film, etc.: Criterion Collection Titles for January 2014

The Criterion Collection has announced its new releases for January and it looks to be a great start to 2014. The first release that really caught my eye and a film that should look absolutely perfect on bluray is Michael Mann's directorial debut Thief (1981). The film stars James Caan as a safe cracker that is focused on one last diamond heist to end his life as a criminal. The film contains many of the stylistic touches we have come to know from Mann, including beautiful nighttime photography, rain slick streets, the consciousness of a master, no nonsense criminal and precise attention to detail. If you liked Heat and Collateral, and have not seen Thief yet, change that as soon as possible. The film also contains a very-80s score from Tangerine Dream that is full of atmosphere, intrigue and add that as another element that is always brilliant in a Mann film.

Two other new films I am not very familiar with, even though I do know quite a bit about the directors, that will be added to the collection are Criterion favorite and Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismaki's La vie de boheme (1992) and an introduction to the collection of legendary British director Terence Davies with his film The Long Day Closes (1992). The former is about a trio of artists, impoverished and living on the streets of Paris. A tragicomedy of sorts. The later is a somewhat autobiographical film about a boy growing up in Liverpool in the 1950s. Bittersweet fantasy and a film that will harken back to the "kitchen-sink realism" films of a dreary, heavily industrialized England. I have not seen either one of these films, but I am interested in checking out both.
Another new release to the mainline is Stanley Kramer's mad cap comedy It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). The film has a plethora of stars, including Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney to name a few. The film revolves around a group of strangers fighting over a buried treasure. Possibly an investigation of American greed or just a comedy containing a huge amount of stars and comedy legends. I have not seen it yet and although I am intrigued, this is probably my least interested release of January.
There is also a new Eclipse set (no bluray), number 40, of the masterful Indian director Satyajit Ray's films titled "Late Ray." The sets contains three of the last films he directed, including The Home and the World (1984), An Enemy of the People (1989) and his very last film The Stranger (1991). I have not seen any of these films or any of Mr. Ray's films for that matter. I am patiently waiting for Criterion to release his most important films "The Apu Trilogy" and need to start watching some of this classic Indian directors movies. The most important director from India, dealing with issues of class, politics and humanity.
Save the best for last. There are two new upgrades in the month of January: Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece Throne of Blood (1957) and Jules Dassin's classic, masterful heist film, and one of my personal favorites, Rififi (1955). Throne of Blood is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth and is an eerie, devilish and, yes, bloody film by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. No one can film, write, direct and edit like Kurosawa. Everything flows so brilliantly and nothing is left out. Working with his mainstay Toshiro Mifune, playing the the mad soon-to-be King, and revolves around his enigmatic rise and fall. It is a piece of cinematic wonder and, at least I think, along with High and Low, is my favorite Kurosawa film. Rififi is just a damn well-made heist film, containing one of the most memorable diamond heists in film history. No dialogue for about thirty minutes during the heist and one of the most suspenseful film noirs made in the 1950s. This French masterpiece, made by Dassin, who was exiled from America for having supposed Communist ties or beliefs, is just a master class in suspense filmmaking. And great cover art from Tang Yau Hoong.
That seems like a pretty good month to me. I definitely want the two upgraded films and Michael Mann's Thief. I will have to check out the other films once they are released as well. Enjoy.