Criterion and Warner Bros.

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#751 Post by FrauBlucher » Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:38 am

Noiradelic, yes, I remember that. The new thing is Roger Deakins has been added to the conversation. Perhaps with his push Criterion may reconsider

Noiradelic
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:45 am

Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#752 Post by Noiradelic » Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:04 pm

Oh, I see the old article's referenced in the IndieWire one.
Roger Deakins wrote:I don’t think it ever will
Doesn't sound promising, but I hope it happens.

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TwoTecs
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#753 Post by TwoTecs » Thu Sep 12, 2019 5:27 pm

Deakins is specifically talking about the longer cut; that might not come out even if Criterion releases the theatrical cut.

If Criterion really passed on the film because of its significance, that would be a really odd decision.

Noiradelic
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#754 Post by Noiradelic » Fri Sep 13, 2019 4:18 pm

I'd think the availability of a longer cut would be an inducement for Criterion if anything, e.g. It's a Mad 4x World.

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aox
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#755 Post by aox » Fri Sep 13, 2019 9:04 pm

I've been wanting to see the longer cut for years. This would be a dream come true for me. Although, I thought the film was originally 5-6 hours. Maybe that was just a work print though.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#756 Post by FrauBlucher » Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:48 pm

Another Nick Ray may be coming to Criterion. The folks over at Blu-ray.com have discovered that WAC's DVD of The Lusty Men has gone OOP.

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Gregory
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#757 Post by Gregory » Mon Sep 16, 2019 8:43 pm

It's been out of print for well over two years if not three (cant recall when I noticed it).

guyetgenevieve
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 10:56 pm

Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#758 Post by guyetgenevieve » Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:16 pm

Not sure how much weight this holds, but the Warner Bros-owned DVDs for the following are currently OOP:

The Gay Divorcee (1934, dir. Mark Sandrich) - This is currently being sold with 3 other Astaire/Rogers films in Warner's Silver Screen Icons line, but the standalone DVD is OOP. This is also currently on the Criterion Channel (but it's leaving at the end of the month).

Show Boat (1936, dir. James Whale) - This was a WAC release (and from what I understand, it was incredibly popular), and this was a Criterion title in the laserdisc days.

Torch Song Trilogy (1988, dir. Paul Boggart) - This was a New Line release, US DVD is OOP.

Dinner at Eight (1933, dir. George Cukor)

A Day at the Races (1937, dir. Sam Wood)

And then I think Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, Adam's Rib, and Freaks have been mentioned in this thread already. Sorry if any of this is irrelevant info.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#759 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:53 pm

I was thinking about A Night at the Opera recently after seeing it for the 20th or so time on TCM. It still amazes me that WAC or big Warner never put The Marx Bros out on Blu-ray. Even Grand Hotel made it out before this. I do think it has a chance to play out this way..... Criterion will release A Night at the Opera (also a former CC laser disc) either as a standalone or as part of the MGM Marx Brothers box. Or Criterion will get only Opera and WAC will release the rest of the Marx Bros. Perhaps in a box.

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captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#760 Post by captveg » Tue Dec 10, 2019 5:52 pm

Odds of Eyes Wide Shut coming to the collection just went up with this tweet from Janus of a deleted scene.

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Big Ben
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#761 Post by Big Ben » Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:15 pm

Chances that some of them make it onto the disc?

Noiradelic
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:45 am

Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#762 Post by Noiradelic » Wed Dec 11, 2019 6:12 am

FrauBlucher wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:53 pm
I was thinking about A Night at the Opera recently after seeing it for the 20th or so time on TCM. It still amazes me that WAC or big Warner never put The Marx Bros out on Blu-ray. Even Grand Hotel made it out before this. I do think it has a chance to play out this way..... Criterion will release A Night at the Opera (also a former CC laser disc) either as a standalone or as part of the MGM Marx Brothers box. Or Criterion will get only Opera and WAC will release the rest of the Marx Bros. Perhaps in a box.
Don't see Criterion releasing a MGM Marx Brothers box -- based on the quality of the films save Night at the Opera and CC's fondness of cherry-picking -- but your other scenarios seem very plausible. Dwelling on all the films Warner/WAC have released or licensed after Grand Hotel 6 years ago is just an exercise in disgruntlement: the main line's long had a pattern of favoring staid old Oscar winners over some of their best Golden Age films.

