Recent content by Jon Robertson

The first five are up on Criterion's site. Sad to see that The Third Man, The Man Who Fell to Earth and The Last Emperor have all had supplements trimmed compared to their DVD counterparts (though mostly in the form of booklets).

But on the other hand, it's virtually impossible to imagine Hitchcock at this stage in his career preferring a toned-down version of the film. This is the same Hitchcock who filmed a rape scene so brutal 12 years later in Frenzy that the BBFC in the UK refused to let it through uncut until...

There's dazzling craftsmanship throughout, but the violent moments are anything but subtle. Hitchcock wanted to present the wildest, grisliest ride yet seen in movies and could get away with it in the shower scene because there was essentially nothing there to cut, which he could prove - not so...

I'm in total agreement, Jeff. This is a clear-cut case of restoration, not tinkering after the fact. These aren't outtakes retrieved from the cutting room floor but U.S. censor cuts to three of the most contentious sequences in the film. The footage was still in certain prints in the...

Well, quite. As far as I'm concerned the proper 2-disc set of this film hasn't yet appeared. Proper, restored transfers of the 1973 theatrical release and complete preview version, along with special features that have some semblance of taste and judgement. But it seems sadly unlikely.

While I agree that the current Warner release does not do justice to this great film, the last thing that should be done is attempt to 'sort out' the workprint by 'tightening', 'fine-tuning' or what have you. By all means reinstate the scene with Garrett's wife and sort out the colour timing and...

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=404 Coming in September! An anamorphic transfer from a 4K-definition restoration with the supplements from Criterion's laserdisc plus a few more. Good times!

I love Part 2 as well - ludicrous and jumbled the script may be, but there's a really creepy vibe to the whole thing (even by Part 3, things were getting seriously campy) and very nicely directed by the ever-underrated Jack Sholder.

If they can somehow wrangle it from a seemingly uninterested MGM via Fox, Heaven's Gate would be a dream release.

Agree with the first statement, but not the second - they're charging almost twice what they normally do for a 2-disc set, and there's almost nothing else apart from the films. Were there not even any risque pre-code shorts that could be added? No commentaries? An unusual move from Warner, to...

Jacques Tati did with Playtime though, but admittedly that's the only instance I can think of.

It's very likely if Buena Vista does bring it out, we'll get most of the extras from the Criterion laserdisc anyway - The English Patient, Sling Blade and Trainspotting featured the commentaries and at least some of the other material. It depends whether they're willing to bring over all the...

Grim news, but there is at least a silver lining - Buttery Jeb over at the Criterion Forum came across early copies of Criterion's Kicking and Screaming on store shelves and according to the back of the case it's been licensed directly from Lionsgate. If Lionsgate and Criterion are starting a...

I suspect you're right, but surely the 2-disc intermission thing has been blazingly obvious all along?

I didn't know about that. How very pathetic.