Criterion Crazy: June 2023 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Now the Criterion Collection releases are starting to heat up! While the majority of announcements are still pertaining 4K upgrades (once you start, you can’t stop), I feel like we are beginning to feel some of the weightier reveals in recent memory. These are the kinds of announcements Criterion nuts crave, and we’ve got quite a lineup this month: from an essential boxset and the preservation of an auteur’s debut film, to a 4K upgrade I can only imagine will be mind boggling. Let’s dive into the latest Criterion Collection releases.
The Favourite: Pasolini 101
For those that are only familiar with Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, an entire boxset of Pier Paolo Pasolini films may seem strange. If you’re not well versed in his filmography otherwise, you don’t know what you’re missing (don’t worry: Salò is easily his most disturbing and twisted film by quite a large margin). What is especially nice about Pasolini 101 is that you get a staggering nine films, and none of them are the ones that are already available in the Collection (Salò, or any of the Trilogy of Life films: The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, and Arabian Nights). In Pasolini 101, you’ll get:
•Accattone
•Mamma Roma
•Love Meetings
•The Gospel According to Matthew
•The Hawks and the Sparrows
•Oedipus Rex
•Teorema
•Porcile
•Medea
You also get two short films (La ricotta and The Sequence of the Paper Flower), two documentaries about Pasolini, a fancy photo and essay book, and more. Considering a lot of these films are the Pasolini works that got neglected the most (some are certainly not as popular as his more controversial films), the preservation and representation here feels critical. This is a glorious boxset dedicated to a filmmaker that is finally getting his flowers (beyond being known as the Salò guy for decades, anyway).
Best Newer Release: Medicine for Melancholy
While not quite as recent as some of the other films Criterion has been releasing lately, Barry Jenkins’ feature length debut, Medicine for Melancholy, is still the newest release of the bunch. There isn’t a hell of a lot here features wise, but fans of the American auteur will likely be content with what we do get: this includes commentary from various personnel that worked on the film (including a track from Jenkins himself, dating back to 2008). The nicest extra is Danielle Amir Jackson’s essay contribution: I always love seeing what other cinephiles write about works they love. It’s important to preserve the origins of contemporary mainstays, but I’d also like to think that Medicine for Melancholy is far from the end of the Criterion-Jenkins relationship: despite how unnecessary it is sales wise (it is well represented by other distributions), I can’t help but anticipate a Moonlight Criterion release in the near future.
Under-Seen Choice: The Servant
For those that have seen this underrated drama, Criterion’s release of The Servant will likely satisfy your needs. There is a myriad of features that span decades, ranging from interviews and an essay to a program. You’ll be able to see the ongoing discussion surrounding this film and how opinions about it changed overtime (or the contrary: how it has affected different decades the exact same way). For the unfamiliar, you can safely make a blind buy with this one, especially since it seems like you will get your money’s worth with the extras.
It’s Time to Upgrade: The Rules of the Game
This is a no brainer. The Rules of the Game is — flat out — one of the greatest films of all time. It is a satire for the ages that remains influential, sharp, and an early example of auteur-based brilliance. The extras are pretty much what you get on the other versions of this film, but you’ll be getting a film from 1939 in 4K UHD: if you want to see what 4K can do to revitalize a film that is even this old, here’s your answer. For that reason alone, I think it’s a must-buy. I do think the box art cover here is nice, but the classic Criterion cover — the Edward Sorel caricatures that perfectly capture the tone of the film — feels irreplaceable to me. If you love the film but don’t have a 4K player, the blu-ray and DVD versions will for sure suffice. If your player can support 4K, though, I pose this thought: wouldn’t you like to see how this film looks cleaned up and with more crispness and depth than ever? Seeing what Criterion can do to boost a nearly ninety year old film is enticing enough.
Let’s Keep Upgrading: Time Bandits
While Criterion upgrades must-haves as 4K releases, they also are in the process of upgrading pretty much whatever they can. Time Bandits is a Criterion classic: in the sense that I notice that many members of the community are extremely into this film. I’m much more of a Brazil guy myself (now that I would sprint for), but I know that Time Bandits means a lot to many, so a 4K release makes perfect sense for them. I don’t know if this is a must for everyone, but if you’re curious about this cult favourite, I do recommend giving it a watch before buying it in 4K: it could be a quick purchase after you’re done streaming.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.