Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[ryannichols7]

Melvin and Howard so desperately needs a Criterion 4K, it's a fantastic movie and having only a joke of a Twilight Time release is unacceptable. it should see a much wider audience

[yoloswegmaster]

New Channel additons tha open with the Criterion and Janus logos:
Mother India

This was one of the titles that Criterion was apparently trying to get for a really long time now, so I'm glad there is some movement on it. I wonder if they licensed this from Eros International, as they released the DVD. Also, a Criterion employee did say they looking at the streaming figures of the Channel to decide what gets released, so...

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

New Channel additons tha open with the Criterion and Janus logos:
Mother India
Faithless

Thank God they have Mother India. It’s an absolute behemoth.

[PfR73]

It was well-received critically, but seems largely forgotten amongst the public. I imagine a lot of people were put off by Hathaway's character and struggled to find a way in to connect with the picture

I never finished RGM so I won't (and can't) mouth off on any other aspect (acting seemed good), but to me (what I saw of) this film is ground zero for obnoxious, somehow-incredibly-trite handheld crunchy granola "Indie! Indie! Indie!" cinematography, to the point where its too grating for me to appreciate any other aspect of the film, and to the point where, such things being unworthy of an aesthete and man of taste like Demme, I wondered if the look of this film was created by him + Declan Quinn maybe, basically to oblige the ill-advised wishes of someone else involved with the project.

Or, y'know, maybe that's what Demme wanted to do?

https://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/Issues/1 ... than-Demme

Q: You’ve been moving between features, documentaries, and music performance films for much of your career. Have you seen them cross-pollinating one another in terms of developing a style?

A: What struck me at a certain point was that with features we’re trying to make everything seem real, and when we do documentaries we attempt to make them very entertaining. It’s a wonderful contrast, but I learn something every time I shoot, so in that way there’s been tremendous cross-pollination, but it changes every time for me. For instance, I’d shot a number of documentaries with Declan Quinn, so for Rachel Getting Married I thought it would be exciting to pretend that’s what we were doing. We never preplanned shots, just knew where the staging was and that the actors were comfortable with the scene. Declan was with his camera; I’d be in my chair at the monitor. I’d say, ‘Action!’ and suddenly a shot comes alive. I felt like we were getting better shots than you could ever design.

Q: Sound design is so much a part of what you do too. Can you talk about crafting the sound for two very different films, The Silence of the Lambs and Rachel Getting Married (2008)?

A: The sound design of Rachel Getting Married proceeded on the premise that, over the course of this weekend, there were musicians around who would always be practicing or noodling, so the sound was going to be real. We wanted it to feel and sound like a documentary. That was my strongest effort to make a Dogme film; a number of the vows of chastity were honored there, including no music added. There’s so much music in that movie, all recorded live while the actors were working. That was really cool.

[Blutarsky]

Tonight at John Waters’ show he was asked if Desperate Living was coming to Criterion. John smirked, caught his mouth, and he responded with “I said too much” which got a great reaction.

Safe to say it sounds like it could be imminent.

[Finch]

That's like the second time he's teased it and I'm glad it's still on. It's been a gap between this and the other films, and if they're aiming for his entire filmography they still have Hairspray, Cecil B Demented, Cry Baby and A Dirty Shame to cover. Kino have Cry Baby and Cecil (I think, not sure about Cecil but it got released recently). I've seen Desperate Living once before and liked it but felt the opening was stronger than the rest of the film, but it's time for a revisit. Likely the first Waters 4K too unless they choose to go with Hairspray first which would make even more sense given how the period colors would shine in the 4K presentation. Ditto a Polyester upgrade. Hopefully John likes what Dolby Vision brings to the table and had them do a DV pass.

[Matt]

Desperate Living was shot on 16mm, so I don't know that a 4K UHD would do much for it. I'm amazed that Hairspray has not been released yet, and that's an obvious candidate for 4K.

(You forgot about Pecker, but I can't blame anyone for forgetting about Pecker.)

[therewillbeblus]

I guess they listened to the people!

[ryannichols7]

I do enjoy this being one of the more regular running bits with Criterion, and am glad Waters still has funny enough responses to each time he's asked

[beamish14]

(You forgot about Pecker, but I can't blame anyone for forgetting about Pecker.)

Damn, I think it’s behind Serial Mom as his best work after Divine’s passing. I still think about the teabagging scene too much

[dda1996a]

Really didnt like Pecker, but then I consider A Dirty Shame one of his best...

[Finch]

I only saw Pecker once. I really liked Ed Furlong in it (what's he up to these days?) and liked the film just fine, but evidently I remembered just about everything else Waters made more!

