Criterion News and Discussion

Started by Gold Trumpet, January 16, 2003, 06:18:19 PM

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MacGuffin

Quote from: themodernage02the rock is good, but what about the blob?  it was like a bad rebel without a cause wannabe with jello.

Oh, hell no! Tell me you did not just dump on "The Blob". That's a 50's sci-fi classic. One of the best drive-in movies.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Gold Trumpet

From a post at criterion board:

I heard about this a few weeks ago from a friend of mine, but didn't want to post anything until I had the info from more than one source. Well, now I do. Producer Richard Gordon, whose film FIEND WITHOUT A FACE is already part of the Criterion Collection, told me this weekend that the upcoming Special Editions of the films CORRIDORS OF BLOOD, THE HAUNTED STRANGLER, FIRST MAN INTO SPACE and THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE will also be released as part of the Criterion Collection, sometime in 2004.

Since it's a little hard to imagine THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE (Criterion Special Edition), I asked him if maybe some of these titles will be coming out through HVE but not under the CC banner. He insists all will be Criterion releases. Perhaps this isn't so amazing, since the CC also includes CARNIVAL OF SOULS, THE BLOB, the "Andy Warhol" horror films and will soon include EQUINOX, as well.

In any case, this is extremely cool, at least imho. All the supplemental materials -- audio commentaries, interviews, etc. -- for these discs is complete (two friends of mine helped compile these materials) but I'm not sure if the transfers are finished yet or not (I forgot to ask).

Anyhow, there it is. Believe it or not.

~rougerum

godardian

Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: themodernage02the rock is good, but what about the blob?  it was like a bad rebel without a cause wannabe with jello.

Oh, hell no! Tell me you did not just dump on "The Blob". That's a 50's sci-fi classic. One of the best drive-in movies.

The best explanation of Criterion's seemingly inconsistent, um, criteria for what they release is that each film they decide to give the Criterion treatment to is placed within its context of cinematic/social/cultural history and is offered by them as something indicative/exemplary of its era/genre. The fact that they cast their net so wide and offend everyone means that their body of knowledge and understanding of film history is, indeed, expansive and to be trusted.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

SoNowThen

I dunno about you guys, but I'm happy when Criterion releases a movie I hate, because it means my wallet gets a little break that month...
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

cine

Quote from: SoNowThenI dunno about you guys, but I'm happy when Criterion releases a movie I hate, because it means my wallet gets a little break that month...
That's exactly what I was thinking. With all this amazing DVD news, I need a downtime with releases I won't have to worry about getting. :wink:

Gold Trumpet

I'm definitely one who believes Criterion is inconsistent in the releases of quality films. Sure, some are given reasons of influence and importance under certain terms, but they are still shit films. And I include many art films under this classification.

this is also a good thing, because yes, my wallet desperately needs a break.

~rougerum

Gold Trumpet

Is Godzilla going to hit Criterion? If the idea of anything that touches Rialto pictures goes Criterion means anything, here's the heads up of a future release sometime down the line (and yes, the 1954 version):

www.rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html

Also, word has it that at the end of NYC Ozu retrospective at Lincoln Center, Richard Pena (who heads up the Film Society) thanked its sponsors, which included Criterion and spoke of how Criterion planned to release 12 Ozu dvds. Only Tokyo Story, Early Summer and Floating Weeds are confirmed from the retrospective, so quite the number and considering it is so large, smell a box set or two set up to break up that large number of future releases. Speculation to which ones, please.

modage

mac i just could not get into the blob.  i dont know, not enought blob for me, too much 50's teen angst.  maybe there just wasnt enough horror (or cheese) for me, since it was one of the 50 horror/sci fi flicks i watched during last month.  

fuck, godzilla?  what about KING KONG!?!  that needs a goddamn region 1 release period. it could use a boss transfer so criterion oughta get them rights from RKO.  that'd be the king fucking dvd right there.  does anyone know why it hasnt been released on dvd yet?  you'd think it being harry knowles like favorite movie ever would speed things up?  theres money to be made.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Gold Trumpet

KING KONG - Special edition dvd from Warners in 2004. Likely then. The criterion fans cried, though. They cried for Criterion to release it. Just not happening.

cine

Quote from: The Gold TrumpetCriterion planned to release 12 Ozu dvds.
12!?  Where's GDIDM?  I'm about to cream my pants.

