The Criterion Collection

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by CinemaBlu

I saw The Funeral on TCM a few years ago and was hoping that Criterion would pick up the rights. It’s a great film. I’ll be grabbing a copy for sure.

Someone else kind of mentioned it, but yeah, I know someone who worked at Criterion for a while, and a few years back, they pretty much confirmed to me that the label has/had U.S. home video rights to ALL 10 of Juzo Itami's films. I'm a huge fan and had to acquire them "elsewhere" through the years. My greatest wish would be that THE FUNERAL sells well enough to encourage Criterion to just do a Box Set of them all! Even the Japanese Blus are Out-of-Print! These are all WONDERFUL films and it's an absolute CRIME that his films aren't accessible on any continent. They are easily understandable across cultures and I would say that many of the dilemmas they deal with are universally relatable! And aesthetically, of course, they are all beautifully shot, designed, and acted! As his films progressed, he would often appear in teaser trailers for them himself! He was a modern Hitchcock, in that sense! I'm sure he had many more brilliant films in him. A great loss.

Originally Posted by spf781

Strong lineup in May. Definitely down for Double Indemnity in 4K.

Three Wilder titles on UHD in 2022 so far. Could "Sunset Boulevard" be lurking on the horizon somewhere?

I was just thinking the other day when going through Von Stroheim's filmography -- "Sunset Boulevard" has got to be on tap for 4K this year. I'd bet money on it. I'm amazed that it isn't already, no matter who releases it.

[yoloswegmaster420]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

Yeah, why couldn't Criterion pony up the money to get the director of 'Double Indemnity' to do a commentary track like those other movies. That's not a pointless complaint at all, that's clearly constructive criticism that you're offering up, comparing a movie from the '40's to recent movies where the creative people are still alive to talk about it.

They are clearly right, Criterion need create new commentaries for these older films by pulling out the ol' Ouija board and contacting the spirits of dead directors and stars.

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

They are clearly right, Criterion need create new commentaries for these older films by pulling out the ol' Ouija board and contacting the spirits of dead directors and stars.

I'd listen to that

[latehong]

In for all five. I really love the curtural diversity Criterion pursues lately.

That said, who has Abel Ferrara's The Funeral (1996) anyway? (Arrow would be ideal...)

[TheArgentinian]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

Yeah, why couldn't Criterion pony up the money to get the director of 'Double Indemnity' to do a commentary track like those other movies. That's not a pointless complaint at all, that's clearly constructive criticism that you're offering up, comparing a movie from the '40's to recent movies where the creative people are still alive to talk about it.

I never singled out DI, smartass. I said lately. How many "NEW" next to an audio commentary have you seen?

[TheArgentinian]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

They are clearly right, Criterion need create new commentaries for these older films by pulling out the ol' Ouija board and contacting the spirits of dead directors and stars.

Another stand up comedian over here. Are cast and crew the only commentaries you know?

[sabdo]

Great month. I have a single strange little gripe — I don't know if you could even call it a gripe, really — and it has to do with the Mr. Klein release.

There are two documentaries about Joseph Losey which I think would've made excellent additions to the release. One, an eponymously titled filmed interview from 1971 produced for the television show Cinéastes de notre temps (episodes of which have turned up on Criterion releases in the past) but never completed or released until decades later; the other, an obscure film called Joseph Losey: The Man with Four Names, by director Hideo Nakata, of Ring fame. I'm sure there might be licensing issues behind the scenes which might have precluded the inclusion of one or both, and obviously I don't know if it was ever in consideration, but I'd really like to see these docs land somewhere. Hopefully, if Criterion is sitting on The Servant, they'll include either or both with that release.

[jkoffman]

Originally Posted by mmarczi

There are some films with 5 commentaries out there. Who the hell is going to sit through five different commentaries of a modern movie?

I bet if they marketed them as "podcasts" a lot of people would listen.

[The Sovereign]

This May slate is going to be a solid chunk of my B&N sale budget in July. And that's fine.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by TheArgentinian

I never singled out DI, smartass. I said lately. How many "NEW" next to an audio commentary have you seen?

Please stop it, you're embarrassing yourself. There are plenty of new commentary tracks, just in the last few months alone. And there are also several other releases that do have archive commentaries, but they're from the likes of Scorsese, Campion, and Alex Cox among others (i.e. the directors of the films). so no "NEW" commentary will likely better any of those. To put it lightly, bashing included commentaries because they're not NEW, or actually using that as a reason to call Criterion "lazy af" is beyond ridiculous.


Citizen Kane - Three audio commentaries: from 2021 featuring Orson Welles scholars James Naremore and Jonathan Rosenbaum; from 2002 featuring filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich; and from 2002 featuring film critic Roger Ebert
Dick Johnson is Dead - New audio commentary featuring Johnson, cowriter and editor Nels Bangerter, and documentary sound recordist Judy Karp
Time - New audio commentary featuring director Garrett Bradley
Love Jones - New audio commentary featuring Witcher
Mississippi Masala - New audio commentary featuring Nair
The Incredible Shrinking Man - New audio commentary featuring genre-film historian Tom Weaver and horror-music expert David Schecter
Beasts of No Nation - New audio commentary featuring Fukunaga and first assistant director Jon Mallard

And can we stop acting like a NEW commentary track is the end-all be-all? Criterion has recorded a new conversation for Double Indemnity between Imogen Sara Smith , and Eddie Muller that will probably be just as insightful, if not moreso than a new commentary track would be.

