The Criterion Collection

[NeoNical]

It eases my mind that I don't have to buy the 4K Kino Lorber titles that were going OOP now that I see Some Like It Hot getting re-released. But it's also because these are major Hollywood titles so having these films not available to purchase in the US markets for a long time afterwards would be a not so wise choice. Unfortunately, this is like one of the two Kino 4Ks that I own so I would have to skip out on this

I was literally thinking last night, "What if Chungking Express was upgraded?" and lo, and behold, it did! I still haven't bought the boxset but this is the only Wong Kar-Wai film I really want to upgrade. I wish Criterion would include the HD remaster as a special feature but I'm sure that's under the decision and control of Wong Kar-Wai to not have that. A dream release would be to upgrade that boxset but with the HD remasters for the films as a bonus and also a less complex, problematic packaging for the set.

Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring were films I have been meaning to watch for a long time. I'm glad the 4K restoration finally arrived in the US so I will be definitely checking this out.

Ugetsu was the real surprise for this month's announcements. One of my favorite Japanese films so I might end up getting this in the future once the peer/customer reviews come in.

Nice to see Basquiat coming in early, which was already well predicted when it was first revealed by Janus Films.

And, Anora. The cover feels like a fan made cover with how striking red the Criterion logo and text is, but at the same time I absolutely love the picture they chose for the cover. I think this is a rare case where the Criterion logo and bar reduces the impact of the cover (What I am saying might be pretentious, but I just don't like it all that much). Looks just like all the other posters for this film so far (Which I thought were pretty cool already). I know this one would look beautiful in 4K and so much has been said about this film lately so I won't spare anymore time on this.

Prince of Broadway is the only one from this list that I don't recognize since I haven't dived into Baker's stuff outside of the new one. I'm curious to see this one now.

At this point, I don't even want to judge how the month announcements are. I've come to a point where I've bought almost everything that I have ever wanted and just use these announcements as ways to discuss the movies (Ugetsu) and also discover a movie I have never heard of before (Prince of Broadway). The good months for most people are releases that are in high demand and the bad months are made up of stuff that people haven't heard of usually. At this point, I just stopped caring about whether or not the monthly announcements were good or not. Look, there's next month announcements, and the next, and so on... I'm just happy that Criterion is still in business to have their 1000+ catalogue still in print and available to purchase

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Mike0284

I wonder/hope Criterion can sub-licence The Killer & Hard Boiled from Shout so they can put out 4K releases along with some other titles.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Yeah, there's no way they would. The Woo titles will undoubtedly be the biggest moneymakers from the deal so they'll be releasing those themselves for sure.

Of course. It's ridiculous to think that Shout would give anything away from this latest acquisition.

[The Sovereign]

Delighted to see Basquiat and Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring! I haven’t seen Anora, but it looks like a strong blind buy contender. No rush on the upgrades.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Canceling my pre-order of the newest French Florette/Manon Blu-ray release last year it was the right call. If done right, this will be a contender for 4K UHD of the year given the strength of the movies.

Agreed. Phenomenally beautiful and strong films on every level.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by BenOswald

I want someone to love me the way Criterion loves Sean Baker

Because you post on a message board? I would say Baker has you beat in terms of achievement by comparison.

[Trekkie313]

Some Like It Hot when it's on sale, otherwise nothing else interests me.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Sommerswerd

No Ugetsu 4K UHD?

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Maybe eventually. I don't even own it on BD as I try to avoid Digipacks. I'll probably get it eventually.

This post from Duke is one for Ripley's!

[ophone]

Originally Posted by Watershipdownisgood

So why not upgrade something that is incredibly controversial I mean come on you put out Happiness last year so why not upgrade Man Bites Dog it makes perfect sense to me.

This film is one of my all-time favourites, but I'm happy with the DVD copy I've got. If I still had a VCR, VHS would be even better, to underline the rather amateurish style of that film. Not only that, my copy bears the original title C'est arrivé près de chez vous, I've become quite picky when it comes to original movie titles in languages I can speak.
That last reason is also why I'd prefer a French or Belgian 4K release of the Jean de Florette/Manon des sources duo. Is Criterion working with a company over here to release such a version, as they already did with other movies in French language?

Anora and Some Like It Hot on the other hand look tempting.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Gunsnroses092789

I guess the 4K titles that MGM took from Kino and gave back to Criterion will be getting releases sooner rather than later... Unnecessary to have taken them back from Kino, but whatever. At least they'll stay in print from someone, and seem not to be taking up any of the precious 5 slots Criterion usually allots monthly, probably due to them being an easy slap-existing-4K-master-and-extras-onto-disc releases.

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Nothing to see here but Criterion's further slide into obsolescence.

Too soon for me to agree with Sean here, but if each month now brings an announcement of a rerelease for a title that already has a perfectly fine 4K issue that was not a previously hard to get, ultra expensive LE, I will agree with him. While it may be a easy money maker for Criterion, I see no point in them becoming a rerelease label for KINO under any circumstances.

