The Criterion Collection

[Nazca]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Fires on the Plain is probably my second most wanted DVD upgrade from Criterion behind Samurai Rebellion. It's such a bleak, yet powerful and engrossing experience. It's truly one of the best anti war films ever made and pairs well with The Human Condition. Maybe one day we'll get an upgrade!

I'm just now seeing this, but how is Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp (1956)? Heard some great things but curious about your opinion. Also been interested since hearing about Nikkatsu's 4K restoration of the film.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Why? Those kind of films aren't made for the Chinese market. That rule applies more to blockbusters.

They don’t even want to ruffle Xi Jinping’s feathers here. Someone once compared his appearance to Winnie The Pooh (I honestly don’t see it), and Winnie The Pooh was banned in China, punishable by death for looking him up, talking about him, posting a picture/video, anything related to the fictional character. I haven’t seen any Winnie The Pooh content since the incident.

He’s a dictator in his own country, and it seems to me like there’s plenty that are just okay with him being a dictator in our country, that or they’re just afraid of pissing him off.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Shane Rollins

He’s a dictator in his own country, and it seems to me like there’s plenty that are just okay with him being a dictator in our country, that or they’re just afraid of pissing him off.

History proves time and again that it's not the dictator as much as the enablers of them that bring about all the destruction. Even in the USA. The news media is filled with enablers now and once you get the propaganda machine working, you are already halfway home.

Oh well, we won't solve it here and it's off topic anyway, so let's get back to Criterion and try to solve their problems instead. If they have any?

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by dkelly26666

Yeah, it likely wasn't planned to be released in China, but Disney did have theme parks there, and other interests, and were even in the process of opening a new attraction there in 1997.

The word in the US press was that China was so outraged about "Kundun", that they outright threatened, in no uncertain terms, that 'Disney business interests in China will suffer terribly if this film is released.'

Disney did release it, but barely. It is probably the most under-released Scorsese film ever. It had very little marketing or promotion, opened only in NYC in one location on Christmas day, 1997, and by early 1998, only wound up playing in a few dozen theaters around the country, again, unpromoted, and it fizzled right out. They didn't release the VHS until around 8 months later, and it too just came and went. The Disney VHS and DVD went OOP in the early 2000s, and the film was off the official market for many years. Finally, KL released it just a few years ago on BD (now, also OOP, I believe).

Many people have been critical of Disney for caving like that.

People should be critical of Disney. I dare anyone in our country who would bow to that pressure to go live over there for a while. I highly doubt it would end well.

This is one bad decision, but beginning around the late 90s, it’s just been bad decision after bad decision with a few good decisions thrown in there for fun.

If you notice carefully, they rarely call the company “Walt Disney” anymore. It’s still the name of the company, but they rarely use the full name. I think that’s telling. It’s not Walt’s company anymore, in more ways than one. The studio’s not being run the way he’d want it done, the content is a pale imitation of the work he did, the production teams are doing a better job of pissing off the fans than keeping them happy, they’re swallowing up other companies which he wouldn’t agree with, the list is endless. Few if any members of the Disney family still work for the company. Without exaggeration, more members of the Disney work for the Dupont chemical plant in Delaware than for the Disney company. (They’re distant cousins, half of them moved out west between the 1840s and 1880s, but none of the eastern Disneys had ever met Walt or most of the western Disneys.)

Poor Walt is rolling in his grave right now thinking of what’s become of his studio. It may have all started with a mouse, but it’s going to end with a bunch of rats destroying the place for no apparent reason. Their corporate philosophy of “hemorrhage while still staying afloat” is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Just one of the last few major bombs they’ve had would’ve destroyed another studio, and Disney’s averaging one Heaven’s Gate per month.

While the real downslide took off as the renaissance was coming to an end, the first sign of trouble came on Jeffrey Katzenberg’s first day on the job. Most but not all of the Disney staff were working on The Black Cauldron, a film that began as a masterpiece, was hacked to death by Katzenberg, and is now considered one of the worst films ever. But for his butchery, it would be considered the best film of the First Dark Age and likely one of the best OAC films ever. Anyway, as he addressed the Disney staff, he proudly stated “It’s such an honor to be leading the studio that created such timeless classics as Heckle And Jeckle and Mighty Mouse!” That wasn’t a typo, nor did you read that wrong. This has been getting progressively worse for 40 years, with fewer successes and more failures, and now people are starting to make noise about it.

Kundun wasn’t a failure. Going to the CCP’s ass and kissing it repeatedly in relation to Kundun was the failure here.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by CRASHLANDING

I didn't see anywhere that Criterion actually announced that, I think it was only Netflix stating those films would be joining the Criterion Collection. So it's possible that something happened later after to change those plans, since The Irishman and Marriage Story did ultimately get released in 2020 as originally announced.

