Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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bad future
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 6:16 pm

Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2576 Post by bad future » Tue Jan 01, 2019 6:17 am

bad future wrote:
Sun Nov 11, 2018 2:08 am
Is this normal? I just noticed Amazon's page for digitally renting or buying David Lean's The Passionate Friends shows it with a mock Criterion cover, with the "studio" listed as The Criterion Collection. Is Criterion in charge of the digital distribution for a lot of movies for which there is no physical release? Do they always make a digital "cover"? And does it have any bearing on whether a physical release might be on the way?

edit: well, as for how unique this is, one needn't look further than the related products which also show digital Criterion releases for Lean's Madeleine and Compton Bennett's The Seventh Veil. I reckon I have probably just "discovered" a practice already documented and familiar to everyone else?
This was already discussed and generally agreed to be not that notable, but I wanted to update with the additional wrinkle that I actually rented The Passionate Friends today, and it opens with the same Criterion logo as any physical release. And the transfer seems perfectly blu ray-ready to my eyes — almost like all it needs is some supplements and priority in the release schedule, but they aren’t going to wait that long to exploit the title. I bet there are several titles in a similar state. I wonder if they’ll all eventually get a physical release, or if maybe digital-only releases are going to be a thing.

reesepd
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2577 Post by reesepd » Sat Jan 05, 2019 2:37 am

Not sure where to ask this, but didn't want to start another thread for it.

Recently did a retrospective on Ralph Bakshi's work, and I'm still flabbergasted after all these years by American Pop. I know its virtually unknown nowadays, but it really bums me out Bakshi isn't a bit more well-known for his pre-American Pop work, let alone that one.

Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic. I feel those would be ideal releases for Criterion to consider. As far as I know, the only films of his to have Blu releases of any kind are Wizards and The Lord of the Rings, but they're definitely geared toward the genre market there.

What're the chances of a Bakshi ever getting released? Hell, it must be a nightmare gathering all the music rights for American Pop, alone, but I just.. yeah. Think he's worth it.

EDIT: Just realized Shout Factory released Heavy Traffic on Blu. Man. I'm a dope. Still think Criterion should sniff out Fritz, though.

Calvin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2578 Post by Calvin » Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:35 am

Producer Filip Jan Rymsza has tweeted that "there's a chance" The Other Side of the Wind will be released by Criterion.

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der_Artur
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2579 Post by der_Artur » Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:02 am

Is it appropriate to speculate an eclipse set of Stahl silents is forthcoming, based on this article: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts ... lent-films ?

Calvin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2580 Post by Calvin » Sat Jan 12, 2019 7:57 am

According to this post by Ray Kelly of Wellesnet, we should be expecting a film that Welles didn't direct but which he is the focus.

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andyli
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2581 Post by andyli » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:02 am

The Third Man?

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Malickite
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2582 Post by Malickite » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:47 am

As much as I'd like The Third Man back, I'm more hopeful for Jane Eyre. George Barnes' cinematography is stunning. And though it was already released by Twilight Time (I'm more than sure it's OOP - it was released in 2013), I think Criterion could do more with a restoration - working with multiple sources and so on as the original negative is lost.

Calvin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2583 Post by Calvin » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:56 am

I'm assuming that he means the film is focused on a character played by Welles, but I suppose another possible interpretation is that the Criterion release would be focused on Welles / his involvement. In which case, Journey Into Fear might be a candidate.

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Minkin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2584 Post by Minkin » Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:17 am

I know that there's plenty of options out there to fuel speculation, but.....

Is there any reason to think the post wasn't referring to the Mark Cousins doc: The Eyes of Orson Welles ? (which is being distributed by Janus)

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Big Ben
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2585 Post by Big Ben » Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:44 am

I imagine Criterion could save some of that for the purported release of Citizen Kane. For a film of it's stature I'd hope that Criterion would just ram as much into a set as they possibly could.

FlickeringWindow
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2586 Post by FlickeringWindow » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:59 am

It could be Black Magic.

Calvin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2587 Post by Calvin » Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:04 pm

Speaking of Welles, I hope Criterion haven't abandoned plans to release It's All True. It was confirmed here back in 2015 but while all the other titles mentioned there have since been released we're still waiting on it, and by it sounds like we can't expect it in 2019 either.

