Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.3

[Crab Society North]

Any plans for Elio Petri entering the collection? so far I've only seen 4 of his films (todo modo, investigation..., working class... and a quiet place in the country) but I think they're all worthy to be given the treatment

[Giulio]

Oh man, Petri deserves the Criterion treatment, he's so tragically forgotten, in Italy they started to understand his works only in these recent years, a Criterion boxset would be magic

[HistoryProf]

Arsonfilms has a good point about the shorts, but I think even such a mild pile-on as this is unwarranted. Sweetie is a good, significant film. Though I probably like Campion's first and third features better, it's clearly the work of a precocious original talent, and it's been hugely influential on the muddy flood of much less accomplished self-consciously quirky indies that followed. It's certainly visually striking enough to warrant an upgrade to BluRay, so I don't think we need to entertain fantasies of Campion holding a gun to somebody's head to account for its release.

I don't think it's been a pile-on so much as genuine surprise and a resulting capitulation to the simple fact that we will simply never know what is on tap for re-release from here on out. It was really the first WAY out of left field choice that has opened the entire catalog to the possibility of an upgrade. Even Robinson Crusoe is well known as a favorite of theirs, as well as a pretty recent release so probably not too difficult to upgrade. I think it's just the fact that if you polled this forum to name the top 50 most likely to be upgraded titles, Sweetie probably wouldn't even be mentioned, and certainly not before An Angel At My Table (which I will now forestall buying in the next B&N sale - and don't already own simply because I had never found it in store).

So I don't think there has been any real angst or maligning of the film itself - which I loved and own on DVD - but an acknowledgment that it's game on and anything is possible from here on out.

Incidentally, does anyone who already owns it plan on upgrading? I'm a pretty easy sell on upgrades, but I think this may be the first announced upgrade I already own that I won't be upgrading. I just can't see it being worth it.

[Adam]

Jacques Rivette doesn't want Out 1 on DVD either.

Source?

I know I read somewhere (but I can't, for the life of me, remember where) that Rivette has never wanted audiences to see Out 1 in any way except in a theater. This is mentioned on Wikipedia, but there's no source provided there either. I always assumed that the film would never make it to DVD for this very reason, and yet Criterion has dropped the hint that they're working on it, so it just goes to show that nothing is certain.

I have a recollection that when we screened it in Los Angeles, part of the information with it was that it was originally made for TV, didn't get aired (or partly aired), and so he cut a theatrical version. I really don't think he's opposed to DVD (but I really have no insight into Rivette's mind); I really think it is a cost issue for something that virtually no one would buy.

[Crab Society North]

Oh man, Petri deserves the Criterion treatment, he's so tragically forgotten, in Italy they started to understand his works only in these recent years, a Criterion boxset would be magic

Nice to know. Thank you for the info. I had a feeling as such since I only just heard about him a couple of years ago and that was only because there was some small word of mouth about Investigation, but yeah, he definitely deserves some top priority here

[videozor]

Oh man, Petri deserves the Criterion treatment, he's so tragically forgotten, in Italy they started to understand his works only in these recent years, a Criterion boxset would be magic

Nice to know. Thank you for the info. I had a feeling as such since I only just heard about him a couple of years ago and that was only because there was some small word of mouth about Investigation, but yeah, he definitely deserves some top priority here

A year and a half ago (or so) - when Criterion was actually answering your FB posts - I asked about Investigation... and Petri in general. I don't remember the exact wording of the answer, but the meaning was: we agree, Petri is very desirable to be included in the collection, and we wish we could do it...

[Noiradelic]

I don't think it's been a pile-on so much as genuine surprise and a resulting capitulation to the simple fact that we will simply never know what is on tap for re-release from here on out.

Don't think that's completely true. There's one thing all of the Blu upgrades that have raised eyebrows have in common: they're in color (and except for Robinson Crusoe on Mars, post-1980).

The color upgrades may have been unpredictable, but the B&W ones have been fairly consistent -- they're all either big name canonical/popular films and/or early spine numbers in major need of upgrading:

Seven Samurai
8 1/2
Seventh Seal
Breathless
The Third Man
M
400 Blows
Wages of Fear
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Shock Corridor
Naked Kiss

As of the January releases, the CC catalogue is divided almost exactly 50-50 between color and B&W films. However, only 12 of 38 upgrades, or 31.5 %, are B&W. No lower tier B&W titles except the Fullers have been upgraded, therefore I humbly submit that most of them will be upgraded later rather than sooner, exceptions being of course early spine numbers, and films by canonical directors not particularly well represented in the collection at present. Of course things may evolve over the years especially if they ramp up their Blu production schedule.

List of some obscurer lower tier B&W titles I believe will not be upgraded in the next 4-5 years:

Double Suicide
Ballad of a Soldier
A nous la liberté
Under the Roofs of Paris
Coup de grace
Il posto
I Fidanzati
Pornographers
Onibaba
Young Torless
Crazed Fruit
Children are Watching Us
Fists in the Pocket
Seduced and Abandoned
Hands Over the City
Green for Danger
Death of a Cyclist

List of lower tier B&W titles most likely IMHO to get an upgrade earlier:

Diabolique
Branded to Kill (along with Tokyo Drifter, of course)
M. Hulot's Holiday
Hidden Fortress
Viridiana (CC lost 5/8 of its Bunuel catalogue to SC)
Au hasard Balthazar
Pickup on South Street
Unfaithfully Yours
Umberto D.
Hamlet
Smiles of a Summer Night
The Bad Sleep Well

[Cinephrenic]

It barely has anything to do with them being in color or popularity of title, but more of rights renewal and sales. We just saw Sweetie upgraded, so expect anything.

