Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol. 6

[Yaanu]

I agree, I'd love to see Movie Movie get a good release. Speaking of parodies, I wish the More! on AHDN would be The Rutles: All You Need is Cash.

Idea for next year's April Fool's joke, since at this moment I have no idea if they're going to do one this year or skip it like last year: THE (So Far) COMPLETE WORKS OF AARON SELTZER AND JASON FRIEDBERG. With uncut versions of DATE MOVIE, EPIC MOVIE, MEET THE SPARTANS, DISASTER MOVIE, and VAMPIRES SUCK, as well as the BD/DVD premieres of SPY HARD, BEST NIGHT EVER, and THE STARVING GAMES. Eight movies for the price of ten! A deal that can be passed up!

[FrauBlucher]

Ah yes, today must be April 1st. Thank you Cast for the first of the many April Fools gags.

[Roger Ryan]

I agree, I'd love to see Movie Movie get a good release. Speaking of parodies, I wish the More! on AHDN would be The Rutles: All You Need is Cash.

You do know that ALL YOU NEED IS CASH just got a blu-ray release, right? I've stayed away from it because the original 1.37:1 AR was cropped (or manipulated) to fill a 1.78:1 screen. Reportedly, Eric Idle also re-recorded some voice-over sections to "Americanize" some of the language. Overall, it sounds like a very disappointing treatment of the film.

I saw MOVIE, MOVIE on a cruise ship in 1979. The cruise was a bit dull and I ended up watching the film three times (I remember being the only one in the ship's cinema two of those times). A very polite parody of the musical and boxing movie genres, there are still quite a few good laughs with a funny lead performance by George C. Scott. To this day, the "all I need is the girl" musical number sticks in my head...from this film, not GYPSY!

[sir_luke]

You do know that ALL YOU NEED IS CASH just got a blu-ray release, right?

I had no idea, actually. Thanks for the information! Sad to hear that it hasn't been treated with the love (I think) it deserves.

[htom]

I saw MOVIE, MOVIE on a cruise ship in 1979. The cruise was a bit dull and I ended up watching the film three times (I remember being the only one in the ship's cinema two of those times). A very polite parody of the musical and boxing movie genres, there are still quite a few good laughs with a funny lead performance by George C. Scott. To this day, the "all I need is the girl" musical number sticks in my head...from this film, not GYPSY!

Just going by how I saw this on TV, a few variant versions were floating around. Leaving aside the George Burns intro (which I've never seen, I suppose it was easy to remove this and maximize time for commercials), one version seems to be the original: boxing feature and trailer in battered/duped black-and-white, musical in color. The first version I actually saw was the same except the black-and-white sections were more or less pristine. The last version I saw, in a French dub, the boxing film was in color. Since it has been years I don't recall if anything was done to the musical section to make it look old or not.

[Roger Ryan]

I saw MOVIE, MOVIE on a cruise ship in 1979. The cruise was a bit dull and I ended up watching the film three times (I remember being the only one in the ship's cinema two of those times). A very polite parody of the musical and boxing movie genres, there are still quite a few good laughs with a funny lead performance by George C. Scott. To this day, the "all I need is the girl" musical number sticks in my head...from this film, not GYPSY!

Just going by how I saw this on TV, a few variant versions were floating around. Leaving aside the George Burns intro (which I've never seen, I suppose it was easy to remove this and maximize time for commercials), one version seems to be the original: boxing feature and trailer in battered/duped black-and-white, musical in color. The first version I actually saw was the same except the black-and-white sections were more or less pristine. The last version I saw, in a French dub, the boxing film was in color. Since it has been years I don't recall if anything was done to the musical section to make it look old or not.

I distinctly remember that the boxing feature and trailer were in black-and-white when I saw the film in '79. I seem to recall that the trailer was made to look a little distressed, but I don't think the boxing feature was...or, at least, nothing too distracting. I don't believe the musical feature was distressed at all.

Here's what Wikipedia says about the theatrical release:
"In the theatrical release, as George Burns leads us to expect in the film's prologue, Dynamite Hands and the mock film trailer were in black-and-white, while the musical Baxter's Beauties of 1933 was in color. Some home video editions featured a colorized version of Dynamite Hands (actually, this part of the feature was filmed in color, but shot and lit with the expectation that it would be printed in black and white, as it was in theaters and in some TV showings, where it reveals a rich palette of monochrome hues)."

Wikipedia's description of Burns' intro was as I remembered it; just a short piece telling us that this is what going to the theater in the old days was like. If pressed, I'd say that Burns was in a dressing room for this intro, but I'm not certain.

[beastwave]

Based off the New Year's drawing, I heard some people say Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Cure might be joining the Collection. Does anyone see that as being a real possibility in 2014? I hope so. I would like to see some new Asian titles join the DVD/Blu format of Criterion.

[Finch]

Cure would be a terrific choice, both for Kiyoshi Kurosawa entering the collection and the film that I personally consider the finest contemporary horror film I've seen in a long time (never shared most people's enthusiasm for Pulse, sorry), and a decent 1080p presentation since the Spanish BD is interlaced.

[PoeticRealist]

Cure would be a terrific start. I'd love to see Pulse / Kairo join the collection someday as well.

