Criterion News and Discussion

[last days of gerry the elephant]

And while some already hate the cover, I like it.

That damn C...

a film so vivid has a cover so plain?

That's not plain to me, it's a bold statement.
I can see how the designer(s) chose to go with a simple typographic layout for this title.

[Cobz]

The artwork for Breathless sucks!

I hope they change their minds and go for this -

Tres belle!

[last days of gerry the elephant]

Keep hoping, I think that might actually work...

Or you can just learn to like it as is (if you plan to own it at least).

[bonanzataz]

it's been almost a year since janus released that $850 boxed set with the otherwise unavailable "le jour se leve." when the fuck is it going to be standalone?

[Gold Trumpet]

Every some odd months, I update this thread with the list of all the titles that are suppose to be coming in the future. I can't report everything so this post covers anything and everything I missed. Included are early short films by Martin Scorsese, a long forgotten indie film from Steven Soderbergh, the classic film My Dinner With Andre and a rare title from Paul Schrader. Enjoy the list!!!

I.) CERTAINTIES: [Titles that have been officially indicated under way for DVD issue by Criterion through their website, blog, newsletters, or emails]

BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ (1980, Fassbinder) - mentioned in Fassbinder Foundation's newsletter on their website stating that Criterion holds the rights. Film said to be restored until the end of 2006 by the foundation. UPDATE: Confirmed by Criterion's February (2007) newsletter "Tour Berlin, in 15 1/2 hours. Coming at "end of 2007" according to member email.

CLASSE TOUS RISQUES (1960, Sautet) - Via Rialto

LE DOULOS (1961, Melville) - Via Rialto

DRUNKEN ANGEL (1948, Akira Kurosawa) - Coming late summer (2007) according to Criterion producer Kim Hendrickson.

FANFAN LA TULIPE (1952, Christian-Jaque) - Via Rialto

GOLD OF NAPLES (1954, De Sica) - Via Rialto

THE GREAT CHASE (Harvey Cort, Paul Killiam, Saul J. Turell, 1962, USA) - Although technically released through Criterion's store as part of the "Essential Arthouse: 50 Years of Janus Film" box/book set, this is yet to receive a spine number.

THE HIT (Stephen Frears, 1984, UK) - Through Image Entertainment's recent acquisation, Criterion will release a special edition of the film from their press release (4/7).

THE HUMAN CONDITION TRILOGY (Masaki Kobayashi) - Kim Hendrickson email to member says "We do have plans to release THE HUMAN CONDITION. I'm not sure it will make 2007 though it's possible that it will find a place in the schedule toward the end of the year. If not then, we'll try to get it out early 2008".

INSIGNIFICANCE (Nicholas Roeg, 1985, UK) - Through Image Entertainment's recent acquisation, Criterion will release a special edition of the film from their press release (4/7).

JOUR DE FÊTE (Jacques Tati, 1949, France) - Announced on Criterion's website.

LE JOUR SE LÈVE (Marcel Carné, 1939, France) - Although technically released through Criterion's store as part of the "Essential Arthouse: 50 Years of Janus Film" box/book set, this is yet to receive a spine number.

THE LAST EMPEROR (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1987, USA) - Through Image Entertainment's recent acquisation, Criterion will release a special edition of the film from their press release (4/7).

LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (1961, Resnais) - Via Rialto

LÉON MORIN, PRÊTRE (1961, Melville) - Via Rialto

THE LOVE GODDESSES (Saul J. Turell, 1965, USA) - Although technically released through Criterion's store as part of the "Essential Arthouse: 50 Years of Janus Film" box/book set, this is yet to receive a spine number.

MAFIOSO (1962, Lattuada) - Via Rialto

MAX OPHULS boxset - Kim Hendrickson's email to member says "we will be releasing an Ophuls box in late 2007/early 2008. It will contain several films, including THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... (1953) and LE PLAISIR (1952).

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE (Nagisa Oshima, 1983, UK/Japan) - Through Image Entertainment's recent acquisation, Criterion will release a special edition of the film from their press release (4/7).

