The Criterion Cast » OOP

CriterionCast – Episode 38 – Steve McQueen’s Hunger [Criterion Collection # 504] – With Special Guest: Elisabeth Rappe

Rudie Obias — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:11:26 +0000

This is the podcast dedicated to The Criterion Collection. Rudie Obias, Ryan Gallagher & James McCormick discuss Criterion News & Rumors and Criterion New Releases, they also analyze, discuss & highlight Criterion #504, Steve McQueen’s 2008 film, Hunger, along with “Variations On a Theme”.

SPECIAL GUEST: Elisabeth Rappe – A writer from Cinematical.com, CHUD.com and The Flickcast.

This Week’s “Variation on a Theme”: Political Protest in Movies

What do you think of their show? Please send them your feed back: CriterionCast@gmail.com or call their voicemail line @ 347.878.3430 or follow them on twitter @CriterionCast or Comment on their blog, http://CriterionCast.com.

Thank You! for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe to their podcast and please leave your reviews in their iTunes feed.

They broadcast every episode LIVE on UStream every Friday @ 7pm EST/4pm PST. Join in on the conversation @ CriterionCast.com/LIVE

Our next episode they will highlight and discuss Criterion #502 Götz Spielmann’s 2008 film, Revanche.

Add It To Your Netflix Queue Also Available Via Netflix Watch Instantly!.

Show Notes:

(00:00 – 00:15; “A United Theory” by God Help The Girl)

(00:16 – 01:10; The CriterionCast – Episode 038 – Hunger – CC #504)

[NEWS & RUMORS]

(01:17 – 09:00; Apple Announces iPhone 4)

(09:01 – 17:44; Michael Fassbender Rumored To Play Villain in Marvel Movies?)

[CRITERION NEW RELEASES]

(17:45 – 25:06; New Criterion Films Going Out of Print)

(25:07 – 26:21; Break Music by Carlos Segovia)

[FEATURE FILM]

(26:22 – 1:20:59; Steve McQueen’s Hunger – CC #504)

(1:21:00 – 1:21:45; Break Music by Carlos Segovia)

[Variations On a Theme]

(1:21:46 – 1:26:55; Variations On a Theme – Political Protest in Movies)

(1:26:56 – 1:29:55; The Wind That Shakes The Barley & The Boxer – Elisabeth Rappe)

(1:29:56 – 1:39:59; Pan’s Labyrinth – Ryan Gallagher)

(1:40:00 – 1:51:34; Conquest of The Planet of The Apes – James McCormick)

[CREDITS]

(1:51:35 – 1:54:30; Wrap Up, Contact Info & Credits)

(1:54:31 – 1:54:43; Next – Götz Spielmann’s 2008 film, Revanche)

(1:54:44 – 1:55:34; Follow Along With Us @ CriterionCast.com/Schedule)

(1:55:35 – 1:55:56; Goodbyes)

(1:55:57 – 1:56:40; “Working Poor” by Horse Feathers)

(1:56:41 – 1:57:49; Outtakes!!)

Music Credits:

Intro Music by God Help The Girl. Learn more on iTunes and their website, GodHelpTheGirl.com.

Break Music by Carlos Segovia. Learn more @ GhostRamps.com.

Outro Music by Horse Feathers. Learn more on iTunes and their MySpace Page, MySpace.com/HorseFeathersMusic.

Akira Kurosawa’s Ran and Jean Luc Godard’s Contempt Now Available On Lionsgate / Studio Canal Blu-ray! [Non-Criterion New Release Tuesday]

Ryan Gallagher — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:42:25 +0000

Well folks, a day we have been anticipating, is upon us. Late last year the Criterion Collection announced that they would be releasing one of their larger, most comprehensive box sets collecting almost all of Akira Kurosawas film. Almost all? The huge hole in the collection was his 1985 samurai epic, Ran. Previously available as a two disc Criterion edition, the films rights mysteriously went to Lionsgate, under their “StudioCanal Collection.” Lionsgate soon released images of their three initial releases under this new banner: The Ladykillers, Ran, and Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt (Le Mepris). Contempt was another double disc Criterion release that many hold to be among Godards best.

A few weeks back we learned that Criterion would soon lose the rights to many other their films which were owned by StudioCanal. Included in this announcement was the shocker that they would lose Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion, Criterion Collection #1.

Today, February 16th, Lionsgate is releasing the first of this StudioCanal Collection Films on Blu-ray. If you are interested in seeing a breakdown of the packaging for the films, check out this previous post.

