The Criterion Collection

[Idioteque...]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

I couldn't get through Mean Creek without thinking about Home Alone.
He looks SO much like his brother.

Really now lol?

I was impressed with the acting, especially from Josh Peck. The fat kid from Nickelodeon, his acting was the biggest shocker. I didn't think much about Rory's brother.

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by rich_adamson

That is exactly right. The only difference is the outer slipbox that the two releases fit in.

I exepect you're right, but has that been confirmed?
I can't imagine Criterion putting both discs in one 2-disc case though.

[rich_adamson]

Originally Posted by horseflesh

I exepect you're right, but has that been confirmed?
I can't imagine Criterion putting both discs in one 2-disc case though.

No, they will be in two seperate cases, inside an outer box, just like Che, or the Monterey Box Set.

[retask]

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

[VHS4Ever]

So far I've only have seen and have: The Third Man, Repulsion, Howard's End, Bottle Rockets, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and The Curious Case of Benjamin. All of them are really good movies with excellent transfers to Blu-ray. I would also like to get the Seventh Seal sometime in the near future.

[danner]

I watched Pierrot Le Fou for the first time the other night and really enjoyed it. Definitely seems like the kind of movie that rewards repeat viewings. I'm glad I claimed my copy from Amazon when I did.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

I started buying Criterion titles for just the films I knew about - Wes Anderson films, and a few fairly recent ones I was aware of and wanted to see (things like Videodrome, Brazil, Straw Dogs, etc.). I enjoyed those so much and was impressed with the Criterion quality that I branched out and started taking chances on things I'd never even heard of - and was greatly rewarded. Now I pretty much get all the Criterion titles - I can pretty much always count on watching something that is unique and interesting. It's certainly not just to "collect all the Criterion titles," because I've branched out to other companies to get more unique films - I buy from Kino and Blue Underground here in the US (as well as the great classics WB occasionally puts out), and have started getting the Eureka Masters of Cinema and BFI releases from the UK. Hell, even those StudioCanal Collection releases (not a fan of their quality so far, but they have some great films that are unlikely to be released elsewhere and hopefully they'll get the quality control problems worked out soon).

For the BD releases Criterion has put out recently, I'm absolutely in love with 8 1/2, Wings of Desire, Paris Texas, and Last Year At Marienbad - all currently rank very high on my list of favorite movies.

I think it's hard to have good indepth film discussions in this thread because there's too much going on - new releases, new release date announcements, speculation, replacement case nonsense, out of print titles/availability, and then spattered conversation about an ever-growing number of available titles. But if you feel you have something interesting to say about any particular movie, just start talking about it and hopefully others will have something to add to the discussion.

[JediFonger]

7th seal is a bit slower and a lot more intellectual than any of the titles u have. just a warning . i got it too.

[Codyblaze]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

I began purchasing Criterion DVD's mainly for the handful of 'mainstream' films that they produced the definitive editions of (Dazed and Confused, Traffic, Fear and Loathing, Chasing Amy, the Ice Storm, etc.). I always appreciated their products, but never branched out much to their other offerings. Since Criterion and I have both made the change to Blu, I've become more interested in their offerings, and picked up the Seventh Seal first. I was blown away by that film, and wondered what else I'd been missing. I had heard of many of these films before, but had never actually watched them. Now I have all the blu's except Third Man, and no, I haven't watched them all yet, but I'm always happy with my purchase of a criterion.
Thus far I've watched Playtime, 400 Blows, Gimme Shelter, Complete Monterrey Pop, Chungking Express, Monsoon Wedding, El Norte, For All Mankind, the Seventh Seal, and I just watched Hunger last night. All of which were very worthwhile additions to my collection, and all are likely to get rewatched. I plan on buying all of their offerings in the future, as far as I am concerned their products are the safest blind-buy you can get.

[ksc2303]

Originally Posted by kndy

But Chaplin films on Blu!!! That would be nice!!! With MoC and KINO bringing silent films to Blu-ray, I hope Criterion brings "The Kid", "Passion of Joan of Arc", "Pandora's Box" and possibly other silent films on Blu!!!

Damn right! What the world needs today is Louise Brooks in HD

I just watched Joan of Arc this week, I wonder if the print they have is in good enough condition to really shine in HD? (at least compared to how The General looks on Blu) Amazingly stunning beautifully haunting movie btw. I hope Vampyr is also on the short list of Criterions coming to Blu

[stobbart]

I started purchasing Criterion movies three years or so ago. I am not sure how I first discovered them, but it was not for their more famous release that people have been talking about (Wes Anderson, Dazed and Confused, or Michael Bay). I think my first purchase may have been Night Porter or Walkabout, something like that.

I have around 57 (I should really count) and have watched them all except for Berlin Alexanderplatz. I only have 7 blus as I dont feel the need to collect every release they have. There are more that I plan to buy, and some that I have seen that I dont plan to buy, just when funds allow.

