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Interesting month for a potential B&N sale. No boxes or major commercial titles.

No, there’s a box.

Haha hollleeeeey shit, this truly is the month of long promised returns. The BRD trilogy, my stars

Huh?

I see it now!!

Also, Do the Right Thing is probably the biggest title they’ve announced all year? Dunno why you’d say it’s not a major commercial one.

I don’t think of Do The Right Thing as a mainstream slam dunk. No disrespect to Mr Lee.

Wow, that's 9 old spine numbers moved into the Blu-ray realm in just two months.

In for Baker's Wife and the Do The Right Thing upgrade, possibly the Holland as well. Very solid month.

Randomly ... not really speculating, but wondering: how many pre-Blu ray titles does Criterion still own the rights to but hasn't yet upgraded? It's been dwindling pretty steadily, but I imagine the number is still fairly high. (I'm too lazy to go to the site and figure this out and figure one of you nerds has an app for this or something.)

Minkin will have an answer to that when she weighs in with this month’s round up / update

There are some they probably could upgrade (rights-wise) that I doubt they will. Fishing with John, anyone??

I'm playing around on the Criterion site now and it's not that easy to figure out. Filtering for "in print": check. But no option for "DVD only." Plus, I forget when Criterion started doing Blu for every title.

Did the Bamboo Sled Bamboozle us? heh -

denti alligator wrote: Mon Apr 15, 2019 11:00 pm Randomly ... not really speculating, but wondering: how many pre-Blu ray titles does Criterion still own the rights to but hasn't yet upgraded? It's been dwindling pretty steadily, but I imagine the number is still fairly high. (I'm too lazy to go to the site and figure this out and figure one of you nerds has an app for this or something.)

I'd wait for someone that keeps better track of it than I do, but they now have 987 spine numbers and 680ish blu ray spine numbers, so approximately 300ish that aren't upgraded--but 50ish of those 300ish are OOP DVDs and may be much more unlikely than not to come back, but they've done quite a lot of OOP DVD rescues the past two-three years, so you never know. they've done about 205 upgrades out of those 680 blus.

they started bluray with spine 450 (Bottle Rocket, 12/16/08) and went 100% bluray for all releases almost two years later with spine 535 (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, 09/28/10)

Spike Lee did confirm on Instagram that Bamboozled was coming from Criterion.

Minkin's last update claimed 246 titles remaining to be upgraded, and Do the Right Thing and the BRD set make that 244 (minkin said they were counting box sets as one title). Don't know if that number includes OOP titles, but I took a quick count and figure there's probably ~35-40 OOP titles that Criterion likely doesn't have rights to (so I didn't count the Handmade films--Withnail and I, Mona Lisa, etc--that Criterion does have rights to).

I think the number has to be lower than that if you don't factor the OOP titles.

EDIT: My quick attempt at a count of spine numbers (but not counting box spines, only spines within boxes) is 220.

The table on the Wikipedia page is helpful because it denotes and color codes Blu-ray upgrades as well as OOP releases.

~Appears from behind the distant ridgeline, as a gunshot and some theme music usher in the arrival of the next Speculation Rodeo! (for July 2019)~

Europa Europa - 2019 New Years clue (Euro - Pa's) + I believe this is one of those mysterious MGM licensed films that several people on this board (doesn't include me) got a peak at; and then CriterionCast made some list trying to be all coy about it with a "hey, Criterion could release these films, if they felt like it, idk." But anyway, this has been confirmed as forthcoming since 2013.

1984 - dwk has been guessing this one for awhile now, so I assume there must be a reason, but otherwise (unless I missed it, which is highly likely), this is a complete surprise! Wasn't on the list, wasn't expected, ring all the alarms, send in the rodeo clowns, we have a non-upgrade surprise. [unless 1984 solves the New Years clock clue????]

