Criterion Random Speculation Vol.2

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Gregory · #926 Post by **Gregory** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:59 pm

I've been hoping for years that they'll get The Tarnished Angels from Universal.

Ted Todorov · #927 Post by **Ted Todorov** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:58 pm

ellipsis7 wrote:Just to remind ourselves of the TIME OUT review
...{Negative review follows}

Forgive me for contradicting the Solons at TIME OUT, but I thoroughly agree that Domicile Conjugal is far more disturbing then the 400 Blows. Yes, it does work on several levels, and may go over people's heads, but it is an uncommonly incisive (and funny and sad and sentimental) portrait of "happily ever after".

And to call something like The Green Room a "trite populist film" -- I hope whoever said that simply hasn't seen it.

FilmFanSea · #928 Post by **FilmFanSea** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:50 pm

July releases thus far: Yi Yi and Koko: A Gorilla that Talks

I sense a pattern here. The next announcement may be ...

Loulou (Pialat)?
Nana (Renoir)?
a single-disc release of French Cancan?
a film starring French actress Miou-Miou?

Cinephrenic · #929 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:52 pm

I would say it's a April fools joke, but it's the 13th.

maxbelmont · #930 Post by **maxbelmont** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 1:51 am

Has anyone heard anymore news about a Criterion release of Cronenberg's Crash? I believe this was one of the more important releases of the 90's and arguably his best film up to his 2005 A History of Violence.

blindside8zao · #931 Post by **blindside8zao** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:58 am

no good news.

justeleblanc · #932 Post by **justeleblanc** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:29 pm

maxbelmont wrote:Has anyone heard anymore news about a Criterion release of Cronenberg's Crash? I believe this was one of the more important releases of the 90's and arguably his best film up to his 2005 A History of Violence.

It probably wont be issued by Criterion.

tryavna · #933 Post by **tryavna** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:54 pm

Thisjust appeared.

Dubbed the greatest actor of the twentieth century, Sir Laurence Olivier, the classically trained and majestically handsome English theater veteran and one-time co-director of London's Old Vic, first transplanted his passion for Shakespeare to the big screen in the 1940s, and in so doing, allowed Elizabethan verse to break free of its stage-bound origins. Olivier directed only five films in his sixty-year career, yet his three Shakespeare adaptations, presented here together on DVD for the first time, are still widely considered the definitive film adaptations: his thrilling directorial debut, Henry V, stunned 1944 audiences with its vivid Technicolor and full-throttle battle scenes; Hamlet, which won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Actor, in 1948, brought to stunning life literature's greatest protagonist; and his legendary Richard III, thought by many to feature Olivier's most magnetic performance. Faithful to the playwright's words yet open to the visual potentials of the cinema, these works transcend both screen and stage with timeless passion. Criterion is proud to present this unprecedented filmmaking legacy.

I think it's a good idea to go ahead and compile these into one boxset (a la the Hitchcock and Great Adaptations sets), but I wonder if this provides Criterion an excuse to release only two new titles in July...?

Cinesimilitude · #934 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:47 pm

I own two of these... I'm gonna buy richard III just incase they decide to stop selling them individually.

EDIT: Actually, the individual links give options to buy them seperate or in the box, I'll wait for another DDD sale.

headacheboy · #935 Post by **headacheboy** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:13 am

FilmFanSea wrote:July releases thus far: Yi Yi and Koko: A Gorilla that Talks

I sense a pattern here. The next announcement may be ...

Loulou (Pialat)?
Nana (Renoir)?
a single-disc release of French Cancan?
a film starring French actress Miou-Miou?

cinephrenic wrote:I would say it's a April fools joke, but it's the 13th.

I try to stay in my corner of the room and smile and look pretty, but damned if these two comments didn't have me laughing so hard that my kitty cats came into the room to see what the commotion was. (They can't read so they remain clueless.) And to think that I've almost been tempted to join the conversation in Criterion In 2006. Yikes.

justeleblanc · #936 Post by **justeleblanc** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:33 am

FilmFanSea wrote:July releases thus far: Yi Yi and Koko: A Gorilla that Talks

I sense a pattern here. The next announcement may be ...

Loulou (Pialat)?
Nana (Renoir)?
a single-disc release of French Cancan?
a film starring French actress Miou-Miou?

Don't forget Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

HerrSchreck · #937 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:03 am

justeleblanc wrote:
FilmFanSea wrote:July releases thus far: Yi Yi and Koko: A Gorilla that Talks

I sense a pattern here. The next announcement may be ...

Loulou (Pialat)?
Nana (Renoir)?
a single-disc release of French Cancan?
a film starring French actress Miou-Miou?
Don't forget Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

Also in the forthcoming RepetitionRepetory Boxset:

Prinz KuckKuck (Paul Leni, silent)
Princess Tam Tam (licensed fm Kino)
Any of a zillion LuLu's, MiMi's, Mama's, plus the recent Tutu,
and a disc devoted to DaDa shorts.

hamsterburger · #938 Post by **hamsterburger** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:41 pm

Hi guys. I see my post in the main rumours forum got locked. Sorry about being so vague, I kinda thought people would guess what film I was talking about right away. Didn't mean to annoy you all

Anyway, the title that I heard was being released is Mala Noche, by Gus Van Sant. Can't really say who gave the word. But its someone affiliated with the director and they have been working on the release for a few months. New 35MM prints have been struck from the original 16mm source and its apparently shaping up to be a good release.

Dont know when its do to be released, but I got the imprecion that It was some time this year.

AK · #939 Post by AK » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:54 pm

hamsterburger wrote:Anyway, the title that I heard was being released is Mala Noche, by Gus Van Sant. Can't really say who gave the word. But its someone affiliated with the director and they have been working on the release for a few months. New 35MM prints have been struck from the original 16mm source and its apparently shaping up to be a good release.

