Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

Looks like Gomorrah (2008) is the only BD release for November.

Yeah, I seriously hope that Criterion gives us another blu-ray for November.

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They won't. They very, very rarely have a late update.

Here's hoping for 2-3 in December.

I just watched Gomorrah this afternoon and it's a pretty strong flick. Looking forward to revisiting it on Blu. I would have rather have Brazil, Days of Heaven, or some Fellini, but I'll take it.

maybe the walkabout rerelease/bluray (that I want really badly) hasn't materialized yet because Criterion will release it at the same time as  Don't Look Now?  They could license that film from paramount.

I am hoping that Criterion can release Don't Look Now also from Paramount.. esp if they can release the BD release also. 

I have to say I am so shocked and a bit angry over DOWNHILL RACER being overlooked for a BD release... and also the fact one title for a BD release at the start of the Christmas shopping season? I know that sounds kinda of bad to say... but really? I expected more for November... DOWNHILL RACER as much as I want to see it and I never have... I can't keep purchasing DVDs when the BD should have been released. I guess I will keep watching 3 Days of the Condor over and over. 

We haven't seen the December slate, yet. Criterion can be pretty spectacular when they put their minds to it.

Don't Look Now was a very peculiar film. I'm not a huge Roeg fan -- at all -- but I'd give both of those flicks another shot with new transfers and Criterion-quality extras.

EDIT: Which reminds me, has anyone guessed the hint from the newsletter last week?

Gomorrah is definitely a good film, but I can't help but think it's a waste for Criterion to release it.  It would've been released anyways had Criterion not touched it, and the difference would've been minor as it's a newer film.  Criterion could have released another film that badly needed an upgrade in video/audio, or a film that's never been released altogether.

And it's frustrating to see Criterion release some films on DVD and not Blu-Ray. 

Not every release is gonna have the budget to get a BD release. That's just the reality of the market.

More Kurosawa in 2010 to celebrate his 100th B-day.



(100th B-day cake + horse from cover art of Kagemusha = More Kurosawa in 2010)

The only question is.... what will they release?

They have released practically everything of his through Criterion and Eclipse.

Here's what they haven't released:

Sanshiro Sugata
Sanshiro Sugata 2
The Most Beautiful
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
The Quiet Duel
Dersu Uzala
Dreams
Rhapsody in August
Madadayo

I can see them doing another Eclipse set for those first five - all early films of his from the 40's.

There's been talk of Warner finally working with Criterion, and Dreams specifically. If this comes out it would probably be a DVD and BD release.

Dersu Uzala and Madadayo have changed distributors over the years, so both are possible. I can see Dersu Uzala getting a BD release, but not Madadayo.

Rhapsody in August is distributed by MGM in the US. I don't think MGM has a working relationship with Criterion.

Other than that, I can see BD editions of any of the following titles that are already out on DVD from them:

Seven Samurai (gonna happen, just a matter of when)
Yojimbo / Sanjuro
High & Low
Ikiru
Rashomon (Criterion has stated they would likely do a new transfer from the more recently restored print)
Throne of Blood

The others seem less likely for BD by my estimation.

And, by way of a miracle, they may have figured out the rights issues with Weinstein for Ran.

Well, since I just picked up Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Throne of Blood in the Barnes & Noble sale, I'm sure it'll be one of those.  I've got that kind of luck.  I'm cool with it, though, if it means more Kurosawa on blu-ray.

Apparently Weinstein Co. isn't doing terribly well. They'd be wise to license Ran to Criterion and share in the profits. It would be a win-win for everybody. And The Quiet Duel was released a couple of years back on another label and, fine a film as it is, is hardly "major" Kurosawa.

But I'm thrilled that more Kurosawa is coming no matter what it is. Criterion and Kurosawa was one of the best things that ever happened to home video, imho. I'll take anything they want to release of his, although I'd be especially grateful for a Blu release of Dreams. My best guess is a Blu-ray release of Seven Samurai in time for Christmas.

I was not aware of Kurosawa's 100th anniversary.

Would be very good news indeed

If Criterion were to release it I'd expect it as part of an Eclipse set.

