The Criterion Collection

[senseabove]

There's also a decently well-received Blu of The Cook, The Thief... from Mexico that's Region A. No English subs, though, if you need those.

I'm salivating over that Japanese box with Draughtsman's Contract, but it's just so spendy, especially when I already have the DVDs of The Falls and the shorts, and just picked up the (apparently region-free! I didn't realize...) Blu of Z00 and the region B BFI Blu of Drowning. They only released the DVDs individually, IIRC. To get the Blus you have to by the box.

And in case anyone is wondering, there's a UK Blu of Greenaway's newest, Eisenstein in Guanajuato, coming out, but not one in the US. I emailed Strand releasing, who is releasing it on DVD in the US, and they confirmed that they will not be releasing it on Blu, for some reason.

Greenaway is terribly under-represented on Blu in general, but yes, especially in the US.

[hoytereden]

Here's a Criterion mystery:

I recently had an urge to revisit a film I really enjoy-The Rocking Horse Winner. I don't have it (other than an old off-the-air VHS copy) so I looked at the streaming options and found it at Amazon Prime. A search brought up 2 listings and one of them shows a photo of a Criterion case and a description that reads "Studio: The Criterion Collection." To my rather limited knowledge, I don't recall it being a title from CC on either Laserdisc or DVD. Was this ever in the works and then cancelled or is this one of those wishful thinking case mock-ups that somehow found it's way into the listing?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Here's a Criterion mystery:

I recently had an urge to revisit a film I really enjoy-The Rocking Horse Winner. I don't have it (other than an old off-the-air VHS copy) so I looked at the streaming options and found it at Amazon Prime. A search brought up 2 listings and one of them shows a photo of a Criterion case and a description that reads "Studio: The Criterion Collection." To my rather limited knowledge, I don't recall it being a title from CC on either Laserdisc or DVD. Was this ever in the works and then cancelled or is this one of those wishful thinking case mock-ups that somehow found it's way into the listing?

I believe Criterion now has the rights to the title (or at least streaming rights).

I would not be surprised if it was released on Blu-ray in the future.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I believe Criterion now has the rights to the title (or at least streaming rights).

I would not be surprised if it was released on Blu-ray in the future.

Thanks. It always seemed like a film that should belong in the Collection so that's why I was surprised that the DVD release of it was not Criterion. Excellent film; so hauntingly sad.

[thismightbezach]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Here's a Criterion mystery:

I recently had an urge to revisit a film I really enjoy-The Rocking Horse Winner. I don't have it (other than an old off-the-air VHS copy) so I looked at the streaming options and found it at Amazon Prime. A search brought up 2 listings and one of them shows a photo of a Criterion case and a description that reads "Studio: The Criterion Collection." To my rather limited knowledge, I don't recall it being a title from CC on either Laserdisc or DVD. Was this ever in the works and then cancelled or is this one of those wishful thinking case mock-ups that somehow found it's way into the listing?

The director Anthony Pelissier has had a phantom page for a while.

[easydreamer]

Originally Posted by senseabove

I'm salivating over that Japanese box with Draughtsman's Contract, but it's just so spendy, especially when I already have the DVDs of The Falls and the shorts, and just picked up the (apparently region-free! I didn't realize...) Blu of Z00 and the region B BFI Blu of Drowning. They only released the DVDs individually, IIRC. To get the Blus you have to by the box.

The Blu-ray of The Draughtsman's Contract has been available separately, so you can just buy it, instead of the box which is OOP now.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/aw/d/B00MGCEMNQ

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by easydreamer

The Blu-ray of The Draughtsman's Contract has been available separately, so you can just buy it, instead of the box which is OOP now.



http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/aw/d/B00MGCEMNQ

Hoorah! I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know!

[dsman71]

Something that caught my attention is when I was on Amazon checking some Bulldog Drummond films, and there were at least seven of them on Amazons streaming via Criterion

This might be old news to many Criterion die-hards and aficionados of course..

Id buy these if Criterion did these on bluray or DVD. I was really surprised that they have the Bulldog Drummond films

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

"Jesus, the days that we have seen!"

I just got home from a screening of Welles's 'Chimes at Midnight'. I had been waiting for some time to see the character that Welles opined was "Shakespeare's greatest creation" in what he deemed his "greatest film", but never wanted to watch some cheap bootleg copy.

I was finally rewarded for my patience this evening with the gorgeous Janus Films 4k restoration. This release is going to be the definitive master for years to come. No signs of DNR, a healthy grain pattern, and most of the source damage has been removed. There's one or two missing frames, but they're so infrequent that they don't deter you from enjoying the film. It's another solid restoration from Janus..

WW, were you able to tell if the missing frames were intentional? Welles talked about "pulling frames" in his book with Peter Bogdanovich in his filmmaking at the time. In other words, a filmmaking technique to make a scene intentionally jumpy for some sort of desired visual effect. If someone had access to the original negative A and B rolls they could answer definitively as the alternating frames would be on different rolls. I ask because I always try to notice this technique when it's used (famous example: Ethan Edwards picks up Debbie at the end of The Searchers), and also know that it can be difficult to distinguish from actual missing frames. Also I have heard that the elements for this film were in excellent shape so wondering about why it would have (unintentional) missing frames ...

