2007 Criterion Forum Awards

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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souvenir
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:20 pm

#101 Post by souvenir » Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:08 pm

Release of the Year
Ace in the Hole
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
Fires on the Plain
Army of Shadows
Under the Volcano

Best Eclipse Release
The First Films of Samuel Fuller

Best Box Set
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Reissue
Yojimbo

Most Disappointing Release
Vengeance Is Mine (for lack of supplements, not for it being released)
Border Radio (for it being released at all)

Best Commentary
Neil Sinyard on Ace in the Hole

Best Single Supplement (not a commentary)
Portrait of a 60% Perfect Man (Ace in the Hole)

Best Package Design
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Surprise
all the Paramount titles

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kinjitsu
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:39 pm
Location: Uffa!

#102 Post by kinjitsu » Sun Dec 30, 2007 1:32 pm

A reminder: Only two days left to cast your votes. You can post here or send an email to GringoTex

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Lemmy Caution
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:26 am
Location: East of Shanghai

#103 Post by Lemmy Caution » Sun Dec 30, 2007 3:23 pm

I didn't realize that so many had issues with Border Radio. Guess I'll have to go to the BR thread and see what that's all about.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

#104 Post by domino harvey » Sun Dec 30, 2007 3:34 pm

I believe the biggest complaint is that the movie sucks

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Cinephrenic
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: Paris, Texas

#105 Post by Cinephrenic » Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:34 pm

Lowest rated film in the collection according to IMDB? Not even 100 votes.
User Rating: 5.1/10 (87 votes)

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Cronenfly
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:04 pm

#106 Post by Cronenfly » Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:45 pm

Release of the Year:

1. La Haine (subtitles aside, I felt this was the best all-around package this year)
2. Under the Volcano
3. Ace in the Hole
4. Two-Lane Blacktop
5. Days of Heaven

Best Eclipse Release:
N/A (haven't gotten around to seeing any of them yet)

Best Box Set:
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Reissue:
Yojimbo/Sanjuro

Most Disappointing Release:
If.... (strictly features- and package-wise [for the movie alone it would've topped my top 5]; the commentary was decent [mostly because of McDowell], but I didn't feel anything on the 2nd disc was very worthwhile [even Thursday's Children left me unimpressed]. Not only that, but the package design, though in the style of the movie, was pretty uninspired, and the booklet was just okay. The exclusion of the male nudity, though probably unavoidable, was also a disappointment. It's probably just because the movie was so long in arriving on DVD that I felt let down by Criterion's release; luckily, the features on This Sporting Life look significantly better, so I'm happy)

Best Commentary:
Under the Volcano (the select scene tracks and the producer's full-length collectively)
Runner Up: Days of Heaven

Best Single Supplement (not a commentary):
James Quandt's video essays on the Teshigahara set

Best Package Design:
Two-Lane Blacktop
(Days of Heaven deserves special mention for its excellent menus)

Best Surprise:
Fires on the Plain
Runner Up: La Haine
(special mention to Under the Volcano, House of Games, and Days of Heaven; Criterion's releases [due to supplements, improved transfers, etc] reversed my previously indifferent-to-negative views of those three films)

Forum Member of the Year:
zedz

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GringoTex
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:57 am

#107 Post by GringoTex » Mon Dec 31, 2007 2:48 pm

Voting ends at COB* today.

*COB means whatever time I drag my hungover ass out of bed tomorrow to count votes.

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kinjitsu
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:39 pm
Location: Uffa!

#108 Post by kinjitsu » Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:06 pm

Release of the Year
1. Army of Shadows
2. Sansho the Bailiff
3. Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
4. Bicycle Thieves
5. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs

Best Eclipse Release
Late Ozu

Best Box Set
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Reissue
The Third Man

Most Disappointing Release
Avoidance and/or disinterest prevailed

Best Commentary
Donald Richie for Drunken Angel & When a Woman Ascends the Stairs, plus Ginette Vincendeau for Army of Shadows

Best Single Supplement (non-commentary)
The books accompanying Bicycle Thieves & Sansho the Bailiff, plus Portrait of a 60% Perfect Man (Ace in the Hole)

Best Package Design
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Surprise(s)
Raymond Bernard, House of Games & Two-Lane Blacktop

Forum Member(s) of the Year
David Hare, Herr Schreck & Scharphedin2

Richard Cranium Award
125100 & paulterranova2000 aka penguin guy

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

#109 Post by colinr0380 » Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:17 pm

kinjitsu wrote:Forum Member(s) of the Year
Scharphedin2
I forgot to add this section to my list so I'll second Scharphedin2's nomination!

