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Best month.

Loved the art of "Stagecoach" and "Walkabout". No-nonsense design. Sometimes, less is more.

First off, the Make Way For Tomorrow package that Chris linked to is one of their absolute best, ever. AxelMusic are about to ship my copy and I can't wait to get my greedy hands on it.

Second, while May has always been a strong month for Criterion, I am still floored by their announcements this time round: Stagecoach AND Walkabout on Blu in the same month, and very good covers too (especially the Roeg). =D>

Intrigued by the Oshima set but maybe not a blind buy.

That Walkabout cover is gorgeous. Its just a shame something better wasn't done with the type, especially with all that negative space at the top. Oh well.

Stagecoach is nice as well. Definitely Skillman.

Oh my God... what an awesome month!
Gonna be one hell of an expensive month. I just turned my blu-ray player to region A so gonna get the Stagecoach and Walkabout (both of wich I still don`t own yet) on blu.
Great to see a second Brakhage set.
Hope they keep this kind of releases up for the rest of the year!

-edit- according to the Criterion site, Walkabout will be a blu-only release? their first?

The Walkabout cover is nice, but I don't like that beveled frame around it. I think it's pointless and has little artistic merit to the film.

Glad they used the title font on the Walkabout cover. I've always loved that title sequence.

Also, they're releasing an SD of the film. It's not Blu only.

swo17 wrote:[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2695/516_BD_box_348x490.jpg[/img][img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2701/walkabout-BD.jpg[/img]
[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2704/517_box_348x490.jpg[/img][img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2710/518_box_348x490.jpg[/img]
[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2686/OshimaOutlaw.jpg[/img][img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/2689/30_BD_A_box_348x490.jpg[/img]

Re-posting both because the original Brakhage pic from swo's post is now red X'd for whatever reason, and so these are easy to reference from this page. I've also linked each image to the corresponding release because I'm bored at work.

I'd imagine the Stagecoach art is the May contribution Eric Skillman referred to as one of his "all-time favorites." Don't know where I'd hang it, but I'd totally purchase a poster of that... one of my favourite covers in the collection...

I like how the Stagecoach and Walkabout cover images sort of mirror each other, like the Two-Lane Blacktop and that Bergman title did a few years ago.

I agree with colinr on the Walkabout cover, plus, with the smoke blowing behind, it looks like the aborigine is riding on top of a car that's caught on fire.
Really like the blu Brakhage cover. Stagecoach looks like it's got some sort of embossing going on, if you look at the wacky-C and edges of the mountains.
Are all of the collectors going to be in an uproar about #518 only being blu now, like with Howard's End?

ianthemovie wrote:Best month of releases ever. I've been waiting for the Walkabout reissue for almost two years. Cover art on the Brakhages = amazing. I think my head just exploded.

=D> =D>

I about jumped out of my chair when I saw the Walkabout blu cover!!!!!! It's utterly gorgeous and one of their top 10 covers of all time. I could not possibly be more excited for this....one of the greatest months they've ever managed. I want to dance!!!!

and I hate dancing!

HistoryProf wrote:I want to dance!!!!

and I hate dancing!

I take it you didn't buy the Martha Graham set then.

...did anyone?

have to give a solid thumbs up to Stagecoach as well. I'm usually the guy who waits for the big sales to pick up the titles I want - but both Stagecoach and Walkabout may garner pre-orders for me...which is rare. I'm such a spendthrift i've gotten spoiled by sales that allow me to pick up Criterions for $9-15 that it pains me to spend more than 50% msrp...an OCD tick i'll have to confront in May

And I also agree with whomever declared the M cover genius - for all the praise the MOC cover got - which is badass, the Criterion cover is equally badass - if in a different way. The art deco stylings of the MOC cover are indeed cool...but the Criterion gets my vote for sheer cleverness.

mteller wrote:

HistoryProf wrote:I want to dance!!!!

and I hate dancing!

I take it you didn't buy the Martha Graham set then.

...did anyone?

I most certainly did not. I come across that ever once in a while in stores or on-line and always think "what the hell is this? when did that get released?" I wonder how much of those they sold.

Ho-lee shit. That Walkabout cover is one of the best I've ever seen! I could take or leave the beveled border, but the cover image itself is so striking that it just doesn't matter.

jbeall wrote:Ho-lee shit. That Walkabout cover is one of the best I've ever seen! I could take or leave the beveled border, but the cover image itself is so striking that it just doesn't matter.

It's not entirely effective, but I actually like the border as it seems to pick up on the phase of the moon and the color gradation in the sky. Regardless, one of their greatest covers.

No one else thinks the Stagecoach cover art is kind of awful? Maybe I'm just afraid of new things.

I don't like it, but it was a victim of my expectations more than anything

HistoryProf wrote:

mteller wrote:

HistoryProf wrote:I want to dance!!!!

and I hate dancing!

I take it you didn't buy the Martha Graham set then.

...did anyone?

I most certainly did not. I come across that ever once in a while in stores or on-line and always think "what the hell is this? when did that get released?" I wonder how much of those they sold.

I remember Gary Tooze citing his refusal to give the set a review proof of how he isn't indebted to labels who send him discs to review. It's probably the best set that no one has actually watched

sidehacker wrote:No one else thinks the Stagecoach cover art is kind of awful? Maybe I'm just afraid of new things.

I also agree and think the stagecoach cover is awful.
The color choices, especially, are horrible and clash.
Once i had got over my shock, my mind went immediately to flashback to the "pink Viridiana travesty".

The other covers are much better, full scores for this month:

Stagecoach 2/10
Walkabout 9/10
Brakhage v2 7/10
Brakhage v1 and v2 9/10
M 9/10

domino harvey wrote:

It's probably the best set that no one has actually watched

You have inspired me to dig out a copy I bought in one of the sales. No interest in dance, but I read a review praising the music, and took a chance. Might make for an entertaining few hours.

My problem with the Stagecoach cover is the obvious edge enhancement where the mountains meet the sky. Obviously it's a sign that Criterion has butchered the transfer and that this will be one of their worst releases ever.

Actually, I think it looks just fine...

tajmahal wrote:

domino harvey wrote:It's probably the best set that no one has actually watched

You have inspired me to dig out a copy I bought in one of the sales. No interest in dance, but I read a review praising the music, and took a chance. Might make for an entertaining few hours.

If you don't have any interest in interpretive dance, you'll either be converted or turn it off after ten minutes