The Criterion Collection

[JHas]

Does anyone know who has the rights to "Stalker" in HD? I've heard rumors that Kino only has the rights to it in standard def.

[NeoMaximuz]

Always in for more Hitch!

[Arkadin]

FINALLY--The Tin Drum!
wow, it's been an epic wait for that one, but getting the new cut is very welcome.
very happy about that one coming + of course the Hitchcock and Tarkovsky.
overall, a very strong month and definitely gets CC off to a nice old school start to the new year.
I really hope CC continues to embrace old school in 2013 a lot more than they did this past year.

[starman15317]

Wow, Piña! Did not see that one coming! And it's in 3D!! I haven't actually seen it yet, but I'm very excited for Criterion's release. Of course, there are other Wenders films that need a Criterion treatment more, but I won't complain.

I haven't seen The Man Who Knew Too Much yet but I'm interested. I'm also interested in seeing Two Lane Blacktop.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by DarkRyder

The Director's Cut is the version the director had originally wanted, but was forced to cut it by the studio; I understand wanting to have the theatrical version, but I think the Director's Cut is the one to hold onto. It's the director's original vision and the one he wanted us to watch.

Gotta agree here. I consider it a similar situation to Lawrence of Arabia - the vast majority of people never saw the long form cut we know from the restoration in the theater. While there's clearly a shorter version, it ends up being irrelevant.

[Brad1963]

I really did not know what to expect going into 2013 and January's line up is terrific. Was expecting Tin Drum at some point but did not expect it so soon in the year, I almost bought the DVD for Ivan's Childhood during the flash sale glad I waited.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by captveg

Gotta agree here. I consider it a similar situation to Lawrence of Arabia - the vast majority of people never saw the long form cut we know from the restoration in the theater. While there's clearly a shorter version, it ends up being irrelevant.

I'd rather have both cuts any day. Just look at Amadeus. That release forces us to watch the director's cut, which the majority of people tend to pan and believe is inferior to the theatrical. Choice is good.

[RojD]

What a coup......Pina! This was one of the best films I saw last year, the more so since it shows some of the real potential of 3D. There is texture in the opening that you just wouldn't see in a 2D version and, well, I'll stop there. It's not flashy 3D, which you wouldn't expect from Wenders anyway. But it is so beautiful and so human. I don't even have a 3D TV, but a few more releases like this one and I'll have to start saving.

I'm in for all these BDs -- though I JUST bought Two-Lane. Fortunately, it's still in shrink wrap, so I'll sell it. Great month.

[bluskies]

I saw Pina in the theater and loathed every second of it. To those like abstract dance, you might find it interesting. But this is abstract abstract dancing!

The film is divided into sequences, including one where a dancer carries a large plant on her back, walking around a lake. That's it...just walking around a lake. Then there is the dancer who walks out into public holding out two pieces of liver in her hands, and yells, "This is liver!" She then proceeds to dance witht he liver in her shoes. Then there is --- oh, it just goes on and on.

This should not be a blind buy for anyone. You could love it, but you could also hate it as much as I did.. Rent it first. (I am a 3D collector but I will not have it anywhere within a mile of my collection.)

[joie]

I'll try to get my man-who-knew-too-much-ticket punched at the library. Dave Kehr writes of the 1934 original,

Although the film is fast and consistently clever, it is more deeply flawed than any other Hitchcock film of the period, failing to find a thematic connection between its imaginative set pieces.

and of the 1956 remake, directed by none other than Alfred Hitchcock, he writes:

The film is uncharacteristically rigid and pious for Hitchcock; it feels more like a work of duty than conviction.

I'll see whether what he says is true. As for buying, I think I'll have enough Hitchcock with Rebecca, Notorious, Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho. Well, maybe The Birds, too, but that mostly for the 1950s scenery, sets and costumes.

The library also has an Ivan's Childhood DVD (Criterion)!

As for The Tin Drum, if it was important enough to be written and talked about when it was shown theatrically, the theatrical release may be the preferred cut. If Günther Grass commented on the film's adaptation in the 1970s, what does he think of the new adapation? If the "director's cut" is not a different film, what was the point of doing a new cut?

Pina? A 3D Blu-ray? Interesting. I hope a review compares the 2D and 3D viewing experiences ... won't 2D equipment play 3D in 2D?