Finally, check out this trailer that StudioCanal recently uploaded to their YouTube page, showcasing several of their films that will be released on Blu-ray. I am assuming that this video is not specific to the films that Lionsgate will be releasing. Actually, I’m hoping that these are not all going to be on Lionsgate Blu-ray, since several of the films mentioned were not a part of Criterion’s Out of Print announcement.

Order the Ran Blu-ray on Amazon

Ran

Several years back, in San Diego, I was treated to a theatrical screening of Ran, in the middle of several weeks of Kurosawa Films that were restored. While I was in cinematic heaven, several of the people I had convinced to come along with me did not enjoy film, mostly due to the films length, and the theater’s uncomfortable seating.

To really understand what Lionsgate did for this Blu-ray release, I took the time to really compare them myself. Nothing as detailed or technical as what DVDBeaver does, but something to make me feel like I was really doing some homework. What I found was not that impressive. They certainly have put work into this release. I feel like the packaging and menu design work is better than most, but is certainly no Criterion Collection. The image looked much brighter, the colors popped, and the sound was considerably sharper, coming out of my speakers beautifully. The image was technically sharper than the DVD, but having watched several Criterion Collection films on Blu-ray recently, the lines were not that sharp, not anything to write home about. I wouldn’t even go as far as saying that this release should replace your Criterion DVD on your shelf.

If you are interested in picking this up, I would recommend checking this film out as a rental first. I won’t give you any false hopes that maybe the rights will return to Criterion, so if you’re waiting for that to happen, you may be waiting a while.

Akira Kurosawa’s brilliantly conceived re-telling of Shakespeare’s King Lear magically mixes Japanese history, Shakespeare’s plot and Kurosawa’s own feelings about loyalty in this epic masterpiece that was named one of Empire Magazine’s “500 Greatest Movies of All Time.” Set in 16th century Japan, an aging ruler, Lord Hidetora announces his intention to divide his land equally among his three sons. Hidetora’s decision to step down unleashes a power struggle between the three heirs when he falls prey to the false flattery bestowed upon him by the two older sons and banishes the youngest for speaking the truth. That ruthless betrayal ultimately drives Hidetora insane, destroying his entire family and kingdom. Deep human emotion and outstanding acting combine to create one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time that was hailed as “a great, glorious achievement” by the Chicago Sun-Times and “as close to perfect as filmmaking gets” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German and Italian DTS Master Audio.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

“A.K.” – the acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of Ran from writer/director Chris Marker

“Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate” – documentary on the director

“The Samurai” – documentary on Samurai art

“Art of the Samurai” – interview with a Japanese art of war expert

BD-Live

20-page collectible booklet

Add Ran to your Netflix Queue.

Order the Contempt Blu-ray on Amazon

Contempt

Along with Ran, I gave Contempt the DVD vs. Blu-ray comparison test. I had never seen this film before, so it was an interesting experiment, watching a film 5 minutes at a time, basically comparing it completely on it’s technical merits. Again, as with the Ran Blu-ray, I did not find the new release all that amazing. The image was nicer, the sound, better. They even went with a new translation for the subtitles with this Lionsgate StudioCanal release. I found the newer translation more enjoyable, but not having grown up with the Criterion subtitles, I’m not biased.

As with my previous recommendation, I’d say rent this before you choose to buy. It’s interesting to look at these first two Criterion Out of Print releases as the beginning of a line of Blu-ray releases from StudioCanal / Lionsgate, and consider how the future releases will end up. I like the Graphic Design work for the packaging, but I feel the transfers need more care when transferring them to the Blu-rays. For a detailed comparison of the Contempt releases, in all of their formats, DVDBeaver has an amazing write up.

The iconic Brigitte Bardot heats up the screen in this subversive drama about marriage, motive and the motion picture industry from French director Jean-Luc Godard, named the #4 “most influential director of all time” by Moviemaker Magazine. Called “a great movie” by Entertainment Weekly, this film within a film is, on the surface, about a director whose wife Camille falls out of love with him while he is rewriting an adaptation of Homer’s “Odyssey” for an American producer. However, underneath this tragic tale of a doomed romance lies the true subject: the commercial film industry, which Godard shows his contempt for in a directing performance that is slyly subversive, darkly comic and completely original. The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with French, English, Spanish and German DTS Master Audio.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

Introduction by British film producer and Godard expert Colin MacCabe

“Once Upon a Time There Was…Contempt” – documentary on the making of the film

“Contempt… Tenderly” – documentary on Godard’s legacy in film

“The Dinosaur and the Baby” – a discussion between Godard and director Fritz Lang

Trailer

BD-Live

20-page collectible booklet

Add Contempt to your Netflix Queue.

