The Criterion Collection

[jshaide]

So many beautiful ways to go with that PDL Art, and that's what they go with? It feels like a bland and bad fake cover.

[Musicguy]

would have though "One Eyed Jacks" would have gotten a better cover

[jmclick]

The Criterion website is messed up. They've dropped the spine number from The Tree of Wooden Clogs, and reassigned it to The Executioner. I'd contact them, but I don't know what email address to send my question/observation to ...

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by jshaide

So many beautiful ways to go with that PDL Art, and that's what they go with? It feels like a bland and bad fake cover.

When I saw it on Facebook I thought it was a fan post lol

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by ElliesDad

Doesn’t seem to me to be much of an issue insofar as the stratagem of releasing more commercially-viable product to subsidize the ‘good’ niche releases is concerned. But there is an issue in terms of the amount of ‘commericial’ product being released, and especially concerning the caliber and quality of some of that product.

If the quality (as measured by any reasonable interpretation) is questionable, it could result in producing the unfortunate circumstance wherein the integrity of the Criterion ‘Collection’ itself starts to be damaged or diminished, and since the company is founded on the principle that quality is it’s hallmark and raison d’etre, that could be catastrophic. There’s a fine line here, and I’m sure the fine folks at Criterion wrestle with it on a continuing basis.

There’s all kinds of great ‘popular’ product out there that deserves a Criterion release. No need to lower the bar with material that just doesn’t fit the Criterion brand (which, again, is the company’s most successful attribute) to where mediocrity or excess becomes acceptable. A couple of select Wes Anderson films maybe. Adam Sandler? Seriously? If we come across a reference to the Criterion Collection in any form, instead of our thoughts turning to Monica Vitti, or Belmondo, Ingrid Bergman, or Vittorio de Sica, do we really want an image of Adam Sandler to pop into mind instead..

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

They're up!

[Show spoiler]

Ha! Great moments in thread confluence!

This art-house isolationism is a non-starter from any angle. The strength of Criterion's brand is proven by its diversity of content; just releasing one type of movie weakens their brand and does not account for the diverse tastes of consumers.

A wide range of content that spans the lifetime of the medium says, "There's a great big cinematic world out there, have fun with it."

Anyway, the Lone Wolf and Cub artwork is aces. P.T. Anderson is a genius.

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I have a feeling that an upgrade of Mishima will be announced.

Hopefully maybe DEC or 2017 Causs I've been wanting an upgrade for years. ESP of they can replicate that cool foil packaging!

[GenPion]

Never seen One Eyed Jacks but I am excited about everything else announced. Awesome month!

Criterion has in no way, shape, or form sold out. They always release a combination of acclaimed classics and genre films from around the world.

I am especially excited for Dreams. Perhaps my favorite Kurosawa. One of the finest films ever made. Also glad for The Squid and the Whale. The current Blu-ray from Mill Creek is barely better than a DVD.

The Lone Wolf and Cub set is going to be fantastic. The previous Blu-ray set was a quality disaster.

Punch Drunk Love is one of my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson films and one of the most visually gorgeous films I have seen. The release feels long overdue but I am sure the wait will have been worth it with Criterion at the helm.

[llj]

Maybe because I simply gloss over most of them, but I really don't feel like Criterion have released a huge number of samurai movies, personally. Most of the ones they do release seem critically acclaimed or historically notable examples of their genre anyway, so I don't feel like they are out of place or that Criterion is favoring that genre specifically. How many do they release a year out of the 20-30 or so total releases on average?

[GenPion]

Criterion largely releases classic samurai films anyway. Maybe some are frustrated because the Zatoichi set is so close to the release of this Lone Wolf and Cub collection. But Zatoichi is a reissue and shouldn't be considered as taking the place of other releases.

[silverlakephil]

Finally, Punch Drunk Love!

[Cremildo]

In love with the Dreams cover art. Call me shallow but my liking the art might influence the decision to upgrade.

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I liked Punch Drunk Love but don't feel a real need to see it again. Maybe. The rest don't look like my thing at all. Oh wells.

Do you think?

I feel like PTA's movies all have a wonderful rewatchability value. They're so beautifully written and the craft is always incredible.

I've been wanting to revisit PDL for ages and ages but kept putting it off knowing a glorious 4K Criterion transfer was somewhere in the works...

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

My guess is that you're actually in the majority, but the minority is just very vocal.