nix

We cream our pants a lot on this forum.
"Sex relieves stress, love causes it."
-Woddy Allen

bonanzataz

Quote from: The Gold TrumpetKING KONG - Special edition dvd from Warners in 2004. Likely then. The criterion fans cried, though. They cried for Criterion to release it. Just not happening.

warner's releases awesome discs, though. look at matrixes, citizen kane, singin in the rain. and their transfers are always top notch. so, nobody should be complaining.
The corpses all hang headless and limp bodies with no surprises and the blood drains down like devil's rain we'll bathe tonight I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls Demon I am and face I peel to see your skin turned inside out, 'cause gotta have you on my wall gotta have you on my wall, 'cause I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls collect the heads of little girls and put 'em on my wall hack the heads off little girls and put 'em on my wall I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls

modage

if kane, rain, and the recent three: treasure, robin hood, yankee are any indication, then I CANT WAIT> :shock:
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Gold Trumpet

Earlier, I posted about producer Richard Gordon and the major rumor that he was going to get 4 of his films released by Criterion all in this year. This was met with boos from the criterion forum and shock Criterion would devote time to old camp horror films. Well, a controversy has come about in which good and bad news comes for the people hoping to see these cult horror films released. First, the good news:

(From a post at the board)
Here are some more details on these DVDs, from Tom Weaver, which were posted on a classic horror message board. Tom's a friend of mine, so I hope I didn't get him any hot water. (If so, sorry, Tom!):

"The four releases, which'll dribble out throughout next year, are Richard Gordon's FIRST MAN INTO SPACE, THE HAUNTED STRANGLER and CORRIDORS OF BLOOD and Alex Gordon's THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE.

I interviewed Alex (not long before he passed away) for the commentary track of ATOMIC SUBMARINE and, in Memphis(!), I had star Brett Halsey sit down in front of a camera and talk about ATOMIC and some of his other sci-fi/horror credits.

Richard and I are on the commentary of FIRST MAN INTO SPACE. Alex worked on that movie too (very briefly) so I did a 10-minute interview with him for that DVD. Also, in England, I had leading lady Marla Landi sit down in front of a camera and talk a little about it.

Richard and I are on the commentary of HAUNTED STRANGLER. In England, I got co-stars Vera Day and Jean Kent to talk about it (and other career highlights) on-camera, and in Scotland I got the screenwriter Jan Read to talk about it (and other career highlights) on-camera.

Richard and I are on the commentary of CORRIDORS OF BLOOD. I also had Alex talk about Karloff for 15 or 20 minutes for this DVD. I did a commentary (about 40, 45 minutes) with actress Yvonne Romain. In England, I had co-star Francis Matthews sit down in front of a camera and talk about it (and his other horror/SF credits). I also did a print interview with co-star Betta St. John that I'll use quotes from in my liner notes.

I also arranged for my friend Bryan Senn to visit director Robert Day and have HIM talk on-camera about the three he directed (FIRST MAN, HAUNTED, CORRIDORS).

And, who knows, maybe we'll come up with some more bonus materials and interviewees in the time we've got left."

BTW, Bryan Senn is also a friend of mine and I have a VHS dupe of the interviews he conducted with Robert Day. He has nice things to say about Karloff and, um, not-as-nice things to say about Christopher Lee.
-----------------------------

Then the bad news:

Criterion's reply to this rumor: (courtesy of Spokesman, Jon Mulvaney)

I'm am aware of no such project. Sorry I can't be of greater assistance.

Best,
JM
---------------------------------
And finally, with the news Criterion would be handling 12 Ozu films in all, comes the further news on the timeline to which Criterion will dish them out: Not all at once, but expect 2 or 3 a year. This comes also from Jon Mulvaney. Kinda dissapointing, but expected news also.

SoNowThen

okay, so, what's the deal with Ozu? I saw Good Morning and thought it was fine, but nothing to rave about and sorely lacking in style (which is cool, but doesn't have much re-watch value for me). I'd love to blind buy either Tokyo Story or Floating Weeds, but of course they are hella expensive. Now I could rent them from the library, but because of their age, the quality will be poo. Anyone wanna wax about why I should watch more Ozu, and why CC seems to love him so much?
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.