2012 Wrapup | Criterion Forum Awards

[domino harvey]

Best Release
01 Eating Raoul
02 Lonesome
03 the Gold Rush
04 Week End (Godard)
05 Vanya on 42nd Street

Best Eclipse Set
Pearls of the Czech New Wave

Best Non-Eclipse Box Set
David Lean Does Dallas

Best Reissue
the 39 Steps

Best Blu-ray Upgrade
the Royal Tenenbaums

Best R1 Rescue
Harold and Maude

Best (Re)Discovery
Letter Never Sent

Most Disappointing Release
the Norman Mailer Eclipse Set -- No respected company had any business unleashing Norman Mailer's egotistical bile onto unwitting consumers under the banner of its specialty label. Fuck this release and anyone who thought it was a good idea, including myself for buying it and sitting through it

Best Commentary
David Kalat, Godzilla

Best Bonus Film
the Secret Cinema, Eating Raoul

Best Non-Bonus Film Supplement
Saul Bass / Otto Preminger doc, Anatomy of a Murder

Best Cover
Eating Raoul

Best Packaging
Eating Raoul

[knives]

Most Disappointing Release
the Norman Mailer Eclipse Set -- No respected company had any business unleashing Norman Mailer's egotistical bile onto unwitting consumers under the banner of its specialty label. Fuck this release and anyone who thought it was a good idea, including myself for buying it and sitting through it

Isn't this not supposed to reflect the quality of the films?

[domino harvey]

The "Disappointing" part is that Criterion released them at all

[mfunk9786]

I'm with knives on that reasoning, but I'm sure he'd rather I not be

[zedz]

Well, in the absence of a 'Worst Film' category (am I only imagining that we used to have this very thing?), it's the best place for domino to make the point he wanted to make. The category is already very amorphous: your particular bugbear could be transfer quality, inadequate supplements, ugly packaging, production snafu, presence of Armond White - so why not waste-of-space films?

[knives]

I'm with knives on that reasoning, but I'm sure he'd rather I not be

What makes you think that?

[Jeff]

Well, in the absence of a 'Worst Film' category...why not waste-of-space films?

Tiny Furniture would surely take that category this year in a walk. We should start awarding it next year as the "Tiny Furniture Waste of Space Award."

[The Narrator Returns]

Well, I wouldn't vote for Tiny Furniture. So alone. Soooooooo alonnnnnnneeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mfunk9786]

I'm with knives on that reasoning, but I'm sure he'd rather I not be

What makes you think that?

Richard Cranium award vote?

[knives]

That was mostly because you haven't been as good this year as you usually are with your badgering of people like James Mills and need for quips getting in the way of your potential for great contributions.

[ryannichols7]

Well, in the absence of a 'Worst Film' category...why not waste-of-space films?

Tiny Furniture would surely take that category this year in a walk. We should start awarding it next year as the "Tiny Furniture Waste of Space Award."

I'd vote for Heaven's Gate, personally

[Brian C]

I'm with domino just because he properly wrote the Godard title as Week End, which is plainly correct, instead of "Weekend" like everybody else does.

[colinr0380]

Is it "Week End" or "Week-End" though? I've seen it written both ways.

[domino harvey]

We eke'nd

[Michael]

Best Release

Rosemary's Baby
Weekend (Haigh)
Lonesome
Summer with Monika
Summer Interlude

Best Eclipse Set

Pearls of the New Czech Wave

Best Reissue

The 39 Steps

Best Blu-ray Upgrade

In the Mood For Love

Best R1 Rescue

Rosemary’s Baby

Best Release of a New(ish) Film

Weekend (Haigh)

Best (Re)Discovery

Summer with Monika / Summer Interlude

Best Non-Bonus Film Supplement

Remembering Rosemary’s Baby

Member of the Year

MichaelB

[mfunk9786]

Michael, may I ask why Summer With Monika was your best discovery but not in your top 5 (considering there are two empty slots)? Did something about the release disappoint you enough to leave it out? Just curious.

[Michael]

I just realized that and corrected the list. I must clear the morning eyes and finish my coffee before I read in the morning.

[mfunk9786]

I wasn't trying to twist your arm, was just curious! Now I feel like mafioso.

[rossen]

Best Release (1-5, in order of preference):
1. Lonesome
2. Summer With Monika
3. Rosemary's Baby
4. Letter Never Sent
5. Summer Interlude

Best Eclipse Set:
Gremillon

Best Non-Eclipse Box Set:
David Lean Directs Noel Coward

Best Reissue:
Rashomon


Best Blu-ray Upgrade:
In The Mood for Love

Best R1 Rescue (for title already available in R1 and re-released by Criterion)
Rosemary's Baby

Best (Re)Discovery:
Anatomy of a Murder

Most Disappointing Release:
Tiny Furniture

Best Commentary:
Richard Koszarsky commentary on Lonesome

Best Bonus Film(s):
The Last Performance and Broadway on Lonesome and Komeda, Komeda on Rosemary's Baby

Best Cover(s):
Trilogy of Life

Best Packaging:
Godzilla

Member of the Year:
Swo

Richard Cranium:
The company responsible for Children of Paradise travesty and the people who defended them and the so-called restoration


Best Non Criterion R1 releases:
On the Bowery - Milestone
Turin Horse and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia - Cinema Guild

[Matt]

I'm not submitting a ballot, but I would like to offer, for your consideration for Member of the Year, David M. for his posts in the Technical Issues and Questions thread. As much as certain members might deserve to be Member of the Year every year, let's not make them the Candice Bergens of CF.org.

[jwd5275]

Best Release
Lonesome
Godzilla
Hollis Frampton
Gold Rush
La Promessa

Best Eclipse Set
Jean-Pierre Gorin

Best Non-Eclipse Box Set
Trilogy of Life

Best Reissue
Samurai Trilogy

Best Blu-ray Upgrade
Royal Tenenbaums

Best R1 Rescue
Pearls of the Czech New Wave

Best (Re)Discovery
Letter Never Sent

Most Disappointing Release
Heaven’s Gate

Best Commentary
Kalat on Godzilla

Best Bonus Film
The Report

Best Cover
Anatomy of a Murder

Best Cover by Someone Who Hasn’t Been Dead for Over 15 Years
World on a Wire

Best Packaging
Godzilla

Member of the Year
MichaelB

Richard Cranium Award
misterlime

[zedz]

I'm not submitting a ballot, but I would like to offer, for your consideration for Member of the Year, David M. for his posts in the Technical Issues and Questions thread. As much as certain members might deserve to be Member of the Year every year, let's not make them the Candice Bergens of CF.org.

Good suggestions. There used to be a sort of gentleman's agreement that past Member of the Year winners wouldn't be voted for again (or at least, not soon-ish). Though this gentleman's agreement never seemed to apply to Richard Cranium recipients because, well, screw them.

[swo17]

It might be helpful if in domino's instructions post, all the past winners were listed in one place and voters were encouraged not to vote for any of those members, barring some compelling reason to do so.

EDIT: I believe these are all the past winners:
David Hare, HerrSchreck, zedz, domino harvey, Cold Bishop, Michael Kerpan, swo17

[Jeff]

Richard Cranium Award
misterlime

Oh, thanks for the reminder. Award unvacated!

[zedz]

It might be helpful if in domino's instructions post, all the past winners were listed in one place and voters were encouraged not to vote for any of those members, barring some compelling reason to do so.

EDIT: I believe these are all the past winners:
David Hare, HerrSchreck, zedz, domino harvey, Cold Bishop, Michael Kerpan, swo17

Wot no MichaelB? (begins stealth campaign)