[captveg]

Originally Posted by joie

won't 2D equipment play 3D in 2D?

If the disc is programmed that way (which Pina will be).

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by captveg

No. There was a Canadian release, but not a US release.

And yes, Criterion's will be 3D.

Ahhh, that explains it captveg. Box sets of the 3D version of Pina were available almost everywhere up here only a few months ago. Glad I held off...

[dmarvin]

New Hitch!! Wow, what an awesome slate. Can't wait to get my hands on the Two-Lane Blacktop upgrade too!

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by RojD

What a coup......Pina! This was one of the best films I saw last year, the more so since it shows some of the real potential of 3D. There is texture in the opening that you just wouldn't see in a 2D version and, well, I'll stop there. It's not flashy 3D, which you wouldn't expect from Wenders anyway. But it is so beautiful and so human. I don't even have a 3D TV, but a few more releases like this one and I'll have to start saving.

I thought Wenders used dimensional photography even better in Cave of Forgotten Dreams RojD. I still won't invest in this gimmick for home viewing, but some theatrical uses have been interesting and shown promise, such as this unusual pair from Wenders.

[dsman71]

Well Im happy I got the Man Who Knew Too Much coming up. That makes 1 of the 3 I know they have and i want. I hope we will see Foreign Correspondent soon, and The Blob upgrade.
I wonder if they have the rights to release their own HD releases of Spellbound, Notorious, Robocop and Silence of the Lambs. Id be interested in the Furies but the DVD packaging is great with the book, I'd hate to have a smaller book and need a magnyfing glass to read it.
Great Expectations would be another one I hope to see in 2013, and Thief of Bagdad would be outstanding as well

[Darkcritic]

Great way to kick off 2013 ! Ivan's Childhood and Two-Lane Blacktop are the most exciting stuff. Pina is one title I was waiting for and I am happy to see it coming. Hope it is a sign for future Wenders to come (The American Friend). I have never seen The Tin Drum but it looks like a really welcomed upgrade and I will probably get it down the line. The only thing I am not excited for is The Man Who Knew Too Much but I have never been a Hitchcock fan so no big deal. Overall, a good way to start 2013 and hopefully an indication of things to come. A great month would be the inclusion of some World Cinema Foundation titles, here is hoping .

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Joy:
The Man Who Knew Too Much

Disappointment:
Two-Lane Blacktop and The Tin Drum were out on Blu-ray overseas last year;
Wenders but not the Wenders I've been waiting for

Rage:
Bought the Ivan's Childhood DVD during the flash sale

A nice line-up, though.

It's all part of the stew we call life, right?

Me, I'm interested in the Hitchcock but the others will need to compete against higher priority titles.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Disappointment:
Two-Lane Blacktop and The Tin Drum were out on Blu-ray overseas last year

In region-B locked versions.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

I thought Wenders used dimensional photography even better in Cave of Forgotten Dreams RojD. I still won't invest in this gimmick for home viewing, but some theatrical uses have been interesting and shown promise, such as this unusual pair from Wenders.

CoFD was Werner Herzog.
For going into caves, CoFD was filmed on handheld 3D home-cameras--and the 3D often had the same problem as watching folks' YouTube 3D home videos on a conversion set--but Herzog knew how to use depth to show the drawings following the curved contours of the walls, and give us a better perspective of space and claustrophobia at the same time.

Wenders is the OTHER German nut--I've only seen the Pina preview on a Best Buy 3D display, but even without the Chopped Liver Dance, my reaction was sort of...............speechless.
Seems like Criterion wants to do 3D to prove they can master Blu 3D, so wouldn't mind seeing another title to recoup their R&D costs--I wouldn't be in a rush to buy either of the Andy Warhol films, if it was the only other "art" titles they could restore, but maybe if they indulged in a bit of lost 50's Golden Age 3D, just as "film history".

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Disappointment:
Two-Lane Blacktop...

I would not rush to call this release a disappointment.

In fact, I expect it to be clearly better than the Eureka release - whose transfer reveals many traces of noise corrections. While on a relatively small screen (46-50) in motion they are not terribly distracting, I have to believe that if they are eliminated on the Criterion release the film will look substantially better, especially when projected. There is definitely quite a bit of room for improvement on this UK release, and if there is a label that can do it right, Criterion is definitely it.

Pro-B