The Criterion Collection

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Hey guys, the extras on the Buena Vista BluRay release of The Rock aren't half bad. I don't see how Criterion can top it:

Yeah, I don't own the Blu but the extras sure are impressive.

[chrisron]

Speaking about King Kong, my grand uncle is actually in the 1976 version.

He was a seaman and worked at the ship they used in the movie. You can only see him in a short scene though. He's the guy that thows fruit down into the cargo room where King Kong is and runs away when King Kong growls. He did have a couple of scenes with Jessica Lange as well, but they didn't make it into the movie. Maybe they are in the extended TV version? I have never had a chance to see that version of the movie.

Oh, and we always joked about how he should have played King Kong instead, since even though he was a really jolly guy, when he got angry he actually waved his arms just like King Kong does.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by octagon

I don't see anything about Sony releasing it directly. That's obviously a possibility but a release by one of their licensing partners seems just as plausible (if not more so given their reluctance to directly release, well, anything).

I think you meant to say "Anything except for The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, From Here to Eternity, The Caine Mutiny, Dr. Strangelove, In Cold Blood, The Guns of Navarone, and a bunch of Ray Harryhausen classics."

[joie]

Originally Posted by octagon

Akijima's thread

The source article

And here's the relevant quote...



I don't see anything about Sony releasing it directly. That's obviously a possibility but a release by one of their licensing partners seems just as plausible (if not more so given their reluctance to directly release, well, anything).

I don't see anything about Criterion releasing it

edit: Sony releases a lot of catalog titles and they're very good. "Catalog," to me, is anything that has finished its theatrical run. If Criterion were going to do the home video release, wouldn't Sony have Janus Films show the DCP?

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Hey guys, the extras on the Buena Vista BluRay release of The Rock aren't half bad. I don't see how Criterion can top it:

They don't need to top it. Most of those extras are Criterion's, originally appearing on the Criterion LD and DVD.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I think you meant to say "Anything except for The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, From Here to Eternity, The Caine Mutiny, Dr. Strangelove, In Cold Blood, The Guns of Navarone, and a bunch of Ray Harryhausen classics."

They've released some very nice stuff but one or two catalog releases per year doesn't exactly gut my point. Every studio has had ebbs and flows with regard to the catalog titles and I don't think I'm going way out on any limbs when I say they've been ebbing of late.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see that change. They've got a great library and I would love to see them step up direct releases and increase the number of companies to which they license.

Originally Posted by joie

I don't see anything about Criterion releasing it

Well, yeah, that's what the 'pre' in prediction is all about

[Thebunk]

Originally Posted by SilentxStatik24

Thank you, as soon as I saw that scene it instantly became my favorite moment in all of cinema. No film has ever had the effect that Paris, Texas had on me!

Anyways, I went back to B&N to pick up my copy of Hoop Dreams to replace my broken copy. Of course, while I was there; I had to pick up something else.

And that was.....

Three Colors Trilogy

Now I have never seen these films or Double Life but I can't wait to dive into this set. The packaging is exceptional with beautiful colors and cover art.

It will probably be my last pick up in the Criterion sale, (Tokyo Story beckons to me though) and here is my (hopefully) final haul:

Paris, Texas (Never had a blind buy go so well with me, my favorite film of all time now)
Heaven's Gate (haven't gotten the chance to watch this yet but I do love the film and the Criterion Packaging)
Hoop Dreams (Also a blind-buy that sounds fascinating to watch)
Three Colors Trilogy

I love reading all these posts as well about different people discovering different films, it's so fun to read!

Personally, I think the Three Colors Trilogy is the best Criterion release of all time. It has three GREAT films, tons of great extras and the rewatch ability is very high. Also has there of the most beautiful French actresses of all time in the set.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

So Paris, Texas is that good? Might have to pick that up next.

Yes, it is that good.

Paris, Texas inches a few spots higher on my all-time favorite movie list each time I see it. I have to hold back from watching it too often, therefore, to prevent it from kicking the Melville films off the top.

[The Bronx Bull]

For those of you that have watched Eyes Without a Face recently, did you also watch the director's documentary debut included on the disc, titled "Blood of the Beasts"?

Talk about brutal.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by The Bronx Bull

For those of you that have watched Eyes Without a Face recently, did you also watch the director's documentary debut included on the disc, titled "Blood of the Beasts"?

Talk about brutal.

