| Criterion Collection DVD Roundup |
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Already far and away the leading DVD company, the Criterion Collection has further cemented its status with a new DVD label, Eclipse, in which several films which won’t otherwise receive the full Criterion treatment are released in thematic or director’s set. So far, three sets–early films of Ingmar Bergman, documentaries of Louis Malle, later films of Yasujiro Ozu–have been released (however, since they have not sent review copies, I cannot vouch for their quality). Still, just counting recent “regular” Criterion releases, it’s obvious that the company has not lost anything in regards to the topnotch editions it’s been releasing of classic and other important films on disc for a decade. If anything, Criterion has raised the bar even further in 2007. Here’s a glimpse at some current Criterions that are worthy additions to any adventurous film lover’s DVD library:  If... 2007 Citerion directed by Lindsay Anderson starring Malcom McDowell, David Wood, Richard Warwick Lindsay Anderson’s seminal absurdist drama about a revolt in a British boys boarding school looks more dated today than when released in 1968; still, it manages to create a powerful impression, mostly thanks to Malcolm McDowell’s winning performance as Mick Travis, who leads the rebellious students. Anderson’s other conceits–like chapter titles and switching from color to black and white–have aged badly, but it’s impossible not to watch “If....” and be reminded of the societal upheaval going on at the time. Extras: typically healthy two-disc Criterion set includes pristine new transfer, McDowell commentary, interviews with cast and crew about Anderson, and Anderson’s “Thursday’s Children,” a 1954 Oscar-winning documentary about a school for deaf children. -- La Jetee/Sans Soleil2007 Criterion directed by Chris Marker starring Alexandra Stewart, Riyoko Ikeda French filmmaker Chris Marker’s lionization is primarily based on these two titles, by far his most well-known films. “La Jetee” is a shattering sci-fi meditation told primarily through photographic stills (when one of the characters actually moves, it’s a startling moment); “Sans Soleil” is Marker’s equally profound documentary about Africa and Japan. Since there is so much more to these films than simply what’s on the surface, it’s helpfully illuminating that Criterion has paired them and added several contextualizing supplements. Extras: interviews with filmmaker Jean-Pierre Gorin; short video pieces on Marker and his work. --Sweet Movie 2007 Criterion Collection directed by Dusan Makavejev starring Carole Laure, Pierre Clementi, Anna Prucnal  WR: Mysteries of the Organism2007 Criterion Collection directed by Dusan Makavejev starring Milena Dravic, Ivica Vicovic, Jagoda Kaloper Yugoslav prankster Dusan Makavejev made several gleefully subversive films in the 60s and 70s, the most notorious of which was his 1971 provocation, “WR: Mysteries of the Organism,” which remains a bold blend of political satire and eroticism. His followup, 1974's “Sweet Movie,” goes even further, and is the ultimate litmus test for many viewers. Criterion’s separate releases of these historically and cinematically important films are cause for rejoicing. Extras: audio commentary; interviews with Makavejev and film scholar Dina Iordanova; “Hole in the Soul,” Makavejev’s 1994 short. -- Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara2007 Criterion directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara starring Eiji Okada, Kyoko Kishida, Hiroko Ito, KOji Mitsu Japanese director Hiroshi Teshigahara made a trio of remarkably inventive and psychologically probing masterworks in the mid 60s–the justly famous classic “Woman in the Dunes,” along with the lesser-known but equally excellent “Pitfall” and “The Face of Another”–all written by avant-garde novelist Kobo Abe. This absolutely essential set include all three films in brand-new prints along with voluminous extras that place the films in the context of their creators’ thematic interests. The only quibble is the missing Teshigahara-Abe collaboration, “The Man Without a Map,” which seems to be a casualty of rights issues. Extras: video essays on the films by critic James Quandt; bonus disc with four early Teshigahara shorts and new featurette on working relationship between Teshigahara and Abe. |