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DRW.mov
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2588 Post by DRW.mov » Sat Jan 12, 2019 2:31 pm

Calvin wrote:
Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:04 pm
Speaking of Welles, I hope Criterion haven't abandoned plans to release It's All True. It was confirmed here back in 2015 but while all the other titles mentioned there have since been released we're still waiting on it, and by it sounds like we can't expect it in 2019 either.
Interesting. I forgot that this title was confirmed. I ran into one of the co-directors of It’s All True at the Egyptian theater here in Hollywood a few months ago and we got to talking about the possibility of it seeing a blu ray release and he said to me how much he’d love to see Criterion or even Kino do it, but that he hadn’t heard anything from either label and that Paramount had routinely denied any of his requests.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2589 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:14 pm

Big Ben wrote:
Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:44 am
I imagine Criterion could save some of that for the purported release of Citizen Kane. For a film of it's stature I'd hope that Criterion would just ram as much into a set as they possibly could.
I was speaking with someone who is a pretty reliable source and was told that Criterion has indeed obtained the rights to Kane. Perhaps giving stronger credence to the clue in the New Years Day drawing.

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yoloswegmaster
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2590 Post by yoloswegmaster » Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:35 pm

Janus tweeting an image from 'High and Low' yesterday and posting a GIF of 'Throne of Blood' today. I wonder if they're trying to hint at something? [-o< Also, shouldn't there be a new Discussion and Random Speculation thread since this one has gone over 100 pages?

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domino harvey
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2591 Post by domino harvey » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:05 pm

We don't really need to worry about large threads anymore now that phpBB offers better support, so nah

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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2592 Post by cdnchris » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:24 am

Like domino said we used to have issues with really large threads. It's not an issue anymore (for now anyways!)

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Boosmahn
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2593 Post by Boosmahn » Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:04 pm


Emilio
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2594 Post by Emilio » Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:34 pm

Boosmahn wrote:
Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:04 pm
There's a page for War and Peace now.
Ha! It's just a tad longer than 0 minutes though. :)

This is one I'm really looking forward to, I've seen it in 70mm once. The brilliance shone through the discolored condition of that print.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2595 Post by FrauBlucher » Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:24 pm

I’d be surprised if it’s getting announced soon. It’s not even up on Janus’ site. There will be a tour first.

Gerald Christie
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2596 Post by Gerald Christie » Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:50 pm

Why haven't they released Twentieth Century already? It was restored ages ago and we're still waiting.

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Close The Door, Raymond
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2597 Post by Close The Door, Raymond » Mon Jan 14, 2019 9:11 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:24 pm
I’d be surprised if it’s getting announced soon. It’s not even up on Janus’ site. There will be a tour first.
As noted in the "Forthcoming: War and Peace" thread, it will begin a run next month.

via Film Society at Lincoln Center:
War and Peace / Voyna i Mir
Opens February 15
This winter, the Film Society is pleased to present a new digital restoration of Sergey Bondarchuk’s seven-hour-plus adaptation of Tolstoy’s magnificent novel. Winner of the 1969 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, Bondarchuk’s War and Peace sets the changing fortunes of several aristocratic families against the backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. On record as the most expensive film in history (more than $700 million after inflation), it is also perhaps the greatest epic ever made: an exquisite production of spectacle and realism, the political and personal, that endures as a monumental achievement in filmmaking. A presentation by Mosfilm Cinema Concern. A digital restoration image by image of the picture and sound using a 2K scanner. Producer of the restoration: Karen Shakhnazarov.

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2598 Post by Ribs » Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:13 pm

Janus has, in the past on some occasions, begun the tour at around the same point the disc is released. I don't really think one has any particular impact on the other.

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jwd5275
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2599 Post by jwd5275 » Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:37 am

Boosmahn wrote:
Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:04 pm
There's a page for War and Peace now.
I wouldn't read too much into this. Since the new website came up, not a single phantom page (which usually show shortly before announcement day) has correlated to the month's actual announcements. Still no Come and See, More, The Valley or The Baker's Wife, all of which have had phantom pages...

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jedgeco
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#2600 Post by jedgeco » Tue Jan 15, 2019 3:38 pm

Calvin wrote:
Sat Jan 12, 2019 7:57 am
According to this post by Ray Kelly of Wellesnet, we should be expecting a film that Welles didn't direct but which he is the focus.
Ed Wood.

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