The Criterion Collection

[FragnitoM]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

"Rolling Thunder Revue" also features a character who is already present in the Criterion Collection. (Besides Bob Dylan.)

Oh yep! Forgot that it has

[Show spoiler]michael murphy playing Tanner

again. Good call!

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by dwk

Sad news, Jason Polan, the artist who did Criterion's newsletter clues, has passed away.

38 years old? Jesus, that's way, way too young. RIP.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jw007

That sucks. RIP Jason. Maybe that explains why this most recent New Years clue was a bit underwhelming and sparse, because the man was suffering and near death when he drew it up. When a person is close to death, their energy/imagination is no longer prevalent any longer. At that point, they are ready to move on to the next world, much like what I saw my dad go through as he died from esophageal cancer, about 1.5 years ago. He could barely breathe as his brain was shutting down. The last few days were especially tragic.

Anyway, I sure hope Criterion gets a replacement for the newsletter clues, because it was a great part of why Criterion is one of the best film companies around today.

He was still very active drawing and on social all through the end of December, so it's very unlikely the NYD drawing's sparseness had anything to do with his illness. Criterion probably thought the fact that they have all these major box sets coming out this year that they should just showcase them for the drawing. Keep in mind that they dictate what movies should be drawn.

You don't really get any sense that he is sick or anything from his social media, so I do wonder what the cause of death was. Whether it was a complication of his cancer, or what. Perhaps he just chose to keep it all private. Very tragic regardless.

I had no idea of how profilic he was in NYC, and like so many people, I'm learning more about him, and admiring his body of work only after he's passed. Just his Criterion drawings alone provided me a lot of joy to look at, and figure out. Sometimes they were frustrating, but usually pretty clever, and made for great discussions amongst us fans.

[Snicket]

Promising Young Woman has a few Criterion Easter eggs in it, unfortunately not all of them are pleasant but I think they are accurate.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by jayembee

If you're region free, there's an an excellent edition out from Eureka's Masters of Cinema:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Youth...lu-ray/111227/

My most-wanted Suzuki upgrades from Criterion are Story of a Prostitue and Gate of Flesh.

Most especially the latter. I'd love to see its "retina-ripping Fujicolor" in HD (or, even better, on a nice HDR'd 4K). There's a French BD of it, but it's not English friendly.

I haven't seen those two in years but if definitely get them on BD also, great films from what I remember. And no I'm not region-free but that release gives me hope it'll happen here at some point.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

He was still very active drawing and on social all through the end of December, so it's very unlikely the NYD drawing's sparseness had anything to do with his illness. Criterion probably thought the fact that they have all these major box sets coming out this year that they should just showcase them for the drawing. Keep in mind that they dictate what movies should be drawn.

You don't really get any sense that he is sick or anything from his social media, so I do wonder what the cause of death was. Whether it was a complication of his cancer, or what. Perhaps he just chose to keep it all private. Very tragic regardless.

I had no idea of how profilic he was in NYC, and like so many people, I'm learning more about him, and admiring his body of work only after he's passed. Just his Criterion drawings alone provided me a lot of joy to look at, and figure out. Sometimes they were frustrating, but usually pretty clever, and made for great discussions amongst us fans.

Yes, and I think the greatest tribute to him would be for a documentary film to be made on this man (as well as the Criterion fans who loved deciphering his "clues"), and of course appropriately having Criterion distribute it. I hope his family/friends cope with his loss, and that his work is showcased more widely, especially in galleries and museums at the very least. Most original artists of yore become famous posthumously, and I cannot imagine Jason not being an exception.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

What would you say are some titles that should have been upgraded already to Blu-ray?

Thieves Highway, Pickup on South Street, The Firemen’s Ball, CloselyWatched Trains, Salvatore Giuliano all have 4k restorations.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

What would you say are some titles that should have been upgraded already to Blu-ray?

Originally Posted by nitin

Thieves Highway, Pickup on South Street, The Firemen’s Ball, Closely Watched Trains, Salvatore Giuliano all have 4k restorations.

They have already been upgraded to BD, and quite terrific releases too. Only people locking themselves in to a particular region or label won't be able to access them.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

What would you say are some titles that should have been upgraded already to Blu-ray?

A few that don't have any BD release at all that I'd like to see...

The Ruling Class-DVD looks awful now, film is amazing
Secret Honor-Another ancient DVD, great film
Z-One of the best films of the 60s
The Devil and Daniel Webster-Early 40s masterpiece with an early 2000s DVD
Under the Volcano-Does have a barebones UK BD, but I'd love a CC upgrade. As someone who used to imbibe with the booze a bit too much, but has now massively cut back, that film and its truly bodyache-inducing depiction of alcoholism are a nice little reminder of how serious hangovers after around your mid to late 20s are some of the most hellacious, soul-massacring things known to mankind.

