This week is anchored by two much-needed Criterion rescues. The most obvious of the two is the Blu-Ray of The Magnificent Ambersons, sadly still lacking in the lost footage but at least given a 4K restoration and a wealth of supplements (including two commentaries with three Welles scholars). But the one I’m most excited for is David Byrne’s one and only directorial effort, True Stories. I haven’t seen it, because its only release up to this point was pan-and-scan, but all signs point to it being completely up my alley, from the cinematography by Ed Lachman to the soundtrack, collected here in a semi-comprehensive version for the first time ever (complete with the original cast member vocals for several of the Talking Heads songs). I have, however, seen Robert Altman’s Brewster McCloud, out this week from the Warner Archive Collection, to quoth the poster for another Altman movie, it’s the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. A nearly unclassifiable absurdist comedy/murder mystery/revolutionary call to arms, it’s a proto-Schizopolis that somehow got a major studio release. Arrow also has Altman’s Gosford Park out this week, but Warner is doing especially good work for unleashing this lunacy on a wider audience.

Brewster McCloud (Warner)
The Captain (Music Box)
The Critters Collection (Shout Factory)
Gosford Park (Arrow Academy)
The Killing of Sister George (Kino)
The Little Stranger (Universal)
The Magnificent Ambersons (Criterion)
Mame (Warner)
Philadelphia 4K (Sony)
Searching (Sony)
Sharp Objects (HBO)
True Stories (Criterion)