The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

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Reverend Drewcifer
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:16 pm
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#226 Post by Reverend Drewcifer » Wed May 08, 2019 11:26 am

Uptight is one of those movies, like Three Tough Guys, with a bestselling soundtrack and little-to-no visibility among comparable films of its era. I can run out to a few second-hand and record stores between Dayton and Cincinnati and score multiple copies of the Booker-T album on vinyl, and dozens of copies of Isaac Hayes's Tough Guys without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, these films, and others like Come Back, Charleston Blue exist well-below the radar compared to Sweet Sweetback, Super Fly, Shaft, etc. This can be explained by the fact that albums with high-wattage artists like Booker-T, Hayes, Donny Hathaway, and Curtis Mayfield shift units, while film distribution models of the era allow some films to rise into public consciousness and others to disappear (notwithstanding the fact that some films are "better" than others; I would muuuuuuuuch rather watch Cotton Comes to Harlem than Come Back, Charleston Blue). It doesn't change the fact that I've had the Uptight soundtrack for 10+ years and was only able to watch a clean copy on FilmStruck last year.

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ando
Bringing Out El Duende
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#227 Post by ando » Wed May 08, 2019 12:22 pm

Reverend Drewcifer wrote:
Wed May 08, 2019 11:26 am
Uptight is one of those movies, like Three Tough Guys, with a bestselling soundtrack and little-to-no visibility among comparable films of its era. I can run out to a few second-hand and record stores between Dayton and Cincinnati and score multiple copies of the Booker-T album on vinyl, and dozens of copies of Isaac Hayes's Tough Guys without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, these films, and others like Come Back, Charleston Blue exist well-below the radar compared to Sweet Sweetback, Super Fly, Shaft, etc. This can be explained by the fact that albums with high-wattage artists like Booker-T, Hayes, Donny Hathaway, and Curtis Mayfield shift units, while film distribution models of the era allow some films to rise into public consciousness and others to disappear (notwithstanding the fact that some films are "better" than others; I would muuuuuuuuch rather watch Cotton Comes to Harlem than Come Back, Charleston Blue). It doesn't change the fact that I've had the Uptight soundtrack for 10+ years and was only able to watch a clean copy on FilmStruck last year.
Indeed. But anyone who enjoys watching films from the era has certainly seen Uptight (which was originally Uptight!, no?).

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domino harvey
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#228 Post by domino harvey » Wed May 08, 2019 12:24 pm

And again, there has been a commercial Blu-Ray/DVD release from Olive available for almost seven years, so anyone interested could have seen it before FilmStruck

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ando
Bringing Out El Duende
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#229 Post by ando » Wed May 08, 2019 12:44 pm

domino harvey wrote:
Wed May 08, 2019 12:24 pm
And again, there has been a commercial Blu-Ray/DVD release from Olive available for almost seven years, so anyone interested could have seen it before FilmStruck
Yep.

The obvious weakness of Uptight, though, is the lack of a solid, or at least, sympathetic, central character. I mentioned Charles Fuller's film adaptation of The River Niger (originally a Broadway play) because of its shared politics/social background. But I just realized last night that the central characters in both films share the same full names. Of course, Johnny Williams is as common as John Smith, but it's as if Fuller wanted to redo the Williams story with the main protagonist as a fully drawn character and not - let's face it - a prop in the unfolding events of a militant Black Cleveland community.

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ando
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#230 Post by ando » Fri May 10, 2019 2:14 am

I'm a bit bummed that downloaded content expires within a 24 hour period but an interesting find are 22 Films currently available that aren't in the collection. Presumably the list will increase as the service develops but I'm glad to see some additional well regarded titles outside of The Collection.

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Shrew
The Untamed One
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#231 Post by Shrew » Fri May 10, 2019 1:58 pm

ando wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 2:14 am
I'm a bit bummed that downloaded content expires within a 24 hour period but an interesting find are 22 Films currently available that aren't in the collection. Presumably the list will increase as the service develops but I'm glad to see some additional well regarded titles outside of The Collection.
Ando, I'm a little confused by what you mean by "The Collection." The Criterion Channel has several hundred films right now that have never been released by Criterion in a physical version, not just 22. Some are Janus holdings that are likely to be released at some point (Come and See, the Wong Kar-Wais) or may never be released (the hoard of Kinoshita films). Then there are others being licensed from outside rights holders: Sony/Columbia for the Columbia noirs, Oscilloscope for the Reichardts, Milestone for Burnett's My Brother's Wedding, Warner for a bunch in the "Cukor's Women" set, etc.