MIKIO NARUSE boxset - Peter Becker of Criterion announced a boxset of Naruse in the forthcoming year (2007). Box contents not certain. FLOWING (1956) - mentioned as available on DVD from Criterion in Donald Richie's updated "A Hundred Years of Japanese Film" book.

MISS JULIE (Alf Sjöberg, 1951, Sweden) - Although technically released through Criterion's store as part of the "Essential Arthouse: 50 Years of Janus Film" box/book set, this is yet to receive a spine number.

MY DINNER WITH ANDRE (1981) - Matt Lipson of Criterion says they own the rights, possible release next year (2007).

LA NOTTE (1961, Antonioni) - mentioned by Kim Hendrickson on "The Speakeasy with Dorian" as forthcoming. UPDATE: Coming according to Kim Hendrickson, but problems finding elements for release. (2007)

PANIQUE (1946, Duvivier) - Via Rialto

PIERROT LE FOU (1965, Godard) - Rialto says Criterion has the rights, appeared with Janus credits at retrospective. UPDATE: Turrell says this is getting a release in 2007 according to member email.

SALÒ (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1975) - Mentioned by Peter Becker in a interview: "We hope to remedy that in the near future". According to a Criterion producer, this is coming "soon". UPDATE 11/22/06 - "We're working on a brand new HD transfer now. It'll be a totally new release and be out in 2007"

SHORT FILMS OF MARTIN SCORSESE - THE BIG SHAVE (1967, Martin Scorsese), ITALIANAMERICAN (1974, Martin Scorsese), and possible others. Mentioned by Turell in response to mail that "It's in the works".

TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (Monte Hellman, 1971) – According to writer Brad Stevens, Criterion is working on a new edition featuring a new documentary that revisits the shooting locations and more.

TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER (1967, Godard) - Via Rialto

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II.) STALLED EX-CERTAINTIES: [Officially announced titles that have run into some kind of technical hitch and are now in limbo]

COCKTAIL MOLOTOV (Diane Kurys, 1980, France)

COUSIN, COUSINE (Jean Charles Tacchella, 1975, France) – Announced in the early days of Criterion's DVD catalog.

DODES'KA-DEN (Akira Kurosawa, 1970, Japan) – Announced in the early days of Criterion's DVD catalog.

EISENSTEIN: THE SILENT YEARS – Announced in the early days of Criterion's DVD catalog. From December 1999 Cineaste interview w/Peter Becker: "We're now working on THE BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925, Soviet Union), OCTOBER, (Sergei Eisenstein, 1927, Soviet Union) STRIKE (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925, Soviet Union), OLD AND NEW, also known as THE GENERAL LINE (Sergei Eisenstein, 1929, Soviet Union), plus GLUMOV'S DIARY (Sergei Eisenstein, 1923, Soviet Union), a short that's never been seen here. These are enormous projects, so what we try to do is to ally ourselves with a small group of scholars. On the Eisensteins, we're being helped by David Bordwell, Naum Kleimann, Annette Michelson, Ian Christie, Richard Taylor, and Yuri Tsivian. The idea basically is that if all of these people help us find our way, we won't be too far off."

SANSHIRO SUGATA (Akira Kurosawa, 1943, Japan) – Announced in the early days of Criterion's DVD catalog.

SHANGHAI EXPRESS (Josef von Sternberg, 1932, USA) – Announced in the early days of Criterion's DVD catalog. Criterion's Jon Mulvaney says: indefinitely postponed. As of Feb 2003 it's looking bleak; not on the schedule.

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III.) DISTINCT POSSIBILITIES: [Titles that haven't been officially confirmed yet but have either been mentioned by Criterion or linked to Criterion by other events/companies]

N.B. Titles will NOT be added to this list simply if they are screened with acknowledgment given to Janus Films or are merely known to be part of the Janus Films catalog. To be added to this list, titles must be confirmed as showing in new prints (or on TV in new transfers) or otherwise be indicated as likely forthcoming releases.

Akira Kurosawa - I LIVE IN FEAR (1955, Akira Kurosawa)- part of 2002 touring Kurosawa retrospective featuring new prints with newly translated subtitles. THOSE WHO THREAD ON THE TIGER'S TAIL (Akira Kurosawa, 1945) -UPDATE: Donald Richie is recording commentary for an upcoming release of the film. He mentioned this at an appearance at Yale.

