Criterion Newsletter (1 Viewer)

[Brandon Conway]

Paramount will probably do a DVD and Blu-ray release of the new restoration of Once Upon a Time in the West. It makes sense to earn some money back from an expensive project.
Take this at surface-level value, but as John on the HD Software board pointed out, the 'company credits' section of Once Upon a Time in The West on IMDB under 'dsitributors' it now says:

• [COLOR= rgb(0, 51, 153)]Paramount Home Video[/COLOR] (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

 

[ThomasTreasure]

Originally Posted by Lord Dalek /forum/thread/290262/criterion-newsletter#post_3584019
The problem with Stagecoach is that since the ONeg is long gone, there's no way to salvage the thing. Criterion can't do "their magic" for the transfer if the best quality source element isn't that good. I'd like to be proven wrong... but... no.

From Wikipedia:
The original negatives of Stagecoach were either lost or destroyed. John Wayne had one positive print that had never been through a projector gate. In 1970, he permitted it to be used to produce a new negative, and that is the film seen today at film festivals. UCLA formally restored the film in 1996 from surviving elements and premiered on cable's American Movie Classics network. The current DVD releases by Warner Home Video do not contain the restored print, but rather a video print held in the Castle Hill/Caidin Trust library.

 

[Brandon Conway]

The newsletter clue from a couple months back has been confirmed as Stagecoach. I'm hoping that a Blu-ray release 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

 

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The newsletter clue from a couple months back has been confirmed as Stagecoach. I'm hoping that a Blu-ray release accompanies it.

You and me both...

 

[Richard M S]

It is always good news when a vintage title like STAGECOACH gets the Criterion treatment; in all likelihood I will purchase it and hopefully it will be a popular seller for them (so ignore me as I quietly complain to myself that they selected a film so recently released when great films are going the archive route or not being released at all.)

That being said, I am thrilled beyond belief they are bringing out 2 Paramount silents in 2010; THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK and UNDERGROUND. I have seen both and they are amazing films.

 

[oscar_merkx]

I thought that the WB Stagecoach dvd was pretty good, i'll buy it.

Great news about both Kurosawa and Chaplin

 

[Martin Teller]

Kurosawa box

If the four early titles come out in a separate Eclipse set, I see no reason to buy this. Even if they don't, I wouldn't buy this. I think this is designed for people who only recently discovered Kurosawa.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Why do you say that without any details on the specs?

It does indicate that every single film will feature a new digital transfer (which of course could mean anything) but why would you determine its for people only recently "discovering" Kurosawa based on the little onformation offered? As long as the supplements are there and the packaging doesnt suck (which it probably will- really hoping it wont be a book style with plastic pages like the Janus arthouse set), but Im pretty excited for the potential with this set. Even if I own a majority of these titles already. Supposedly theyve all undergone extensive remastering, possibly for hd. I'll wait for reviews and more info..

 

[mdnitoil]

They just put out a remaster of High and Low a year ago and they've gone back and revisited it again? Something seems a little goofy here. It's also interesting that Ran isn't on that list.
As much as I would love this set, I've already got the latest versions of all the Criterion releases so it's just the four new ones for me. I doubt this thing is going to come in under two bills and that's just way too much for me to spend on a massive double dip.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Originally Posted by mdnitoil /forum/thread/290262/criterion-newsletter#post_3602923
They just put out a remaster of High and Low a year ago and they've gone back and revisited it again? Something seems a little goofy here. It's also interesting that Ran isn't on that list.
As much as I would love this set, I've already got the latest versions of all the Criterion releases so it's just the four new ones for me. I doubt this thing is going to come in under two bills and that's just way too much for me to spend on a massive double dip.

I'd be willing to bet the encode on High & Low is identical.
Ran isn't on the list because it is OOP.
There's actually five titles new to Criterion, with Madadayo being the 5th. There was an old Fox Lorber DVD, and it's quality is pretty dreadful.
I see the following happening:
Box Set released
In following months, Eclipse set of the earlier 4 titles.
At some point a Criterion/Essential Art House release of Madadayo.
Additional Blu-ray releases of the bigger titles (Seven Samurai, High & Low, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, etc.) throughout 2010.

 

[Martin Teller]

The specs listed don't indicate any features except the books and stuff in the box. The 25 movies, 25 discs suggests that at the very least it'll be missing the bonus discs for Ikiru, High and Low, Kagemusha and Seven Samurai (plus cramming Seven Samurai on to 1 disc) so my instinct tells me it'll be all bare-bones versions. I also believe that "new digital transfers" just means the existing transfers Criterion's already used.
I agree with Brandon's assessment, although I'm hoping the Eclipse set will be released concurrently with the box.

Originally Posted by MarcoBiscotti /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Why do you say that without any details on the specs?
It does indicate that every single film will feature a new digital transfer (which of course could mean anything) but why would you determine its for people only recently "discovering" Kurosawa based on the little onformation offered? As long as the supplements are there and the packaging doesnt suck (which it probably will- really hoping it wont be a book style with plastic pages like the Janus arthouse set), but Im pretty excited for the potential with this set. Even if I own a majority of these titles already. Supposedly theyve all undergone extensive remastering, possibly for hd. I'll wait for reviews and more info..

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Hmm, I guess you're right but we'll have to wait and see.

If this is indeed another 'essential arthouse' type of collection then fair enough, but it ain't my bag...

 

[JohnPM]

Anyone know anything about Criterion's forthcoming release of "The 39 Steps"? Is it a remaster? This title could use an upgrade ...
http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

 

[Martin Teller]

I don't know what you're talking about, and that link doesn't say anything about 39 Steps?

Originally Posted by JohnPM /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyone know anything about Criterion's forthcoming release of "The 39 Steps"? Is it a remaster? This title could use an upgrade ...
http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I believe that Greenbriar is John's film blog (and a personal fave read I might add) but I am also confused by the above post as I've read nothing in the latest newsletter concerning The 39 Steps?

 

[Thomas T]

THE 39 STEPS is coming as part of their "Art House Essentials" series which is basically a no frills, movie only line where you get the title at a better price than the Criterion but without the bells and whistles.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Well in that case, it'll surely be sourced from the existing transfer, no?

Otherwise there's no reason NOT to issue it as a regular Crit. spine like all the other Hitch's.

 

[Thomas T]

The 39 Steps IS an existing Criterion with a spine number of 56. The "Art House Essentials" release is the same transfer minus the audio essay, 1937 radio broadcast, the Janus documentary on Hitchcock's British period, production design drawings etc. that are to be found with the Criterion release of THE 39 STEPS.

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

yes I know, I own the current disc which I had thought was out-of-print or at least circulation so far as I could tell, but apparently not according to their website & amazon. My answer to the above poster assumed the same summation as yours- it will almost surely be the existing transfer. I guess the fact that it's getting an EA release doesnt bode too well for the company revisiting this film any time soon...

 

[Mark_TS]

Originally Posted by Jay E /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Seeing how the horse's reins are arranged for pulling an object, that gives more evidence that it may be Stagecoach

Bravo-thats a good catch!
Although there is a saddle, too.
One or the other a red herring?