Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.3

[knives]

They're doing a Red Shoes level resto on it and I believe that said it wouldn't be in the cards until late 2012. The last update I remember has the transfer being stalled so that they can find the original negatives for much of the middle section.

[matrixschmatrix]

I would put money on full rereleases of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations- they're amongst the only totally barebones releases left in the first 100 spine numbers, and as was pointed out Criterion's been favoring duos lately. The Samurai trilogy obviously seems like a strong probability for the same reason, though I don't know if that rule about the Japanese blu needing to be out for six months first applies there.

As I recall, the 2012 slate we saw seemed to include a blu upgrade of A Night to Remember, which makes sense. Outside of that- I wonder if upgraded Wacky C packaging is any kind of a clue for future upgrades? If so, I would expect Elevator to the Gallows, Scenes from a Marriage, and the Beastie Boys Video Anthology to be candidates.

[Jarpie]

I'd love to get bluray upgrades on Pickup on South Street, Mr. Arkadin, F For Fake, Night and the City, Ace in the Hole and The Friends of Eddie Coyle but can't see none of those happening. Especially the last one.

[movielocke]

if we have another opening year duo, I think the best bet would be a combo of Late Autumn and Wild Strawberries.

The other top pair candidate from the early releases would probably be the Lean Dickens films, though Summertime also is in need of upgrade.

I am surprised they didn't upgrade 39 Steps the same month as Lady Vanishes, the same way they upgraded Black Narcissus (new cover art, no change in the supplements) when Red Shoes came out.

Since I imagine Hitch sells decently, I'd think 39 Steps is high on the agenda for a full reissue ala Lady Vanishes.

I wouldn't be surprised if Criterion is trying to negotiate blu only rights to Notorious, Rebecca and Spellbound and issue them on blu without re-releasing them on dvd.

2012 saw Criterion selecting broadly from all over their back catalog, rather than concentrating on just the canon (ala the studios approach to blu).

I really hope the Leans happen, they're my first choice, in addition, I think these titles are probably high priority for them in terms of all new editions on bluray and dvd:
Autumn Sonata
A Night to Remember
Picnic at Hanging Rock
39 Steps
Henry V
Passion of Jean of Arc
Kwaidan

it'd be nice to see half of that list get new editions, I'd never expect more than six complete new editions in a year.

I'd love to stick Andrei Rublev on there, but that might be such a big project we won't see it until 2013 at the earliest. I figure if it gets prepped for bluray release it's going to go on the theatrical circuit, which will push it out at least a year.

Aside from the all new editions, I would gues about half of their blu upgrades of their existing editions will come from these films, perhaps 8-12 of these will actually happen, which would be in line with their pace from 2011:
Wild Strawberries
Bicycle Thieves
Children of Paradise
Tin Drum
L'Avventura
Jules & Jim
Throne of Blood
Richard III
Tokyo Story
La Strada
Ikiru
Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Au Hasard Balthazar
Ugetsu
Sansho
Life & Death of Colonel Blimp (may be more of a 2013 title)
Ace in the Hole
Vampyr
Young Mr. Lincoln
Pandora's Box
3 Penny Opera
Royal Tenenbaums
Furies

and I wonder if I'm overlooking Do the Right Thing and Spartacus, maybe...

Then there will probably be another 8-12 films unexpectedly upgraded akin to Sweetie, HaraKiri or 3 Women. There's no real way to predict what these might be.

[Drucker]

Would love to see Lean's Dickens films. I'm holding off on picking them up for that.
Shouldn't Brief Encounter be forthcoming? There is a blu-ray of it in print, already, is there not?

[BillWatkins]

A Night to Remember
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Andrei Rublev
Armageddon
Taste of Cherry
And the Ship Sails On
The Night Porter
Autumn Sonata

These are the last of the non-anamorphic CC DVDs that haven't been upgraded (excluding OOP titles). I would assume most of those would be priority. Armageddon though will probably never be touched again.

[fdm]

and I wonder if I'm overlooking Do the Right Thing and Spartacus, maybe...

If anything, you're most likely overlooking Brazil, if Dazed And Confused is any indication. (Apologies if I missed it in your lists.)

[matrixschmatrix]

Checking back on the blurry picture, we had Autumn Sonata on our best guess list, so that seems very likely to me.

[bringmesomechemicals]

A Taste of Cherry blu upgrade could be coupled with Certified Copy if indeed Criterion get their hands on it.

[movielocke]

and I wonder if I'm overlooking Do the Right Thing and Spartacus, maybe...

If anything, you're most likely overlooking Brazil, if Dazed And Confused is any indication. (Apologies if I missed it in your lists.)

doh. of course, somehow did overlook it. :-p

These are the last of the non-anamorphic CC DVDs that haven't been upgraded (excluding OOP titles). I would assume most of those would be priority. Armageddon though will probably never be touched again.

I'd initially though you'd forgotten the Samurai trilogy, and then checked and realized for the first time it's 1.33:1. I'd say Samurai is the most likely box set to be upgraded, which is ironic since it wasn't initially a boxset release, iirc.

I wouldn't be opposed to an Armageddon or The Rock bluray--particularly if the sales of them help criterion's bottom line--but it seems like they're purging the collection of some of the more populist fare by declining to do blurays of them (Time Bandits, Chasing Amy etc) that were in those first 100 spine numbers, so I don't really expect them to release the Bay films on blu.

