The Criterion Collection

[acroyear2]

Maybe its just me but as a consumer I never thought of Criterion as an exclusive club as to what is worthy as art. I only thought of their selections as "well, another movie is going to get a nice physical release" and nothing more.

[AllAboutMatt]

Originally Posted by acroyear2

Maybe its just me but as a consumer I never thought of Criterion as an exclusive club as to what is worthy as art. I only thought of their selections as "well, another movie is going to get a nice physical release" and nothing more.

Yeah, I never thought that if a film was excluded it was because it's "not worthy". It's a lot more complicated than that. Licensing for one thing.

[Rayjg]

It seems to me that the real problem here is studios, like Lionsgate, who have thousands of films they are just sitting on. Criterion can’t force them or anyone else to license titles to them. Many labels would like to tap Lionsgate and many others that don’t play ball.

[jedidarrick]

I'd love for Hellzapoppin' to get a Criterion release....or any release.

Whiteys Lindy Hoppers .. Hellzapoppin. - YouTube

[DaBargainHunta]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

I'd buy that. I can't believe he (she?) hasn't directed any "serious" films. Perry's performance in Gone Girl was quite good.

Originally Posted by jayembee

Define "serious". He's done more than just the Madea films. He's also done a few thrillers, though they haven't been especially well received (and like his Madea films, they don't look to be films that I would enjoy).

Someone previously mentioned For Colored Girls, which would probably count as "serious". But that's another Lionsgate-owned film.

I was going to mention For Colored Girls again, but jayembee replied before I could. I remember it being acclaimed, but I haven't seen it.

I've also avoided most of the Madea movies, for obvious reasons.

I like Tyler Perry's family comedies/dramas. I haven't seen any of the thrillers yet.

He was the best part of Gone Girl IMO and I thought he was a better Alex Cross than Morgan Freeman (even though, obviously, the Freeman movies are far superior).

Of course, none of these have a chance in hell of ending up in the Collection. I could see Precious making it, where he was one of several producers but I don't believe he had much (if any) direct involvement. For Colored Girls, maybe, if it's as good and acclaimed as I remember hearing it was. Edit: I just looked on Rotten Tomatoes and it's at 32%, so I must have remembered incorrectly.

[FragnitoM]

Anyone mentioning Vondie Curtis-Hall's Gridlock'd? I'd love a bluray of that. Love me some Tim Roth and 2Pac

[happydood]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Casino got some negative reviews for very specific reasons. Namely, that critics felt it was just a more technically accomplished version of Goodfellas in a different setting. They also objected to some of the language and violence. Over time its reputation improved as people started evaluating it outside of the context of its initial release, in addition to it being one of the last great crime films made at an American studio, if not the very last great one. Carlito's Way's reputation also improved over time for similar reasons.

The Irishman doesn't really have anything distinctive about it other than its effects. It is a pretty generic film in terms of tone and style, and I don't think you could argue that there is anything truly masterful in it, especially by Scorsese's standards. No great standout shots or scenes or anything really. The 'It is what it is' scene is quite good, but that is mostly due to the actors, and it verges on parody.

I'll admit that I liked it somewhat more on second viewing, but I really suspect that the high praise bestowed upon it was mostly the result of scarcity. i.e the lack of truly good films being made in the US right now, combined with the fact that it's a 'last hurrah' of sorts for a generation of veteran talents.

Wow, I loved The Irishman through and through for it's very specific style and elegiac tone. The hype around it was so great that some disappointment was inevitable and while I respect your opinion, I absolutely think it's going to be considered the exclamation mark on all of his crime pictures.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

For Colored Girls, maybe, if it's as good and acclaimed as I remember hearing it was. Edit: I just looked on Rotten Tomatoes and it's at 32%, so I must have remembered incorrectly.

Or not. It appears to be one of those films with a disconnect between critics and audiences. The 32% is the critics' score; audience score is 73%.

For what it's worth, its score on IMDb is 6.1/10.

[JackBros]

I think a lot of problems comes from people's perceptions that Criterion is the be all end all for movie releases. That for a film to really "matter" and be seen as important the Collection needs to be the one to put out the film. This might be due in some way to how Criterion markets itself, but I put more of the blame on people taking that marketing to the extreme and getting tunnel vision.

It is a ludicrous idea to think that just because one label doesn't put out a film and instead another does suddenly that film loses value. Casablanca is one of the most enduring classics that even someone not into film knows about, yet because one company didn't put out a release that doesn't matter? I bet Criterion would love to put the film out under its label, but I can't see the rights holders ever okaying it and frankly I don't think it needs a Criterion release. You could list off hundreds of films that have not received a Criterion release that are just as good/important as those in the collection.

People get way too caught up in the prestige of brands rather than the quality of releases. I'm tired of people thinking that their favorite movie not getting a Criterion release somehow reflects poorly on the film and that they need a release to validate their "good tastes" in cinema. IMO Parasite didn't need a Criterion release given the releases it already had, but people wanted it in for the perceived prestige the Criterion logo gives. Films don't need a Criterion release to prove their worth.

When I read about how Dance, Girl, Dance was this close to having its nitrate negatives lost to the void and it was only due to Criterion deciding to release the film when they did that they managed to salvage some of it; Those are the releases I want Criterion to strive to put out. Films that have been neglected for who knows how many years and have quietly rotted away. I've grown to become quite a fan of WAC for their strive to put out new restorations of their back catalogue and not just their biggest sellers or most popular titles. This feeling extends to all the other boutique labels that put out high quality releases of previously neglected films.

