The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by mande2013

Just out of curiosity, why are so many people hankering for Criterion 4Ks of mainstream films that already have strong releases like Goodfellas, 2001, and Pulp Fiction? Does Criterion really need to become the North American equivalent of The Film Vault? It just feels decadent to me. At least Days of Heaven and Mean Streets are new-to-4K titles.

There's an article on Criterion's site from when the UHD announcements were made and someone in the comments section was requesting 2001. Others recommended WB's UHD and the guy said he had to have a CC UHD. He mentioned something about "the Criterion touch" ?

[Ishai]

Originally Posted by mande2013

Just out of curiosity, why are so many people hankering for Criterion 4Ks of mainstream films that already have strong releases like Goodfellas, 2001, and Pulp Fiction? Does Criterion really need to become the North American equivalent of The Film Vault? It just feels decadent to me. At least Days of Heaven and Mean Streets are new-to-4K titles.

Some of the wishlist items for Criterion are odd to me as well, but the first one you listed, Goodfellas, apparently has a bad transfer and it OOP.

A Criterion release for these movies would mean more extras as well, probably.

Some people also ignore releases from other labels completely and think if it's not Criterion it doesn't exist.

I agree, wishing for a release of a movie that got a 4K release in the last year makes no sense. Why would the studio and Criterion want to fight for sales on the same title when there are so many other options that don't have a 4K? but a lot of people don't make sense...

[Taylor3978]

Originally Posted by Ishai

Some of the wishlist items for Criterion are odd to me as well, but the first one you listed, Goodfellas, apparently has a bad transfer and it OOP.

I got Goodfellas 4K at Tower Records in Dublin last week for €17.50. I haven't watched it yet, but plenty of people think the opprobrium it receives is over-cooked.

I just think there are better (financially for them) places that Criterion can direct its limited resources. There are so many great films that haven't even got a BD release.

[bokes]

Does Criterion still go after Wes Anderson films?
I thought he had a deal with them, but his last several films have yet to appear.
His films seem to be tailor made for 4K UHD treatment, yet he is ignored.
Odd.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by bokes

Does Criterion still go after Wes Anderson films?
I thought he had a deal with them, but his last several films have yet to appear.
His films seem to be tailor made for 4K UHD treatment, yet he is ignored.
Odd.

They pretty much stopped after Fox was acquired by Disney. Could be a coincidence, or not. There was speculation that Anderson has contractual agreements that allow his films to be released by Criterion, though I'm not sure if there is actual proof of that. It could a number of other factors too, like Criterion waiting til they made the jump to 4K to start releasing some again (if so, they're probably in the pipeline). Another possibility is that they've been waiting for Anderson to come in and supervise the transfer(s). He's been making films at a much faster rate lately, so it could just be the latter.

[latehong]

For those concerned, I've reached out to Criterion and they've kindly confirmed that the English SDH will be available for both versions of Texasville in the upcoming 4K release of The Last Picture Show.

[MifuneFan]

Some upcoming releases have newly added extras which I've bolded below.

Moonage Daydream:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• 4K digital master, supervised by writer-director-editor-producer Brett Morgen, with Dolby Atmos and stereo soundtracks
• One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Audio commentary featuring Morgen
• Q&A with Morgen, filmmaker Mark Romanek, and musician Mike Garson at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood
• Interview with rerecording mixers David Giammarco and Paul Massey
• Previously unreleased 1974 live performance by David Bowie of “Rock ’n’ Roll with Me”
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Jonathan Romney and a collectible poster insert

Tod Browning set:

TWO-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 2K digital restoration of Freaks, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New 2K digital reconstruction and restoration of The Unknown by the George Eastman Museum, with a new score by composer Philip Carli
• New 2K digital restoration of The Mystic, with a new score by composer Dean Hurley
• Audio commentaries on Freaks and The Unknown and an introduction to The Mystic by film scholar David J. Skal
• New interview with author Megan Abbott about director Tod Browning and pre-Code horror
• Archival documentary on Freaks
• Episode from 2019 of critic Kristen Lopez’s podcast Ticklish Business about disability representation in Freaks
• Reading by Skal of “Spurs,” the short story by Tod Robbins on which Freaks is based
• Prologue to Freaks, which was added to the film in 1947
• Program on the alternate endings to Freaks
• Video gallery of portraits from Freaks
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Farran Smith Nehme

[NeoNical]

In response to the new update on the upcoming Moonage Daydream release

Are they not able to secure the footage of the "Station to Station" performance from the Isolar II Tour? I remember seeing Brett Morgen uploading a clip of the restored footage on his Twitter. Going to be disappointed that it sounds like some of the concert footage will not be available, even after they were nicely restored. At least they decided to release the Ziggy Stardust motion picture with the Jeff Beck footage so I'm not mad at all.