I have to say I understand that fact, but at the same time this is Criterion we are talking about which is usually about 3-4 titles a month. I think they need to take on that demand. I understand when you are a studio who does 20-30 titles a month. but Criterion needs to show the consumer we will give you the option. Criterion even stated in a magazine article not too far back that their day and date dvd/bd releases: that the BD outsold the DVD by and someone correct me if I am wrong but something like 25%ish. Now that says a lot. 

It is just sad when you can't get a classic Robert Redford film to be released on BD when you have the HD transfer! I will say the same for Last Days of Disco HUGE oversight. They even mention the HD image in the commentary track! It is a tease! 

I love Criterion to death but I can't give them all my money and wait and hope for a better release that kinda get left out in the cold. 

NO FILM LEFT BEHIND. :-)

They licensed The Last Days of Disco from Universal and Downhill Racer from Paramount, so it may be that they only got the dvd rights.

The only films they've licensed from the major US studios and released on Blu-Ray are the two Sony titles (Bottle Rocket and Repulsion), Chungking Express (Miramax/Disney) and Kagemusha (20th Century Fox.) Nothing from Universal or Paramount (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button doesn't count as Paramount licensed the Criterion branding and released it themselve.)

The newsletter clue from a couple months back has been confirmed as Stagecoach. Let's hope a Blu accompanies it.

The Kurosawa newsletter clue has been clarified as a 25-disc Box Set. I suspect some of that will be new stuff, with a few individual Blu-rays as well. However, Dreams is not likely to be part of it, as negotiations with Warner are still ongoing.

And they've confirmed that the Chaplin films are indeed being negotiated.

All of this can be read about here: http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/08/exclusive-criterion-collection-unveils.html

I wonder if the Kurosawa set will include both DVDs and Blu-rays or, better yet, will be ALL blu-ray (yeah, I know, wishful thinking).  Hopefully any new titles will also be available separately, as I'm not too keen on repurchasing titles just because they're in a set with titles I don't already have.

Kurosawa directed 30 films.  Criterion has already released 21 of them.  Here are the other 9, all unavailable in region 1 unless otherwise noted:

Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
The Most Beautiful (1944)
Sanshiro Sugata, Part 2 (1945)
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945)
The Quiet Duel (1949) (released in region 1 by BCI)
Dersu Uzala (1975)
Dreams (1990) (released in region 1 by Warner Bros)
Rhapsody in August (1991) (released in region 1 by MGM)
Madadayo (1993) (released in region 1 by Fox/Lorber)

I'm assuming that all 21 existing Criterion titles will be in the box.  But what will the other 4 be...?  I'm hoping it's the 4 earliest titles.  That would only leave Dersu Uzala unreleased in region 1, which I imagine Criterion would get around to sometime in 2011...  :D

Here's what I'm thinking....

Ran won't be in the box unless they resolve the rights issues with Weinstein. Now we're down to 20, with 9 unreleased to be the other 5.

My guess then becomes that those early five films from the 40s are the other 5. Dersu Uzala has a different rights holder; Dreams is Warner, which is a deal not yet agreed to per the article; Rhapsody in August is MGM, and while they are now working with Criterion, I don't see it happening; Madadayo is under the same deal as Ran from my understanding, though I don't know whether Weinstein would have licensed it.

25 could have also been an offhand round number which actually refers to 24 or 27 films, per se.

or include the first four, but count Sanshiro Sugata as one film, then add Dersu Uzala to get to 25.

?

Dersu Uzala has been available from KINO for a while, no?

Holy shit, how did I miss that?  (quick internet search confirms)  Okay, apparently the KINO edition looks pretty subpar and (based on comments on Amazon.com) should be avoided.  Criterion DID release the film on laserdisc, though, so my fingers remain crossed....

So okay, cross RAN off due to the unfortunate rights issue.  So that leaves 20 previously-released titles and 5 mystery titles.... well, no matter which 5 they are, it's still 5 new Criterion Kurosawa titles!   I'm inclined to think it'll be the earliest 5, which could simultaneously be issued as another Eclipse set.

It's really too bad all 30 films couldn't be cleared.  A definitive complete Kurosawa set would be sublime.  25 out of 30 is frustratingly close....



