Thanks New York Times!
In their very well written and extensive Summer DVD Preview (can we get a what-what for Blu-ray while we’re at it?), in which they give major props to landmark classics like the new “Star is Born” reissue alongside the “gutsy and peerless” high definition release of “Showgirls,” they also let some advance word slip on forthcoming Criterion titles.
The gray lady gives a specific, September 7, pre-Halloween release date for their DVD/Blu-ray release of “House” aka “Hausu,” the gonzo Nobuhiko Obayashi-directed 1977 Japanese horror film that recently enjoyed a well-attended revival at the IFC Center here in New York (this image to the left is fan-made artwork). “Hausu” kind of has to be seen to be believed, but it involves a haunted house, multiple murders, and some serious WTF-ness.
We’re educated guessing that September and October will be sprinkled with genre titles in anticipation of Halloween, which will hopefully mean that we’ll finally see the long-promised release of Guillermo del Toro’s “Cronos” as well as Lars von Trier’s audience dividing favorite “Anti-Christ.”)
The other tasty tidbit the Times piece let slip was a forthcoming Josef von Sternberg box set of silent films which we actually reported first last year. They cite his 1928 revolutionary drama “The Last Command” and 1927’s crime drama “Underworld” as being a part of this box set. “Dock Of New York” is also expected to be in the set. There have been rumors circulating online about “Underworld” but this is the first we’ve heard about a proper box set — any guesses as to whether it will be a Criterion box set or one of their stellar Eclipse series sets? We think the latter, frankly. Whatever it is, it’s due August 10th.
Here’s the trailer for the amazing bizarro curio that is “Hausu.”
–Written by Drew