Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 5

[ianungstad]

I think I agree with the "All that Heaven Allows" clue. As mentioned, the curtains has to be part of the clue and that still is pretty convincing. I still expect the Oshima film to be released next year. I could see why people would think it's the Oshima film since the person does look vaguely asian. Reminds me of last year when a lot of people predicted Nanook because Polan supposedly gave Ruth Gordon inuit features.

[Lowry_Sam]

My first reaction to the tight rope walker was Man On Wire since it is (presumably) between 2 buildings. Magnolia has the rights, but it's not been released on blu-ray in the US. So if Criterion's going to release readily available & recently released titles (3:10 to Yuma), I don't see why this isn't a likely candidate. While searching for it, I also came across Man On A Tightrope which Kazan did right before On The Waterfront and has only ever been released (Region 1) in the Kazan box set.

So is the absence of Wild Strawberries and Y Tu Mama Tambien clues this year a clue that they will definitely be released? or that they're now off the table?

[ianungstad]

I think that "Hypnosifl" of the blu-ray.com forums may have solved the "candy woman" mystery: "Maybe [...] "Life is Sweet" by Mike Leigh? The main character had glasses like that and was a bulemic who binged on chocolate." He's referring to Jane Horrocks' character, with pictures here and here.

I think your right. There is actually a physical resemblance and the candy also fits the film. From a licensing perspective it also makes sense. October films released Life is Sweet in North America. If they still have the rights it should be under the FOCUS FEATURES banner. Even if it reverted back to Film Four, Criterion has also been licensing from them.

[ianungstad]

My first reaction to the tight rope walker was Man On Wire since it is (presumably) between 2 buildings. Magnolia has the rights, but it's not been released on blu-ray in the US. So if Criterion's going to release readily available & recently released titles (3:10 to Yuma), I don't see why this isn't a likely candidate. While searching for it, I also came across Man On A Tightrope which Kazan did right before On The Waterfront and has only ever been released (Region 1) in the Kazan box set.

So is the absence of Wild Strawberries and Y Tu Mama Tambien clues this year a clue that they will definitely be released? or that they're now off the table?

Wild Strawberries went out of print on dvd recently. The film will be issued in new dvd and blu ray editions in the near future. Criterion probably realized it would be pathetic to tease those films for a third year in a row.

3:10 to Yuma would certainly be the 1957 original and not the recent remake.

[JonasEB]

While searching for it, I also came across Man On A Tightrope which Kazan did right before On The Waterfront and has only ever been released (Region 1) in the Kazan box set.

Fox is releasing that on Blu-ray this month.

[Lowry_Sam]

I think that "Hypnosifl" of the blu-ray.com forums may have solved the "candy woman" mystery: "Maybe [...] "Life is Sweet" by Mike Leigh? The main character had glasses like that and was a bulemic who binged on chocolate." He's referring to Jane Horrocks' character, with pictures here and here.

I asked Mulvaney not too long ago about Life Is Sweet and High Hopes because the Reg. 2 blu-rays were really cheap on Amazon.co.uk & they'd be a likely twofer, but got no response.

[Noiradelic]

Why is "Eraserhead" scaling the building? A double-clue?

[swo17]

Dear Criterion,

If you want Gate of Hell to better the Masters of Cinema edition, please include A Page of Madness as an extra. Also, please include all of Lynch's early shorts on Eraserhead. Also also, don't keep me waiting too long for Lloyd's Girl Shy.

Love,
swo17

[acf171072]

I think if it was Oshima's Boy, the boy would have the trademark baseball cap he wears throughout the last two thirds of the film. I don't think it's Boy. Besides, I think when the Oshimas come they may come as a boxset, with Death by Hanging, Shinjuku Thief and The Ceremony.

[ryannichols7]

Why is "Eraserhead" scaling the building? A double-clue?

->

so as for Eraserhead scaling the building, why would he do that? because he's the Odd Man Out, of course!

[hearthesilence]

I asked Mulvaney not too long ago about Life Is Sweet and High Hopes because the Reg. 2 blu-rays were really cheap on Amazon.co.uk & they'd be a likely twofer, but got no response.

FWIW, that Region 2 Blu-Ray is garbage. Allegedly an upscale of an SD master, it's no improvement over the DVD.

[Noiradelic]

Why is "Eraserhead" scaling the building? A double-clue?

->

so as for Eraserhead scaling the building, why would he do that? because he's the Odd Man Out, of course!

I know Odd Man Out has been rumored for a long time, but Yo Yo and Harold Lloyd are also men on the outside of the building, making Eraserhead not so odd, so I'm not convinced. So many films with cat burglars and the like.... With 2 new Cronenbergs and a possible upgrade coming, The Fly momentarily flitted through my mind, but that seems unlikely since the Fox releases have great extras (though the Blu's PQ is reportedly unimpressive), and it's a popular title with a sequel.