ANTONIO GAUDI (1984, Teshigahara), has been playing in a new print from Janus Films.

BEFORE THE REVOLUTION (1964, Bertolucci) - mentioned in USA Today Bertolucci article

CABIRIA (1914, Giovanni Pastrone) - Roger Ebert mentions in Chicago Sun-Times that Criterion is preparing a DVD release of the film.

CRASH (1996, David Cronenberg) - Image Entertainment are advising enquirers about this film to contact Criterion

CRY OF THE CITY (1948, Robert Siodmak) - According to the issue of The Sentinel, FOX says this is coming from Criterion.

THE DEAD (1987, John Huston) - Said to be released by Turrell to email message to member that this was planned for 2007 and said ""obviously, things do change".

Ernst Lubitsch - ONE HOUR WITH YOU (1932, Lubitsch), THE SMILING LIEUTENANT (1931, Lubitsch) - These are said to be released on Criterion by a producer of the company.

FACE TO FACE (Ingmar Bergman, 1976) - According to a email response from Turrell to member, this was listed among several Paramount titles that MAY appear in the future. "

GRAY'S ANATOMY (1996, Soderbergh) - via Wellspring

HUMANITY AND PAPER BALLOONS (1937, Yamanaka) - mentioned as available on DVD from Criterion in Donald Richie's updated "A Hundred Years of Japanese Film" book. UPDATE: Donald Richie is recording commentary for an upcoming Criterion release of the film. He mentioned this at an appearance at Yale.

THE IMMORTAL STORY (1968, Orson Welles) - Aired on TCM in new print. Also Janus films title.

Janus Films 50th Anniversary (35mm NEW PRINTS) - The following films are playing around the nation in new pristine prints from the Janus Films catalog: DEATH OF A CYCLIST (1955, Antonio Juan Bardem), THE CRIME OF MONSIEUR LANGE (1935, Jean Renoir), THE MAGICIAN (1958, Bergman), THE MAKIOKA SISTERS (1983, Kon Ichikawa), MONIKA (aka Summer with Monika)(1953, Bergman), THE ORGANIZER (1963, Mario Monicelli), THE PHANTOM CHARIOT (1921, Victor Sjöstrom), ZERO FOR CONDUCT (1933, Jean Vigo), MIRACLE IN MILAN (1951, De Sica).

Jean-Luc Godard - MADE IN USA (1966), LE PETIT SOLDAT (1963), LES CARABINIERS (1963) - According to a Lionsgate employee, Criterion holds the rights to these.

Jean-Pierre Gorin - POTO AND CABENGO (Jean-Pierre Gorin, 1980) - Mentioned by Gorin at Telluride film festival this is in development by Criterion for release. UPDATE: ROUTINE PLEASURES (1986), MY CRASY LIFE (1992) said to be released by CC as a trilogy according to Jean-Pierre Gorin at a showing of his film Poto and Cabengo. "He added that this was going to be called "three popular films" or something of the sort, though he said this with a chuckle."

Kenji Mizoguchi - SISTERS OF GION (1936, Mizoguchi), STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUMS (1939, Mizoguchi), STREET OF SHAME (1956, Mizoguchi), THE LIFE OF OHARU (1952, Mizoguchi) - all playing at various retrospectives w/new 35mm prints.

KAPÓ (1959, Pontecorvo) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo

Lindsay Anderson - THIS SPORTING LIFE (1963, Anderson) - Spencer Leigh says it's coming here

Louis Malle - LES AMANTS (1958, Malle) - told to member by source that Criterion has aquired it along with Elevator to the Gallows via New Yorker. BLACK MOON (1975, Malle) - Aired on FLIX channel with Janus logo/new Print. DAMAGE (1992, Malle) - Image Entertainment are advising enquirers about this film to contact Criterion. MAY FOOLS (1990), THE THIEF OF PARIS (1967), LE FEU FOLLET (1963), ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (1960), have all appeared in Janus/Criterion credits on various retrospectives and/or sources. UPDATE 07/07: Will be happening soon according to inside info with Criterion.

Luis Buñuel - THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1962, Buñuel), SIMON OF THE DESERT (1965, Buñuel) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo.

