Criterion Crazy: September 2023 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
We’re approaching summer, but the Criterion Collection is already heading into the last quarter of the year with its releases. After a couple of decent months this year, we’re bound to have a terrific month and the September films aren’t too shabby. None of these films had me audibly going “wow”, but I like-to-love every single one of these releases. Additionally, I know that all of these films have their audiences, so there aren’t any head-scratchers here. With a couple of beloved features next to acclaimed works, there is much to cover with these releases, be they brand-new inclusions to the collection or upgrades to 4K. Let’s check out the September Criterion Collection films.
The Favourite: The Trial
Orson Welles was adamant that The Trial was his magnum opus. Many would disagree especially since Citizen Kane is so adored, but I think time has been extremely kind to this Franz Kafka adaptation with the tides turning in favour of Welles’ opinion. The Trial is being released as 4K right out of the gate, which is amazing given Edmond Richard’s astounding cinematography awaiting you in the highest possible resolution (the director of photography actually is featured in an archived interview as a special feature). Other features include an archived interview with Jeanne Moreau, commentary from film historian Joseph McBride, and an essay from Jonathan Lethem. Pick up Kafka’s magnum opus novel and Welles’ cinematic answer for a great, mind-warping weekend that will have you scared to peek around any corner.
Best Newer Release: Moonage Daydream
Many documentaries from last year beg to be inducted into the Criterion Collection, including All the Beauty and the Bloodshed and All That Breathes. Moonage Daydream is a part of this conversation, as director Brett Morgen turns heaps of archival footage surrounding David Bowie’s entire career and turns it into a psychedelic, kaleidoscopic journey. Morgen’s got a couple of special features here including audio commentary and a Q&A with musician Mike Garson and filmmaker Mark Romanek; you’ll also find an essay from critic Jonathan Romney and an interview with rerecording mixers on the sound process for the film. Finally, the most important part: this trippy spectacle is going to be available in 4K. Sign me up. David Bowie deserves the top treatment, and his legacy will get it not just with this brilliant documentary but its Criterion release as well. Like Major Tom, I’m leaving on this journey and never coming back.
Get Up On Your Feet: La Bamba
Easily the weakest film of this batch, La Bamba is still a crowd-pleasing effort that is carried by Lou Diamond Phillips’ central performance as music icon Ritchie Valens. I’d recommend watching the film first instead of committing to a blind buy if you’re unfamiliar because this may either be your jam or it will just be “okay”. If you are already a fan (and, believe me, La Bamba has its adorers), get ready for some killer special features, including audio commentaries from director Luis Valdez, stars Phillips and Esai Morales, and producers Stuart Benjamin, Taylor Hackford, and Daniel Valdez (this is only the start). Luis Valdez also has an interview where he is featured, but on top of this is the director holding a conversation with Robert Rodriguez. You’ll get behind-the-scenes looks at how the film got made and even the audition rolls during the pre-production phase. La Bamba is only being released as a Blu-ray release at this time, but I’m sure the surge of sales this film will get will have Criterion upgrading it in the near future.
It’s Time to Upgrade: Walkabout
Of the two 4K upgrades this month, Nicolas Roeg’s masterpiece, Walkabout, is the one I’m most excited about. While the features are all the same as the other formats (interviews, commentary, and the documentary Gulpilil — One Red Blood), what I’m looking forward to is the cinematographic brilliance of director Roeg’s photography (a rare feat for a director to handle their own cinematography), which will undoubtedly look astounding in 4K. If you haven’t seen this Australian New Wave classic, I’d take the plunge by blindly buying this masterpiece.
Let’s Keep Upgrading: The Princess Bride
I’ll never turn down The Princess Bride, but I have to wonder how essential a 4K upgrade is for this film. It will be great no matter what format it is released in because of how strong the film is comedically and through its writing and well-acted characters. Then again, I feel like some films reveal how stunning they subtly are once they get upgraded, and I think there may be potential for The Princess Bride and its fantastical world to look rich in 4K. Otherwise, you’re still going to get one of the greatest package designs in Criterion history (I’ll never tire of the storybook design), the cherished Rob Reiner classic, and the many special features found on the other editions. If it helps form your opinion, the Blu-ray copy of The Princess Bride is currently sold out, so it’s either DVD or 4K; depending on what kind of cinephile you are, either may suffice. Then again, if you’re a super fan of this film, maybe it is “inconceivable” to get anything but the highest quality.
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.