The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by LPM0317

Totally agreed!Sometimes when I was hanging out with my friends,I found out we barely talked.Everyone is looking on their cellphone or playing online games together,since I barely play online games,I only can read tapatalk pretending I am busy[emoji23].I really hope I can throw away my phone one day and cut away all the internet service to focus on something I want to do.I found it is too disturbing to have a phone.

The modern world where we are dwelling really shaped our life.It affected the way we look upon the world and how we live our life.I hope I can escape from this circumstance.I even hope I can live alone in a cave to escape from the modern world which make me feel so tired.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hate to say this, since it's humiliating, but I think I would die if I had to go a week without the Internet. Seriously, I have no idea how I would deal with it. That's basically 90% of my interaction with people, as I hardly leave the house.

[theater dreamer]

The Birdcage is one of my favorite comedies. Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Hank Azaria are nothing short of brilliant! It's one of those films that, no matter what I'm doing, if I flip through the channels, and see it on, I'm watching it. I don't know why I haven't bought it, yet, other than the fact my folks have the blu-ray, and I can borrow theirs any time I want.

Originally Posted by GaragePoet

just curious how many people here are fans of "La Cage aux Folles," and how people feel about the remake. personally, i love "The Birdcage" but it's hard to imagine it could possibly be as funny w/o the outstanding cast of Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria, Gene Hackman & Dianne Wiest... i think that the cast itself it what makes the story so heartwarming and hilarious, but i'm curious how people feel about the original. does it also hold up? are there major cultural differences, i.e. jokes that may not translate well, etc.?

[theater dreamer]

I wouldn't die. But I'd go crazy, which might as well mean I'd die.

I go out of the house, and have friends locally. But without Skype or Whatsapp, I couldn't see my girlfriend right now (could still call her). And, a large portion of my friends live in other parts of the country, in Canada, or overseas. No internet means I'm cut off from what's going on in their lives. And that can't happen.

The net has become an indispensable part of our lives.

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I hate to say this, since it's humiliating, but I think I would die if I had to go a week without the Internet. Seriously, I have no idea how I would deal with it. That's basically 90% of my interaction with people, as I hardly leave the house.

[LPM0317]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I hate to say this, since it's humiliating, but I think I would die if I had to go a week without the Internet. Seriously, I have no idea how I would deal with it. That's basically 90% of my interaction with people, as I hardly leave the house.

So the ppl of old days was doing something we can't do now.They do not have any gadget and devices,but they still can keep on their life.I found it is strange.But I know we can't always look back to the past as technology help us a lot but also affected us in a bad way a lot.

Maybe I am an old-fashioned person,but I think sometimes live a life without much technology can liberate me.And sometimes I found interesting but ironic that the first appearance of moving image marked the era of modernisation and I am now a movie addicted.Does it sound ironic?[emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[llj]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I hate to say this, since it's humiliating, but I think I would die if I had to go a week without the Internet. Seriously, I have no idea how I would deal with it. That's basically 90% of my interaction with people, as I hardly leave the house.

I've already done that several times this year. Although, mostly I only do it on holidays when I go back to visit the family and have something to do.

I have to say, while being "plugged in" is addictive, I usually always feel much better moodwise after being away with the internet for a long period of time. Half of what I read online just makes me frustrated or pissed off.

I will say that I have still lived about half my life without the internet though. Although...I believe it's starting to go over half these after these last few birthdays of mine.

I have mixed feelings on the internet overall. I love that we have all this information at my fingertips. And being able to reach people far away more easily is convenient. But I can't help but think we generally take it for granted. People don't seem any more knowledgeable today than when I was younger. And as someone with bouts of mild social anxiety (mostly in social settings like parties and the like or in situations where I am the centre of attention), I think the internet can be too easy for people to decide not to go out and stimulate our other senses--not just socially, but taste, feel, smell, hearing and experiencing textures. I think sitting in front of a computer or phone for most of the day can dull a lot of our natural animal instincts that need stimulating.

I try not to go more than 2 days cooped up inside most of the time. Even after a snowstorm, I'll usually go out and take a decent walk around my area every other day.

[SammyJankis]

Is there a bleaker ending to a noir than the one to Scarlet Street? It was completely in line with the rest of the film and I love the film more for committing to it, but that was really ballsy.

Need to check out La Chienne now.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I hate to say this, since it's humiliating, but I think I would die if I had to go a week without the Internet. Seriously, I have no idea how I would deal with it. That's basically 90% of my interaction with people, as I hardly leave the house.

People are a lot like cell phones, computers, toasters, and such, in that they function better if they are unplugged from time to time.

I like to get away from everything and go running four or five days a week, and this gives me a chance to get away from things. It's also fun to turn off the computer and read a book.

I'm amazed, though, at how many of my fellow runners have their iPhones strapped to their arms and listen to their iTunes playlists with earbuds while they are running.
I am a serious music fan, and I own over 1,000 CDs here at home, but I like to have no distractions when I'm out running. I just listen to the music that plays in my mind. It's also nice to have situational awareness and to be able to hear big vehicles in my vicinity.

[20th Century Boy]

Anyone got a scoop on possible Godard or Oshida upgrades? Thought there might've been at least rumors after those screenings in Brooklyn a few months back.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Is there a bleaker ending to a noir than the one to Scarlet Street? It was completely in line with the rest of the film and I love the film more for committing to it, but that was really ballsy.

Scarlet Street always breaks my heart. Probably because Edward G. Robinson's character is the ultimate "Average Frustrated Chump", to use pickup artist terminology, and it's tough to see him get dragged around by Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea. The ending is a gut punch in every way.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Scarlet Street always breaks my heart. Probably because Edward G. Robinson's character is the ultimate "Average Frustrated Chump", to use pickup artist terminology, and it's tough to see him get dragged around by Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea. The ending is a gut punch in every way.

Yeah, I can't imagine the film working at all without G. Robinson. His gullible charm that is just so sincere holds the film together, and ultimately makes that ending as much of a gut punch as you say. That naive smile lingers in the frame even when he's not present. Oof, I have a feeling this one is going to stay with me.

[llj]

I double-billed Criterion's Ghost World and Summer of '42 yesterday. Not intentionally, but by coincidence. There are some interesting parallels, although obviously Ghost World is far superior.

I'd watched Ghost World in the past, but never in one sitting. I remember renting it from Blockbusters in 2001-2002 and watching it broken up, or seeing it airing on TV and watching a few scenes, but never complete.

One thing that struck me, upon rewatching it, is that Enid and Rebecca are, initially anyway, pretty terrible people in that similar vein that Seinfeld's cast were. They b*tch about little things and like belittling people around them. They're really funny and make you LOL, but you're not sure they should be role models, which they've kind of become over the years. Over the years, I've read thinkpieces from many women from my generation and younger who absolutely adore Enid and Rebecca and said that they were "just like them". I'm hoping it's more the Enid at the end of the film they look up to and not the snarky wiseass from the beginning, as funny as she admittedly was. I don't remember what Daniel Clowes said about them, but reading the comic and watching the movie again, I really don't think he intended for them to become as admirable as they've been received.

Ileana Douglas' character is pretty funny when seen today. She's sort of this old-school liberal who's increasingly being phased out in the 21st century. Kind of consciously pretentious and a bit self absorbed, but at the same time, someone who encourages other people to push the envelope and be provocative. Her scenes bring out some of the best laughs--from her Doris Wishman-esque art film to her unexpected reaction to Enid's "found art" project, she's simultaneously irritating and likeable, a tricky balance. I don't agree with her snobbishness against "low art" (The Mutilator is brilliant )
but her old-school liberalism when it comes to art that pushes the envelope is sort of endearing and nostalgic.

Of course, Buscemi is great here. It's probably one of the most sympathetic roles in his career, while not entirely deviating from his sort of creepy-dork-charm persona.

Summer of '42 is one of those movies that used to be a big deal, but kind of faded into the cultural attic over the last 20 or so years. It used to run ALL THE TIME on local TV stations, usually late in the night. Like with Ghost World, I'd watched bits of it but never in one sitting. By pure coincidence, it happens to be another movie about a teenager who strikes up a relationship with an older person, except the gender roles are reversed. So it was an interesting double bill with Ghost World.

I kinda understand why it's forgotten now. If you look at the technical aspects of the film, it's actually really good. It's well shot by the great Robert Surtees, and was one of the first films of the 70s to really do soft-focus photography right. Michel LeGrand's music is haunting and memorable. The direction isn't flashy or unique but is sensitive and functional.

The script is really dumb though. I've not read the original book by Herman Raucher, but this script is filled with some of the dumbest reactions and situations and cartoonish characterizations. It makes everyone in 1942 seem like complete idiots when it comes to life. The women are completely unbelievable and the boys aren't much better. The protagonist's friend in particular (played by Jerry Houser) is someone you feel like strangling half the time. It's meant to be a sensitive portrait of teenage first love, but it's unintentionally hilarious. Jennifer O'Neill looks SUPER hot, but she's largely a blank as a character and one comes out of the movie feeling more like she's an object of conquest for our doofus teenaged hero rather than a complicated character.

Another thing that bugs me is that the boys refer to O'Neill's character as "old" but she's only 22 according to the plot summary! I feel like they could have bumped her age up by 10 years at least.

