The Criterion Collection

[demonknight]

Quick question? Has anyone made Criterion BD covers for The Rock or Life of Brian based on the DVDs? Both have the majority (or all) of the features from the Criterion releases. I was shocked to look at The Rock's BD to find the back said "All extras produced by the Criterion Collection".

Meanwhile, I looked at Armageddon and it had nothing. What's the deal there?

[JJJ225]

Every time Criterion asks what we're hoping to see from their new releases, I saw a Sirk or Von Sternberg Blu Ray. FINALLY getting a Douglas Sirk Blu Ray from them. It's about time!

[jw007]

My thoughts on June's releases are positive.

I am ECSTATIC that Picnic at Hanging Rock is finally coming out on Blu-ray! I've been totally into Peter Weir's work lately and I had just seen The Last Wave on DVD for the first time. I have yet to watch Picnic at Hanging Rock, but this is a blind-buy no brainer for me.

Totally cool to see Antonioni's L'Eclisse. Between this and the Weir movie, these are the standouts for the month.

Also, I love that A Hard Day's Night is going to be on Blu-ray now. Excellent!

Hearts and Minds looks pretty interesting but may warrant a viewing first before I purchase it.

The only 2 films I have very little interest in would be All that Heaven Allows and Judex. Just not my cup of tea.

Overall, a very strong month! Congratulations Criterion for the ongoing excellence in video distribution!

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

It's the Beatles. All the little films you want Criterion released in the future, this will pay for them.

This is the truth, and even though I am not interested, it makes me glad they are releasing it.

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

In my opinion it's an utter shame they're not all released in the digipak packaging. It looks so much nicer and feels like so much more of a complete product in this form.

True..true. That Judex cover would be an utter beast in a nice digipak.

Dry month for me, but that is probably good for my wallet since I bought/am buying a crap load of their Feb/March titles and a few April/May titles. Haven't seen L’eclisse (people here seem to love it) or Picnic at Hanging Rock, and they have me contemplating.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

I will never understand how people are happy with freaking DVD upgrades when there are so many titles they have never released yet that need great special editions

I'll take a wild stab in the dark, and guess that it's because those people want to see those films in a higher resolution format.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

If they add tons of new extras I have no problems with an upgrade.
Hearts and Minds is an upgrade that looks to most definitely be worth it.
All that Heaven Allows most definitely does not IMO

The color on All That Heaven Allows (like several other Sirk films) is so rich, that even if there were no extras at all, a new 2K scan and BD transfer would be worth the upgrade all by itself.

Let's hope that Written on the Wind and Magnificent Obsession don't take to long to get upgraded.

[starman15317]

Can't wait for A Hard Day's Night!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by mastadge

Any chance that Picnic will include the theatrical cut? Or are we stuck with the director's cut only on BD?

Looks to be the director's cut only (based on the running time listed). On the other hand, the release also includes an early film, Homesdale.

What's interesting about their new Picnic release is the aspect ratio. Their original DVD release (from back in 1998!) was a Director Approved Edition in 1.66:1, and they stated that it was Weir's preferred ratio. This new release is also described as a Director Approved Edition, with the transfer "supervised and approved by director Peter Weir", but it's listed as being 1.77:1.

I'm wondering if this is a case where the director is changing his mind about the ratio based on the fact that nowadays 16x9 TVs are the norm rather than 4x3 TVs. The original DVD release, after all, wasn't anamorphic.

[Meek12345]

Originally Posted by Yojimbo

The Big Heat won't be able to be released by anyone until after May 8, 2015 due to the contract with Twilight Time.

Thanks for the info. I just found out that TT's edition of The Big Heat was limited to 3,000 copies and is already sold out. Hopefully, it will be re-released on blu-ray next year as an "unlimited" edition with a significant amount of special features. Currently a copy of this edition costs around $50, but I think I will wait and see if it is released again.

As far as the new titles go, I will probably blind buy Judex and A Hard Day's Night. I am a fan of The Beatles, so I figure AHDN is a safe blind buy. Everything I see and hear about Judex sounds awesome, so I'll try to pick it up at the next B&N sale or Criterion flash sale.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by iamnoone

The original Criterion DVD was the shorter 107 minute "director's cut" version. That's the exact same one we're getting on Blu, apparently. I do remember there was a release elsewhere that included the original uncut theatrical version along with the cut-down version, but not from Criterion.

I have the original theatrical version on a Japanese laserdisc, but unfortunately, it's full frame. Even the Australian 2-Disc Special Edition DVD only had the Director's Cut. I'm only sorry that the new Criterion release doesn't have the 2-hour documentary "A Dream Within a Dream" that's on that Aussie disc.

The other interesting extra on the Aussie disc is an uncompleted short (<4m) version of the story titled "The Day of Saint Valentine", filmed in 1969 by a 13-year-old.