Where's Top Hat? WB still suppressing it over Sawdust-gate?

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Derek Estes
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#763 Post by Derek Estes » Thu May 21, 2020 2:10 am

I’ve hoped for years that Criterion would release Anthony Mann’s The Naked Spur, considering its high profile and lousy DVD presentation. I was just watching it on TCM and the transfer is still very muddy. Does anyone know if there are bigger issues with the elements? So many of the other Mann/Stewart westerns are popping up on blu-ray and this is conspicuously absent.

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captveg
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#764 Post by captveg » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:30 pm

Warner Archive have now done/announced DVD reissues of all the films in their Marx Bros. set except A Night at the Opera and A Night in Casablanca. I could see Criterion picking these two for a "Two Nights with the Marx Bros." type duo-film release.
Last edited by captveg on Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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captveg
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#765 Post by captveg » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:33 pm

guyetgenevieve wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:16 pm
Dinner at Eight (1933, dir. George Cukor)

A Day at the Races (1937, dir. Sam Wood)
These two titles were just announced for WAC DVD re-issues in July and August, so any future Blu-rays would seemingly have to come via WAC.

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DRW.mov
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#766 Post by DRW.mov » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:42 pm

WB no longer owns the rights to A Night in Casablanca, it’s one of the Westchester titles like Stagecoach and Foreign Correspondent. It probably has the highest probability of getting a Criterion release of the as of yet unreleased Marx titles. (However I’d personally love to see A Day At the Races)

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captveg
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#767 Post by captveg » Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:52 pm

DRW.mov wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:42 pm
WB no longer owns the rights to A Night in Casablanca, it’s one of the Westchester titles like Stagecoach and Foreign Correspondent. It probably has the highest probability of getting a Criterion release of the as of yet unreleased Marx titles. (However I’d personally love to see A Day At the Races)
I had forgotten about that. Thanks.

A Night at the Opera seems obvious to be going to Criterion, though, since it's now the only one WB still owns that they haven't reissued.

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#768 Post by Ribs » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:06 pm

Considering the uh, present moment, I’m a little surprised that even WAC would press on with a new release of A Day at the Races in the immediate future.

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captveg
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#769 Post by captveg » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:35 pm

They already have dozens (hundreds?) of films available via the Warner Archive that are cancel worthy, though. They're just too obscure / outside the peripheral vision of those who would cancel them.

Now, showing up on HBO Max... that's another matter.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#770 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:39 pm

That certainly is a strong indication that Criterion will release the one time laser disc of A Night at the Opera. Did the laser disc have any supplements?

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#771 Post by Ribs » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:43 pm

I kind of wonder if a Night in Casablanca could be a supplement - with the same logic as the Cameraman’s “well, this will never get its own disc” inclusion of Spite Marriage. I definitely think it’s lesser tier Marx Brothers but it does make a bit of a pair with the other A Night At film.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#772 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:46 pm

The Tutsi Fruitsy ice cream scene is one of their funniest bits

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FrauBlucher
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#773 Post by FrauBlucher » Tue Jun 23, 2020 5:03 pm

Indeed a flat out classic MB's skit. 6 dollars on Sun Up! A Day at the Races for me is as good as A Night at the Opera

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#774 Post by Ribs » Tue Jun 23, 2020 5:25 pm

domino harvey wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:46 pm
The Tutsi Fruitsy ice cream scene is one of their funniest bits
I wasn't saying A Day at the Races wasn't one of their better movies (I'd put it as third best behind Duck Soup and Night at the Opera) - I just am surprised that WAC wouldn't push back a release further in their schedule when it has a pretty egregious comic blackface scene. I know it's all direct-to-online and doesn't actually sell to anyone other than enthusiasts, just not the choice I'd have made in the current moment!

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Ovader
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Re: Criterion and Warner Bros.

#775 Post by Ovader » Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:42 pm

FrauBlucher wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:39 pm
That certainly is a strong indication that Criterion will release the one time laser disc of A Night at the Opera. Did the laser disc have any supplements?
Yes as you can see on the LD's back cover. Image

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