Edited by Craig Beam - 8/27/09 at 9:05am

Apparently, an email response from Criterion has stated "In response to your release question, GIMME SHELTER should be out on Blu-ray this year!", which can only mean a December release.

So my guess for December for BD is:

Che
Gimme Shelter
Stagecoach

(At this point I'll be terribly disappointed if Stagecoach doesn't get a BD release. I mean, how often does Criterion get a John Wayne film, and a very popular one at that?)

You forgot Those Who Make Tomorrow.

I'm hoping the first five are in it, and get simultaneously released as a separate Eclipse set.  They're the only ones I don't already own except Dersu Uzala (and Ran, which I foolishly sold as soon as the now-cancelled Blu-Ray was announced).

What I'm REALLY hoping for is the whole thing on Blu-Ray, but that's extremely unlikely.

Also: although it says 25 movies, that could have been a slip-up... he might have meant 25 DISCS.  So it could be:

Seven Samurai (3 discs)
High and Low (2 discs)
Rashomon
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Ikiru (2 discs)
The Hidden Fortress
The Lower Depths
Stray Dog
The Bad Sleep Well
Scandal
The Idiot
One Wonderful Sunday
I Live in Fear
No Regrets for Our Youth
Red Beard
Throne of Blood
Drunken Angel
Kagemusha (2 discs)
Dodes-kaden

= 25 discs

Evidently Kurosawa co-directed - but subsequently disowned - 1946's Those Who Make Tomorrow.  I've never seen the film, so I can't comment, but my cursory research indicates that it was never seen outside of Japan, and has never been released on any home video format anywhere in the world.  I'd be surprised if it ever turns up.

Damn, Martin, I hope the magic "25" isn't the number of discs.  That would mean NOTHING new. 

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3354

So, confirmation of Che (presumably as a two-disc set) on BD and some possibilities.  Interesting.

DVDBeaver's review/comparison of "Pierrot Le Fou."

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Would it be wrong to assume Criterion would release Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas onto Blu-ray disc? I'm considering they have high chances they would release it in the future along with a wave of other titles. Perhaps Brazil, Charade and a few others?

Update on the Kurosawa box:

http://www.image-entertainment.com/film.asp?ProjectID={54674E24-FE62-4670-845B-9C78009B2CE6}&BusinessUnitID={86E09B33-2863-432E-AFFA-D34EA992FEDF}&ProductID={120935EC-1BC0-4317-93E5-9C7800B85730}

Appears to be DVD-only.  The GOOD news is that there are 5 new-to-Criterion titles:

The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
Dodes’ka-den (1970)
Drunken Angel (1948)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
High and Low (1963)
I Live in Fear (1955)
The Idiot (1951)
Ikiru (1952)
Kagemusha (1980)
The Lower Depths (1957)
Madadayo (1993)
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail (1945)*
The Most Beautiful (1944)*
No Regrets for Our Youth (1946)
One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Rashomon (1951)
Red Beard (1965)
Sanjuro (1962)
Sanshiro Sugata (1943)*
Sanshiro Sugata, Part II (1944)*
Scandal (1950)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Stray Dog (1949)
Throne of Blood (1957)
Yojimbo (1961)

(* Never before available for home video)

The four early titles could easily comprise a second Eclipse set, but what about Madadayo....?  MSRP is a whopping $399.99 for this thing, so I can't possibly justify buying it for one movie (or five), even though the existing Fox/Lorber disc is pretty lousy.  Plus, it doesn't appear that all the supplements from the existing editions are included (kinda like their Art House Essential editions).  Plus, no Ran (no real surprise there).

So.... here's hoping for a second Eclipse set, and a stand-alone release of Madadayo.  Or, if nothing else, a winning lottery ticket.  :D

Meh, I have zero interest in that set.  Already have all the Kurosawa titles on DVD that I have a desire to own, no way would I be tempted to double dip on standard DVD for 5 of Kurosawa's lessor films.

Very disappointing that there's no BD's of at least a couple of the A list titles (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Rashomon, Throne of Blood, etc)  to coincide with this so called "100 year celebration".

Whole lot of nothin for me there...............