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cdnchris
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#110 Post by cdnchris » Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:48 pm

Release of the Year
1. Ace in the Hole
2. Army of Shadows
3. Breathless
4. Days of Heaven
5. Under the Volcano

Best Eclipse Release
Late Ozu

Best Box Set
Didn't get any of the box sets this year.
EDIT: Just recalled I got the Monsters and Madmen set, so that one by default.

Best Reissue
The Third Man

Most Disappointing Release
If.... was a little a disappointing in the supplement department. I think that was the one I was let down most by.

Best Commentary
Days of Heaven commentary

Best Single Supplement (non-commentary)
Wilder doc on "Ace in the Hole"

Best Package Design
Breathless

Best Surprise(s)
House of Games (in the fact they were able to licence it) and Green for Danger (never seen, never heard of it, but really enjoyed it)
Last edited by cdnchris on Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Mr Pixies
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 10:03 pm
Location: Fla
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#111 Post by Mr Pixies » Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:55 pm

Release of the Year - Sweet Movie, W.R. Mysteries of the Organism

Best Eclipse Release - Late Ozu

Best Box Set - 369-Paul Robeson: Portraits of an Artist

Best Reissue - Yojimbo and Sanjuro

Most Disappointing Release - none,

Best Commentary - W.R. Mysteries of the Organism was good, but more of an essay? I nominate both commentaries from Border Radio too

Best Single Supplement - Kino '84: Jim Jarmusch from Stranger Than Paradise

Best Package Design - Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara boxset

Best Surprise - La Haine

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dx23
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Puerto Rico

#112 Post by dx23 » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:12 pm

Release of the Year
1. Bicylcle Thieves
2. The Third Man re-issue
3. Breathless
4. Ace in the Hole
5. Two-Lane Blacktop

Best Eclipse Release
Samuel Fuller Set

Best Box Set
Monsters and Madmen

Best Reissue
The Third Man

Most Disappointing Release
La Jette/Sans Soleil

Best Commentary
Donald Richie for Drunken Angel

Best Single Supplement (non-commentary)
Bicycle Thieves booklet

Best Package Design
Third Man reissue

Best Surprise(s)
Ace in the Hole

Forum Member(s) of the Year
all mods for keeping this forum great year after year, domino harvey

Richard Cranium Award
penguin guy

Panda
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:22 pm
Location: New England

#113 Post by Panda » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:21 pm

Release of the Year

Days of Heaven
Bicycle Thieves
Fires on the Plain
La Jetee/Sans Soleil
Breathless

Best Eclipse Release

Raymond Bernard

Best Box Set

Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Suprise

Cria Cuervos

Best Reissue

The Third Man

Panda

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tavernier
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:18 pm

#114 Post by tavernier » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:31 pm

Release of the Year
1. Cria Cuervos
2. Fires on the Plain/Burmese Harp
3. Mouchette
4. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
5. Sawdust & Tinsel

Best Eclipse Release
Early Bergman

Best Box Set
3 Films of Hiroshi Teshigahara

Best Reissue
None

Most Disappointing Release
Night on Earth, Stranger than Paradise

Best Commentary
If....

Best Single Supplement (non-commentary)
John Simon essay on "Sawdust & Tinsel"

Best Package Design
Days of Heaven

Best Surprise(s)
Sweet Movie, WR: Mysteries of the Organism

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GringoTex
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:57 am

#116 Post by GringoTex » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:43 am

2007 CRITERION FORUM AWARDS RESULTS

Release of the Year
Ace in the Hole

Runners-Up
2. Berlin Alexanderplatz
3. Army of Shadows
4. Sansho the Bailiff
5. Breathless
6. La Jetee & Sans Soleil
7. Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
8. The Threepenny Opera
9. Days of Heaven
10. Bicycle Thieves

Best Eclipse Release
Raymond Bernard

Best Reissue
The Third Man

Most Disappointing Release
Border Radio

Best Commentary tie
House of Games - David Mamet and Ricky Jay
Army of Shadows - Ginette Vincendeau

Best Single Supplement (non-commentary)
Berlin Alexanderplatz by Phil Jutzi

Best Package Design
Sansho the Bailiff

Best Surprise
Cría cuervos

Best Boxed Set
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara

Member of the Year
HerrSchreck

Richard Cranium
125100

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

#117 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:34 pm

GringoTex wrote:2007 CRITERION FORUM AWARDS RESULTS

Best Commentary tie
House of Games - David Mamet and Ricky Jay
Army of Shadows - Ginette Vincendeau
This was the only category I really cared about, so I'm glad that the Mamet/Jay commentary won, but the tie upsets me-- I guess it's unfair but I didn't even rate the two Melville titles since these commentaries were already found on the excellent BFI DVDs.

