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Jack Does Jihad
Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, this is just right. Has a nice feel, too.
Does this news make any of you think twice about buying a standard def Criterion dvd? I was planning on buying a good number during the sale (whenever that is) but there will always be this nagging feeling that I'm gunna have to re-buy them not too far down the road. Just curious what you guys thought, it might just be me though.

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Og Oggilby
Feb 12, 2005
YES!!!!

The Third Man in 1080p and finally a release of El Norte! I'm more inclined to get Monterey Pop, For All Mankind, and Gimme Shelter. Probably going to go HD by September, so I'm excited.

(Also, Criterion's BluRay logo is awesome)

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

Jack Does Jihad posted:

Does this news make any of you think twice about buying a standard def Criterion dvd? I was planning on buying a good number during the sale (whenever that is) but there will always be this nagging feeling that I'm gunna have to re-buy them not too far down the road. Just curious what you guys thought, it might just be me though.

Yes, definitely. I have around 5-10 Criterions I've been wanting to buy, just waiting for the next good sale. Now I might hold off on all of them for a while.

If the re-release the Wadja box on Blu-Ray, I hope they make them available separately. All I want is Kanal, but I can never find anyone selling it by itself on eBay. Likewise with Dreyer, I'd buy Ordet and Day of Wrath but not Gertrud or My Metier.

Also wondering if I should cancel my pre-orders for High and Low and Mishima, but I guess I'll take my chances.

CosplayPeterNorth
Jun 29, 2006
I wish I could tell the Criterion people right now, before it's too late, PLEASE do not make the cases blue. I hope they retain the same look as the DVD boxes, without any bullshit "blu" designs.

Cacator
Aug 6, 2005

You're quite good at turning me on.

luigionlsd posted:

This has to be some of the greatest news ever. I've had HD DVD since December 2006 and BD since March 2007... so I've done my share of waiting for good titles. Once they break out the big guns like Kurosawa, Bunuell and Bergman, the tables will definitely turn... at least with the niche crowd! Sure will be a fun year coming up!

I don't think Bunuel films would really benefit from HD transfers, they aren't very interesting visually. The older ones a bit more so, but some of my Criterions I'm content to leave as is. The Man Who Fell to Earth already has a fantastic transfer so I can't think of the bluray one being anything but spectacular or only moderately better (unlikely). But GODDAMN THEM for re-releasing The Third Man AGAIN!!!

Jack Does Jihad
Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, this is just right. Has a nice feel, too.

FitFortDanga posted:

Yes, definitely. I have around 5-10 Criterions I've been wanting to buy, just waiting for the next good sale. Now I might hold off on all of them for a while.

If the re-release the Wadja box on Blu-Ray, I hope they make them available separately. All I want is Kanal, but I can never find anyone selling it by itself on eBay. Likewise with Dreyer, I'd buy Ordet and Day of Wrath but not Gertrud or My Metier.

Also wondering if I should cancel my pre-orders for High and Low and Mishima, but I guess I'll take my chances.

I imagine they'll start releasing some of the older ones, if I had to guess. I bet Spartacus will be up soon, along with some of their other "flagship" (if you wanna call it that) titles. I bet they won't re-release the newer ones like Mishima for awhile, but I'm just guessing. Let people wait long enough to buy the standard def before releasing the blu-ray.

Cacator posted:

I don't think Bunuel films would really benefit from HD transfers, they aren't very interesting visually.

Funny, one of the ones I really wanted to buy was Diary of a Chambermaid.

IndieRockLance
Jan 29, 2003

The devourer of worlds demands a Moon Pie to satiate his hunger!

Jack Does Jihad posted:

Does this news make any of you think twice about buying a standard def Criterion dvd? I was planning on buying a good number during the sale (whenever that is) but there will always be this nagging feeling that I'm gunna have to re-buy them not too far down the road. Just curious what you guys thought, it might just be me though.