Do the Right Thing - Upgrade, confirmed multiple times recently (cover art behind the scenes + direct director confirmation)

The Baker's Wife - Janus tour

The BRD Trilogy - Random upgrade, that's been several years in the waiting, to the point where some feared the rights must've been lost, but alas, it has made its return (I'd expect the same thing with Pandora's Box)

Klute - 2019 New Years clue (K - Lute) + on that WB list that Ian scrapped together (of OOP WB DVDs)
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-242* upgrades remain to be Blu'd
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-As to the question of "how many likely upgrades remain?" The number I came up with is: 197

-I'm not counting any of the OOP titles, even though there's a near 100% certainty that many will be coming back into print (Spellbound, some Studio Canal stuffs, etc). But since we don't know what / when exactly - I left off all OOP titles. The films in the section of "temporarily OOP" - where we have confirmation they still have the rights to those films, have been included in the above number. So, Chungking Express is OOP, but Janus now has the rights, so its the same as if it were just between print runs (even though Chungking doesn't count here, cause it already had a Blu-Ray release!). That all make sense?

-I left the gray-area titles on the list - like Chasing Amy, Z, Armageddon, etc - as honestly, I have no idea which direction they might go.

-Indiscretion of an American Wife isn't OOP on DVD, but Kino have the Blu rights. (unsure if there's any other films like this); so it isn't part of the 197.

-Some of these likely won't ever receive a Blu upgrade, due to their image source (Golden Age of Television / etc) - but I wouldn't put it past Criterion to try anyway! (see Hoop Dreams / Buena Vista Social Club / etc).

Since I went to the trouble to make this, I'll post it here (and please let me know of any mistakes / corrections / additions that I missed). Here is a list of all in-print Criterion DVDs (that haven't been upgraded) that ARE NOT with Janus:
=====================================
Disney (Fox):

Armageddon
Indiscretion of an American Wife (Kino has Blu rights)
Pickup on South Street
The Rock
Thieves' Highway
Unfaithfully Yours
=====================================
Kino (+ Studio Canal):

Paul Robeson: Portraits of an Artist
=====================================
Lionsgate:

Chasing Amy
Kicking and Screaming
=====================================
MGM:

The Fugitive Kind
=====================================
Paramount:

The Furies
Three Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg
White Dog
=====================================
Sony:

Monty Python's Life of Brian
=====================================
Universal:

Before the Rain
Blast of Silence
The Lady Eve
Missing
Spartacus
Trouble in Paradise
Walker
Written on the Wind
=====================================
Westchester / Shout:

The Ruling Class
==================================
Everything that isn't listed above is either available on Blu-Ray from Criterion/ OOP/ a Janus title.

If anybody wants the Janus list I came up, let me know and I'll post it too. Its just kind of a mess right now, so I'd have to put it in alphabetical order first.
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-I believe Burn! (1969) is one of (if not the) last titles from that MGM list. How I won the War, King of Hearts, and The Knack(?) were also on there, but ended up with other companies.
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-Several people in the quarantined thread had 3 correct guesses, but I'm declaring dwk the winner, since they were the only person to get the surprise! correct (1984).

I'll think of a fancy name to give the Speculation Winner for the month. Perhaps something like Wrangler of the Month? Or All-Around Cowpoke (this seems most accurate)? Or the Chuckwagon Winner? I'll let the people decide / come up with something more clever.
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Per request, here's what's left of the 2019 New Years clue:

An Angel at My Table upgrade (angel at table)
Bamboozled (bamboo sled) (Confirmed) OR Citizen Kane (sugar CANE sled)(confirmed) - whichever announces 1st =winner, 2nd will be the consolation double clue
Koker Trilogy (Confirmed) (three Coke bottles)

Plausible answers, that haven't stopped being plausible just yet (will remove on January 15, 2020 - if not resolved before then):

Bringing Up Baby
Children of Men
9 to 5 OR Nine Days of One Year - (plausible answer)

