The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Geneviève, mon amour. Je t'aime.

[Hoffer]

Today I got below from B&N.

I Walked with a Zombie/The Seventh Victim
Gummo
Cat People

I also have Demon Pond coming from Amazon. Also pre-ordered Paper Moon.

Good chance I'll order 1 or 2 more this month. Going back and forth on picking up, Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood

[ophone]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It looks like we're almost certainly getting a new 4K release next year.

I've already preordered the French version, it should arrive in early January.
But unfortunately for most of you here, it doesn't seem to have English.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by javy

If I could choose a Disney owned film to be released, I would chooses Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Great choice!

I would probably pick SONG OF THE SOUTH, not only because I love it, but also because I think it would bring the company back at least a little bit to the spirit of its founder and namesake.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Good news, The Wages of Fear is being featured on the main page at Janus Films! It's page also has new stills, and press notes as well. It looks like we're almost certainly getting a new 4K release next year.

https://www.janusfilms.com/films/1065

In case anyone is wondering, I recently watched the BFI 4K of WAGES and it looked spectacular to me. I'm not a pixel counter or grain doctor though so YMMV! So if you're not a soiled dove for Criterion, you can buy the BFI with confidence. Plus you get a 90 minute audio interview with Yves Montand!

[RojD]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Great choice!

I would probably pick SONG OF THE SOUTH, not only because I love it, but also because I think it would bring the company back at least a little bit to the spirit of its founder and namesake.

Not sure we're ready for a return to the self-satisified racism and misogyny of 1923....but I am starting to wonder. It might indeed be a good time for Song of the South, LOL!

[Egbert Souse]

Song of the South would sell extremely well, but it's an incredibly mediocre film that wouldn't be so desired if it wasn't out of circulation. Not to mention the whining we'd get in this thread when they include a thoughtful piece on its depiction of racial stereotypes and the reconstruction-era South.

Give me a multi-disc dual format Fantasia with a myriad of cuts and mixes instead. An actual masterpiece and arguably the finest animated feature ever made.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

Song of the South would sell extremely well, but it's an incredibly mediocre film that wouldn't be so desired if it wasn't out of circulation. Not to mention the whining we'd get in this thread when they include a thoughtful piece on its depiction of racial stereotypes and the reconstruction-era South.

Give me a multi-disc dual format Fantasia with a myriad of cuts and mixes instead. An actual masterpiece and arguably the finest animated feature ever made.

I totally disagree. I find SONG OF THE SOUTH to be a very charming and heartfelt, poignant story about a child’s loneliness and need for direction in his life. That he finds this in the philosophical teachings of an older Black man makes the story even more inspiring. I’m not sure how fulfilling your own childhood was, but I think the character of the boy in this story and all his fears of fitting in and finding his happy place coming from practically loveless parents is something many children can relate to on more than one level. Some contextual elaboration can discuss the racism, but the focus of the film is about something Walt Disney excelled at, a true identifiable and relatable tale of being young and navigating the world you’ve been dealt. Contrary to your “mediocre” description, I find the film and most of its elements sublime. I don’t think kids today would have the patience for it, but its story is timeless. As for the elephant in the room with the racist ideas, like I said, they could be explained as other studios have done with now problematic archival materials.

I recommend this sweet movie to everyone reading this and then tell me why it’s mediocre or anymore offensive than a Fred Astaire blackface number or average episode of IN LIVING COLOR.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by RojD

Not sure we're ready for a return to the self-satisified racism and misogyny of 1923....but I am starting to wonder. It might indeed be a good time for Song of the South, LOL!

Why 1923?

[BorisKarloffice]

Originally Posted by BrokenGlass41

To be clear, I’m not blaming Criterion per se. UHD as a format is climbing a steep enough hill as is, and more and more releases are coming out minus an HDR grade, which is probably the reason that people upgrade. It’s especially important for older films where the elements aren’t necessarily in the best condition and the resolution bump isn’t really there. If they want people to upgrade to 4K there needs to be more reason. If I update my Seven Samurai Blu-ray it’ll be to the BFI edition. I’m not paying extra for (relatively) not much. I’ll probably pick up Scarface and the two other Kurosawas in the future, but the incentive to buy them over the Blu-rays is severely cut down.

