The Criterion Collection

[CinemaFirst]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

So, being the fan I am of Alfred Hitchcock and Carole Lombard, both, I decided to give Hitch’s lone foray into comedy a try, and I’ve laughed several times while doing so. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the penultimate film of the great Carole Lombard’s career, deserves a blu-Ray release, and I’d love for Criterion to do it. It’s marks an historical curiosity in the Master of Suspense’s career, and it’s a melancholy experience, knowing Lombard would be gone less than a year after its release. However, I feel it’s deserving on its own merits. Lombard and Robert Montgomery are quite good together as the lovey-dovey-turned-pugilistic couple.

What do you guys think? About the film, itself, and the likelihood of Criterion releasing it? Hitch only made it as a favor to his friend Carole, but I think it’s a largely successful screwball-esque comedy that deserves to be seen. The opportunity for film historians to comment on this oddity within Hitchcock’s career would make for some compelling extras, methinks. Plus, it would be a wonderful homage to the career of a lady who died in the service of her country.

Agreed, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a wonderful surprise, I had no idea Hitch had it in him.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

For the record, I would happily donate any internal organ I have two of to keep Mr. Scorsese alive and in good health. Not only is he a tremendous filmmaker, a man whose vision has provided all of us with countless hours of entertainment over the years, but, imho, more importantly, the work he's done championing the preservation of film history makes him absolutely irreplaceable. The art form we all love could not possibly have a better steward. His tireless work ensures that our children, and countless generations after we are all long gone will be able to enjoy, and appreciate so much of the great art that has been produced in the last century plus. And I cannot help but smile knowing that.

He and Kevin Brownlow are irreplaceable.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I think you'll really enjoy it! It's obviously so beautifully shot, and seeing all of that on a big screen is really something else.

As for streaming, I've sort of come to be addicted to some Netflix original content. I mean, lord only knows how long I would have had to wait to see Roma for example. And To the Bone, while no Cuaròn masterpiece obviously was quite the engaging and fairly disturbing film with some excellent performances. And Netflix and Amazon Prime give me the opportunity to watch stuff in which I have little to no interest in owning. So it's a definite win-win.

Roma is not a Netflix original, they bought distribution rights but they did not produce the film like To The Bone.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

So, being the fan I am of Alfred Hitchcock and Carole Lombard, both, I decided to give Hitch’s lone foray into comedy a try, and I’ve laughed several times while doing so. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the penultimate film of the great Carole Lombard’s career, deserves a blu-Ray release, and I’d love for Criterion to do it.

Is The Trouble with Harry not a comedy?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by nitin

Roma is not a Netflix original, they bought distribution rights but they did not produce the film like To The Bone.

Netflix Original is a branding that's synonomous with being exclusive to them (at least streaming and in that country). Roma, like many other acquisitions, is still technically labeled as a Netflix Original.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Not being subjected to the whims of streaming content providers is a truly wonderful thing!

Plus, with physical media you get to watch a film in its intended aspect ratio 99% of the time - which is my favourite dead horse to flog in regard to the vagaries of streaming.

[latehong]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Is The Trouble with Harry not a comedy?

Yeah, it's a comedy, but not a downright classical screwball comedy theater dreamer said.

Then again, romance and comedy usually take a huge part in a Hitchcock film. Actually, one might even argue that a pure thriller/horror like Psycho is rather an exception in his oeuvre.

Anyway, I'd love to see a Criterion release of Mr & Mrs. Smith, too, but frankly, that doesn't seem likely. A Warner Archive Collection release, perhaps?

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

So, being the fan I am of Alfred Hitchcock and Carole Lombard, both, I decided to give Hitch’s lone foray into comedy a try, and I’ve laughed several times while doing so. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the penultimate film of the great Carole Lombard’s career, deserves a blu-Ray release, and I’d love for Criterion to do it. It’s marks an historical curiosity in the Master of Suspense’s career, and it’s a melancholy experience, knowing Lombard would be gone less than a year after its release. However, I feel it’s deserving on its own merits. Lombard and Robert Montgomery are quite good together as the lovey-dovey-turned-pugilistic couple.

What do you guys think? About the film, itself, and the likelihood of Criterion releasing it? Hitch only made it as a favor to his friend Carole, but I think it’s a largely successful screwball-esque comedy that deserves to be seen. The opportunity for film historians to comment on this oddity within Hitchcock’s career would make for some compelling extras, methinks. Plus, it would be a wonderful homage to the career of a lady who died in the service of her country.

Hitchcock is my favourite director, but I find Mr. & Mrs. Smith to be a misjudgment - both in terms of the suitability of screwball comedy as Hitch material, and in its execution.

It's not unwatchable - mostly due to its star power. But I do find it almost wholly unsuccessful, with nothing of directorial interest. In a list of his "American" films, I would unequivocally place it at the bottom.

But it does need a BD release. And as a completist, I would absolutely buy it.

A Criterion wouldn't be out of place - given their experience with Hitch, and the fact they have some familiarity with this type of material.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by nitin

Roma is not a Netflix original, they bought distribution rights but they did not produce the film like To The Bone.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Netflix Original is a branding that's synonomous with being exclusive to them (at least streaming and in that country). Roma, like many other acquisitions, is still technically labeled as a Netflix Original.

