The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

wait wait... Ozu, Fellini, Renoir and Watership Down all in February? I know what I am getting next July in the sale.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Wait till you see March-June's titles

Originally Posted by jshaide

Whoa. Teasing, or be that some insider info?

I think MifuneFan was reacting to Vinyl's comment about getting the February releases in July (I assume during the next B&N 50% sale), and essentially suggesting that there will be perhaps more and better between February and July.

[Lt. Brannigan]

Fun quiz. I got Spielberg. Not surprised.

With subject matter concerning those on the fringes, the taken-for-granted, the unknown, the almost-forgotten, accidental everyday heroes, and innocents affected, your vision is broad, yet always from the subjective of the protagonist, using the pathos of music, sweeping dollies to reveal the forces of what are to come.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I would recommend the novel The Moviegoer to film lovers eager to read more. Malick was rumoured to have been interested in adapting it during his years in the wilderness.

I'd also recommend Journey To The End Of The Night by Céline. Pierrot Le Fou came in to being after Godard and Belmondo expressed an interest in adapting it.

It's been years since I read The Moviegoer but I did not care for it much. Outside of a few references to stars like William Holden it didn't seem to live up to its name.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by prior

Thanks, this was fun! Bergman, I can live with that.

I would have worried if I ended up being Alan Smithee.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

It's been years since I read The Moviegoer but I did not care for it much. Outside of a few references to stars like William Holden it didn't seem to live up to its name.

That title is misleading, if you're expecting a story about movies. Better choices for novels about movies or Hollywood would be The Last Tycoon, Day of the Locust, or The Little Sister.

FWIW, The Grapes of Wrath is my favorite novel and I think John Ford did a great job of capturing the spirit of the book.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Do any of you folks have some book recommendations for an adamant film fan, such as myself?

I assume that I should read "Crime and Punishment" at some point in my life. However, I am wondering what else someone would recommend. I admire all types of world cinema and I enjoy films dealing with isolation, loneliness, missed connections, adapting to a changing world, issues related to modernization, and the like. Ingmar Bergman is my favorite director (as some of you may know) and I really admire such films as 2001, Belle de Jour, Chungking Express, La Dolce Vita, The Double Life of Veronique, In the Mood for Love, Lost in Translation, Modern Times, Solaris, Vertigo, Y Tu Mamá También, and the list goes on and on and on.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

There are far too many books I could recommend. If I had to pick one novel to recommend because a gun was pointed to my head, I'd probably say Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. I keep meaning to read the three translations (or are there four? I forget; I know I have three different ones -- I just looked it up...there are at least six translations into English) back-to-back to compare them. My only reading of the novel was Mirra Ginsburg's original English translation, but I'm given to understand that the most recent one by Diana Burgin & Katherine O'Connor (available from Vintage Books) is the best of them.

(And after you've read it, hunt down a copy of the DVD of the 2005 Russian TV mini-series version by Vladimir Bortko.)

Other recommendations would be pretty much anything by (with specific recommendations in parentheses):

Julian Barnes (Flaubert's Parrot)

Heinrich Böll (The Stories of Heinrich Böll)

Italo Calvino (The Castle of Crossed Destinies)

Raymond Chandler (nothing in particular, they're all excellent)

Christopher Fowler (his "Peculiar Crimes Unit" series, starting with Full Dark House)

Graham Greene (The Ministry of Fear and The Quiet American)

Stieg Larsson (the Millennium Trilogy - better than the movies)

Gabriel Garcia-Marquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera)

Christopher Moore (His Vampire Trilogy: Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story, You Suck: A Love Story, and Bite Me: A Love Story)

Vladimir Nabokov (Lolita)

Charles Stross (his "Laundry Files" series, starting with The Atrocity Archives)

Lawrence Thornton (Imagining Argentina)

Kurt Vonnegut (Mother Night)

Currently, I'm reading Four Plays by Friedrich Dürrenmatt.

On edit: If you want to read a different sort of mystery, try Nick Drake's historical mystery series: Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead, Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows, and Egypt: The Book of Chaos. I was just reminded of these, as the last one is next on my pile to read.

[Polaroid]

Now we have got Watership Down - What other animated films do you want n collection?

People spoke about Fantastic Planet which I really want, looking at the MoC version however.

Not sure if this will get me laughs but I have always loved The Animatrix, the different styles are very exciting and I love the stories, they are much better than The Matrix films :P

I also love how dark they are and really push the idea of what The Matrix is, better than the film did for me anyway!

Would have loved Plague Dogs as part of the Watership Down release... I am so greedy haha!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by belcherman

That title is misleading, if you're expecting a story about movies.

Back in the early 70s, I was working the in-desk at a public library, when a senior citizen walked up to the desk, dropped down a copy of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, and the following exchange happened:

Him: "What would you think this book is about?"
Me: "Well, I've read it, so I know what it's about."
Him (pointing at the title): "Wouldn't you think it was about sports?"
Me: "I suppose I can see someone thinking that."
Him: "Well, it's not. It's a filthy, disgusting book!" (walks away)

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Now we have got Watership Down - What other animated films do you want n collection?

