Criterion Newsletter (Part 2)

[swo17]

You guys have buried the lead: Criterion's finally releasing an Everybody Loves Raymond boxset!

[cdnchris]

I know this was figured from the New Year's drawing but I could not believe Paramount would let this one go. If I recall correctly their DVD was pretty good (I have it but haven't watched it in a few years.) I'm hoping for some great stuff to be added to it.

[Jgh8xxx]

I too cannot believe my eyes; it seems unbelievable that Paramount allowed Rosemary's Baby to slip through its fingers like this. For me this bodes EXTREMELY well for a Criterion release of Nashville (my absolute #1 most wanted title in the collection,) since I can't imagine Criterion didn't go after that one in the latest deal. It's a title certainly no more high profile than Rosemary, so it's a very distinct possibility. I think we're also looking good for Criterion releases of The Conformist and La Dolce Vita. I know a lot of people get upset by the notion of Criterion releasing to Bluray titles already prominently available on DVD, but I can't imagine Criterion's treatment of 3 films of this caliber on Bluray could be more resoundingly received.

[duck duck]

Does anyone get this clue? The only way I could put it together was to look at the file name and put Rosemary with the Maude necklace in the New Year's picture.

[Brian C]

Apparently everyone got this clue. There's some rosemary, and then a smaller "baby" piece of rosemary. Seems pretty simple.

[jwd5275]

...and the big mommy rosemary {hearts} the little baby rosemary.

[Jeff]

At this point I'd say all bets are off as far as what studios are willing to license. The majors are slowly getting out of the disc business, which is great news for Criterion, as long as you're not opposed to them releasing mainstream films. I love that the talisman on Ruth Gordon's neck did turn out to be a clue.

After this and Harold and Maude it's pretty obvious they've licensed a second Paramount batch. They usually do about a dozen at a time. I'm pretty certain that The Conformist is amongst them. La Dolce Vita may happen some day, but I'd imagine it's going to be wrapped up in legal red tape for a while.

[aox]

Man, I am going to hell. You don't want to know what I thought I saw on my iPhone screen when I saw the clue.

[Brian C]

Oh but I do!

[duck duck]

No, I meant if anyone got it without seeing the word "Rosemary"....
Paramount isn't giving "anything" away because they put out a Chinatown BLU, unless Criterion is going to top it.

[swo17]

It's a terrible clue, because you'd never guess it without knowing the name of the file, but once you look up the name of the file, it takes all of two seconds to figure out.

Criterion's clues were so much better in 2005.

[duck duck]

If there's ever to be a proper double-clue, I would think this is it because it would seem everyone said "What?" then looked up the file name...
I don't really believe that but it would be just as great as the "lean cow-herd".

[zedz]

No, I meant if anyone got it without seeing the word "Rosemary"....

Well, for a second I thought of a terrible recent indie film called Go Get Some Rosemary, so it certainly looked like rosemary to me. I don't really know what else it might look like - a whole lot of french fries stuck together with chewing gum, as seen from the ceiling? Woodchips strewn vaguely in the shape of a person? (Hey, it's Fargo!)

[Feego]

For what it's worth, I had NO idea what it was until I looked at the file name. I'm not sure that I've ever even seen rosemary. But like Swo, once I looked at the name, I was all "Duh!"

[Jeff]

For what it's worth, I had NO idea what it was until I looked at the file name. I'm not sure that I've ever even seen rosemary

I cook a lot and have grown rosemary, but I thought it was sheathes of wheat until I looked at the filename.

[Brian C]

I thought it was PONG! The Movie at first glance.

[knives]

Are we forgetting that it could mean Whatever Happened to Rosemary's Baby?

[zedz]

For what it's worth, I had NO idea what it was until I looked at the file name. I'm not sure that I've ever even seen rosemary. But like Swo, once I looked at the name, I was all "Duh!"

For those who have never seen it, rosemary:

No, I don't know what they've done to its eyes either.

[Feego]

If they wanted to do something cute, they could have used a drawing of a chocolate mouse. I'd have gotten that instantly!

[HerrSchreck]

That's so funny... Just yesterday I pulled out and watched the whole Paramount dvd of Rosemary's Baby on a whim.

Spooooky. . . Whooooooooooo ( queue reverby canned ghost/witch cackling with sound effects of heavy chains rattling )..

Tarot card readings anyone?

Ruth Gordon is so fucking brilliant in this film.

[bainbridgezu]

Ruth Gordon is so fucking brilliant in this film.

Absolutely. I especially love the scenes where she's playing off John Cassavetes: "I think she's waking up." "Did she eat the mouse? She'll be fine."

Sidney Blackmer also deserves a lot of credit for totally nailing the great tone of the final scene.

[bamwc2]

Wacky pigeons, eh? Pigeons and boxing...all that comes to mind is HBO's Tyson

[Jonny Pasadena]

Well, with the birds and the boxing gloves, first thing that came to mind is Brando in "On the Waterfront," though that seems unlikely, no?

Oh, but how I'd love a Criterion one-way ticket to Palookaville.

[knives]

The Fuller is coming out from Olive right? Can't be it if that's the case.

[swo17]

How did Criterion get ahold of my home videos? Guess I'm going to have to go to jail now.