[fahrenheit290]

I'm very excited about Hearts and Minds. I think it has an excellent reputation as a documentary film and I have always wanted to see it. I'm still waiting for some essential films to be released (more accessibly for the public) on blu-ray (or even DVD for that matter):

- Man with a Movie Camera (ranked top 10 in Sight and Sound, stellar reputation as a documentary)
- The Gospel According to St. Matthew (probably the greatest Biblical film)
- Symphonie Pastorale (Palme winner)
- The Dead (John Huston's final film, available on DVD only)
- Raise the Red Lantern (Chinese films)
- Farewell My Concubine
- To Live
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller (DVD quality subpar)
- La Dolce Vita
- La Strada (update)
- Ikiru (update)
- Passion of Joan of Arc (update)
- The Offence + The Hill (Sidney Lumet and Sean Connery collaboration)

[jayembee]

A great group of announcements.

My personal preference would've been for an upgrade of The Last Wave instead of Picnic at Hanging Rock, but it's no surprise that they're doing Picnic first. I hope Wave is in the works.

Another personal preference would've been for an upgrade of Magnificent Obsession instead of All That Heaven Allows, but beggars can't be choosers. Any Sirk on BD is welcome.

A Hard Day's Night is a no-brainer. I have Criterion's CAV laserdisc edition (which also has "The Running Jumping Standing Still Film", so I was expecting it to be included here as well). Nice to get it in glorious HD, though.

L'eclisse is another no-brainer. Hopefully L'avventura will get an upgrade soon.

The only "disappointment" for me is Judex. Not that I'm disappointed all that much, but when I first saw the title come up on the Coming Soon page, I was delirious because I thought it might be Feuillade’s original silent serial.

[pro-bassoonist]

RESTORATION NEWS
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=11542

Michelangelo Antonioni's L'AVVENTURA - U.S. Re-release trailer - YouTube

Pro-B

[hustlermane]

This is the greatest month for me since I started following closely. Check my sig! L'Eclisse was the only Antonioni 60s film I hadn't seen and I've been holding out for a blu for ages now. Sirk is my favourite director of all time, All That Heaven Allows will look stunning (can't believe someone was hating on the deer!), though my R4 Madman DVD of it is pretty brilliant - I also recently got the MoC of Judex (which came with Nuits Rouge, another Franju film). So as much as may be spoken for (also have the Aus blu of Picnic), these are the best films I've seen in a single lineup for ages. I love that with Red River and Picnic now they're revisiting the prospect of source novels being part of the package.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by captveg

They may be using the new 3-Disc Blu-ray plastic cases by then.

Hope so. Already had a damaged case with their "new" packaging (Foreign Correspondent) - and I've had enough experience with the older ones to know they are no good over the course of time.

There's no way I'm going to be filling my shelves with these....

Will just stick to Hulu+ whever possible. I've been doing that anyway to save money, but this is just another small reason.

[RebelPrince1986]

Beyond excited that L'eclisse is finally getting an upgrade... It's one of the few films I was waiting on! Definitely picking it up day one. Good to hear about Picnic as well!

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by jayembee

A great group of announcements.
The only "disappointment" for me is Judex. Not that I'm disappointed all that much, but when I first saw the title come up on the Coming Soon page, I was delirious because I thought it might be Feuillade’s original silent serial.

Gaumont had Les Vampires remastered in HD (Kino released the US edition), so they might do the same for Judex eventually.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

L’ECLISSE - I've also never seen an Antonioni film. I know this is the last of the trilogy, so probably not the best one to start with. If I did want to try an Antonioni film, which should I start with?

L'Eclisse was the first Antonioni film I saw and I was quite entranced by it. As I understand it, the trilogy is linked thematically and doesn't need to be seen in a particular order. I've also liked L'Avventura and Red Desert and The Passenger aka Professione: reporter (with Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider).
The most conventional / accessible Antonioni film I've seen is Amiche (Girlfriends), which is pretty good, although not in the style typically associated with Antonioni. If you're not region locked, there's a very nice Eureka release.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by ravenus

L'Eclisse was the first Antonioni film I saw and I was quite entranced by it. As I understand it, the trilogy is linked thematically and doesn't need to be seen in a particular order. I've also liked L'Avventura and Red Desert and The Passenger aka Professione: reporter (with Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider).
The most conventional / accessible Antonioni film I've seen is Amiche (Girlfriends), which is pretty good, although not in the style typically associated with Antonioni. If you're not region locked, there's a very nice Eureka release.

I am not region locked, so I will check it out! Thanks for the advice.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

RESTORATION NEWS
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=11542

Michelangelo Antonioni's L'AVVENTURA - U.S. Re-release trailer - YouTube

Pro-B

Great news. Hopefully the full trilogy will be on Blu soon.