Criterion’s June Slate Includes Jarmusch’s ‘Mystery Train,’ Antonioni’s ‘Red Desert,’ Kiarostami’s ‘Close Up’ & More

The Criterion Collection has announced their June releases and it’s a heady mix that includes a landmark film by Jim Jarmusch, arthouse favorites by Michelangelo Antonioni and Abbas Kiarostami and one of last year’s overlooked gems.

Leading things off, Jim Jarmusch’s “Mystery Train” joins “Down By Law,” “Night On Earth” and “Stranger Than Paradise” in the collection. The 1989 film is the director’s love letter to rock ‘n roll, with a triptych of stories that honor Stax Records, Sun Studio, Graceland, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. The eclectic cast includes cult icon Screaming Jay Hawkins, Robert Benigni’s wife Nicoletta Braschi, Steve Buscemi, Cinqué Lee and Rufus Thomas. Extras on the DVD and BluRay release will include two video Q&As (one from 2009 All Tomorrow’s Parties festival and the other featuring Jarmusch answering fan submitted questions), an original documentary on locations in the film and a booklet of essays.

Michelango Antonioni’s “Red Desert” gets a long overdue R1 appearance in June, getting both the DVD and BluRay treatment. The director’s 1964 film, and his first featurein color is an enigmatic look at “spiritual desolation” starring Monica Vitti. The extras are slim but substantial including outtakes, archival interviews with Antonioni and Vitti as well as a booklet of essays including a reprint of an interview with Antonioni by Jean-Luc Godard.

Beloved Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiaorstami’s “Close Up” will also see release in June. Blurring the line between fiction and fact, the film uses a real life event, “the arrest of a young man on charges that he fraudulently impersonated well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf” as a launching point to investigate a variety of themes. The 2-disc DVD set boasts a wealth of extras including: “The Traveler” an early short by Kiarostami; “Close Up: Long Shot” a documentary on Hossein Sabzian, the central figure in the film; “A Walk With Kiaorstami” a documentary on the director as well as a commentary and essays.

Criterion continues their relationship with IFC in June with a 2-disc DVD edition of Jan Kroell’s “Everlasting Moments.” A Playlist favorite — our EIC calls it “ambroisal” — the film, based on a true story, chronicles a woman who finds personal expression and liberty through photography. The extra platter will include: “Jan Troell’s Magic Mirror” a documentary about the director; a short documentary on the making of the film and a documentary featuring the real life photographs of Maria Larsson, the inspiration for the film. The set is rounded out by a trailer and essay by Noah Baumbach bff-4-life Armond White.

Lastly, Criterion dusts off Brit director Carol Reed’s comic and thrilling “Night Train To Munich.” The crisp WWII-set film, takes viewers on a cross-country journey “as Nazis pursue a Czech scientist and his daughter (Margaret Lockwood), who are being aided by a debonair British undercover agent, played by Rex Harrison.” This is a slim set, with only some video interviews as extras, but it sounds like a blast, and being helmed by the director of “The Third Man” and “The Fallen Idol” will ensure it’s one we check out.