Not me, but mainly because I don't have Blu-Ray player and probably won't have one for quite a while because they're so expensive. But, hey, good news for me. Maybe BR early-adopter film nerds will dump their Criterion copies of The 400 Blows, The Third Man, Monterey Pop and Walkabout so I can swoop in and pick them up cheap.

Peaceful Anarchy
Sep 18, 2005
sXe
I am the math man.

Jack Does Jihad posted:

I imagine they'll start releasing some of the older ones, if I had to guess. I bet Spartacus will be up soon, along with some of their other "flagship" (if you wanna call it that) titles. I bet they won't re-release the newer ones like Mishima for awhile, but I'm just guessing. Let people wait long enough to buy the standard def before releasing the blu-ray.

You would think so, but the Last Emperor is on that list, and The Third Man got it's rerelease a year ago. I do agree that they'll probably focus on big titles, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Brazil, Seven Samurai and maybe Playtime, which got recent remasters.

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

#440 - Brand Upon The Brain!



- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Optional narration tracks by Isabella Rossellini, Laurie Anderson, John Ashbery, Crispin Glover, Guy Maddin, Louis Negrin, and Eli Wallach
- The Making of "Brand upon the Brain!", a new documentary featuring interviews with the director and crew members
- Two new short films directed by Maddin: It's My Mother’s Birthday Today and Footsteps
- Deleted scene
- Trailer
- PLUS: A new essay by film critic Dennis Lim


#441 - The Small Black Room



- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Audio commentary featuring film scholar Charles Barr
- New video interview with cinematographer Chris Challis
- Excerpts from Michael Powell’s audio dictations for his autobiography
- PLUS: A new essay by film scholar Nick James


#442 - Twenty-Four Eyes



- SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Television interview with director Keisuke Kinoshita
- New video interview with Japanese cinema historian and critic Tadao Sato about the film and its director
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay be renowned film scholar Audie Bock and excerpts from an interview with Kinoshita

#17 - Salo



- SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer The End of Salò, a 40-minute documentary about the film’s final scene
- Salò: Yesterday and Today, a 35-minute documentary featuring interviews with Pier Paolo Pasolini, actor-filmmaker Jean-Claude Biette, and Pasolini’s friend Nineto Davoli
- New interviews with set designer Dante Ferretti and filmmaker/film scholar Jean-Pierre Gorin
- Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
- Theatrical trailer
- Optional English subtitles
- PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by Neil Bartlett, Roberto Chiesi, Naomi Greene, Gary Indiana, and Sam Rohdie, and excerpts from Gideon Bachman’s on-set diary


Eclipse Series 11 - Lariso Shepitko

Sheldrake
Jul 19, 2006

~pettin in the park~

FitFortDanga posted:


I scrolled down too fast and was really sad when it wasn't Clara Bow 1927 Wings. :(

However, now that Salo is being reissued, I can show it to people and end all of those pesky friendships I've built up over the years.

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

This is a pretty interesting month. No purchases for me here, though.

Brand Upon the Brain: I don't really like Maddin, but he fascinates me anyway. I'm so stoked they included the multiple narrations! The inclusion of short films is nice, too, since I think Maddin generally does better with shorts. Definitely rental, MAYBE an eventual buy.

The Small Black Room: P&P grow on me more and more. Looking forward to this one, too.

Twenty-Four Eyes: My only knowledge of Kinoshita is his co-writing credit on Dora-Heita, and his role as one of the ill-fated "Four Horsemen" (with Kurosawa, Kobayashi, and Ichikawa). Very curious about him.

Salo: The only release for this month I've seen before, and one I'm not particularly anxious to see again. I'm willing to give it another chance, though, and the bonuses should be interesting.

Shepitko: The first 2-disc Eclipse release. I assume they couldn't get their hands of any of her other films. Sounds intriguing, definite rental here too.

LaptopGun
Sep 2, 2006

All I'm going to get out of him is a snappy one-liner and, if I'm real lucky, a brand new nickname.
1. Is the original (OoP and expensive on Ebay) Salo anamorphic or just letterbox widescreen? I may grab the old one on the cheap when they flood the market for the new one. I would just grab the new one when it is one sale, but the BluRay would definately be just around the corner.
2. I agree with I Am Awful. I intially thought it was the 1927 movie Wings. The WW2-era plane on the cover utterly confused me until I Googled to see it's not the same movie.

