Three Silents by Josef von Sternberg Collection in August

Wonderful news!

Josef von Sternberg's films have been lost in limbo way too long.

Although I do think they could have found another silent to include in the set, I welcome these.

Now if only Criterion, or somebody would release Dishonored, Shanghai Express, and Crime and Punishment on DVD in region 1, and Anatahan, von Sternberg would be reasonably represented on DVD.

About time! Excellent news. Hopefully they'll be sparkling transfers.

Doesn't look like they'll be including the 4 minute or so fragment that exists of The Case of Lena Smith (1929). A pictorial essay on that film would have been interesting and made for a good extra.

It's unbelieveable that all of the Sternberg-Deitrich films still have not made it yet to DVD. The way things are going, maybe TCM/Universal will release a few of their films as an Archive collection. Shanghai Express is a must.

Criterion announced SHANGHAI EXPRESS many years ago, but it was cancelled because the print was problematic.  Other non-von Sternberg Dietrich films that merit the Criterion treatment are DESIRE, SONG OF SONGS, A FOREIGN AFFAIR, and KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOR.

Except for SONG OF SONGS, Dietrich's other films don't interest me.

Too much of the same thing, over and over again.

But her collaboration with von Sternberg still burns white-hot after 75-80 years.

BLONDE VENUS and SHANGHAI EXPRESS are still ahead of their time.

A Foreign Affair is one of the more fascinating films to come out after World War II, and it absolutely amazes me that it hasn't been released on DVD (or Blu-ray) for that matter. With that cast and that writer-director, it should have been out long ago.

FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO is also MIA, and hopefully the Warner Archive will release the underrated BUDDY, BUDDY.

This is phenomenal news.  I've never had the opportunity to see any of these films...and they've been high on my list for quite some time.

As for the remaining Billy Wilder films, I've been dying to see these on DVD.  I cannot for the life of me understand why Universal has not released them yet.  They have released boxsets from far less-acclaimed directors.....and sets of films that are far less important. 

I would love to see Criterion get their hands on some of these....how about this idea? - "Billy Wilder: The Screenwriter Years" which could focus on his pre-directorial efforts that are not yet released on DVD.

"The Lottery Lover" - 1935

"That Certain Age" - 1938

"What a Life" - 1939

"Arise My Love" - 1940

"Hold Back the Dawn" - 1941

Of course you could soup it up with (I would gladly double-dip to have all of these titles in one concise collection)

"Bluebeard's Eighth Wife"

"Midnight"

"Ball of Fire"

& "Ninotchka"

I don't know that I would have featured Von Sternberg's picture on the dvd box cover, (something with Evelyn Brent,who stars in two of the films, and Betty Compson would have been, um, easier on the eyes) but otherwise I am really excited about these full Criterion (not Eclipse-line) releases. These are wonderful unique films; true works of art, and I am buying this on release day.