The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by KJones77

Consensus on the Criterionforum right now is Keruoac: King of the Beats or The Beat Generation: An American Dream (Burroughs and Ginsberg on the bench).

Janus also tweeted out a photo this morning of Hal Chase, Keruoac, Burroughs, and Ginsberg that should confirm this.

Either way, it's not a great clue.

That would be awesome if it was On the Road with Jack Kerouac: King of the Beats, since Lawrence Ferlinghetti is still alive at age 100, and though a boy can dream, imagine a new Criterion interview on the supplements with Ferlinghetti? I would buy this release alone just to watch him speak in high definition.

[theater dreamer]

thestranger.jpg
Welles, Robinson and Young give strong performances in The Stranger.

I watched Orson Welles' film-noir The Stranger last night. He both directed and starred in it. It's easily the most "mainstream" effort I've seen from Welles, thus far, yet it was highly engaging and entertaining.

Welles is Franz Kindler, one of the masterminds of the Third Reich. He's escaped Germany after World War II, and has destroyed any trace leading to him. Unlike Goebbels and Himmler, Kindler avoided the limelight. No photographs exist of him. No fingerprints. Edward G. Robinson is Mr. Wilson, an investigator for the United Nations War Crimes Commission, tasked with tracking Kindler down. Robinson releases Nazi Officer Konrad Meinike from custody, hoping that Meinike will lead him to the monstrous Kindler. The trail leads to New England, where Kindler has assumed a new identity, that of college professor Charles Rankin. He is engaged to Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young), the daughter of a United States Supreme Court Justice. A battle of wits ensues between Robinson and Welles, with Young being caught in the middle. The film is famous for being the first production to include actual footage from the Nazi death camps.

This has previously been released on blu-ray twice, but both issues are noted as having problems. It seems like the perfect film for Criterion to distribute. It's entered the public domain, as the film's copyright was not renewed in 1973. The Stranger deserves a release commensurate with its importance; it seems, too, that it would be the perfect candidate for new supplements, including an essay on how Hollywood first broached the horrors of the concentration camps. It's a taut crime thriller with outstanding performances, and wonderful cinematography.

[Arawn]

I gotta go back to this, it's been free on-demand for a while.

[yoloswegmaster420]

Idk if this has been posted or has been known yet but 'The Third Man' opens up with the Criterion Collection and Janus logo.

[CRASHLANDING]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I watched Orson Welles' film-noir The Stranger last night.

This has previously been released on blu-ray twice, but both issues are noted as having problems. The Stranger deserves a release commensurate with its importance; it seems, too, that it would be the perfect candidate for new supplements, including an essay on how Hollywood first broached the horrors of the concentration camps. It's a taut crime thriller with outstanding performances, and wonderful cinematography.

Not sure if you were aware of the 2017 Olive release, which was fairly well reviewed on this site.

I own it, but unfortunately it's still in my (sizeable) unwatched BD pile.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Olive’s release of “The Stranger” was struck from the MGM master and looks lovely.

The Kino release was struck from a Library Of Congress print and may look *slightly* sharper in places but also shows significantly more print damage.

Happy with my Olive disc but would welcome a Criterion Edition in a heartbeat.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by TravisTylerBlack

Olive’s release of “The Stranger” was struck from the MGM master and looks lovely.

The Kino release was struck from a Library Of Congress print and may look *slightly* sharper in places but also shows significantly more print damage.

Happy with my Olive disc but would welcome a Criterion Edition in a heartbeat.

I have the Kino release and it does look sharper, but it also appears brightened in many places...the Olive, while much darker, probably has a bit more "natural" complexion.

But while I like The Stranger, a 4th Blu-ray release would be serious overkill. I would hope and trust Criterion to allocate time and resources to a more worthy project.

[Gacivory]

At my Barnes & Noble, Stranger Than Paradise had a 30% off sticker! I’m case anyone wants it right away!

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

At my Barnes & Noble, Stranger Than Paradise had a 30% off sticker! I’m case anyone wants it right away!

I watched the BD of STP recently, first time I'd seen it in a few years. Beautiful presentation and an absolute masterpiece of a film. It's such a brilliant meditation on boredom and the lengths we often go to cure it. Every time I watch that film, it always reminds me that one of the worst states of being is utter boredom. Amazing film, a true 10/10 for me.

[Rzzzz]

Man, the things I did as a teen to alleviate boredom. It's a miracle I'm alive......

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by mja345

one of the worst states of being is utter boredom.

I'll bet that Gummo is high on your favorites list

[Member-222782]

Vampyr is down to $18.15 on Amazon. Just added it to my cart but the PQ rating is 3.9 here - kind of low for a Criterion, isn't it?

[BaronVH]

Originally Posted by Cinema84

Vampyr is down to $18.15 on Amazon. Just added it to my cart but the PQ rating is 3.9 here - kind of low for a Criterion, isn't it?

How anybody could complain about the PQ of a film of that genre and age of that release is beyond me. It is excellent, and that price is a steal.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by BaronVH

How anybody could complain about the PQ of a film of that genre and age of that release is beyond me. It is excellent, and that price is a steal.

Who's complaining? All I'm saying is the PQ rating seems low for a label whose PQ ratings average around 4.0-4.5. And BTW genre and age have NOTHING to do with level of PQ.

[nitin]

It’s a scan of a photochemical restoration done in 1998, there is currently no better source (this is where age does have a bearing on PQ because a lot of older films do not have OCNs or even next gen elements left).

It’s arguably not a huge upgrade over the DVD due to that source but if you are not upgrading and first time buying, it’s worth it.

[Scottie]

New Line Cinema is releasing a 4K UHD of Pan’s Labyrinth.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Cinema84

Vampyr is down to $18.15 on Amazon. Just added it to my cart but the PQ rating is 3.9 here - kind of low for a Criterion, isn't it?

Not their lowest:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Child...Blu-ray/48077/

I'd personally give Vampyr a 3 for PQ. It's based on an old master, I don't even think they did a fresh scan of that photochemical restoration for the blu-ray version, and it's only a mild upgrade over the DVD. Worse, the specially prepared English version (which is my preferred way of watching the film because it beats reading subtitles overlaid on dense screen-filling text) is provided with an anemic bitrate and lossy Dolby audio (WHY?! they could have used the same audio track as the main presentation)

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by Cinema84

Who's complaining? All I'm saying is the PQ rating seems low for a label whose PQ ratings average around 4.0-4.5. And BTW genre and age have NOTHING to do with level of PQ.

He was probably talking about the reviewer. It sure doesn't look like the Harold Lloyd films but it still looks great for its age. I loved it and for me it was a total blind buy. I recently bought this... and it has as an extra the 1909 film of Alice in Wonderland, the first film of the story ever. Man, it was thrashed, the most damaged film I think I have ever watched. But I am so glad they included it. I wish they would put more of these damaged films on blu ray. Just do the best you can and give it to us. Maybe issue a warning like CC did with Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (my #1 favorite blu ray- Criterion or otherwise)...

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Scottie

New Line Cinema is releasing a 4K UHD of Pan’s Labyrinth.

And I'm buying it!

[Freedomfighter50]

Anyone know how low “Seven Samurai 1954” Bluray set has ever gone down to?

It’s currently $22.98 and I’m thinking about pulling the trigger on it!