The Criterion Collection

[rezpekt]

I finally used that Amazon sale price and ordered "The Third Man". I probably won't be buying any new Blu-ray's until December because I'm saving money for new PC and local film festival. Hopefully we'll get some nice Criterion sale prices for holiday season.

[kefrank]

Just watched The Sword of Doom yesterday. Since it's one of their barebones titles, I doubt it will be getting BD treatment anytime soon, but boy would the incredible cinematography look stunning in hi-def! Here's to hoping.

[Alcam]

I only have 2 Criterion Collection BR's (The Third Man & Benjamin Button). I have about 50 on DVD but I won't upgrade till there's a good sale. I was disappointed with the packaging of The Third Man. I hate cardboard cases. Keep it plastic..............

[rezpekt]

The Playlist has a sneak peak at 2010 line-up.

[McCrutchy]

Some of those are old news (Gomorrah, A Christmas Tale, Che) but that's like a list of Criterion spoilers for 2010!

P.S. If they did release Summer Hours, we could maybe get a Binoche interview (major crush on her ).

[Pyoko]

Hope Kurosawa's anniversary means some more titles on Blu-ray. I really want to see the new restoration of Rashomon.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Pyoko

Hope Kurosawa's anniversary means some more titles on Blu-ray. I really want to see the new restoration of Rashomon.

I just watch that not longer ago, all the while wishing it could be on BD

[PowellPressburger]

i picked up the two new Criterion DVD releases yesterday only wishing I had them on BD esp. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, I feel like she may live at 1080 but we should see her at 1080P right?

I was immediatly mesmerized by the film, it runs 3hrs 21mins. It has become my new fav. Criterion release.

I also picked up Last Days of Disco again BD needed badly but I haven't watched it yet.. but the DVD cover art etc on both releases are wonderful as always. great layout and design etc.

[zedd_117]

Originally Posted by rezpekt

The Playlist has a sneak peak at 2010 line-up.

So I saw "Underworld" on the list and, before I read past the title, I thought "Dear God, why would they put that Vampires vs. Werewolves movie in the collection?" HA.

25 film Kurosawa Box? From Criterion? Damn skippy, that'll be like $600!
(better start saving now)...wait, I have all the Kurosawa Criterions...but not in a shiny box...

So, I just got the newsletter ad for "The Last Days of Disco", and after watching the trailer, I really want it. Should I wait for the next sale or just go for it now?

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by rezpekt

The Playlist has a sneak peak at 2010 line-up.

Would someone be kind enough to post this for those of us who cannot access the website from their work?

TIA.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

Would someone be kind enough to post this for those of us who cannot access the website from their work?

TIA.

At the end of our interview with the Criterion Collection's Jonathan Turell, he put us in touch with Jon Mulvaney, Criterion’s inside man on what the future has in store and he revealed to us exclusively, a number of Criterion titles that should be out in the near future and next year.

"The French Lieutenant’s Woman" – Another selection from MGM’s catalog, you can expect this from Criterion next year. Starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, this film of parallel narratives contains a film-within-a-film and was nominated for five Academy Awards. Fred Zinneman, John Frankenheimer, Richard Lester and Mike Nichols all tried and failed to adapt John Fowles’ tricky novel until British director Karel Reisz and celebrated writer Harold Pinter managed to wrap their brains around it.

Charlie Chaplin – Mulvaney has confirmed the circulating rumors that the Criterion Collection is in discussions to acquire the rights to the Charlie Chaplin library. There are no details on titles or release dates at this time.

"Stagecoach" – Mulvaney confirms that the John Ford title hinted at this summer in the Criterion Collection newsletter, is indeed "Stagecoach." The release of this massively influential western and beloved John Wayne film will be the first to utilize the restoration work done by UCLA.

Akira Kurosawa– Hinted in last month’s newsletter, Mulvaney confirms that a massive 25 film box set is slated to be released by the end of the year and just in time for the 100th anniversary of the the Japanese grandmaster's birth in 2010.

"Revanche" – The DVD release of Janus Films’ surprising acquisition of this Austrian Academy Award nominated film will be released in early 2010.

"Underworld" & "The Docks Of New York" – Though not currently on the schedule, Mulvaney confirms we can expect to see both of these long awaited Josef von Sternberg silents sometime in 2010.

Scorsese’s short films – long rumored to be released soon, there are unfortunately no plans to release Martin Scorsese’s early short films. We'll have to fire up the bootlegs in the interim.

IFC – "A Christmas Tale" and "Gomorrah" – both coming in November – are just two titles in a twelve-picture deal with IFC. While Mulvaney was mum on the other films in the works, we can tell you Antichrist will probably not be one of them, but let's not forget "Che" is an IFC film in case you had any doubts that the "rumors" weren't true. One of our wishes and best guesses knowing their taste? The excellent IFC film, "Summer Hours" by Oliver Assayas that seems very much up the Criterion Collection's alley. It's one our favorite films of 2009 thus far.

