The Criterion Collection

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm generally not a fan of deceitful manipulation of real-life people for the sake of cinema, though. One reason why I have avoided the Criterion Blu-ray of Shoah, for instance, is because I despise the idea that people's interviews were apparently used in the film without their knowledge or consent after they were assured by the filmmaker that the questions were "off the record." The intent, however noble and historically relevant, does not excuse the deceit, in my opinion. Ideally, cinema, even (actually, especially) cinema involving fictional stories, should be art at its most honest and forthright.

I respect your opinion and agree with most of your points. I don't like Michael Moore for the same reason, because he plays with the truth to serve his own agenda.

That said, I think you are doing yourself a disservice by avoiding Shoah, which I consider to be among the greatest documentaries of all time. The majority of the interviews are consensual and many of those are harrowing. I think the ones you are referring to are the clandestine interviews of former Nazi officers. The only way to get them to speak truthfully is to not show them the cameras. If they were aware of being filmed, then they would have kept their stories to themselves and told lies instead. In these instances, Lanzmann was pursuing truth and had no qualms with fooling war criminals to get it. Since they were probably dead or in jail when the film was released, I don't have a problem with it either. Their interviews were revealing, not just to show the process of how the extermination was carried out, but also to show their self-delusion and subsequent pride. It's amazing to see what a human being is capable of.

Some have criticized Lanzmann for being tough on the Polish or for omitting others in camps and some of those arguments have merit, but not enough to take away from the impact of the film.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by jw007

Does anyone here think filmmaker Michael Moore has a place in the Criterion Collection?

Based on quality of film and influence? Yes. Obviously. There are lots of other important docs that haven't been released by anybody that CC could release and I consider Moore's work commercial enough to be released by the studios...though I'm pretty happy with the DVDs, so wouldn't lobby too hard for them.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I like Capitalism because it's still very, very relevant but doubt it will get a blu-ray release.

Capitalism: A Love Story

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

I haven't picked up Friends of Eddie Coyle yet on BLU but even though the reviews aren't ecstatic I still have to own the blu. This was one of the Criterion titles that got a DVD release and was passed over for BLU in the earlier days of BLU. I still want Downhill Racer upgraded.

Will pick up Friends o E C at Barnes this weekend for sure.

Let me know what you think of the picture quality once you've had a chance to watch the film, I'm holding off on buying it until I have a better sense of whether the transfer is decent or not. My fingers are crossed, as it's a great film that really deserved the Criterion treatment.

[StLouisRibs]

Ooh, the fact that the new resto of Z is getting a big showing at Cannes makes me think that maybe we could end up seeing it by the end of the year (assuming it doesn't do the touring circuit, which would of course delay things).

And, though the clue ended up being for The Killers, Rocco and his Brothers is also noted as having been 4K restored. Could it still possibly be coming?

[PowellPressburger]

Really love Z and I refuse to watch the DVD any longer not that it is bad at all. I just told myself a couple years ago the next time you watch it it will be on BLU. Hoping it will be in the Criterion pipeline for a BLU upgrade within the next yr.

[Scottie]

Z is easily the best political film I've seen. I can't think of anything that comes close to matching it.

[jw007]

I appreciate the responses to my inquiry about Michael Moore.

The fact that he polarizes so many of us and creates powerful debate is evidence that he is an important filmmaker, DESPITE his immoral and unethical, exploitative filmmaking practices (of using lies, deceit and betrayal to get what he wants on film). Let's not forget, though a large portion of his technique can be seen as pretty immoral, he stirs up a lot of debate and questions in the general public and if anything gets people aware of things we might not be already aware of.

A documentary filmmaker such as Robert Kenner (Food Inc., Merchants of Doubt) is important too, but he's not on the level of controversy and audacity as Michael Moore.

When I was at the 2006 Tribeca Film festival (in NYC) with a photo pass on the red carpet (I wasn't a paparazzi photographer, just working with someone in the independent media at the time), I spotted Michael Moore in the crowd. I took a photo of him quickly. I've attached it below for your viewing pleasure.

[Bates_Motel]

Posted on another thread. 4K restoration of RAN is playing at Cannes. Maybe it will come back to Criterion since StudioCanal hasn't done anything in the US as of late. At least it'll most likely be getting a European release.

• Ran by Akira Kurosawa (1985, 2h42)
Original negative scanned in 4K and restored frame by frame in 4k by Éclair. Image and sound restoration under STUDIOCANAL supervision with Kadokawa (Japanese co-producer). Color grading approved by Mr. Ueda (cinematographer), Akira Kurosawa’s close associate on the film.

[ParaOK]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Z is easily the best political film I've seen. I can't think of anything that comes close to matching it.

For me, I think the only one that comes close is Missing.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Z is easily the best political film I've seen. I can't think of anything that comes close to matching it.