How do you do. If this be the case, thanks for the tip, for I would be inclined to embrace this one. I'm fond of Van Sant's work (not the Van Sant who makes films for Williams and Connery, but the other one), and haven't been able to see this film yet.

As for some Kurosawa speculation, does anyone know how are the distribution rights for Madadayo nowadays?

With best regards,
AK

Schkura · #940 Post by **Schkura** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:08 pm

I have hit a brick wall looking for the current rights-holder. The rights were previously owned by WinStar Media, and WinStar was bought out by Wellspring. However, I don't see it listed as one of Wellspring's current holdings.

AK · #941 Post by AK » Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:47 pm

Schkura wrote:I have hit a brick wall looking for the current rights-holder. The rights were previously owned by WinStar Media, and WinStar was bought out by Wellspring. However, I don't see it listed as one of Wellspring's current holdings.

Thanks for the info. I hope the situation doesn't become too complicated for Criterion to eventually bring it out. I saw Madadayo for the first time a few years ago, and would surely want to see a decent transfer of it. And the DVDBeaver's take on the current releases sure isn't encouraging. Every single time I've now watched the Criterion Ran I've been in want to continue straight to Madadayo. Perhaps someday I can.

With best regards,
AK

barnyard078 · #942 Post by **barnyard078** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:46 am

Mala Noche is a great and touching film. I was able to finally see it this last October. There was a screening here in Portland, and Gus Van Sant himself attended the screening. Also, the author of the book that the movie is based on, Walt Curtis, spoke along with Gus before the screening. It was great seeing Gus Van Sant taking his first baby steps into the cinematic world.

On another note, I am also waiting for the release of Mala Noche on DVD, but isn't Plexifilm releasing it? If you go to the Plexifilm website, it is still listed as coming soon. Did this fall through or something? I am on the Plexifilm mailing list and I have not heard word one about a release date. Either way, Criterion or Plexifilm, gimme gimme gimme!

HerrSchreck · #943 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:14 am

davidhare wrote:Yes - you're too recently arrived here to be aware of previous discussion, but mention of Mala Noche has been going on for years, and unfortunately the PLexifilm standoff is still going on.

At least it's still in circulation, and I just wish Gus could get it off the ground with any DVD company! While we're at it how about non-R1 Academy ratio version DVDs of Elephant and Last Days. (excepting the French ones of course)

I don't understand why there is even a problem over this-- I saw ELEPHANT in the cinema @ 1/1.37. This less exaggerated ratio is far better suited to the verite-esque nature of the film, which seems to be happening in realtime before your very eyes, than widescreen which calls more attention to itself by forcing the eyes to wander horizontally thereby potentially breaking the spell.

ByMarkClark.com · Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:16 pm

>>Every single time I've now watched the Criterion Ran I've been in want to continue straight to Madadayo. <<

Skipping over DREAMS and RHAPSODY IN AUGUST?

AK · #945 Post by AK » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:06 pm

ByMarkClark.com wrote:>>Every single time I've now watched the Criterion Ran I've been in want to continue straight to Madadayo. <<

Skipping over DREAMS and RHAPSODY IN AUGUST?

Indeed, there is a strong connection I feel to exist between them, as if by watching these two films, in particular, I could experience a Kurosawan micro-retrospective of a sort.

Edit: I presume I may have initially made it sound like I would've been talking about a full retrospective.

Edit 2: As for the Madadayo distribution rights puzzle, if WinMedia/Wellspring currently holds the rights, shouldn't the Wellspring/Criterion deal (discussed on the thread linked below) bode well for all of us waiting for a release?

Link: http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=830

With best regards,
AK

Gregory · #946 Post by **Gregory** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:43 pm

About Mala Noche: I e-mailed Plexifilm a few days ago for another reason and while I was at it I asked about Mala Noche. The reply said only that there is currently no fixed release date for it. The "currently" makes it sound like they still plan to release it.

Gigi M. · #947 Post by **Gigi M.** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:45 am

Out of the Shadows

No mere revival, Rialto Pictures' theatrical release of Criterion favorite Jean-Pierre Melville's long-unseen treasure Army of Shadows next week is nothing less than the film's U.S. premiere. In a New Republic Online piece, Stanley Kauffmann gives the lowdown on this nearly forgotten drama about the French Resistance, originally released in 1969, with Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, and Lino Ventura. An essential piece of cinema is finally coming to a theater near us.

Great news from Criterion's site.

justeleblanc · #948 Post by **justeleblanc** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:25 am

gigimonagas wrote:
Out of the Shadows

No mere revival, Rialto Pictures' theatrical release of Criterion favorite Jean-Pierre Melville's long-unseen treasure Army of Shadows next week is nothing less than the film's U.S. premiere. In a New Republic Online piece, Stanley Kauffmann gives the lowdown on this nearly forgotten drama about the French Resistance, originally released in 1969, with Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, and Lino Ventura. An essential piece of cinema is finally coming to a theater near us.
Great news from Criterion's site.

Old news, but good news.

Jean-Luc Garbo · #949 Post by **Jean-Luc Garbo** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:07 am

Come on, Criterion, you know you want to tell us to expect some more Melville next year.

Anonymous · #950 Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:37 pm

does anyone know if there is a chance criterion might be able to reconstruct a reasonable version of welles' "the magnificent ambersons"?
- like they did for "mr. arkadin"? i have always heard the missing "ambersons" footage could not be found or reconstructed, but i recently read that film historians are continuing efforts to locate and/or reconstruct the 42 minutes that were cut by rko. any info would be appreciated.

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