Criterion has announced their July 2014 titles and among them is one fans have been waiting a long time to see introduced, David Cronenberg‘s head-exploding sci-fi Scanners, set for a July 15 release.
The set will include a newly restored 2K digital film transfer, supervised by Cronenberg, “The Scanners Way” visual effects documentary, a new interview with Michael Ironside, a 2012 interview with actor and artist Stephen Lack, an excerpt from a 1981 interview with Cronenberg on the CBC’s “The Bob McLean Show” and Cronenberg’s first feature film, Stereo (1969).
Also on July 15 comes Robert Bresson‘s 1959 classic Pickpocket, telling the story of Michel (Martin LaSalle), a young pickpocket who spends his days working the streets, subway cars, and train stations of Paris. Features include:
- New, 2K digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
- Audio commentary by film scholar James Quandt
- Introduction by writer-director Paul Schrader
- The Models of “Pickpocket,” a 2003 documentary by Babette Mangolte that features actors from the film
- Interview from 1960 with director Robert Bresson, from the French television program Cinépanorama
- Q&A on Pickpocket from 2000 with actor Marika Green and filmmakers Paul Vecchiali and Jean-Pierre Améris
- Footage of the sleight-of-hand artist and Pickpocket consultant Kassagi from a 1962 episode of the French television show La piste aux étoiles
- Trailer
Two weeks later, on July 29, Criterion will release Lawrence Kasdan‘s The Big Chill, an early ’80s classic featuring a massive cast including Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly and JoBeth Williams. The film comes with a newly restored 4K transfer and remastered 5.1 soundtrack and more.
Next is Erik Skjoldbjærg‘s 1997 film Insomnia, which I took a look at back in December 2012 as part of the now-defunct RopeofSilicon Movie Club. Starring Stellan Skarsgard, this film is probably mostly known for its remake by Christopher Nolan. This release doesn’t come with much since it’s just a Blu-ray upgrade for Criterion, but I urge fans of Nolan’s film that have not yet seen this to give it a chance, it runs 22 minutes shorter and is well worth the look.
Finally, on July 22 Criterion will release The Essential Jacques Demy, which includes six of the French director’s films including Lola, Bay of Angels, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort, Donkey Skin and Une chambre en ville. I’ve seen none of these films so I can’t add any insight into this conversation, but I expect fans of Demy are more than excited to pick this one up.