Originally Posted by ParaOK

For me, I think the only one that comes close is Missing.

I have yet to see Z, but The Manchurian Candidate and The Conformist (my avatar )are pretty darn good.

[Angel Eyes]

Originally Posted by jw007

I appreciate the responses to my inquiry about Michael Moore.

The fact that he polarizes so many of us and creates powerful debate is evidence that he is an important filmmaker, DESPITE his immoral and unethical, exploitative filmmaking practices (of using lies, deceit and betrayal to get what he wants on film). Let's not forget, though a large portion of his technique can be seen as pretty immoral, he stirs up a lot of debate and questions in the general public and if anything gets people aware of things we might not be already aware of.

A documentary filmmaker such as Robert Kenner (Food Inc., Merchants of Doubt) is important too, but he's not on the level of controversy and audacity as Michael Moore.

When I was at the 2006 Tribeca Film festival (in NYC) with a photo pass on the red carpet (I wasn't a paparazzi photographer, just working with someone in the independent media at the time), I spotted Michael Moore in the crowd. I took a photo of him quickly. I've attached it below for your viewing pleasure.

I have so many problems with this: BOLD

He lies no more than Dinesh D'Souza and John Sullivan that's for sure!

[pro-bassoonist]

CANNES CLASSICS LINE-UP REVEALED/NEW RESTORATIONS ANNOUNCED

Full program here:
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=16674

NEW RESTORATIONS

Rocco e i suoi fratelli (Rocco and His Brothers/Rocco et ses frères) by Luchino Visconti (1960, 2h57)
A presentation of The Film Foundation. 4K restoration carried out by Cineteca di Bologna at L'Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory, in association with Titanus, TF1 Droits Audiovisuels and The Film Foundation. Restoration with funding provided by Gucci and The Film Foundation.

Les Yeux brûlés by Laurent Roth (1986, 58mn)
A presentation by the CNC and the ECPAD with Laurent Roth in attendance. Digital restoration made from 2K scanning of the 35mm négatives and the scanning of original elements if they were still existent from archive images. Restoration made by the laboratory of the CNC at Bois d'Arcy.

Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Elevator to the Gallows) by Louis Malle (1958, 1h33)
2K restoration presented by Gaumont. Work on the image done by Eclair, sound restored by Diapason in parternship with Eclair.

La Noire de… (Black Girl) by Ousmane Sembène (1966, 1h05)
Restored by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Sembène Estate, Institut National de l'Audiovisuel, INA, Eclair Laboratories and the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, CNC. Restoration carried out at Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory.

Preceded by the documentary:
SEMBENE! by Samba Gadjigo and Jason Silverman (2015, 1h22)
Produced by Galle Ceddo Projects, Impact Partners, New Mexico Media Partners, SNE Partners.

Insiang by Lino Brocka (1976, 1h35)
Insiang was the first Filipino feature film to be presented at Cannes.
Restored by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project.
Restored by Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata. Restoration funding provided by The Film
Foundation's World Cinema Project and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Sur (The South / Le Sud) by Fernando Solanas (1988, 2h03)
Presented by Cinesur and Blaq Out in partnership with UniversCiné and the INCAA. HD
restoration made by Cinecolor laboratory-Industrias Audiovisuales S.A, headed by Roberto
Zambrino and supervised by Fernando Solanas upon the occasion of the restoration of all his
films which will be released as a DVD boxset (Blaq Out editions).

Zangiku Monogatari (The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum / Le Conte du chrysanthème tardif) by Kenji Mizoguchi (1939, 2h23)
A presentation of Shochiku studio. The digital restoration is from a 4K film transfer (2K
projection) by Shochiku Co., Ltd.

Jingi Naki Tatakai (Battles without Honor and Humanity aka Yakusa Paper / Combat sans code d'honneur) by Kinji Fukasaku (1973, 1h39)
A presentation of TOEI COMPANY, LTD. The film has been restored from 4K 35mm print original
negative into 2K digital by TOEI LABO TECH. The film will be distributed in France by Wild
Side Films.

Szegénylegények (The Round-Up / Les Sans espoir) by Miklós Jancsó (1965, 1h28)
A presentation of the Hungarian National Film Fund and of the Hungarian National Digital Film
Archive and Film Institute (MaNDA). In competition at the Festival de Cannes in 1966.
2K film and sound restoration by the Hungarian Filmlab from the 35mm negative.

Les Ordres (Orderers) by Michel Brault (1974, 1h48)
A présentation of « Éléphant, mémoire du cinéma québécois. » HD scanning from three sources:
original negative 35 mm A and B colors, 35 mm intermediate film print and internegative.
Restored sound from a 35 mm three-track magnetic mix. Restorations lead by Marie-José
Raymond, and the color grading lead by Claude Fournier with director Michel Brault at Technicolor Montréal.