Except older films weren't shown with HDR in theaters.

10-bit rec 709 can provide a pretty damn good approximation of what projected 35mm looks like. 35mm never had blazing bright highlights like people expect now on every UHD disc. Christopher Nolan movies always have very conservative grades on UHD because they're designed to match the way they look projected on film.

Film grain looks great in 4K. Digitally shot movies, I usually can't tell any difference in resolution from 2K to 4K. But movies shot on film, the grain is just better in 4K, unless someone messed up. So I don't care if the elements are in bad shape. If the 4K is available and hasn't been DNR'd to hell, I'll usually take it, HDR or not. And with HDR, more conservative grades are always better for older movies anyway.

[WillieMLF]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

Song of the South would sell extremely well, but it's an incredibly mediocre film that wouldn't be so desired if it wasn't out of circulation. Not to mention the whining we'd get in this thread when they include a thoughtful piece on its depiction of racial stereotypes and the reconstruction-era South.

Give me a multi-disc dual format Fantasia with a myriad of cuts and mixes instead. An actual masterpiece and arguably the finest animated feature ever made.

I would disagree with mediocrity. James Baskett has been utterly forgotten, and the guy was an Oscar winner. It's interesting to say this was long before Poitier. The animation is also pretty great. I may be misremembering, but didn't Stan and Ollie work on the animation? Steve over at Thunderbean had a really good write up on it years back.

[Scottie]

Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Closet Picks - YouTube

[nicwood]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

In case anyone is wondering, I recently watched the BFI 4K of WAGES and it looked spectacular to me. I'm not a pixel counter or grain doctor though so YMMV! So if you're not a soiled dove for Criterion, you can buy the BFI with confidence. Plus you get a 90 minute audio interview with Yves Montand!

It’s a brilliant disc. Fidelity in Motion did the encoding, so everything’s perfect on that end. It’s also got Dolby Vision, which may not be the case with Criterion.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Good news, The Wages of Fear is being featured on the main page at Janus Films! It's page also has new stills, and press notes as well. It looks like we're almost certainly getting a new 4K release next year.

https://www.janusfilms.com/films/1065

Excellent news! Must mean that it may be on track for sometime in the near future. thanks.

[Plain Jane]

My second order. I had $10 of rewards to spend at Barnes and Noble.

Scarface [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray]
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray]

[DukeTogo84]

BFI is releasing Stray Dog on Blu-ray soon, so really hope Criterion follow suit and gives this one a release as well.

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by WillieMLF

I would disagree with mediocrity. James Baskett has been utterly forgotten, and the guy was an Oscar winner. It's interesting to say this was long before Poitier. The animation is also pretty great. I may be misremembering, but didn't Stan and Ollie work on the animation? Steve over at Thunderbean had a really good write up on it years back.

Anything with Uncle Remus and the animation portions are fantastic. Unfortunately, there's a good third of the movie that isn't either. It's been maybe five or so years since I've rewatched it, but I remembered it being dire when it wasn't animated or Baskett wasn't on screen.

[Watershipdownisgood]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

BFI is releasing Stray Dog on Blu-ray soon, so really hope Criterion follow suit and gives this one a release as well.

I have a feeling they will, and BFI will most likely upgrade Drunken Angel, Red Beard, and the Bad Sleep Well in 2025. Criterion obviously will follow suit, and it's about time they do that as it has been a long time coming for this. As far as Dersu Ursala though I have a feeling it'll be a couple of years before that one gets upgraded. That being said, of course I'll be buying Stray Dog from BFI on Blu-Ray so I'll be pre-ordering that when I get paid again.

[alexrinse]

Originally Posted by Scottie

Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Closet Picks - YouTube

Her picks:

1. Chicken Run
2. Kentucky Fried Movie
3. Robber's Roost

etc.

[mande2013]

And I’m guessing even Criterion will go Blu-ray only for The Bad Sleep Well considering the available elements for that film.