Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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yoloswegmaster
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3076 Post by yoloswegmaster » Sat Jun 01, 2019 12:31 pm

Of the newest films that have been added to the Criterion Channel, 'Career Girls' and 'George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin' are the latest titles to have a Janus logo play at the start.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3077 Post by FrauBlucher » Sat Jun 01, 2019 12:47 pm

Tomorrow, Criterion will be entertaining the guys that run HTF for a Q&A. They are taking questions Here

EdiT: Sorry for jumping the gun, it's for July 2nd
Last edited by FrauBlucher on Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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yoloswegmaster
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3078 Post by yoloswegmaster » Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:00 pm

That's not for tomorrow, it's for July 2.

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jwd5275
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3079 Post by jwd5275 » Sat Jun 01, 2019 2:44 pm

Losey's Eva, Cass' Last Holiday and Neame's The Card all are playing on the Criterion Channel with Criterion and Janus logos playing before the StudioCanal logo. Last Holiday was in an old essential arthouse box and I seem to remember around Neame's death, a tribute to him on the Criterion website mentioning his recording either a commentary or interview for The Card.


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What A Disgrace
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3081 Post by What A Disgrace » Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:08 pm

There was some (perfectly justified) moaning about the lack of Handmade Films releases from Criterion lately.

And it occurs to me that this year is the 40th anniversary of the first Handmade Films release.

So, one wonders if a big Handmade Films boxed set could be in the works.

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

#3082 Post by DRW.mov » Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:43 pm

What A Disgrace wrote:
Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:08 pm
There was some (perfectly justified) moaning about the lack of Handmade Films releases from Criterion lately.

And it occurs to me that this year is the 40th anniversary of the first Handmade Films release.

So, one wonders if a big Handmade Films boxed set could be in the works.
You mean Life of Brian? It’s speculated that’s coming back and we know they interviewed Richard E Grant recently, presumably for the Bruce Robinson films, but possibly for Price of Tides considering his vocal Streisand love. Hopefully it’s a three birds-one stone kind of situation.

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

#3083 Post by DRW.mov » Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:49 pm

I think the immediate jump to “boxed set” around here is way too rash. With as tight and limited as Criterion’s release schedule is, the amount of boxes we’ve had so far this year, and the few we know are in production (Godzilla), I highly doubt a suprise box set is in the works anytime soon. Moreover I doubt that a box set would even be considered for the Handmade library. More than likely we’ll get the old titles upgraded to blu (Mona Lisa, Withnail, etc) and probably get new editions of some of the higher tier titles like Track 29 and Five Corners, but I feel like things like Checking Out, Water, and Privates might live exclusively on the channel.

I’d actually like to see Criterion hand over some of those lower tier Handmade titles and some of the stuff that’s been stuck on streaming for years that we know Criterion will never release (I’m looking at you, I Was A Teenage Zombie) to Shout Factory or someone less discerning. Considering Criterion is now licensing from Shout it would be pretty nice to see that recipricated.

flyonthewall2983
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3084 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:02 pm

dwk wrote:
Sat Jun 01, 2019 2:54 pm
Local Hero seems to be in the works
Al Gore's favorite movie

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movielocke
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Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3085 Post by movielocke » Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:22 pm

Most all the handmade film criterion editions were produced by Karen stetler, so one big batch of upgrades is probably fairly unlikely. Trickle out of one or two a year is most likely, more than two a year would be aggressive for criterion.

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captveg
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3086 Post by captveg » Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:16 pm

Minkin wrote:
Thu May 30, 2019 4:06 pm
Akira (1988)
Akira is no longer with Sony in the US. The latest US Blu-ray release was by FUNimation in 2017.

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captveg
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3087 Post by captveg » Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:20 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:34 am
The Warner titles are interesting to speculate. These are likely... Showboat, Scaramouche, Lolita, A Night at the Opera, Singin In the Rain, Pink Flamingos, Adam's Rib, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Menace II Society.
Of these, The Adventures of Robin Hood seems like one of the few early WB catalog titles that WB may consider for a 4K UHD release. It's been a good seller for them on both DVD and Blu-ray. Their sales of their upcoming 4K UHD release of The Wizard of Oz may help dictate if they would do the same for Robin Hood.