I also had the impression, for the longest time, that this film was sort of this high gloss Oscar bait erotica. It is nothing of the sort! The most you see is O'Neill's backside and some panty shots. It is actually quite "tasteful", which is disappointing in retrospect. The penultimate scene in the film (most can figure out what I'm talking about) is something I can imagine having disappointed a lot of young male viewers looking for some nudity. That said, I was somewhat impressed by it on a cinematic level. It is nearly silent, and becomes a nice showcase for Surtees' use of light and shadow, and lasts for over 5 minutes.

I would be surprised if Summer of '42 ever got a deluxe home release, let alone "Criterioned". On one hand, it has (or had) a major reputation for the longest time, but it's just too dumb a movie in too many parts for me to ever say it should get a deluxe release.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by GaragePoet

just curious how many people here are fans of "La Cage aux Folles," and how people feel about the remake. personally, i love "The Birdcage" but it's hard to imagine it could possibly be as funny w/o the outstanding cast of Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria, Gene Hackman & Dianne Wiest... i think that the cast itself it what makes the story so heartwarming and hilarious, but i'm curious how people feel about the original. does it also hold up? are there major cultural differences, i.e. jokes that may not translate well, etc.?

I personally love it, but each their own

[hagios]

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Killers
Criterion Collection: A Man Escaped
Foreign Correspondent
Lady Vanishes
Man Who Knew Too Much
M
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Ride the Pink Horse
Riot in Cell Block 11
Overlord
Phoenix
Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Criterion Collection: Kennedy Films Of Robert Drew
Killing
Bridge
To Be or Not to Be
In Cold Blood

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Killers (both versions are fairly entertaining)
A Man Escaped (a bit slow, but rather excellent)
Foreign Correspondent (don't really remember it, but it's Hitchcock, so it's a must)
Lady Vanishes (good)
Man Who Knew Too Much (good. Not even sure if I like this one or the 50s version better)
M (always was a favorite and a must-have)
Riot in Cell Block 11 (good)
Spy Who Came In from the Cold (a bit stuffy, but still good)
Killing (good)
Bridge (excellent)

Made notes above for the ones I've seen. My top 5 picks would probably be The Bridge, M, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Lady Vanishes, and The Killing. Can't go wrong with any of those, they're all thrilling and superbly-crafted. M strikes me as the biggest must-have, but the Criterion edition has been outpaced by the remastered German edition (I think--I keep hearing it has the better picture quality. It is region-free, but extras will be half English and half-German). Can't go wrong with the Hitchcocks, the Killing is pretty classy (and I believe it comes with Killer's Kiss, which I always admired). And The Bridge--that one floored me unexpectedly. It's beautifully made, but with heartbreaking pathology.

The Killers, Foreign Correspondent, Riot in Cell Block 11, Spy Who Came In From the Cold, A Man Escaped are all good too, just not ones I'd pick over the others.

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

A Man Escaped
The Lady Vanishes
M
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
The Killing
To Be or Not to Be

In my opinion, the films listed above are absolutely essential for a serious cinephile's collection.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
Killers
Criterion Collection: A Man Escaped
Foreign Correspondent
Lady Vanishes
Man Who Knew Too Much
M
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Ride the Pink Horse
Riot in Cell Block 11
Overlord
Phoenix
Spy Who Came In from the Cold
Criterion Collection: Kennedy Films Of Robert Drew
Killing
Bridge
To Be or Not to Be
In Cold Blood

"Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion" (one of my favorite films of all-time featuring an incredible performance from Gian Maria Volonte)
"Lady Vanishes" (probably Hitchcock's best early film and one of his 5 best)
"M" (one of the best thrillers ever)
"Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (wonderful epic from the masters Powell and Pressburger)
"The Killing" (early Kubrick shows his masterful skill as a filmmaker)

But everything on there is very good. Only ones I haven't seen are "Overlord" or "Phoenix".

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I personally love it, but each their own

What the hell, did I just wake up in 2014?

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by octagon

What the hell, did I just wake up in 2014?

Seriously. I saw his post and thought, "huh, so BetaMan still exists."

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

A Man Escaped
The Lady Vanishes
M
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
The Killing
To Be or Not to Be

In my opinion, the films listed above are absolutely essential for a serious cinephile's collection.

All those films are masterpieces that should be part of any collection.

[captainron_howdy]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the consensus (details) for these titles I'm interested in (& let's say you could only get 5 of these titles, which and why?)?:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
A Man Escaped
Phoenix
Killing
In Cold Blood

All Essential.

Anything by Elio Petri & Robert Bresson is. Phoenix was one of the best films of 2014 I thought, a masterful drama. Killing is Kubrick, enough said. And In Cold Blood will haunt you until the day you die.