Warner Brothers – Despite the studio's indication in a Home Theater Forum chat earlier this year that they were discussing licensing a "limited group of titles at the behest of their respective directors", we hoped there were some Warner’s titles on the way, but Mulvaney let us know there is nothing on the schedule currently.

Focus Features - A director's cut of Ang Lee's "Ride With The Devil," is also scheduled for a release in May. This is the third title licensed from Focus Features following the recently released Last Days Of Disco by Whit Stillman and Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding which will hit shelves in October. For now, we will have to wait and see if any further titles are coming from this new relationship with Focus, but it's a promising start.

Finally, if you're heading up to the rock festival All Tomorrow's Parties in New York this year, when you're not watching David Yow showing the kids how it's done or losing your college tuition at poker to Steve Albini, be sure to stop by the Criterion curated screening room where you can see among an amazing lineup of films, including "Mystery Train" followed by a Q&A with Jim Jarmusch and Steve McQueen's acclaimed "Hunger" (another telling IFC picture, hint!). We think it's fairly safe to say these will be making their way into the collection soon as well.

But that's not all...Mulvaney did talk to us about several exciting titles that as of press time we are unable to disclose as discussions for these films are ongoing and not quite finalized. We will continue to stay in touch with the good people at Criterion and let you know as soon as we're permitted to write about it.

Posted by Kevin Jagernauth at 3:55 PM

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Akira Kurosawa– Hinted in last month’s newsletter, Mulvaney confirms that a massive 25 film box set is slated to be released by the end of the year and just in time for the 100th anniversary of the the Japanese grandmaster's birth in 2010.

I can't even beging to imagine how much that will cost if it were to happen

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I can't even beging to imagine how much that will cost if it were to happen

Sounds like it could be the films only no extras kind of like their Essential Film Collection sets... but I could be wrong, I doubt they mean BD though. They need RAN to really make that work to be honest.


I would love it if Criterion would be able to release FAR FROM HEAVEN on BD and a Special Ed. DVD release. (They were able to release Last Days of Disco/ Monsoon Wedding)

[benricci]

Notice they didn't mention blu-ray once during the article posted above? I'd be interested to see which of those rumored titles are DVD only. I'm assuming a 25-movie Kurosawa blu-ray set is not coming, and that it's DVD only

[Yankees0222]

I just wanted to know, to any whos seen its, if Pasolini's "Salo" is worth a watch. I've never even heard of it untill recently and it seems to have recieved very mixed reviews..... Just wanted to know what you all thought of it.

[retablo]

Meh, I'm not impressed. The French Lieutenant's Woman, yes. I have both Chaplin boxes that were remastered by mk2 and Warner, don't really see how Criterion can improve on those. Ride With the Devil is so-so Ang Lee... I wish they'd dump the Focus Features stuff and focus more on classic films and blu.

[Belloche]

I'm a little bummed out about the Warner thing. I had my fingers and toes crossed for a Criterion Badlands.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Yankees0222

I just wanted to know, to any whos seen its, if Pasolini's "Salo" is worth a watch. I've never even heard of it untill recently and it seems to have recieved very mixed reviews..... Just wanted to know what you all thought of it.

I have it.....

If I were you, I'd rent it. The mixed reviews are pretty indicative to this movies' appeal.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by benricci

Notice they didn't mention blu-ray once during the article posted above? I'd be interested to see which of those rumored titles are DVD only. I'm assuming a 25-movie Kurosawa blu-ray set is not coming, and that it's DVD only

Revanche better show up on BD, as originally announced. I hate watching my Austrian PAL DVD and wishing for 1080p...

And I don't know about this Kurosawa Box Set...unless it's BD, who would want to shell out the hundreds they will ask for 25 DVDs? I have a feeling that it will be movie only, and include the films in the Eclipse release. That would be the only way to lower the price enough to perhaps justify buying a DVD set in the time of Blu-ray.

Originally Posted by Yankees0222

I just wanted to know, to any whos seen its, if Pasolini's "Salo" is worth a watch. I've never even heard of it untill recently and it seems to have recieved very mixed reviews..... Just wanted to know what you all thought of it.

Worth a watch? If you can take it, yes. Then I would review the supplements to understand why Pasolini made the film, and why he made it he way he did. Will you want to watch it again? Probably not, but it is powerful.

Originally Posted by Belloche

I'm a little bummed out about the Warner thing. I had my fingers and toes crossed for a Criterion Badlands.

A Criterion edition of Badlands would be great. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek are fantastic in that film. Plus, if anybody could get anything out of Malick, be it a commentary, an interview or even a sound bite, wouldn't it be Criterion?

[weaselwagon]

I would love to see "kaidan" soon.