criterionforum.org

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 5:09 pm**

The titles in the set will be Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Mighty Aphrodite (1995), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Celebrity (1998), Sweet And Lowdown (1977), Small Time Crooks (2000), The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion (2001), Hollywood Ending (2002), and Anything Else (2003).

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 5:26 pm**

Let's hope Anything Else is in the right aspect ratio, unlike the cropped German Blu. It and Sweet and Lowdown would be the only Blu debuts here (in proper OAR). I'm guessing these are all the Miramax titles that reverted to Allen

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 5:35 pm**

I’m cautiously excited. It contains the few I haven’t seen yet.

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 5:35 pm**

That's nine films, but ten discs. Is one missing? Would love if Deconstructing Harry was included.

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:00 pm**

Those nine films' runtimes leave 96 minutes unaccounted for, which would fit perfectly for either Deconstructing Harry or Scoop. My money's on the former

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:18 pm**

It is unbelievably funny to me that people on Blu-ray's forums seem to think this company that is functionally an output deal distro has licensed these titles from WB, Dreamworks, and Sony and not that the studios either sold off the rights or the time window in the original acquisitions has lapsed. Knowing all we know about his contractual stipulations, it seems extremely likely he had "a deal" he forced studios to agree to that was the same terms for every movie even moving from studio to studio, which is why they would all have went one by one in order until these ten have accrued and finally are seeing a new release. I finally picked up the French releases of the five Dreamworks titles but will definitely be in for the five remainders also (and no forced French subs!)

Posted: **Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:24 pm**

I went a spree last month and purchased the Spanish/German blus for almost all of these titles- but if Anything Else is finally done right, Deconstructing Harry finally debuts on blu, and with Sweet and Lowdown thrown into the mix, I guess I'll be doing a rapid double-dip

Posted: **Sat Aug 28, 2021 12:14 am**

Announced as a 9-disc box. No Deconstructing Harry.

Edit: Deconstructing Harry is listed on the cover art. Hmm.

Edit again: The box art also shows a film entitled: "Sweet and Lockdown."

Posted: **Sat Aug 28, 2021 12:19 am**

I don’t think anyone actually got a press release, just that the cover appearsd and was combined with the earlier TCM listing to make a description. I expect its all ten films pictured.

Posted: **Sun Aug 29, 2021 7:06 pm**

Hey, I heard that Kino once said they wouldn't release a WA box set since a distributor has most of the "good stuff". I'm pretty sure the good stuff isn't this box set since Allen in the 90s to early 2000's is a bit of a drag (I can do without Hollywood Ending and Small Time Crooks). I'm guessing the good stuff is his MGM stuff that used to be with Twilight Time. Anyways, does anyone have a guess as to it could be? I believe Arrow said they have no plans on doing more and Kino said they didn't have it, so any guesses?

Posted: **Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:05 pm**

I think it’s probably just with someone weird, like this set is. What we know if the 4K remasters of Annie Hall and Manhattan were definitely for a time acquired and planned to be released (on new non-4K Blu-rays) over 3 years ago by someone in the US, which never materialized, and now Kino says most of the ones they are interested in from MGM are unavailable. As we know it’s not Arrow, Kino, or Criterion (well, we don’t know that for sure, but it would be very weird if Criterion did it), I’m not really sure who’s left other than maybe Shout Select or some weird other new partner. As nice as it would be to get the new restorations (I think maybe one or two more have been done in the past few years?), it seems somewhat unlikely there will be new releases that make any substantive improvements over the previous releases.

Also, this is just me, but it’s very weird to me to see people respond to this set like “ugh, you couldn’t make a worse set of movies if you tried.” Admittedly, the last three are a pretty lousy stretch and very few seem at all enthused by Celebrity, by my account fully five of these ten films are considered “good ones” and four of them were nominated for major Oscars including Best Director. This period because of the same rights issues that allow this set to finally appear has been near impossible to see by conventional means in the US for a decade, so seeing people sniping at these movies some of which are actually great coming available again really rubs me the wrong way. Also, I like Hollywood Ending, sue me.

Posted: **Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:31 pm**

It’s most likely Shout since they didn’t have a problem releasing films by other “problem” filmmakers like Polanski and Von Trier.