In non-criterion news, Target is selling the BluRay ultimate Blade Runner set for $25. This set includesthe Final Cut, 3 archival, worprint version, and the metic ton of featurettes and stills. It's essentially the "briefcase without the briefcase." I've been meaning to pick up the new Blade Runner, and since I was there to take advantage of some of the PS3 games on sale, I figured what the hell. This may become standard opperating procedure about buying Blu and waiting for June. I will buy the 80 gig PS3 (this one has PS1/2 compatability) with Metal Gear Solid 4 when it comes out.

STEVIE B 4EVA
Nov 13, 2005

girl in the slayer jacket            i am searching for you

FitFortDanga posted:

Shepitko: The first 2-disc Eclipse release.

The Raymond Bernard set was also only two discs.

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

lastclearchance posted:

The Raymond Bernard set was also only two discs.

2 movies, 3 discs

STEVIE B 4EVA
Nov 13, 2005

girl in the slayer jacket            i am searching for you
oops, shows what I know

vertov
Jun 14, 2003

hello

LaptopGun posted:

1. Is the original (OoP and expensive on Ebay) Salo anamorphic or just letterbox widescreen?

It's letterbox, not anamorphic.

Og Oggilby
Feb 12, 2005
Criterion is probably going to get Wings anyways, as there's four other Paramount silents they're supposedly working on (full-on Criterion: The Wedding March; von Sternberg Eclipse set: Docks of New York, Underworld, and The Last Command).

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

LaptopGun posted:

I may grab the old one on the cheap when they flood the market for the new one.

That's not going to happen. It's collectible and expensive because it's rare, not because people gotta have Salo. The price might go down a little bit, but not by much.

WaitsUp
Sep 19, 2005
I used to be a deli sandwich
I love the covers for Brand Upon The Brain and The Ascent. Not so sure about the font on Small Black Room, looks a bit out of place.

LaptopGun
Sep 2, 2006

All I'm going to get out of him is a snappy one-liner and, if I'm real lucky, a brand new nickname.
Thanks for the info. Shows what I know. I'll keep the rarity factor in mind, FitFortDanga. The whole movie seems like a sick joke from what I've read, but there's a part of me that really enjoys watching the proverbial trainwreck.

Daunte Vicknabb
Feb 22, 2005

You are already dead
Definitely interested in the Powell and Pressburger, don't really know anything about the other movies other than the fact that watching Salo is essentially masochism at its finest. I still haven't started my personal DVD collection because it's so much easier to just rent from the library at the moment, plus I'm waiting to go over to Blu-Ray, but it's really hard to resist with all these interesting movies coming out lately. I guess I just have to hope my library keeps scooping them up.

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

A new feature has been added to High and Low:

quote:

Rare video interview with actor Toshiro Mifune, by TV talk-show host Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole



Most obvious clue ever? Must be an Ophuls set, including Madame de... among others. I hope Leibelei is in there.

Daunte Vicknabb
Feb 22, 2005

You are already dead

FitFortDanga posted:



Most obvious clue ever? Must be an Ophuls set, including Madame de... among others. I hope Leibelei is in there.

I know nothing about this movie but I'm very excited because it's one of the few movies my school library has on neither DVD nor VHS that's in the top 1000 on the TSPDT list. Criterion is hitting on all cylinders as a company right now: tons of cool releases/rereleases, the switch to Blu-ray, and a return to some cool box-art.

Criminal Minded
Jan 4, 2005

Spring break forever

FitFortDanga posted:



Most obvious clue ever? Must be an Ophuls set, including Madame de... among others. I hope Leibelei is in there.

Yes! I was just wondering about this last night, I really really want to see The Earrings of Madame de... and I'm a total sucker for graceful camerawork so I'm sure the whole set would fascinate me.