I'm sorry that this turned into a mini rant but its been really starting to bug me about Criterion collectors as I've started to look into other labels, especially Region B releases that are sometimes better than what Criterion puts out. Feel a bit better now after getting that out of my system.

[bluDOMray]

'Devil in a Blue Dress'

[keke]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

I bought Eve's Bayou on DVD a couple of years ago. I still need to watch it, but from what I've heard, it's excellent.

What do you guys think of the following African-American titles as potential future Criterions?

South Central: To me, this is the best - and most underrated - of the "black gangsta" flicks that were a genre unto themselves in the 1990s. Warner has the rights, so it seems unlikely, but who knows.

Down in the Delta: This used to be on the Channel, and it's quite good. Boasts an all-star cast of prominent black actors, including Alfre Woodard and Wesley Snipes, and it was directed by no less than Maya Angelou. I believe this is with Lionsgate.

Been awhile but I remember agreeing with you about South Central. Not sure how much was due to Glenn Plummer as I recall he was terrific (not a rarity).

Down in the Delta I thought was decent but the person I watched it with loved it.

I actually liked Eve's Bayou the least of those three but I don't often line up with a number of films that are highly regarded so it was probably me.

A couple I'd love are two Mario Van Peebles films Baadasssss, a definite, and Panther. Panther was not treated well on home video and I don't recall it being overwhelming well received but, at the least, would inspire some terrific extras and I remember finding the film very worthwhile.

Another that comes to mind for me is Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991). I would say Beloved but I'm not sure if that would qualify (and is Disney owned). I always thought that was very underated.

Has anyone found a quality source for films by black directors? This is the best I have located so far.

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls05827570...num_votes,desc

There are some worthy TV movies and mini-series, mostly from HBO, but maybe The Book of Negroes? I'd like to see someone release a couple other Clement Virgo films like Rude which I remember thinking was pretty unique at the time. Never saw The Planet of Junior Brown.

[Scottie]

I'm really surprised Streetwise and Tiny have not been released yet.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by Scottie

I'm really surprised Streetwise and Tiny have not been released yet.

Same, one of my most anticipated releases. I thought we'd see it pretty soon after the theatrical tour, so goodness knows what the hold up is.

[KingOfBunnies]

So, the other day I bought My Own Private Idaho on blu-ray and I gotta say, the transfer is gorgeous. I really like how it came out. I don't own a lot of Criterion sets not for any reason, it just happened to be that way. I most likely plan on getting the Criterion releases of Blue Velvet and Short Cuts when I get the chance.

[cgpublic]

A group of individuals spend 36 years building a company, and taking the associated risks, to support exceptional cinema.

Two individuals, along with the editorial staff of the New York Times, determine that their company is guilty of 'gatekeeping' and scribe a disingenuous article to further their agenda. I state disingenuous because of the complete omission of the underlying dynamics of how films are not only made, but also the historical composition of their respective audiences and related commercial considerations.

If anyone believes that the writers and those who support 'cancel culture' will be happy with a few more titles by Black directors in the Criterion Collection, as a reflection of the ample suggestions in this thread, trust me when I tell you that your naiveté is about to be exposed in full:

[exzachary]

Bullying a private company into buying your product; how is that any different than what the mafia used to do?

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

A group of individuals spend 36 years building a company, and taking the associated risks, to support exceptional cinema.

Two individuals, along with the editorial staff of the New York Times, determine that their company is guilty of 'gatekeeping' and scribe a disingenuous article to further their agenda. I state disingenuous because of the complete omission of the underlying dynamics of how films are not only made, but also the historical composition of their respective audiences and related commercial considerations.

If anyone believes that the writers and those who support 'cancel culture' will be happy with a few more titles by Black directors in the Criterion Collection, as a reflection of the ample suggestions in this thread, trust me when I tell you that your naiveté is about to be exposed in full:

[Show spoiler]

Boyz n the Hood
She's Gotta Have It
Menace II Society
Dead Presidents
Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song

These are LaserDisc titles they released that weren't upgraded to DVD or Blu-ray (as far as I know). There are 4 African American directors represented in 384 titles. There are 3 times as many films in the current collection with the same number of represented American directors.

It wouldn't be a case of them re-releasing these films (thought Dead Presidents has no Blu-ray release), just the fact that they could release more films from African American directors.

It's not about calling them "gatekeepers" or supporting "cancel culture", it's about a company who has a reputation for selecting "important classic and contemporary films" can't find a few more from African American directors.

For a company that's released both Tiny Furniture and Wildlife (nothing against either film), you can't seriously think there haven't been African American directed films that couldn't meet the criteria. And there's been plenty of good examples in this thread.

[UnionJackMix]

I wish people would stop trying to force their beliefs not only down people's throats but also company's choices in what business to make.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by UnionJackMix

I wish people would stop trying to force their beliefs not only down people's throats but also company's choices in what business to make.

The company itself accepts suggestions on its website.

[ravenus]

It's good that they're taking suggestions but in the end Criterion is not some essential / public service that needs to adhere to any social / cultural guidelines in their output. Also the byline is misleading in that it suggests all their other releases are by Caucasian film-makers. The total number of non-white directors in the Collection would definitely be healthier than if you only consider Afro-Americans.