About Criterion's DVD

[ejp626]

  On 2/23/2013 at 8:50 AM, ejp626 said:

I have to admit without access to Netflix (for me streaming just doesn't cut it) or a local DVD shop, I kind of go 6 months between checking the Criterion/Eclipse releases. There are certainly some interesting Eclipse sets, including Robert Downey Sr. and one on key films of the Czech New Wave. Maybe by now my library will have them.

I was fortunate, and my library does have the Czech New Wave set. What is interesting is that there is a bit of overlap with two DVD (Daisies and The Joke all had previous release in the US) but the rest are pretty new, certainly to R1-land.

I find it intriguing how Criterion kind of spreads itself thin all over the map and into all genres (though pretty deep into Kurosawa and Ozu), whereas Second Run Films (a R2 company) really focuses and goes pretty deep into Central and Eastern European releases. So for instance, I have a R2 version of The Report on the Party and Guests (well, it's actually R0, as are many of Second Run's releases ). The booklet is much more informative. I realize it isn't fair judging an Eclipse release the same as a standard Criterion release, but in this case the Second Run version is definitely the better one. I found from the notes that Joseph Skvorecky has a bit role in the movie and that his wife had a fairly substantial part. There is quite a bit in the booklet on the subsequent history of Nemec.

[BruceH]

Looking forward to the new Criterion of "3:10 to Yuma."

Edited March 8, 2013 by BruceH

[ejp626]

Some interesting releases in the works from Criterion. Early Fassbinder (though I have these all in an R2 set).

For me the most exciting is that Criterion is finally getting into Satyajit Ray. They did The Music Room last year and now are getting ready to release The Big City and Charulata. Probably won't pre-order either, but expect I will pick both up eventually.

[BruceH]

Criterion of Frankenheimer's "Seconds" coming out in August. Good news, that.

[kinuta]

  On 6/21/2013 at 6:24 AM, ejp626 said:

Some interesting releases in the works from Criterion. Early Fassbinder (though I have these all in an R2 set).

For me the most exciting is that Criterion is finally getting into Satyajit Ray. They did The Music Room last year and now are getting ready to release The Big City and Charulata. Probably won't pre-order either, but expect I will pick both up eventually.

Charulata is a great film. It's already available in a good transfer on Artificial Eye.

[ejp626]

I didn't realize until just recently that Criterion now has the rights to La Dolce Vita, and has put out a Blu-Ray. That may finally drag me (kicking and screaming) over to the technology, but I'm only getting something that plays Regions A and B, which means I have to do a bit more shopping.

Anyway, I am so totally torn over the Tati Collection: http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/1069-the-complete-jacques-tati

I have all the feature films, even Parade, and most of the shorts. The last short Tati directed sounds kind of dull -- Forza Bastia (1978) -- is roughly 25 minutes of him pointing his camera at the fans in the stands. Dégustation maison (1978) isn't by Tati at all, but by his daughter, where she sort of revisits the seaside town where M. Hulot's Holiday was shot. It is more properly considered one of the many bonus features on this set, and those are fairly generous. I think it's obvious this isn't something I need, but it may ultimately be something I want badly enough to get, especially given the upgrade to Blu-Ray is supposedly pretty fantastic.