2013 Criterion Forum Awards

[domino harvey]

You can however still vote for Season 1 of Deadwood

[AfterTheRain]

Best Release:
On the Waterfront
Nashville
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
City Lights
To Be or Not to Be

Best Eclipse:
Kobayashi Against the System

Best Boxed Set:
Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project #1

Best Modern Film:
The Kid With a Bike

Best Commentary:
Jeffrey Vance for City Lights

Best Essay:
Elia Kazan's defense of his HUAC testimony (On the Waterfront)

Best Bonus Film:
Pinkus' Shoe Palace (To Be or Not to Be)

Best Supplement:
Music in His Blood - Interview with Ennio Morricone

Best R1 Rescue:
Medium Cool

Best Reissue:
Richard III

Best Upgrade:
The Spy Who Came In From the Cold

Best Discovery:
Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

Best Cover:
Eric Skillman for The Uninvited

Best Packaging:
Zatoichi: the Blind Swordsman

Second Most Disappointing Release:
Jubal - there could have been some special features regarding the connection between the film and the Bard's Othello, which is pretty clear

Best Thread:
Criterion Goes Dual Format

Member of the Year:
knives

Richard Cranium Award:
InterFilmArt - for basically threatening everyone on the forum with a lawsuit over our suspicion about its "legitimacy"

[swo17]

Might I suggest that for the "Most Disappointing" and "Richard Cranium" awards, people add brief explanations for their choices so that these picks can amount more to constructive criticism?

[The Narrator Returns]

Best Releases:
1. On the Waterfront
2. 3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman
3. Repo Man
4. Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman
5. The Devil's Backbone

Best Box Set:
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

Best Modern Film:
Frances Ha

Best Commentary:
Guillermo del Toro, Devil's Backbone

Best Essay:
Michael Almereyda, Badlands

Best Bonus Film:
My Dad is 100 Years Old, 3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

Best Supplement:
TV cut of Repo Man

Best R1 Rescue:
Badlands - Now the movie no longer looks like it's being viewed through a dirty window!

Best Reissue:
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

Best Upgrade:
John Cassavetes: Five Films

Best Discovery:
I Married a Witch

Best Cover:
The Uninvited

Best Packaging:
Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman

Second-Most Disappointing Release:
3:10 to Yuma - Because at least Jubal got marked down to the lower price point.

Best Thread:
The hilarious vitriol of the It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World thread

Best Member:
David Kalat

Richard Cranium Award:
InterFilmArt - Thank you for that, Minkin.

[Minkin]

Might I suggest that for the "Richard Cranium" awards, people add brief explanations for their choices so that these picks can amount more to constructive criticism?

Yeah, exactly. Unless everybody is afraid of being sued, I thought the Richard Cranium award would have been quite obvious at this point...

[jindianajonz]

BEST RELEASE
1 Marketa Lazarova
2 Pina
3 To Be Or Not To Be
4 The Big City
5 Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman

BEST ECLIPSE Fassbinder (I wasn't region free when it came out)

BEST BOXED SET Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman

BEST MODERN FILM Pina

BEST COMMENTARY David Kalat- Things to Come

BEST ESSAY The only one I can remember reading is Chandak Sengoopta's Big City essay, so lets go with that.

BEST "BONUS" FILM The Coward

BEST (NON-COMMENTARY, NON-ESSAY, NON-BONUS FILM) SUPPLEMENT n/a

BEST R1 RESCUE On the Waterfront

BEST REISSUE Richard III

BEST UPGRADE Spy who Came in From the Cold

BEST DISCOVERY Marketa Lazarova

BEST COVER Richard III

BEST PACKAGING: Nashville

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE: Zatoichi- I love the set, but aside from the already mentioned slots, I wish it didn't protrude from my DVD shelf. These were the only two things I was dissappointed with Criterion for this year (that didn't end in three dots)

BEST THREAD Film club.

