The Criterion Collection

[jshaide]

This month is actually far more exciting to me than the very popular November and December.

[exzachary]

Originally Posted by Shanghai Express

The Winchester '73 release is so "2020s Criterion" coded. They sit on the title for over a decade, keeping an HD disc absent from the North American market all through the Blu-ray era and well into the 4K era, and when they finally release it there is only one (1) new bonus feature and it's not about the movie but about the portrayal of Native Americans in the western genre at large. Gimme a break. Happy it's here at last I guess.

I also hate how they get the rights to a lot of films from one director and then slooowly release each title one at a time. Satyajit Ray and Pedro Almodovar are two good examples.

[Areyakiddin]

Originally Posted by Shanghai Express

The Winchester '73 release is so "2020s Criterion" coded. They sit on the title for over a decade, keeping an HD disc absent from the North American market all through the Blu-ray era and well into the 4K era, and when they finally release it there is only one (1) new bonus feature and it's not about the movie but about the portrayal of Native Americans in the western genre at large. Gimme a break. Happy it's here at last I guess.

Hoping the rumor of Captain Blood including the silent version of The Sea Hawk is true, because A) that would be awesome in itself and B) including more movies seems to get Criterion more motivated to include additional bonus features.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Ishai

I'll add Yojimbo/Sanjuro to the list of upgrades to do during a future 50% sale (or maybe I'll wait for a potential Kurosawa 4K boxset)

I'm hoping for the BFI to put out remastered BD's of these from the new resto's, although it will mean having to keep the older Criterion blu's for the Stephen Prince commentaries.

[Danespina]

Winchester 73 was one of my biggest wants. Very happy about that.

[Alfredlynch]

None of these were on my personal wish list and I haven't any of the hm. But I dig the variety and unique choices here.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by Areyakiddin

Hoping the rumor of Captain Blood including the silent version of The Sea Hawk is true, because A) that would be awesome in itself and B) including more movies seems to get Criterion more motivated to include additional bonus features.

I think it would make more sense to include the 1924 silent version of Captain Blood instead. The Sea Hawk will most likely be a stand alone release, perhaps from WAC.

[ophone]

I'd like an upgrade from DVD to BD or even to UHD of Le deuxième souffle by Jean-Pierre Melville.
If I see right, there doesn't exist a French version of this film on BD, except the remake with Daniel Auteuil.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by exzachary

I also hate how they get the rights to a lot of films from one director and then slooowly release each title one at a time. Satyajit Ray and Pedro Almodovar are two good examples.

I don't know. We don't know any of the cases behind these. I'm sure they'd love to do a big Varda-style release all the time. But films are in vastly different conditions, just as a starter. Apu was never going to come out at the same time as The Music Room. And, like, Almodovar is an enormously busy filmmaker. He's going to make time when he has time, and usually, that means getting one film at a go. There's grading approval, there's extras, there's contributing to research, there's getting the access you want from studios - and double all that if it's an international film. Every release is a GIANT project.

I remember how it took Friedkin 2 years to come in and approve the HDR grade for the 4k of To Live and Die in LA. That is NORMAL.

[CRASHLANDING]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

I don't know. We don't know any of the cases behind these. I'm sure they'd love to do a big Varda-style release all the time. But films are in vastly different conditions, just as a starter. Apu was never going to come out at the same time as The Music Room. And, like, Almodovar is an enormously busy filmmaker. He's going to make time when he has time, and usually, that means getting one film at a go. There's grading approval, there's extras, there's contributing to research, there's getting the access you want from studios - and double all that if it's an international film. Every release is a GIANT project.

I remember how it took Friedkin 2 years to come in and approve the HDR grade for the 4k of To Live and Die in LA. That is NORMAL.

Yes, it always cracks me up how so many people complain about Criterion "sitting on" films, as if they have some reason to deliberately hold back releases out of spite or principles.

In reality, it's more likely some combination of license rights, availability and condition of film elements, restoration capabilities, director or other required approvals, and other resource constraints (staffing, money, production capacity, etc.) that makes some films take longer than expected. I'm just glad we continue to get great films every month even if some take longer than I'd like.

[KurtLazyhammer]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

I don't know. We don't know any of the cases behind these. I'm sure they'd love to do a big Varda-style release all the time. But films are in vastly different conditions, just as a starter. Apu was never going to come out at the same time as The Music Room. And, like, Almodovar is an enormously busy filmmaker. He's going to make time when he has time, and usually, that means getting one film at a go. There's grading approval, there's extras, there's contributing to research, there's getting the access you want from studios - and double all that if it's an international film. Every release is a GIANT project.

I remember how it took Friedkin 2 years to come in and approve the HDR grade for the 4k of To Live and Die in LA. That is NORMAL.

Friedkin’s approval process was abnormal. There’s a reason Bug, The Hunted, and Jade (rumored) came after he died. IIRC Bug was briefly dropped by KL after he dragged his feet with To Live And Die In LA before being reacquired after his death.

[Watershipdownisgood]

The transfers of the Val Lewton two film Blu-Ray are really nice definitely impressed by the work done on the transfers whoever did it they did a great job. Especially keeping the film grain, and the sound and picture quality is quite good very impressed by this transfer nice job Criterion.

[Watershipdownisgood]

Originally Posted by KurtLazyhammer

Friedkin’s approval process was abnormal. There’s a reason Bug, The Hunted, and Jade (rumored) came after he died. IIRC Bug was briefly dropped by KL after he dragged his feet with To Live And Die In LA before being reacquired after his death.

