Criterion on Social Media

[Robin Davies]

Why are so many people keen on Criterion re-releasing the Twin Peaks TV series? What was wrong with the old BR set? I didn’t buy it, as I didn’t feel like upgrading it, but I read generally very good reviews about it, so not sure what could be improved.

I agree. I love Twin Peaks but it's been released umpteen times with loads of great extras.
Criterion (or somebody) could do a great service by releasing a properly restored version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to wipe out all memory of the current "hi-def" abortion that's been broadcast in recent years.

[hearthesilence]

Why are so many people keen on Criterion re-releasing the Twin Peaks TV series? What was wrong with the old BR set? I didn’t buy it, as I didn’t feel like upgrading it, but I read generally very good reviews about it, so not sure what could be improved.

I agree. I love Twin Peaks but it's been released umpteen times with loads of great extras.

It's really a waste of resources for Criterion to re-do Twin Peaks. The current releases are already LOADED with extras, including ones featuring those who have since died IRL, and they're very thorough, so it's hard to imagine any realistic chance for improvement unless Lynch wants to do commentaries for every episode.

FWIW, Criterion's release of Fire Walk with Me is an actual improvement, but that's mainly because the encode on the one included in the box sets had a low bitrate and some terrible compression artifacts. Criterion's mitigates this with a higher bitrate, but there's still some traces of macroblocking in those places.

[dex14]

The rights are with MUBI.

Streaming rights, yes. But do they have physical media rights? I know they've released discs in the UK, but have they done any in the US?

[FrauBlucher]

Wilco tightly squozed into the closet

[bad future]

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart release in December, while it's still the 20th anniversary year? Not that this closet visit has to mean anything. (I've never seen the film; sure love the album though!)

[Quote Perf Unquote]

"I've dreamed of this closet, and now I'm inside..." says the millionaire who can buy anything he wants whenever he wants. Ugh, love the insincerity. I still don't understand the premise of visiting the closet. Clearly most visitors aren't literally taking most of these films home or seeing them for the first time, but that charade continues. OK then, the visit is to get them to talk about films? Why not present it that way? These things are as bad as unboxing videos on YouTurd.

As for Wilco, more specifically, Tweedy, let's hope this doesn't indicate a forthcoming disc of "Chelsea Walls"

[pianocrash]

"I've dreamed of this closet, and now I'm inside..." says the millionaire who can buy anything he wants whenever he wants. Ugh, love the insincerity. I still don't understand the premise of visiting the closet. Clearly most visitors aren't literally taking most of these films home or seeing them for the first time, but that charade continues. OK then, the visit is to get them to talk about films? Why not present it that way? These things are as bad as unboxing videos on YouTurd.

As for Wilco, more specifically, Tweedy, let's hope this doesn't indicate a forthcoming disc of "Chelsea Walls"

Like most things, the closet premise has a high failure-to-success rate, but generally the more legendary the guest the better the visit (Nathan Lane, Andre Gregory & Wallace Shawn, Zizek, etc.), but it's mostly nice to see celebrefilmb ppl in their NY visiting attire (Charlotte Gainsbourg, most other French visitors).

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart isn't a great film by far, but it's a neat document that has a wide commercial appeal (i.e. those who line the pockets of the insincere, most of whom are all parental ages & love physical objects), and has a high potential for additional extras and/or Chelsea Walls as an easter egg. And if they were included, would Wilco be the "youngest" featured musical act's film to be added to the collection? That is until we get a 4k of that Charlie XCX documentary in 2025 or so.

Semi-relatedly, Ondi Timoner's DiG! would also tie in the age department/hope springs eternal, as Anton Newcombe (not a millionaire) is the same age as Tweedy, and also reminds me that most music docs have been less wild n' woolly since, and more an extension of the promo system than ever.

[therewillbeblus]

Sadly, unlike Tweedy, Anton seems to have relapsed and was an absolute mess on stage when I saw them a few months ago- they could barely play, and when they could (or would) it was at about quarter speed. Love Dig! tho, and while I haven’t seen it since college, ditto the Wilco doc

[pianocrash]

"I've dreamed of this closet, and now I'm inside..." says the millionaire who can buy anything he wants whenever he wants. Ugh, love the insincerity.

