The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by moviebuffed

Those are my picks as well. I'm ashamed to say I've never heard of Pierre Etaix and being a fan of Chaplin, Lloyd and Keaton just adds to my guilt. Looking forward to exploring the Etaix box set!!

Yeah, I'm in no rush for the other ones. I'll pick them up down the road.

[Whirlygig]

Probably all-in for April's Blus, but probably not in April...

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by Grethiwha

Hello Blu-ray.com Criterion community. I need somewhere on the internet to share my enthusiasm for that Kobayashi set. So excited! The only thing that could make it better was if it was blu-ray. Or included more films. Come to think of it, that Pierre Etaix collection is the same price even though it's blu-ray and contains 5 films and is a proper release with special features and stuff. What the hell? Well that's okay cause I'm in romantic love with Criterion at the moment. The four previously available Kobayashi films are some of my favourite films. And now they've just doubled the amount of available Kobayashi. Lemme break it down.

So Criterion seems to have hand-picked the most interesting films from Kobayashi's early period. The set is called "Masaki Kobayashi Against the System". His first feature film "The Thick-Walled Room" from 1953, featured on this set, was considered controversial at the time for its politically-charged subject matter and went unreleased until 1957. Between 1953 and 1956 Kobayashi directed mostly innocuous, studio-friendly domestic dramas. While I'd be interested in buying a "Masaki Kobayashi Respects the System" collection of these, to see them (I wish I had Hulu+ cause a lot of them have become available there recently), what's here is far more interesting.

"Black River", from 1957, was his last film before "The Human Condition". It released about the same time as "The Thick Walled Room" finally got out, when Kobayashi was free again to, er, go against the system. "Black River" is the only one on this set I've seen; it and "Inn of Evil" are available on the internet if you look for them, and they're the only ones besides the four widely available ones that you could even find, on the internet, until in the last year on Criterion's Hulu+ channel. Anyway, "Black River" is very good.

And then there's "The Inheritance". This is a film that he made right after "The Human Condition" and "Harakiri" and right before "Kwaidan" and "Samurai Rebellion". That's enough said for me.

Finally, "I Will Buy You" was made in the aforementioned period between 1953 and 1956 when Kobayashi was churning out studio-friendly films. Considering its inclusion in this set, perhaps it is the best and boldest film from this period.

But yeah, SO EXCITED FOR THIS.


Also, I blind-bought "Three Outlaw Samurai" since I can't find it online and it was totally worth it so I may have to do the same with "Ballad of Narayama" and "Gate of Hell" now. Loving these lower-priced obscure Japanese blus. Love the cover art.

Kobayashi is one of the greatest directors from Japan. I love Kurosawa's films (they are probaly some of the greatest films of all time), but they tend to take all the glory when it comes to Japanese films here in the west. Many western viewers never watch Ozu, Kobayashi, or Mizoguchi. I hope this DVD set is a set up for the blu ray release of "The Human Condition". I have not bought a DVD in the last 3 years, but this is too good to pass by.

I know I will be broke by the end of March because I am buying 3 of their blu ray released that month: Badlands, A Man Escaped and The Life and Death Colonel Blimp. I am hoping they will re release Pickpocket in blu ray in the near future (my favorite Bresson movie)

[Grethiwha]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

Kobayashi is one of the greatest directors from Japan. I love Kurosawa's films (they are probaly some of the greatest films of all time), but they tend to take all the glory when it comes to Japanese films here in the west. Many western viewers never watch Ozu, Kobayashi, or Mizoguchi. I hope this DVD set is a set up for the blu ray release of "The Human Condition". I have not bought a DVD in the last 3 years, but this is too good to pass by.

Yeah, Kobayashi is really close to Kurosawa as my favourite Japanese director (and second favourite director overall); Kurosawa just takes the spot largely cause I've seen so many more of his films. The Human Condition is my very favourite film of all time, so yeah, I would double-dip on a blu-ray edition in a heartbeat. But Kwaidan, being I think the most visually stunning film I've seen (and being on Criterion DVD in incomplete form) is in the biggest need of an upgrade. That's what I'm hoping for!

