The Criterion Collection

[pro-bassoonist]

Packaging shots (with full resolution shots in the review):








Pro-B

[Lutz]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

How about Lola Montes? I was lukewarm on that upon first viewing also. Got any good reading material for that one?

I think it's widely considered as one of the most frigid leading female performances committed to film and is not well placed in the rest of Ophuls catalogue.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

How about Lola Montes? I was lukewarm on that upon first viewing also. Got any good reading material for that one?

I'm sure whatever Andrew Sarris wrote about it would be interesting. He hailed it aS the greatest film of all time.

It's weird, Lola Montes is one of my favorite films, but I've never read too extensively on it. Need to fix that.

[RandyK]

For those of you in the Columbus, Ohio area. The Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus of The Ohio State University is showing a few films from the Criterion Collection as apart of their "A Summer Abroad '13" series. Films include M, Richard III, and The Wages of Fear, among others. Info and tickets can be found HERE

Just thought I would pass this along.

[Visco.]

Originally Posted by Randyman94

For those of you in the Columbus, Ohio area. The Wexner Center for the Arts on the campus of The Ohio State University is showing a few films from the Criterion Collection as apart of their "A Summer Abroad '13" series. Films include M, Richard III, and The Wages of Fear, among others. Info and tickets can be found HERE

Just thought I would pass this along.

Thanks! Definitely gonna have to go visit some friends and attend.

[starman15317]

That reminds me, if anyone else lives in Pittsburgh, the Melwood Screening Room (part of Pittsburgh Filmmakers) is doing a monthy series called "Essential Cinema" where, for just $2 a ticket, you can see the greatest of art house films (which tend to also be in the Criterion Collection). This month they're showing Rashomon. Over the last few months, they've shown The Seventh Seal, The 400 Blows and Down By Law (not sure what else). I haven't been able to attend any of these films yet but I'm planning to.

http://theaters.pittsburgharts.org/rashomon

[glenn-bob]

Why no Sid and Nancy Blu?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by glenn-bob

Why no Sid and Nancy Blu?

This release is pretty good, but it could have used more extras.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Sid-a.../30511/#Review

[monorail91]

Originally Posted by Judex

I wish TCM over here showed that sort of stuff.
I don't think ours show any foreign language films at all.

Our TCM is pretty great, I'm trying to see all the Criterions and they air them pretty regularly - at least one per week, and just this past week (with the 5 Truffaut movies) also had Rebecca and Tokyo Drifter. More, I'm sure, but those immediately to mind.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

I'm usually such an optimist with films too. I try to see the positive aspects especially with films lauded by critics. With this one, I just couldn't do it. Beautiful cinematography alone does not a movie make.

Yes, you need substance and a story or just great character development for me to take a film seriously. Though cinematography is a big part of the experience, it is not enough. Bravo to you for seeing films this way too.

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

I payed around 80-85 for mine a couple years ago and I still don't have a replacement case. Luckily my cardboard edition is still mint. I know some others will tell you that the Studio Canal is a much better deal etc. but I absolutely love the way the Criterion transfer looks. Like a film print slapped onto a disc. It truly is a marvel to watch.

If Ebay wasn't around, I would have ended up paying nearly $200 for this on Amazon. Sometimes avoiding sealed copies can pay off though, like it did for me on this used item purchase. The seller was honest and the condition of the case and disc was mint. The person claimed to never have even watched this, so I'm guessing he/she is just re-selling items like these to make money. I was fortunate that the original cardboard digipack is in excellent condition but I'll be using the replacement case to show off on my shelf and put the digipack away in a storage container. With aesthetics aside, Criterion's version is the equivalent of the holy grail for blu-ray collectors and I'm happy to own this now.

Originally Posted by starman15317

That reminds me, if anyone else lives in Pittsburgh, the Melwood Screening Room (part of Pittsburgh Filmmakers) is doing a monthy series called "Essential Cinema" where, for just $2 a ticket, you can see the greatest of art house films (which tend to also be in the Criterion Collection). This month they're showing Rashomon. Over the last few months, they've shown The Seventh Seal, The 400 Blows and Down By Law (not sure what else). I haven't been able to attend any of these films yet but I'm planning to.

http://theaters.pittsburgharts.org/rashomon

Wow, really cool to see a fellow Pittsburgher here. I just saw Frances Ha at the Regent Square theater (part of the Filmmakers) last week. Since I already have Rashomon on BD, I'm just going to skip one of this month's featured films. $2 a ticket is a great price though. I highly recommend the Regent Sq. theater over the Harris theater downtown (the sound quality is horrendous there and the screen is quite small - I saw Room 237 there a few weeks ago so I can attest to this). Melwood is a decent theater but I like their 2nd screen more cause the main screening room has a square-shaped screen from what I recall. I took classes there about 10 years ago though, so its great to have that organization in town.