[Jeff]

Le Samourai appears to be some sort of hybrid with Zatoichi, since he's carrying a sword (in Zatoichi's weird underhand grip, no less) and what I first thought were glasses could be indicating blindness. Could Criterion be dumping them all in a big set? A couple of Eclipse sets possibly?

Hat tip to some guy on Facebook.

[ryannichols7]

Le Samourai appears to be some sort of hybrid with Zatoichi, since he's carrying a sword (in Zatoichi's weird underhand grip, no less) and what I first thought were glasses could be indicating blindness. Could Criterion be dumping them all in a big set? A couple of Eclipse sets possibly?

Hat tip to some guy on Facebook.

this is a great catch

looked kind of like David Byrne to me but that's just wishful thinking for True Stories.

[Finch]

If it is indeed a Zatoichi clue and they merely repackage the existing HVE transfers, I'll pass, not least because I spent a minor fortune on getting some of the more popular films.

[EddieLarkin]

I'd put my money on a spine number/Blu-ray release just for Zatoichi monogatari, rather than a box set for all of them.

[jwd5275]

Animeigo's Zatoichi titles are all out of print, so it is quite possible Criterion picked them up to do a complete set.

[Jeff]

Zatoichi/Jef also looks kinda like Barton Fink, which would fit nicely with the hell fires burning in the building, which could actually be a hotel. Maybe I'm just getting silly now, but there is that phantom Joel Coen page on the Criterion site, and Fox bypassed Barton Fink when they upgraded all of their other Coen films to Blu.

[ianungstad]

There is reason to think there's another batch of Fox titles coming with Barton Fink, King of Comedy, Working Girl, Phantom of the Paradise, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls being highly likely for a variety of reasons.

I'm sure they have plans to do something Zatoichi related but I don't see a 26 film box set. I hope the lapse in Eclipse sets might indicate that Criterion is rethinking the Eclipse line and might start doing blu ray sets. Etaix and Zatoichi would be great sets to launch that kind of thing.

[ryannichols7]

Zatoichi/Jef also looks kinda like Barton Fink, which would fit nicely with the hell fires burning in the building, which could actually be a hotel. Maybe I'm just getting silly now, but there is that phantom Joel Coen page on the Criterion site, and Fox bypassed Barton Fink when they upgraded all of their other Coen films to Blu.

this would be incredible and explain the glasses.

[Derek Estes]

I thought Barton Fink as well! Delon would have his fedora on.

[SpiderBaby]

There is reason to think there's another batch of Fox titles coming with Barton Fink, King of Comedy, Working Girl, Phantom of the Paradise, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls being highly likely for a variety of reasons.

I have been hoping that was the reason Russ Meyer has a phantom page on the site.

[Jeff]

I thought Barton Fink as well! Delon would have his fedora on.

Yeah, the more I think about it, I'm not entirely convinced that there's even a hint there for Le Samourai at all. The guy shouldn't have a sword and he really should have a fedora. I think we all just assumed that a samurai sword was hinting at Le Samourai because of the western suit and the birdcage. I'm thinking that maybe that's just Barton Fink as Zatoichi and the cage is for La Cage aux Folles.

That's not to say that Le Samourai isn't coming to Blu this year. It's a very good seller for Criterion, and I'm sure that as soon as they feel they have adequate elements, they'll do it.

[britcom68]

10 drawings = decalogue?


Could each of the ten drawings contain two clues?

Any significance to the grate in the bottom left corner? it stands out as different from the other ornamentation on the first story. I guess the little dot on the bottom of the right door is a keyhole?
?

That "grate" looks like a Charles Addams-basement-flat sort of touch although it may just be an embellishment.

Re: the front doors of the appartment building New Years drawing. It also struck me curious that there was a spot on one of the doors. Or is it a "hole-and-corner." Hole and corner in UK parlance can be translated approximately to "secret" or opposite of above-aboard.
Could this actually be a clue if we follow hole-and-corner to translate to "secret" coupled with the "secret" appearing on the door, which we could interpret to mean "secret door," giving us the title of another Fritz Lang film, Secret Beyond the Door... oh wait, Olive Films just released that! #-o (that line of thinking was terrific though, for a moment)

There is nothing else I can come up with to explain the front door having a single hole on it, unless it was not a clue to begin with, which is always a possibility. Any keyhole explanations out there?

[criterion10]

Anyone else disappointed that none of these films depicted in the New Year's Drawing are WB titles? Makes me wonder if Badlands really was a one-off deal...