I'm pretty sure that was Pat Sansone saying that, but I only have his pre-Wilco TurboTax info handy at the moment, so I would only confirm his 2022 as millionaire-adjacent....for now?

[Furstemberg]

Has a closet guest ever said they already owned all the Criterion they want? That’d be me.

[FrauBlucher]

I still don't understand the premise of visiting the closet.

It’s nothing more than the folks having fun at their office and at the same time creating more PR. Stuff like this has helped Criterion built it’s reputation as the granddaddy of the boutiques. It’s all about image. And it’s worked. You don’t hear filmmakers say I have to have my films with Kino or Shout Factory. Besides the only thing hanging out in the Kino Closet is Mr Limes dirty smelly wool ski cap that he left there.

[yoloswegmaster]

Kyle MacLachlan was at Criterion's office today.

Kyle MacLachlan tweeted this today:

Seems there’s something brewing over at @Criterion, and it’s not just the coffee. Thank you for a lovely day and all of the new films! I know how I’m spending my weekend.

[Boosmahn]

At this point, it has to be related to Twin Peaks, right? Either the series or a 4K edition of Fire Walk With Me.

[Mario G.]

At this point, it has to be related to Twin Peaks, right? Either the series or a 4K edition of Fire Walk With Me.

What if it’s Fire Walk 4K with select original run Lynch episodes also in 4K? I know the pilot was in 4K on that huge complete series box.

[cdnchris]

After everyone getting their hopes up for something Twin Peaks related I'm assuming everyone will be super-pissed when it turns out he sat for an interview for their new 4K edition of Showgirls.

[black&huge]

Criterion doesn't deserve Showgirls

[CSM126]

After everyone getting their hopes up for something Twin Peaks related I'm assuming everyone will be super-pissed when it turns out he sat for an interview for their new 4K edition of Showgirls.

Not everyone

[MV88]

The coffee reference definitely seems to indicate it’s related to Twin Peaks, although somehow I feel like that wasn’t as much of a direct hint as many are taking it, and it’s probably a Blue Velvet UHD upgrade. Either way, I’m kind of surprised Criterion is apparently working on another Lynch UHD upgrade so soon after both Mulholland Dr. and the forthcoming Lost Highway (not to mention the long rumored Inland Empire), but then again I’m sure Lynch is one of their best selling directors, and there’s extra incentive when the man himself has embraced 4K so enthusiastically and has a good working relationship with the company. At this point we’ll probably be getting two or maybe even three Lynch UHD upgrades a year until they’re (almost) all with Criterion.

That said, I personally would legitimately be more excited by a Showgirls 4K, but I’m not holding my breath on Criterion releasing it. Seems more like something Arrow would scoop up, but I guess you never know. Certainly on the off chance that whatever Kyle MacLachlan is visiting Criterion for isn’t a Lynch film, then it must indeed be Showgirls since after skimming through his filmography I honestly don’t think there’s any other film he’s done that seems ripe for a Criterion release.

[ianthemovie]

What if it's something as anti-climactic as the Criterion Channel getting the streaming rights to the original series? Lots of actors and film scholars film interviews and do video essays for the Channel that don't end up being part of any sort of physical release. Maclachlan could have been there to shoot something like that.

[Ribs]

I imagine it probably is for… something Lynch related. Though I would say it would be surprising if in the fullness of time Criterion didn’t want to release High Flying Bird, a great movie Kyle McLachlan is great in. Though I probably wouldn’t feel the need to interview him about it over more significant parts of the cast!

[FrauBlucher]

Kyle MacLachlan being very busy at the CC office. This time busy in the closet

[dwk]

[ryannichols7]

if he's actually there to approve a title, there's obviously many that have been rumored/speculated. Brokeback Mountain, 25th Hour, 21 Grams, and Scorcese's Silence all possibilities, my money being on one of the first two

[FrauBlucher]

Scorcese's Silence

He is holding Raging Bull and After Life. Clue?

[ryannichols7]

that would actually be really clever. if only they could remember they hold the rights to Masahiro Shinoda's version and release a BD of that, too..but given that it's a Toho title, little chance of it having any sort of restoration work done.

I'm glad anyone is picking up After Life. that said, how mad would Scorcese's fans on social media be if he got Silence out there before After Hours??