MEMBER OF THE YEAR Mr Sausage

RICHARD CRANIUM AWARD Dang

[matrixschmatrix]

Might I suggest that for the "Most Disappointing" and "Richard Cranium" awards, people add brief explanations for their choices so that these picks can amount more to constructive criticism?

I'm definitely pretty curious.

[domino harvey]

Might I suggest that for the "Most Disappointing" and "Richard Cranium" awards, people add brief explanations for their choices so that these picks can amount more to constructive criticism?

I'm definitely pretty curious.

Classic Richard Cranium-worthy post =;

[jindianajonz]

Wait, is R1 Rescue a film brought to R1 for the first time, or a film that has improved on an old R1 release?

[domino harvey]

A film that was already released in R1 before being rescued by Criterion. They are color-coded in the first post for theoretical ease of selection

[jindianajonz]

A film that was already released in R1 before being rescued by Criterion. They are color-coded in the first post for theoretical ease of selection

Ah, I see. So what is Best Discovery? I had assumed it was best film you weren't previously aware of.

[domino harvey]

So what is Best Discovery? I had assumed it was best film you weren't previously aware of.

You assume correctly \:D/

I updated the first post to make these distinctions clearer

[knives]

Might I suggest that for the "Most Disappointing" and "Richard Cranium" awards, people add brief explanations for their choices so that these picks can amount more to constructive criticism?

I'm definitely pretty curious.

He clearly mixed best with dick.

[jindianajonz]

So what is Best Discovery? I had assumed it was best film you weren't previously aware of.

You assume correctly \:D/

Ok, I think I got it now...

[willoneill]

BEST RELEASE
1. Zatoichi
2. Marketa Lazarova
3. Seconds
4. Things to Come
5. Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

BEST ECLIPSE
Kobayashi

BEST BOXED SET
Zatoichi

BEST MODERN FILM
Kid With a Bike

BEST COMMENTARY
Things to Come, David Kalat

BEST "BONUS" FILM
The Coward

BEST (NON-COMMENTARY, NON-ESSAY, NON-BONUS FILM) SUPPLEMENT
The Making of “Autumn Sonata”

BEST R1 RESCUE
Seconds

BEST REISSUE
Autumn Sonata

BEST UPGRADE
John Cassavetes set

BEST DISCOVERY
Life is Sweet

BEST COVER
Medium Cool

BEST PACKAGING
Zatoichi

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE
I would have liked a commentary on Badlands similar to those on Days of Heaven and Thin Red Line

[Ashirg]

BEST RELEASE
1. On The Waterfront
2. Shoah
3. Badlands
4. Safety Last!
5. Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion

BEST ECLIPSE
Kobayashi Against The System

BEST BOXED SET
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

BEST MODERN FILM
Pina

BEST COMMENTARY
To Be or Not to Be – David Kalat

BEST ESSAY
Monsieur Verdoux – Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

BEST "BONUS" FILM
Sobibor, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m. (Shoah)

BEST (NON-COMMENTARY, NON-ESSAY, NON-BONUS FILM) SUPPLEMENT
The Making of “Autumn Sonata”

BEST R1 RESCUE
Seconds

BEST REISSUE
Autumn Sonata

BEST UPGRADE
John Cassavetes: Five Films

BEST DISCOVERY
Pierre Etaix

BEST COVER
The Uninvited

BEST PACKAGING
Zatoichi: the Blind Swordsman

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE
3:10 to Yuma


MEMBER OF THE YEAR
David Kalat

RICHARD CRANIUM AWARD
InterFilmArt

[Black Hat]

Despite purchasing somewhere around 25 2013 releases/upgrades/reissues/ I didn't realize what a banner year Criterion has had until the first few ballots I read put it in proper perspective. I have no idea where I'm going with my choices, feel like I can fill out 3 different ballots and be ok with it as long as I can keep repeating InterFilmArt for Richard Cranium.

