Forthcoming Lists Discussion and Random Speculation Vol.3

[swo17]

Why the sudden change of heart from his estate?

There hasn't been one. Everything is pure speculation at this point.

[Jeff]

Yeah, I don't know how much stock I would put in those rumors from blu-ray.com, but it is within the realm of possibility. Criterion has indeed licensed Killer's Kiss from MGM, so they'll certainly be doing something with it. I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see it show up as a supplement on The Killing.

Fear and Desire is in the public domain. A print is owned by the Eastman House, but I suspect better elements are still in the vault at the Kubrick estate. If they are going to allow anyone to release it, I imagine it would be Criterion. Even though they could do so, I know Criterion wouldn't release the film without the estate's blessing. Kubrick worked to suppress it and his other early work during his lifetime, but the I think that the estate has become more and more flexible in the time since his passing, and have shown some desire to exploit the entirety of his archives.

I think the idea of a "The First Films of Stanley Kubrick" Eclipse set is a fine one, but I don't know if they would release it that way. The three documentary shorts together total only 55 minutes. I think it might be more likely that if they don't use Killer's Kiss as a supplement for The Killing, they release it on it's own as a mainline disc with Fear and Desire and perhaps the shorts as supplements. That treats Fear and Desire as a novelty item (which is how Kubrick himself saw it), increases the marketability of the marginal Killer's Kiss, and gives Criterion the opportunity to contextualize the early work via additional supplements and essays.

[Jun-Dai]

Fear & Desire and Killers Kiss would make a wonderful Early Kubrick eclipse set.

Somehow I imagine the Kubrick fanatics that would love to get their hands on Fear and Desire (not to mention a CC Killers Kiss) would be numerous enough that they could justify doing mainline releases of both. Probably half of all film students would jump at the chance. Also, I doubt it would be hard to get a commentary track for both, and there are probably be enough materials to spread across all three. That said, I have my doubts that CC really has access to Fear and Desire.

[zedz]

Even if Fear and Desire is incredibly awful (you know, as bad as Solo con tu pareja or something), it's Kubrick, and if Criterion had it there would definitely be a market for it as a mainline release: probably more than for 90% of their releases and maybe even more than for the umpteenth re-release of one of the canonical titles.

[Alphonse Doinel]

Wasn't a print found in Puerto Rico recently? Or did that turn out to be a hoax?

[Jeff]

Wasn't a print found in Puerto Rico recently? Or did that turn out to be a hoax?

You are correct. It was a partial (dupe?) negative, and the Eastman House took possession. They want to collaborate with another company to restore the film and create a high quality DVD. I know of a company that's pretty good at that sort of thing.

[movielocke]

Kubrick Estate doesn't control Fear and Desire and Eastman house wants to make a video release of it happen.

If criterion were able to release the three shorts, that would make for a pretty stacked edition of Fear and Desire. Or they could spread them between the first three Kubrick features.

Fear and Desire is pretty awful, but it's kind of fascinating as proto-Kubrick. And since it was shot in continuity, more or less, you see him improve as a director throughout the film.

[jbeall]

Isn't Sisters pretty much a given for an upgrade as well.

I know this discussion is several pages ago, but I just watched Sisters on netflix instant, and it had the old Criterion logo. A lot of their titles that are rumored for upgrade (even if they haven't been upgraded yet, such as Tokyo Drifter) have the wacky-C logo at the beginning. So Sisters is still the original transfer; if they're gonna re-do it, my guess is that it's a long way off.

[SpiderBaby]

Isn't Sisters pretty much a given for an upgrade as well.

I know this discussion is several pages ago, but I just watched Sisters on netflix instant, and it had the old Criterion logo. A lot of their titles that are rumored for upgrade (even if they haven't been upgraded yet, such as Tokyo Drifter) have the wacky-C logo at the beginning. So Sisters is still the original transfer; if they're gonna re-do it, my guess is that it's a long way off.

If that is true, then Ballad of a Soldier should have a blu upgrade soon too (Has a Wacky C at the beginning on Netflix Instant).

[jbeall]

Ah. I was just speculating, since that's the first time I've seen the old CC logo in quite some time. But unless Ballad... is in line for an upgrade--and I hadn't heard any rumors to that effect--there's probably no correlation.

[Flike]

If I recall correctly, early last year Criterion asked on the FB page about pre-'48 Universal/Paramount titles. Have we seen the fruits of those assumed negotiations yet?

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

My source still told me that Island of Lost Souls, Ministry of Fear and Design for Living are still on it's way, it's just taking quite a bit of time. The recent news of Lonesome getting licensed too leads me to believe there are more Universal titles coming.

[Mysterypez]

Wasn't a print found in Puerto Rico recently? Or did that turn out to be a hoax?

You are correct. It was a partial (dupe?) negative, and the Eastman House took possession. They want to collaborate with another company to restore the film and create a high quality DVD. I know of a company that's pretty good at that sort of thing.

I can expand on the WSJ article a little bit. Just to clarify a few things first. The negative... which was found in Puerto Rico... is the original camera negative and is complete. It is stored at the Library of Congress NOT the Eastman House. This winter we did compare the OCN with the our material. The Eastman House preservation derives from a projection print.

The primarily issue with the OCN is the small amount of deterioration around the splices at the head and tail of many shots. The original adhesive/cement has yellowed some of the surrounding frames. Secondarily, to my knowledge, LOC does not have an audio element. The primary issue with the Eastman material is that it derives from a print and is therefore not as crisp as a print would be off the original negative. These are the trade offs.

I guess I can also say that some members of Criterion did visit Eastman House last year. F&D was brought up.

[Jeff]

Thank you for clearing all that up, Mysterypez. Glad to hear that it was the complete original negative after all. Hopefully the damaged sections can be somehow be combined with the Eastman House print and audio to create some kind of new preservation element.

[felipe]

Now that Criterion will release Life during wartime, is it possible they'll be also releasing Happiness?

[mfunk9786]

Yes, it is possible.

[Crab Society North]

It would be great if Criterion released Queen Bee, Devil's Ballad and/or the Inugami family by Ichikawa. Imagining those in hi-def is blowing my mind

[knives]

It would be great if criterion released every movie I like and might potentially like.

[SternDiet]

It would be great if Criterion released Queen Bee

Yes, get me some Joan Crawford in the collection!

[domino harvey]

Criterion should release the hounds

[tojoed]

Please release me, let me go.

[Dirk]

It would be great if criterion released every movie I like and might potentially like.

I second this motion.

[colinr0380]

Criterion should release the hounds [of Zaroff on Blu]

[CSM126]

I wish they'd release the kraken.

[ShellOilJunior]

I wish they'd release Five Graves to Cairo (Wilder).

Any idea who owns it?