Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Reached out to Mulvaney about a 4K disc of THE FALL OF OTRAR as it’s one of my favorite films. He said strong chance it will come to disc in the future and to stay tuned.

[redbill]

Does Cache & White Ribbon not being part of the Haneke Collection on the Channel imply that physical editions are highly unlikely/impossible?

[Zot!]

Does Cache & White Ribbon not being part of the Haneke Collection on the Channel imply that physical editions are highly unlikely/impossible?

The digitally shot and/or digitally finished origins of most of his later films precludes a 4k upgrade without a total rework. And both of those already have nice standalone in-print BDs...so I'm not too bothered they don't have a spine number. That said, I have no idea why Cache is MIA in a region A version. Of course there is also the new Curzon complete Haneke package, which is sort of the definitive boutique object anyways.

[FrauBlucher]

Does Cache & White Ribbon not being part of the Haneke Collection on the Channel imply that physical editions are highly unlikely/impossible?

I wouldn't say highly unlikely/impossible. They are both with Sony and have had past limited runs on the Channel. For all we know, Criterion is doing the Criterion thing. They're sitting on them

[Calvin]

Venice Classics includes a Criterion / Warner restoration of Kubrick's Lolita

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin is also listed as a Criterion restoration.

[yoloswegmaster]

GDT is stating that there will be news for physical media announcement for Nightmare Alley happening soon. I can see it being announced today or next month.

[Buttery Jeb]

GDT is stating that there will be news for physical media announcement for Nightmare Alley happening soon. I can see it being announced today or next month.

Is it me, or is anybody weirded out by the fact that October has two new titles that are also remakes of older Criterion releases (Nightmare Alley and Deep Crimson, that being a remake of The Honeymoon Killers)?

[Matt]

I did think it was weird that Criterion was reissuing Nightmare Alley in 4K with a different cover, and then I looked at the fine print.

I don’t think most people would connect Deep Crimson with The Honeymoon Killers without prior knowledge. In fact, I remembered that it is an remake/adaptation of something, but I misremembered it as a remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice. Criterion doesn’t mention The Honeymoon Killers in their blurb.

[FrauBlucher]

They've been releasing a lot of directorial twofers. I like it. If this trend continues I wonder what other twofers could be in the works :-k ...

April Sean Baker
May Bruce Robinson
August Kon Ichikawa
September Jacques Audiard
October David Cronenberg

[therewillbeblus]

Let Desplechin be next

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

They've been releasing a lot of directorial twofers. I like it. If this trend continues I wonder what other twofers could be in the works :-k ...

April Sean Baker
May Bruce Robinson
August Kon Ichikawa
September Jacques Audiard
October David Cronenberg

Give me Weerasethakul or Tarr next.

[Blutarsky]

Personally hoping for the John Boorman releases of Deliverance and Point Blank per the rumors upthread.

[Beloved Aunt]

Seconded except screw Deliverance, how about Hope and Glory or The General instead?

[domino harvey]

It’s not about what you want, those two titles have been leaked already

[Hogfather]

They've been releasing a lot of directorial twofers. I like it. If this trend continues I wonder what other twofers could be in the works :-k ...

April Sean Baker
May Bruce Robinson
August Kon Ichikawa
September Jacques Audiard
October David Cronenberg

Give me Weerasethakul or Tarr next.

Janus has the rights to The Man from London and The Outsider, but I suspect they'll probably release the latter as a bonus on the former like they did with Werckmeister Harmonies.

[beamish14]

Seconded except screw Deliverance, how about Hope and Glory or The General instead?

Hope and Glory is still Kino, I think

[Beloved Aunt]

Does that mean it probably won't be picked up by a real boutique label?

The General is supposed to be one of his very best films, right? I want a Boormanaissance!!!!

[Finch]

Weerathesakul was mentioned upthread. Which films have Criterion the rights to, or are we wishcasting that they do? I'd love a 4K of Tropical Malady, personally. wikipedia says it was on the Channel for a while and then withdrawn in 2020, and the DVD is still listed on Strand's website. They're also still listing Uncle Boonmee and Cemetery of a Splendor so that only leaves Syndromes and a Century.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Weerathesakul was mentioned upthread. Which films have Criterion the rights to, or are we wishcasting that they do? I'd love a 4K of Tropical Malady, personally. wikipedia says it was on the Channel for a while and then withdrawn in 2020, and the DVD is still listed on Strand's website. They're also still listing Uncle Boonmee and Cemetery of a Splendor so that only leaves Syndromes and a Century.

It was just daydreaming about what director they would do a double release of next but Tropical Malady and Cemetery of Splendor would be my hopes.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Strand listed restorations of Blissfully Yours, Tropical Malady, Syndromes and a Century, and Uncle Boonmee in a catalog of their recent and upcoming theatrical releases, so the only way they could end up with Criterion is if Strand sublicenses them out as they did with their Wayne Wang and Araki titles (which I suspect was at the request of the filmmakers). If that happens it won't be before Strand does their theatrical releases.

[swo17]

Speaking of Strand, what ever happened to Post Tenebras Lux and the rest of Reygadas' output?

[Lowry_Sam]

They've been releasing a lot of directorial twofers. I like it. If this trend continues I wonder what other twofers could be in the works :-k ...

They used to do it more frequently in the days of dvd, but seemed to stop them in the era of dual disc editions. So maybe they're reviving the practice along with rescuing old editions. Maybe working on 2 titles by one director at the same time makes it easier to get more titles out.

Peter Jackson: Heavenly Creatures, Braindead
Céline Sciamma: Girlhood, Tomboy
Eliseo Subiela: Man Facing Southeast, No te mueras sin decirme adónde vas
Ann Hui: Summer Snow, Eighteen Springs
Hsiao-Hsien Hou: City Of Sadness, A Time To Live & A Time To Die
Agnieszka Holland: The Secret Garden, Olivier Olivier
Paul Verhoeven: Soldier Of Orange, The 4th Man
Antonia Bird: Priest, Ravenous
Pedro Almodovar: Talk To Her, Bad Education
Woody Allen: Annie Hall, Crimes And Misdemeanors (or Manhattan as it already has a 4k resto available)

Is it me, or is anybody weirded out by the fact that October has two new titles that are also remakes of older Criterion releases?

The Channel just featured multiple versions of Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, so it seems fitting, though I think Deep Crimson was a coincidence and has more to do with Criterion needing to step up its game on Latin & South American film.

[dwk]

Speaking of Strand, what ever happened to Post Tenebras Lux and the rest of Reygadas' output?

The most recent news that I can find was in February 2024

Janus Films has picked up North American rights to four of Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas’ features including a restored version of Battle in Heaven ahead of its world premiere in Berlin’s Classics Special.

Other titles in the deal with Coproduction Office include the 2002 Camera d’Or-winning debut feature Japon, 2007 Cannes Jury prize-winning Silent Light whose restoration is planned for later in 2024, and 2012 Cannes best director award-winning Post Tenebras Lux.

Battle in Heaven will screen in 4K resolution with Dolby Atmos sound.

[bottlesofsmoke]

They've been releasing a lot of directorial twofers. I like it. If this trend continues I wonder what other twofers could be in the works :-k ...

April Sean Baker
May Bruce Robinson
August Kon Ichikawa
September Jacques Audiard
October David Cronenberg

Hopefully one of these months we get Hail the Conquering Hero and The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, same writer-director, thematically linked, similar casts, long overdue for an upgrade…