Yes, I meant it in the more general sense. If I see the red "Netflix" I consider it Original, even if, as you say, technically it isn't. My real point is that if I didn't have Netflix, I still wouldn't have seen this masterpiece (it was my #1 movie from last year, by a mile).

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Hitchcock is my favourite director, but I find Mr. & Mrs. Smith to be a misjudgment - both in terms of the suitability of screwball comedy as Hitch material, and in its execution.

It's not unwatchable - mostly due to its star power. But I do find it almost wholly unsuccessful, with nothing of directorial interest. In a list of his "American" films, I would unequivocally place it at the bottom.

But it does need a BD release. And as a completist, I would absolutely buy it.

A Criterion wouldn't be out of place - given their experience with Hitch, and the fact they have some familiarity with this type of material.

I consider Mr. & Mrs. Smith more of detour for Hitchcock than a misjudgment. It works quite well as a screwball comedy, and I always think of it first as a Lombard movie; barely Hitchcock at all. He just shot it straight for her.

If there's any Hitchcock in it, it's probably in the marital sparring & implications that were more devious than previously seen in My Favorite Wife. Then again, that could have been Lombard too.

I'd have to agree with latehong - WAC seems more likely than Criterion and would probably suffice nicely, at least for me.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by The Sovereign

I consider Mr. & Mrs. Smith more of detour for Hitchcock than a misjudgment. It works quite well as a screwball comedy, and I always think of it first as a Lombard movie; barely Hitchcock at all. He just shot it straight for her.

If there's any Hitchcock in it, it's probably in the marital sparring & implications that were more devious than previously seen in My Favorite Wife. Then again, that could have been Lombard too.

I'd have to agree with latehong - WAC seems more likely than Criterion and would probably suffice nicely, at least for me.

I've never really thought of it as a Lombard movie which Hitch just happened to direct. On reflection, that's a more positive perspective from which to view it.

And I'd agree that a WAC release is more likely, but theater dreamer asked about a Criterion. As long as someone does! That would leave only Stage Fright from his American period outstanding.

[GeoffOliver]

Only two of Hitchcock's Hollywood films are unavailable on Blu-ray (Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Stage Fright), and both are with Warner. Hopefully they have something planned for those films in the future. I doubt Criterion will license them, but you never know.

[Egbert Souse]

Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Stage Fright would be perfect Warner Archive releases.

With Kino's nine coming from their StudioCanal deal, that means Criterion's remaining Hitchcocks would be the rest owned by iTV (originally Gaumont-British): The Pleasure Garden, Easy Living, Waltzes from Vienna, Secret Agent, Sabotage, and Young and Innocent.

My prediction is that The Pleasure Garden, Sabotage, and Young & Innocent will get spine numbers. Easy Living would be a bonus feature on The Pleasure Garden (like The Lodger/Downhill), Secret Agent a bonus on Sabotage, and Waltzes from Vienna a bonus on Young and Innocent.

Though, that actually leaves one last film - Juno and the Paycock, which should have been the tenth British International Hitchcock film licensed to Kino. I'm guessing there's underlying rights to the source play preventing it.

[koberulz]

Young & Innocent and Sabotage both at least have UK Blus. No Blu releases at all for the others.

[AaronJ]

Received Detour today. Going to give it a watch after dinner.

Looking forward to it, as I've never seen it and I've heard pretty much only excellent things.

[GeoffOliver]

The Pleasure Garden doesn't even have a proper DVD anywhere in the world, and it's impossible to watch the recent BFI restoration because it's never been released outside festival screenings AFAIK. Some nice info here.

[nitin]

Secret Agent should not be relegated to bonus feature (and with Criterion bonus feature status means low bitrate and lossy audio), it’s a very fine film in its own right.

[Scottie]

All of the June 2019 releases are available to pre-order on Amazon.

[javy]

I watched my copy of Detour. I have to admit that I was skeptical that this film was going to be able to pack a punch in under seventy minutes, but man, did it ever and then some.

I love the below screenshot (courtesy of blu-ray.com). The facial expressions of the two characters say it all, and Ann Savage is at her most beautiful here. I love that look on her face.

[Show spoiler]18237_15.jpg

[jw007]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Here, in a nut shell, is why I am a physical media enthusiast.

...

Not being subjected to the whims of streaming content providers is a truly wonderful thing!

I concur wholeheartedly. Additionally, as much as iTunes has a lot of films/tv shows, they don't have certain titles that can only be found on DVD or blu-ray (and in some cases even VHS). Also, the worst thing about watching a movie on iTunes is your WI-FI might slow down halfway during a movie and then the picture will freeze/lag until the internet comes back again. Of course, recently The Great Owl experienced a total freeze on his White Material blu-ray Criterion disc and was unable to resume watching, so physical media isn't perfect either (especially since you need to be careful you don't scratch the disc if its not defective to begin with!). But yeah, rarer movies are rarely found on streaming content providers.