Criterion News and Discussion

[Gold Trumpet]

END OF THE YEAR RUNDOWN OF RUMORED TITLES

When all the releases are announced for a given year for sure, I run down the large list of titles on the horizon for a potential Criterion release. With Eclipse now a part of the fray, I think you will see more of the titles listed here actually released.

So, here it is:





1.) Certainties: (Titles that Criterion have indicated are under way for DVD issue)

PHANTOM INDIA (1968-9, Malle) - confirmed here

MURMUR OF THE HEART (1971, Malle) - confirmed in September Criterion newsletter

LACOMBE, LUCIEN (1974, Malle) - confirmed in September Criterion newsletter

AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS (1987, Malle) -d elayed for release from June 2005.

THE 49th PARALLEL (Powell & Pressburger) - mentioned at AMMI talk

A CANTERBURY TALE (Powell & Pressburger) - mentioned at AMMI talk

JOUR DE FETE (Tati, 1949)

more Yasujiro Ozu - as of Nov 2003 they are planning to release 12 Ozu DVDs, Donald Richie has mentioned that THE ONLY SON is coming soon; EQUINOX FLOWER and AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON have been mooted too. - Strong rumours of an Ozu silents box too

MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S (1969, Rohmer) - via Wellspring

CLAIRE'S KNEE (1970, Rohmer) - via Wellspring

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2.) Stalled ex-certainties: (Officially announced titles that have run into some kind of technical hitch and are now in limbo)

EISENSTEIN SILENT YEARS boxset - from December 1999 Cineaste interview with Peter Becker: "We're now working on Potemkin, October, Strike, Old and New, also known as The General Line, plus Glumov's Diary, 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."

PANDORA'S BOX (1929, G. W. Pabst) "In the program for a screening with Gillian Anderson's score in 2003 - it said Criterion would be releasing a freshly restored version with the Anderson score in 2004". Confirmed by Lee Kline at HTF chat (Feb 2004) --- UPDATE FEB 2005: currently off the production schedule.

DODES'KA-DEN (1970, Kurosawa)

SANSHIRO SUGATA (1943, Kurosawa)

IVANS CHILDHOOD (1962, Tarkovsky)

COCKTAIL MOLOTOV (1980, Kurys)

COUSIN, COUSINE (1975, Tacchella)

SHANGHAI EXPRESS (1932, von Sternberg) - indefinitely postponed. As of Feb 2003 it's looking bleak - Mulvaney says its not on the schedule.

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3.) 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)

PRINCESS FROM THE MOON (Ichikawa, 1987) - mentioned here

THE FACE OF ANOTHER (Teshigahara, 1966) - listed at Japan Society website with courtesy credits to Janus

YOTSUYA GHOST STORY - PARTS I & II (Kinoshita, 1949) - listed at Japan Society website with courtesy credits to Janus

LA NOTTE (Antonioni, 1961) - mentioned by Kim Hendrickson on "The Speakeasy with Dorian" as forthcoming

HARLAN COUNTY, USA (Koppel, 1976) - confirmed here

CARMEN (1983, Carlos Saura) - screening at Images of Flamenco photo exhibit & film series held in Boston, courtesy Janus Films

BODAS DE SANGRE (aka Blood Wedding)(1981, Carlos Saura) - screening at Images of Flamenco photo exhibit & film series held in Boston, courtesy Janus Films

BANDITS VS. SAMURAI SQUADRON (Hideo Gosha, 1978) - showing at Film Forum, courtesy Janus Films

SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE ONE/SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM: TAKE 2 1/2 (William Greaves, 1968/2005) Listed at American Cinematheque's site with Janus/Criterion credits, confirmed at williamgreaves.com

THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI (Hideo Gosha, 1964) - listed at American Cinematheque's site with Janus credits w/brand new 35mm print

ASSASSINATION (Masahiro Shinoda, 1964) - listed at American Cinematheque's site with Janus credits

SAMUEL FULLER EARLY FILMS (I Shot Jesse James, 1949; The Baron of Arizona, 1950; The Steel Helmet, 1951) - licensed from Kit Parker Films

TWENTY-FOUR EYES (1954, Kinoshita) - played as part of Susan Sontag Tribute retrospective at The Japan Foundation, courtesy Janus Films

EUROPA '51 (1952, Rossellini) - aired on TCM featuring Janus Films logo

A NOS AMOURS (1983, Pialat) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

MILOU EN MAI (aka May Fools)(1990, Malle) - playing at Walter Reade retrospective with Janus Films logo

AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (1986, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE (1962, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (1960, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

THE FIRE WITHIN (1964, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

CALCUTTA (1969, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

HUMAN, TOO HUMAN (1972, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

GOD'S COUNTRY (1985, Malle) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

SANS SOLEIL (1983, Marker) - New Yorker confirmed it will be released by Criterion

LA JETEE (1962, Marker) - via Argos Films/New Yorker

ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (1957, Malle) - via Rialto

LES AMANTS (1958, Malle) - told to member by source that Criterion has aquired it along with Elevator to the Gallows via New Yorker.