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ando
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#232 Post by ando » Fri May 10, 2019 5:17 pm

Shrew wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 1:58 pm
ando wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 2:14 am
I'm a bit bummed that downloaded content expires within a 24 hour period but an interesting find are 22 Films currently available that aren't in the collection. Presumably the list will increase as the service develops but I'm glad to see some additional well regarded titles outside of The Collection.
Ando, I'm a little confused by what you mean by "The Collection." The Criterion Channel has several hundred films right now that have never been released by Criterion in a physical version, not just 22. Some are Janus holdings that are likely to be released at some point (Come and See, the Wong Kar-Wais) or may never be released (the hoard of Kinoshita films). Then there are others being licensed from outside rights holders: Sony/Columbia for the Columbia noirs, Oscilloscope for the Reichardts, Milestone for Burnett's My Brother's Wedding, Warner for a bunch in the "Cukor's Women" set, etc.
Yes, to be more explicit - and presumptive, these 22 titles have not been released yet though they are, as you point out, Janus holdings, etc.; they're expected to be released at some point in the future. At least that's the gist of the article.

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jwd5275
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#233 Post by jwd5275 » Fri May 10, 2019 5:46 pm

But for example, the Reichardts and Burnett have been released and are in print from other companies. Nothing to expect from Criterion here.

astromartin84
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#234 Post by astromartin84 » Fri May 10, 2019 7:18 pm

Though it's not mentioned among the 22 in the article, does anyone know anything about the fact that "Paris is Burning" is on the Channel? Is it possible Criterion will be releasing an upgrade to the out-of-print Miramax DVD?

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senseabove
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#235 Post by senseabove » Fri May 10, 2019 8:02 pm

astromartin84 wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 7:18 pm
Though it's not mentioned among the 22 in the article, does anyone know anything about the fact that "Paris is Burning" is on the Channel? Is it possible Criterion will be releasing an upgrade to the out-of-print Miramax DVD?
Livingston's website says: "The Criterion Collection/Janus Films is the film's new North American distributor. To arrange a screening in the US or Canada, please email: booking@janusfilms.com For rights elsewhere: info@jennielivingston.com"

https://www.jennielivingston.com/paris-is-burning

So it seems like a matter of time.

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ando
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#236 Post by ando » Sat May 11, 2019 1:37 am

My, the search engine on the app leaves much to be desired and/or additions are far more frequent than Filmstruck: two days ago I did a Bergman search and found a half dozen feature films not including The Seventh Seal, but today it suddenly appeared. Not a complaint, just a bit perplexed.

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Yaanu
Joined: Sat Aug 10, 2013 12:18 am

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#237 Post by Yaanu » Fri May 24, 2019 12:39 pm

A list of movies coming in June was posted to the Criterion Channel Club on Facebook. Since I can't just click through and find the actual source of the list, I'm just gonna post their screencap of the list in here instead:

Image

albucat
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:06 am

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#238 Post by albucat » Fri May 24, 2019 1:51 pm

Sorry, I forgot to post it this month.

Complete list of films premiering on the Criterion Channel this month:

