Criterion Crazy: June 2024 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
A new month means a new batch of Criterion Collection titles, and June 2024’s lineup is quite a large one at six titles (including two fan favourites getting 4K upgrades), so that means four titles, all of which have their own fan bases that would appreciate this accession, are getting the Criterion treatment. I’d argue that every single one of these four films is slept on to varying degrees, either disastrously so or marginally. In short, all four of these new titles (three films and one miniseries) deserve all the love in the world, and hopefully, this Criterion announcement will get them the viewership they demand. I don’t have any major complaints about any of these titles being brought into the Collection (then again, I rarely do), so let’s get into what each of these releases has to offer.
The Favourite: The Underground Railroad
One of the greatest miniseries of all time, Barry Jenkins’ masterful The Underground Railroad is a must-own release. No questions asked. While I’m a bit sad that such a stunning miniseries isn’t available in 4K (perhaps that would have been too good) — it is available as both Blu-ray and DVD — this whopper of a release has the entire main event which is reason enough to pick it up, plus some wild bonus features. There’s commentary from Jenkins and other crew members, an additional introduction by Jenkins, his companion film The Gaze, a documentary on the making-of process, deleted scenes, an essay from critic Angelica Jade Bastién, and teasers. Oh… and there may also be a fucking graphic novel of the unfilmed chapter “Genesis” to complete this release. Yeah. This may be one of the best releases of 2024 already. If you want to see an arthouse television spectacle, I cannot emphasize enough how rewarding of a blind buy this will be if you’ve never seen The Underground Railroad before (and, again, need I remind you of these insane bonus features).
The Other Favourite: Querelle
I’m a massive fan of Rainer Werner Fassbinder as a filmmaker, and his swan song adaptation of Jean Genet’s novel, Querelle, feels appropriate. The Collection already has many of Fassbinder’s releases, so it was only a matter of time that something overlooked of his was tended to. Outside of the cover which is already bringing up curiosities as to whether or not AI was used (although the extreme homoeroticism feels quite appropriate, given the film’s subject matter), this feels like a great buy for Fassbinder enthusiasts (I’d recommend some of his other films for newcomers to his works, like Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, and then his audacious miniseries World on a Wire and Berlin Alexanderplatz should one feel up to the challenges). What do you get in this release available on Blu-ray and DVD? A bit more of a standard series of bonus features, like critic involvement (an essay by Nathan Lee, and an interview with Michael Koresky), as well as a documentary on the last films in Fassbinder’s career before his passing.
Come Get Your Cult Classic: Bound
As appreciation for the Wachowskis grows over time (and I mean beyond the societal fixation on The Matrix), the more beloved some of their other films get (even something like Speed Racer is now getting reassessed as a misunderstood experiment). Case in point: Bound is becoming an LGBTQ+ cult classic of the nineties. Available on Blu-ray and 4K (come on, this is a Wachowski release; you’re getting this on 4K), Bound has a few noteworthy features including commentary from both Wachowski sisters, stars Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly, and Joe Pantoliano, and more. There’s also a visual essay and a series of interviews with cast and crew members of the film. Those who have grown to love Bound over the years won’t be disappointed with a release that feels like it is curated to matter to the diehards. Those looking for a nineties neo-noir film may find Bound noteworthy as well.
Under-Seen Choice: Victims of Sin
If you’re into genre-bending, then Criterion has the film for you. Mexican director Emilio Fernández’s Victims of Sin is equal parts gritty crime thriller and flashy musical, and easily the least seen film of this batch of titles (at least outside of Mexico, that is). Available on Blu-ray and DVD, Victims of Sin’s features are heavily based on the preservation and legacy of the film. These add-ons include an essay and interview with various film scholars, a documentary on the archiving of the film, and an interview with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (on the dazzling visuals of Gabriel Figueroa in this film). I’d maybe recommend watching the film before blind buying it (unless you really want a surprise; I wouldn’t call this film controversial or risky to take a chance on). Otherwise, there was clearly a lot of love put into this release and the intention on bringing both this film and Fernández to a new generation of cinephiles.
It’s Time to Upgrade: Blue Velvet
I should literally leave this entry as “this is Blue Velvet on 4K” and that would be sufficient reason enough to buy this. No? Well, this upgrade of the David Lynch classic also has all of the feature the previous formats (Blu-ray and DVD, for those who are interested) possess, which include nearly an hour of deleted scenes, various documentaries (including one that’s over an hour long) about the film and its production process, an interview with Angelo Badalamenti (which hits differently after the iconic composer’s recent passing), and Lynch reading from the book Room to Dream which he co-wrote with Kristine McKenna. As Lynch himself would say, “Can you believe it?” This has to be one of the most complete Criterion titles you can get, and the film alone is a masterpiece of the eighties (and, additionally, a neo-noir for the ages). Just buy this release right now. Just do it.
Let’s Keep Upgrading: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Easily my least favourite film of the six titles here, I do recognize that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has a huge audience (admittedly, I did love this film as a teenager, but I needn’t say more on that front). Placing my biases (or lack thereof) off to the side, let’s see what is enticing about this release. Firstly, it is in 4K now which I’m sure will make the hallucinogenic feel of the film melt brains of those watching in their living rooms (a reason to pick this up for many, I’m sure); the film is also currently available on Blu-ray and DVD. There are quite a few features here as well which spoil fans of the film, Terry Gilliam, Hunter S. Thompson, or whomever, including audio commentaries, a slew of behind-the-scenes add-ons that bring this gonzo experiment to life, and so much more. I’d hit the link up below and see just how much is going on here; if I called Blue Velvet a robust release, then Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has to be considered as such as well, regardless of my current thoughts on the film.
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.