MACUNAÍMA (Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, 1969) - According to a lecture on Cinema Nova, NYU Professor Robert Stam mentioned that Criterion has "come around" in releasing this on DVD after pressuring Criterion to consider the film. It is said that he also showed restored DVD copy of the film said to have given to him by the family of the filmmaker. Robert Stam has provided commentaries for Contempt and an interview for Jules and Jim.

MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS (Paul Schrader, 1985) – Warner no longer holds to rights to this. Rumoured for a 2008 release.

MISSING (Costa-Gavras, 1982) - Rumoured by private source for a 2008 release.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (1965, Rosi) - verified solid source

PARIS BELONGS TO US (1960, Jacques Rivette) - Credited Janus/Criterion at Berkeley Art Museum. Short film FOOL'S MATE (aka Le Coup du berger, 1958, Jacques Rivette) follows it.

LE PROCES DE JEANNE D'ARC (1962, Bresson) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo

Satyajit Ray - According to a friend (of a member), in correspondence with staff at UCSC, "Criterion has been negotiating with UCSC to acquire several Satyajit Ray films". Email to member says, "things are moving slowly," but some some more title-specific announcements may be forthcoming later on in 2007.

SAWDUST AND TINSEL (Ingmar Bergman, 1953) - John Simon has written notes for an upcoming release.

Shohei Imamura - INTENTIONS OF MURDER (1964) and PIGS AND BATTLESHIPS (1961). Donald Richie is recording commentary for an upcoming Criterion release of the films. He mentioned this at an appearance at Yale. THE INSECT WOMAN, THE PROFOUND DESIRE OF THE GODS, EIJANAIKA are also appearing in Janus/Criterion courtesy credits. Some may appear as Eclipse titles by Criterion.

A TIME FOR DRUNKEN HORSES (2000, Ghobadi) - mentioned by mijfilm.com ( the official Bahman Ghobadi website) that Criterion holds the rights to the film.

WESTFRONT 1918 (1930, Pabst) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo

WHITE DOG (1982) - According to a email response from Turrell to member, this was listed among several Paramount titles that MAY appear in the future.

Yasujiro Ozu - As of Nov 2003 Criterion are planning to release 12 Ozu DVDs, strong rumours of an Ozu silents box. AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962, Ozu) strongly mooted. THE ONLY SON (1936, Ozu) - mentioned in an article by Donald Richie in the Japan Times as being Criterion's next release after Early Summer (although Late Spring was released). UPDATE: Donald Richie mentioned at an appearance at Yale, that both The Only Son and THERE WAS A FATHER (1942) was delayed. He also mentioned that it would be a while before we see a silents box set. UPDATE: According to silent film composer, Donald Sosin, "Criterion will release a box set of three Ozu films sometime in coming months (2007) with new scores I am doing: I WAS BORN BUT... (a particular favorite of mine) is one of them."
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IV.) 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

[Mesh]

Oh man.  2 or 3 Things I Know About Her is so great.  I'll buy that Day #1 of its release.

[edison]

[MacGuffin]

Look out! That 'C' is gonna crash land right into the house!

[JG]

thats great. 

[grand theft sparrow]

Look out! That 'C' is gonna crash land right into the house!

I like to think that it's actually heading away from the house and ends up landing on the Finnish cabbie from Night on Earth's windshield, thus forcing him to drive with his head out of the window.

[Ravi]

I'm stumped.

[samsong]

a quick google search suggests that it's lubitsch's The Love Parade.



what?  whatever, i'll take more lubitsch.

[edison]

SPECIAL EDITION SEVEN-DISC SET FEATURES

New high-definition digital transfer, from the 2006 restoration by the Fassbinder Foundation and Bavaria Media, and supervised and approved by director of photography Xaver Schwarzenberger

Two new documentaries by Fassbinder Foundation president Juliane Lorenz: one featuring interviews with the cast and crew, the other on the restoration 

Hans Dieter Hartl's 1980 documentary The Making of "Berlin Alexanderplatz"

Phil Jutzi's 1931, ninety-minute film of Alfred Doblin's novel, from a screenplay cowritten by Doblin himself

