I've applauded this film so much in this forum I'll try not to repeat myself too much, but this release has 'Release of the Year' all over it IMO. Amazing atmospheric movie with some really haunting and beautiful music.

The story IMO is right along the lines of The Leopard. The changing of the guard and the loss of a way of life. Around him the world he knows is in upheaval as the feudal ways of the past recede and technology and modernization encroach. It isn't really the main characters love for music IMO that drives him to ruin, but his need to turn back the clock to better days. He longs to feel a few more fleeting moments of when things were right in his world. Spending what money he has to relive and remind him of those moments in time. He loves the music no doubt, but I think its that connection to his past he is after. Many of us have similar devices whether music or a TV show or something that reminds us of our youth or better times. Atleast that was my take on the movie.

Changing of the guard I think is a very description for it. I never made the connection with The Leopard but you are right they have a similar feel to them in the theme of the story.

Just picked up America Lost and Found: The BBS Story. I misses out on it during the B&N sale because I was too dumb to buy it when it was in my hands early in the sale. I picked it up for about the same price I would have gotten it for had I used my membership and $8 coupon. I paid 33.72 out of pocket (with a $60 store credit). I am psyched to start watching this! I need to stop buying movies as I have way too many that need watching!


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Fun to be on vacation, time to relax and watch movies

The 39 Steps (1935)

If I need to be straight about my review then I must mention that in reality this was my first time seeing the movie and in a way a blind buy. The reason I don't look at it as a blind buy is because I had seen other versions of the film and knew what the story is about even if each movie as a different adaptation of the story. Now having said that I must now ask a question. Am I the only one that think's young Hitchcock is much better and superior to old Hollywood Hitchcock? Do not get me wrong, I enjoy many of his later movies but feel that many of his silent and B&W movies have a charm that just got lost later on in his bigger Hollywood projects? If you have not seen The 39 Steps, I recommend that you do.

What's the cheapest place / website to buy these? I don't have a single Criterion Collection film in Blu-Ray. I do own Armaggedon, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Rock, and The Royal Tenenbaums, but those are the DVD versions. I noticed today that most of them at Best Buy were $30. I know Barnes And Noble runs 50% off sales. Does anyone have the next date for one?

The Criterion Collection films that I want (the most) are:

8 1/2
12 Angry Men
39 Steps
Anatomy Of A Murder
Antichrist
Being John Malkovich
Blow Out
Bottle Rocket
Broadcast News
Carlos
Charade
Che
Cronos
Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Darjeeling Limited
Days Of Heaven
Dazed And Confused
Down By Law
Eating Raoul (September 25)
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
Game (September 25)
In The Realm Of The Senses
Killing
Lady Vanishes
Last Days Of Disco
Last Emperor
Last Temptation Of Christ
M
Metropolitan
Night Of The Hunter
Night To Remember
Paths Of Glory
Red Shoes
Ride With The Devil
Robinson Crusoe On Mars
Rosemary's Baby (October 30)
Royal Tenenbaums (August 14)
Rushmore
Salo, Or The 120 Days Of Sodom
Seven Samurai
Seventh Seal
Shallow Grave
Something Wild
Thin Red Line
Third Man (OOP) :(
Traffic
Wings Of Desire

You just miss the B&N 50% off from last month. You best bet is keep checking Amazon as they have many radom sales for Criterion from time to time and be patient.

As for The Third Man, I suggest you pick up the Studio Cannal release unless you are willing to pay $150+ for it on Ebay

The next date for that is most likely going to be November. For now, I'd recommend Amazon as a pretty good place, considering their 'regular' prices for the majority of titles are often in the $20-$25 range, and it's common to find much better prices for used copies on there as well.

Edit: Errr....what P@t said

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is $10 at Walmart.

It depends on when you start the clock on old Hitchcock.

Pre-Rebecca Hitchcock is markedly superior to post-The Birds Hitchcock but neither can lay a glove of most of the stuff that came in between.

Does The 39 Steps have its appeal? Sure. Would I take it in a second over Torn Curtain? Absolutely.

But neither are really in the same class with Shadow of a Doubt or Notorious or Rear Window or even Rope. He did some incredible stuff - and a lot of it - between 1940-1963.

I also recommend eBay.. I've gotten quite a few for under or right at $20

Not that I "hate" old Hitchcock even if I can't claim to be a fan of all of his 50's and 60's movies like many of you. I usually find is earlier movies to have a different charm to them that seem to interest me more than the older stuff. For example Vertigo or Rear Window, two movies that don't hold much interest for me. Psycho is another one that while I can see why people would love does very little for me. My two favorite from his later period are probably the two that most would rank lower, North By Northwest and The Birds

from the Criterion forum:

That's the '34 Peter Lorre version, in case you're wondering.

I see what P@t means with the charm. There is a more rampant, rough sense of humor in the British pictures that eases into a much more polished sophistication in the Hollywood pictures, and practically disappears in Hitch's later period. That's not to say the Hollywood pictures aren't funny - North by Northwest in my opinion almost qualifies as an outright comedy.

I agree though, Hitch's Hollywood period from Rebecca to -; well especially from Strangers on a Train to The Birds/Marnie, is second-to-none.

The film is also vastly different from the novel. Both are equally good in their own right though. :)

Just Late Spring left to get in the mail (interesting, since it shipped before M and Samurai trilogy) as far as the 50% off titles are concerned (Le Havre doesn't count).

Also, count me in for one of the ones who wants Suddenly, Last Summer to be added to the collection. I finally watched it yesterday (after having it sit on a HDD from when I had cable for almost 6 months now :o) because I was on a Tennessee Williams kick (actually, if you want to be technical, a bit of a Southern Gothic kick, because I also read some Flannery O'Connor and some Davis Grubb once I finished the three Williams plays I chose to read.). The film is still shocking today, and I'm honestly surprised that they could even film it in 1959, even after toning down the subject matter. I agree with Williams though, Liz was miscast as Catherine, but Katherine Hepburn was fantastic as usual. :D

Not sure but I do not think any of the movies ever made about this novel were ever close to the novel? I think each one take's liberties with the story?

As we speak im accessing WiFi off the theatre (crazy, why do they have wifi? Do they want people to be online during the show?)(El Paso Plaza Film Festival!)(dont worry ill stop once the show starts) before a showing of The Great Escape......Anyways, as far as I'm concerned Late Spring is one of the top CC releases of the year. Great film. Enjoy.

Interesting. JM doesn't mention Foreign Correspondent...

Well, the subject was PD films, which would exclude FC. One of the pleasant surprises in HD-land for me has been the willingness to release PD works like Nothing Sacred which seemed to be missing in the standard def market.

I'm wondering where the 'Hitchcock Nine' will land stateside and hoping that some of the best titles will end up at the wacky C ranch.

The drawback to PD films is their elements are often not maintained.