Any Idea when the biggies (Fellini, Godard, Kurosowa etc) are expected to roll out on Blu-ray?
I’ve just read that Criterion exec producer Kim Hendrickson has confirmed Last Year at Marienbad for this May on DVD and Blu-Ray, finally.
May releases:
Wise Blood – John Huston
The Friends of Eddie Coyle – Peter Yates
Pigs, Pimps & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura
Blu-Ray:
Ran – Akira Kurosawa
I guess no Resnais, but it is in the works, maybe a June release?
JP-Great news. I’m a big fan of both Wise Blood and Eddie Coyle. They have never had any sort of DVD release to my knowledge although both have shown up on cable recently. And Ran on blu ray makes sense although I hope its a better transfer than the one on the import which has been recently reviewed at DVDBeaver.com.
Hmm… kind of a let down. But, the Imamura collection looks great and was expected, and I’ll be glad to have it in my collection.
I guess this means Marienbad and Wings of Desire for a 100% June/July release, unless something horrible happens.
The Ran blu will definitely be better quality than the import, from what I’ve heard the import blu’s image isn’t even up to par with standard-definition releases, so if CC can outshine it with a regular ol’ DVD, they are going to do wonders with the blu!
And I am ecstatic about another Huston release, I just get done soaking up Under the Volcano and I have another to look forward to! Oh Happy Day!
JP-Thanks for the info. Although any film should benefit from a HD upgrade Ran would be a good choice, along with Kagemusha for a Kurosawa Blu ray.
RAN Blu Ray! oh Is Kagemusha next? that would be all sorts of awesome
Also for May:
Eclipse 16: Alexander Korda’s Private Lives
Wow, Alexander Korda is completely out of left field.
Classic British cinema does tend to be ignored completely by most people, so it’s good to see it being represented. Criterion’s on a bit of a UK kick, with this and The Hit.
@ Justin Biberkopf – The “cardboard packaging” is beautiful and is in no way cutting a corner. If anything it would be more expensive than cheap snap-cases and it’s definitely more difficult for a bootlegger to replicate.
As for Blu-Ray vs. DVD – don’t care I just want the movies. The DVDs look fine to me while I’m watching them and I"m in no hurry to help the next gen throwing of the coal on the consumerist fire BS.
Friends of Eddie Coyle? Finally.
IAMPISTOL-The only problem with the cardboard packaging is if it gets damaged somehow you can’t replace it as you can snapcases. I’ve already had one damaged-Third Man had the plastic prongs which hold the disc in place broken so the disc just rattled around. Luckily it was that way when I received it and I got it replaced.
The new May Releases are the some of the best in recent months.
THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE is a fantastic crime drama of the 70s with a mesmerizing performance by Robert Mitchum. And, having seen WISE BLOOD a long time ago, I only remember it knocked me for a loop; one of the final literary adaptation films of Huston culminating in THE DEAD. And the Korda box from Eclipse is a treat to anticipate, too.
Though, I’m still anxiously awaiting MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, which I understand Criterion has the rights to and had been forecasted to release last year … still no sign.
May is really the best month of the year; so far! Wise Blood is a masterpiece, very unseen.
I am all over the Imamura and Oshima releases this Spring. I can’t wait to see them as I have criminally underwatched these two directors’ films.
“Vengeance is Mine” is still currently free on The Auteurs, and I heartily recommend it.
Those three Imamura are among his best, but actually he made only Best films. :)
Looking forward to the Criterion editions of Wim Wenders’ Alice in The Cities, Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire!!! Also, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence!
There was a suggestion on the last Criterion e-mail that MY DINNER WITH ANDRE will be coming in June. You know, one of those little cartoon things in the corner…
Jonathan Rosenbaum on his website:
“On January 15, 2009, Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa and I recorded a joint audio commentary for the forthcoming Criterion DVD of Abbas Kiarostami’s Close-up–which will hopefully be released before the end of this year, and should also include some shorter and earlier Kiarostami films.”
My Dinner With Andre seems to be a set June release, judging from their latest cartoon clue.
What about the re-release of WALKABOUT? I t was supposed to have come out last October???
I thought the same thing Brandon. I have my fingers crossed so tightly they’ve lost all circulation.
And honestly, if I could get Alice in the Cities AT ALL, I would be overjoyed. To even humor the idea that CC would release it…oh gosh, the very idea makes me pee a little.
what cartoon clue you guys talking about?
It comes from the newsletter that CC sends out to those that subscribe to it, the cartoon clue contains visual and/or word clues about upcoming releases for nerds who like codes.
if they are going to release ALICE IN THE CITIES, they should release KINGS OF THE ROAD, for sure his best film.
Do Deska’den is the one I’m most pumped for. I have all of Kurosawa’s other films, save for 1 or 2 of his early propaganda movies, and I’ve tried to get this one from all corners of the globe and no luck. Now we get a CRITERION issue of it, nothing could be better.
Dodeska’den is very much worth the wait.
Now if we can just get DERSU UZALA into a Criterion treatment …
I’m looking forward to Wings Of Desire, but I kind of wish they were doing Until The End Of The World instead.
K Y Temple-of-Film
Why haven’t we got a February Criterion film fest to select from this month at The Auteurs?