The CriterionCast – Episode 023 – The 400 Blows [Criterion Collection #005]

Rudie Obias — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:47:08 +0000

This is the podcast dedicated to The Criterion Collection. Rudie, Ryan & Travis discuss Criterion News & Rumors and Criterion New Releases, we analyze, discuss & highlight Criterion #005, François Truffaut’s first feature film, The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups), along with the segment: “Variations On a Theme.”

This week’s theme:

Disobedient Children in Movies

What do you think of our show? Please send your feed back: CriterionCast@gmail.com or call our voicemail line @ 347.878.3430 or follow us on twitter @CriterionCast or Comment on our blog, http://CriterionCast.com.

Thank You! for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and please leave your reviews in our itunes feed.

Our next episode we will discuss Criterion #501 Win Wenders’ Paris, Texas.

Add It To Your Netflix Queue (Also Available Through Netflix Watch Instantly)

Show Notes:

(00:00 – 00:15; “A United Theory” by God Help The Girl)

(00:16 – 01:16; The CriterionCast – Episode 023 – The 400 Blows – CC #005)

(01:17 – 01:22; News & Rumors)

(01:23 – 12:45; 82nd Annual Academy Award Nomination Announced)

(12:46 – 16:08; The Razzie Award Nominations Announced)

(16:09 – 22:08; Criterion DVDs Going Out of Print)

(22:09 – 23:19; The Passion of Joan of Arc Screened at SXSW)

(23:20 – 27:24; Criterion New Releases)

(27:25 – 28:27; Break Music by Carlos Segovia)

(28:28 – 51:19; François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups) – CC #005)

(51:20 – 52:24; Break Music by Carlos Segovia)

(52:25 – 54:27; Variations On a Theme – Disobedient Children in Movies)

(54:28 – 1:00:53; Battlestar Galactica – Ryan Gallagher)

(1:00:54 – 1:04:40; This Is England – Travis George)

(1:04:41 – 1:09:59; Kids – Rudie Obias)

(1:10:00 – 1:11:53; Wrap Up & Contact Info)

(1:11:54 – 1:12:13; Music Credits)

(1:12:14 – 1:12:21; BroadCasting LIVE Every Friday On UStream)

(1:12:22 – 1:12:33; Next – Wim Wenders’s Paris, Texas – Criterion #501)

(1:12:34 – 1:12:49; Follow Along With Us @ CriterionCast.com/Schedule)

(1:12:50 – 1:12:56; Goodbyes)

(1:12:57 – 1:13:46; “Working Poor” by Horse Feathers)

(1:13:47 – 1:16:46; Outtakes!!)

Music Credits:

Intro Music by God Help The Girl. Learn more on iTunes and their website, GodHelpTheGirl.com.

Break Music by Carlos Segovia. Learn more @ GhostRamps.com.

Outro Music by Horse Feathers. Learn more on iTunes and their MySpace Page, MySpace.com/HorseFeathersMusic.

Lots Of Criterion / Eclipse / Essential Art House Films To Go Out Of Print This March [Criterion OOP]

Travis George — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:51:14 +0000

February 2nd, 2010 was a day of announcements. Being on the West Coast, I awoke to a string of news articles. After my first ten minutes of consciousness, I had already been underwhelmed by the predictability of the 82nd-annual Academy Awards nominations, infuriated by the promise of more blistering winter at the hands of Punxsatawney Phil, and deeply saddened by Criterion’s announcement that Lionsgate had purchased a slew of their StudioCanal films from right out of the Collection. These titles will be going out of print by the end of March, so here is the heartbreaking list. Criterion has been kind enough to let us know ahead of time, and to knock five bucks off the price. They’re priced to move, and all items must go.

#001 Grand Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937) — DVD and Essential Art House

#025 Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965) — DVD

#058 Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960) — DVD

#066-069 The Orphic Trilogy (Jean Cocteau, 1930-1959) — DVD

#081 Variety Lights (Federico Fellini & Alberto Lattuada, 1950) — DVD Essential Art House Vol. 3 (DVD is already OOP)

#106 Coup de Torchon (Bertrand Taverneir, 1981) — DVD

#129 Le Trou (Jacques Becker, 1960) — DVD

#189 The White Sheik (Federico Fellini, 1952) — DVD

#193 Quai des Orfèvres (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1947) — DVD

#222 Diary of a Country Priest (Robert Bresson, 1951) — DVD

#227 Le Corbeau (Henri-George Clouzot, 1943) — DVD

#245 Port of Shadows (Marcel Carne, 1938) — DVD

#317 The Tales of Hoffman (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1951) — DVD and Essential Art House Vol. 4

