The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Thanks for your thoughts. While watching the film I sometimes wondered why we don't get that closer look into both characters that you reference here. I ended up realizing that wasn't the point. That middle-of-nowhere feeling and the meaningless quality to every decision as if all this exists in a strange world beyond our understanding---it's what actually made the film special. That other approach would have been fairly straight-forward.

Revisiting Badlands again, the random disregard shown by both characters struck a nerve with me.
For example,

[Show spoiler]Holly throwing her sick catfish into the backyard at the beginning of the movie. There's just something so wrong and thoughtless about the whole action, and I realized that the scene has more relevance with respect to Holly's mindset than I previously thought. Kit, in turn, has a way of showing a momentary fascination with things throughout the movie, only to discard them a couple seconds later. These two people are just...not right.
I really appreciate how Malick does not try to explain this or rationalize how the characters came into being the way that they are. They just are what they are. Kit and Holly are so similar to the landscapes that they inhabit. Just a lot of nothingness.
Kit driving the Cadillac across the landscape without following any roads....I loved those scenes.

Badlands made me think about a rather strange film from the 1990s, Miami Blues, starring Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh. In both films, the two main characters are so vacantly off the beaten path that I just have to shake my head and smile.

[DarkRyder]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I reccomend seeing Spring Breakers but by no means would I want a CC release. I get the impression that Korine is just a prankster.

I don't want the film to get a Criterion release, there are much more important movies (Fassbinder) that they need to release. Just was trying to recommend it to people on here

[Scottie]

For fans of Lars von Trier's "Antichrist", I strongly recommend seeing his newest film, "Melancholia".

[Visco.]

Originally Posted by iScottie

For fans of Lars von Trier's "Antichrist", I strongly recommend seeing his newest film, "Melancholia".

That's one of my top 20 favorite films.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Does anyone here have the Criterion Eclipse set of Raymond Bernard's Les Misérables and Wooden Crosses?

I've always heard that Bernard's 1934 version of Les Misérables is the best film adaptation to date. Not sure if it has a Blu-ray release anywhere, but Criterion does a stellar job with the Eclipse DVDs.

I have it, but have not watched it yet. I bought it primarily for Wooden Crosses, which I saw years ago. I also have heard Bernard's version is the best adaptation of Les Miserables.

I seem to recall reading on this thread last year that Bernard's LM may be one of the few films in the Eclipse series that could see an upgrade to blu one day (due to a recent restoration??)...don't quote me on that though. I know Daisies from the Pearls of the Czech New Wave set is likely to get a blu upgrade, and for some reason I am thinking LM was mentioned too.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Visco.

That's one of my top 20 favorite films.

I just watched it and I was engrossed throughout the entire film.

It's an excellent portrayal of human behavior during the onset of such a disaster. From the start of the film until the end, we see a digression in each character's personalities, which brings a bizarre sense of happiness to the viewer.

I love Lars.

Edit: I forgot to mention it was Kirsten Dunst's best performance. I never really took her VERY serious as an actress, but she really impressed me.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Does anyone here have the Criterion Eclipse set of Raymond Bernard's Les Misérables and Wooden Crosses?

I've always heard that Bernard's 1934 version of Les Misérables is the best film adaptation to date. Not sure if it has a Blu-ray release anywhere, but Criterion does a stellar job with the Eclipse DVDs.

It's a great adaptation, and yes, probably the most faithful to the novel (considerably due to its length). I still prefer the Broadway show, but not the awful film adaptation that came out last Christmas that butchered the stage experience. As far as film versions go, yes, it's the best one I've seen, and the most comprehensive. I could see a 10-part mini-series for a channel like HBO getting made someday that gives us an even fuller version of the epic story.

Originally Posted by PrestonXI

I have discouraged people from even starting to watch Lost because of the incredibly un satisfying conclusion. No, I am not talking about the "unanswered questions" but just the generally lazy writing. I do not believe for one second they knew where the show was headed from day one.

Love LOST, and thought the conclusion was perfectly satisfying. I saw no "lazy writing", regardless of whether they knew where the series was headed or not. I thought they answered every question they needed to (and even some, like the numbers, they originally said they weren't intending to answer) and the ending came down to what the core of the show was always and ultimately about: not the island but the characters on it.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

For fans of Lars von Trier's "Antichrist", I strongly recommend seeing his newest film, "Melancholia".

...Or actually watching his best films that are not on Blu ray: Breaking the Waves and Dancer in The Dark. Not to take anything away from Melancholia (which is great).

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Edit: I forgot to mention it was Kirsten Dunst's best performance. I never really took her VERY serious as an actress, but she really impressed me.

I think it's the only film that turned me into a fan of hers..suddenly I care about what roles she gets when I didn't at all before. Not that it makes any difference...it wasn't exactly the start of a great run of films for her.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

...Or actually watching his best films that are not on Blu ray: Breaking the Waves and Dancer in The Dark. Not to take anything away from Melancholia (which is great).

It looks as if Dancer In The Dark is available in Japan

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Dance...Blu-ray/62790/

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

...Or actually watching his best films that are not on Blu ray: Breaking the Waves and Dancer in The Dark. Not to take anything away from Melancholia (which is great).

Hard to believe we don't already have those films

Although personally I do prefer Melancholia.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I think it's the only film that turned me into a fan of hers..suddenly I care about what roles she gets when I didn't at all before. Not that it makes any difference...it wasn't exactly the start of a great run of films for her.

I agree. The only role I really liked her in pre-Melancholia was The Virgin Suicides.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

It looks as if Dancer In The Dark is available in Japan

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Dance...Blu-ray/62790/

I've seen parts of that disc, and it really looks no better than the DVD. Since it was shot on consumer grade DVCAM (not even HD-DV), it looks about like 28 Days Later does, if not a little worse.

[shortmartin]

I'm an avid reader of this forum, and I've noticed that there is commonly much hype around Paris, Texas. After having watched it last night, I wanted to post a reply - it is an amazing film, subtle, with an arc that is just so engrossing, and outstanding performances all around . . . and so many thanks for the positive reviews of the film on this forum.

Picking up another note, I too am looking forward to seeing Spring Breakers. Going this week at the local theater. I'm a big fan of Gummo, and personally do think that it at least is worthy of a CC spine number.

[pedromc69]

Is Criterion releasing the elephant man here in the states

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by DarkRyder

Not Criterion related, but I just need to whole-heartedly recommend Spring Breakers. The film is an amazing satire on modern youth culture, along with some interesting things to say about race and gender relations.

A big, big YES to this.

The only reason I wouldn't want it in the CC is that I want it sooner than later.

Originally Posted by iScottie

I agree. The only role I really liked her in pre-Melancholia was The Virgin Suicides.

Have you not seen Marie Antoinette yet? But yes, Melancholia was amazing and one of my faves of 2011, and it's too bad Dunst wasn't Oscar nommed for either of these two films to be honest.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by soarinsteven

The only reason I wouldn't want it in the CC is that I want it sooner than later.

That's what I always think when people request newer films---that, you know, it'll take two years for that request to come true..

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

That's what I always think when people request newer films---that, you know, it'll take two years for that request to come true..

That and.. well, there are just so many older titles - titles that are either OOP or just have a poor DVD release - that deserve the treatment instead.

[vader4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

For fans of Lars von Trier's "Antichrist", I strongly recommend seeing his newest film, "Melancholia".

I would also recommend The Element of Crime which is vastly underrated.

[KrugerIndustrial]

Originally Posted by pedromc69

Is Criterion releasing the elephant man here in the states

Isn't it a Studio Canal film? Lionsgate in the US, if they feel like it.