The Criterion Collection

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by Arawn

Doesn't Seven Samurai have a portion ( prior to the intermission ) that kind of drags, like some other Kurosawa?

Its just me, but there was no minute that felt like it was wasted or dragged out. Also despite being over 3 hours long you are so immersed into the film that it never seems that long.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I don't think there is one wasted frame in Seven Samurai.

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

Its just me, but there was no minute that felt like it was wasted or dragged out. Also despite being over 3 hours long you are so immersed into the film that it never seems that long.

Great minds think a like.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by koberulz

I just love the implication that it isn't jw007's absolute favourite Scorsese film, but the ones they rank above it haven't been made yet.

We'll see how good The Irishman ends up being.

[Kyle15]

Back with some more Criterion-related art for you's guys. I've been very enamored with Le Samourai lately so I did a study of Alain Delon. He's so dreamy.

[Drake2222]

Originally Posted by Arawn

Doesn't Seven Samurai have a portion ( prior to the intermission ) that kind of drags, like some other Kurosawa?

When I first saw SS (on dvd years ago) I did think it was slow, I think part of that is most of it is set in one location (the village) so there is not a huge amount of movement / transit thru new locales / new people etc. But in subsequent viewings i’m perfectly fine with the pacing, especially viewing it on blu ray

Never was huge on the Mifune buffoon character though. My faves were the samurai leader, his sergeant, and the master samurai

[nitin]

Apart from Detour, is there a leaner and bleaker noir than Blast of Silence?

Has a lot of rough edges but it’s also deliciously grimy in its location shooting and characterisations. Also took a little while to get used to the particular voiceover style but was totally with it after about 10-15 min.

Hopefully Criterion upgrade this at some point to blu ray.

[malakaheso]

Will Criterion release more Chaplin films? What was the last one? The Kid in 2016?

Wonder why they haven't released The Circus yet.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Wonder why they haven't released The Circus yet.

I don't believe it has been restored or the restoration isn't finished as the version streaming on The Criterion Channel is said to be in pretty rough shape.

[yoloswegmaster420]

Eurythmics score for '1984' will now be included.

[jw007]

It's been quiet lately here in the Criterion thread.

With that said, I'd like to say that I'm a bigger fan of Claire Denis than ever (and though she only has 2 films in the collection, one of them, White Material, is pretty good), because I just recently watched High Life this past Monday at a 10pm showing in a big cineplex theater. I was quietly blown away by this movie.

The movie channels films such as Alien, Solaris, Moon, 2001, Sunshine, Interstellar, Under the Skin, as well as lesser known films such as Silent Running and Black Moon. When I say it "channels", I mean it borrows a similar "vibe" or mood, not to mention even shares a few thematic elements or stylistic aspects from those other aforementioned movies.

Of course there is absolutely no story or plot going on here. It's an arthouse sci fi film in the best sense, but its also a psychosexual drama and even part horror. I loved the whole "less is more" approach, as Claire Denis opted for minimalism over the traditional over-explained, over-stimulating science fiction movie. This one makes you ponder and wonder what you've just witnessed for 110 minutes, like I did.

After the credits finally ended, myself and 2 friends were still sitting in the movie theater seats almost waiting and hoping for more (hell, I could have easily sat there for 2 more hours watching this weird, claustrophobic, totally bizarre minor masterpiece). There was one other guy in the theater and he too was transfixed in stillness, and finally after the theater lights went up, the 4 of us started talking in the theater about the movie for the next 15 minutes (something I've never experienced before in a movie auditorium, talking to a total stranger about this movie we all just watched). That alone means this was an effective and brilliant movie (A24, you've done it again!).

Sometimes the best films are ones that leave you hanging, leave you wondering what the hell you just watched. And I for one want to see this film again, just to see if I could squeeze out anymore insight into a movie that more likely can be compared to a 110 minute long David Lynch dream sequence than anything else.

[jw007]

Forgot to mention... I could also see High Life as a future Criterion release without a doubt.

[professorwho]

Hasn't been posted in this threat yet, but the UK BD of War and Peace has what appears to be an error in its price. As of now it is £16.99 (with VAT removed it's £13.60 or ~$17.57) compared to the current Amazon price of the US version at $34.22.

Now, there's no confirmation as to if it is Region A compatible, but knowing their track record in the UK, it's 99% likely to be Region B locked. Still for people with Region Free players (like me) who don't mind waiting an extra month (US release date: 25 June; UK: 29 July) it's a hell of a deal I wouldn't pass over!

[dwk]

A warning about that, the UK version of War and Peace will likely be cut for horse falls.

[Akibiyori]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Will Criterion release more Chaplin films? What was the last one? The Kid in 2016?

Wonder why they haven't released The Circus yet.

Other than The Circus, they only have A Woman of Paris and the First National shorts left (and A King in New York from the later films.) I think the First National shorts may have some complications that have to be addressed regarding the original forms and materials of the films and other changes made to them when Chaplin re-released them (it has been a while since I’ve seen them but at least one - probably more - was stretch printed, so Criterion would want to undo that.)

The version of The Circus that is going around is still the old MK2 master, which is pretty bad as I recall from TCM, so they must not have worked on it yet. I’d expect one of these remaining editions to show up later this year.

If Chaplin ever gets a Bergman-style ultra box, I’d gladly buy it if it included new Criterion-handled editions of the Essanay and Mutual shorts (and I suppose the Keystones, although there are only a few genuinely good Chaplin Keystones.) The clips of The Pawnshop in a feature on their edition of The Kid looks so much nicer playing back smoothly like it should.

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by jw007

Forgot to mention... I could also see High Life as a future Criterion release without a doubt.

It's released by A24, who have no history with Janus/Criterion, so it seems unlikely at best.

[zeroforconduct]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Will Criterion release more Chaplin films? What was the last one? The Kid in 2016?

Wonder why they haven't released The Circus yet.

They should release some of his shorts. My favorite is The Pilgrim, which is longer than a short.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by dwk

A warning about that, the UK version of War and Peace will likely be cut for horse falls.

Unlikely, as that would require creating a new version of the film and Criterion UK never puts that much effort in. If the BBFC won't pass it, it'll just be canceled.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by zeroforconduct

They should release some of his shorts. My favorite is The Pilgrim, which is longer than a short.

Which ones? Flicker Alley has released his Essenay and Mutual comedy shorts on BluRay. FA hasn't upgraded the Keystone shorts to BluRay. Also, I mean there's the First National shorts? Though most of them are a bit longer than shorts.

[adamdevine78]

Inception is best.

[mrjohnnyb]

Sixteen Candles will be released by Arrow. I thought that this was destined for Criterion with the New Year's Day clue of 2018.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=25018