[zedz]

Outside of that- I wonder if upgraded Wacky C packaging is any kind of a clue for future upgrades? If so, I would expect Elevator to the Gallows, Scenes from a Marriage, and the Beastie Boys Video Anthology to be candidates.

But weren't those repackagings predicated on the size of the original case? That seems like an incredibly arbitrary criterion for upgrading to BluRay, like making the decision based on the number of pages in the booklet.

EDIT: And speaking of arbitrary, the barebones title I'd most like to see reissued / upgraded to BluRay? Double Suicide.

[SpiderBaby]

The Cranes are Flying would be welcomed next year.

[matrixschmatrix]

Outside of that- I wonder if upgraded Wacky C packaging is any kind of a clue for future upgrades? If so, I would expect Elevator to the Gallows, Scenes from a Marriage, and the Beastie Boys Video Anthology to be candidates.

But weren't those repackagings predicated on the size of the original case? That seems like an incredibly arbitrary criterion for upgrading to BluRay, like making the decision based on the number of pages in the booklet.

Well, true, but there's an enormous number of the double-wide cases, and they're obviously picking and choosing which ones get repackaged- my thought was that part of that decision making process might be knowing that a repackaged version would fit well with any future blu release.

[swo17]

My thought was that it just had to do with them running out of copies from the last pressing.

[captveg]

I wonder if upgraded Wacky C packaging is any kind of a clue for future upgrades? If so, I would expect Elevator to the Gallows, Scenes from a Marriage, and the Beastie Boys Video Anthology to be candidates.

Beastie Boys seems highly unlikely to get a Blu upgrade, IMO. I imagine many of the videos were shot SD.

and I wonder if I'm overlooking Do the Right Thing and Spartacus, maybe...

I really, really hope that it was Spartacus on that picture of titles.

As for DTRT - seems less likely to me since the Universal Blu-ray has many of the supplements.

I wouldn't be opposed to an Armageddon or The Rock bluray--particularly if the sales of them help criterion's bottom line--but it seems like they're purging the collection of some of the more populist fare by declining to do blurays of them (Time Bandits, Chasing Amy etc) that were in those first 100 spine numbers, so I don't really expect them to release the Bay films on blu.

I'm pretty sure the Buena Vista Blu-rays for The Rock and Armageddon are essentially the Criterion discs on Blu-ray without the spine numbers anyway.

[willoneill]

I'm pretty sure the Buena Vista Blu-rays for The Rock and Armageddon are essentially the Criterion discs on Blu-ray without the spine numbers anyway.

The Rock is, but Armageddon doesn't have any of the Criterion supplements, nor is it the extended cut.

[captveg]

I'm pretty sure the Buena Vista Blu-rays for The Rock and Armageddon are essentially the Criterion discs on Blu-ray without the spine numbers anyway.

The Rock is, but Armageddon doesn't have any of the Criterion supplements, nor is it the extended cut.

Ah, was not aware of that. Not that it matters to me. I despise that movie.

[HistoryProf]

Outside of that- I wonder if upgraded Wacky C packaging is any kind of a clue for future upgrades? If so, I would expect Elevator to the Gallows, Scenes from a Marriage, and the Beastie Boys Video Anthology to be candidates.

But weren't those repackagings predicated on the size of the original case? That seems like an incredibly arbitrary criterion for upgrading to BluRay, like making the decision based on the number of pages in the booklet.

Well, true, but there's an enormous number of the double-wide cases, and they're obviously picking and choosing which ones get repackaged- my thought was that part of that decision making process might be knowing that a repackaged version would fit well with any future blu release.

i seem to recall them saying that Elevator to the Gallows and the Floating Weeds set were simply being repackaged to the figure 8 cases because they ran out of the double wides....with the implication being that the rest of the double wide cases would be replaced with figure 8s and new whacky C art whenever they finally burn through existing stock.

so sadly there's no correlation between that change and the likelihood for a blu...the long delay was just that they were the first to go through the process I think.

and I agree that Brazil would have to be up there in the queue...can't imagine why they wouldn't upgrade that one as it would be a huge seller. It will be interesting to see if they do the whole set or just the film.

[chrisandy]

A Taste of Cherry blu upgrade could be coupled with Certified Copy if indeed Criterion get their hands on it.

Remember reading that Certified Copy is not happening as Criterion considered it "Minor Kiarostami" (according to IFC President).

[GiovanniR]

I think that file they posted on FB listed the Koker Trilogy for 2012. I'm still crossing my fingers on them changing their minds on Certified Copy, but I'm quite skeptical.

[movielocke]

the annoying thing about Stories of Floating Weeds repackage is the case is still in double width, but it's not a double alpha (two 'pages') it's just double width with a figure eight disc holder.

[Perkins Cobb]

I can confirm from a reliable source that Criterion is working on the Koker Trilogy.

[swo17]

I love you.

[Peacock]

I can confirm from a reliable source that Criterion is working on the Koker Trilogy.

Are you being serious? Even though some/swo saw it in the 2012 image, I really didn't believe this would be coming anytime soon, but seriously I don't think anything could personally top this next year for me if this happens...wow!

[AquaNarc]

I don't know if I ever really thought in my heart I would see Where is the Friend's home in a decent transfer, let alone high definition.