Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[DimitriL]

ditto. and I'll admit my bias against Scorcese before saying anything else, but wouldn't people want one of his movies that doesn't already have a serviceable disc? I understand it can't be bought separately, but maybe have Sony do that and free CC to do something else? sure, Taxi Driver was a laserdisc title much like Last Picture Show was, but the latter is legitimately the first UHD upgrade to have new supplements on it (and a gigantic one, at that). I legitimately haven't a clue what Criterion could add to Taxi Driver, especially considering they're barely adding much to Mean Streets, which seems like it should've been paired with the shorts or at least some other film. but hey, the market dictates what it wants...

If it was a situation like The Graduate, where we were getting something back like Suber’s long-lost commentary, I would wholeheartedly say bring back TD to the CC. But pretty much every Sony release of the film has licensed Scorsese’s excellent Criterion commentary for inclusion, so I don’t see the point other than having it. (Which would admittedly be a feather in their cap.)

IF it was part of a Scorsese box? Absolutely. But I’d rather have Bringing, or Kundun, or Silence, or Alice or any number of other neglected Scorsese films on 4k first.

[RSTooley]

Mark Kermode mentioned on the latest subscriber edition of Kermode and Mayo's Take that he had penned an essay for a 4K re-issue of Punch-Drunk Love. I can only imagine this being a future Criterion re-issue.

This has been mentioned on the Criterion Reddit page and the Blu-ray.com forums, but I can't find any mention of it here. Apologies if this has already been posted.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Mark Kermode doesn’t strike me as the kind of person Criterion would get for an essay. Bet it’s for another Columbia box set. And judging the essay choices for both the release of Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love, I don’t know if PTA would be okay with straight ahead film criticism on one of his movies.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

They did have Kermode do the essay for The Devil's Backbone.

[yoloswegmaster]

I don't think they've included more essays for any of the previously-released titles that was upgraded to 4K, so it could be for a new Columbia box.

[Calvin]

Do Imprint still have a relationship with Sony? Seems like one that they might do

[RSTooley]

Mark Kermode doesn’t strike me as the kind of person Criterion would get for an essay. Bet it’s for another Columbia box set. And judging the essay choices for both the release of Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love, I don’t know if PTA would be okay with straight ahead film criticism on one of his movies.

The speculation that this could be for a new Columbia box set aside -- Kermode did note that he sent the essay to PTA and that PTA thought the essay was 'lovely', for what it's worth.

You folks could be correct. A Criterion re-release wouldn't shock me though.

Did the past Columbia 4k sets feature essays?

EDIT: scratch that, it looks like they did.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

I don't think they've included more essays for any of the previously-released titles that was upgraded to 4K, so it could be for a new Columbia box.

In the Mood for Love swapped out the original Steve Erickson essay for one by Charles Yu, though that was kind of an odd situation since it also got new cover art. But there were more examples with DVD-to-Blu upgrades.

[Bressonaire]

A New York Times article this morning on two films by Russian director Kira Muratova mentions that they have been restored in 4K in "a collaboration between StudioCanal and the Criterion Collection." The films are Brief Encounters (1967) and The Long Farewell (1971).

[What A Disgrace]

In that case, I will pass up on the Studio Canal releases of the two films.

[swo17]

Unless Fidelity in Motion encodes the SCs

[FrauBlucher]

Anyone find it odd that Nov 21 is the last day of November releases? Especially being a B&N sale month. Could we still see something get announced for the 28th like a box.

[Matt]

It’s the Tuesday after a 4-day holiday. No one’s going to be shipping and stocking anything during that time. They’ve done similar release scheduling for at least the last three years.

[FrauBlucher]

True. Didn't think about that

[Calvin]

Tarsem Singh is shopping around The Fall

"We have [reached out to Criterion]. It was the strangest thing, they kind of have not responded to it. The kind of stuff that I like, it’s that kind of a film. It's very polarizing. People think it's the best thing, or they think it's the biggest piece of shit in the world, and both are okay with me…Somehow, in this particular one, whenever we've approached everybody– I did tell the lawyer and everything after this particular one, 'I will have a chat, and we'll find an outlet for it.' But Criterion doesn't seem to think it's their kind of film, which is bizarre."

[...]

"I'm trying really hard," he added, telling anyone eager to see the film to "Write to Criterion and let them know. They just kind of ignored me for about a year, and I just thought, 'I'll move on because people are wanting to see it.'"

[Kracker]

He might do better with The Cell. That film has always been right up there with Silence of the Lambs.

[Matt]

This seems like a film any number of small distributors would trip over themselves to acquire and do an equally (of not more) lavish an edition as Criterion. Tarsem may want that Criterion imprimatur, though.

[AxeYou]

I’m glad I caught both The Fall and The Cell on 35mm this year.

The Fall was magnificently imaginative, certainly one of the best discoveries I’ve come across recently. I would’ve thought it to be right up Criterion’s alley. Hopefully someone else picks it up and commissions a 4K HDR restoration. That would look fantastic.

The Cell, though, felt more like a dress rehearsal for The Fall, where you get glimpses of Singh’s obvious creativity sprinkled about, but IMO they failed to piece together into a satisfying narrative.

[tenia]

This seems like a film any number of small distributors would trip over themselves to acquire and do an equally (of not more) lavish an edition as Criterion. Tarsem may want that Criterion imprimatur, though.

My thought precisely. We're living in a world for quite some years now where many many labels are equalling Criterion when it comes to the care given to the movies released, so if Tarsem just want Criterion, that's a matter of the prestige still attached to the label, not ensuring his movies simply are properly taken care of.

[yoloswegmaster]

Encounters of the Spooky Kind and Mr. Vampire I-III open with the Criterion and Janus logos (Mr. Vampire IV does not).

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

I’d love if they would license the superior Encounters of the Spooky Kind II from Warner and make a Ricky Lau/Sammo Hung set.

[dwk]

Encounters of the Spooky Kind and Mr. Vampire I-III open with the Criterion and Janus logos (Mr. Vampire IV does not).

Odd that IV didnt have the Criterion/Janus logos. One would assume that Fortune Star would have licensed all those together as a package.

[beamish14]

This seems like a film any number of small distributors would trip over themselves to acquire and do an equally (of not more) lavish an edition as Criterion. Tarsem may want that Criterion imprimatur, though.

Definitely. Still, I’m baffled when Criterion turns down remarkable titles that filmmakers personally lobby them to release (e.g. Tom Noonan’s What Happened Was…, which Oscilloscope did a nice job with, and Martin Rosen’s The Plague Dogs)

[Matt]

i hope whoever does end up with it does an in-depth appreciation of Eiko Ishioka's costume, production, and graphic design work. One of a kind artist.

[jazzo]

I’m hoping that the Seidelman collection on the channel means that Kino’s license has expired, and a proper special edition of Desperately Seeking Susan is on the way from Criterion.