Criterion Crazy: May 2025 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
April showers bring May flowers, as they say, but you wouldn’t know it when we are still stuck in the middle of February and are being suffocated by feet of snow. Nonetheless, the fine folks at the Criterion Collection know how to bring smiles to our faces when we are down, and they have saved this wallop of an announcement for clear reasons. Okay, so their May announcement likely has nothing to do with making us feel better during these winter storms, but they were likely thinking of their upcoming flash sale instead (although one hasn’t been confirmed, this is around the time of year when they have one; mind you, their thirty-percent-off 4K sale is still going as of today). We have seven titles to get through, and each and every single one of them is adored not just by their core fan bases but by cinephiles of all walks of life, so it’s safe to say that we have been spoiled this time around. Let’s get into these terrific selections!
The Favourite: Killer of Sheep (1977)
Charles Burnett’s magnum opus, Killer of Sheep, is a staple of the American independent arthouse scene, and now it is available in the Criterion Collection (it’s about time considering To Sleep with Anger has been in the Collection for quite a while). If you are a hardcore cinephile and haven’t seen this film, I’d pick it up instantly as a blind buy; the film is a blistering look at American life via a stripped-down lens and all of the imagination and honesty in the world. Killer of Sheep is not just available on Blu-ray but 4K as well (the latter is something that doesn’t quite feel feasible, and I cannot wait to see how the restoration has turned out). The special features include audio commentary by Burnett and scholar Richard Peña, interviews, two of Burnett’s short films (Several Friends and The Horse), and a documentary about Burnett by Robert Townsend. There’s also apparently a “cast reunion” that took place in 2007, but what that feature entails (and how long it is) is not known (it sounds enticing either way, given the vulnerable and intuitive nature of the film). This is as complete as a release of a low-budget indie classic gets (Killer of Sheep was made for only ten thousand dollars).
Buy Killer of Sheep Here
It’s Time to Liven All of You Stiffs Up a Bit: Withnail and I (1987)
Criterion seems to be doubling down on some directors who are getting accessioned into the Collection. We have had Albert Brooks and Sean Baker get two films apiece welcomed in the Criterion family. Now, this is Bruce Robinson’s time to shine. The first of the two films is the comedy cult classic Withnail and I: one of the funniest films ever created (I will never feel any differently). This batshit insane film is available on 4K and Blu-ray (if you have never seen the film and don’t want to take a gamble, while I am sure the 4K will look and sound great, you can get by with the Blu-ray version for Withnail and I). There are multiple audio commentaries, a behind-the-scenes documentary, a Q&A between Robinson and star Richard E. Grant, a short program between both collaborators, and a stills gallery based on production photographs (which may not seem too exciting, but considering the buffoonery that likely took place on set, I’m sure this gallery will be a treat).
Buy Withnail and I Here
The Richard E. Grant Chaser: How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
If you like Withnail and I and want to up the stakes with the craziness, then How to Get Ahead in Advertising — the second film by Bruce Robinson and starring Richard E. Grant to be placed in the Criterion Collection in this announcement — may be your next step. This release does feel a little bit more like an add-on to the inclusion of Withnail and I, and I’ll get into why. Firstly, How to Get Ahead in Advertising is only available on Blu-ray (which, like Withnail and I, is more than enough for most cinephiles, since these aren’t exactly the most aesthetically or audibly rich films you’ll ever come across). Secondly, there are far fewer features. These include a documentary featuring both Robinson and Grant, a classic Criterion essay (by critic David Cairns), and the film’s trailer (a feature I never really understood the appeal of). That’s it. Nonetheless, How to Get Ahead in Advertising is a fantastic black comedy that is sure to find new audiences with this release, even if it feels a little slim in the frills department (then again, the film is staunchly anti-capitalist, so maybe it’s fitting that it is this bare as a release).
Buy How to Get Ahead in Advertising Here
Alas, Abbas: The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
Iranian titan Abbass Kiarostami is no stranger to the Criterion Collection, and the inclusion of The Wind Will Carry Us means that he has almost ten films in the Collection now. One of the many experiments where Kiarostami blurred the lines between fact and fiction, and documentary and narrative cinema, The Wind Will Carry Us is a must for any fans of other Criterion staples like Close-Up or Taste of Cherry, amongst many other titles. While this film is only available on Blu-ray via Criterion, there are a couple of features that make The Wind Will Carry Us feel worthwhile. There’s the documentary about the making-of process of this film, titled A Week with Kiarostami (given the auteur’s iconic fascination with documentary elements in films, this feels like quite a fitting feature). There’s also an interview with Kiarostami from 2002, and a video essay based on the late director’s poetry, narrated by frequent collaborator Massoumeh Lahiji (let’s not forget that there’s a classic Criterion essay, this time by poet Kaveh Akbar).
Buy The Wind Will Carry Us Here
All Together, That’s… Seven Musketeers?!: The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester
Richard Lester already has work in the Criterion Collection (A Hard Day’s Night), but now he will have two more titles, and they’re a pair that must go together. There’s The Three Musketeers (1973): his comedic, swashbuckling take on the iconic story, which was a smash hit when it was first released; it was instantly followed by The Four Musketeers (1974), which was still liked and appreciated but maybe not quite as much as the previous, beloved title. This set of two films is available on both 4K and Blu-ray (if you are a fan of these films, despite the tongue-in-cheek nature of these works, I think going the extra mile with the 4K release may be worth your while, given their scale and aesthetics). The fact that you’re getting two films should be enough, but, if not, there are a couple of features that will hopefully make this purchase feel worth your while, including multiple documentaries about both titles, a behind-the-scenes featurette based on the first film, and an essay by critic Stephanie Zacharek.
Buy The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester Here
It’s Time to Upgrade: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
Do I need to explain anything? It’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg — one of the top five greatest musicals of all time — available in 4K (and, I needn’t remind you, just how stunning this film is and how brilliant its music is, so the 4K upgrade is a must)! The extra incentive to upgrade to the 4K release is the breathtaking cover art (now, keep in mind that the original cover is also sensational in a more minimalist way, but I cannot deny how great this new art looks either because of how lush and striking it is; I love them both equally and for different reasons). With the same features as before, this title is now guaranteed to remain one of Criterion’s best sellers ever with this 4K news.
Buy The Umbrellas of Cerbourg Here
Let’s Keep Upgrading: In the Heat of the Night (1967)
I remember when this Best Picture Academy Award winner was first brought into the Criterion Collection. Now, In the Heat of the Night is getting the 4K upgrade. While I think newcomers are okay to pick up this film on Blu-ray (DVD feels a little too low in quality, given the fact that this film still looks nice enough to want it to look decent while you watch it at home), a 4K purchase does make sense for big fans of this title. This release boasts the same features as both the Blu-ray and DVD versions of In the Heat of the Night. Rest in peace, Norman Jewison.
Buy In the Heat of the Night Here
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.