---------------------
Does 1984 solve the clock clue? I'll let someone else make the case.
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*I checked over my list just now, and I finally noticed some oddities from there:
1) I had Alexander Nevsky + Ivan the Terrible as separate listings; now fixed with Eisenstein: The Sound Years; hence why the total is now 243 (not 244)
2) I have Rebel Samurai boxset as one entry (I'd have to imagine them upgrading the whole thing at once, rather than separately, but we'll see)
3) I have Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara - as one entry, despite only 2 / 3 upgrades remaining from that set. (but I have a note next to it)
4) Same deal with The Orphic Trilogy + The Adventures of Antoine Doinel
5) I did the opposite with the "3 by Louis Malle" - and had Murmur + Lacombe as separate entries, now fixed, thus total is now 242 (not 244 / 243)
6) Despite being boxed similar to the Rebel Samurai set, I have all of the "Literary adaptations / Shakespeare" sets' contents as separate entries.
7) Let me know if you think I should change any of the above.
=======================================
Oof,

And with that energetic showing from all participants, the rodeo must sadly come to a close. Until next month, just sing a song and bring the sunny weather!

Thank you, Minkin! Not sure if this makes a difference, but the silent Von Sternberg box is now listed as officially out of print.

Thanks for the exhaustive run down! Though, Under the Volcano is not a Universal title. Much like Wise Blood, it’s a Janus title.

Similarly discussing OOP return speculation and MGM titles, Arrow nabbed RoboCop (justly) but is there any crediance to Spinal Tap coming back? With The Princess Bride, Silence of the Lambs, and Sid & Nancy back I like to think that there’s hope but there’s no confirmation. Same with the John Woo/Chow Yun Fat titles. I believe they’re with Fortune Star who Criterion is not only getting the Police Story films from but also seems to have Woo’s Chivalry as well.

Of course this is on top of Spellbound, Chungking Express, Pandora’s Box, Z, and whatever mystery Canal titles are able to float back.

Minkin wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:17 am1984 - dwk has been guessing this one for awhile now, so I assume there must be a reason, but otherwise (unless I missed it, which is highly likely), this is a complete surprise! Wasn't on the list, wasn't expected, ring all the alarms, send in the rodeo clowns, we have a non-upgrade surprise. [unless 1984 solves the New Years clock clue????]

I believe that 1984 was visible on Criterion's home video shelf in a couple of photos.

DRW.mov wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:29 am
Similarly discussing OOP return speculation and MGM titles, Arrow nabbed RoboCop (justly) but is there any crediance to Spinal Tap coming back? With The Princess Bride, Silence of the Lambs, and Sid & Nancy back I like to think that there’s hope but there’s no confirmation.

I'm near damn positive Jon Turrell confirmed Spinal Tap was coming back in an interview. Not sure where it was, but it was the same interview where he confirmed Silence of the Lambs was getting a reissue.

Boosmahn wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:10 pm

Minkin wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:17 am1984 - dwk has been guessing this one for awhile now, so I assume there must be a reason, but otherwise (unless I missed it, which is highly likely), this is a complete surprise! Wasn't on the list, wasn't expected, ring all the alarms, send in the rodeo clowns, we have a non-upgrade surprise. [unless 1984 solves the New Years clock clue????]

I believe that 1984 was visible on Criterion's home video shelf in a couple of photos.

You are correct.

DRW.mov wrote: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:29 am Same with the John Woo/Chow Yun Fat titles. I believe they’re with Fortune Star who Criterion is not only getting the Police Story films from but also seems to have Woo’s Chivalry as well.

Only The Killer is with Fortune Star (but I don't think that it has gotten a new restoration yet). I'm not sure who has the rights to Hardboiled and think that the rights situation for it is a bit of a mess.

No Bamboozled? Wow - wonder if it'll be coming this year after all. Can't see them doing two from the same director in just a few months.

Actually, soundchaser, they released Fassbinder's Eight Hours in October, and in February upgraded Berlin Alexanderplatz, and now here comes the BRD Trilogy. So it's completely possible.