Panique by Julien Duvivier (1946, 1h31)
Presented by TF1 DA. As the original negative has disappeared, a 2K restoration from the
nitrate intermediate film print done at Digimage.

Xia Nu (俠女 / A Touch of Zen) by King Hu (1973, 3h)
A presentation of the Taiwan Film Institute. The first Taiwanese film and the first film in Mandarin
presented at the Festival de Cannes. 40th anniversary of the Grand Prix de la
Commission Supérieure Technique in 1975. Digital restoration made in 4K by the
Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna from the negative. The director of photography supervised the
color grading.

Dobro Pozhalovat, Ili Postoronnim Vkhod Vospreshchen (Welcome or No Trespassing) by Elem Klimov (1964, 1h14)
A presentation of the Open World Foundation and Mosfilm. A 2K scanning, sound and film
restoration by Mosfilm and Krupny Plan.

La Historia Oficial (The Official Story / L'Histoire officielle) by Luis Puenzo (1984, 1h50) A presentation of Historias Cinematográficas. Award for Best Actress Ex-aequo at the Festival
de Cannes 1985 for Norma Aleandro and Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in
1986. A 4K Restoration from the original négative. New color grading done by the
director and the director of photography. Digitization of the sound from a restoration of the magnetic tapes the remixed in 5.1 with new effects and additional orchestrations. Funding
provided by the Argentinian National Film Institute (INCAA) and work done at Cinecolor Lab
under the supervision of director/producer Luis Puenzo.

Marius by Alexander Korda (1931, 2h), script and dialogues by Marcel Pagnol
Restoration by the Compagnie méditerranéenne de film - MPC and La Cinémathèque française,
with the support of the CNC, the Fonds Culturel Franco-Américain DGA-MPA-SACEM- WGAW,
the help of ARTE France Unité Cinéma and the Archives Audiovisuelles de Monaco,
with SOGEDA Monaco. 4K restoration supervised by Nicolas Pagnol and Hervé Pichard (La Cinémathèque française). Works done by DIGIMAGE laboratory. Color grading carried out by
Guillaume Schiffman.

Pro-B

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Insiang by Lino Brocka (1976, 1h35)

Wasn't another of his films, Manila in the Claws of Light already been restored past year by the world cinema foundation? I've heard it is an amazing and mostly undiscovered film, not sure if Criterion could still be waiting to release a volume 2 of the set or they will just release some of them.

[CriterionBlues]

Good stuff there. Elevator to the Gallows will probably get upgraded at some point, and I'm with the other poster rooting for Rocco and his Brothers. Would love to see the Sembene, Duvivier and Mizoguchi come to Criterion eventually.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Wasn't another of his films, Manila in the Claws of Light already been restored past year by the world cinema foundation? I've heard it is an amazing and mostly undiscovered film, not sure if Criterion could still be waiting to release a volume 2 of the set or they will just release some of them.

Yes, Pedro, through Bologna

http://www.focalint.org/focal-intern...g-liwanag-1975

Pro-B

[Yami]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Wasn't another of his films, Manila in the Claws of Light already been restored past year by the world cinema foundation? I've heard it is an amazing and mostly undiscovered film, not sure if Criterion could still be waiting to release a volume 2 of the set or they will just release some of them.

It is, indeed, amazing. I'm patiently awaiting a release of the restoration.

There are some true masterpieces on that line-up. I really hope that The Round-Up and Welcome, and No Trespassing get the releases that they deserve.

[Scottie]

Also at Cannes this year.

The Third Man (Le Troisième homme) by Carol Reed (1949, 1h44)
A Studiocanal presentation. Intermediate film print, 2nd generation of nitrate film (non-existent original negative), scanned in 4K and restored frame by frame in 4K by Deluxe in England. Restoration supervised by STUDIOCANAL.

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/61328.html

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

CANNES CLASSICS LINE-UP REVEALED/NEW RESTORATIONS ANNOUNCED

Been waiting for this thanks Pro-B!

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Good stuff there. Elevator to the Gallows will probably get upgraded at some point, and I'm with the other poster rooting for Rocco and his Brothers. Would love to see the Sembene, Duvivier and Mizoguchi come to Criterion eventually.

Both of these will have U.S. Blu-ray releases.

I am very much looking forward to the new restoration of Miklós Jancsó's The Round-Up. I assume that almost certainly CNC will again somehow support it in France and there will be a Blu-ray release. Needless to say, this is a must-have release for me.

Hopefully, Criterion will bring it to the States. Apparently, there was work done in Hungary on The Red and the White and Red Psalm, so a box set with Jancso films will be a wonderful surprise. Criterion are also the label that can produce worthy supplemental features for these films.



Pro-B