People spoke about Fantastic Planet which I really want, looking at the MoC version however.

Not sure if this will get me laughs but I have always loved The Animatrix, the different styles are very exciting and I love the stories, they are much better than The Matrix films :P

I also love how dark they are and really push the idea of what The Matrix is, better than the film did for me anyway!

Would have loved Plague Dogs as part of the Watership Down release... I am so greedy haha!

I'd love to see The Animatrix as well, so laughs from me. As for other animated films... Ponyo, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke would be my vote.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Back in the early 70s, I was working the in-desk at a public library, when a senior citizen walked up to the desk, dropped down a copy of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, and the following exchange happened:

Him: "What would you think this book is about?"
Me: "Well, I've read it, so I know what it's about."
Him (pointing at the title): "Wouldn't you think it was about sports?"
Me: "I suppose I can see someone thinking that."
Him: "Well, it's not. It's a filthy, disgusting book!" (walks away)

That's one of the funniest things I've heard in a while. Perked up my afternoon, thanks for sharing!

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

It's been years since I read The Moviegoer but I did not care for it much. Outside of a few references to stars like William Holden it didn't seem to live up to its name.

Glad I'm not the only one who was less than thrilled with it.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Back in the early 70s, I was working the in-desk at a public library, when a senior citizen walked up to the desk, dropped down a copy of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, and the following exchange happened:

Him: "What would you think this book is about?"
Me: "Well, I've read it, so I know what it's about."
Him (pointing at the title): "Wouldn't you think it was about sports?"
Me: "I suppose I can see someone thinking that."
Him: "Well, it's not. It's a filthy, disgusting book!" (walks away)

That poor old man. Not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to see greatness

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Now we have got Watership Down - What other animated films do you want n collection?

People spoke about Fantastic Planet which I really want, looking at the MoC version however.

Not sure if this will get me laughs but I have always loved The Animatrix, the different styles are very exciting and I love the stories, they are much better than The Matrix films :P

I also love how dark they are and really push the idea of what The Matrix is, better than the film did for me anyway!
Yup
Would have loved Plague Dogs as part of the Watership Down release... I am so greedy haha!

Maybe some stuff from Madhouse (who worked on some of The Animatrix). Barefoot Gen 1&2, Perfect Blue, and Millennium Actress (which is at least partially based on the life of Setsuko Hara) all seem like good options.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Lately, I've been rereading a few Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain stories. It's all good.

If you've been reading those, I assume you've also read Jim Thompson? Greatest pulp writer IMO. Also, check out William Goldman's novels. Marathon Man, Magic, Princess Bride - all better than the films. Control, Brothers (the sequel to Marathon Man)... and Boys & Girls Together is epic.

Also love the true crime books of John Douglas (the man who invented FBI profiling) and, in that vein, a true classic would be Helter Skelter.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Maybe some stuff from Madhouse (who worked on some of The Animatrix). Barefoot Gen 1&2, Perfect Blue, and Millennium Actress (which is at least partially based on the life of Setsuko Hara) all seem like good options.

Never seen Perfect Blue but really want to see it ^^

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

People spoke about Fantastic Planet which I really want, looking at the MoC version however.

What's there to consider, it's a perfect disc! Also, MoC flash-sale = Joan Of Arc steelbook is £9.99 delivered (with free worldwide delivery) at the Eureka store.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

What's there to consider, it's a perfect disc! Also, MoC flash-sale = Joan Of Arc steelbook is £9.99 delivered (with free worldwide delivery) at the Eureka store.

Omg I forgot I can take part in the sales XD - Im waiting to get paid and got a few eyed up already !

-

Why do they have Human Centipede for sale on their site? Kinda lost a HUGE amount of respect for them lol...

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by belcherman

That title is misleading, if you're expecting a story about movies. Better choices for novels about movies or Hollywood would be The Last Tycoon, Day of the Locust, or The Little Sister.

Add What Makes Sammy Run? to this list

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Now we have got Watership Down - What other animated films do you want n collection?

My watchlist:

Angel's Egg (1985)

Cleopatra: Queen of Sex (1970)

Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a Sailor from York (1982)

Fehérlófia (1981)

Habfürdö (1980)

One Night in City

(2007)

Belladonna of Sadness (1973)

Mind Game (I) (2004)

Band of Ninja (1967)

Perfect Blue (1997)

Repete (1995)

One Thousand and One Nights (1969)

The King and the Mockingbird (1980)

The Princess and the Cobbler (1993)

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

My watchlist:

Angel's Egg (1985)

Cleopatra: Queen of Sex (1970)

Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a Sailor from York (1982)

Fehérlófia (1981)

Habfürdö (1980)

One Night in City (2007)

Belladonna of Sadness (1973)

Mind Game (I) (2004)

Band of Ninja (1967)

Perfect Blue (1997)

Repete (1995)

One Thousand and One Nights (1969)

The King and the Mockingbird (1980)

The Princess and the Cobbler (1993)

Oh sweet, not heard of some of these will check them out