STRANGER THAN PARADISE

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Jim Jarmusch

Permanent Vacation (1980, 75 minutes), Jarmusch's first full-length feature, presented in a new, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised by the director

Kino '84: Jim Jarmusch: a 1984 German television program featuring interviews with cast and crew from Stranger Than Paradise and Permanent Vacation

Some Days in January, 1984, a behind-the-scenes Super-8 film by Tom Jarmusch

Location and on-set photos

U.S. and Japanese trailers

PLUS: A booklet featuring Jarmusch's 1984 "Some Notes on Stranger Than Paradise," Geoff Andrew and J. Hoberman on Stranger Than Paradise, and Luc Sante on Permanent Vacation

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=400

NIGHT ON EARTH

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Jim Jarmusch

Audio commentary by director of photography Frederick Elmes and location sound mixer Drew Kunin

Q&A with Jarmusch, in which he responds to questions sent by fans

1992 Belgian television interview with Jarmusch

New and improved subtitle translation

PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by Paul Auster, Thom Andersen, Bernard Eisenschitz, Goffredo Fofi, and Peter von Bagh, as well as the lyrics to Tom Waits's original songs from the film

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=401

ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS

New, restored high-definition digital transfer

Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Ib Melchior, actors Paul Mantee and Victor Lundin, production designer Al Nozaki, Oscar-winning special effects designer and Robinson Crusoe on Mars historian Robert Skotak, and excerpts from a 1979 audio interview with director Byron Haskin

"Destination: Mars," a new video featurette by Michael Lennick detailing the science behind Robinson Crusoe on Mars

Excerpts from Melchior's original screenplay

New music video for Victor Lundin’s song "Robinson Crusoe on Mars"

Stills gallery of behind-the-scenes photos, production designs, and promotional material

Theatrical trailer

PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by filmmaker and space historian Michael Lennick, a "Brief Yargorian Dictionary" of Melchior’s original alien dialect, and a list of facts about Mars included with his original screenplay

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=404

THE THREEPENNY OPERA

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfer (taken from a new film restoration element from the Bundesarchiv in Germany)

Audio commentary by scholars David Bathrick, author of The Dialectic and the Early Brecht, and Eric Rentschler, author of The Films of G. W. Pabst

L'opera de quat'sous, Pabst's French-language version of The Threepenny Opera, starring Albert Préjean and Florelle

A video interview with film scholar Charles O'Brien on the differences between the English and French versions

New exclusive documentary on Threepenny’s controversial journey from stage to screen to lawsuits

Gallery of production photos by Hans Casparius

Production sketches by art director Andre Andrejew

New and improved English subtitle translation

PLUS: A new essay by film critic Tony Rayns

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=405

MARTHA GRAHAM: DANCE ON FILM

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:

New, restored high-definition digital transfers of three films: A Dancer's World, Appalachian Spring, Night Journey

Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed, an American Masters documentary following Graham's career

Side-by-side comparison, by dance critic Deborah Jowitt, of excerpts from a 1940s performance of Appalachian Spring, featuring Graham, Eric Hawkins, and Merce Cunningham, with the 1958 film

Aaron Copland: Art in America, a short documentary by Nathan Kroll, featuring composer Aaron Copland discussing Appalachian Spring with artist Paul Jenkins

A visual essay narrated by Kroll

New interview with Museum of Television and Radio curator Ron Simon discussing Kroll's work and legacy

Interviews with film editors Eleanor Hamerow and Miriam Arsham discussing their work on the three films

New interviews with Graham company dancers Mimi Cole, Mary Hinkson, Linda Hodes, Stuart Hodes, Yuriko Kikuchi, and Ethel Winter

Excerpts from The Martha Graham Technique, a 1975 filmed demonstration featuring company members and narrated by Graham

16mm home-movie footage of Graham's company from their 1954 European tour

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by writer Joan Acocella

http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=406

Wow. I thought we would never see Robinson Crusoe on Mars.

Another to Night On Earth.

Hmmm...I would normally be excited about some Jim Jarmusch titles but these are not my favorites of his work and I'm sure these titles will be pricey.
However if we got some Criterion editions of Dead Man, Broken Flowers, or Ghost Dog then I might look past the price.

That's one hell of a supplement...

I've never seen Robinson Crusoe on Mars, but I'll certainly be picking this up.

I'll likely get Robinson Crusoe only because of how much it's been hyped on these boards!

My aching wallet.

Jarmusch is one important director who's work I have yet to really explore - so this is excellent, if not surprising news. The Pabst has me very excited (I loved "Pandora's Box", and I've been wanting to see more of his films), and "Robinson Crusoe" will certainly be a rental for me.

The Martha Graham set seems kind of random, and it doesn't really interest me, but I'm glad they're adding it to the collection. Diversity is always a good thing.

A 2-disc set is almost overkill for something like this, but that's just my opinion. I agree that diversity is always good.

I'll pass on Martha Graham, but all the rest look fantastic.

Yeah me too.

I'll buy Crusoe and the two Jarmusch titles.
But there are so many good (and expensive!) dvds in September, it's crazy.
I need to find a scheme to get rich...soon.

Bank.. account... vanishing...

Awesome month. I love Jim Jarmusch. I was disappointed when I couldn't get Stranger than Paradise because it went OOP. This is certainly wonderful news. I'll be getting all of them.

Yeah!!! Night on Earth is one of mt favorite films. Roberto Benigni's part cracks me up everytime I watch it. I guess I can get rid of my vhs copy now.

Big on Stranger Than Paradise. A fascinating film, can't wait to see the Criterion treatment.

I'm really excited to finally check out Night on Earth and Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Heard about that movie ever since I first used DVD forums as an avenue of news.

I never heard of Jim Jarmusch so maybe this will be an opportunity to check out some of his works.

Anyway, G. W. Pabst! This is awesome and I hope CC will release more of Pabst like Westfront 1918.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars, Night On Earth, and Stranger Than Paradise are the must buys for me. I can replace my shitty R2 NOE

My wife will probably go for Martha Graham. I may have to bite on the Jarmucsh titles, and maybe Robinson Cursoe, if I can find out what all the hype is about. Big Criterion month for me...

Jarmusch -

Graham -

I must agree!!

Pro-B

Robinson Crusoe on Mars = MUST BUY!

I feel the opposite. I don't think the Martha Graham release is one I'd buy, but it looks like a pretty interesting collection and one I look forward to Netflixing. These completely left field selections Criterion pulls out now and then often end up being among my favorites.

I'm not a huge Jarmucsh fan, so I'll pass on Stranger than Paradise and Night on Earth.
I too am scratching my head over Martha Graham: Dance on Film. No sale.
Pabst's The Threepenny Opera is a possibility.
Robinson Crusoe on Mars, however, will be a definate purchase.

Not sure why everyone's put off by the Martha Graham release. Nice to see Criterion continuing their eclectic releases and not solely catering to a specific type of film junkie. True, I won't be buying the MG release, but I'm sure someone out there wants it. And as for it being overkill, it is three movies on two discs...sounds about right.

I am all over the Jarmusch! Criterion, thank you!