Sure, it may only be October, but it’s never too early to think about 2019. Skip past the holidays and those requisite family dinners. It’s time to talk January 2019 and specifically, which new Criterion films you’ll be purchasing in the new year.
Leading the way in January is actress, writer, and director Elaine May, who joins the esteemed Criterion Collection with her 1976 film “Mikey and Nicky.” The crime film stars Peter Falk and John Cassavetes as two former friends and mobsters that find their friendship brought back into light when one of them is scared for his life. Despite some legendary behind-the-scenes drama between Paramount and May, “Mikey and Nicky” has stood the test of time as an unsung classic of the ‘70s. The Criterion release features a brand-new 4K restoration of the film, supervised by May, as well as a new behind-the-scenes program showcasing the making of the classic crime film.
Not to be outdone, Alfred Hitchcock adds another film to the Criterion Collection with “Notorious.” The revered Hitchcock work stars Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant and is getting a slew of new extras for its Criterion release. As you might expect, “Notorious” will have a new 4K restoration, as well as new interviews and analysis from film scholars and biographers. There’s also two commentaries, a making-of doc, and 1948 newsreel footage of Bergman and Hitchcock.
The 1967 film “In the Heat of the Night” is also finally making its way to the Criterion Collection. Winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, the story of a Black police detective and a bigoted chief has become one of the classic films of that era. Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger (who won the Oscar for Best Actor) give career-defining performances, respectively. The Criterion release features the 4K restoration you know would be there, as well as a new interview with director Norman Jewison and a BTS doc about the production of the film and its impact.
Rounding out January’s releases are two films that are not to be missed. First, you have, “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,” the 2007 Palme d’Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival. The Romanian film’s Criterion release features a new 4K restoration, new interviews, and a special program about the film’s reception in Romania. And finally, there’s “24 Frames,” the final film from the late Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. The Criterion release features new interviews as well as a short documentary about the making of the film.
As always, get those wallets ready and happy watching!
