Criterion News and Discussion

[Gold Trumpet]

GT, is there any plans for criterion coming up and doing any more Truffaut?

Truffaut is very tricky. Criterion acquired the rights to a lot of his later films when they got the Rohmer titles (yes, that long ago) but have sat on them. The problem is that many of his later films aren't that highly regarded at all. Criterion may not release them individually because many believe they don't deserve such recognition. I think the only one everyone agrees should be released and individually is The Bride Who Wore Black. The film is OOP and has been over due for a rerelease.

Also, I heard some of his other films have gone OOP. It could be a forewarning to a future release. I'd expect many of his later films to be packaged for a box set on either Criterion or even Eclipse.

[OrHowILearnedTo]

Being that Melville is pretty hot right now, is there any word on a special edition Bob le Flambeur or Les Enfants terribles?

[Gold Trumpet]

Being that Melville is pretty hot right now, is there any word on a special edition Bob le Flambeur or Les Enfants terribles?

Bad news for you.

Bob le Flambeur is not on the radar for a re-issue, and considering about 15 other titles are, it doesn't look good. About Les Enfants terribles, Criterion does not own rights. Water Bearer owns the rights and is said to be working on their own special edition. That isn't good news because they could be the worst DVD company around.

[modage]

as GT has probably already pointed out the new newsletter confirms that Billy Wilders Ace In The Hole (The Big Carnival) will be released by Criterion at some point.  TCM is also rerunning it this weekend if your DVR deleted it before you had a chance to watch it like mine did last time they played it.

and in the BEST CRITERION BLOG EVER! they give a peek behind the curtain and show how they came up with the dvd artwork for one of their releases...

http://www.criterionco.com/blog/2007_03_01_archive.html#2514877504297839578

[Flannery]

JUNE ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!!

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=388

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=389

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=390

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=391

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=387

[Pubrick]

having to click on the links for each release is so impersonal, i prefer having it revealed all in one post with the pics and everything like it has been done for 85 pages.

[Gold Trumpet]

Being that Melville is pretty hot right now, is there any word on a special edition Bob le Flambeur or Les Enfants terribles?

Bad news for you.

Bob le Flambeur is not on the radar for a re-issue, and considering about 15 other titles are, it doesn't look good. About Les Enfants terribles, Criterion does not own rights. Water Bearer owns the rights and is said to be working on their own special edition. That isn't good news because they could be the worst DVD company around.

I have to speak again.

Les Enfants terrible will be released by Criterion this July.

Here is the confirmation (courtesy of an email):

A month ago I sent Criterion an e-mail asking if they had planned any Melville titles to release (this is before they announced Army of Shadows.) Anyway, here's the email:

Dear Martin,

We have a few Melville titles on the schedule at the moment - his brilliant ARMY OF SHADOWS is due out in stores in May, and LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES is due out in July.

Thanks for your interest.

Best regards,
Kim Hendrickson "

and also, more Kurosawa:

I wrote in asking if we would get any new Kurosawa anytime soon.

Kim Hendrickson wrote me back with in 15 minutes and said this:

Dear Bobby,

We are currently working on DRUNKEN ANGEL. Should be in stores late summer.
Thanks for your note.

All best,
Kim Hendrickson




The June releases are good. If...is a must buy. The others are all a Netflix rental to check quality.

[tpfkabi]

I'm thinking about using some tax refund for some Criterions.
Are there any titles (other than The Third Man) that have been out awhile that are about to be updated?
Last time I bought some, I bought Amarcord only to find that it was being rereleased soon after. 
It seems any that have been out for awhile with little to no extras are typical prime candidates.

[Gold Trumpet]

I'm thinking about using some tax refund for some Criterions.
Are there any titles (other than The Third Man) that have been out awhile that are about to be updated?
Last time I bought some, I bought Amarcord only to find that it was being rereleased soon after. 
It seems any that have been out for awhile with little to no extras are typical prime candidates.

As the Criterionforum sees it,

DISTINCT REMASTERS [Titles that are in the CC that is said to be re-issued because new, better materials have come to light in the years since initial release]

CRITERION BLOG: 11/21/06 - "We know there are a good two-dozen early releases (Andrei Rublev and Shock Corridor, to name just a couple) that need to be redone, and we'll probably get to them at a rate of three to four a year".

ANDREI RUBLEV (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1965) - Mentioned in Criterion's blog by Jonathan Turrell

HIGH AND LOW (Akira Kurosawa, 1963, Japan) - Announced as a possibility at AMMI talk (Nov 2004).

THE LADY VANISHES (Alfred Hitchcock, 1938) - Appears remastered in the Janus book/box set from the original release. May indicate a possible re-issue in the future.

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (Peter Weir, 1975, Australia) - as confirmed by Peter Weir in an interview with DVD Talk Radio.

SHOCK CORRIDOR (Samuel Fuller, 1963, USA) - - Mentioned in Criterion's blog by Jonathan Turrell

[Flannery]

Does anyone if know if Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes is in the works?  I have seen it mentioned as a possible release but I have yet to hear anything definitive.  It's the one title that I've been waiting on.

[tpfkabi]

thanks GT.
Several Kurosawa have recently been re-issued, right?
(i think Sanjuro, Yojimbo, 7 Sam)
All the others are relatively new and packed with extras I think.
Juliet of the Spirits is one I've wanted to see, but I noticed it is an early release and has little to no extras.

[samsong]

transfer quality seems to be the biggest reason for the re-issues, and Juliet of the Spirits has an amazing one that's anamorphic to boot.  i worry about the same thing (i'm hesitant to by Children of Paradise), but for this one i say just get it. 

[Gold Trumpet]

Does anyone if know if Hiroshi Teshigahara's Woman in the Dunes is in the works?  I have seen it mentioned as a possible release but I have yet to hear anything definitive.  It's the one title that I've been waiting on.

Yea, it is in the works. That isn't speculation. It is confirmation. The DVD company who released the region 1 DVD said Criterion had rights. I wouldn't be surprised to see it released sometime this year.

Also, I forgot one film that is confirmed for rerelease. It is Salo: 120 Days of Sodomy. I doubt anyone would have found that disc though.

[OrHowILearnedTo]

Les Enfants terrible will be released by Criterion this July.

Here is the confirmation (courtesy of an email):

A month ago I sent Criterion an e-mail asking if they had planned any Melville titles to release (this is before they announced Army of Shadows.) Anyway, here's the email:

Dear Martin,

We have a few Melville titles on the schedule at the moment - his brilliant ARMY OF SHADOWS is due out in stores in May, and LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES is due out in July.

Thanks for your interest.

Best regards,
Kim Hendrickson " 

I nearly plotzed when i saw this.....

[Pubrick]

I nearly plotzed when i saw this.....

Sodomy