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Written on the Wind comparison between Criterion DVD and French BLuray.
http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=806...23&i=0&l=0&a=0

Looking forward to the Criterion one.
Should the BLuray be cropped like that?

filmmusic, the AR of this movie is 2:1 so the black bars are a bit thicker than on a 1.85:1 film (if that's what you're referring to). Universal was one of the few studios to use this aspect ratio and I don't think it was for very many titles. I think there was some controversy about Magnificent Obsession in this ratio as it hadn't been seen presented that way very often since its first release, although the documentation that 2:1 is correct for these two films is pretty straightforward.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Here's a Criterion mystery:

I recently had an urge to revisit a film I really enjoy-The Rocking Horse Winner. I don't have it (other than an old off-the-air VHS copy) so I looked at the streaming options and found it at Amazon Prime. A search brought up 2 listings and one of them shows a photo of a Criterion case and a description that reads "Studio: The Criterion Collection." To my rather limited knowledge, I don't recall it being a title from CC on either Laserdisc or DVD. Was this ever in the works and then cancelled or is this one of those wishful thinking case mock-ups that somehow found it's way into the listing?

It was never released on LD or DVD by Criterion. However...

It was released on DVD in 2002 by Home Vision Entertainment, which was at one time affiliated with Criterion. HVE was a video label that was also the distributor for Criterion's DVDs. HVE and Criterion were co-producers of The Merchant Ivory Collection, as well as several films that were owned by Janus films but for some reason weren't released by Criterion themselves.

HVE was also the label that released on DVD most of the Zatoichi films back in the 00s. Another of their DVDs was Basil Dearden's Victim, which later appeared as part of the Eclipse release Basil Dearden's Underground.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jayembee

It was never released on LD or DVD by Criterion. However...

It was released on DVD in 2002 by Home Vision Entertainment, which was at one time affiliated with Criterion. HVE was a video label that was also the distributor for Criterion's DVDs. HVE and Criterion were co-producers of The Merchant Ivory Collection, as well as several films that were owned by Janus films but for some reason weren't released by Criterion themselves.

HVE was also the label that released on DVD most of the Zatoichi films back in the 00s. Another of their DVDs was Basil Dearden's Victim, which later appeared as part of the Eclipse release Basil Dearden's Underground.

Thanks jayembee, I figured you'd be the one who would know the twists and turns of something like this but (ala Columbo) "One thing still bothers me." "Where did that picture of the Criterion case come from?"

I picked up that HVE DVD edition several times at Borders but always put it back due to the high sticker price and the fact that Borders never seemed to have much by way of sales. I do hope this comes out on Blu-ray.

[filmmusic]

I met a person these last days and I found we have many things in common.

he said his favourite film of all time (usually I ask a person that because I think I can know a bit more about himself from this information) is the Russian film Ballad of a soldier:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Balla...Blu-ray/99218/
(he's very into Russian cinema)

Generally I'm very intrigued, when someone considers the best film of his life a film that I have never ever heard of. Has anyone seen it? Do you think it should come to the collection?

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I met a person these last days and I found we have many things in common.

he said his favourite film of all time (usually I ask a person that because I think I can know a bit more about himself from this information) is the Russian film Ballad of a soldier:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Balla...Blu-ray/99218/
(he's very into Russian cinema)

Generally I'm very intrigued, when someone considers the best film of his life a film that I have never ever heard of. Has anyone seen it? Do you think it should come to the collection?

It's there right now...as a DVD.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by senseabove

... the region B BFI Blu of Drowning. They only released the DVDs individually, IIRC...

Actually, the UK Drowning is out from MediumRare, but there is another BFI release, The Belly of an Architect:

[monorail91]

Yesterday I watched The New World for the first time, in its theatrical cut. I adored it, by far my favorite Malick so far. Then I watched Black Moon, which I hated.

So I need to watch The New World again today to cleanse my palette.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by monorail91

Yesterday I watched The New World for the first time, in its theatrical cut. I adored it, by far my favorite Malick so far.

you couldn't wait for the bluray?

[nitin]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I met a person these last days and I found we have many things in common.

he said his favourite film of all time (usually I ask a person that because I think I can know a bit more about himself from this information) is the Russian film Ballad of a soldier:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Balla...Blu-ray/99218/
(he's very into Russian cinema)

Generally I'm very intrigued, when someone considers the best film of his life a film that I have never ever heard of. Has anyone seen it? Do you think it should come to the collection?

It's a terrific film and would be a fantastic upgrade (along with The Cranes are Flying).

[oildude]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I met a person these last days and I found we have many things in common.

he said his favourite film of all time (usually I ask a person that because I think I can know a bit more about himself from this information) is the Russian film Ballad of a soldier:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Balla...Blu-ray/99218/
(he's very into Russian cinema)

Generally I'm very intrigued, when someone considers the best film of his life a film that I have never ever heard of. Has anyone seen it? Do you think it should come to the collection?

It is already in the collection as a DVD which is why I always include it, along with The Cranes are Flying, when I list my most wanted Criterion upgrades to Blu-ray. I am also a fan of Russian cinema, especially Soviet-era films revolving around WWII. It has been a long time since I last saw Ballad of a Soldier, but it has stuck with me for decades.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Thanks jayembee, I figured you'd be the one who would know the twists and turns of something like this but (ala Columbo) "One thing still bothers me." "Where did that picture of the Criterion case come from?"

I picked up that HVE DVD edition several times at Borders but always put it back due to the high sticker price and the fact that Borders never seemed to have much by way of sales. I do hope this comes out on Blu-ray.

Well, I would assume that Criterion has the rights these days, and the "Criterion case" is a mock-up to use for a graphic for digital platform release. Do the films at Hulu that are Criterion-owned, but not on DVD/BD yet have similar graphics?