Criterion Newsletter (Part 3)

[Jack Phillips]

If it's any version it is definitely the Polanski. All the other relevant ones I can think of are tied up with other companies.

I severely doubt it, but now that I think of it Wadja's Serbian Lady MacBeth should be available. I imagine that they would wait for a restoration on that though.

Perhaps you are referring to Siberian Lady Macbeth? What is with everybody today?

[Werewolf by Night]

It's National Annoy a Pedant Day.

[Moe Dickstein]

I heard about that so I took extra meds today.

[MoonlitKnight]

I know it's pretty unlikely, but if they could double-bill it with A Child is Waiting, King of the Hill/Underneath-style (or Killing/Killer's Kiss-style, also from MGM), that would be fantastic. Both are MGM titles (though one is Cannon and one UA, which might be an issue), and though Child is probably worthy of separate release, given Cassavetes' ill feelings towards the end result, perhaps it is more likely to come as a supporting feature to Love Streams (as was the case with the old French DVDs)...

While I'd love "A Child Is Waiting" to finally get a release, I get the impression Criterion only includes a lesser-known features of a director as a supplement if said film immediately precedes or follows the main feature in the set (the afore-mentioned "The Killing"/"Killer's Kiss" and "King of the Hill"/"The Underneath" as well as "Slacker"/"It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books" and "Stranger Than Paradise"/"Permanent Vacation" [though the latter has not yet been upgraded to Blu]).

Maybe they'll pair "What?" with the Polanski "Macbeth"? :-"

[Cronenfly]

You have a point about the consecutive nature of the films Criterion tends to bundle; I guess I remain hopeful they'll continue to experiment with ways of confining a maximum amount of content to a minimum number of individual releases wherever possible. Criterion is sitting on such a mountain of good stuff (and their price point remains high enough) that I'd just as soon they double or triple up on titles. They also seem to be stretched a bit thin overall in the supplements department as of late, and I think making more releases multi-film enterprises would be a good way of clearing backlog while also providing the kind of value-for-money that more conventional supplements don't always provide. It may not make sense with these two Cassavetes titles in particular (or the Polanskis you mentioned, fun as that would be =), but I certainly would welcome a broadening of parameters vis-a-vis what kind of films could be packaged together (even in cases where, from a curatorial standpoint, such a decision might seem more disjointed or off the wall than what has been the CC standard to date).

[knives]

I know it's pretty unlikely, but if they could double-bill it with A Child is Waiting, King of the Hill/Underneath-style (or Killing/Killer's Kiss-style, also from MGM), that would be fantastic. Both are MGM titles (though one is Cannon and one UA, which might be an issue), and though Child is probably worthy of separate release, given Cassavetes' ill feelings towards the end result, perhaps it is more likely to come as a supporting feature to Love Streams (as was the case with the old French DVDs)...

While I'd love "A Child Is Waiting" to finally get a release, I get the impression Criterion only includes a lesser-known features of a director as a supplement if said film immediately precedes or follows the main feature in the set (the afore-mentioned "The Killing"/"Killer's Kiss" and "King of the Hill"/"The Underneath" as well as "Slacker"/"It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books" and "Stranger Than Paradise"/"Permanent Vacation" [though the latter has not yet been upgraded to Blu]).

Maybe they'll pair "What?" with the Polanski "Macbeth"? :-"

The Big City disproves this theory.

[pzadvance]

As do the Kiarostami twofers. I'd love to see them throw A Child is Waiting on there.

[MoonlitKnight]

Yes, and I suppose "The Thief of Bagdad"/"The Lion Has Wings" is another one, since I believe "Contraband" was made between the two (if we're talking solely about Powell and not the other co-directors of those films).

[PfR73]

The thing that bums me out about Criterion's "extra movies" is that they don't give the extra film a lossless audio track. Personally, I'd be more willing to pay for a separate spine, maybe at the lower-tier pricing for slim extra features, if it meant the 2nd film got treated better.

[Lowry_Sam]

The thing that bums me out about Criterion's "extra movies" is that they don't give the extra film a lossless audio track. Personally, I'd be more willing to pay for a separate spine, maybe at the lower-tier pricing for slim extra features, if it meant the 2nd film got treated better.

...except for La Jetee/Sans Soleil.

[antnield]

[jedgeco]

The Vanishing.

[mfunk9786]

Hopefully it'll be a full-on reissue with new bonus features! This is an exciting one.

[aox]

The Vanishing on BD would be fantastic.

[FrauBlucher]

Probably is because they're teasing it.

[Yaanu]

Clearly, it's hinting at a new partnership with TheDissolve.com.

Clearly.

[bamwc2]

This makes me very happy. I bought the first one used online a scant week after its initial release, and despite being scratched beyond all hope of repair I couldn't get a refund on. I've still only seen the first half of the film to this day. I should also add that it has the most realistic depiction of a sociology professor that I've ever seen.

[Buttercream]

Clearly, it's hinting at a new partnership with TheDissolve.com.

Makes sense, considering The Dissolve rates every Janus/Criterion release "essential viewing" without fail.

[Yaanu]

Clearly, it's hinting at a new partnership with TheDissolve.com.

Makes sense, considering The Dissolve rates every Janus/Criterion release "essential viewing" without fail.

At the very least, it keeps the comment box for the respective reviews clean.

[Red Screamer]

Clearly, it's hinting at a new partnership with TheDissolve.com.

Makes sense, considering The Dissolve rates every Janus/Criterion release "essential viewing" without fail.

Just wait until The Big Chill is released

[chatterjees]

Don't they use blue color for their upgrade hints?

[swo17]

Not always.

[sir_luke]

Don't they use blue color for their upgrade hints?

I may be wrong, but I think blue is for Blu-only upgrades. The Vanishing will probably get a full dual-format makeover.

[chatterjees]

That makes sense. You don't need blue color for DF upgrades.

[Self]

Ace in the Hole had a blue clue in the newsletter and it's getting the DF upgrade