REMORQUES (1941, Grémillion) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

THE MAGICIAN (1958, Bergman) - via Janus Films, new prints showing at various screenings

SISTERS OF THE GION (1936, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

OSAKA ELEGY (1936, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

THE STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM (1939, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

SANSHO THE BAILIFF (1954, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

THE LOYAL 47 RONIN, PARTS I & II (1941, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

MY LOVE HAS BEEN BURNING (1949, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, playing at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

WHEN A WOMAN ASCENDS THE STAIRS (1960, Naruse) - listed on Center for Japanese Studies as permission: Janus Films

STREET OF SHAME (1956, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, playing at American Cinematheque and Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

LIFE OF OHARU (1952, Mizoguchi) - a Janus Films title, at Center for Japanese Studies as "permission: Janus/Criterion

SAMURAI SAGA (1959, Inagaki) - playing at Film Forum, courtesy Janus Films

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

THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (Buñuel, 1962) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo

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

PIERROT LE FOU (Godard, 1965) - playing at Pacific Film Archive, courtesy Janus Films/The Criterion Collection

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

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

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH [Il Momento della verité] (Francesco Rosi, 1965) - verified solid source

DAMAGE (Malle, 1992) - Image Entertainment are advising enquirers about this film to contact Criterion

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

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

AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962, Ozu)

EQUINOX FLOWER (1958, Ozu)

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

THE TWO OF US [Le Vieil homme et l'enfant] (Berri, 1967) - via Rialto

HANDS OVER THE CITY (Rosi, 1963) - rumoured to be underway by Criterion (by a friend of a friend).

Richard GORDON boxset containing THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE (Bennet, 1959); THE HAUNTED STRANGLER (Day, 1958); FIRST MAN INTO SPACE (Day, 1959); CORRIDORS OF BLOOD (Day, 1962) - showing up on the Classic Horror DVD website as coming soon

JIGOKU (Nakagawa, 1960) - mentioned in a post in another forum as a rumor that Criterion was eager to purchase entire Shintoho catalog to release this year (sourced from the KineJapan list)

SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT (Lee, 1986) - mentioned by Lee, confirmed independently by Lee's assistant as coming soon

some Rivette - "We hope to introduce Rivette to the collection in the future, but nothing is certain at this time." - Mulvaney, April 2004.

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

CLASSE TOUS RISQUES (1960, Sautet) - via Rialto

PANIQUE (1946, Duvivier) - via Rialto

THE PHANTOM CHARIOT (1921, Victor Sjöström) -c urrently appearing with Criterion/Janus logos in a Sjöström theatrical retrospective (Jan 2004)

WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1964, Teshigahara) - Milestone are saying that Criterion will release it in the next year (Dec 2003)

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (Erice, 1973) - "We'd love to release SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. No plans for this one in 2004, but hopefully someday." - Mulvaney, Oct 2003

SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS (Parajanov, 1964) - "We hope to release it in the future." - Mulvaney, Sept 2003

LE BONHEUR (1965, Agnès Varda) - "We hope to release LE BONHEUR sometime in the future, but nothing is definite at this time." - Mulvaney, Aug 2003

BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1970, Meyer)

EQUINOX (1970, Jack Woods & Dennis Muren) - mentioned in an HTF chat in 2001, and again by Mulvaney in March 2003 as "upcoming"

SEVEN SAMURAI (1954, Akira Kurosawa) - reissue / new transfer (probably 2 x disc set)

DRUNKEN ANGEL (1948, Akira Kurosawa)

I LIVE IN FEAR (1955, Akira Kurosawa)

THE BURMESE HARP (Harp Of Burma) (1957, Kon Ichikawa) - "somewhere down the line" - Mulvaney, Feb 2003.

FIRES ON THE PLAIN (Nobi) (1965, Kon Ichikawa) - "somewhere down the line" - Mulvaney, Feb 2003.

MOUCHETTE (1967, Robert Bresson) - via Rialto

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

TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER (2 ou 3 choses que je sais d'elle) (1967, Jean-Luc Godard) - via Rialto

THREEPENNY OPERA (1931, G. W. Pabst)

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

THE LAST METRO (1982, Truffaut) - via Wellspring

ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969, Melville) - via Rialto

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

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

LE DOULOS (1961, Melville) - via Rialto

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

MAFIOSO (1962, Lattuada) - via Rialto

THE MILKY WAY (1969, Buñuel) - via Rialto

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4.) Remasters (Titles that have been released in the CC but are/maybe being reissued because new, better materials have come to light in the years since initial release)

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

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

SEVEN SAMURAI (1953, Kurosawa) - announced at AMMI talk (Nov 2004), new subtitles have been done.

PLAYTIME (1967, Tati) - The 6th CC remaster - announced for 2006.

[cowboykurtis]

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

I really hope this happens

[hedwig]

a "she's gotta have it" criterion (for that matter, any DVD version of the film at all) is looooong overdue.

[Gold Trumpet]

[killafilm]

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

I really hope this happens

Seconded.

[Gold Trumpet]

[rustinglass]

I love that movie so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gold Trumpet]

Give up religion, because God finally has answered every prayer. A post at the CCForum:

Not really much of an update...