Posted: **Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:41 pm**

Ribs wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:05 pm I think it’s probably just with someone weird, like this set is. What we know if the 4K remasters of Annie Hall and Manhattan were definitely for a time acquired and planned to be released (on new non-4K Blu-rays) over 3 years ago by someone in the US, which never materialized, and now Kino says most of the ones they are interested in from MGM are unavailable. As we know it’s not Arrow, Kino, or Criterion (well, we don’t know that for sure, but it would be very weird if Criterion did it), I’m not really sure who’s left other than maybe Shout Select or some weird other new partner. As nice as it would be to get the new restorations (I think maybe one or two more have been done in the past few years?), it seems somewhat unlikely there will be new releases that make any substantive improvements over the previous releases.

Also, this is just me, but it’s very weird to me to see people respond to this set like “ugh, you couldn’t make a worse set of movies if you tried.” Admittedly, the last three are a pretty lousy stretch and very few seem at all enthused by Celebrity, by my account fully five of these ten films are considered “good ones” and four of them were nominated for major Oscars including Best Director. This period because of the same rights issues that allow this set to finally appear has been near impossible to see by conventional means in the US for a decade, so seeing people sniping at these movies some of which are actually great coming available again really rubs me the wrong way. Also, I like Hollywood Ending, sue me.

No complaints about this box set. I'll be buying first day. Personally I didn't care for Mighty Aphodite, Everyone Says I Love You, Deconstructing Harry, Celebrity, Small Time Crooks, Curse of the Jade Scorpion, and I really hate Hollywood Ending. I am over the moon about Bullets, Sweet and Lowdown and Anything Else. And I'm a die hard Allen fan, I'd say this box set is something to celebrate about because a good portion of these have never been released on Blu Ray like Sweet and Lowdown. To each their own in terms of favorites. So many people hate Wonder Wheel, its one of my favorites.

FlickeringWindow wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:31 pm It’s most likely Shout since they didn’t have a problem releasing films by other “problem” filmmakers like Polanski and Von Trier.

I hope it's Shout. They released some solid MGM/UA stuff in the past like the Pink Panther box set. And yeah, it seems like they're the most "problem" proof label out there, The Tenant release is pretty damn good and I'll get my hands on The Pianist at some point. Considering some of their Shout Selects don't have special features, Allen's films feel perfect for Shout since he's anti supplements.

Posted: **Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:40 pm**

The set will no longer have Sweet and Lowdown or Deconstructing Harry.

Posted: **Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:49 pm**

Ribs wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:40 pm The set will no longer have Sweet and Lowdown or Deconstructing Harry.

Of course, the only titles not on Blu already (and who wants to bet their Anything Else will use the cropped version?)

Posted: **Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:31 pm**

What the hell is up with the rights to these two?

Posted: **Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:36 pm**

I would expect the two relevant studios just made a claim saying they still were entitled to such-and-such rights for the titles and that Allen or Quiver or whoever was pushing for this release did not want to put up any kind of fight and immediately folded. Again, it's still good these eight titles that have been basically unavailable in the US will be there again, but it's a shame to miss two of the bigger, better movies that would have been new to this set.

Posted: **Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:48 pm**

I picked up the 2014 UK DVD release of DH not long ago and boy does it look like a steaming pile of shit (not helped by being encoded in the wrong video levels, for a start). I've yet to watch SaL from the same label but I anticipate something similar. A real shame.

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:35 am**

FWIW, “Sweet and Lowdown” no longer appears on the list of films in this set, which now lists 8 discs rather than 9 or 10…

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:17 am**

schellenbergk wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:35 am FWIW, “Sweet and Lowdown” no longer appears on the list of films in this set, which now lists 8 discs rather than 9 or 10…

Look a few posts up, that's what the discussion has been today

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:01 pm**

It's often said Woody is anti-bonus material. Is he really against it or is it more of a matter of he doesn't mind someone else doing it? He just won't contribute to the material.

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:27 pm**

therewillbeblus wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:17 am
schellenbergk wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:35 am FWIW, “Sweet and Lowdown” no longer appears on the list of films in this set, which now lists 8 discs rather than 9 or 10…
Look a few posts up, that's what the discussion has been today

Oh… nevamind.

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 3:02 pm**

ShellOilJunior wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:01 pm It's often said Woody is anti-bonus material. Is he really against it or is it more of a matter of he doesn't mind someone else doing it? He just won't contribute to the material.

I think he's against it. As I recall Twilight Time produced a commentary for their blu-ray of Interiors and were forced to remove it at the last minute. That said, one the more recent films, there are some promotional interviews, but nothing substantial.

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 4:47 pm**

I think the Arrow releases answered that question, as there's no way they would have released them barebones (in terms of on-disc extras) otherwise.

Posted: **Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:53 pm**

And also answered how to best work with Allen.

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