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Calvin wrote:MisterLime has said at the Home Theater Forum that he's heard that Criterion has Ken Russell's Women in Love, The Music Lovers and Valentino (with the caveat that it "may be just a rumour"). I could see Criterion releasing Women in Love and The Music Lovers, but Valentino would certainly be a surprise.

As an unashamed Russell fanatic, words cannot express how much I hope this is true. For what it's worth, Janus also owns the rights to Mahler, and I'm sure Criterion is still interested in releasing and trying to secure the rights for The Devils. It would be cool for all of these films to be included in some sort of box set, but the films lying with different companies would probably work against this. Plus, it would feel rather incomplete not including the other films he made from this era (i.e. Savage Messiah, Tommy, Lisztomania etc.).

Valentino definitely feels like an odd one for them to go after though, as its often viewed as lesser/minor Russell (I still like it). I can't really picture that one selling well on its own either.

Anybody know if Roman Holiday is coming from CRiterion or other? Surprised this hasn't been released yet on blu.

If you actually follow that link it looks like maybe Criterion is "trying" to get the rights. It's unclear from Hawke if this is happening or not. The video where he says it is here and it starts at the 2:12 mark.

Whilst the news link is not definitive, the fact that Sony themselves have excitedly tweeted it basically confirms it for me.

Sony only owns the last one. Warner has the first two. Let's hope it all works out.

Is there any chance that Warner might license out Wattstax? There's still no blu-ray, nine years after the 30th Anniversary DVD. It seems right up Criterion's alley in terms of style and content, but it's not quite as well-known or marketable as something like Woodstock, and they've already proven themselves to be fans of the socially important "time capsule" music documentary.

It's actually been more than 10 years since the 30th anniversary special edition. The film was from 1973, and Warner released the DVD on the 31st year, 2004, and have missed the opportunity to do a 40th anniversary Blu-ray.

Oops. You're right. I had the wrong date.

I don't see it happening. Wattstax isn't as famous a documentary as Monterey Pop or Gimme Shelter, it wasn't made by highly-respected directors like those two, and Warner is the most close-fisted of the studios. It seems unlikely Criterion is going to fritter away a Warner licensing slot on this, at least as things stand now. I don't see Warner getting to it soon either, unfortunately. Classic R&B just isn't as marketable as boomer rock. Would be an interesting choice for Warner Archive.

April Predix:
TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
A MASTER BUILDER
Eclipse 42: More Pearls of the Czech New Wave

-OR-

Eclipse 42: Jonas Mekas' AS I WAS MOVING AHEAD OCCASIONALLY I SAW BRIEF GLIMPSES OF BEAUTY

Upgrades:
NANOOK
PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC

(Edited to include a wild speculation based on Criterion's Facebook feed.)

Upgrades:

Le Samouraï
The Passion of Joan of Arc

My magic 8-Ball tells me to expect:

Odd Man Out
The Long Voyage Home
Moonrise Kingdom
Hamlet BD
La Strada BD

April Predictions
Moonrise Kingdom
Odd Man Out
Speedy
Jellyfish Eyes
Hiroshima Mon Amour Blu-Ray

Gee, Oscar nominations and Criterion announcements on the same day.

The Fisher King
Limelight
Othello
Mouchette
Night on Earth

Bob Le Flambeur upgrade
Distant Voices Still Lives
Limelight
Vera Drake
The Brood
McCabe and Mrs Miller

Oh yeah, Distant Voices Still Lives would make me jump for joy, guzzle brew and sing a song.

Limelight
Mulholland Drive
Wim Wenders Box set
Juliet of the Spirits upgrade
Beyond The Hills
& Duck Soup... Can't one dream?

Limelight
Moonrise Kingdom
A Master Builder
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Spirit of the Beehive BD
The Cranes Are Flying BD

Odd Man Out is already showing up http://www.criterion.com/films/28173-odd-man-out

Revised predictions:
Odd Man Out

I am quite amused by the related films being The Third Man, The Fallen Idol, and Hunger.

Something with Yumeko Aizome might be announced today.

swo17 wrote:Something with Yumeko Aizome might be announced today.

Ozu's Dragnet Girl was released/restored by BFI recently, wasn't it?

Only on DVD.