[Sandman]

BEST RELEASE:
1 Marketa Lazarova
2 A Man Escaped
3 Pierre Etaix
4 La Notte
5 Charulata

BEST ECLIPSE:
Kobayashi Against the System

BEST BOXED SET:
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

BEST MODERN FILM:
Pina

BEST COMMENTARY:
David Kalat, To Be or Not to Be

BEST BONUS FILM:
The Coward (The Big City)

BEST NON-THE REST OF IT SUPPLEMENT:
Interviews with Magda Vášáryová, Ivan Palúch, Vlastimil Harapes and Theodor Pištěk (Marketa Lazarova)

Edited to add:
(I would have selected "Documentary from 1988 about actor Chishu Ryu’s career at Shochiku’s Ofuna studios, featuring a lengthy interview with Ryu" (Tokyo Story) had it been eligible.)

BEST R1 RESCUE:
La Notte

BEST REISSUE:
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

BEST UPGRADE:
Wild Strawberries

BEST DISCOVERY:
Marketa Lazarova

BEST COVER:
Marketa Lazarova

BEST PACKAGING:
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE:
Earrings of Madame de… twice over. Reason? I had looked forward to this release to the nth degree and was severely disappointed to learn that the end product was so fucked up.

MEMBER OF THE YEAR:
Sausage for establishing the Film Club forum

[warren oates]

Best Release
1. A Man Escaped
2. La Notte
3. Marketa Lazarová
4. Badlands
5. Nashville

Best Eclipse Release
Kobayashi Against the System

Best Boxset
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

Best Modern Release
Pina

Best Commentary
David Kalat, To Be or Not to Be

Best Essay
Ignatiy Vishneveskty on Monsieur Verdoux

Best Bonus Film
Sobibor, October 14, 1943, 4 p.m.

Best Other Supplement
The Making of "Autumn Sonata"

Best R1 Rescue
Seconds

Best Reissue
Autumn Sonata

Best Blu-ray Upgrade
John Cassavetes: Five Films

Best Discovery
Pierre Étaix

Best Cover
Marketa Lazarová

Best Packaging
Shoah

2nd Most Disappointing
Jubal, for having no extras.

Forum Member of the Year
Mr. Sausage, not only for the film club but for his no-nonsense moderating and for the standard he sets in general for film discussion/debate.

Richard Cranium Award
InterFilm Art, because the only thing worse than being the petulant troll of a shady video distributor is all of that plus Nazi.

Best Non-Criterion Releases
Captured (BFI Flipside)
Theorem (BFI)
Le Pont du Nord (MoC)
Tabu (MoC)
The White Dove/Joseph Kilian (Second Run)
Neighboring Sounds (Cinema Guild)
Museum Hours (Cinema Guild)
Leviathan (Cinema Guild)
Russian Ark (Kino)
Hal Hartley Blus from Olive Films & Artificial Eye
Atom Egoyan Blus from Artificial Eye
The Right Stuff (Warner)
The Duellists (Shout Factory)
The Fury (Arrow)
The Long Goodbye (Arrow)

[movielocke]

BEST RELEASE
1. Marketa Lazarova
2. Zatoichi
3. City Lights
4. Babbette's Feast
5. Things to Come

BEST ECLIPSE
Masaki Kobayashi Against the System

BEST BOXED SET
Zatoichi

BEST MODERN FILM
Pina

BEST COMMENTARY
City Lights

BEST ESSAY
Tom Gunning - Marketa Lazarova

BEST "BONUS" FILM
Rupture

BEST (NON-COMMENTARY, NON-ESSAY, NON-BONUS FILM) SUPPLEMENT
Visual Essay by Michael Almeyreda - Babbette's Feast
(damn near a tie with Bruce Eder's visual essay on Things to Come!)

BEST R1 RESCUE
The Man Who Knew Too Much

BEST REISSUE
Autumn Sonata

BEST UPGRADE
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

BEST DISCOVERY
Marketa Lazarova

BEST COVER
Nashville

BEST PACKAGING
Zatoichi

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE
Gate of Hell - something, anything, for this film? it screams out for accompaniment.