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Cinephrenic
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: Paris, Texas

#118 Post by Cinephrenic » Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:57 pm

Best Surprise
Cría cuervos
Seriously, guys...I mean didn't we all know that this was a Janus title for years and was one day going to make it to DVD?

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tavernier
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:18 pm

#119 Post by tavernier » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:02 pm

I think that means that people who weren't familiar with Saura's work were surprised at how good it was.

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Jeff
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:49 pm
Location: Denver, CO

#120 Post by Jeff » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:07 pm

Cinephrenic wrote:
Best Surprise
Cría cuervos
Seriously, guys...I mean didn't we all know that this was a Janus title for years and was one day going to make it to DVD?
There has been some debate in the past about what the "best surprise" category means. It can either be:

1. "I was not familiar with this film until Criterion released it, and wow was it good! Thanks, Criterion!"

2. "Holy Shit! I didn't see that coming! Whoever thought that Criterion would get the rights to that?"

I think most people voted in the mode of option one. The second option makes it tougher to define what is a surprise. We got a few months warning on most of the Paramount titles, for example. The only thing I can think of that was a complete surprise on the day of the official announcement was House of Games. It has become harder to surprise the forum membership in that capacity lately, as our sources have become more adept at getting scoops and the Criterion brass has been more forthcoming with the advent of the blog and newsletter.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

#121 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:24 pm

I've always thought it meant option number one.

I still say we should have had a category of Best Rescue, which would be when Criterion "saves" an existing DVD title with their release (see Breathless, House of Games, Days of Heaven, etc)-- maybe this year, so we can all vote for the Ice Storm lol

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

#122 Post by HerrSchreck » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:55 pm

(fidget.. cough)...

Dave and I will hafta rehearse our vaudevillian routine of the passing of the accursed rhinestone tiara he been wearing the past year... Scuze me while I slip outa here....

(flmp!)

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

#123 Post by HerrSchreck » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:31 am

From what I hear Dave coming offa public access cable-porn (unconverted region four betas sent to NYC in true lo budget style)-- if I hafta wear the damnable thing-- it'll hafta function as a pinky ring... after six months lab bath in hydrochloric acid boil of course...

And they'll hafta hammer an extra three links into it just to get it to fit.

(You guys roast me since I'm now Target Numero Uno, I'll roast last year's winner haw haw haw...)

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

#124 Post by HerrSchreck » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:49 am

DONT TALK TO ME ABOUT HI-DEF!!! I KNOW ABOUT HI DEF! NOT ONLT AM I HI-DEF BUT I'm JUST FUCKING FLAT OUT DEF! DON'T POST ABOUT HI-DEF WITHOUT TOTAL ATTRIBUTION AND PAGES OF LINKED-IN FOOTNOTES! YOU'RE A SLANDER ON THE WHOLE HI-REZ-HIGH COMMUNITY. IN FACT YOU'RE JUST A HOLE!

(Sinister David Hare thinks he knows about hi-def. Pwah!.. now back to facts & figures... um... phone fucking ringing. "Oh hi cdnchris, howarya?...")

I actually hope someday to read all those tectonic ten deleted pages. I missed that whole blow up.

And yes I know the ring "shrunk". To fit you, of course.

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Thomas J.
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:32 pm
Location: Monticello

#125 Post by Thomas J. » Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:01 am

Jeff wrote:
Cinephrenic wrote:
Best Surprise
Cría cuervos
Seriously, guys...I mean didn't we all know that this was a Janus title for years and was one day going to make it to DVD?
There has been some debate in the past about what the "best surprise" category means. It can either be:

1. "I was not familiar with this film until Criterion released it, and wow was it good! Thanks, Criterion!"

2. "Holy Shit! I didn't see that coming! Whoever thought that Criterion would get the rights to that?"

I think most people voted in the mode of option one. The second option makes it tougher to define what is a surprise. We got a few months warning on most of the Paramount titles, for example. The only thing I can think of that was a complete surprise on the day of the official announcement was House of Games. It has become harder to surprise the forum membership in that capacity lately, as our sources have become more adept at getting scoops and the Criterion brass has been more forthcoming with the advent of the blog and newsletter.
It should mean option 2 because otherwise the category would have little to do with Criterion and mostly to do with the movie outside of Criterion's participation...and they are called the Criterion Awards after all.

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