Mike_V
Jul 31, 2004

3/18/2023: Day of the Dorks
I got a gift cert. to the Criterion Store from my job recently and need something just over $60 total ($10 off newsletter rebate), is the Teshigahara boxset worth it or would I be better off investing in some individual films?

Peaceful Anarchy
Sep 18, 2005
sXe
I am the math man.

Maybe it's because this is the first time I've seen the movie the clue refers to beforehand, but that clue is really obvious. I'm glad that boxset is finally coming.

Mike_V posted:

I got a gift cert. to the Criterion Store from my job recently and need something just over $60 total ($10 off newsletter rebate), is the Teshigahara boxset worth it or would I be better off investing in some individual films?

I blind bought the Teshigahara boxset and loved all three movies, but they're definitely unique films that might not be for everyone. They're a little slow and contemplative with a lot of subtext and I can't really think of anything to compare them to, other than each other.

Jack Does Jihad
Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, this is just right. Has a nice feel, too.
I don't know how old these are, but I found pics of the Mishima and Patriotism packaging:




Completely awesome. More Criterions need to be packaged like this.

Daunte Vicknabb
Feb 22, 2005

You are already dead
If we're discussing favorite packaging, I rather liked the style they went with for Ace in the Hole. The essay book folds open like a newspaper, it's very well done and fits quite well with the movie (obviously).

Jack Does Jihad
Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, this is just right. Has a nice feel, too.

Daunte Vicknabb posted:

If we're discussing favorite packaging, I rather liked the style they went with for Ace in the Hole. The essay book folds open like a newspaper, it's very well done and fits quite well with the movie (obviously).

Yeah, that was really well done. It was even two-sided.

Can't forget Videodrome:



beta-max. Nice.

MystOpportunity
Jun 27, 2004
Well, the biannual Deep Discount 20% off sale is starting the 6th(according to some DVDTalk sources), and I need some criterion recommendations. Assuming https://www.dvdplanet.com mirrors the sale(which they did last year, and hopefully will again as they have a few better Criterion prices) I'd like to spend about 100$ and pick up a few Criterion titles. Though, I haven't see a ton and would love a few recommendations on some worthwhile titles every collection should have.

As of now, I have:

-Brazil (3 Disc)
-Dazed and Confused
-Third Man (2nd pressing)
-Fear and Loathing
-Night and Fog
-Royal Tenanbaums
-Rushmore
-Life Aquatic

I'm considering the Bergman Masterworks boxset (comes to about 52$), Seven Samurai, the Olivier set, Days of Heaven, or maybe something from Goddard(and almost certainly F for Fake). I'm a bit hesitant to buy too much whatwith BluRay and all, but regardless, steer me in the right direction.

WaitsUp
Sep 19, 2005
I used to be a deli sandwich

ThetaOmnikron posted:

Well, the biannual Deep Discount 20% off sale is starting the 6th(according to some DVDTalk sources), and I need some criterion recommendations. Assuming https://www.dvdplanet.com mirrors the sale(which they did last year, and hopefully will again as they have a few better Criterion prices) I'd like to spend about 100$ and pick up a few Criterion titles. Though, I haven't see a ton and would love a few recommendations on some worthwhile titles every collection should have.

As of now, I have:

-Brazil (3 Disc)
-Dazed and Confused
-Third Man (2nd pressing)
-Fear and Loathing
-Night and Fog
-Royal Tenanbaums
-Rushmore
-Life Aquatic

I'm considering the Bergman Masterworks boxset (comes to about 52$), Seven Samurai, the Olivier set, Days of Heaven, or maybe something from Goddard(and almost certainly F for Fake). I'm a bit hesitant to buy too much whatwith BluRay and all, but regardless, steer me in the right direction.

Get Days of Heaven for sure, it's incredible.

I'd also suggest Contempt or Masculin Feminin for Godard (Cotempt is coming out on blu-ray however)

Macrame_God
Sep 1, 2005

The stairs lead down in both directions.