[Finch]

BEST RELEASE Numbered in order from 1-5. Must vote for five titles to have your ballot counted

1) Zatoichi
2) Charulata
3) On The Waterfront
4) Seconds
5) Pierre Etaix

BEST ECLIPSE none

BEST BOXED SET Zatoichi

BEST MODERN FILM not going to vote on this as I didn't buy any of their modern releases

BEST COMMENTARY none

BEST REISSUE Seconds

BEST UPGRADE Life & Death of Colonel Blimp

BEST DISCOVERY Charulata

BEST COVER Charulata

BEST PACKAGING On the Waterfront

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE I Married A Witch being bare-bones

[HerrSchreck]

Wow . . . I've been so scarce around here I missed out on the dang AND the InterFilmArt knockdowns... utterly hilarious stuff.

[Tommaso]

BEST RELEASE
1. Charulata
2. The Life of Oharu
3. The Big City
4. Marketa Lazarova
5. City Lights

BEST ECLIPSE
Kobayashi

BEST BOXED SET
Rossellini/Bergman

BEST MODERN FILM
Pina

BEST COMMENTARY
David Kalat on "Things to Come"

BEST ESSAY
Gilberto Perez on "The Life of Oharu"

BEST "BONUS" FILM
Shoe Palace Pinkus ("To be or not to be")

BEST (NON-COMMENTARY, NON-ESSAY, NON-BONUS FILM) SUPPLEMENT
The Making of "Autumn Sonata"

BEST R1 RESCUE
To Be or Not to Be

BEST REISSUE
Colonel Blimp

BEST DISCOVERY
Things to Come

BEST COVER
The Life of Oharu

SECOND-MOST DISAPPOINTING RELEASE
Eclipse Fassbinder. Completely unnecessary in this form. Either put them in the main line in order to trump the cheaper R2 releases, or simply don't waste time and effort that might have gone into a nice Naruse Eclipse instead.


MEMBER OF THE YEAR
David Kalat

RICHARD CRANIUM
InterFilmArtEntertainment


Great releases from other labels:

Le Pont du Nord (Rivette, MoC)
The Complete Sadao Yamanaka (MoC)
Underground (Asquith, BFI)
Out1 (Rivette, absolut medien) even though someone f'cked up Episode 1, this is an absolutely essential release
Im Kampf mit dem Berge (Fanck, Murnau-Stiftung): brilliant resto with original music by Paul Hindemith of one of the good Doctor's earliest mountain spectaculars

And my two discs of the year:
Der Prinz von Arkadien (Karl Hartl 1932, edition Der Österreichische Film)
Glückskinder (Paul Martin 1936, Concorde)

Two of the very best early German sound film comedies/musicals, both in excellent transfers. Unfortunately both discs come without subs, but each of these films is pure delight from a still far too little known era of cinema history. If you understand German, these discs are completely indispensible.

[Lemmy Caution]

Best Release:
Seconds
Ministry of Fear
Things to Come
To Be or Not to Be
Charulata

Best Modern Film:
Frances Ha

(will try to expand before the deadline)

[boywonder]

Best Releases:
1. Stromboli
2. The Killing of A Chinese Bookie
3. To Be or Not To Be
4. The Man Who New Too Much
5. La Notte

Best Box Set:
3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman

Best Modern Film:
Frances Ha (but not as good as Greenberg, The Whale and the Squid, or Margot at the Wedding)

Best Commentary: The Man Who Knew Too Much (Philip Kemp)

Best Essay: Man Who Knew Too Much: Interview with Guillermo del Toro

Best R1 Rescue: Badlands

Best Reissue: Richard lll

Best Upgrade: John Cassavetes: Five Films

Best Discovery: The Uninvited

Best Cover: Rossellini/Bergman – F. Ron Miller

Best Packaging: Rossellini/Bergman – F. Ron Miller

Second-Most Disappointing Release: Repo Man (a wasted spine number)

Best Thread: The Upstream Color thread trying to convince that the emperor who has no clothes, has clothes.

Best Power Pop Record: Bangerz (don't be a hater!)