Criterion in January 2025: YOJIMBO and SANJURO, Together in 4K. Plus, THE MOTHER AND THE WHORE, JO JO DANCER, and THE GRIFTERS.

To get the new calendar year off to a good start, may I suggest turning your attention to the Criterion Collection's upcoming releases in January 2025, highlighted by new 4K editions of Yojimbo and Sanjuro.

If you're a regular reader of this site, I assume that you've already seen both those films, and likely already possess copies on DVD and/or Blu-ray, but Criterion's 4K editions of black and white films look sumptuously beautiful and make the experience entirely new (again). That's the chief selling point for this 2-film edition, since it doesn't seem to have any new special features, but they are 4K digital restorations, so that should be sufficient reason for another purchase.

Among the new new releases, we have Jean Eustache's classic The Mother and the Whore from 1973, available in 4K; Richard Pryor's cracked Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling from 1986, also available in 4K (?!); Stephen Frears' great The Grifters from 1990, also available in 4K; and Anthony Mann's great Winchester '73, starring James Stewart, from 1950, and also available in 4K.

In fewer words: welcome to 2025, Criterion and all 4K disc-player owners! Visit the official Criterion site for details and to place your orders.