I heard from a friend that..eep...Marilyn Manson may be involved with the El Topo dvd to some extent, that they were talking to him about writing a bit for the booklet about the film, and maybe even including his music video "the man without fear" or something from Universal which is suppose to be inspired by El Topo....so yeah it sounds like it might be an Eclipse release. Was told by my friend at Humanoids that it was an early 06 release...but obviously we are almost on March solicts from Criterion., so I guess whenever they want to launch eclipse...grrr well at least the eclipse website is up even if nothing's on it.

The Mark Morris post to me pretty much verifies that we will see criterion release this in the next year, as he was the one who brokered the deal for the UK release of Santa Sangre, so he obviously has insight into the situation; which is telling.

I also asked my buddy Rich Johnston (for those who read comic books he writes the column Lying in the Gutters) and he pretty much verified what I originally posted back in the summer with his sources that it will be released through Criterion in 06, but he didn't even have the details my friend from Humanoids had...but got it from other inside sources.

Anyways I almost feel bad about posting this so many months ago since there seems to be so little news on it, I just want to say that I'm not lying or anything...and I think it's suppose to be one of those "aren't you surprised to see us solict that dvd" releases from criterion....

Ah well....it's coming

peace, Ian

Back to top       

[Pubrick]

Back to top       

haha man, you could learn a thing or two about copy/paste from Mac.

[JG]

you know what deserves the criterion treatment--the ice storm.  I have a feeling that that would be amazing. 

For you criterion experts, is there ever a possibility?

[hedwig]

you know what deserves the criterion treatment--the ice storm.  I have a feeling that that would be amazing. 

there's a thread about that

[Gold Trumpet]

you know what deserves the criterion treatment--the ice storm.  I have a feeling that that would be amazing. 

For you criterion experts, is there ever a possibility?

A possibility, but not a very good one. It was released by Fox Searchlight and Fox has done deals lately with Criterion in licensing films, but Criterion went after the ones that hadn't had a dvd release. Not only has the Ice Storm had one, but what can Criterion really do with it to warrant a special edition? I think Ang Lee would have to push for it to happen and I don't think he will.

[Gold Trumpet]

Easier to just copy the entire post:

In the commentary for Xan Cassavetes documentary "Z Channnel: A Magnifient Obsession," Cassavetes and crew state that Stuart Cooper's "Overlord" will be released on DVD from Criterion. Here's the exchange which starts about the 21:30 mark in the commentary:

Xan: "Stuart Cooper . . ."
Crew Member 1: "Here's the greatest movie you've never seen."
Crew Member 2: "But will see soon on Criterion Collection."
Xan: "Yeah, it's coming up on Criterion."

The crew then goes on to compliment Criterion generally:

Crew Member 4: "Shall we talk about Criterion at this point?"
Xan: "Yeah, let's talk about the Masters. . ."
Crew Member 1: "Yeah, let's make a toast to Criterion. . ."
Xan: "Wait a minute. What Z Channel was in its era, Criterion is in this area [sic]. Everybody lift your wine glasses right now. Criterion!"
Crew Members: "Criterion!"
Xan: "Jonathan and Peter and everybody at Criterion, you're the modern heros of the cinematic world, among with others, but you lead it."

I'd never heard of Overlord before seeing this film, but it looks great. It's a D-Day war film done in B&W that seamlessly interweaves real newsreel footage into the narrative. Here's a brief overview from film historian Clyde Jeavons written for the "London Time's 49th London Film Festival" -

"Who remembers Overlord? In 1975, this remarkable war film ('Overlord' was the code-name for the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944) enjoyed high critical praise, won a Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and then drifted quietly into obscurity. In the USA, it never even got off the ground. Perhaps the film was just too modest, too understated to achieve an indelible impact. Suddenly, though - 30 years later - following a revival at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, Overlord has taken the American art-house circuit by storm. Americans seem to see it as a welcome antidote to the gung-ho pyrotechnics of their own depictions of WWII, such as Saving Private Ryan. Certainly, the film warrants re-appraisal for its timeless, very British qualities of monochrome realism and self-effacement. Its American director, Stuart Cooper, spent three years studying WWII documentary and newsreel footage at London's Imperial War Museum (subsequently co-producers of the film). With Kubrick's favourite cinematographer, John Alcott, he fashioned a narrative of an ordinary British soldier preparing for D-Day: his basic training, his boredom, his fears and his fatalism. The film's triumph is in its seamless interweaving of dramatic footage and the real thing, to the point where even Alcott couldn't tell which was which. This screening of a brand new print will be introduced by the director, preceded by actual combat footage and colour amateur film of D-Day from the IWM's collection, presented by Roger Smither, keeper of film and video."

Directed by Stuart Cooper
Written by Christopher Hudson, Stuart Cooper
With Brian Stirner, Davyd Harries, Nicholas Ball
Country UK
Year of Production 1975

[Gold Trumpet]

rumor rumor rumor rumor: CCForum is reporting through second hand sources that Last Year at Marienbad will finally debut in the Criterion Collection in the first half of '06. That is all.

[Ghostboy]

That would be so wonderful - I've been waiting to see that film forever.