Kino's also doing Rampage too so that will be the last Friedkin title they put out. Honestly, I have no idea if Jades coming or not that just feels like at least currently a hugely rumored title so who knows if that’s getting released, or not there’s been no exact confirmation from any of the boutique labels yet at all. Heck if we do see it the labels I see being the most likely after Kino confirmed they didn’t have it are VS, Criterion, and Arrow Video maybe Shout! Factory I don’t know about that though. The thing is all we have for Jade is that Kino didn’t have the title so it might’ve gotten dropped by another label, but yeah I have no idea what’s going on with that title.

[exzachary]

Originally Posted by CRASHLANDING

Yes, it always cracks me up how so many people complain about Criterion "sitting on" films, as if they have some reason to deliberately hold back releases out of spite or principles.

In reality, it's more likely some combination of license rights, availability and condition of film elements, restoration capabilities, director or other required approvals, and other resource constraints (staffing, money, production capacity, etc.) that makes some films take longer than expected. I'm just glad we continue to get great films every month even if some take longer than I'd like.

No one said they do it out of spite or principles. If you have the rights to a film for 10 years and still haven't released it let someone else have it.

[MifuneFan]

All this talk about them sitting on it for ten years is comical at best. At the earliest, Winchester '73 would have come out is probably 2020, but it would have been a Blu-ray just like Destry Rides Again. And I wonder if people talking about them sitting on it for a decade would have preferred a DVD master to what we're getting now, because that's exactly what it would have been. There's more than enough films to keep me occupied so I vastly prefer they wait for a proper restoration to be done than putting out an old dated master.

[KurtLazyhammer]

Originally Posted by Watershipdownisgood

Kino's also doing Rampage too so that will be the last Friedkin title they put out. Honestly, I have no idea if Jades coming or not that just feels like at least currently a hugely rumored title so who knows if that’s getting released, or not there’s been no exact confirmation from any of the boutique labels yet at all. Heck if we do see it the labels I see being the most likely after Kino confirmed they didn’t have it are VS, Criterion, and Arrow Video maybe Shout! Factory I don’t know about that though. The thing is all we have for Jade is that Kino didn’t have the title so it might’ve gotten dropped by another label, but yeah I have no idea what’s going on with that title.

I also forgot Rules of Engagement is coming from KL next month too. Floodgates really opened up after they didn’t need his final approval on scans. Rampage had its own problems when it came to releasing in the first place, I don’t think the KL release has a date quite yet so it’s following in those footsteps. If I had to bet money on it, I’d put it on VS holding Jade’s rights.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Shanghai Express

The Winchester '73 release is so "2020s Criterion" coded. They sit on the title for over a decade, keeping an HD disc absent from the North American market all through the Blu-ray era and well into the 4K era, and when they finally release it there is only one (1) new bonus feature and it's not about the movie but about the portrayal of Native Americans in the western genre at large. Gimme a break. Happy it's here at last I guess.

Agreed. I'm not trying to turn a positive into a negative because I am thrilled it's finally coming out, but Criterion hasn't been producing a lot of quality special features lately. Labels like Arrow, Eureka and Indicator, are far outclassing Criterion these days with regards to extras.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by CRASHLANDING

In reality, it's more likely some combination of license rights, availability and condition of film elements, restoration capabilities, director or other required approvals, and other resource constraints (staffing, money, production capacity, etc.) that makes some films take longer than expected. I'm just glad we continue to get great films every month even if some take longer than I'd like.

I would definitely add market considerations to your list and trying to maximize the best timing for one release or another. Nowadays, Criterion also has to scrupulously insure none of their choices offend anyone in the slightest or go against any prevailing trends of social culture and, if possible, have material that corresponds or will somehow insinuate itself into those trends.

[Watershipdownisgood]

Originally Posted by KurtLazyhammer

I also forgot Rules of Engagement is coming from KL next month too. Floodgates really opened up after they didn’t need his final approval on scans. Rampage had its own problems when it came to releasing in the first place, I don’t think the KL release has a date quite yet so it’s following in those footsteps. If I had to bet money on it, I’d put it on VS holding Jade’s rights.

I need to pre-order Rules of Engagement immediately I completely forgot it was coming out at the beginning of next month that is such an underrated film.

[Shanghai Express]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

All this talk about them sitting on it for ten years is comical at best. At the earliest, Winchester '73 would have come out is probably 2020, but it would have been a Blu-ray just like Destry Rides Again. And I wonder if people talking about them sitting on it for a decade would have preferred a DVD master to what we're getting now, because that's exactly what it would have been. There's more than enough films to keep me occupied so I vastly prefer they wait for a proper restoration to be done than putting out an old dated master.

They’ve definitely had it for a decade at least, or else Kino or Arrow would have put it out at their earliest convenience. Even if those labels had preferred to wait to use the Film Foundation restoration, they likely would have released it at a date much closer to its 2019 completion than a full five years later alongside a single newly produced, all too eggheady featurette which can’t possibly have taken a half decade for Criterion to cook up. This title simply wasn’t a priority for them, which is a shame. In this age of streaming ubiquity and dwindling physical media consumption, Criterion may not exactly be doing these old movies a complete disservice by keeping quality discs off the market (that would have been the case in 2005) but they’re certainly doing them no favors either.