Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[knives]

Probably not given how much more widely spread the rights are for his films.

[Big Ben]

Would Criterion put out Fellini Casanova? I know Mr. Bongo put out a Region Free version but I'm under the impression that Mr Bongo isn't always legitimate?

[JakeStewart]

Probably not given how much more widely spread the rights are for his films.

I wouldn't be that shocked if they did. They've already released most of his pre-Casanova stuff on DVD or blu-ray, and that's when the bulk of his most highly regarded films were made. The rights situation on his later films is much more uncertain, but those tend to be all over the place in terms of quality, IMO.

[knives]

Even before that they wouldn't given, for example, the Studio Canal situation.

[Gregory]

It's hardly that the rights to the later films that more uncertain. To release a Fellini retrospective box in time for the centennial, Criterion would have likely already had to start work on it last year, which would have meant that the StudioCanal titles wouldn't have been in play. That includes his first 1 1/2 films plus one of his most beloved ones. And has anyone done a restoration of Juliet of the Spirits better than the one Cult Films used? Would Criterion be able to save I Vitelloni as things currently stand?

They could release some kind of Fellini set for 2020, but it wouldn't be anything like the Bergman one.

Also, the question of the next big box has already been discussed with respect to Fellini in this thread here.

[aox]

I'd be happy if they just got the rights back to The Nights of Cabiria and released a BD.

[Bressonaire]

I hate to say it, but with Disney about to acquire Fox this week, I doubt we'll see ever The Grand Budapest Hotel from Criterion.

[KJones77]

I hate to say it, but with Disney about to acquire Fox this week, I doubt we'll see ever The Grand Budapest Hotel from Criterion.

Disney has licensed films to Criterion before and Wes Anderson has a contract clause to license his films to Criterion.

Disney has done so with him before, including Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.

The Grand Budapest Hotel and, eventually, Isle of Dogs are Criterion bound at one point or another.

[FrauBlucher]

I’m sure that Grand Budapest Hotel is very close to getting announced. Anderson said he was working on it last summer/fall.

[black&huge]

Let's also not skip one of the best Disney licensed films to Criterion: Armageddon

[yoloswegmaster]

On an article from Indiewire regarding the Spielberg vs. Netflix Battle, an anonymous user wrote this in the comment section:

Yes, “Roma” will be on Blu-Ray/DVD. Cuarón & Netflix met with the Criterion Collection about doing a deal to release it. From what’s been said a deal was made and Criterion will be releasing “Roma” sometime in 2019. “Roma” will be hitting physical media this year.

https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/steve ... 202047846/

[MongooseCmr]

That reads like SEO fishing for hits, if anonymous commenters need that.

[JonoQ]

According to this article, Criterion will be releasing D.A. Pennebaker's Original Cast Album: Company.

[FrauBlucher]

I watched The Heiress and saw it was a Paramount film. Which got me excited thinking this would be the start of a new deal for other Paramount films making the Collection. Then I checked the upcoming CC version, which said the licensee is Universal. Up to what year does Universal own Paramount films?

[FlickeringWindow]

I watched The Heiress and saw it was a Paramount film. Which got me excited thinking this would be the start of a new deal for other Paramount films making the Collection. Then I checked the upcoming CC version, which said the licensee is Universal. Up to what year does Universal own Paramount films?

Universal owns all sound Paramount features from 1929 to I think anything copyrighted up to August 1948. That's why Universal owns some late-1948 through 1949 films like The Heiress, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and The Paleface while others are still with Paramount (Sorry, Wrong Number, Rope of Sand, Samson and Delilah, etc). In turn, I think Universal owns a silent or two because Paramount errantly listed them as talkies.

Paramount also retained a few films for remake rights like The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (for Rock-a-Bye Baby) and The Buccaneer.

[MichaelB]

See also Arrow’s The Marx Brothers at Paramount box - which wouldn’t have been possible if the films were still at Paramount.

[domino harvey]

Universal is releasing an anniversary edition of Sixteen Candles. This doesn't necessarily mean the Criterion is dead, since it's just a repackaging, but I imagine if it were still in the pipeline they wouldn't be bothering...

[Matt]

Considering Molly Ringwald's New Yorker article that came out on the heels of Criterion's release of The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles' own problematic depictions of non-consensual sex and the racial caricature of Long Duk Dong, I can understand why Criterion would simply prefer not to have anything to do with the film. It's not going to disappear from the culture any time soon, but Criterion certainly doesn't need the headache that will come with celebrating it as a classic.

[domino harvey]

Yep, I think it and Kika are going to stay unreleased from Criterion for obvious zeitgeist reasons. I wonder if Universal would allow Criterion to release Sixteen Candles with an equivalent extra to that Breakfast at Tiffany's featurette criticizing Mickey Rooney's role, should Criterion not want to abandon their existent work on the shelved release?

[dda1996a]

What's sensitive subject occurs in Kika (which I haven't seen)

[domino harvey]

The film's centerpiece is a very long comical rape scene. That sounds horrible, but Almodovar takes it to such an absurd and prolonged farcical extreme that it never really becomes offensive in the way most rape scenes are (and those of you who have been following my thoughts on this subject on the forum know on-screen depictions of rape is a subject I have little stomach or patience for), which is further proof of his genius. But it's absolutely the kind of thing where I get a US label not even wanting to bother due to the optics. Thankfully StudioCanal already put it out with extras on Blu-ray in the UK

[DRW.mov]

The rape sequence (terribly longer than just a scene) in Kika IS both hilarious and problematic, but Kika and it’s centerpiece are so under the radar even among Almodovar fans (and again, almost EVERY Almodovar film features a rape scene, typically pivotal to the plot) that I feel like if Criterion put it in a box set (among other lower tier 90s Almodovar efforts like High Heels and Live Flesh), it would sell very well and go, relatively, unnoticed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they included a Susie Bright interview or something to head it off at the pass, much like the (great) interview on asain character representation on the Shanghai Express disc in the Dietrich box.

[ianungstad]

Ringwald has a problem with 16 Candles but is fine with appearing on Riverdale? Seems more than a little hypocritical.

[FrauBlucher]

Criterion just tweeted a pic of Sofia Coppola in their closet today. I hope the reason she's there was for Lost in Translation

[Harmonov]

Criterion just tweeted a pic of Sofia Coppola in their closet today. I hope the reason she's there was for Lost in Translation

Fear not - I recently purchased the Zavvi steelbook of Lost in Translation, which most certainly means that Criterion will be releasing it. Another bullet for the team, folks.