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Once you're done griping about the November releases and grumbling about the cover art, there's nothing left to talk about except what's coming out in December. Have at it!

Persona
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Maddadayo
Picnic at Hanging Rock blu
BRD Trilogy Blu

Eclipse 40: Assorted Bergmen

A Christmas special. Les Restaurations Foirées - Box set containing Le Samourai, Madame de and Les Enfants du Paradis

It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Eraserhead
The Big Chill
Scanners
The Brood

Le Samourai Blu Upgrade

Agree with the Cronenberg twofer but reckon they'll keep Eraserhead (and Mulholland Drive) for January or February instead. Last December was more stacked so I'll go with Grey Gardens and Henry V on Blu.

Criterion have released at least one Kurosawa title every year from 2001 to 2012. Will they break that streak by having December be Kurosawa free? I'm hoping for The Hidden Fortress, but I think Ikiru is the most likely.

Yeah I like the idea of Ikiru upgrade. I also think Tootsie is a chance, as is Nashville, but I think with the anniversary push Big Chill is more likely.

If Criterion actually responding to a question on facebook can be seen as a hint, then Throne of Blood might be the next Kurosawa to get announced:
Question:

Throne of Blood on blu-ray anytime? Come on, it's a tease seeing the awesome cover on DVD but no blu upgrade.

Criterion's answer:

A great candidate for a Blu-ray upgrade

So my guess for December:
Throne of Blood Blu-ray
Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Blu-ray
Scanners
The Brood

To stay consistent...

Y tu mama tambien

Most of Kurosawa would be 'great candidate for a Blu-ray upgrade'. Toho has made the HD masters ready since Stone Age.

Yeah, but since Criterion rarely responds to facebook questions like that one, I'm taking it as a hint.

My prediction: This thread hits 10+ pages by Sep 15th and Matt regrets agreeing to revisit all the posts to declare a "winner."

December predictions:

Mulhulland Dr
Eraserhead
Lost Highway
Twin Peaks: the complete series (all new 4k scans, which also create 4k DCPs packaged in 5 hr blocks that will tour art houses for weekend marathons ala theatrical presentation of European TV shows like Berlin Alexanderplatz or the Decalogue)

swo17 wrote:My prediction: This thread hits 10+ pages by Sep 15th and Matt regrets agreeing to revisit all the posts to declare a "winner."

New rule: "ballots" only count if they're in an easy-to-read list format.

Scanners
The Brood
Eraserhead
The Life Aquatic Blu-ray upgrade (combo?)

andyli wrote:Most of Kurosawa would be 'great candidate for a Blu-ray upgrade'. Toho has made the HD masters ready since Stone Age.

...and coming a month after the release of a 27-disc samurai box, I'm more inclined to think that it'll be Red Beard or Ikiru. It would also make a good pairing with Polanski's Macbeth, which probably won't get released before Tess...& I'm hoping The Tenant is released before that (& given the 2013 Criterion picture, I'd say more likely). Or maybe we'll get Fellini instead of Kurosawa. December would be a great month for La Dolce Vita, but since the lawsuit prevented a theatrical anniversary release, perhaps Paramount will still try to do some kind of theatrical distribution & we'll get Satyricon &/or Roma instead. I doubt they'll release both Kurosawa & Fellini in the same month. After a Japanese-heavy Nov. my bet is on Fellini in Dec., Kurosawa in Jan.

Satyricon/Roma
The Tenant
The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (might be a bit early for the restoration instead of another Demy, but it is a holiday film)
The City Of Lost Children (Japanese blu is out in Oct. & I can see Sony passing this on to Criterion)
The Dekalog box (it's overdue & what better way to celebrate the holidays?)
A box set upgrade (+ new titles): Antoine Doinel or Douglas Sirk or Jules Dassin

As if that wasn't enough wishful thinking, it occurred to me that there probably needs to also be a more current release:
A Frederick Wiseman Performance box: La danse/Boxing Gym/Crazy Horse (these could use a US blu ray release & it would be nice if they did it before the documentary list project ended)

Matt wrote:

swo17 wrote:My prediction: This thread hits 10+ pages by Sep 15th and Matt regrets agreeing to revisit all the posts to declare a "winner."

New rule: "ballots" only count if they're in an easy-to-read list format.

1. When Phil Collins Came to James Yukich (Eclipse Set)
2. My Three Sons: The Uncle Charley Years, Seasons 6-12
3. Soi Cowboy
4. Der Puppenmacher von Kiang-Ning

As far as a Kurosawa upgrade goes, the building in the New Years drawing could be The Bad Sleep Well.

Eraserhead
Chaplin's The Kid
All That Heaven Allows Blu
Written on the Wind Blu

Superswede11 wrote:As far as a Kurosawa upgrade goes, the building in the New Years drawing could be The Bad Sleep Well.

I went to check it and the 2013 pic doesn't look anything like the buildings in The Bad Sleep Well or The Tenant. With the man scaling the wall, I was hoping for Ascenseur pour l'échafaud. Perhaps it is just the building in Safety Last, just not a close fit.

All That Heaven Allows upgrade
Magnificent Obsession upgrade
Eraserhead
Mulholland Dr.
Mad Mad World

The Emigrants/New Land Troell box
Passion of Joan of Arc

That's it, per their usual light December slates.

The four titles that would be most expected for December are:

Eraserhead
The Brood
Scanners
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

Though, to me at least, it would seem unlikely that all four would be released in one month. Anyone else feeling one or more of these may get pushed back for a while, a la Wild Strawberries?

My guess would be nothing by either Cronenberg or Lynch.