The Criterion Collection In July

From "Raging Bull" (Martin Scorsese, 1980)

A bit tardy to the party this month, I suppose. But it's all good, as the folks at Barnes & Noble are still running their 50% off Criterion sale right now, and the last of July's releases have just come out. So, you know, get some cheap new Blu-rays and UHDs. And there are some good ones coming to market in July, including a couple of reissues in new formats, the best film of the 70s (don't @ me), and one of the best movies of 2021.

July 5

I remember being really stoked on Bong Joon Ho's follow-up to "Snowpiercer", 2017s "Okja", when it was announced. His second English language feature, with Tilda Swinton opposing the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano, all with An Seo Hyun and a genetically modified superpig caught in the middle.

Pretty high concept, no? But then I went and never finished the movie. Life very much got in the way, not to mention that my days of watching movies solo have run out. So I still have about an hour left to watch.

I suppose the excuses have run thin, with this finally coming to home video after a long, exclusive run on Netflix. You get your choice of UHD/Blu-ray combo pack, Blu-ray, or DVD. And what comes with it? Bong oversaw a 4K digital master of the print, and supervised the Dolby Atmos soundtrack on both the UHD and Blu-ray. While it's missing a director's commentary, this release does provide new interviews between Bong and producer Dooho Choi, as well as a one-on-one featuring lead actor An and supporting actor Byun Hee Bong. Especially in the context of coming between "Snowpiercer" and Academy Award winner "Parasite", we're primed for a closer look at "Okja". I'm ready for it.

"The Virgin Suicides" was Sofia Coppola's debut in 1999. It got the Criterion treatment in 2018 with a lovely Blu-ray and DVD release. However, if you've been holding out for an ultra high definition release, then wait no further. Criterion now has issued a 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack, featuring the same great 4K digital restoration in gleaming 4K for that super expensive curved TV you watch all your movies on. Right, you got money, right? Can I have a loan? A gift?

Anyway, you get a bunch of extras, including a making-of documentary from Coppola's mother Eleanor, the "Playground Love" video directed by Coppola, and one of Coppola's earlier short films. Truth be told, this isn't a must have for me; I'm not a huge fan of "Suicides". But if it means we might see a "Lost In Translation" or "Bling Ring" Criterion release, then I'm all for this.

July 12

Dude, it's "Raging Bull". Do I really need to spell out why you, a fan not only of film but of physical media, need to own this? It's the firs time this has come out as a UHD (also featuing a Blu-ray in the combo pack). It's not just one of Scorsese's many master works; it's arguably the best film of the 70s, and one of the greatest films of all time. It's a movie that I can watch time and time again and discover something new about, whether it's a newly-discovered influence in the cinematography that leads me off on a new dive into, say, Russian cinema, or reveling in something previously unnoticed in the performances of Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, and Joe Pesci. I'm not going to whip out my DVD copy from the "Scorsese Collection" to compare extras. I'm just going to buy a combo pack and watch it again.

The second reissue of July is David Lean's "Summertime", starring Katherine Hepburn as an American tourist in Italy who falls in love with a native shop owner. Criterion originally released this on DVD all the way back in 1998, so the re-release, featuring a great new cover by Lauren Tamaki, is long overdue. Criterion has performed a 4K restoration on this classic, a more intimate affair compared to the sprawling Lean epics that followed in the coming years. Also new to this edition: an interview with historian Melanie Williams. She literally wrote the book on David Lean back in 2014.

A nice little bonus appears on the secondary market when Criterion releases one of these revised editions. The earlier versions suddenly become a lot cheaper to acquire, giving us, the viewer, a chance to check out something like this at a really low price. So, whether you cop this new version, or hunt down a $5 copy on eBay, check this one out.

July 19

I don't have anything clever to say about "Drive My Car", Ryusuke Hamaguchi 2021 masterwork, nominee for Best Picture at last year's Academy Awards, and generally regarded as a mighty fine film. I have yet to watch the film; I fully admit that I'm a bit intimidated by the three hour run time (no explosions? no boobs? NO!). And I've been shying away from subtitled films recently; the unfortunate outcome from eye strain bordering on farsightedness. I just haven't been able to hang with the idea of watching a 180 minute adaptation of Haruki Murakami stories. It's a failing; I acknoledge it.

You get a director's approved special edition when you pick up your copy of "Drive My Car". Hamaguchi signed off on a 2K digital master (sadly, a UHD wasn't released initially), and contributed an exclusive interview as a bonus. There's also a making-of featurette, press coverage from Cannes 2021, and a new English language SDH translation. You can probably tell this isn't at the top of my list, but I anticipate that, for those of us who still buy physical media, I'm probably in the minority.

Last, but certainly not least in July, comes the second Criterion/Denzel Washington release of 2022: 1995's "Devil In A Blue Dress", directed by Carl Franklin. I didn't appreciate it during its initial run, but "Devil" is one of my favorite neo-noirs of the past 40 years, a film that's up there with "The Nice Guys", "Blood Simple", and "Bound" in my rolls. Denzil's portrayal of Easy Rawlins has had me tracking down Walter Mosley paperbacks regularly over time; the cast also includes an iconic Don Cheadle role, as well as standout work by Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, and Maury Chaykin. It also has a killer Elmer Bernstein score, and a soundtrack populated with 40s jump blues, R&B, and bop.

Franklin approved this special edition, which replaces Twilight Time's 2015 Blu-ray release. There are a ton of new features, from the new 4K restoration and sound mix, to new interviews with Franklin, Mosley, and Cheadle, to Cheadle's screen test. And I might be mistaken, but it sure looks to me like Carver Center graduate, Ziggy Sobotka himself, James Ransome contributed the cover. Cool as hell.

From "Okja" (Bong Joon Ho, 2017)

I cannot tell a lie; it was with some relief that I viewed July's release lineup, especially after a jam-packed last few months of Criterion releases. Sure, I could save some bread getting these now via Barnes & Noble, but the titles I'd typically buy Day 1 ("Raging Bull", "Devil In A Blue Dress") are ones that I already own in previous editions. There's a nice little gap of three weeks between "Devil" and "Drive"s releases, and the first August drops. It's a perfect time to stack some paper and get excited for an early Safdie Brothers film, a cult favorite from a longtime Safdie collaborator, a pair of French and Mexican cinematic luminaries, and an all-time classic from the late, great Sidney Poitier. I may even be back to preview them ahead of the first of August. Watch this space to find out!