The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

An example of how much could be done with a low budget programmer. RKO seemed to do this as well, if not better, than any other studio. This, the Val Lewton's, and an excellent early Lucy film called Five Came Back (a predecessor to Flight of the Phoenix?) are just a few examples.

I always get a head rush when I see the RKO logo and the radio tower appear onscreen at the beginning of a movie. I really wish that more of these would land on Blu-ray.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

The Criterion Collection needs to obtain Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty (2011) and release it on Blu-ray or Dual Format, although a DVD was released in the U.S. It's total Criterion material and I would love for this to be available in the U.S. on Blu-ray.

It's one of the best independent films I've seen, especially from a new director.

It is a very fine film, I agree.

An even bolder and far more atmospheric film is Love Story a.k.a Tied, with the beautiful Laetitia Casta. IFC released it only on DVD in the U.S., but there is a non English-friendly Blu-ray release in Germany. Tremendous film based on a true story. One of the top 10 films I saw in 2013.

On the other hand,

Tied - Trailer - YouTube

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On the other hand, Ozon's latest film, Jeune & Jolie, is coming to Blu-ray in the UK. This is a top film as well, and it would be perfect for Criterion. Superb soundtrack

Jeune & Jolie (Young & Beautiful) - Official UK Trailer - In Cinemas Now - YouTube

Pro-B

[White Dang]

I've seen Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies twice now, and it is a film I REALLY wish the CC would pick up.

I am new to Tarr, but definitely want to check out more from him. I'm sure a lot of you would love the film as well. Youtube the trailer if you haven't seen it!

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by White Dang

I've seen Bela Tar's Werckmeister Harmonies twice now, and it is a film I REALLY wish the CC would pick up.

I am new to Tar, but definitely want to check out more from him. I'm sure a lot of you would love the film as well. Youtube the trailer!

Yeah this one should soon see bd .. The DVD is pretty bad.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

On the other hand, Ozon's latest film, Jeune & Jolie, is coming to Blu-ray in the UK. This is a top film as well, and it would be perfect for Criterion. Superb soundtrack

[Show spoiler]



Jeune & Jolie (Young & Beautiful) - Official UK Trailer - In Cinemas Now - YouTube

Pro-B

I can't even tell you how badly I want to see it. It was at a theater up north in the city a few weeks ago, but it was only playing one day and it was at a terrible time that conflicted with my schedule.

I really enjoy Ozon's work and I hope Criterion (or another studio) puts out Swimming Pool.

[jw007]

I watched Z last night for the first time and man, what a movie!

I still am trying to process it. It really was maddening to say the least. Costa Gavras is one brilliant director.

[jw007]

Minutes ago I just finished watching The Night Porter, and I can honestly say it may be the worst Criterion film in the collection (other than Border Radio). There's nothing good about this film. Pure crap.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by jw007

Minutes ago I just finished watching The Night Porter, and I can honestly say it may be the worst Criterion film in the collection (other than Border Radio). There's nothing good about this film. Pure crap.

I like Night Porter...it's trashy and exploitative to be sure, but it's lovely looking trashy and I am awed by Charlotte Rampling's performance. Have it on the barebones but beautiful presentation Anchor Bay blu-ray.

[2the9]

Originally Posted by jw007

Minutes ago I just finished watching The Night Porter, and I can honestly say it may be the worst Criterion film in the collection (other than Border Radio). There's nothing good about this film. Pure crap.

Huh? The striptease sequence is such a beautiful moment of Nazi and biblical fetishism, and justifies the film’s existence on that basis alone! One of my favorites that honestly feels like it isn’t in the Criterion Collection…rough transfer even for the time, not a single special feature, and a booklet with an essay spanning four paragraphs - tops. If you dislike it so much, it should be easy to overlook given its presentation

A definite deep cut.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by 2the9

Huh? The striptease sequence is such a beautiful moment of Nazi and biblical fetishism, and justifies the film’s existence on that basis alone! One of my favorites that honestly feels like it isn’t in the Criterion Collection…rough transfer even for the time, not a single special feature, and a booklet with an essay spanning four paragraphs - tops. If you dislike it so much, it should be easy to overlook given its presentation

A definite deep cut.

