Criterion and IFC

News on Criterion and Janus Films.
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therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#851 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:08 pm

I did. It was good.

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knives
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#852 Post by knives » Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:10 am

Did Loro just die on the vine? It feels like it didn't even get a theatrical release.

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therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#853 Post by therewillbeblus » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:24 am

It seems like it briefly had a stint in NY (and maybe LA?) in September but yeah this one seems to have sunk fast. Surprising to me since Youth got a decent release and I think did modestly well at the box office. Hopefully if and when this does get a release it’s the full cut which runs about an hour longer than the U.S. one that merged both parts and cut it heavily to meet Oscar standards.

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Never Cursed
Such is life on board the Redoutable
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#854 Post by Never Cursed » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:21 am

Loro made it at least to the Landmarks in DC for a few weeks this fall. What do you mean by "cut to meet Oscar standards," TWBB?

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#855 Post by domino harvey » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:23 am

It was released in two longer parts in Italy, anywhere else the international version is a condensed single film. I hadn't heard it had anything to do with the Oscars, though, I just assumed the producers required a shorter single-film version since it'd be an easier sell on the marketplace to distros

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therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#856 Post by therewillbeblus » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:26 am

Sorry my comments made it sound like the film had to be cut to be admitted to the Oscars due to length but I meant the two parts were merged into one film, cuts made to each when distributed by Universal, to qualify as a single film for the Oscars. It was originally in two longer parts and the runtime was significantly longer so my hope is to see that version, since this feels like a U.S. studio butchering a directors film but I could be wrong.

Edit: what domino said. Though I imagine Universal did this in part to make it more “accessible” for Oscar voters.

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Close The Door, Raymond
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 11:33 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#857 Post by Close The Door, Raymond » Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:34 am

Wildlife is the latest IFC title to get the Criterion treatment. Released theatrically in 2018, it never got a US dvd/bluray release until now - in 2020.

How likely will it be for other IFC titles: Non-Fiction (2018, Assayas), The Unknown Girl (2016, Dardenne Bros), or Loro (2018, Sorrentino)?

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#858 Post by therewillbeblus » Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:40 am

I’d say at least Non-Fiction is in the bag

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bad future
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#859 Post by bad future » Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:26 am

What I would really love to see is Bonello’s L’Apollonide / House of Tolerance, which has gone 9 years with no blu ray release ever! Even the “hd” version available for streaming leaves a lot to be desired.

It seemed to have a surprisingly strong showing on ‘best of decade’ lists, anecdotally.. but so did countless other films so I doubt that made a blu release much more urgent. A great Adèle Haenel performance too though, so maybe Portrait-fever is the missing ingredient it’s been waiting for! (Sure, Water Lilies and the aforementioned Unknown Girl are probably more obvious beneficiaries of her rising star, but... L’Apollonide rules is all)

Glowingwabbit
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 1:27 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#860 Post by Glowingwabbit » Sat Feb 22, 2020 10:26 am

bad future wrote:
Sat Feb 22, 2020 4:26 am
What I would really love to see is Bonello’s L’Apollonide / House of Tolerance, which has gone 9 years with no blu ray release ever! Even the “hd” version available for streaming leaves a lot to be desired.

It seemed to have a surprisingly strong showing on ‘best of decade’ lists, anecdotally.. but so did countless other films so I doubt that made a blu release much more urgent. A great Adèle Haenel performance too though, so maybe Portrait-fever is the missing ingredient it’s been waiting for! (Sure, Water Lilies and the aforementioned Unknown Girl are probably more obvious beneficiaries of her rising star, but... L’Apollonide rules is all)
I'd second L’Apollonide / House of Tolerance as it still amazes me that no one has released it yet. I realized that last month when I was trying to rewatch it (mainly in lieu of Adèle Haenel as I didn't know who she was at the time I first saw it). I started watching the Amazon HD version (that doesn't look HD to me), and was hoping to find a better version.

therewillbeblus wrote:
Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:40 am
I’d say at least Non-Fiction is in the bag
I clearly missed something on my first viewing of this as it was the first time I really didn't like or find anything of interest in one of his films.

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#861 Post by colinr0380 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:46 am

therewillbeblus wrote:
Sat Feb 22, 2020 2:40 am
I’d say at least Non-Fiction is in the bag
Which would be great as Artificial Eye have released it only on DVD in the UK.

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#862 Post by Ribs » Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:44 pm

IFC’s acquisition of Petzold’s Undine seems a lock for a release down the line (after Non-Fiction and the Truth, of course)

ianungstad
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#863 Post by ianungstad » Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:22 pm

IFC has Benedetta, Bergman Island and Paris, 13th District in Cannes. They also just bought the rights to the new Peter Strickland film Flux Gourmet that's in post production at the Cannes marketplace. We'll have to see if any of these are standouts at the fest(s). Benedetta reviews were pretty mixed.

IFC also has Andrew Haigh's new project The North Water which is a 5 episode mini-series. Criterion hasn't shown any interest in previous tv projects like Top of the Lake, or the John Le Carre adaptations.