[FragnitoM]

Originally Posted by ravenus

They have already been upgraded to BD, and quite terrific releases too. Only people locking themselves in to a particular region or label won't be able to access them.

Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be released in R1. I have a region free player, but not everyone wants to invest in another player and pay extra to import titles.

[BIGXWHIFF]

I'd really like to see Knife in the Water, WR and Sweet Movie upgraded. Amongst others that were already mentioned.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jw007

That sucks. RIP Jason. Maybe that explains why this most recent New Years clue was a bit underwhelming and sparse, because the man was suffering and near death when he drew it up. When a person is close to death, their energy/imagination is no longer prevalent any longer. At that point, they are ready to move on to the next world, much like what I saw my dad go through as he died from esophageal cancer, about 1.5 years ago. He could barely breathe as his brain was shutting down. The last few days were especially tragic.

Anyway, I sure hope Criterion gets a replacement for the newsletter clues, because it was a great part of why Criterion is one of the best film companies around today.

RIP Jason Polan

I think it's likely the NY card was done well in advance so the amount of clues was low. He will be missed.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by ravenus

They have already been upgraded to BD, and quite terrific releases too. Only people locking themselves in to a particular region or label won't be able to access them.

Well yes (I have all the UK releases and won’t be getting a Criterion release), but I was just answering his question though.

[nitin]

It took me a few tries but Godard’s Band of Outsiders finally clicked for me last weekend. It’s usually described as his most accessible film outside of Breathless but I have always found it more full of attention grabbing Godardisms than some of his less accessible films.

But the key really is to go with the film’s loosey goosey flow and forgot all about getting anything that you might otherwise expect. And when you take the film on that level, the pleasures are plentiful. From Raoul Coutard’s immaculately evocative cinematography to Michael Legrand’s all time great score to Anna Karina demonstrating that immutable quality that defines a ‘movie star’. And those Godardsims? Some work, some still don’t work (for me anyway), but they come thick and fast and if you don’t get too hung up on the ones that don’t work, you will have a good time.

Criteiron’s blu is the best release available PQ wise. It has less DNR than the French release and also fixes up some of the chroma noise present in some scenes on the French and BFI’s UK release. There is also a 20-25 second segment that has been replaced on the Criterion disc from a better source than was used on the French and UK discs. The sound is a little filtered and muffled but still came across pretty well.

[nitin]

Criterion has released some Pedro Costa on DVD and I really really hope that they consider releasing his astonishing debut film Blood to blu. It is an absolutely mesmerising lucid dream piece of cinema with some of the finest black and white cinematography I have ever seen.

There is a lot going on thematically including broken families creating makeshift ones, a country overrun with various forms of sickness, the blood bond between two brothers and a father, and the omnipresent eye of society on the family unit.

But really all of that takes a backseat as the movie has a lucid dream like flow and not much of a traditional narrative, Costa instead creating a hypnotic atmosphere throughout that is frequently jaw dropping and extremely memorable long after the film is over.

I saw it off the UK Second Run DVD which is excellent but this really demands a new scan on blu ray!

[mediocre]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

What would you say are some titles that should have been upgraded already to Blu-ray?

The Spirit of the Beehive is one I'm anxiously awaiting. And any Fuller or Kurosawa upgrades I will surely buy.

[Cremildo]

Patiently waiting for upgrades of Z, Jigoku, Drunken Angel, Taste of Cherry, Samurai Rebellion, Summertime, The Flowers of St. Francis, and Double Suicide.

I'd mention some Buñuel and Godard titles, but I think they've reverted back to Studio Canal.

[MifuneFan]

Thinking about Polan reminded me that I matched his New Year's Drawing's to their actual releases in 2018, and also for 2017 by request. I thought it would be fun to do that for 2019's drawing, and to sort of pay homage to him in the process. Please let me know if I should add anything. I'm unsure whether I should add House of Games and/or Funny Games for the board game on the table (edit: I've added both to the drawing now. I'm sure the games represents at least one of them, and possibly both)



Here's the ones I did for 2018

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I think with the announcement of Tree of Life, the 2018 New Year's Drawing is complete.

and 2017:

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Here's the one for 2017. It's much more cluttered, and I still don't know what the T in the back is for. Also, still no Sixteen Candles.

[FragnitoM]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Thinking about Polan reminded me that I matched his New Year's Drawing's to their actual releases in 2018, and also for 2017 by request. I thought it would be fun to do that for 2019's drawing, and to sort of pay homage to him in the process. Please let me know if I should add anything. I'm unsure whether I should add House of Games and/or Funny Games for the boardgame on the table.



Here's the ones I did for 2018

[Show spoiler]

and 2017:

I think a lot of people guessed it was Funny Games. You could do both

[monorail91]

New podcast episode on Fellini 100! Cinema Italiano Podcast

We speculate on what could make it into a box set (realistic, possible, and long shots) and also dive into Fellini as a filmmaker and his legacy.