Criterion Collection Releases for January 2012

Criterion is offering a limited number of releases in January 2012 — possibly a good thing as people try to recover from an expensive Christmas holiday. However, the options are different enough to give most fans at least one movie to be excited about. Criterion will also release a new Eclipse box set based on the work of Jean-Pierre Gorin, a French filmmaker who worked with Jean-Luc Godard during the Nouvelle Vague era.

Here is a look at the individual Criterion Collection releases for January 2012, all of which will be available on both DVD and Blu-ray.

“Traffic”

Steven Soderbergh turned a lot of heads in 1989 with his debut film, “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” but he set the world on fire when he earned two Best Director nominations in the same year for two different movies: “Erin Brockovich” and “Traffic.” Soderbergh won the Oscar for his work on “Traffic,” a movie that follows separate narratives all centering on the American war on drugs.

The movie has been released on Criterion before but gets its Blu-ray treatment with this January re-release. The Criterion edition includes three audio commentary tracks, although none are with the actors; 25 deleted scenes with optional commentary tracks; three featurettes; and additional unused footage.

“Belle de Jour”

Luis Bunuel directs this 1967 French film starring Catherine Deneuve as a woman who spends her days as a prostitute at a brothel while her husband works. When she begins to service a new client, a violent gangster named Marcel, things quickly grow out of control. “Belle de Jour” earned Bunuel the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and cast Deneuve at the height of her popularity.

The Criterion DVD and Blu-ray features an audio commentary by a film scholar, a video piece by a sexual-politics activist, an interview with the screenwriter, and a segment from a French television program with the screenwriter and Deneuve.

“Godzilla”

One of the greatest cult monster movies of all time gets the Criterion treatment as “Godzilla” hits stores on January 24, 2012. The DVD and Blu-ray features both the original Japanese “Gojira” as well as the American version “Godzilla.”

Each version contains the same movie, as Godzilla wrecks havoc on Japan but features differences that change the meaning of the film. In the Japanese version, it is an allegory of America dropping the bomb on Japan. In the American version, that is glossed over and American characters are added to make it more relatable.

The Criterion edition features audio commentaries on both movies by film historian David Kalat, new interviews with cast and crew members, a feature about the effects used in the movie, an illustrated audio essay about the event that inspired the movie, and more.

“The Moment of Truth”

“The Moment of Truth” is another of those hidden treasures Criterion uncovers from time to time. This is a 1965 Italian drama directed by Francesco Rosi about a famed bullfighter, played in the movie by an actual bullfighter named Miguel Mateo. The movie follows the character’s life, from his rise to his fall, and contains some of cinema’s greatest bullfighting action. The release includes only an interview with the director from 2004.

Heading to the movies? Get an instant mobile coupon to use at select theaters for free popcorn!


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *