Films for Criterion: The Dream List (late 2008)
Criterion is the BEST source of quality films; classic, British, and foreign. As a result, since so many of my favorites are already Criterion films, here is my current dream list. I haver no idea whether Criterion can acquire the rights to any of these, but they deserve the Criterion treatment – ie, Criterion is the GOLD standard now.
By director:
Tarkovsky – Nostalghia, Mirror especially as they need good quality prints – also Sacrifice and The Stalker. The current Criterion releases of Andrei Rublev, Solaris, and Ivan’s Childhood are definitive.
Resnais – Last Year at Marienbad – surely THE art house film of the last century – an eventual Criterion must
Antonioni – Blowup
John Ford – Grapes of Wrath – this needs the full definite Criterion treatment – surely Ford’s greatest film.
B. Tarr – Werkmeister Harmonies, Satantango
C. Reed – Odd Man Out – after the great Criterion release of The Third Man, a Criterion must
De Sica – After the Fox (to go as a counterpoint with the classic de Sica already on Criterion)
G. Maddin – Archangel (the only film of his I believe is justified for Criterion release – better than those Criterion has out)
Parajanov – Color of Pomegranates, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors – wonderful films – come on Criterion!
Altman – Images – why has this great Altman film been ignored?
Klimov – Come and See
Svankmajer – Alice, Faust – I have in video, are adequate DVDs available?
P. Greenaway – Draughtsman’s Contract, Zed & Two Noughts, Belly of an Architect – Eclipse series – if Greenaway will give the rights
By title:
Alfie, Apu Trilogy, Arsenic & Old Lace, Burnt by the Sun. The Conversation, Daisies, Dead of Night, Delicatessen, Georgy Girl, Getting of Wisdom, Heavenly Creatures, In a Lonely Place, The Innocents, Investigation of a Citizen above Suspicion, Jeanne Dielman, KIng of Hearts, The Knack, Ladykillers, Last Tango in Paris, Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Look Back in Anger, Loved One, Man Who Could Work Miracles, Marat/Sade, A Matter of Life & Death, Music Room, My Brilliant Career, My Dinner with Andre, Nasty Girl, Never on Sunday, Persona, The Pointsman, Red Desert, Red Sorghum, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, The Southerner – J. Renoir, Sundays and Cybele, The Trial – O. Welles, A Walk in the Sun, Zorba the Greek
Wim Wenders’s Road Movies:
Kings of the Road
Alice in the Cities
The State of Things
There were some really cool releases when Criterion was doing laserdiscs. It would be fun to see some of those on dvd though I doubt they would ever get the rights to them. Films like Dr. No, Singin In The Rain, Akira (especially since the newest release by Pioneer was pretty bad), Annie Hall…these aren’t obscure films, but I’d like to see the extras Criterion could scrape together for them.
Grecco, not sure if you’ll ever see this but i like the way you think.
I’ve been playing with this question since the early days of Criterion laserdiscs, waiting with baited breath for the new catalog to come out, and hoping/guessing what would be in it. That being said, this question is a little manna from heaven for me. Then, in no particular order . . .
1. The Conformist
2. The Long Goodbye
3. Badlands
4. The Darjeeling Limited
5. The Magnificent Ambersons
I have to agree with Genaro on the Wim Wenders Road Movies as well as everyone else who mentioned In a Lonely Place. Two more are Swept Away (obviously not the Madonna version) and Red Desert by Antonioni.
I would love to see a Criterion copy of “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia”. Sam Peckinpah is an under-viewed talent from a bygone era of innocence freshly lost.
Toshio Matsumoto’s ’ Funeral Parade of Roses’
I would love to see Criterion release:
Underworld USA
Begotten
Night of the Hunter
LA DOLCE VITA! Of all Fellini movies, why has this one not gotten the Criterion treatment?
Also: Fargo. Dead Man. Annie Hall. Chinatown. Amelie. Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (a vastly underrated film—even though it isn’t really a regular film; nevertheless, it is a beautifully-shot collection of profound vignettes, and deserves more attention).
Oh, and Dersu Uzala! How does that not get some sort of treatment??? I am starting to get pretty bitter about the titles Kino has that Criterion cannot.
Oh, and King Vidor’s “The Crowd”!
I gotta go to bed or else my head will explode with movies.
Grindhouse.
It still hasn’t seen a true home release.
Last Year at Marienbad
I’ve noticed that others have suggested this, too. I understand why some other classics (e.g., La dolce vita) are not out on Criterion — the rights are owned by someone else. But at least they are available. Marienbad hasn’t been available in North America for years. Does anyone know the story on this?
The Joyless Street
Possession
The Criterion treatment for Akira Kurosawa’s “Dersu Azala.”
How about some of the greatest films from the Philippines?
These titles include but are not limited to:
Manuel Conde’s “Genghis Khan”
Lino Brocka’s “Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila: In the Claws of Neon),”
“Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (You Have Been Weighed and Found Wanting),”
Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala (Miracle)”
Peque Gallaga’s “Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death)”
Madadayo, The Dead, Chimes At Midnight.
I have been begging/praying for Criterion to add Michael Tolkin’s “The Rapture”. It’s most fearless piece of filmmaking I’ve ever seen.
Antonioni’s Red Desert (Deserto Rosso)
Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia, Mirror
Fellini’s Casanova
He’s been mentioned before, but I’d again say Satyajit Ray: the Apu trilogy, Charulata, The Music Room, Days And Nights In The Forest
Nagisa Oshima: Death By Hanging, Diary Of A Shinjuku Thief, The Ceremony and Boy in particular
Ritwik Ghatak: Cloud-Capped Star and Subarna-Rekha
Hirokazu Kore’eda’s Distance.
In addition, it would be nice to see more exploration of Japanese new wave. Guru Dutt is another Indian filmmaker very much deserving of the Criterion treatment. I also agree with the previous mentions of Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Mario Bava.
WAKE IN FRIGHT.
I always thought Jan Svankmajer’s Alice was just ripe for a Criterion release.
i wonder.. nobody is talking about Kieslowski!!… RED, BLUE.. and of coz DECALOGUE
I agree about Last Year at Marienbad. That’s definitely Criterion material, and needs to see a proper US release.
I came in this thread with The Devil’s Reject’s in mind and was happy to see it alright mentioned by Demarest. I’d say that it’s the finest american horror film of this decade.
Henry Hathaway’s “Peter Ibbetson”.
So many great choices here, everybody! I have very fond memories of Altman’s BREWSTER McCLOUD. To my knowledge, it’s never even been on DVD. Another film I’d like to see given the Criterion treatment: Frank Perry’s PLAY IT AS IT LAYS [despite the fact that many hate it].
Terry Gilliam’s THE FISHER KING and TIDELAND.
Brothers Quay Shorts especially “Streets of Crocodiles”
Any Jan Svankmajer – Alice, Lunacy and so on
Paul Bellini
Rossellini’s Voyage trilogy: Stromboli, Europa 51, Voyage to Italy