The Criterion Collection

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by jayputter

I checked out a few of those after I saw Hugo. I don't know how often I'd re-watch them, but I'd love to have them in my collection. That release is a little too much for my wallet right now, but I agree that any film buff should definitely check them out.

That is the problem with that release, 15 minute long and the price. Even myself who really wanted it must admit it's a bit crazy

[Jef Costello]

What's your take on Hara Kiri? I'm choosing this or Seven Samurai (blu-ray upgrade).

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

TIN DRUM every year when they announced their NOV titles always have hope ICE STORM is in that batch to be released just before Thanksgiving... Maybe this year? Would also love Z on blu as well as Dillinger is Dead

I wonder how they decide what comes to Blu and what doesn't. I've read that Dillinger is Dead has great PQ on DVD already. Imagine what it would look like on Blu!..?

Originally Posted by BluPix

Re: your DVD selections coming to blu, I would recommend waiting for a blu-ray release of The Ice Storm, as, to me, that Ang Lee film seems an obvious choice for Criterion to upgrade to blu.

As for your other selections, it looks as if we have much in common as there are a few titles that I own or want to own that are on your list:

The Game
The Royal Tenenbaums
Umberto D.
Weekend
Eclipse Series 32: Pearls of the Czech New Wave

...and almost everything from the blu (first) section of your list.

A nice list if I do say so myself.

Great minds think alike.

The Ice Storm would look great on Blu, methinks.

Originally Posted by Page14

Any thoughts on "Wings of Desire"? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on that one if/when B&N has their 50% off sale.

I love it. It really resonates with me. A lot Wenders films do.

Originally Posted by RojD

Mishima is one of the four Hulu discount films at the Criterion site now. You can get it 50% off with the code: SCORE. I think shipping is about $5 though under $50.

Thanks. I actually have a $10 gift code to the store (for sending in the cover art for Harold & Maude in regards to the sticky plastic case issue). Hmm. It would be $15.XX after the high price for 5.95 shipping. Will think long and hard about that one - that is if you can stack codes.

Do you know when this deal expires? For curiosity's sake - what are the other three films? I searched but could not find an answer...

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by Jef Costello

What's your take on Hara Kiri? I'm choosing this or Seven Samurai (blu-ray upgrade).

Very tough choice. Get both.

Originally Posted by sc1957

If you enjoy watching men sit on straw mats and talk, Hara Kiri is the film for you. It's not as action-packed as Seven Samurai.

You must have seen a different movie then I did. The only sitting around talking on straw mats is for the short segments of the main character telling the story before it goes into flashback sequences. Also the film is extremely enthralling and emotional with quite a lot of action and some real nice visuals. Seven Samurai only has a lot more action because its a 3 hour film, but it takes the first two hours to build to it.

[SlickDamian]

I'm loving all of the talk about Wings of Desire. I've been thinking about pulling the trigger on it for the B&N sale. Wouldn't it have been cool if Criterion had included City of Angels as a supplement?

[starman15317]

^Warner Bros. would never allow that but it would be cool if that had put that or Faraway, So Close! in the set.

[bdmartin134]

Just used my last 20% off each item coupons at B&N yesterday before the Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale is over. They never have a problem with me using 2 coupons on items plus my mom's membership account, which doesn't bother me any.. Ended up getting these titles for $61.xx :
Belle de Jour (blind)
Letter Never Sent (blind)
The Seventh Seal (prev. own 1998 DVD)

[Page14]

Originally Posted by atlfalconsfan

Wings of Desire (sounds incredible and someone told me if you love Terrence Malick (I do!!!) then you'll like Wim Wenders)

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

Similar in some ways...totally different in others. Wings of Desire is, quote-unquote, more "artsy" even though I don't like such a term...Perhaps "better thought out/executed" is more accurate. Don't get me wrong, I enjoed City of Angels to some degree, but Wings of Desire I feel is still very different. But you'll get a positive vote from me. I thought it was incredibly interesting and one of those movies that makes you think (though many of these Criterions tend to do that). Anyways, if you get it, I hope you enjoy it. There's also a big plus in that Nick Cave makes an appearance...you can't go wrong with a little Nick Cave

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

The absolute best in the collection.

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I love it. It really resonates with me. A lot Wenders films do.

Well, for somebody who was already leaning to buy "Wings of Desire", these comments have pretty much pushed me over the fence. Thanks a lot everybody! I'm looking forward to it.

So many films to see ... so little time! I guess that's a good thing, in the long run.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

We all undervalue stuff like this, I think. Restoration and presentation like this are not cheap. We all want $10 discs and free shipping because big box retailers have conditioned us to expect that, but companies like Flicker Alley can't subsist on that kind of economy.

In fact, in France, Le voyage dans le lune BD has been released at 14€, which is much lower than a regular BD French price (usually 20€).

I would have loved to buy FA's Steelbook, but it would have cost me twice what I've paid in France.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Watched the three reasons trailer of Down By Law today and it looks amazing. It is going to be gorgeous in high-def. Plus the fan Q&A with JJ (like the one on Mystery Train) is a great extra. I really hope we see the Muller-shot Wenders road movies this year.

Love that section of Night on Earth - the New York section, too, with Armin Mueller-Stahl and Giancarlo Esposito.

Are you a Kaurismaki fan? I suspect you'd really like the Proletariat Trilogy and I suspect Le Havre as well. Similar to Jarmusch's '80s films (hence the sort of homage with the Helsinki section in Night On Earth).

