The Criterion Collection

[mmarczi]

Originally Posted by NeoNical

I'm sure there was a 4K restoration that came out a while ago for Seven Samurai. However, Criterion normally doesn't upgrade their titles unless if it's part of a new boxset. So if they do the Akira Kurosawa boxset, Seven Samurai would be shown in its 4K restoration for the first time on home video in the US.

I think the Japanese Blu-ray used the 4K restoration and it's a pretty big change IMO.

You seem to be under a misapprehension. They actually typically upgrade 1-2 DVD-only titles per month, and in total have upgraded probably hundreds of previously DVD-only releases as standalones if I were to count them all. Their first blu rays were around the mid-500s spine-wise, I believe, but a large percentage of those that came before have since been upgraded with standalone blu-rays. Here's a list I made several months ago of the upgraded titles between May 2018 and June 2021:

Originally Posted by mmarczi

Over the past year, from the July 2020 releases to the scheduled June 2021 releasees, Criterion has upgraded from DVD the following titles:

[Show spoiler]The Lady Eve (July)
Taste of Cherry (July)
The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (August)
Naked City (September)
Brute Force (September)
Pierrot le fou (October; title back from OOP)
The Hit (October)
several titles in the Essential Fellini set (November)
Symbiopsychotaxiplasm (December)
Mouchette (December)
The Ascent (January)
The Films by Luis Bunuel (January)
The Furies (April)
Masculin feminin (April)
The Human Condition (June)
Pickup on South Street (June)

Upgrades have admittedly slowed a bit so far in 2021, with three months including no upgrades that were previously only released on DVD, though it includes some upgrades from the World Cinema Project box sets (Touki Bouki and Trances). So depending on how you feel like configuring it based on upgrades with multiple titles at a time like the Fellini and Bunuel sets, they've been averaging about 1.5 upgrades per month, which is pretty reasonable given that they typically release only 4-6 titles per month.

Going back further:

Tokyo Olympiad (June 2020)
Six Moral Tales (May 2020)
Army of Shadows (April 2020; title back from OOP)
The Cranes Are Flying (March 2020)
Salesman (March 2020)
Antonio Gaudi (February 2020)
The Fugitive Kind (January 2020)
Le petit soldat (January 2020)
Tunes of Glory (December 2019)
Godzilla (November 2019)
Underworld/The Last Command/The Docks of New York (October 2019)
Haxan (October 2019)
Fists in the Pocket (September 2019)
An Angel at My Table (August 2019)
Magnificent Obsession (August 2019)
Do the Right Thing (July 2019)
BRD Trilogy (July 2019)
Through A Glass Darkly/Winter Light/The Silence (June 2019)
House of Games (May 2019)
Stanger Than Paradise (April 2019)
Night on Earth (April 2019)
The Magic Flute (March 2019)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (February 2019)
Notorious (January 2019)
Sawdust and Tinsel (December 2018)
several from Ingmar Bergman's Cinema (November 2018)
Sisters (October 2018)
The Naked Prey (October 2018)
Andrei Rublev (September 2018)
My Man Godfrey (September 2018)
Scenes From a Marriage (September 2018)
Heaven Can Wait (August 2018)
The Scarlet Empress (July 2018)
The Virgin Spring (June 2018)
Mishima (May 2018)
Au hasard Balthazar (May 2018)

That's over 42 titles, not including several small sets/trilogies like The Human Condition. They've announced four more single-release upgrades since then (Ashes and Diamonds, Mona Lisa, Onibaba, and Ratcatcher).

[ShellOilJunior]

I believe he's referring to blu-ray to blu-ray upgrades such as Play Time (Part of Tati box) and Monterey Pop (Part of box, though Jimi/Otis didn't get a 4k scan).

[mmarczi]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I believe he's referring to blu-ray to blu-ray upgrades such as Play Time (Part of Tati box) and Monterey Pop (Part of box, though Jimi/Otis didn't get a 4k scan).

Ah, well, that would definitely make more sense, since it would be hard to be unaware of the frequent upgrades. I'm sure I misinterpreted, but at least it was an excuse to dig up the list again.

[gumperman]

Come on Criterion, upgrade Spellbound to Blu-ray already! That is all.

[gumperman]

Originally Posted by gumperman

Come on Criterion, upgrade Spellbound to Blu-ray already! That is all.

Also Criterion, it looks like you have SABOTAGE & YOUNG AND INNOCENT on Digital, so those would be great on Blu-ray too! Thank you!

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

There's no home video release of the 4K restoration of Seven Samurai in Japan, so it's probably unlikely that Criterion could get it here. Toho kind of sucks when it comes to home video releases of new restorations (just look at Godzilla), and they're a huge headache to deal with if you're an American studio/label.