Hedwig and the Angry Inch, John Cameron Mitchell, 2001
The Tales of Beatrix Potter, Reginald Mills, 1971
Performance, Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg, 1970
Bad Timing, Nicolas Roeg, 1980
The Man Who Fell to Earth, Nicolas Roeg, 1976
Tropical Malady, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2004
Syndromes and a Century, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2010*
Cemetery of Splendor, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2015
Yeelen, Souleymane Cissé, 1987
Christopher Strong, Dorothy Arzner, 1933
Craig's Wife, Dorothy Arzner, 1936
Dance, Girl, Dance, Dorothy Arzner, 1940
George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin, George Stevens Jr., 1994
The Plague Dogs, Martin Rosen, 1982
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Alberto Cavalcanti,1947
Kind Hearts and Coronets, Robert Hamer, 1949
Last Holiday, Henry Cass, 1950
The Man in the White Suit, Alexander Mackendrick, 1951
The Lavender Hill Mob, Charles Crichton, 1951
The Card, Ronald Neame, 1952
The Captain's Paradise, Anthony Kimmins, 1953
The Prisoner, Peter Glenville, 1955
The Scapegoat, Robert Hamer, 1959
Our Man in Havana, Carol Reed, 1959
Damn the Defiant!, Lewis Gilbert, 1962
The Hours and Times, Christopher Munch, 1991
Close Ties, Zofia Kowalewska, 2016
Battle in Heaven, Carlos Reygadas, 2005
Silent Light, Carlos Reygadas, 2007
Japón, Carlos Reygadas, 2002
The Wicker Man, Robin Hardy, 1973
Ran, Akira Kurosawa, 1985
Dreams, Akira Kurosawa, 1990
My Beautiful Laundrette, Stephen Frears, 1985
Secret Sunshine, Lee Chang-dong, 2007
Pioneer, David Lowery, 2011
The Decline of Western Civilization, Penelope Spheeris, 1981
Suburbia, Penelope Spheeris, 1983
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, Penelope Spheeris, 1988
The Decline of Western Civilization Part III, Penelope Spheeris, 1998
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Cristian Mungiu, 2007*
Marwencol, Jeff Malmberg, 2010
One Sings, the Other Doesn't, Agnès Varda, 1977
Something Wild, Jack Garfein, 1961
The Maids, Christopher Miles, 1975
Diamonds of the Night, Jan Němec, 1964
Eva, Joseph Losey, 1962
The Tram, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1966
Factory, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1970
Hospital, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1976
Seven Women of Different Ages, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1978
Railway Station, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1980
Talking Heads, Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1980
Mahler, Ken Russell, 1974
The Hall of Lost Steps, Jaromil Jires, 1960
A Test of Violence, Stuart Cooper, 1969
Career Girls, Mike Leigh, 1997
Uncle, Jaromil Jires, 1959
Footprints, Jaromil Jires, 1960
The Saga of Gösta Berling, Mauritz Stiller, 1924

*Not avaialable in Canada

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Roger Ryan
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#239 Post by Roger Ryan » Tue May 28, 2019 12:27 pm

I watched Harold Lloyd's The Kid Brother over the weekend and discovered that the primary version (with Carl Davis' orchestral score) is taken from an unrestored master (filled with specks, white blotches and lines) whereas the alternate version, featuring the organ score by Gaylord Carter, is the one treated to the 4K restoration and looks fantastic. I also noticed that an early intertitle (introducing the Hickory brothers) is placed at a different point depending on which version you watch: the unrestored version places the intertitle earlier, creating a glaring jump-cut where the brothers and their father change positions dramatically as they attempt to carry a tree trunk; the restored version places the same intertitle a couple of shots later and it covers the jump-cut. Was this title included on Filmstruck? I'm wondering if they didn't bother updating the old master.

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mfunk9786
Under Chris' Protection
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#240 Post by mfunk9786 » Tue May 28, 2019 12:28 pm

albucat wrote:
Fri May 24, 2019 1:51 pm
The Wicker Man, Robin Hardy, 1973
OMG

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jwd5275
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#241 Post by jwd5275 » Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:16 pm

Interesting that some of the Shout! extras for the Decline of Western Civilization set (including a commentary) have shown up on the Criterion Channel

albucat
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:06 am

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#242 Post by albucat » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:39 pm