Singin' in the Rain also seems like a title WB would be hesitant to license right now as they consider potential 4K catalog releases.

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Minkin
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3088 Post by Minkin » Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:39 pm

captveg wrote:
Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:16 pm
Minkin wrote:
Thu May 30, 2019 4:06 pm
Akira (1988)
Akira is no longer with Sony in the US. The latest US Blu-ray release was by FUNimation in 2017.
Sony owns FUNimation!

Zaki
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 11:36 am

Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3089 Post by Zaki » Thu Jun 06, 2019 5:05 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:34 am
The Warner titles are interesting to speculate. These are likely... Showboat, Scaramouche, Lolita, A Night at the Opera, Singin In the Rain, Pink Flamingos, Adam's Rib, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Menace II Society.
As far as I know, none of the MGM Marx Brothers movies has been ever available on Blu-Ray (unlike Lolita, Singin In the Rain, or The Adventures of Robin Hood). The WB DVD set is no longer available, and there is no sign that WB are interested in releasing these movies on Blu-Ray. This makes me think that Criterion would like to have A Night at the Opera--arguably the best of the MGM bunch---again in its collection. Hopefully, the recent region A and B sets of the Universal Marx Brothers movies revived interest and demand for their output.


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swo17
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3091 Post by swo17 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:07 pm

If they stop having them, at least Criterion still has their own biannual 50% off sales

phoenix474
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3092 Post by phoenix474 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:22 pm

swo17 wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:07 pm
If they stop having them, at least Criterion still has their own biannual 50% off sales
Just a shame that us EU customers don't have a loophole to order from their site like we do with B&N :/

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Boosmahn
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3093 Post by Boosmahn » Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:25 pm

Please tell me that the Criterion sale won't be affected. Going to my local B&N and browsing the shelves is (was?) my favorite way to discover Criterion Blu-rays.

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Graphist
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3094 Post by Graphist » Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:50 pm

Didn’t Criterion successfully come up with their own channel after Filmstruck was no more? I am sure they will find a way to resolve this problem as well (in case B&N goes the way of Toys R Us), because they are aware many if not most of their customers depend on the biannual 50%-off sales. It is highly unlikely they will start doing month-long sales themselves. They just don’t have enough staff and they would need a warehouse to do that and not a Manhattan office. Most likely they will try to find another major seller to operate such long and massive sales. The question is who will step up.

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swo17
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3095 Post by swo17 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:51 pm

What other B&M retailer stocks more than a dozen Criterion titles?

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Luke M
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3096 Post by Luke M » Fri Jun 07, 2019 2:26 pm

I'd trade b&m shopping for a month long 50% off sale at Amazon

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captveg
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3097 Post by captveg » Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:27 pm

Minkin wrote:
Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:39 pm
captveg wrote:
Thu Jun 06, 2019 4:16 pm
Minkin wrote:
Thu May 30, 2019 4:06 pm
Akira (1988)
Akira is no longer with Sony in the US. The latest US Blu-ray release was by FUNimation in 2017.
Sony owns FUNimation!
Interesting. I wonder if this is like a Pokemon / WB thing where the parent company doesn't have complete say over when/how they release it.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3098 Post by FrauBlucher » Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:50 pm

I'm sure this July's B&N CC sale is safe. The B&N sale deal will close in 3rd quarter (probably September) pending regulatory and shareholder approval. Beyond that it's anyones guess.

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Boosmahn
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3099 Post by Boosmahn » Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:57 pm

captveg wrote:
Fri Jun 07, 2019 3:27 pm
Interesting. I wonder if this is like a Pokemon / WB thing where the parent company doesn't have complete say over when/how they release it.
Sony acquired FUNimation back in 2017, but they had already released Akira years before, so the rights might still be on FUNi's end.

brotherbluto
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Re: Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

#3100 Post by brotherbluto » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:33 pm

I just saw an article online that says Sony's restoration of Holiday (1938) is coming to Criterion blu. It was from the 2019 mar/apr postmagazine.com.

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