[beastwave]

I must say Cure blew my mind. I recall loving Bright Future when it came out, I wouldn't mind seeing that get the treatment one day. I always thought it was an interesting and surreal film. Kiyoshi Kurosawa is an interesting director without a doubt.

[Michael Kerpan]

I think I'm fondest of KK's very weird "Doppelganger".

[Mr Sausage]

I think I'm fondest of KK's very weird "Doppelganger".

My favourite romantic comedy.

[Michael Kerpan]

I think I'm fondest of KK's very weird "Doppelganger".

My favourite romantic comedy.

One of mine too.

I remember when this was brand-new -- people thought I was crazy for claiming it was, in essence, a romantic comedy. Then I managed to find an interview by KK saying this was what he had considered it to be. ;~}

Of course, Ruiz's "Ce jour la" is almost as good as a totally weird romantic comedy.

[FerdinandGriffon]

One of mine too.

I remember when this was brand-new -- people thought I was crazy for claiming it was, in essence, a romantic comedy. Then I managed to find an interview by KK saying this was what he had considered it to be. ;~}

Of course, Ruiz's "Ce jour la" is almost as good as a totally weird romantic comedy.

Ha. Never thought I'd see these two beloved favorites of mine named in the same post, though it makes perfect sense.

I'd be delighted with any Kurosawa on Blu, but especially with Charisma (which, coincidentally, I consider the spiritual twin of Ruiz's The Territory!).

[warren oates]

Blu-ray.com had a notice last week that Kino is definitely planning to release Doppelganger on Blu-ray in the U.S. through their new deal with Tartan.

[ianungstad]

Considering Criterion posted IFC's trailer for Polanski's Venus in Fur on both twitter and Facebook; I assume it's a very good sign they'll handle the eventual dvd/blu. What a terrible trailer. The English language narration in particular.

[adavis53]

Considering Criterion posted IFC's trailer for Polanski's Venus in Fur on both twitter and Facebook; I assume it's a very good sign they'll handle the eventual dvd/blu. What a terrible trailer. The English language narration in particular.

It'd make a good pairing with the rumored Macbeth

[Bruce]

What does anyone think are the chances of Criterion getting around to a Blu upgrade of Costa-Gavras' 'Missing' in the foreseeable future? This is one of my most-wanted titles on Blu!

[Raymond Marble]

One I've been wondering about is David Cronenberg's Crash, which is currently out of print on DVD (it was previously put out by New Line). Besides, Cronenberg did a commentary track that appeared on the Criterion laserdisc release and hasn't turned up since.

More unlikely, but still arousing my curiosity, is Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, which is another title currently out of print, on blu-ray at least, and Criterion had released it on laserdisc in the past. I can't imagine this title will stay out of print on blu-ray for too long, but that also doesn't mean that Criterion's going to be the one to rerelease it.

[warren oates]

Agree. I'd love to see Missing on Blu too. I'm guessing they could probably do it right now but are holding off to hopefully pair it with either other Costa-Gavras mainstream releases or an eclipse set of titles like State of Siege and The Confession.

[Arrow]

Agree. I'd love to see Missing on Blu too. I'm guessing they could probably do it right now but are holding off to hopefully pair it with either other Costa-Gavras mainstream releases or an eclipse set of titles like State of Siege of The Confession.

Back when they used to answer emails (I think it was around the time Missing was first released) Criterion told me they were going to be releasing all of his early stuff soon. I've been hoping the delay is they intend to release them on blu.

[beastwave]

Crash would be a nice addition to Criterion. I feel like that's one film we may not see for a long time. As for Dr. Strangelove, I feel like most Kubrick stuff will be off limits from here on out. It would be nice to get a Spartacus upgrade, but that's all I envision. I feel like there is too much money at stake to let Criterion handle any of the post-50's Kubrick stuff.

I once heard a rumor about Clockwork Orange, and Barry Lyndon. I never believed either. Warners is too selfish.

[sir_luke]

Someone scary needs to threaten Warners executives to license BL to Criterion. It's one of my most-wanted films in the Collection. Speaking of Warner, I wish Warner Archive would give up The Loved One, so Criterion could do it up right.

[FrauBlucher]

As for Dr. Strangelove, I feel like most Kubrick stuff will be off limits from here on out. It would be nice to get a Spartacus upgrade, but that's all I envision. I feel like there is too much money at stake to let Criterion handle any of the post-50's Kubrick stuff. I once heard a rumor about Clockwork Orange, and Barry Lyndon. I never believed either. Warners is too selfish.

Dr. Strangelove is a Sony title, so there is a chance CC could get this. Besides it was a CC laserdisc back in the day.

Someone scary needs to threaten Warners executives to license BL to Criterion. It's one of my most-wanted films in the Collection. Speaking of Warner, I wish Warner Archive would give up The Loved One, so Criterion could do it up right.

Warner= ](*,)

[criterion10]

Dr. Strangelove is a Sony title, so there is a chance CC could get this. Besides it was CC laserdisc back in the day.

The Dr. Strangelove Blu-Ray has actually been OOP for quite a while now (and is fetching high prices on Amazon)...