Complete list of films premiering on the Criterion Channel in July:
The African Queen, John Huston, 1951
All About My Mother, Pedro Almodóvar, 1999
All These Creatures, Charles Williams, 2018
Angela, Rebecca Miller, 1995
Babylon, Franco Rosso, 1980
Bad Education, Pedro Almodóvar, 2004*
The Bear, Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1988
The Bed Sitting Room, Richard Lester, 1969
The Bigamist, Ida Lupino, 1953
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Paul Mazursky, 1969**
Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson, 1996**
Burning Bush, Agnieszka Holland, 2013
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff, Craig McCall, 2010
Camille Claudel 1915, Bruno Dumont, 2013
Che, Steven Soderbergh, 2008
Diary of a Chambermaid, Luis Buñuel, 1964
Easy Rider, Dennis Hopper, 1969**
Fanny, Joshua Logan, 1961
Fiddler on the Roof, Norman Jewison, 1971
Flanders, Bruno Dumont, 2006
The Flower of My Secret, Pedro Almodóvar, 1995*
The Four Musketeers, Richard Lester, 1974
Fry Day, Laura Moss, 2017
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1966, Richard Lester
The Gay Divorcee, Mark Sandrich, 1934
The Girl on a Motorcycle, Jack Cardiff, 1968
Harold and Maude, Hal Ashby, 1971
High Noon, 1952, Fred Zinneman
The Hitch-Hiker, Ida Lupino, 1953
The Knack . . . and How To Get It, Richard Lester, 1965
L’humanité, Bruno Dumont, 1999
La vie de Jésus, Bruno Dumont, 1997
Li’l Quinquin, Bruno Dumont, 2014
Mademoiselle, Tony Richardson, 1966
Matador, Pedro Almodóvar, 1986*
A Matter of Life and Death, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1946
Midnight Cowboy, John Schlesinger, 1969**
Not Wanted, Ida Lupino, 1949
On Dangerous Ground, Nicholas Ray and [uncredited] Ida Lupino, 1951
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, Albert Lewin, 1951
Personal Velocity, Rebecca Miller, 2002
Petulia, Richard Lester, 1968
Raw Deal, Anthony Mann, 1948
Robin and Marian, Richard Lester, 1976
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film, 1959, Richard Lester
Shall We Dance, Mark Sandrich, 1937
The Skin I Live In, Pedro Almodóvar, 2011
Slack Bay, Bruno Dumont, 2016
Solar Walk, Réka Bucsi, 2017
Swing Time, George Stevens, 1936
T-Men, Anthony Mann, 1947
Talk to Her, Pedro Almodóvar, 2002
Top Hat, Mark Sandrich, 1935
The Three Musketeers, Richard Lester, 1973
The Trouble with Angels, Ida Lupino, 1966
The Vikings, Richard Fleischer, 1958
Volver, Pedro Almodóvar, 2006*
War and Peace, King Vidor, 1956
War and Peace, Sergei Bondarchuk, 1966
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Pedro Almodóvar, 1988*

*Available in the U.S. only
**Available only until July 3

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Roger Ryan
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#243 Post by Roger Ryan » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:56 pm

So you're saying that...

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Paul Mazursky, 1969**
Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson, 1996**
Easy Rider, Dennis Hopper, 1969**
Midnight Cowboy, John Schlesinger, 1969**


...will only be available for three days?

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jedgeco
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:28 am

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#244 Post by jedgeco » Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:17 pm

Have there been any films that have rolled off the Channel since it's inception?

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fdm
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#245 Post by fdm » Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:53 pm

There are some others that are supposed to become unavailable at the end of this month.

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Roscoe
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Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#246 Post by Roscoe » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:00 pm

I'll be checking to see if any of those Lester films have a Criterion logo at the start...

The ones that don't already have one, that is.

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Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#247 Post by Matt » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:04 pm

jedgeco wrote:
Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:17 pm
Have there been any films that have rolled off the Channel since it's inception?
There were 4 or 5 that expired at the end of May. The only one I remember is Cassavetes' Opening Night.

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#248 Post by dwk » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:07 pm

Elephant Man and Blood Simple also expired at the end of May.

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Matt
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#249 Post by Matt » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:14 pm

I guess Peter Becker's promise when the Channel launched that all films would be available to watch for a minimum of three months didn't quite pan out. Three days for those four films mentioned above has got to be a typo, though, right? It must be "available until July 31."

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jwd5275
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Location: SF, CA

Re: The Criterion Channel -- Film and Content Discussion

#250 Post by jwd5275 » Thu Jun 20, 2019 5:27 pm

Odd that at least two Janus films have expiration dates (Blood Simple and Buena Vista Social Club). These never left Hulu or Filmstruck...

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