[Lowry_Sam]

I saw Pecker & Cry Baby in the theater when they came ou & thought they were just okay. I found Serial Mom & A Dirty Shame a strain to sit through. I have yet to see Cecil B Demented & Kiddie Flamingos where

Child actors perform a 'kid-friendly' table read version of John Water's notorious 1972 X-rated cult classic film, Pink Flamingos.

Has anyone seen it? Otherwise I would say that Hairspray is the only one from his Hollywood period I'd want on disc.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Kino have Cry Baby and Cecil (I think, not sure about Cecil but it got released recently).

Umbrella released Cecil in Australia last month. A poster on The Other Forum says they licensed it from Lionsgate, and if Lionsgate still has it in Australia I expect they still have it in the U.S.

[crimlaw]

With all the WB being bought by Netflix news out there, it’s probably time for Criterion to start releasing all the WB movies they have been rumored for sitting on before Netflix slams the door. Hopefully some this month:

The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Adams Rib
Bad Day at Black Rock
Lolita
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Point Blank
Petulia
Zabriskie Point
Cabaret
What’s Up Doc
Deliverance
Scarecrow
O Lucky Man
Dog Day Afternoon
The Mission
The Sheltering Sky

[DeprongMori]

With all the WB being bought by Netflix news out there, it’s probably time for Criterion to start releasing all the WB movies they have been rumored for sitting on before Netflix slams the door. Hopefully some this month:

The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Adams Rib
Bad Day at Black Rock
Lolita
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Point Blank
Petulia
Zabriskie Point
Cabaret
What’s Up Doc
Deliverance
Scarecrow
O Lucky Man
Dog Day Afternoon
The Mission
The Sheltering Sky

I hope they prioritize a 4K UHD of Lolita since the work is done (by Criterion) and it’s the last Kubrick film that needs a new release. After that, O Lucky Man!, Petulia, and Zabriskie Point are the only ones that have never even had a Blu-ray release.

I believe the others at least all still have in-print Blu-ray releases.

[rrenault]

I'm surprised The Treasure of the Sierra Madre wasn't released on UHD by WB themselves amidst all those 100th anniversary releases.

As a sidebar, WB have Magnolia, as well, so I wonder what'll happen to that one.

Deliverance I think is confirmed to be coming from Criterion.

[FrauBlucher]

This list seems rather random to me. There are some films on it that have either been confirmed or have been attached to Criterion based on prior lists (O Lucky Man). But most just seems to be wishing

[jt938]

I wonder if Criterion has Bullitt or Bonnie And Clyde?

[beamish14]

This list seems rather random to me. There are some films on it that have either been confirmed or have been attached to Criterion based on prior lists (O Lucky Man). But most just seems to be wishing

A lot are definitely wishlist titles that many are trying to manifest. Still, I had thought that a handful of Ladd Company titles were confirmed at some point (Twice Upon a Time, Mike’s Murder, The Right Stuff)

[jt938]

This list seems rather random to me. There are some films on it that have either been confirmed or have been attached to Criterion based on prior lists (O Lucky Man). But most just seems to be wishing

A lot are definitely wishlist titles that many are trying to manifest. Still, I had thought that a handful of Ladd Company titles were confirmed at some point (Twice Upon a Time, Mike’s Murder, The Right Stuff)

An upgrade of Body Heat (which I believe is also owned by the Ladd Company) would be nice, the WB bd is very dated looking.

[crimlaw]

Are the December announcements coming out tomorrow or Wednesday?

[Lowry_Sam]

This list seems rather random to me. There are some films on it that have either been confirmed or have been attached to Criterion based on prior lists (O Lucky Man). But most just seems to be wishing

The O Lucky Man speculation started when If... was released on dvd, but offhand I don't rmember any supporting details.

Bullitt, Deliverance, What's Up Doc?, Bonnie And Clyde, Dog Day Afternoon, Magnolia, and The French Connection, like Lolita, Network & Sorcererhave been on the channel frequently. But so have All The President's Men & One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and we didn't end up with Criterions for those. Those WB titles that first got digibooks for their blu-rays seem like good candidates, but it's not definitive. One (flawed) digibook release I've never heard speculated is Chariots Of Fire, which seems to be another former arthouse favorite now despite its Academy Award status.

Body Heat is another channel favorite frequently speculated, as has Star 80 & Roger & Me, but can't remember if those 2 were on the channel.

[FrauBlucher]

Not that it’s any indication but Body Heat has been on the Channel a lot

[jt938]

Not that it’s any indication but Body Heat has been on the Channel a lot

That's why I'm guessing it's coming from Criterion, that and there's been several William Hurt films to get Criterions recently.