Wow...I never made that connection. Due mostly to the fact that until I became a regular in this thead, I never even knew who Kaurismaki was But thanks! Maybe if I have any money left in July, I'll add it to my booty. Getting mostly DVD sets during the sale...expect for Down By Law.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by atlfalconsfan

Hey Everyone! Great thread you've got going here! I'm the newbie (although I registered years ago).

Was getting freaked out with all this talk of no July 50% off sale, so I skipped on over to Barnes and Noble today with my 20% off coupon and took advantage of buy two get one free. All movies I've yet to watch, bought:
Shallow Grave (love Danny Boyle! Yes, even The Beach )

La Haine (looked interesting and I just got back from Paris a couple weeks ago so I'm still on a French kick)

Wings of Desire (sounds incredible and someone told me if you love Terrence Malick (I do!!!) then you'll like Wim Wenders)

My collection is now up to 28.

Watched half of Wages Of Fear last night, gonna watch the rest tonight. First time watching that one too!

Now if the sale still happens the top of my list is The Complete Monterey Pop.

Those are a bunch of terrific Criterion titles, especially La Haine and Wings of Desire.

I'm still quite confident the 50% off sale at Barnes & Noble will happen soon after the Buy 2 Get the 3rd Free sale is over.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Jef Costello

What's your take on Hara Kiri? I'm choosing this or Seven Samurai (blu-ray upgrade).

That's a difficult choice, Harakiri is a terrific film, but Seven Samurai is also a masterpiece. Both are engaging films that allude to societal issues of class, allegiance, loyalty, etc.

If I had to choose one I would probably go with Seven Samurai, but you should definitely take a look at both of them.

[DarkRyder]

All this talk about Harakiri is really wanting me to buy it; I just may get both Harakiri and Mishima.

What are everyone's thoughts on Mishima?

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

We all undervalue stuff like this, I think. Restoration and presentation like this are not cheap. We all want $10 discs and free shipping because big box retailers have conditioned us to expect that, but companies like Flicker Alley can't subsist on that kind of economy.

The Melies release does have multiple versions of the feature, two other great shorts and an extensive documentary (plus a booklet and steelbook...not to mention a replacement disc). I wouldn't have been willing to bite that bullet for many other films, but $30 isn't terrible. I'm less enthused by things like the Indiana Jones set, where you are forced to spend $80 when you only want one or two films (and Lucasfilm can afford to sell inexpensive discs).

Incidentally the Flicker Alley Clouzot's Inferno disc is well worth the money. The feature is great and the extensive, extra documentary has a lot of footage not used in the feature.

Not to mention, the initial pressings had errors, so for $30 they couldn't even get the disc right. I'd buy it if they had included more Melies shorts, but $30 for a 15 minute film and a doc padded to add to the overall runtime isn't worth it to me.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Page14

Any thoughts on "Wings of Desire"? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on that one if/when B&N has their 50% off sale.

Wings of Desire is a beautifully lensed, poetic film. It has several things going for it:

• A time-capsule window on West Berlin just before the fall of the wall. The city is as much a character in the film as the people and angels that inhabit it.
  
• Bruno Ganz, who has become a favorite actor of mine. If the name doesn't sound familiar, he gave what in my opinion is one of the single greatest performances ever put on film as Hitler in Downfall.
  
• Peter Falk
  
• A moving story

I really like Wings of Desire, but I will admit it is not for everyone. It is deliberately paced and spends a good deal of running time exploring the atmosphere of the city from the voyeuristic viewpoint of the angels, who eavesdrop on people's thoughts as they watch over humanity. One angel, played by Ganz, comes across the thoughts of a woman, who intrigues him like no one has ever done before.

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by oildude

[*]Bruno Ganz, who has become a favorite actor of mine. If the name doesn't sound familiar, he gave what in my opinion is one of the single greatest performances ever put on film as Hitler in Downfall.

Is there a blu realease of Downfall? That's one I'd love to have. I doubt Criterion could/would get their hands on this, but that would be a fine addition to the collection (unless, of course, there's a realease out already that has a decent transfer, extras, etc.)

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

Is there a blu realease of Downfall? That's one I'd love to have. I doubt Criterion could/would get their hands on this, but that would be a fine addition to the collection (unless, of course, there's a realease out already that has a decent transfer, extras, etc.)

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Downf...y/1566/#Review

I have this UK release and it's very good. The only shortcoming is the 640k lossy audio. There are other releases (German for one) with DTS-HD audio.

If I were buying it again I might pay attention to that but to be honest the lossy is far from a dealbreaker.

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by octagon

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Downf...y/1566/#Review

I have this UK release and it's very good. The only shortcoming is the 640k lossy audio. There are other releases (German for one) with DTS-HD audio.

If I were buying it again I might pay attention to that but to be honest the lossy is far from a dealbreaker.

Thank you much! I'll need to get an all-region player, but I've been meaning to look into that since so many movies outside of the US interest me. Thanks again!

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

Thank you much! I'll need to get an all-region player, but I've been meaning to look into that since so many movies outside of the US interest me. Thanks again!

You should absolutely get a region-free player but you won't need it for this. The UK release is region-free and the supplements all play nice with US players/tvs.

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by octagon

You should absolutely get a region-free player but you won't need it for this. The UK release is region-free and the supplements all play nice with US players/tvs.

Oh! Very cool. I just assumed that it was. But yes, I'll still look into the region-free Those Masters of Cinema discs are terribly enticing...amongst many other releases