Cuaron’s Roma and One Night In Miami... were both on Netflix. They did quite a few Netflix movies, but it’s not like they opened the floodgates sadly.

Edit: One Night In Miami... was an Amazon movie. Thanks to CelestialAgent for that.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by dvining

China considers Tibet (and other places like Taiwan) as part of China, and they outright ban maps that show otherwise.

A movie about how the Chinese invasion of Tibet being bad was never going to sit well with Chinese authorities. Some Disney exec (can't remember which, specifically) apologized for making the film at all a few years later.

Michael Eisner.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Nazca

I'm just now seeing this, but how is Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp (1956)? Heard some great things but curious about your opinion. Also been interested since hearing about Nikkatsu's 4K restoration of the film.

I realize you weren't asking me, but FWIW, my views from watching it on the Eureka blu-ray:

Originally Posted by ravenus

Last night I saw The Burmese Harp, Kon Ichikawa's acclaimed 1956 film about a Japanese soldier in Burma at the end of WW2 deciding to become a monk and care for the souls of his compatriots that were killed there. The film not as affecting as I had expected it to be. I think it's because the attention was almost equally divided between our protagonist and the rest of his unit making it more of a conventional human drama, and we don't build up as much of an association with his state of mind. Still, a good film with a very evocative use of music to convey emotion.

Also quoting another member's response where he talks about a longer original cut of the film (which according to Tony Rayns was meant to be screened as a 2-parter). I wonder if the new restoration will contain this longer cut or just the international version:

Originally Posted by floor pie

But I also saw The Burmese Harp, and have to echo your sentiments, ravenus. I was actually quite confused with the protoganist's spiritual change, and it didn't really make sense to me until the end. I feel like the 140 minute version that was originally screened in Japan would've made a much more cohesive experience in regards to conveying the story. A big story like this should be able to breathe more. I bet that the change from soldier to monk wouldn't have felt nearly as abrupt there.

It's a real crime that a major film like this (in it's original cut) doesn't exist anymore, especially as it's from 1956! The only other "lost" movie that I can think of is more upsetting is Welles' original version of The Magnificent Ambersons...

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

Yes, Michael Eisner, called it a mistake and insulting.

[Show spoiler]

Jesus Christ.

Even Jesus Christ would probably say “Jesus Christ” if he read that passage.

The number of superlatives, insults, and four-letter words you could throw at Disney and its top brass is endless, almost as endless as the list of reasons to hurl such superlatives and insults and four-letter words at them. Yet they still never cease to blow my mind with the things they say and do. Thank you StarDestroyer for the passage, but I think I just lost a few brain cells reading it.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by mande2013

I was about to say only second unit photography was done in NYC for Eyes Wide Shut. The rest was done on a backlot in England. Anyhow, I just thought I’d say as a Queens native that no mainstream film I can think of captures “NYC outer borough-ness” better than Goodfellas. James Gray and the Safdie Brothers have both made admirable attempts at coming close though. Gray’s relentless Joseph Campbell-ism is a bit tiresome I’ll admit.

P.S. I went to the same high school as James Gray and Hero of a Thousand Faces was summer reading between junior and senior year.

After Hours did pretty good too. It was either a lot of location shooting or a very convincing set.

For another “time capsule” film of NYC, check out Times Square from 1980. Again, like After Hours, a significant portion of what was on the screen was gone in a few years, and most of the locales don’t survive today.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by Afriendofours

They banned Richard Gere after he expressed support for Tibet at the 1993 Oscars. And then again in 1997 they issued a ban on cooperation with the Hollywood studios that made Seven Years in Tibet (Columbia TriStar), Kundun (Disney) and Red Corner (MGM/United Artists) because they said the films "viciously attack China and hurt Chinese people's feelings."

I remember a few years ago when John Cena said that China should just let Taiwan be independent, within 24 hours a statement came out from whatever studio he was working with and said “We talked with John Cena and he no longer believes that Taiwan should be independent.” Seriously, does that dude have Hollywood’s balls in a Dixie cup somewhere? It’s disgraceful!

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

The NBA is just as spineless. They would rather support brutal fascist dictatorships than risk "tainting" their global brand.

Lots of sports leagues are doing it nowadays. It makes me sick. They’re literally feeding the beast and they don’t care.

