November 19 Update

Writer and film-maker Megan Abbott shared this on Twitter today:

Gabriel Byrne, Megan Abbott, and John Turturro
Gabriel Byrne

You can find out more about Megan Abbott at her website. She has published a ton of award-winning novels and is currently co-creator, executive producer and show-runner of Dare Me, based upon her novel, for the USA Network and, internationally, Netflix.

And something else to look forward to in this new Criterion release:


November 17

The holidays are here! And this is the first present we would all like to see for the Winter Holiday of Our Choice, right?!

We’ll have to wait until February 8 for this gem, so wait we will (and pre-order it, too!).

I dunno, Bernie. I’m not so good at waiting . . .

Collider brings us this great news:

The Criterion Collection train keeps on chugging as it announces its upcoming list of new arrivals for February. The list will see the likes of Rock Hudson starring in Written on the Wind, which receives a 2K digital restoration along with an enhancement for 16×9 viewing on televisions. 1920s themed gangster epic Miller’s Crossing will be accompanied by a film noir and crime fiction-focused discussion between directors Joel and Ethan Coen and crime author Megan Abbott. Six-time Oscar-nominated Love Affair will be getting a 4K digital restoration makeover to accompany an uncompressed monaural soundtrack mastered for Blu-ray. Finally, the crushing story of life for Vietnamese refugees after the Vietnam war, Boat People, will include new conversations between director Anne Hui and filmmaker Stanley Kwan, who served as the film’s assistant director.

Miller’s Crossing is coming from Criterion! This is holiday heaven.

Criterion’s Homepage at the moment, with Miller’s Crossing in the spotlight:

The Criterion website is full of enormous images and tons of information for all of the great films you care about and all of the great films you have never seen. Any time spent there is time well spent, I say. heart

New Cover Art

The new cover art for Miller’s Crossing is by Patrick Leger. The scene is iconic and I love the minimalist approach he has taken here:

More Patrick Leger artwork for this Criterion edition of the film from his Instagram:

What Makes Criterion Editions Special?

Any time Miller’s Crossing is released in a new format or with new extras is a time for celebration, of course. This time, though, is really special. We’re getting a 2K digital restoration, plus lots of new interviews and content.

Criterion’s mission:

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium—from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD to streaming—Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film.

Stop speculatin’ about a hypothesis. The new Blu-ray is coming. Bank on it.

Special Edition Features

The Criterion Collection new edition for Miller’s Crossing includes these director-approved Blu-ray special edition features:

  • 2K digital restoration, approved by director of photography Barry Sonnenfeld and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, with new 5.1 surround soundtrack mix presented in DTS-HD Master Audio
  • New conversation between author Megan Abbott and the Coens about film noir and hard-boiled crime fiction
  • New interviews with Sonnenfeld, composer Carter Burwell, music editor Todd Kasow, and production designer Dennis Gassner
  • New and archival interviews with actors Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, Jon Polito, and John Turturro
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by film critic Glenn Kenny
What’s the rumpus? We’re getting spiffed up for a new release, Verna!

Criterion’s Synopsis for Miller’s Crossing

A Roaring Twenties gangster saga that only the Coen brothers could concoct, Miller’s Crossing marries the hard-boiled sensibility of classic noir fiction with the filmmakers’ trademark savory dialogue, colorful characters, and finely calibrated set pieces. Gabriel Byrne brings a wry gravitas to the role of Tom Reagan, the quick-thinking right-hand man to a powerful crime boss (Albert Finney), whose unflappable cool is tested when he begins offering his services to a rival outfit—setting off a cascade of betrayals, reprisals, and increasingly berserk violence. The Hopperesque visuals of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, majestically elegiac score by Carter Burwell, and vivid supporting performances from John Turturro and Marcia Gay Harden come together in an intricately constructed slice of pulp perfection that crackles with sardonic wit while plumbing existential questions about free will and our own terrifying capacity for evil.

Screencaps from the Clip

The perfect Miller’s Crossing clip is at the Criterion website, so be sure to check it out!

This is one of Gabriel Byrne’s finest films. It is so lovely to see it being given the Criterion treatment.

Happy Early Holidays! heart

One Comment

  1. I find it interesting how many movies use lines from this movie.

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