Spiral Staircase

Some of the answers to the May newsletter hints are now confirmed.


The Spirit of the Beehive $39.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57582

New, restored high-definition digital transfer
"The Footprints of a Spirit" documentary featuring Erice, Torrent and more
Director interview, "Victore Erice in Madrid"
Interview with film scholar Linda Ehrlich
Interview with actor Fernando Fernan Gomez
New and improved English subtitle translation
New essay by film schol Paul Julian Smith

Jigoku $29.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57584

Galleries of posters from selected Nakagawa and Shintoho Studio films
Theatrical trailer
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
"Building the Inferno," a new documentary on Nakagawa and the making of the film
New and improved English subtitle translation
New essay by noted Asian cinema critic Chuck Stephens


Seven Samurai re-release 3-Discs $49.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57572

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
Two audio commentaries: one by film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, and Donald Richie; the other by Japanese-film expert Michael Jeck
A 50-minute documentary on the making of Seven Samurai, part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
My Life in Cinema, a two-hour video conversation between Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Oshima produced by the Directors Guild of Japan
Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences, a new documentary lookimg at the samurai traditions and films that impacted Kurosawa's masterpiece
Theatrical trailers and teaser
Gallery of rare posters and behind-the scenes and production stills
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by Peter Cowie, Philip Kemp, Peggy Chiao, Alain Silver, Kenneth Turan, Stuart Galbraith, Arthur Penn, and Sindey Lumet and an interview with Toshiro Mifune




Amarcord re-release 2-Discs $39.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57574

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
Commentary by scholars Peter Brunette and Frank Burke
New 45-minute documentary, "Fellini's Homecoming"
Video interview with star Magali Noel
Fellini's drawings of characters in the film
"Felliniana" collection devoted to the film
Audio interviews with Fellini, his friends and family
New restoration demonstration
American release trailer
Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
New and improved English subtitle translation
A book featuring Fellini's memoir La Mia Rimini and essay by Sam Rohdie


Brazil re-release individual 16 X 9 $29.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57576

Audio commentary by Gilliam
All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
Optional English subtitles
Essay by Jack Mathews

Brazil re-release 3-Discs $59.95

http://www.image-entertainment.com/d...roductID=57580

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
Audio commentary by Gilliam
Optional English subtitles
An essay by Jack Mathews
30-minute on-set documentary, "What Is Brazil?"
"The Battle of Brazil: A Video History"
Storyboards, drawings, and publicity and production stills
Raw and behind-the-scenes footage
Video interviews with the production team
Theatrical trailer
94-minute "Love Conquers All" version
Audio essay by journalist David Morga

Playtime re-release 2-Discs $39.95

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
Video introduction by writer, director, and performer Terry Jones
Selected scene commentary by film historian Philip Kemp
Au-delà de "Playtime," a short documentary featuring archival behind-the-scenes footage from the set
Tati Story, a short biographical film about Tati
“Jacques Tati in Monsieur Hulot’s Work,” a 1976 BBC Omnibus program featuring Tati
Rare audio interview with Tati from the U.S. debut of Playtime at the 1972 San Francisco International Film Festival
Video interview with script supervisor Sylvette Baudrot
Cours du soir, a 1967 short film written by and starring Tati
Alternate international soundtrack
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A new essay by Jonathan Rosenbaum

animatedude

ugh! i've bought Brazil in the last DDD criterion sale.is the transfer of this rerelease the same of the exisiting disc or is it really new?

canaryfarmer

ANAMORPHIC BRAZIL! SwwwwwwEEEEEEEEEEEEt Butter!

"Now in a gorgeously remastered new transfer" as well!

ChristianB

Brazil is getting a new 16x9 transfer.

The new Seven Samurai release is jaw-dropping!

Skoobooz

Wow! 3-disc Seven Samurai?! Anamorphic Brazil!? Thank you Criterion!!!

MBoyd

The individual release of Brazil looks like what most of us will want. Thanks for making it available like that Criterion!

gryffinmaster

I am REALLY proud of Criterion for re-releasing the Brazil in a single-disc form that will - hopefully - be in a clear case and have a similar spine and such as the originals. Then, those of us who own the original Criterion set can just replace that portion and keep the extras (since they all seem the same). Exciting news!

Oh, and a 3-disc Seven Samurai? Been holding out for a looooong time on that release and it looks like it'll finally pay off! Sweet cover as well.

Richard Malloy

Thrilled about "Seven Samurai" confirmation; surprised and happy for "Brazil"; and really ecstatic about "Spirit of the Beehive"!

And I'm intrigued by "Jigoku", a film I've never seen (and I know next to nothing about Nakagawa). I guess I could be cranky and wish for some more Mizoguchi or a Naruse title, but this also looks very interesting.

Skull

3-disc Seven Samurai! Can't wait.

drindustrial

I am curious as to why? Will the 3-disc rerelease not be an exact reissue of the current boxset, except now anamorphically enhanced? Should I not sell my current box set?

Thanks,
David

MBoyd

Yeah exactly. That's why we only need to single disc Brazil. Don't sell the current box set.

Kocheese99

I'll pick up the Seven Samurai set and the individual release of Brazil. Now i have to get rid of that disk now

rmick

Will disc 2 and 3 of Brazil be anamorphic now?
Or does it even matter?

Sondheim

Wow, with the exception of "Jigoku" (which I will rent) I am going to purchase all of these titles. And none of them will be double-dips, since I've been holding off on all of those in hopes of better releases.

I've heard great things about "The Spirit of the Beehive".

Giles

yeah, excellent film.

Smithers

FINALLY SEVEN SAMURAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

wooo!!

Mondo Kane

I don't think I'll double dip on 7 Samurai yet, but I can't get my eyes off Amarcord!

bboisvert

I know that the rights are probably more confusing, being a Buena Vista title, but is there now hope for an anamorphic reissue of Armageddon?


Great month overall... cool reissues and great new titles.

inri222

Goddamn bastards!!!

I already own all the old versions of the the re-releases:Seven Samurai / Amarcord / Brazil 3-Discs

They should accept trade-ins.
In the case of 7S, a trade in plus $10.

Spiral Staircase

I think Criterion nixed the trade-in program after its initial attempt with Charade. There is a transcript somewhere online where Criterion explains that there would not be any further trade-in offers.

Filmmaker

Wow, now if we can get an anamorphic ARMAGEDDON, we'd be good to go!

bboisvert

All of those titles were released nearly 8 years ago. Amarcord will celebrate its 9th anniversary as a Criterion DVD in March 2008. I don't see how you can get too cheesed off about improving such old discs. It's not like they've kicked out a SE within a year or two.

And, as far as ways to do "trade-ins", society has already created those. eBay, secondspin.com, dozens of other sites, and dozens of other retailers provide ways to get some $$$ for DVDs you no longer want. I don't see how it makes any sense for Criterion to get involved in paying everyone $10 to send them old DVDs.

Richard Malloy

Definitely. A "Complete Andrei Rublev" something like the "Arkadin" release, with both the 205-minute Scorsese "Passion" print and the 185-minute official Mosfilm version. I don't care if the only version of the 205-minute cut is the same print used before, but anamorphically-enhanced with some light digital scrubbing (though I wish, wish, wish a better source could be found).

nemein

Looks like it's time for another upgrade (re Seven Samurai)

pro-bassoonist

Curious to see how the new Amarcord compares to the R2 double set. Will add up to my library! As well as Victor Erice's "The Spirit of the Beehive". Not interested in Brazil.

Ciao,
Pro-b