And *anything* that gets more legitimate English friendly Naruse releases out is worthwhile in my book.

We've been waiting 9 years for another Naruse film.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

In love with the Dreams cover art. Call me shallow but my liking the art might influence the decision to upgrade.

Me too! It's beautiful. I seems like it may be one of Akira Kurosawa's paintings he did for the film? I know he did a lot of them for his later films. And they picked a perfect one, as that rainbow shot has always stuck out in my mind from the film.

[belcherman]

I have about a dozen titles in my Criterion wish list. The good news is, it didn't get any longer today. I'm happy for the people who are happy today.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Me too! It's beautiful. I seems like it may be one of Akira Kurosawa's paintings he did for the film? I know he did a lot of them for his later films. And they picked a perfect one, as that rainbow shot has always stuck out in my mind from the film.

It is indeed. There are a variety of inexpensive books available if anyone wants to check out more of his art.

In fact, anyone feel free to pm me if you want suggestions since I have a bunch of them

[jrmac2000]

Excellent month in my opinion.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Me too! It's beautiful. I seems like it may be one of Akira Kurosawa's paintings he did for the film? I know he did a lot of them for his later films. And they picked a perfect one, as that rainbow shot has always stuck out in my mind from the film.

Yes, it's an original Kurosawa painting for Dreams

[starman15317]

I'm pretty excited for Punch-Drunk Love (I liked that film, and I usually hate Adam Sandler!)

But I have to say that I'm very excited that Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is getting a release. I recently saw it and really enjoyed it.

Also, as far as I know, that is the first film in the Warner Archive Collection (DVD only) to be released by Criterion. Hopefully they release Cronenberg's Crash at some point.

Also interested in The Squid and the Whale. I don't know how, but I've never seen it.

[pro-bassoonist]

Criterion Announces November Titles

LONE WOLF AND CUB

Based on the best-selling manga series, the six intensely kinetic Lone Wolf and Cub films elevated chanbara to bloody, new heights. The shogun's executioner, Itto Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama), takes to wandering the countryside as
an assassin
-along with his infant son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa) and an infinitely weaponized perambulator-helping those he encounters while seeking vengeance for his murdered wife. Delivering stylish thrills and a body count that defies belief
, Lone Wolf and Cub is beloved for its brilliantly choreographed and unbelievably violent action sequences as well as for its tender depiction of the bonds between parent and child.

1972-74 * 506 minutes * Color * Monaural * In Japanese with English subtitles * 2.40:1 aspect ratio

SPECIAL EDITION BOX SET FEATURES

New 2K digital restorations of all six films, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-rays
High-definition presentation of Shogun Assassin, the 1980 English-dubbed reedit of the first two Lone Wolf and Cub films
New interview with Kazuo Koike, writer of the Lone Wolf and Cub manga series and screenwriter on five of the films
Lame d'un père, l'âme d'un sabre, a 2005 documentary about the making of the series
New interview in which Sensei Yoshimitsu Katsuse discusses and demonstrates the real Suio-ryu sword techniques that inspired those in the manga and films
New interview with biographer Kazuma Nozawa about filmmaker Kenji Misumi, director of four of the six Lone Wolf and Cub films
Silent documentary from 1937 about the making of samurai swords, with an optional new ambient score by Ryan Francis
Trailers
New English subtitle translations
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay and film synopses by Japanese pop culture writer Patrick Macias

3-BLU-RAY EDITION
SRP $99.95
STREET 11/8/16
CAT. NO. CC2694BD
ISBN 978-1-68143-222-9
UPC 7-15515-18851-7

AKIRA KUROSAWA'S DREAMS

Unfolding in a series of mythic vignettes, this late work by Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai, Ran) brings eight of the beloved director's own nighttime visions, informed by tales from Japanese folklore, to cinematic life. In a visually sumptuous journey through the master's unconscious, tales of childlike wonder give way to apocalyptic visions: a young boy stumbles on a fox wedding in a forest; a soldier confronts the ghosts of the war dead; a power-plant meltdown smothers a seaside landscape in radioactive fumes. Interspersed with reflections on the redemptive power of art, including a richly textured tribute to Vincent van Gogh (played by Martin Scorsese), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is both a showcase for its maker's imagination at its most unbridled and a deeply personal lament for a world at the mercy of human ignorance.

