Nevermind my recommendation for the Cremaster Cycle since Mathew Barney doesn’t want to “reproduce his art” on DVD and I guess Criterion should respect that. :(
So for now, I will simply second: How The Bride Wore Black, Zazie Dans le Metro, Small Change, Stalker, and The Apu trilogy.
THE TALES OF FOUR SEASONS by Rohmer
THE APU TRILOGY by RAY (How on Earth are these not on Criterion?)
All films by Tarkovsky (The Kino versions are a disgrace).
“Badlands” by Terrence Malick
“The Long Goodbye” by Robert Altman
“Trust” by Hal Hartley
“Ghost World” by Terry Zwigoff
“Mosquito Coast” by Peter Weir
and if “Benjamin Button” was able to get a Criterion release, “The Social Network” should be a shoe in.
Moby Dick by John Huston, such an underrated gem, and it should definitely be restored.
Gardiens de phare by Jean Grémillon, because this film is supposed to be one of the masterpiece of the director, and it’s nearly impossible to watch, the copies are rarely shown in cinema in France, like a lot of other films that are almost forgotten in the archives of la cinémathèque de Bretagne, and it’s a shame. (here for french speakers, a critic by Marcel Carné)
Also, there’s a couple of newer kim ki duk films not available in the states – and older ones too for the that matter, or ones that deserve better transfers…
Ghost World
Phantom of the Paradise
I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK
i’m sure my suggestions have already been listed, but personally i would love to see the following:
Teorama (Pasolini)
Herzog (at the very least Aguirre and Stroszek)
Gaspar Noe’s 3 feature films
some of the Romanian new wave – 4, 3, 2, Death of Mr. Lazerescu, 12:08 East of Bucharest
oh, and of course the Apu Trilogy
The World’s Greatest Sinner
The Conformist
The Limits of Control
The Killing
The Son
The Lady From Shanghai
The Long Goodbye
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Gummo
Funny Face
Enter the Void
Tropical Malady
Trouble Every Day
Barton Fink
Valhalla Rising
Last Tango in Paris
Baby Doll
Don’t Look Now
What Time is it There?
The Great Dictator
Ken Park
Lost in Translation
Stalker
The Killing
City Lights
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
A Man Escaped
Those are at least the first to come to mind.
CIRCLE OF IRON
The Great Dictator
Marketa Lazarova
Ok, so here is my list of dream Criterion’s- all on DVD and Blu-:
1) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
w/ Flashing Spikes- a one hour episode of Alcoa Premiere directed by Ford in 1962 and starring James Stewart, Carleton Young, and Patrick Wayne (with a cameo from the Duke). This was filmed the same year as Valence, and having many of the same cast members, many thematic similarities, and is IMO a minor masterpiece from Ford despite the limitations of the TV format.
and The second half of the BBC documentary featured on ‘Young Mr. Lincoln’
2) The Quiet Man- It would be a dream to see this restored to the Technicolor glory it was filmed in, or at least available in a watchable edition. Criterion treatment needs to happen.
3) Park Row- Samuel Fuller’s love letter to American journalism isn’t available on DVD or even VHS and it’s one of his finest films.
4) China Gate- Yet another great Fuller film that is much rarer than it should be.
5) Eclipse: Budd Boetticher’s Crime Films
featuring… The Missing Juror, The Killer Is Loose, and The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond
6) Eclipse: Anthony Mann’s History Noirs
featuring…Reign of Terror (The Black Book), The Tall Target, Devil’s Doorway
the latter two need to be rescued from Warner Archive hell, and properly remastered. So anyway, that’s my wishlist!
I think Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World was groundbraking enough to be a Criterion release.
Maurice: What supplements would you include to make the purchase of a Criterion version of Scott Pilgrim worth the additional expense as opposed to a perfectly fine $15 non-Criterion version?
Cobra and Out for Justice.
Well, it’s not really the extras I’m worried about so much. I’d just like to see an even more awesome case and an essay. Besides, I just think this would be a good addition to the collection, that’s all.
If you’re doubling the price of a standard DVD release, you’d better provide more than “an even more awesome case and an essay.” Seriously, Maurice, can’t you think of anything for the disc that would enlarge our understanding of the film’s artistic aims, genres, styles, and contexts? Shouldn’t Criterion releases give us an entire “package” of worthwhile materials?
Hmmmmm, it’s an interesting point.
“Kids” by Larry Clark, seeing that the Lions Gate/Vidmark DVD has gone out of print (though there’s probably a surplus in existence). It was probably Clark’s only truly good film (though “Bully” is a guilty pleasure of mine). I drool when I think of the possible special features: interviews with the little-known cast, a still gallery of Clark’s photography, and maybe even a documentary on the stellar soundtrack, including a chat with half-retarded indie musician Daniel Johnston!! I think it would look really cool on the shelf next to my other titles.
“The Trilogy of Life” by Pasolini ("Arabian Nights, “Decameron,” “Canterbury Tales”) A three-disc box set would be totally awesome with documentaries and interviews, maybe even a couple essays by Pasolini. I know Image released all of these on DVD back in 1998 but even in used, ex-rental condition they go for almost 150 a pop on ebay and amazon.com. There are Region B blu-ray release but I couldn’t play them…
“Buddy Boy” from 1999. This is a truly overlooked, underrated piece of cinematic delight. Aiden Gillen is so friggin twisted as a stuttering loner whose looking after his crippled mother and spying on the girl next door, believing her to be more than she seems. Eerie, moody and excellently performed, I really hope this one gets noticed.
“Tetsuo: The Iron Man” I know this one is a long shot but I think it would be a good choice. It’s kind of an avant-garde science fiction film in the vein of Eraserhead-era David Lynch. Bizzare imagery and creepy special effects about as a man begins to fuse with all the metal objects in his apartment.
“Streetwise” —this little-seen, Oscar-nominated documentary from the early ’80’s was really powerful and moving. It deals with the plight of the street kid, taking a look at various delinquents on the streets of Seattle. As far as I know, it’s never gotten a DVD release and the VHS-asking prices on ebay and amazon are pretty steep. This really needs the Criterion treatment something fierce.
Nashville—Robert Altman, need I say more?
Fritz the Cat—yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, it’s cheesy and more than a bit racist but that aside, Ralph Bakshi was really good at what he did and essentially captured the feel of the comic strip perfectly (I think R. Crumb only dislikes the movie either because he’s trying to be super-duper non-conformist or he really didn’t like the idea of his creation being made into a film). Plus, the current release is pretty bare-bones.
I second THE GREEN RAY. I own the “Summer” (world classics cinema) DVD version of it. Is anyone else familiar with this version? It’s almost blurry. Is that just the 16mm or the transfer? I have never seen the film on the big screen, so I really don’t know what it officially looks like. I would love a criterion of this…
I just was looking at the first page, and a bunch of the films mentioned there now have releases. Pretty cool, eh?
yes!!! robert altmans’ the long goodbye, nashville and mccabe and mrs. miller for sure – a box set would be amazing with commentary tracks, documentaries and great box artwork
Something from Bruno Dumont. Please.
La Notte
Before the Revolution
La Grande Bouffe
Diva
Anything by the Dardenne Brothers.
Some Elia Kazan, ‘McCabe & Mrs Miller’ and Bergman’s ‘Face to Face’ so I can see it.
lunaire
BEGOTTEN, around halloween time in 2011