[poisonmail]

Chungking didn’t suffer too badly in the revisionism department compared to ITMFL so I may consider it, but I’ll probably wait for reviews. Otherwise I’m sure I’ll pick up the Claude Berri films and Ugetsu eventually. (I haven’t seen these Sean Baker films yet but I do think being salty about his getting attention from CC is a little silly, given that one of these won the Palme last year.) As for Some Like It Hot… we knew the Kino reissues were coming and I don’t really see a downside to that even though I’ve already gotten those films on 4K. To me it’s win win since I now have two different slates of extras in my collection for these movies since I had the CC blus already. And if they’re planning on getting them out there as quickly as possible, all the better for the general marketplace.

[FulciLives1016]

Anyone think we’ll get Baker’s Tangerine and/or Florida Project too eventually or nah? I’m curious

[Bolo Seagull]

Originally Posted by poisonmail

Chungking didn’t suffer too badly in the revisionism department compared to ITMFL so I may consider it, but I’ll probably wait for reviews.

Strangely, the only thing that bothers me is those glossy closing credits. It's really petty, I know, but those smooth polished greeting card credits just feel so out of place at the end of this raw and unpredictable film.

It's just a nitpick, I'm really happy to add this film to my collection and this version is fine by me.

[CrimsonLegionVMCXIX]

Just Chungking Express and Ugetsu for me. Glad they're both 4K. I was slightly disappointed that Sammo Hung's Eastern Condors was not 4K, but it's not a deal breaker for me as I'll buy it eventually. I'll buy these two on release.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Too soon for me to agree with Sean here, but if each month now brings an announcement of a rerelease for a title that already has a perfectly fine 4K issue that was not a previously hard to get, ultra expensive LE, I will agree with him. While it may be a easy money maker for Criterion, I see no point in them becoming a rerelease label for KINO under any circumstances.

Though I have to say, it’s less painful if we start getting unusually large release slates. Between that and several months of new commentaries, I wonder if some of that new capital is finally working its way into the pipeline.

At any rate, there’s no way Criterion would just pass on getting back the film that’s often listed as the greatest comedy of all time. Any home video CEO that passed on that opportunity should be chucked off a bridge for financial and cultural malfeasance. (That’ll also go for Manchurian, Night of the Hunter and Paths of Glory too.) IMO, as always.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by FulciLives1016

Anyone think we’ll get Baker’s Tangerine and/or Florida Project too eventually or nah? I’m curious

I could see The Florida Project getting special treatment like Uncut Gems and a 4K release.

Tangerine seems less likely, as I don't think Criterion has released any Magnolia films before. If it did come out, I imagine it'd be locked to Blu-ray.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Of course. It's ridiculous to think that Shout would give anything away from this latest acquisition.

Certainly they won’t even get near the crown jewels. Criterion would have to actually buy Shout for that to happen.

(Though I suppose they might sublicense some of the more esoteric titles. That’s such a huge haul of titles.)

[sandman slim]

Originally Posted by sandman slim

Since I'm never right, I'm going with reverse psychology this month. I predict Criterion will not release Basquiat, Little Children, and The Bad Sleep Well.

My work here is done.

And for my next trick...

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

.
At any rate, there’s no way Criterion would just pass on getting back the film that’s often listed as the greatest comedy of all time. Any home video CEO that passed on that opportunity should be chucked off a bridge for financial and cultural malfeasance. (That’ll also go for Manchurian, Night of the Hunter and Paths of Glory too.) IMO, as always.

But that's presupposing Criterion should be mandating and maintaining a historical film archive for consumers and I'm not so sure they should be put in that position. It's a rather unfair expectation because after all they are not a non-profit repository for preserving film history, they are still a business and considerations of a movie's significance may not always be uppermost in their agenda or model and I don't think it should be. Although certainly SOME LIKE IT HOT is marketable enough where it will fit in more than just an academic niche and would prove commercial as well, I don't want to see Criterion basing future releases on titles that have gone OOP from other labels just because they have cache as film history and art.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

But that's presupposing Criterion should be mandating and maintaining a historical film archive for consumers and I'm not so sure they should be put in that position.

I mean, that is sort of the mission statement on every box, not just to put out films, but put out important films. But I do get your point and largely agree.

I do think that there are certain films - especially ones that they had back in the laserdisc days like almost all of these MGM ones - that seem to be core titles in their repertoire AND incredibly important in terms of film history.

This has been a very odd situation, bc I can’t think of another time they had a title in print on one format but lost it in another. If there’s anything that Criterion can be blamed for, it’s how much they dragged their feet on 4k, which led to this screwy scramble in the first place.

[Areyakiddin]

I mean it's also pretty much confirmed that Criterion wanting the 4K UHD rights is the only reason that the Kino editions went OOP and they now have the 4k licenses for all those movies. May as well just get them re-released ASAP, since they just need to slap the same 4k master on a new disc, instead of encouraging scalpers to do their thing.