New video interview with Peter Jelavich, author of Berlin Alexanderplatz: Radio, Film, and the Death of Weimar Culture

New and improved English subtitle translation

PLUS: An essay by filmmaker Tom Tykwer, reflections from Fassbinder, an interview with Schwarzenberger, and German author Thomas Steinfeld on the novel



New, restored high-definition digital transfer

New audio commentary featuring Japanese-film scholar Donald Richie

A 30-minute documentary on the making of Drunken Angel

A new video piece that looks at the challenges Kurosawa faced in making Drunken Angel

PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by cultural historian Ian Buruma and a reprint from Kurosawa's Something Like an Autobiography



SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer

Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder

Crook's Tour, a 1941 feature-length Charters and Caldicott adventure, available for the first time on home video, with Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne reprising their beloved The Lady Vanishes roles

Excerpts from Francois Truffaut's legendary 1962 audio interview with Hitchcock 

Mystery Train, a new video essay about Hitchcock and The Lady Vanishes by scholar Leonard Leff (Hitchcock and Selznick: The Rich and Strange Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick in Hollywood) Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and promotional art

PLUS: A new essays by critic Geoffrey O'Brien


New, restored high-definition digital transfer

Audio commentary by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie

Video introduction by Ingmar Bergman from 2003

New and improved English subtitle translation

PLUS: A new essay by critic John Simon and an appreciation by filmmaker Catherine Breillat

[Gold Trumpet]

Edison - Man, you nail the releases again with an excellent post. Feel free to also title the posts to announce the news. You can even get creative.

November is going to be an excellent month for Criterion. I hate to say it, but the Kurosawa release will be the lest interesting release. Even though I am not a fan of Hitchcock, I do have some positive opinion about his earlier days. They needed to re-release The Lady Vanishes for a while. But because they are choosing this film as their re-release, that means that will likely be it for the year. For the last few years they have chosen one major film at the end of the year to re-release. Third Man put a dent into that pattern with coming out at the beginning of this year.

Berlin Alexanderplatz is the big news. It's a pricey disc, but I'm going to save up all my pennies to buy this. I've only heard amazing things about the film and there is no way I could enjoy the film just renting it off Netflix and seeing it in installments over weeks. This is also a major project for Criterion. They've released numerous important films, but few with such difficulty like Berlin. The box set to rival this will be the Eisenstein Box Set. (if it ever gets released)

All the other films I will rent before deciding on purchase.

[MacGuffin]

Source: Hollywood Elsewhere

Coast-to-coast alarm bells are ringing in DVD-aficionado circles in response to yesterday afternoon's posting about the forthcoming Criterion Collection DVD of Days of Heaven (due 10.23), which has been described by producer-technician Lee Kline as deliberately unsweetened and "very different" from the previous version due to the input of director Terrence Malick, who wanted it to look as natural as possible. Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding...!!

Malick didn't want the film to look" too postcard-like" so the watchword during the color correction session was "not too pretty," says Kline. The "gold and the warmth" were taken out, the transfer went "to a really different place" than previous versions, and what emerged was something "beautiful but boy, was it different!," he writes. "I told Terry people were really going to be pretty surprised by this new transfer, since it was such a radical departure from before," Kline relates, but Malick said it was "perfect."

Obviously aware of Days of Heaven's rep as one of the most hauntingly beautiful narrative films of the 20th Century (Nestor Almendros' naturalistic magic-hour photography is a hallmark) and probably anticipating fan reactions to terms like "really different" and "radical departure," Kline ends his piece with a dash of backtrack-sidestep exuberance.

"Back at Criterion a couple of weeks later, our New York crew went to work on the restoration. I came into the room where Betsy Heistand was cleaning up some damaged frames, and I said, 'So, what do you think?" She said, 'It's beautiful.' I had to see it again for myself to make sure we really did everything right, since I was still a bit nervous about how different it was from the old transfer (especially with DVD Beaver around!).

"I sat down in our QC room, turned off the lights, and watched the entire film on our great 24-inch Sony Pro-monitor. Betsy was right: it was beautiful. Days of Heaven finally looked the way it should, and I got goose bumps once again."



http://www.criterion.com/blog/2007_08_01_archive.html#6092514835894172533