Criterion Discussion and Random Speculation Volume 7

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

If Criterion is going to help save old quality tv shows from falling into oblivion, I would love to seem them raid PBS' vaults before the attempts to completely destroy/privatize it are completely successful. As far as I know, I'll Fly Away has never been released on disc, a crime against US television broadcast history if there ever was one. Then there's the short-lived weekly 30 min. sketch series Trying Times that featured a new director (Johnathan Demme, Christopher Guest, Alan Arkin, Buck Henry, Michael Lindsay-Hogg...) and cast (Catherine O'Hara, Candace Bergen, Teri Garr, Spalding Gray, Steven Wright, Carrie Fisher, David Byrne, Gena Davis...) each week that unfortunately didn't get picked up by all affiliates and disappeared just as fast as it started. Then of course there's also all PBS' documentary work over the decades starting with the monumental An American Family series.

PBS only aired the I'll Fly Away movie, the series was on NBC. But PBS doesn't really own anything, it distributes programming created and owned by others, whether that's member stations like WGBH or outside producers like Sesame Workshop and Zipporah. I'll Fly Away is probably with WB via Lorimar, Trying Times was jointly copyrighted by KCET and Zorah Productions (whose assets might've been on the block last year after Technicolor shut down), An American Family is with WNET (but the Raymonds probably own the follow-ups), etc. etc. It doesn't take away from the broader point that Criterion and others should be digging into this stuff, but there's no central source for it.

[beamish14]

I’ll Fly Away must have insane music rights issues.

I can’t see Criterion rescuing even any limited television series like Tanner ‘88 again unless it’s another Fassbinder, and I think that well is dry

Maybe a one-off TV film like Robert Downey’s Sticks and Bones

[Hogfather]

Well, they released Small Axe and The Underground Railroad just a few years ago. I wouldn't discount the possibility of them doing this again in the future, though I'm sure it will never become a regular thing.

[Calvin]

We also know that Pialat's La maison des bois is coming

[Mark L.]

Always felt The Prisoner would make a lot of sense as a Criterion release, especially because no one else in the US seems to be interested in releasing it. Admittedly, I can’t imagine they’d beat the Australian version, but it would be worth it just to give the series a higher profile in America.

[Buttery Jeb]

Are we expecting Criterion or someone else to release Blossoms Shanghai on disc in the near future?

[beamish14]

Always felt The Prisoner would make a lot of sense as a Criterion release, especially because no one else in the US seems to be interested in releasing it. Admittedly, I can’t imagine they’d beat the Australian version, but it would be worth it just to give the series a higher profile in America.

and Criterion favorite Alex Cox wrote a whole book about it

[DimitriL]

Being a limited series, I think The Prisoner would absolutely fit in the Criterion wheelhouse. A great idea.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

I would want Mani Kaul’s adaptation of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot. It’s a brilliant miniseries with a runtime shorter than A Brighter Summer’s Day. Also marks the first major role of Shah Rukh Khan which would be a good way to have another megastar represented in the collection.

[FrauBlucher]

Word on the street is the B&N sale starts Fri the 26th

[Lowry_Sam]

I would think that if Criterion were to release a classic UK series like The Prisoner, Prime Suspect, I, Claudius, Yes Minister/Prime Minister or Brideshead Revisited, they would do so when new 4k restorations are available (if elements allow) as they have already been released on blu-ray in the US (though some are now OOP).

Criterion would probably be more likely to release EU or Asian series that haven’t received US a US release since DVD (if that): Das Boot, Underground, Heimat, The Mysteries of Lisbon, Asura, The Best Of Youth. (Though it missed the boat with The Kingdom).

[Lowry_Sam]

Trailer for A Complete Kubrick @ BAMPFA., June 12 - August 30.

[dwk]

Related to this discussion, The Prisoner is going to be on the Channel next month.

[Lowry_Sam]

I noticed that, what a coincidence! I wonder how the transfer will compare to the old blu-ray set, which I have, but welcome the addition enthusiastically nonetheless & hope it's a sign of things to come. It's too bad they didn't also add the original Brideshead Revisited tv series when they had the more recent film on, which is why I was skeptical they'd add The Prisoner. Maybe they'll do an Evelyn Waugh theme & have another opportunity to add, though they don't do many writer themes so very wishful thinking.

[mfunk9786]

Trailer for A Complete Kubrick @ BAMPFA., June 12 - August 30.

Interesting, wonder if Criterion is going to include One Eyed Jacks in the big Kubrick box that is (per rumors) possibly maybe coming in a few years or whatever the case may be. Guessing not, but its inclusion in this retrospective is conspucious

[crimlaw]

I was also wondering if the box set would include A.I: Artificial Intelligence, especially since it’s from WB.

[Hogfather]

I doubt it. I remember the Japan Society held a retrospective for Kazuo Hara's films a few years ago (I think that was the first sign that Criterion was releasing his work), and it had several films not included in the Eclipse set.

[Lowry_Sam]

One-Eyed Jacks is already in the collection. A.I. Artificial Intelligence was last issued as a Paramount blu-ray 15 years ago, though IMDb lists the production company as Warner/Stanley Kubrick Productions. Maybe Criterion won't put them in the box, but give them both UHD upgrades at the time of the box's release.

[FrauBlucher]

And that would be a way to get Spielberg into the Collection. On the back of Kubrick

[Lowry_Sam]

With Close Encounters Of The Third Kind getting promoted on the channel this month, I wouldn't be surprised if there's more to come. I believe A.I., The Color Purple, Minority Report & The Post have been on the channel before, but not given such a high profile. Think there've been a few more but can't be certain off-hand which.

[DimitriL]

And that would be a way to get Spielberg into the Collection. On the back of Kubrick

Ha, I'd love that. Though the rumor has been pervasive that they have Empire of the Sun, which I would very much approve of.

[Matt]

I don't see why A.I. should be in a Kubrick set. Despite it being a project he originated, Kubrick's only credit on it is a dedication. Why inflate the cost of the set to include things like this or One-Eyed Jacks where he had almost nothing to do with the finished product? It'd probably already be around $500 list price like the Wes Anderson set.

Also, if I buy it, I don't want A.I. in it

[Big Ben]

I don't see why A.I. should be in a Kubrick set. Despite it being a project he originated, Kubrick's only credit on it is a dedication. Why inflate the cost of the set to include things like this or One-Eyed Jacks where he had almost nothing to do with the finished product? It'd probably already be around $500 list price like the Wes Anderson set.

Also, if I buy it, I don't want A.I. in it

My Brother in Christ you have answered your own question in your question unfortunately.