I may not find enough interest in every one of their movies that I see to buy, but I can definatly see that every movie of theirs belongs in the collection. I just watched LOLA MONTES last night. It really didnt do anything for me, Im not going to buy it, but I can still respect it for the movie that it is.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

I've blind-bought a number of Criterion DVDs in the past which were all very highly rated and praised (mostly the Kurosawa movies). These days, I blind-buy less and will try to watch them more. I haven't been dissapointed with any of my purchases, and I do intend on re-watching them eventually.

I just ordered a few Criterion DVDs that I've had on my wishlist for a while (I've seen them before, so I know they're good); "Ace in the Hole," "The Blob," "Battle for Algiers," and "Charade." I would wait for BDs on these, but I decided just to get them now rather than to wait (they might not even ever get released anyway, or else Criterion might loose the rights to them. Who knows? I'll just get them now).

Can't wait to get them.

[kndy]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

Oh yes, I watch a lot of Criterion. I'm getting near 250 titles (DVD & Blu-ray) in my collection. But in no way am I a completest, I'm interested in about 350-400 or so titles of the 500+ in the their current numeric listing (so about 150 more titles I want to purchase some day, some time). I have a few Criterion LD's. But I'm also interested in the Eclipse titles as well.

It's important to note that I also have interest in other sets outside of Criterion as well.

Ala...my latest photo...



But I open to everything though I'm not very open to films that are sadistic or very cruel (ie. Salo - No way am I going to watch that).

[CdnBlu]

Blind bought Revanche yesterday. RottenTomatoes gave it a 95%

[molson1138]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

I'm no where near being considered a collector but they do tend to put out really good and important movies and they do an amazing job so I like to support them when I can in hopes they will release even more movies.

[buffetfroid]

I wish we could ban discussion of replacement cases

I only buy criterions that I'm going to watch again. Same goes for any dvd/blu ray I get. Buying them to complete a collection is silly to me.

[RAZGRIZ-1]

Originally Posted by buffetfroid

I wish we could ban discussion of replacement cases

I only buy criterions that I'm going to watch again. Same goes for any dvd/blu ray I get. Buying them to complete a collection is silly to me.

Collectors like complete collections. Same thing with trading cards, which I was a hardcore trading card fiend back in the day.

[rezpekt]

Fresh newsletter arrived.

There are well over two hundred directors represented in the Criterion Collection at this point. And we’re excited to note that the list will continue to grow. This month, we’re happy to announce the introduction of three new names to the collection—two immensely talented contemporary filmmakers, Briton Steve McQueen and Austrian Götz Spielmann, and one Oscar-winning Hollywood legend, Leo McCarey—as well as a returning champ: Max Ophuls. And you can expect a lot more in 2010, when you’ll become better acquainted with a slew of mythic moviemakers (Charlie Chaplin, Nicholas Ray, Sidney Lumet) and modern-day masters in the making (Pedro Costa, Andrea Arnold, Terry Zwigoff).

Happy viewing!

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by kndy

Oh yes, I watch a lot of Criterion. I'm getting near 250 titles (DVD & Blu-ray) in my collection. But in no way am I a completest, I'm interested in about 350-400 or so titles of the 500+ in the their current numeric listing (so about 150 more titles I want to purchase some day, some time). I have a few Criterion LD's. But I'm also interested in the Eclipse titles as well.

It's important to note that I also have interest in other sets outside of Criterion as well.

Ala...my latest photo...


But I open to everything though I'm not very open to films that are sadistic or very cruel (ie. Salo - No way am I going to watch that).

Hey kndy,

How are those Avant-Garde Experimental Kino releases? I seen one in your pic there and was curious (have been) about them.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by retask

How many of you actually see the Criterion movies and are interested in different kind of movies that Criterion often releases, and how many of you just collect them? There are not many discussions about the movies themselves on this forum, but much more about whats being released and the god damn replacement covers.

I'm glad you brought this up. I'm a collector and a strong supporter of Criterion and have been since the LD era. I have to admit however that I've blind bought almost every Criterion Blu to date. I've only been disappointed a couple of times. My disappointments mostly stem from which movie I've chosen to "blind buy", for example I purchased "Lola Montes" instead of "Revanche" or "Hunger", and I think I should have purchased one of those instead, from what I've been hearing. "Lola Montes" may be an excellent film, but I probably would've preferred the other two. Now it will be a couple of weeks before I can purchase either of them, and by then the March releases of "Bigger Than Life" and "Days of Heaven" (both films which I've seen and loved!) will be out.

Also, no I have not watched every Criterion yet. Still working on them. I haven't watched my copy of "Howards End" yet, and I also haven't had a chance to see all of "8 1/2". I'm looking forward to it though. What I've seen of "8 1/2" so far I've loved.

Great cinema is what it is, and I'll have to admit (some in this thread may disagree with me!) cinema is definitely an acquired taste. A lot like beer. You don't really like it at first and you don't know why you keep trying to watch it, but then you get through your first full viewing without being bored and all of a sudden you want more. It took me several years to acquire my joy and thrill for cinema, but I definitely do love it.

EDIT: As for the "replacement covers", frankly! I don't give a damn.