new criterions in october (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

http://www.dvdfile.com/software/dvd-...002/07_25.html
The Life and Times of Colonel Blimp by Michael Powell, which includes a new commentary by Powell & Scorsese
Down by Law by Jim Jarmusch
4 pack Kurosawa Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro, which are the same discs.
This is really a shame though imo

 

[Bryant Frazer]

The Life and Times of Colonel Blimp by Michael Powell, which includes a new commentary by Powell & Scorsese

That would be quite a trick, considering Powell died in 1990. Surely this is the same commentary -- the first director's commentary ever recorded? -- that graced the Criterion laserdisc from the late 1980s.

-bf-

 

[Rich Malloy]

Similar to the "Black Narcissus" commentary, I should think!

This is great P&P news, and I hope it means "Stairway to Heaven" is also due soon! And whatever happened to "Tales of Hoffman"?

 

[Todd Bennington]

Unfortunately Criterion don't have the rights to Stairway To Heaven/A Matter of Life and Death. As far as Hoffmann goes, apparently the elements are in pretty rough shape and are requiring a lot more restoration than was originally believed necessary. Hopefully both make it out before too long. I'm giddy about Col. Blimp.

 

[GlennH]

Isn't the real title of the movie "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp"?
Link Removed

 

[Rachael B]

COLONEL BLIMP should be quite nice. I already have the recent Carlton PAL release from Britan. The pic isn't a huge improvement over the old LD but the sound is much better.

 

[Rain]

Quote:

Yes, it is. This is obviously a typo on the part of DVD File (I sent them an email).

 

[SteveGon]

Cool! More money to spend!

 

[Brook K]

Yep, just in time for my birthday. Also would love to have Hoffman and Oh Rosalinda! and for history buffdom purposes, I'd really like to see The Battle of the River Platte.

 

[Ted Todorov]

The one Emeric Pressburger film I would absolutely kill for is Twice Upon a Time, based on my favorite childhood book, The Double Lottchen by Erich Kästner. It is a remake of the original 1950 German movie, but it will be a cold day in hell before that makes it to DVD with English subtitles.
I read somewhere that it was Disnified as The Parent Trap but I would like to see something close to my beloved book, not a Disney atrocity.
Ted

 

[Rain]

And whatever happened to "Tales of Hoffman"?

Oops, I missed this.
In the same email from Jon Mulvany that I referred to ealier, I think he said that Tales of Hoffman is scheduled for early 2003. So it's still on the slate as far as I know.

 

[Rachael B]

Brook, THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE is available on PAL in the U.K. I have a copy. I have little faith that it will come to wee-jun uno anytime soon. Best wishes!

 

[Jim Rankin]

As for the most current announcement, if the Kurosawa box set counts as their usual box set for the year this news is very disappointing, as last year we got the Dreyer and the Eisenstein sets. 2002 started out great with Children of Paradise, Rashomon, and Wild Strawberries, but I have to admit that their most recent and upcoming releases don't really have me wowed.

 

[Brook K]

Thanks Rachael, I'm multi-regional so I'll put it on my ever growing "to buy" list. Any other P&P in r2 land? And how's the quality?

Jim, I agree with you, except for Red Beard, The Life and Death of Col. Blimp, and the 2 Rene Claire's.

They must have run into a lot more problems than they thought with Monterrey Pop.

 

[Dave F]

Since they are ooooold Criterion discs, it'd be nice if Criterion stepped up to the plate and offered the Kurosawa box (not the discs) available to the Criterion completists that already have the discs.

-Dave

 

[Eric T]

I for one would be happy to purchase the Kurosawa box set. I really like all of those films, and I'd be glad to have the opportunity to pick them all up at once for $99.

 

[Seth Paxton]

While we are kicking around titles here, I sent them an email request some time ago suggesting two titles.

Death by Hanging '68 Oshima
A Man Escaped '56 Bresson

A third I would throw in there would be
Zentropa (aka Europa) '91 Von Trier

To me all three titles would seem to represent exactly the kind of work that Criterion would release, and I have heard nothing about any of these titles elsewhere. All 3 are excellent films so it really depresses me that they can't be had on DVD at this time.

Any info or opinions on these?

 

[Mark_vdH]

A third I would throw in there would be
Zentropa (aka Europa) '91 Von Trier

I was pleased to hear that a European R0 version of this movie was going to be released, but I've just read the specs (at Play.com):
Star and director filmographies
Original theatrical trailer
David Parkinson film notes
Trailer reel
Region 0
Interactive menu
Scene access
Fullscreen 4:3
Colour: Colour and B & W
Languages: English ; German - Dolby Digital (2.0) Stereo
Subtitles: English

 

[DonaldB]

Death by Hanging '68 Oshima
A Man Escaped '56 Bresson

Those are outstanding suggestions and would thrill many of us if they came to be. Oshima and Bresson are terribly under-represented on DVD.
Mark, the Spanish edition of Europa/Zentropa (R2 PAL) is presented in widescreen. It's non-anamorphic but looks pretty good; with optional English subtitles. It can be ordered from DVDGO.com.

 

[Rachael B]

Brook, I think several other P & P titles are available in the U.K. I'm not familiar with all their work. I posted a thread about them on a U.K. site once and got some pointers for several films by them that I didn't know about. I'm forgetting the titles at the moment...If my budjet was unlimited I'd buy the lot. BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE looks good to me and the mono sound is pretty good. THE DAMBUSTERS is available as 1/4 of THE BRITISH WAR COLLECTION too. That sounds like it might be up your alley. It will never, never, never, never, never, ever come out in the U.S. me thinks. It's the dog's name and mission codeword holding it back. I love Blackstar! I keep an eye on R2. Nothing has caught my eye lately. I got FORT APACHE on R2 last fall. For the life of me I don't understand why it's held back from the U.S. market! Best wishes!