Every month, the good people over at the Criterion Collection announce which films are getting the special treatment. And each month, our wallets get lighter and lighter. That obviously isn’t a complaint, as the company releases some of the greatest films of all time in the best possible formats on a monthly basis. But boy, oh boy, it’s not the cheapest thing in the world to be a film fan that likes the classics. It appears that the company has actually outdone itself for July 29, with half a dozen incredible releases. Cinephiles, it’s time to get out that credit card.
Of all the films coming to the Collection in July, the highest-profile release of the month is probably the special 30th-anniversary Criterion release of Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing.” Not only do you get all the bells and whistles in the special features department such as interviews, documentaries, an audio commentary, and deleted scenes, but this Criterion edition comes with a brand-new 4K restoration of the film, approved by cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, in a complete package that is all approved by Lee himself.
But July isn’t just Spike Lee month over at Criterion. Not at all. Joining “Do the Right Thing” in the summer month is the Jane Fonda-starring classic, “Klute,” from filmmaker Alan J. Pakula, appearing for the first time on Blu-ray. Agnieszka Holland’s “Europa Europa” is also getting the Criterion treatment in July, complete with a new restoration. Then, you have the classic “1984,” starring John Hurt and Richard Burton, with a restoration that is approved by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins.
The final two Criterion releases for July 2019 include Marcel Pagnol’s enchanting comedy “The Baker’s Wife,” with a new 4K restoration, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s incredible “BRD Trilogy,” which includes the films “The Marriage of Maria Braun,” “Veronika Voss,” and “Lola.”
Oh, and if that’s not enough film goodness for you, then you should probably go ahead and sign up for the Criterion Channel streaming service, if you haven’t already.