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Walter Kurtz
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#864 Post by Walter Kurtz » Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:28 pm

Ribs wrote:
Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:44 pm
IFC’s acquisition of Petzold’s Undine seems a lock for a release down the line...
Criterion has informed me that Undine won't be receiving a physical release. Petzold's work connects more strongly with me than any other director currently working... and I guess not releasing IFC's Undine pretty much negates any future possibility of a Petzold Box Set.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#865 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jul 12, 2021 4:07 pm

That's not true, very few box sets are the complete works of a director, and Criterion may wind up releasing that film down the line. They have not been prioritizing IFC releases for quite some time, so I'm not surprised they have no plans to release it right now (especially with the prioritization of now multiple formats for upgrades, multiple streaming contracts, attention to diversity, etc.) - However, while that's no sealed indicator, I wouldn't assume Petzold to even be in current consideration for these auteur box sets!

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#866 Post by Ribs » Mon Jul 12, 2021 4:23 pm

It's really sad that it appears while the relationship isn't over that Criterion's collaboration with other distributors has in all likelihood forced them to pare down the releases they think worth grabbing from who until recently was their single biggest source of contemporary films. Especially because I imagine movies like Death of Stalin, Non-fiction, and The Truth are a bit in a situation like The House that Jack Built was in where Criterion had committed to it so it just went without release for an inordinately long amount of time until they finally gave it up. Death of Stalin is one of IFC's highest grossing movies of all time and yet did not get a DVD or Blu-ray release whereas the dreadful remake of Blithe Spirit released in theaters in February was licensed out to Shout for release this September. I really am starting to have a hard time imagining any forthcoming releases from IFC beyond Medicine for Melancholy just because Criterion is fully aware their new movie releases are surely going to be approaching 1/5 of their output for the year.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#867 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:51 pm

I thought the story was that Criterion passed on The House That Jack Built, rather than committing to it at all. Perhaps they held onto the privileged first-rights for a while before making the choice to dump it when Shout! snagged it, but I think that was one of those situations where label-shopping stopped at the dilemma of PC risk management and Shout/Scream scooped up the opportunity to release it as they have thankfully done for several canceled artists' works

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Ribs
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#868 Post by Ribs » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:09 pm

It was commissioned and cancelled - the Menu loop for the disc was uploaded to Vimeo. Shout indeed did pick it up just a short while after someone shared the release was canned, but my expectation for movies like Non-fiction they are just happy thinking “we’ll get to it” when if they decided not to Shout or IFC could just release it themselves lickety-split.

ianungstad
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:20 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#869 Post by ianungstad » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:23 pm

Talking about film critics, what the heck happened to Todd McCarthy? He's writing reviews for Deadline now? What's next, Ain't It Cool News?

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Ribs
Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#870 Post by Ribs » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:29 pm

It’s definitely off topic but he was made redundant after changes in management at his former employer - which shares a corporate owner with his current employer. Not entirely sure how that worked out but it’s, to me, somewhat important to note he did not leave by choice.
And there’s no reason Deadline can’t have actual critics - I appreciate it as a “just the news please” source but it’s nice they’re actually writing reviews of titles with something resembling frequency.

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#871 Post by dwk » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:32 pm

Wasn't The House That Jack Built released under the IFC Midnight banner? If so, Scream has first dibs on those titles.

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soundchaser
Leave Her to Beaver
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Re: Criterion and IFC

#872 Post by soundchaser » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:39 pm

It's not listed as an IFC Midnight release on the distributor's website.

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Close The Door, Raymond
Joined: Thu May 17, 2007 11:33 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#873 Post by Close The Door, Raymond » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:52 pm

Criterion releases of IFC titles has slowed since 2017.

I think the last Criterion releases from IFC films were:

Wildlife (US theatrical: Nov 2018; Criterion:May 2020)
Let the Sunshine In (US theatrical: April 2018; Criterion: May 2019) *Sundance Selects/IFC
I, Daniel Blake (US theatrical: June 2017; Criterion: January 2018) *Sundance Selects/IFC
Graduation (US theatrical: April 2017; Criterion: May 2018) *Sundance Selects/IFC
Personal Shopper (US theatrical: March 2017; Criterion: October 2017)
Certain Women (US theatrical: October 2016; Criterion: September 2017)
Dheepan (US theatrical: May 2016; Criterion: May 2017) *Sundance Selects/IFC

possible Criterion releases

Non-Fiction (2018) Sundance Selects/IFC (US theatrical: May 2019)
Loro (2018) Sundance Selects/IFC (US theatrical: September 2019)
The Painted Bird (2019) (US release: July 2020)

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#874 Post by dwk » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:54 pm

Thanks. I don't know why in the hell I thought The House That Jack Built was an IFC Midnight title.

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therewillbeblus
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2015 3:40 pm

Re: Criterion and IFC

#875 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:57 pm

Ribs wrote:
Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:09 pm
It was commissioned and cancelled - the Menu loop for the disc was uploaded to Vimeo. Shout indeed did pick it up just a short while after someone shared the release was canned
Oh I remember the menu loop now, thanks
dwk wrote:
Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:32 pm
Wasn't The House That Jack Built released under the IFC Midnight banner? If so, Scream has first dibs on those titles.
Yes I recall it being under the IFC Midnight banner at my ‘one night only’ screening of the uncut version in Nov 2018 (because I remember saying to myself, “What the hell is IFC Midnight?”) I had no idea it’d give Scream dibs tho, and that doesn’t fit with Criterion passing on it, which has been unanimously supported- so now I’m just more confused

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