Barely even tangentially related, but you made me think of it so in this brave new world where folks post pics of their lunches, I feel compelled to share:

I used to date a girl who worked for TOHO in Japan. She said it was a nice place and was so proud of working at the studio that had produced so many Kurosawa titles. Whenever I mentioned Godzilla titles though she would stay quiet or change the subject. Don't tell anyone, but she was a bit of a snob.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Gmamalis6

The following titles, do you think that they should make their Blu-ray debut in US (if not in 4K) by Criterion or by other company?
The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
The Secret Garden (1993)
A Little Princess (1995)
Sabrina (1995)
The First Wives Club (1996)
Milk Money (1994)
Also do you think that the following titles that are already available on Blu-ray by other companies, but their picture is decent, but they could look better, should be restored by Criterion or by other companies?
Network (1976)
Strange Days (1995)
Alien Nation (1988)
The Forgotten (2004)
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Amadeus (1984)
I would appreciate it a lot if you could answer me those two questions and to hear different opinions.

Most of these, no. Amadeus is getting remastered by WB. The only possibles I see are maybe The Secret Garden, since they have a relationship with Cuaron, but many of these are Warner so don't expect them to be licensed out.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Well the 4K is not Silence of the Lambs. Maybe it's JFK...or Magnolia?

[rickmiddlebrooks]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

He means the rumored upcoming first 4K UHD from Criterion will not be Silence of the Lambs since Kino Lorber just announced that they're releasing that UHD.

Rick

[nitin]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I'm going to feel stupid after I get the answer, but it's bothering me so I have to ask: sometimes the imagery from all these B&W samurai films bleed together, what is the one that opens with peasants getting chased around a field by a hulking warrior with bull horns?

[Show spoiler]One of them kills him through luck and presents his head as a demonstration of his valor and skill.

Thank you!

Not the opening scene but it’s Kuroneko.

[ShellOilJunior]

I think he's wondering how JFK or Magnolia might be the UHD. There haven't been rumors for those movies.

[jshaide]

Rohmer's FOUR SEASONS is getting its run at Film Forum in early September.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

There's no home video release of the 4K restoration of Seven Samurai in Japan, so it's probably unlikely that Criterion could get it here. Toho kind of sucks when it comes to home video releases of new restorations (just look at Godzilla), and they're a huge headache to deal with if you're an American studio/label.

I wonder what happened with Toho. In the late 90's early 2000's they were willing to license almost anything out and most labels seemed to have very little issue with them. However, in the last 10-15 years, they have become extremely challenging to work with and if they somehow do license something out, they are apparently very demanding.

Toei used to be hard to deal with, but now are very accommodating. Nikkatsu is the one Japanese studio that actually advertises that they are willing to license out, and Daei/Kadokawa also seems very willing. The only studio I never hear about when it comes to licensing pros/cons is Shochiku.

[Jonbaker]

Is the picture quality on the blu-ray of Children of Paradise really as bad as they say it is? Hard to tell by just looking at the still photos.

[moviesaremylife]

Originally Posted by Jonbaker

Is the picture quality on the blu-ray of Children of Paradise really as bad as they say it is? Hard to tell by just looking at the still photos.

It’s not great but it’s perfectly watchable and considering the age of the film, I had no problems enjoying it.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by rickmiddlebrooks

He means the rumored upcoming first 4K UHD from Criterion will not be Silence of the Lambs since Kino Lorber just announced that they're releasing that UHD.

Rick

I know. The face was for the JFK or Magnolia part.

[BluLobsta]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

Barely even tangentially related, but you made me think of it so in this brave new world where folks post pics of their lunches, I feel compelled to share:

I used to date a girl who worked for TOHO in Japan. She said it was a nice place and was so proud of working at the studio that had produced so many Kurosawa titles. Whenever I mentioned Godzilla titles though she would stay quiet or change the subject. Don't tell anyone, but she was a bit of a snob.

So she never stayed at Hotel Gracery huh?

Shochiku has many 4K Ozu titles in Japan. I'm glad since he is one of my favorite directors. So far I only own Late Spring but it is amazingly beautiful (kinda like Setsuko Hara ) I own the 4K Criterion transfer of Tokyo Story.

[Blacknapkins]

Originally Posted by Axl Rose

What is up with Criterion and scratched discs lately? Am i the only one having issues? It's becoming rare that i don't get a scratched disc.

4 out of my 7 titles came with scratches! Just today Carnival of Souls 3 scratches what's going on here?

[rickmiddlebrooks]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

I know. The face was for the JFK or Magnolia part.

Ahh! Sorry, I misunderstood.

Rick

[Jonbaker]

Originally Posted by moviesaremylife

It’s not great but it’s perfectly watchable and considering the age of the film, I had no problems enjoying it.

I'm curious if it's worth an upgrade from the DVD? How much better is the Blu?