The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Watched Pickpocket last night. Very good movie, though it lost a little steam in the end

I must say, the actress Marika Green, who plays Jeanne in the movie, was so beautiful

[Show spoiler]

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Watched Pickpocket last night. Very good movie, though it lost a little steam in the end

I must say, the actress Marika Green, who plays Jeanne in the movie, was so beautiful

[Show spoiler]

[Show spoiler]

Here's my User Review of Pickpocket from last year. Read the bolded sentence. Haha.


I decided to watch the Criterion Blu-ray of Robert Bresson's 1959 film, Pickpocket, last night as an antidote of sorts to the sensory overload of the Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy, which I had seen earlier in the afternoon. The Marvel film was certainly enjoyable and engaging in its own right, but Bresson's Pickpocket, by comparison, is a true case study of how less can be more in terms of filmmaking. Despite using blank-faced nonprofessional actors in nondescript settings while avoiding overt music cues or close-ups, Bresson's film somehow manages to capture our attention in a way that allows our own imagination and empathy to enhance the experience.

Although I have only seen two of his films, A Man Escaped and Pickpocket, I can already attest to the fact that Bresson depicts the basics of physical process like no other director. In the same way that A Man Escaped drew its tension from simple acts, like the dismantling of a wooden board from a door, Pickpocket finds its real urgency in the scenes where Michel, played by Martin LaSalle, learns the art of theft from an experienced pickpocket criminal and trains with two accomplices. We see wallets and purses changing hands rapidly with little or no background music in the sequences, and these scenes tell us everything that we need to know without cluttering the story with background details or overtly climactic plot elements. Even the comparably emotional final scene, where Michel finds a tangible connection with Jeanne, played by Marika Green (who looks like an even prettier version of Natalie Portman), finds its strength in subtlety.

I did not relate to Pickpocket quite as much as I relate to A Man Escaped, simply because I did not feel as much of a kinship with the main character, but Bresson's simplicity and singleness of effect still had me reeled in from the beginning. If for no other reason, I recommend this movie for its white-knuckle suspense moments that illustrate the head rush that can be found in doing something with a clear risk of being caught.

This Criterion Blu-ray shines with an incredible video presentation, and it's yet another example of how black-and-white cinema can flourish in the format. This disc sounds great as well, and the audio presentation showcases the importance of low-key sound effects. I am still making my way through all of the extras, but the introduction by Paul Schrader is golden, as is The Models of "Pickpocket", which re-introduces us to the film's main actors.Delete

[MifuneFan]

haha, Yeah, I thought the same with regards to Portman when watching. Thanks for re-posting your review . I'll definitely need to check out A Man Escaped

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by ravenus

cultists, erm, fans

of which (with 50 plus CC titles in your collection,) you should consider yourself one of them

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

I love that you used that word, "cultists"... sometimes I need a reality check, because I wonder if Criterion is the closest thing there is to a video distribution cult. Am I a cult member of Criterion? Is Criterion going to force us to drink the Kool Aid sometime in the future? Maybe they'll teach us to melt our bronzing discs and let the liquid drip into a shotglass to which we will be ordered to drink it in order to receive 1,000 loyalty member points on Criterion.com. And we shall see if our skin turns bronze or not... oh ha ha ha. But oh my oh my, I'm in a cult and I didn't even know it!

You are not a member of a cult if you enjoy Criterion Collection titles.

If you belong to a Crossfit gym, however, then...

Oh, nevermind. I'd better keep my mouth shut.

[malakaheso]

The transfer is a little bright in places, but it's quite good yes. It isn't as good as the one for Man Escaped though.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

You are not a member of a cult if you enjoy Criterion Collection titles.

If you belong to a Crossfit gym, however, then...

Oh, nevermind. I'd better keep my mouth shut.

I agree with both parts of your post, Owl. not a discussion for here, but see "kipping pullups" for evidence backing up the second opinion

[joie]

Originally Posted by ravenus

.
Anyway, I am wondering between Criterion and Eureka for a blind buy of Fellini Satyricon. CC has a large extras package, while Eureka have an English dub, which may be preferable since I am informed that the principal actors of the film speak English. Both? Unlikely, unless it turns out to be a film I enjoy enough to own multiple HD versions of, like Zombie Flesh Eaters or US4: Day of Reckoning

I ordered Eureka's for the English audio.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

haha, Yeah, I thought the same with regards to Portman when watching. Thanks for re-posting your review . I'll definitely need to check out A Man Escaped

Pickpocket is an impressively made film from a technical perspective and in terms of its social commentary. I was definitely not interested in the story, though, on either of my two watches. A Man Escaped, on the other hand, is a thrilling film from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it.

Still, my favorite Bresson film is Au Hasard Balthazar. It's incredibly depressing in its portrayal of martyrdom.

[soarinsteven]

Le Havre arrived from netflix the other day. Totally forgot about this film, and I don't remember why I even added it to my queue lol. I watched it last night, and wasn't surprised at all to see in this site's review name drop both Jean-Pierre Melville and Yasujiro Ozu. The two filmmakers I thought of while watching it, and honestly the film looks and feels more like a lost film from the 1960s than a new release from 2011. The use of color, the static camera work, the muted performances, and tone all resemble that earlier era of filmmaking. A great transfer from Criterion, but I had to keep reminding myself this was a new release!

The film itself was ok. I appreciated the warmth and humanity of the movie, but the drama was a bit dry, and I wish the African boy whose illegal presence in France sets the plot in mottion wasn't devoid of personality. I know he's supposed be a fish out of water, (almost literally since our hero first stumbles upon him wading in the sea) but it felt too much like The Blind Side to me. That's not good.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Pickpocket is an impressively made film from a technical perspective and in terms of its social commentary. I was definitely not interested in the story, though, on either of my two watches. A Man Escaped, on the other hand, is a thrilling film from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it.

Still, my favorite Bresson film is Au Hasard Balthazar. It's incredibly depressing in its portrayal of martyrdom.

That is the way i would rate them too, maybe Mouchette in between Pickpocket and A Man Escpaed, hopefully Criterion upgrades one of their remaining ones soon, or add L'argent which i haven't seen.

Seems only Mouchette has an HD release in UK, and Au Hasard Balthazar has been indefinitely postponed.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

That is the way i would rate them too, maybe Mouchette in between Pickpocket and A Man Escpaed, hopefully Criterion upgrades one of their remaining ones soon, or add L'argent which i haven't seen.

Seems only Mouchette has an HD release in UK, and Au Hasard Balthazar has been indefinitely postponed.

I'd go:

1. A Man Escaped
2. Pickpocket (a very close 2nd)
3. L'argent
4. Au Hasard Balthazar (needs a 2nd watch for me to better grasp its themes)

Bresson was a god though! can't wait to see more.

[Polaroid]

Whats everyones favourite film in the John Cassavetes: Five Films set?

I recently bought mainly because I loved the look of Woman Under the Influence, haven't looked into the other films yet... can't wait to see Woman though

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by soarinsteven

Le Havre arrived from netflix the other day. Totally forgot about this film, and I don't remember why I even added it to my queue lol. I watched it last night, and wasn't surprised at all to see in this site's review name drop both Jean-Pierre Melville and Yasujiro Ozu. The two filmmakers I thought of while watching it, and honestly the film looks and feels more like a lost film from the 1960s than a new release from 2011. The use of color, the static camera work, the muted performances, and tone all resemble that earlier era of filmmaking. A great transfer from Criterion, but I had to keep reminding myself this was a new release!

The film itself was ok. I appreciated the warmth and humanity of the movie, but the drama was a bit dry, and I wish the African boy whose illegal presence in France sets the plot in mottion wasn't devoid of personality. I know he's supposed be a fish out of water, (almost literally since our hero first stumbles upon him wading in the sea) but it felt too much like The Blind Side to me. That's not good.

I didn't sense any Melville vibe whatsoever. My feelings on the film are pretty close to your second paragraph. I NEVER am able to figure where a story is going, but this one is painfully obvious from early on. The director I thought of was Wes Anderson. I felt like I was getting clobbered over the head with whimsy.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Whats everyones favourite film in the John Cassavetes: Five Films set?

I recently bought mainly because I loved the look of Woman Under the Influence, haven't looked into the other films yet... can't wait to see Woman though

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Faces
Opening Night
A Woman Under the Influence
Shadows

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Faces
Opening Night
A Woman Under the Influence
Shadows

Oh lol :P

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Whats everyones favourite film in the John Cassavetes: Five Films set?

I recently bought mainly because I loved the look of Woman Under the Influence, haven't looked into the other films yet... can't wait to see Woman though

Faces, with Opening Night at close second.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Faces, with Opening Night at close second.

Had a quick read and it sounds good, mind you they all sound very interesting :P never seen any of his films, very excited!

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Had a quick read and it sounds good, mind you they all sound very interesting :P never seen any of his films, very excited!

All of the films i have seen from Cassavetes are good or great, but i find it hard to compare with another director's work to give you an idea of his films, i can only say they feel very real in an unusual way.

Any idea if it is viable for Criterion to release Husbands and Gloria?

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

You are not a member of a cult if you enjoy Criterion Collection titles.

If you belong to a Crossfit gym, however, then...

Oh, nevermind. I'd better keep my mouth shut.

Ha, no worries here, gyms are scary. I go to my old personal trainer's dusty garage and we work out once a week, lifting weights. Gyms are indeed cults of some sort. Athletic cults I suppose. I'd love a Criterion gym though, where members are only allowed to join if they own at least 3 Criterion movies in their homes.

EDIT: I could imagine that these Criterion gym members will be quite overweight from all that popcorn and pop they consume watching their arthouse films. Even a better idea that they work out in a special gym of their own!