[big mouth]

So, noiradelic, what do your stats tell you about color films?

I find it amazing that Wong Kar-Wai's "In The Mood For Love" hasn't been blurayed yet. It was on most reviewers top films of the '00's. Plus, Kino upgraded their two last year.

Also wondering if I am the only person who loves Lean's "Summertime", and wants to see a ravishing new bluray of it, or is it just a guilty pleasure that I should keep to myself, and not mention in this forum?

With so many films and directors that cannot be mentioned here, I dread making a faux pas. Please inform if I am skating on thin ice!

[tojoed]

With so many films and directors that cannot be mentioned here, I dread making a faux pas. Please inform if I am skating on thin ice!

Which films and directors can't be mentioned here? I can't think of any.

[Crab Society North]

With so many films and directors that cannot be mentioned here, I dread making a faux pas. Please inform if I am skating on thin ice!

Which films and directors can't be mentioned here? I can't think of any.

Any Rivette on the release schedule anytime soon?

[Noiradelic]

So, noiradelic, what do your stats tell you about color films?

I find it amazing that Wong Kar-Wai's "In The Mood For Love" hasn't been blurayed yet.

Also wondering if I am the only person who loves Lean's "Summertime", and wants to see a ravishing new bluray of it, or is it just a guilty pleasure that I should keep to myself, and not mention in this forum?

The stat that color films account for 68.5% of upgrades, and Sweetie, say that what color titles get upgrades is anyone's guess. In the Mood for Love is a good candidate, but it's vying with many other well-known contemporary films like the Wes Andersons, so the best anyone can say is that it'll probably come out sooner than later. Summertime is a decent candidate because it's an early spine number, but my idle speculation is that Great Expectations and/or Brief Encounter are more likely to get the nod sooner.

[oldsheperd]

I'm just hoping the supposed blu of Passion of Joan of Arc gets some more extras.

[aox]

I'm just hoping the supposed blu of Passion of Joan of Arc gets some more extras.

That is already such a treasure chest of extras. What is left? What more can be said or produced?

[zedz]

I'm just hoping the supposed blu of Passion of Joan of Arc gets some more extras.

I'd be happy with Dreyer's second cut of the film (which is the cut on which the film's enormous reputation rested for about fifty years).

[captveg]

Not "lower tier" B&W titles, but more than likely to get upgrades sooner rather than later are The Lady Vanishes, Beauty & the Beast and High & Low, simply because they already got their DVD upgrades.

There seems to be some increased chatter about A Night to Remember lately as well.

Upgrades to the early David Lean films are definitely overdue.

And Nanook of the North is such a staple that not only would it be a great choice in and of itself, but it would help improve Criterion's image in regards to silent films just a tad, even if it's not a new title for the collection.

[What A Disgrace]

I should think that Rififi would be high on their priorities for lower tier black and white Blu upgrades, especially since the earlier release was non-progressive.

[tojoed]

With so many films and directors that cannot be mentioned here, I dread making a faux pas. Please inform if I am skating on thin ice!

Which films and directors can't be mentioned here? I can't think of any.

Any Rivette on the release schedule anytime soon?

No, but that doesn't stop people mentioning him, does it. They ask about his films all the time.

[Gregory]

In addition to the oft-asked-about Andrei Rublev, I've wondered if they're ever going to rerelease Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter. By the standards of the last decade, these discs are a stain on Criterion's reputation.

[James]

In addition to the oft-asked-about Andrei Rublev, I've wondered if they're ever going to rerelease Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter. By the standards of the last decade, these discs are a stain on Criterion's reputation.

I've only seen Tokyo Drifter, and while it's true that the current DVD does a major disservice to the film, I think it's a very, very VERY slight Japanese gangster movie that seems to amount to nothing more than a bunch of guys running around yelling at each other amongst colorfully decorated sets. I'd much rather see them rerelease something like Youth of the Beast on Blu-ray, or better yet, delve a little deeper into the Japanese New Wave.

[Derek Estes]

I would expect High and Low to be upgraded to Blu-Ray in the near future as well.

[Crab Society North]

I've wondered if they're ever going to rerelease Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter. By the standards of the last decade, these discs are a stain on Criterion's reputation.

I thought the first two Suzuki's would be reissued by now since new and better prints have surfaced since three years ago? either way there should really be no rush to put them out especially if criterion keeps up their 4 reissues a year tradition and since they only release one pair per director (this year being the fuller's) I think we can safely bet it'll at least be another year. I have high hopes that Picnic at Hanging Rock will finally make it out this year.

I also really would love to see a reissue of Last Temptation of Christ and it would be too good to be true if it was 2 disc set containing all of Scorsese's shorts.

P.S. is there any update at all on those two Hellman acid westerns? they need to be release asap!

[Cinephrenic]

Diabolique and Kwaidan needs a reissue soon.

[knives]

Diabolique and Kwaidan needs a reissue soon.

Good luck for you since Diabolique has been confirmed for this year and Kwaidan in general.

[Jun-Dai]

…a bunch of guys running around yelling at each other amongst colorfully decorated sets.

I'm not sure what else you look for in your movies, but I found that was enough for me. Don't forget the mood music as well—that really makes the film. I would love a BR of Tokyo Drifter.

Oh, and Branded to Kill makes a lot less sense than Tokyo Drifter, though it is more beautifully shot.