1990 * 120 minutes * Color * 2.0 surround * In Japanese with English subtitles * 1.85:1 aspect ratio

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by cinematographer Masaharu Ueda, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New audio commentary featuring film scholar Stephen Prince
Making of "Dreams" (1990), a 150-minute documentary shot on-set and directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi
New interview with assistant director Takashi Koizumi
New interview with production manager Teruyo Nogami
Kurosawa's Way (2011), a fifty-minute documentary by director Akira Kurosawa's longtime translator Catherine Cadou, featuring interviews with filmmakers Theodoros Angelopoulos, Bernardo Bertolucci, Clint Eastwood, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Bong Joon-ho, Abbas Kiarostami, Hayao Miyazaki, Martin Scorsese, Julie Taymor, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, and John Woo
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri and Kurosawa's script for a never-filmed ninth dream, introduced by Nogami

BLU-RAY EDITION
SRP $39.95
STREET 11/15/16
CAT. NO. CC2696BD
ISBN 978-1-68143-224-3
UPC 7-15515-18871-5

PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE

Chaos lurks in every corner of this giddily off-kilter foray into romantic comedy by Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights). Struggling to cope with his erratic temper, novelty toilet plunger salesman Barry Egan (Adam Sandler, demonstrating remarkable versatility in his first dramatic role) spends his days collecting frequent-flyer-mile coupons and dodging the insults of his seven sisters. The promise of a new life emerges when Barry inadvertently attracts the affections of a mysterious woman named Lena (Emily Watson), but their budding relationship is threatened when he falls prey to the swindling operator of a phone sex line and her deranged boss (played with maniacal brio by Philip Seymour Hoffman). Fueled by the careening momentum of a baroque-futurist score by Jon Brion (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Magnolia), the Cannes-award-winning Punch-Drunk Love channels the spirit of classic Hollywood musicals and the whimsy of Jacques Tati into an idiosyncratic ode to the delirium of new romance.

2002 * 95 minutes * Color * 5.1 surround * 2.39:1 aspect ratio

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

4K digital transfer, supervised by director Paul Thomas Anderson, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Blossoms & Blood, a twelve-minute 2002 piece by Anderson featuring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson, along with music by Jon Brion
New interview with Brion
New piece featuring behind-the-scenes footage of a recording session for the film's soundtrack
New conversation between curators Michael Connor and Lia Gangitano about the art of Jeremy Blake
Additional artwork by Blake
Cannes press conference from 2002
NBC News interview from 2000 with David Phillips, "the pudding guy"
Twelve Scopitones
Deleted scenes
Mattress Man commercial
Trailers

BLU-RAY EDITION
SRP $39.95
STREET 11/15/16
CAT. NO. CC2698BD
ISBN 978-1-68143-226-7
UPC 7-15515-18891-3

ONE-EYED JACKS

A western like no other, One-Eyed Jacks combines the mythological scope of that most American of film genres with the searing naturalism of a performance by Marlon Brando (On the Waterfront, The Fugitive Kind), all suffused with Freudian overtones and male anxiety. In his only directing stint, Brando captures the rugged landscapes of California's Central Coast and Mexico's Sonoran Desert in gorgeous widescreen, Technicolor images, and elicits from his fellow actors (including Karl Malden and Pina Pellicer) nuanced improvisational depictions of conflicted characters. Though overwhelmed by its director's perfectionism and plagued by production setbacks and studio re-editing, One-Eyed Jacks stands as one of Brando's great achievements, thanks above all to his tortured turn as Rio, a bank robber bent on revenge against his one-time partner in crime, the aptly named Dad Longworth (Malden). Brooding and romantic, Rio marks the last, and perhaps the most tender, of the iconic outsiders Brando imbued with such remarkable intensity throughout his career.

1961 * 141 minutes * Color * Monaural * 1.85:1 aspect ratio

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

New 4K digital restoration, undertaken with the support of The Film Foundation and supervised by filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New introduction by Scorsese
Excerpts from voice-recordings director and star Marlon Brando made during the film's production
New video essays on the film's production history and its potent combination of the stage and screen icon Brando with the classic Hollywood western
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by film critic Howard Hampton

BLU-RAY EDITION
SRP $39.95
STREET 11/22/16
CAT. NO. CC2702BD
ISBN 978-1-68143-230-4
UPC 7-15515-18931-6

Pro-B