However, I will say that the inclusion of new footage from the Diamond Dogs/Young Americans era will be certainly welcome. I assume this is the footage of Bowie performing during his Plastic Soul Tour in the second half of the year (After a rather chaotic Diamond Dogs Tour before its funky transformation). I doubt there is much new footage for Bowie from 1974-1976 at this point that are going to be released (Probably doesn't exist or for other reasons) and that's unfortunate. It would be cool if Criterion does a secret easter egg for this release.

[scififan73]

Originally Posted by mande2013

Just out of curiosity, why are so many people hankering for Criterion 4Ks of mainstream films that already have strong releases like Goodfellas, 2001, and Pulp Fiction? Does Criterion really need to become the North American equivalent of The Film Vault? It just feels decadent to me. At least Days of Heaven and Mean Streets are new-to-4K titles.

They were the first with laserdiscs to have any meaningful special features.
They have an extremely high pedigree and brand recognition. For the longest time carrying into the dvd era they were the premier label for discs.

Some would say they still are the premier label (debatable), but they are still to this day generally highly regarded and their discs hold a decent re-sale value, generally still pretty loaded with extra features and (mostly) solid film transfers to disc.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by mande2013

Just out of curiosity, why are so many people hankering for Criterion 4Ks of mainstream films that already have strong releases like Goodfellas, 2001, and Pulp Fiction? Does Criterion really need to become the North American equivalent of The Film Vault? It just feels decadent to me. At least Days of Heaven and Mean Streets are new-to-4K titles.

Really not that interested in 4K's. Seeing the same films released again over and over only in 4k has really put a stop to my spending habits. Unless the Bluray release is poorly done I skip 4K's on anything except favorite films and new releases.

I want to know where my release of Red Beard is after Toho released a new restoration back in 2014 not to mention a ton of other great films that never saw Bluray releases.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

Days of Heaven 4K Dolby Vision

USING GIF OF MOVIE I WISH WOULD BE RELEASED BY CRITERION ON 4K DOLBY VISION ONLY TO DISCOVER IT'S CELEBRATING A DIFFERENT MOVIE BEING RELEASED.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Ishai

A Criterion release for these movies would mean more extras as well, probably.

Probably is the key word there. Criterion has releases like THE INNOCENTS whose lack of substantial extras is insulting. INDICATOR has taken over the throne of offering packed and excellent extras nowadays.

[Taylor3978]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Is that from this?



Because that would make a fascinating extra with another film (often rated as the best film of the 70s).

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Really not that interested in 4K's. Seeing the same films released again over and over only in 4k has really put a stop to my spending habits. Unless the Bluray release is poorly done I skip 4K's on anything except favorite films and new releases.

I understand, but man, a good 4k feels like film and that makes it worth it to me. The Red Shoes, The Last Waltz and Shaft all felt like I was watching a film print, for reasons that went beyond resolution and HDR. (I mean, The Red Shoes was from the same decade-old restoration but it captured the Technicolor feel worlds more than the BD.)

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Probably is the key word there. Criterion has releases like THE INNOCENTS whose lack of substantial extras is insulting. INDICATOR has taken over the throne of offering packed and excellent extras nowadays.

I mean, it’s always happened with Criterion - some titles get packed, some get nothing. (Literally the only special features on the $125 - that’s 1993 dollars! -Lawrence of Arabia CAV special edition laserdisc were a few production photos. And that’s when they were especially sparing no expense on supplements!

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Taylor3978

Is that from this?



Because that would make a fascinating extra with another film (often rated as the best film of the 70s).

Yes, that still is from BLACK LEGION. I'm not sure about the TAXI DRIVER connection though as the latter is more of an existential view of nationalistic madness whereas the former is societal. Interesting idea though.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Yes, that still is from BLACK LEGION. I'm not sure about the TAXI DRIVER connection though as the latter is more of an existential view of nationalistic madness whereas the former is societal. Interesting idea though.

The posing in front of the mirror and inspecting the new gun. The Taxi Driver scene is said to be inspired by Black Legion.

[Fellini912]

Criterion should step a trap for Terrence Malick. Somehow keep him locked in (when he visits for a director’s approval session) until he walks through his closet picks. I would pay a full criterion 4k price to watch one of my favorite directors talk about his Criterion collection picks.

One can only dream.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

Criterion should step a trap for Terrence Malick. Somehow keep him locked in (when he visits for a director’s approval session) until he walks through his closet picks. I would pay a full criterion 4k price to watch one of my favorite directors talk about his Criterion collection picks.

One can only dream.

He is probably waiting for Zoolander to be added before he talks.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

He is probably waiting for Zoolander to be added before he talks.

"Zoolander double pack, or no approval of the Badlands 4K master!"