Yes. I stated in my User Review for Eyes Without a Face that most of us will only watch the Blood of the Beasts documentary once. I think that it's important to see it all the way through, though, because it adds to one's appreciation of Georges Franju's clinical style that served him well in the main feature film.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by Thebunk

Personally, I think the Three Colors Trilogy is the best Criterion release of all time. It has three GREAT films, tons of great extras and the rewatch ability is very high. Also has there of the most beautiful French actresses of all time in the set.

Wow, this gets me even more excited to dig into the set this week!

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, it is that good.

Paris, Texas inches a few spots higher on my all-time favorite movie list each time I see it. I have to hold back from watching it too often, therefore, to prevent it from kicking the Melville films off the top.

Great to see you love it Owl, it blew me away like no other film has.

[The Great Owl]

Earlier this afternoon/evening, I watched Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America for the first time in a couple of decades, and for the first time on Blu-ray. This is pure cinematic art, through and through, and the movie takes on a whole new significance now that I've watched it from an adult perspective, just as last night's viewing of Raging Bull was enhanced by seeing it as an adult after my previous viewing roughly 25 years ago. I love love love how the conclusion of this movie plays out. It puzzled me during my first viewing all those years ago, but I think that it's a perfect outcome now.

A dream Criterion title for me would be a restoration of Leone's original 269-minute version of this movie. I keep reading about a restoration process, but there is no definitive information at this point to the best of my knowledge.

As is, the 229-minute existing Blu-ray is a masterpiece, and I have a spot reserved for this one in the upcoming Top 20 of the 1980s poll in the Movies forum. Yessiree.

[LegacyCosts]

Bought the Samurai Trilogy today, cried a little at the transfer. Really excited to watch all of these. Picked up so far at the barnes sale:

Solaris
Ingrid Bergman/Rossellini films
Hunger
Samurai Trilogy

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

Bought the Samurai Trilogy today, cried a little at the transfer. Really excited to watch all of these. Picked up so far at the barnes sale:

Solaris
Ingrid Bergman/Rossellini films
Hunger
Samurai Trilogy

Really need to pick up Hunger soon, amazing film.

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, it is that good.

Paris, Texas inches a few spots higher on my all-time favorite movie list each time I see it. I have to hold back from watching it too often, therefore, to prevent it from kicking the Melville films off the top.

So I watched le samourai a few weeks back. What are essential Melville films that I should see next? Almost bought a few today but I leaned towards others as I am just not familiar enough with his titles.

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by SilentxStatik24

Really need to pick up Hunger soon, amazing film.

Aw yeah. McQueen is a master.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by The Bronx Bull

Psycho is known for pioneering the horror film and floating within the gray area as to what's allowed on film, but I found EWOAF to be much more gory, and straight up creepy!

Psycho gained tremendous leverage from being a Hitchcock film. But to me a film like Peeping Tom is incredibly more creepy and taboo-addressing, and it generated to much of a creep response, it was reviled by many film critics in its time and adversely affected Michael Powell's career. To me it is a superior film to Psycho.

[Tom Monahan]

I received a 15% off coupon a few days ago from b&n. I tried it tonight but doesn't work despite being before the deadline. Anyone else have this problem?

Tom

[Gusto-Guus]

Originally Posted by Tom Monahan

I received a 15% off coupon a few days ago from b&n. I tried it tonight but doesn't work despite being before the deadline. Anyone else have this problem?

Tom

I had the same problem with Criterion but not other blurays. Some have had luck using it in the store.

[The Bronx Bull]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Earlier this afternoon/evening, I watched Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America for the first time in a couple of decades, and for the first time on Blu-ray. This is pure cinematic art, through and through, and the movie takes on a whole new significance now that I've watched it from an adult perspective, just as last night's viewing of Raging Bull was enhanced by seeing it as an adult after my previous viewing roughly 25 years ago. I love love love how the conclusion of this movie plays out. It puzzled me during my first viewing all those years ago, but I think that it's a perfect outcome now.

A dream Criterion title for me would be a restoration of Leone's original 269-minute version of this movie. I keep reading about a restoration process, but there is no definitive information at this point to the best of my knowledge.

As is, the 229-minute existing Blu-ray is a masterpiece, and I have a spot reserved for this one in the upcoming Top 20 of the 1980s poll in the Movies forum. Yessiree.

Once Upon a Time in America is such a fantastic film. Very few films come to mind that are *that* epic in scope - perhaps The Godfather: Part II and Fanny and Alexander.