[Flex_MythoMass]

Can't we all just remember the words of the reverend King.

[Mushi Minion]

I’ve never seen Double Indemnity, but it’s a goddamn farce that Criterion didn’t pay me to do a commentary track for their upcoming 4k release.

[BenOswald]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Please stop it, you're embarrassing yourself. There are plenty of new commentary tracks, just in the last few months alone. And there are also several other releases that do have archive commentaries, but they're from the likes of Scorsese, Campion, and Alex Cox among others (i.e. the directors of the films). so no "NEW" commentary will likely better any of those. To put it lightly, bashing included commentaries because they're not NEW, or actually using that as a reason to call Criterion "lazy af" is beyond ridiculous.


Citizen Kane - Three audio commentaries: from 2021 featuring Orson Welles scholars James Naremore and Jonathan Rosenbaum; from 2002 featuring filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich; and from 2002 featuring film critic Roger Ebert
Dick Johnson is Dead - New audio commentary featuring Johnson, cowriter and editor Nels Bangerter, and documentary sound recordist Judy Karp
Time - New audio commentary featuring director Garrett Bradley
Love Jones - New audio commentary featuring Witcher
Mississippi Masala - New audio commentary featuring Nair
The Incredible Shrinking Man - New audio commentary featuring genre-film historian Tom Weaver and horror-music expert David Schecter
Beasts of No Nation - New audio commentary featuring Fukunaga and first assistant director Jon Mallard

And can we stop acting like a NEW commentary track is the end-all be-all? Criterion has recorded a new conversation for Double Indemnity between Imogen Sara Smith , and Eddie Muller that will probably be just as insightful, if not moreso than a new commentary track would be.

Thanks for this list. You have to admit their production of commentary tracks has certainly waned lately. It used to be their hallmark feature, and now it seems to bit of an outlier. Your list above is probably about 10-15% of the releases in the time period. Like the original poster said, this is alot less than, say, Kino for example, who has a commentary for many many releases. Probably easier to achieve, since their catalogue is relatively older and they draw scholars instead of the active filmmakers.

All this being said, when I saw Double Indemnity pop up, one of the first things I hoped for was a Imogen Sarah Smith commentary, since she's so articulate and illuminating. but yeah, I'm totally looking forward to her convo with Eddie Muller as well!

[jkoffman]

Originally Posted by TheArgentinian

Why did they stop recording new commentaries? They are all archival. Lazy af when you compare them to other boutique labels

NEW commentary ≠ Good commentary

Originally Posted by TheArgentinian

Man, you were not kidding with the amount of silence. Terrible disappointing commentary. For someone who is funny, I was expecting a lot more. He literally has nothing to say except when he calls a cast member.

I'd much prefer archival commentary by key creators or peers than new for the sake of new.

[TheArgentinian]

Originally Posted by BenOswald

Thanks for this list. You have to admit their production of commentary tracks has certainly waned lately. It used to be their hallmark feature, and now it seems to bit of an outlier. Your list above is probably about 10-15% of the releases in the time period. Like the original poster said, this is alot less than, say, Kino for example, who has a commentary for many many releases. Probably easier to achieve, since their catalogue is relatively older and they draw scholars instead of the active filmmakers.

Shhh, you can't criticize CC or ask for anything here. They do nothing wrong and you should be on your knees thanking what they offer us.

[Mushi Minion]

Originally Posted by TheArgentinian

Shhh, you can't criticize CC or ask for anything here. They do nothing wrong and you should be on your knees thanking what they offer us.

What are you talking about? Several of us agreed that Criterion should have busted out the ouija board to channel the spirit of Billy Wilder and record a new commentary track. Yeesh, talk about paranoid.

[jkoffman]

Originally Posted by TheArgentinian

Shhh, you can't criticize CC or ask for anything here. They do nothing wrong and you should be on your knees thanking what they offer us.

No need to gaslight here and double down. Your complaint that no new commentaries exist is based on a lie. You could have simply said you're disappointed that there are less new commentary tracks and I'd agree with you, but I guess you were just being lazy AF?

[TheArgentinian]

Originally Posted by Mushi Minion

What are you talking about? Several of us agreed that Criterion should have busted out the ouija board to channel the spirit of Billy Wilder and record a new commentary track. Yeesh, talk about paranoid.

Third time this joke was made. Get new material, Louis CK.

[BenOswald]

TBH, I was also kinda hoping for a new Joseph McBride commentary on Double Indemnity.

His Billy Wilder commentaries are top notch.

[yoloswegmaster420]

Originally Posted by Mushi Minion

What are you talking about? Several of us agreed that Criterion should have busted out the ouija board to channel the spirit of Billy Wilder and record a new commentary track. Yeesh, talk about paranoid.

I'm mainly angry that Le Big C didn't bother getting a commentary from the crack-head down the street who's always yelling in the faces of strangers.