I'm just going to come out and ask it: is Salo worth it? I've been on the fence about seeing it for years now, but I've never brought myself to actually seeing it (the limited availability plays into it as well).

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

Macrame_God posted:

I'm just going to come out and ask it: is Salo worth it? I've been on the fence about seeing it for years now, but I've never brought myself to actually seeing it (the limited availability plays into it as well).

No, it's highly unlikely that it will be a film you want in your collection. Netflix will probably carry it.

ThetaOmnikron posted:

I'm considering the Bergman Masterworks boxset (comes to about 52$), Seven Samurai, the Olivier set, Days of Heaven, or maybe something from Goddard(and almost certainly F for Fake). I'm a bit hesitant to buy too much whatwith BluRay and all, but regardless, steer me in the right direction.

The Olivier set seems a bit iffy, unless you're really into Shakespeare. The others are safe bets. For Godard, I would recommend Band of Outsiders, it's his most accessible film.

I'm also hesitant to buy Criterions now. There's a bunch on my shopping list, but I'd hate to buy one only to have it come out on Blu-Ray a year later. 20% off does lessen the sting, though.

Bande apartheid
Feb 11, 2008

Sometimes reality is too complex for oral communication. But legend embodies it in a form which enables it to spread all over the world.

FitFortDanga posted:

For Godard, I would recommend Band of Outsiders, it's his most accessible film.

If what your going for is accessibility, then Band of Outsiders is definitely a good choice. It's like a Godard film for people who don't really like Godard very much. Another good choice for accessibility purposes would be Breathless; it has a lot going on beneath the surface that's harder to grasp, but it's still really enjoyable if you don't feel like thinking about it too much. However, if you're looking for a ceaseless torrent of Godard-ness, I'd highly recommend Pierrot le Fou. It's far less accessible than Band of Outsiders and Breathless, but it's absolutely fantastic in a... well... Godard sort of way. I think it would be insufferable if you went into it expecting to take everything completely and totally seriously, but I find the absurdist humor element in the film to be spectacular. It's also stuffed to the brim with all sorts of fascinating ideas (although it never dwells on one for too long because Godard is ADD as hell) which gives it a lasting appeal beyond just being merely amusing. Contempt is also amazing, but as mentioned earlier it's going to be coming to blu-ray so there isn't much point in buying the DVD.

Shampy
Apr 27, 2003

by FactsAreUseless
Blu-ray's will probably reset the numbering right?

FitFortDanga
Nov 19, 2004

Nice try, asshole

Criterion confirms via email that they have The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover in the works (no release date yet). While that's pretty awesome, I hope it means Drowning By Numbers is coming at some point, too.

Sheldrake
Jul 19, 2006

~pettin in the park~

FitFortDanga posted:

Criterion confirms via email that they have The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover in the works (no release date yet). While that's pretty awesome, I hope it means Drowning By Numbers is coming at some point, too.

YES. :swoon:

Now get some Hal Hartley, guys! Unbelievable Truth should not be this out of print.

STEVIE B 4EVA
Nov 13, 2005

girl in the slayer jacket            i am searching for you

I Am Awful posted:

YES. :swoon:

Now get some Hal Hartley, guys! Unbelievable Truth should not be this out of print.

That went out of print recently, right?

I'd be more interested in the ones that never hit DVD. Although I suspect Flirt would not exactly become a Criterion best-seller.

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Cacator
Aug 6, 2005

You're quite good at turning me on.

Recommendations needed for DeepDiscount/DVD Planet sale:

Does anyone have the William Klein eclipse set? It sounds obscure (even by Criterion standards) and bizarre enough to be very interesting.

I'd like to add another Bunuel to my collection, should it be The Milky Way or That Obscure Object of Desire? For the record I already own Discreet Charm and Phantom of Liberty and I've seen Viridiana, L'Age d'or, Un Chien Andalou and Exterminating Angel (my favourite).

And is Army of Shadows as good as everyone says it is? I own the first three Melvilles in the collection.

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