#318 Forbidden Games (Rene Clement, 1952) — DVD and Essential Art House Vol. 3

#357 The Fallen Idol (Carol Reed, 1948) — DVD

#421 Pierrot Le Fou (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965) — DVD and Blu-Ray

#439 Trafic (Jacques Tati, 1971) — DVD

#441 The Small Back Room (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1949) — DVD

Eclipse Series 6: Carlos Saura’s Flamenco Trilogy (Blood Wedding, Carmen, El Amor Brujo)

Last Holiday (Henry Cass, 1950) — Essential Art House Volume 3

Gervaise (Rene Clement, 1956) — Essential Art House Volume 4

Le Jour Se Leve (Marcel Carne, 1939) — Essential Art House Volume 4

Mayerling (Antoine Litvak, 1936) — Essential Art House Volume 4

C’est la vie. Lionsgate has swiped, among other treasures: Criterion’s Spine Number 1, Criterion’s last available Carol Reed, 2/4 of Criterion’s Clouzot, and (in my opinion) the only good Bresson film. We’re left with more questions than answers:

Will the 50 Years of Janus Films collection be going out of print now that many of its titles are no longer under the umbrella?
How did this transaction play out behind the scenes? Is there any bad blood between Criterion and Lionsgate?
What are the odds that Criterion will someday recover these titles?
Is this just the first wave of several?
Will Lionsgate change its name to “Le Porte Des Lions” now that it has so many French films in its catalog?

My question to you, dear readers:

Which titles will you be purchasing before their disappearance?

Personally, I will be getting The Grand Illusion with my next paycheck, Le Trou with the paycheck after that, and hoping I’ll get a substantial tax return and can pick up The Orphic Trilogy before time runs out. Leave us your feedback and let us know which you are choosing to buy, and why.

[Note from the Editor: You can find our earlier announcement of Lionsgate's plans to release Ran and Contempt on Blu-ray here]

Lionsgate To Release Blu-ray’s For Ran and Contempt! [Blu-ray Releases / Criterion Out Of Print]

Ryan Gallagher — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:59:09 +0000

In December, Criterion released a box set like no other. 25 Films of Akira Kurosawa, their “AK 100,” featured films never before seen with a Criterion “C.” This set however, was missing one notable film, 1985′s Ran. It was soon learned that Lionsgate at acquired the rights to distribute the film, and you can now pre-order the Blu-ray. You’ll see this hitting stores on February 16th.

From the Lionsgate Press Release:

Akira Kurosawa’s brilliantly conceived re-telling of Shakespeare’s King Lear magically mixes Japanese history, Shakespeare’s plot and Kurosawa’s own feelings about loyalty in this epic masterpiece that was named one of Empire Magazine’s “500 Greatest Movies of All Time.” Set in 16th century Japan, an aging ruler, Lord Hidetora announces his intention to divide his land equally among his three sons. Hidetora’s decision to step down unleashes a power struggle between the three heirs when he falls prey to the false flattery bestowed upon him by the two older sons and banishes the youngest for speaking the truth. That ruthless betrayal ultimately drives Hidetora insane, destroying his entire family and kingdom. Deep human emotion and outstanding acting combine to create one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time that was hailed as “a great, glorious achievement” by the Chicago Sun-Times and “as close to perfect as filmmaking gets” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German and Italian DTS Master Audio.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

· “A.K.” – the acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of Ran from writer/director Chris Marker

· “Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate” – documentary on the director

· “The Samurai” – documentary on Samurai art

· “Art of the Samurai” – interview with a Japanese art of war expert

· BD-Live

· 20-page collectible booklet

We’re also getting another “Out of Print” Criterion Collection film, on February 16th, a high definition release of Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt:

The iconic Brigitte Bardot heats up the screen in this subversive drama about marriage, motive and the motion picture industry from French director Jean-Luc Godard, named the #4 “most influential director of all time” by Moviemaker Magazine. Called “a great movie” by Entertainment Weekly, this film within a film is, on the surface, about a director whose wife Camille falls out of love with him while he is rewriting an adaptation of Homer’s “Odyssey” for an American producer. However, underneath this tragic tale of a doomed romance lies the true subject: the commercial film industry, which Godard shows his contempt for in a directing performance that is slyly subversive, darkly comic and completely original. The Blu-ray Disc is presented in 1080P High Definition Widescreen format with French, English, Spanish and German DTS Master Audio.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

· Introduction by British film producer and Godard expert Colin MacCabe

· “Once Upon a Time There Was…Contempt” – documentary on the making of the film

· “Contempt… Tenderly” – documentary on Godard’s legacy in film

· “The Dinosaur and the Baby” – a discussion between Godard and director Fritz Lang

· Trailer

· BD-Live

· 20-page collectible booklet