The Criterion Collection is known for their dedication to championing classic and contemporary movies we should all be seeing, showcasing them with exquisite transfers and film school-level special features. But when it comes to their streaming service The Criterion Channel, the catalog is a bit looser. And it got weird and worse(?) this month, as they added a 14-title retrospective of the Golden Raspberry Awards. Titled “And the Razzie Goes To…”, Criterion’s grouping compiles 14 movies that come complete with bees, turkey time and whatever the hell Tom Green was doing for the duration of Freddy Got Fingered.
Here is the full list of Razzie flicks now available on The Criterion Channel: Cruising (1980), Heaven’s Gate (1980), Xanadu (1980), Querelle (1982), Under the Cherry Moon (1986), Ishtar (1987), Cocktail (1988), Showgirls (1995), Barb Wire (1996), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Freddy Got Fingered (2001), Swept Away (2002), Gigli (2003), and The Wicker Man (2006). That’s more than 80 Razzie nominations, ranging from Showgirls’s record-setting 13 to The Blair Witch Project’s mere two.
While it can be easy to make fun of a lot of these titles (although I’ll defend Showgirls in any venue), this is a fantastic way to experience these much-maligned movies whether for the first time or for a few nostalgic laughs. Sure, a lot of them earned their reputations, but there are also some that are far from deserving of their Razzie wins: we now know that Heaven’s Gate gets a bad wrap for helping kill the New Hollywood (it’s a masterpiece, people!) and that Ishtar isn’t all that bad (…right?). Plenty have also gone on to become cult favorites among a niche crowd, such as Barb Wire, Showgirls and Freddy Got Fingered. As a matter of fact, I finally watched Pamela Anderson’s futuristic twist on Casablanca — (“winner” of the Worst New Star Razzie) — courtesy of Criterion and you know what?…OK, it’s not very good but it does have some high-energy camerawork and editing and Anderson owns every moment. So, what else got included in Criterion’s ode to the Razzies?
Criterion highlighting this selection of Razzie movies might seem odd — and it is, don’t get me wrong — but they do have a terrific sense of humor about them. Remember their short-lived April Fools Day pranks where they announced movies like Kindergarten Cop and C.H.U.D. as part of their collection? Think of this as the streaming version of that, except they actually pulled the trigger on the ridiculous lineup.
The Razzies have made a lot of headlines over the last few years, from picking on an 11-year-old to showing some sympathy to the likes of Shelley Duvall and Bruce Willis.
Which past Razzie winner would you want to see get the full Criterion Collection treatment? Give us your pick below!