I've never seen night porter but I was surprised to see it was directed by a woman considering the subject matter...

[Visco.]

Has anyone seen Lean's Great Expectations? I watched it last night and I thought it was really good. I did find the second half less interesting. I enjoyed the tale of him growing up more so. But I really understood what the film was trying to depict in the last 20 minutes. I love how the story wraps up so beautifully.

Any thoughts?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by jw007

I watched Z last night for the first time and man, what a movie!

I still am trying to process it. It really was maddening to say the least. Costa Gavras is one brilliant director.

Have you seen Missing? I liked both a lot.

[HyperRealist]

Whats the plural of Criterion?

[The Great Owl]

I just watched Fritz Lang's 1936 film, Fury, which was his first American feature. Compared to Lang's M, this is almost a flipside overview of mob mentality, but the two films are visually similar. Fury must have ruffled a few feathers back in the day with its take on lynch mobs. I like Sylvia Sydney a lot in this movie...probably because she looks so much like the current actress, Amanda Seyfried.

[keldons]

so is it more or less assumed that Moonrise Kingdom will be picked up by Criterion at some point? Really like the film, but the current blu is rather bare bones so I'd rather not spend money on it if a new one is likely to come soon.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by mysteryjuice

Worse than Drive, He Said and A Safe Place? That's saying something.

Definitely worse than Drive, He Said, and maybe about as bad as A Safe Place too. But at least the subject matter in those 2 films was less offensive. I mean, watch it for yourself. If that striptease scene, as 2the9 mentioned earlier, is really symbolic, well, I'm still not impressed if that is the centerpiece of the film. Just my opinion.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Have you seen Missing? I liked both a lot.

I want to see this next! I nearly bought it a few years ago during a B&N sale. Library here I come.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by 2the9

Huh? The striptease sequence is such a beautiful moment of Nazi and biblical fetishism, and justifies the film’s existence on that basis alone! One of my favorites that honestly feels like it isn’t in the Criterion Collection…rough transfer even for the time, not a single special feature, and a booklet with an essay spanning four paragraphs - tops. If you dislike it so much, it should be easy to overlook given its presentation

A definite deep cut.

Yes, and this is another reason why I rank this so bad, because the transfer is terrible (the whole film is windowboxed - as in letterboxing and pillarboxing), the audio/sound is unbelievably distorted, there are obviously no supplements, not even a trailer, and the video transfer has tons of debris, scratches, hair and tears. The windowbox thing really upset me though. It's the only Criterion film I've encountered that did this (maybe because the DVD was designed/mastered back in the 20th century).

[BladeRunner2007]

Watched Godzilla today. Still the best monster movie i've ever seen. Incredibly bleak, dark, pessimistic and depressing. That fear and hopelessness... you can almost touch it! And that ending is so great. Perfectly executed. That hauting score during the climax is so beautiful. 5/5

[blu-bry]

Originally Posted by Visco.

Has anyone seen Lean's Great Expectations? I watched it last night and I thought it was really good. I did find the second half less interesting. I enjoyed the tale of him growing up more so. But I really understood what the film was trying to depict in the last 20 minutes. I love how the story wraps up so beautifully.

Any thoughts?

I got Great Expectations on DVD in the Criterion "Great Adaptations" set years ago. I still enjoy watching it (roughly once a year), but I'm always fond of Dickens material both in print and on film.
I watched Following this morning on Roku through Amazon Prime. I can certainly see it as a precursor to Memento. I enjoyed the non-linear style, and in this case, it makes the difference between good and great. I may pick it up on Blu-ray sometime soon.
I just received City Lights by FedEx today. Strange, my Amazon orders normally come by UPS. I wonder why FedEx this time?