The Criterion Collection

[MJD64]

There's always Smiles Of A Summer Night if one wants "lighter" Bergman; still one of the greatest romantic comedies ever, IMO.

[mrjohnnyb]

I haven't seen it since it first came out in the 1980's, but I remember that I found Awakenings, with Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams, to be a depressing film experience.

[Sifox211]

Dancer in the dark is the only movie I've seen where most of the audience sat until the lights went up and there were a lot of people openly crying. I didn't find it depressing so much as sad, but that was tempered a lot by being aware of how starkly manipulative the film making was.

[Gerby]

I'd like to add these two to the list of good depressing movies:
Christiane F. (1981)
Lilya 4-Ever (2002)

[Reddington]

Talking of depressing films, Shout Factory is releasing The Plague Dogs.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=22354

Posting here as I know some had hoped for a Criterion release as a companion to Watership Down.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by mja345

Exactly. Von Trier sets out to make his films deliberately depressing. He wallows in that shit. "Breaking the Waves" is his most depressing film IMO. As great as von Trier's films are, I never go, "Man, I just want to go back and experience that again as soon as possible." His films are usually great, but they require a long respite from the intensity and oppressive bleakness.

I've also found out that they don't really stand up to repeat viewings either, at least not for me.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Well, Bergman made lots of happy-go-lucky films. Especially that one.

It's a Scandanavian thing. They have no sunlight so they make the happiest movies on Earth. Virgin Spring is another that just uplifts the soul.

Bergman is one of my favorite filmmakers (Winter Light would probably be a top 10 all time movie for me), and most of them are bleak, but Cries and Whispers just hits very very hard.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by repulsed

What's depressing about NIN?
Something's wrong with me [emoji51]

Anyone find Her really depressing? The first time it didn't hit me but the second time was rough

NIN rules.

I love Her. I can see how people might find it depressing but I don't. It seemed to really bother my dad though. I think he thought it was going to be about something else or something. Darker material sometimes bothers him.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by nitin

Bergman is one of my favorite filmmakers (Winter Light would probably be a top 10 all time movie for me), and most of them are bleak, but Cries and Whispers just hits very very hard.

Oh man, I need to see Winter Light soon again.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Purplenoon

I'm curious why you found Tokyo Story so depressing. I have given copies of it to each of my 45+ year old children to watch, but both refuse. They have apparently heard things. Try as I must, as a parent, I can't understand their reluctance. To me, since I first viewed it at their age, it has always seemed one of the most realistic and true stories about families ever put on film. Perhaps it hits too close to home? My son calls it "that film about kids having to take care of their parents". So far from the truth. True, we all die alone. But also true that without us our children would not exist, no? Help me understand why you find it so depressing. I think it is a truly beautiful film about the nature of "family". And by a postwar Japanese filmmaker no less.

I feel so bad for the older couple. It's one of the last trips they'll probably take. Their children should be grateful that their parents are coming to visit them. Instead, they treat them like a burden. The only one who respects them and makes them feel welcomed is their ex-daughter-in-law (the wife of their deceased son). No one should ever make another feel like a burden, especially one's parents. As the ending demonstrates, you can't turn back the hands of time and try to make up for time you missed out on.

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by Purplenoon

I'm curious why you found Tokyo Story so depressing. I have given copies of it to each of my 45+ year old children to watch, but both refuse. They have apparently heard things. Try as I must, as a parent, I can't understand their reluctance. To me, since I first viewed it at their age, it has always seemed one of the most realistic and true stories about families ever put on film. Perhaps it hits too close to home? My son calls it "that film about kids having to take care of their parents". So far from the truth. True, we all die alone. But also true that without us our children would not exist, no? Help me understand why you find it so depressing. I think it is a truly beautiful film about the nature of "family". And by a postwar Japanese filmmaker no less.

Originally Posted by iScottie

I feel so bad for the older couple. It's one of the last trips they'll probably take. Their children should be grateful that their parents are coming to visit them. Instead, they treat them like a burden. The only one who respects them and makes them feel welcomed is their ex-daughter-in-law (the wife of their deceased son). No one should ever make another feel like a burden, especially one's parents. As the ending demonstrates, you can't turn back the hands of time and try to make up for time you missed out on.

Well said!

Ozu has a wonderfully soft touch as a storyteller. Using supreme controlled and focused filmmaking, he guides the viewer toward these realization without belaboring his points. This allows his audience to "feel" along with the characters and thereby amplifies the intensity of those emotions.

[javy]

Originally Posted by nitin

For me, the movie that I have found the most painful to watch is Cries and Whispers. No contest. Great film but it totally wrecked me.

Heh, I scored Cries and Whispers a couple of weeks ago of ebay for cheap. I can't wait.

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Oh man, I need to see Winter Light soon again.

I also just scored A Film Trilogy by Ingmar Bergman dvd set. I can't wait to watch these too.

[javy]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

NIN rules.

I love Her. I can see how people might find it depressing but I don't. It seemed to really bother my dad though. I think he thought it was going to be about something else or something. Darker material sometimes bothers him.

I love Her too. Spike Jonze needs to make more movies.


Here is NIN uncut video of Closer. It's a true work of art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTFw...ature=youtu.be

[italy12]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

NIN rules.

I love Her. I can see how people might find it depressing but I don't. It seemed to really bother my dad though. I think he thought it was going to be about something else or something. Darker material sometimes bothers him.

Absolute truth.

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by mja345

A sneaky depressing film is Frank Perry's "The Swimmer". The last half hour of that movie is pretty devastating. "Clean, Shaven", which Criterion released, is a huge downer as well.

Great picks, mja. The Swimmer especially sneaks up on you after at first it seems like a bizarre comedy with Lancaster's character just strangely jaunting around town from pool to pool.

Clean, Shaven does one of the best jobs ever of getting inside the head of the main character, and it's not a very pleasant head to be in.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Hoke Moseley

Great picks, mja. The Swimmer especially sneaks up on you after at first it seems like a bizarre comedy with Lancaster's character just strangely jaunting around town from pool to pool.

Clean, Shaven does one of the best jobs ever of getting inside the head of the main character, and it's not a very pleasant head to be in.

I was absolutely blindsided when I first saw The Swimmer because I truly did think it was some bizarre comedy like you said. I did not expect that ending AT ALL. That was back when I was in my mid-twenties. When I recently re-watched the film in blu-ray, I found it even more depressing now that I'm in my 40s. I actually watched the Happy Ending around the same time. Nothing like watching a couple of movies about mid-life crises then pondering the fact that most of the cast members in both movies are now dead.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by repulsed

What's depressing about NIN?
Something's wrong with me [emoji51]

[Show spoiler]Anyone find Her really depressing? The first time it didn't hit me but the second time was rough

Yeah I guess NIN may have been a bad example.

I remember growing up, my dad always used to play The Downward Spiral on Christmas Eve and we would all sit around the tree with steaming cups of hot cocoa and dad would read The Night Before Christmas.

...it was a magical time.

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce3xOgg9mtk

[MifuneFan]

Nobody Knows, man, Nobody Knows



I'm actually surprised that Criterion hasn't picked this one up yet.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I'm actually surprised that Criterion hasn't picked this one up yet.

I'm more surprised that Criterion hasn't released ANY Koreeda film aside from Still Walking.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm more surprised that Criterion hasn't released ANY Koreeda film aside from Still Walking.

Agreed. I remember there were some rumors that they might have gotten Our Little Sister after the apparent Sony BD release was cancelled.