That and Mizoguchi's Ugetsu, Teshigahara's Woman of the Sands, Ozu's Tokyo Story, Shindo's Onibaba... Yeah, I'm pretty into Japanese cinema. And so I'm pretty happy; already this year's been better for Japanese films in the CC than last.

[NoirFan]

A rare underwhelming month for me - just the Etaix box. Not a director I'm familiar with, so looking forward to exploring his work. I already own the MoC Gate of Hell. I've probably seen Repo Man fifty times over the years, so I don't really feel the need to upgrade, as the film is pretty much burned into my memory.

[paulgeneacepeter]

Just finished watching Repulsion. Took a long time to get interesting but damn she goes bat sh*t crazy.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Just finished watching Repulsion. Took a long time to get interesting but damn she goes bat sh*t crazy.

It's one of my favorites from Criterion.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by Grethiwha

Yeah, Kobayashi is really close to Kurosawa as my favourite Japanese director (and second favourite director overall); Kurosawa just takes the spot largely cause I've seen so many more of his films. The Human Condition is my very favourite film of all time, so yeah, I would double-dip on a blu-ray edition in a heartbeat. But Kwaidan, being I think the most visually stunning film I've seen (and being on Criterion DVD in incomplete form) is in the biggest need of an upgrade. That's what I'm hoping for!

That and Mizoguchi's Ugetsu, Teshigahara's Woman of the Sands, Ozu's Tokyo Story, Shindo's Onibaba... Yeah, I'm pretty into Japanese cinema. And so I'm pretty happy; already this year's been better for Japanese films in the CC than last.

Kwaidan is just a unique great experience. All the short films within Kwaidan are equal in value. You are right about an upgrade of the DVD. Ugetsu has the same mood, the black and white cinematography is the best I of seen in Japanese cinema. The story is just as good. The good thing Sansho the Bailiff will be released next month on blu ray.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Just finished watching Repulsion. Took a long time to get interesting but damn she goes bat sh*t crazy.

I like Catherine Deneuve in Belle De Jour, which to me is a better movie. A classic Bunuel film. I find Repulsion an interesting film, a psychological thriller, but not too rewatchable. The camera work in this movie is fantastic but the story was not so great.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Just finished watching Repulsion. Took a long time to get interesting but damn she goes bat sh*t crazy.

Heh, batshit crazy is probably the most frequently used phrase in Repulsion posts.

[Debbie Downer]

Really looking forward to Repo Man and Naked Lunch releases. But I'm going to pretend I care more about those obscurer releases to maintain my film buff cred.


Wooo. Pierre Etaix collection! Can't wait to dip into those classics. Will Ferrell can't hold a candle to him.

[spanky87]

Has anyone seen Pickup on South Street? Is it a good film-noir?

[AgentOrange]

I don't have region free so Gate of Hell and Repo Man I've sort of been hoping for.

The only film that is a certain "no-buy" for me is Naked Lunch. Hated it.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by spanky87

Has anyone seen Pickup on South Street? Is it a good film-noir?

You can't go wrong with Sam Fuller.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Just finished watching Repulsion. Took a long time to get interesting but damn she goes bat sh*t crazy.

Polanski did that on purpose. He made the first act a complete bore, so the first shock has much more impact. But in actuality, her whole characterization is spelled out in Act 1, then the answer to that is found in the final shot, which explains the whole film (and some people seem to miss).

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by spanky87

Has anyone seen Pickup on South Street? Is it a good film-noir?

Very good

[tonylopez]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

I don't have region free so Gate of Hell and Repo Man I've sort of been hoping for.

The only film that is a certain "no-buy" for me is Naked Lunch. Hated it.

Well movies with bettle typewriters with an talking anus and boys getting eating/raped by big bugs can sometimes not be everyones cup of tea. LOL

[Scottie]

Repo Man, hands down, has the best cover art of the entire CC.

[tonylopez]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Repo Man, hands down, has the best cover art of the entire CC.

+1, it screams the film perfectly. This is a beauty of a cover.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by tonylopez

+1, it screams the film perfectly. This is a beauty of a cover.

Even if I wasn't intrigued to the plot of the film, I'd buy that film strictly on the cover alone.

Love it!