Alejandro Amenábar's Open Your Eyes, Jacques Audiard's The Beat That My Heart Skipped and Read My Lips, Harrod Blank's Wild Wheels, Automorphosis, Dugout Dick, and Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You (as well as the documentary Oh My God! It’s Harrod Blank!), and Maureen Gosling and Chris Simon's This Ain’t No Mouse Music.

I see a post from June 24th and while they didn't mention Ritrovato, they did say they were there in a post the next day (and that they were going to the festival this year in an earlier post.)

Whoops, I didn't see this at the time but I just looked at the schedule for this years festival and there was a screening for it on that day, so it looks like the info is true.

EDIT: I just realized that we didn't see any Netflix films from last year get a release. Hopefully we see a release for May December and The Killer. I would also love to get a release for The Other Side of the Wind for older Netflix titles. Complete shame that Netflix pushed that to the wayside.

Oooooh!

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

My original comment was talking about the lack of Netflix films from 2023 getting a Criterion release this year, so I have no idea what your rambling on Best Buy and the major studios is about (and I really don't want to know). I'm going to leave it at that.

I assume they'll release the Wes Anderson Roald Dahl shorts (In fact I saw someone on twitter post a selfie they took with Wes Anderson in New York last week. So, maybe he was in NYC to work on some Criterion releases.) and del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation seems likely for 2026 or 2027.

I forgot about the Roald Dahl shorts, so good call. From their slate for this year, I honestly can't think of any other title getting a release besides maybe Emilia Perez.

As for Netflix, maybe The Parades by Michihito Fujio has a chance. He’s a well established director in Japan and the film is highly praised and reminiscent of Kore-Eda’s films. Specifically After Life and Still Walking (his two films in the collection)

[Lowry_Sam]

From this month's additions to the Channel, ...Jacques Audiard's The Beat That My Heart Skipped and Read My Lips

You beat me to it! I skipped over all the noirs to check the openings for both. I've had the DVDs since they were released and gave up hope on English friendly blu-rays. I think I remember one or both being letterboxed, so day one for me...or could we even hope hope for a Three Films by Jacues Audiard UHD box?

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

I have a feeling Emilia Perez will come and then the rest next year.

[tolbs1010]

I'd like to see Criterion skip The Beat That My Heart Skipped (Zzzz) and have the guts to release its inspiration, Toback's Fingers. It's a far better movie and features one of Keitel's signature performances. It deserves an upgraded release. As an aside, I still cannot find a better version of Bach's Toccata in E Minor than the one that is played in Fingers.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

I'd like to see Criterion skip The Beat That My Heart Skipped (Zzzz) and have the guts to release its inspiration, Toback's Fingers. It's a far better movie and features one of Keitel's signature performances. It deserves an upgraded release. As an aside, I still cannot find a better version of Bach's Toccata in E Minor than the one that is played in Fingers.

Fingers would be great but isn’t it in rights hell at the moment?

[tolbs1010]

Maybe it is a rights thing and not squeamishness over Toback's pervy nature. I hope it's the former and not the latter because I would also like to see Criterion do The Gambler.

[Matt]

The Beat That My Heart Skipped vs. Toback's Fingers - it would be a fantastic paired release (which they will never do). This and Read My Lips are my favorite Audiards, from back when he was doing interesting small-scale genre work inspired by his father's work. I pray that these are not two more films for Criterion to just throw up on the Channel and never give physical releases. [cue sigh from Arnaud Desplechin fans]

[black&huge]

what are the chances Criterion resurrects Once Were Warriors from their LD days?

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

what are the chances Criterion resurrects Once Were Warriors from their LD days?

This would be damn near amazing, I had no idea they had a laserdisc of this. Temuera Morrison kills it in this film.

[beamish14]

what are the chances Criterion resurrects Once Were Warriors from their LD days?

I thought Lee Tamahori created an extended cut some years after the laserdisc. One of those titles I’d love to see packaged with the novel it’s based on