By the way, seeing that you're a U2 fan, have you ever visited my U2 fansite: http://www.u2station.com ? I created it about 16 years ago and its still online. I'm not a big a fan as I used to be but I see that you are.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Originally Posted by Randyman94

So I got World on a Wire and Solaris for recommended sci fi films. Which one should I get? I'm currently thinking:

Brazil
Gojira
Safety Last
The aforementioned titles
Island of Lost Souls

Brazil and Island of Lost Souls would be my choices.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by monorail91

Our TCM is pretty great, I'm trying to see all the Criterions and they air them pretty regularly - at least one per week, and just this past week (with the 5 Truffaut movies) also had Rebecca and Tokyo Drifter. More, I'm sure, but those immediately to mind.

Yep, we don't get any of that. I was going to post what we generally get, but they're having a "Western" Month. :sigh:

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by jw007

Wow, really cool to see a fellow Pittsburgher here. I just saw Frances Ha at the Regent Square theater (part of the Filmmakers) last week. Since I already have Rashomon on BD, I'm just going to skip one of this month's featured films. $2 a ticket is a great price though. I highly recommend the Regent Sq. theater over the Harris theater downtown (the sound quality is horrendous there and the screen is quite small - I saw Room 237 there a few weeks ago so I can attest to this). Melwood is a decent theater but I like their 2nd screen more cause the main screening room has a square-shaped screen from what I recall. I took classes there about 10 years ago though, so its great to have that organization in town.

By the way, seeing that you're a U2 fan, have you ever visited my U2 fansite: http://www.u2station.com ? I created it about 16 years ago and its still online. I'm not a big a fan as I used to be but I see that you are.

I haven't had a chance to visit any of the Pittsburgh Filmmakers theaters yet (in my defense, I'm only 17) but I'm planning on going to all three of them this month as they're all showing films I'm interested in. As far as other classic theaters in the area, I just went to the Manor Theater last week for the first time to see Before Midnight and I've been the the Hollywood and Oaks theaters a couple of times before.

That's awesome to see another U2 fan here (and a Pittsburgh one, at that). I have been to your site a couple of times before. I assume you've seen them live before? I saw them on the 360 tour in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Packaging shots (with full resolution shots in the review):

Pro-B

Can't wait to get my hands on this.

Think the Shoah review will be up soon?

[Arkadin]

Is there a B&N sale this month?
anyone know?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

Is there a B&N sale this month?
anyone know?

Not sure if you're serious but it starts on Tuesday:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...=1#post7795355

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by starman15317

I haven't had a chance to visit any of the Pittsburgh Filmmakers theaters yet (in my defense, I'm only 17) but I'm planning on going to all three of them this month as they're all showing films I'm interested in. As far as other classic theaters in the area, I just went to the Manor Theater last week for the first time to see Before Midnight and I've been the the Hollywood and Oaks theaters a couple of times before.

That's awesome to see another U2 fan here (and a Pittsburgh one, at that). I have been to your site a couple of times before. I assume you've seen them live before? I saw them on the 360 tour in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

I always thought U2 put on good shows in Pittsburgh (though the only tour I saw there was PopMart).

Seems like a good time to mention that I'd love an extras laiden Criterion release of Rattle and Hum.

[starman15317]

That would be a day one purchase for me

I've listened to the Pittsburgh PopMart bootleg. I've heard that the stadium was over halfway empty. Those early shows suffered with Bono's vocals but they got much better as the tour went on. Plus it's PopMart, so it was brilliant either way.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Packaging shots (with full resolution shots in the review):


Pro-B

thanks for the review.. sounds very good. i hope this will be in the next B&N sale or amazon sale. i would love to get it on the first day without having to pay tax dutys...

[R o d]

Originally Posted by Lutz

I think it's widely considered as one of the most frigid leading female performances committed to film and is not well placed in the rest of Ophuls catalogue.

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

Sarris' opinion is well noted, but many other critics received it quite favorably as well. Beyond the quality of the film (even when compared with the rest of Ophüls output) it is significant for it's use of color cinematography and widescreen aspect ratio. It was also Ophüls last film.

For further reading, there is a well-written essay in the Criterion package that is reprinted here.