And then that wackadoodle Dennis Rodman goes over to North Korea and hangs with that dictator. I think one of the times he got a piercing they accidentally pierced his brain.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Let me beat Shane to the punch this time, the post that everyone is waiting to see again:

Basically, that’s Blu-ray.com language for “get back on topic.” Sadly it didn’t work the other day. A legitimate discussion is one thing, even if it gets heated or political. (I’m honestly shocked the Kundun discussion has been allowed to go on this long, but thanks to whatever big bosses okayed it.) But what happened the other day was just ridiculous. It was of no value, in poor taste, and it took two days where we could’ve all been having a good conversation. The endless Trump/Clinton and Trump/Biden debates at our holiday dinners get further than the crap on Tuesday-Wednesday did.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

History proves time and again that it's not the dictator as much as the enablers of them that bring about all the destruction. Even in the USA. The news media is filled with enablers now and once you get the propaganda machine working, you are already halfway home.

Oh well, we won't solve it here and it's off topic anyway, so let's get back to Criterion and try to solve their problems instead. If they have any?

They do have some problems. I know it’s comfy sitting on all those movies all day, but how about releasing some of them. Pat Garrett’s been keeping Mulvaney’s ass warm for five years now, surely it’s ready for release. And that’s just one of at least a hundred titles that never showed.

And Toho, why they can’t so much as begin licensing quality transfers to us is beyond me. Better transfers exist, better elements exist, yet they refuse to license anything to Criterion.

[Nazca]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I realize you weren't asking me, but FWIW, my views from watching it on the Eureka blu-ray:


Also quoting another member's response where he talks about a longer original cut of the film (which according to Tony Rayns was meant to be screened as a 2-parter). I wonder if the new restoration will contain this longer cut or just the international version:

That was upsetting to read. Sounds like it suffered a similar fate to Kurosawa's The Idiot (1951). I do appreciate you giving both of your opinions, quite the interesting reads! Wonder how I'll feel about the film then. Quite excited to see the new restoration too given Nikkatsu's track record. Also, the 4K restoration is of the 116-minute cut, same one Criterion/Eureka used. Now it looks much nicer, which is unsurprising seeing the restoration was done by the exact same group that did Branded to Kill (1967)'s 4K restoration. Either way, considering this film's history and legacy, I'm quite excited and I feel I'll get something out of it nonetheless.

Speaking of which, I hope we see more of Nikkatsu's 4K restorations such as Seijun Suzuki's Carmen from Kawachi (1966), Sadao Yamanaka's Sazen Tange And The Pot Worth A Million Ryo (1935), as well as Shōhei Imamura's Profound Desires of the Gods (1968), just to name a few.

[CelestialAgent]

Originally Posted by Shane Rollins

One Night In Miami... were both on Netflix.

Amazon Studios

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Nazca

I'm just now seeing this, but how is Kon Ichikawa's The Burmese Harp (1956)? Heard some great things but curious about your opinion. Also been interested since hearing about Nikkatsu's 4K restoration of the film.

It's one I need to revisit for sure. I bought it and Fires on Plain when they both were released on DVD by Criterion on the same day. I remember thinking it was good, but not great. I don't remember it very well, but I watched Fires on the Plain right after it, and was floored, so it kind of overshadowed Burmese Harp. I remember it having a hopeful look at the brutality of war while Fires on the Plain was a much more nihilistic look at war. Kon Ichikawa seemed to want to show the duality of war in these films, and for the most part he succeeded.

[MifuneFan]

The Film Forum have posted their February / March Schedule (PDF), and there's a few notable screenings/programs coming from Janus Films. I believe this is the first mention of Janus/Criterion acquiring the rarely seen musical West Indies (1979) from director Med Hondo. We will likely be seeing a new BD, if not 4k, release of Class Tous Risques (1960) later this year. Most exciting (for me) is the Japanese horror program they're going to be having in March, which features over 25 films. I'll definitely be going to see Demon Pond (which Janus / Criterion has rights to), since I missed the screening at MoMA ln 2022.

I've highlighted the relevant Janus titles below:

[DukeTogo84]

New 4K restoration of Classe Tous Risques? That would be something would love to see get an upgrade. Demon Pond and The Face of Another are two other major ones that need releases as well.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

New 4K restoration of Classe Tous Risques? That would be something would love to see get an upgrade. Demon Pond and The Face of Another are two other major ones that need releases as well.

Yeah. A 4K was recently announced for France in March (no English subs unfortunately). No idea if CC would do a 4K as well.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=370003

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Yeah. A 4K was recently announced for France in March (no English subs unfortunately). No idea if CC would do a 4K as well.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=370003

Even just a Blu-ray would be nice, but they have been upgrading some French crime films to 4K, so maybe? Really good film, so crossing my fingers an upgrade happens this year.