The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

About Sundays and Cybele, i read on a review that it got some backlash in its time due to that it was submitted to the Academy Awards to represent France instead of Vivre Sa Vie and Jules and Jim (some pretty tough competition that year), but in the end i guess they made the right choice since it end up winning .

I've never seen Sundays and Cybele, so I can't really comment on it obviously. But Vivre sa vie is one of the best films ever made, in any language, in color, in black and white, silent or sound, it doesn't matter. It is filmmaking at it's height.

Jean-Luc Godard made a lot of films that qualify as masterpieces. Contempt, for sure, is at the top. But I don't think anyone ever made a film quite like Vivre sa vie. It's beautiful and tragic, it's lovely and horrifying, it's pretty much what a film is supposed to be. Karina's performance is off the charts. This is like a film school example of how to make a film. What this film means to me is difficult to say.

I can't love a film more than I love this film, or I love Contempt. They are, essentially, perfect.

[Sifox211]

Here's a question for you folks in Criterion land: I've been following all the recommendations about John Cassavetes and it sounds like the sort of thing I would like, but I haven't seen anything of his at all.

With a view to getting the box set during one of the sales (not the next one probably) I thought I would pick up a single film to try out - the BFI editions over here can mostly be had for around £9. What would you recommend for a starter?

My Criterion list is in my sig if that's any help

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Here's a question for you folks in Criterion land: I've been following all the recommendations about John Cassavetes and it sounds like the sort of thing I would like, but I haven't seen anything of his at all.

With a view to getting the box set during one of the sales (not the next one probably) I thought I would pick up a single film to try out - the BFI editions over here can mostly be had for around £9. What would you recommend for a starter?

My Criterion list is in my sig if that's any help

Shadows

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Here's a question for you folks in Criterion land: I've been following all the recommendations about John Cassavetes and it sounds like the sort of thing I would like, but I haven't seen anything of his at all.

With a view to getting the box set during one of the sales (not the next one probably) I thought I would pick up a single film to try out - the BFI editions over here can mostly be had for around £9. What would you recommend for a starter?

My Criterion list is in my sig if that's any help

I decided to purchase the box set after watching Shadows, but now that i have seen them all, my recommendation would be Faces or Opening Night.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Here's a question for you folks in Criterion land: I've been following all the recommendations about John Cassavetes and it sounds like the sort of thing I would like, but I haven't seen anything of his at all.

With a view to getting the box set during one of the sales (not the next one probably) I thought I would pick up a single film to try out - the BFI editions over here can mostly be had for around £9. What would you recommend for a starter?

My Criterion list is in my sig if that's any help

The John Cassavetes set is one of my favorite releases in The Criterion Collection.

My favorite of his films is The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, although I think Faces established him as a powerhouse of a director.

[the sordid sentinel]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

no spoilers please, but how do people like The Friends of Eddie Coyle? I picked up a nice clean copy for $9. pretty excited to see it some time soon.

It's outstanding and $9 is a great buy. Congrats.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

I would like it on a Blu-ray, upgrade please!

Disclamer, I am a Mitch fan.

Originally Posted by StonesEGF

Great, great, great movie. It instantly became one of my favorites when I first saw it a few years ago.

When I saw Killing Them Softly in theaters, I couldn't shake the sense of similarity it had with The Friend of Eddie Coyle. When the credits rolled, I finally realized that both movies were based on novels by George V. Higgins. So... if you've seen and enjoyed Killing Them Softly, maybe that's an indicator that you'll like The Friends of Eddie Coyle. There was definitely a correlation for me.

Originally Posted by iScottie

It's a solid film. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I didn't watch it when I was pre-occupied with other things going on.

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

It's outstanding and $9 is a great buy. Congrats.

awesome.. I can't wait! the PQ on the DVD got a 9/10 on Criterion Forum. I skipped through the first few chapters quickly and it looks awesome... not HD, but CC did an awesome job with it.

Thanks everyone!

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by CinemaBlu

Shadows

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I decided to purchase the box set after watching Shadows, but now that i have seen them all, my recommendation would be Faces or Opening Night.

Originally Posted by iScottie

The John Cassavetes set is one of my favorite releases in The Criterion Collection... My favorite of his films is The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, although I think Faces established him as a powerhouse of a director.

Thanks for the prompt replies! So almost any one really... but Faces gets two votes and was his first film, right? Might be a good way to start

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Thanks for the prompt replies! So almost any one really... but Faces gets two votes and was his first film, right? Might be a good way to start

Shadows was actually his first film, followed by Faces.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Thanks for the prompt replies! So almost any one really... but Faces gets two votes and was his first film, right? Might be a good way to start

I'll give Chinese Bookie another vote. Aside from Husbands (which doesn't appear to be available on BD anywhere) it's probably the most 'user friendly' Cassavetes film. Faces is a very interesting film but it's very raw both visually and emotionally and (in my case, at least) it took a little commitment to both get into it initially and to get through it.

A Woman Under the Influence is also fantastic (and very accessible) but man is it emotionally draining.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Cagney plays a Coca-Cola Executive in Berlin - it's great fun. He's taking care of the 17 year old daughter of his boss (but she runs off with a communist). Cagney must find her and get everything right before the boss arrives from the USA the next day.

Cagney's non-stop, finger-snapping speech ordering Horst Buchholz's "make-over" is one of the more jaw-dropping moments in cinema. It's also said to be the reason Cagney decided to retire.

[Blu MacReady]

I've gone back 3-4 pages and haven't spotted the criterion disc bronzing thread.

I'm wanting to order Tootsie, would this potentially gave the same problems? Are new discs likely to be affected in the near future? I recall someone thought it was due to the booklets included, so us that also in newer releases?

Thanks.....or please link thread so I can ask there

[Musicguy]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Cagney's non-stop, finger-snapping speech ordering Horst Buchholz's "make-over" is one of the more jaw-dropping moments in cinema. It's also said to be the reason Cagney decided to retire.

Cagney and Buchholz did not get along and hated working together. One day Cagney walked outside the sound stage and saw the sun and realized what he was missing. He retired (He didn't even come back for "My Fair Lady")

Cagney was ill when he filmed "Ragtime" and had to have help with the lines, his family wanted to get him working because they thought it might be good for him. His role is pretty small in that film.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

I've gone back 3-4 pages and haven't spotted the criterion disc bronzing thread.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=249210

I'm wanting to order Tootsie, would this potentially gave the same problems? Are new discs likely to be affected in the near future?

No guarantees, but it's not at all likely. The issue is due to oxidization of the metallic surface of the disc. It's an issue that, given current data, seems to be an issue with a specific pressing plant (Sonopress/Arvato) during a specific time frame (mid-2009 to mid-2010). And, in fact, it appears to be confined to bad batches, as not all copies of the affected titles from that plant in that time frame are bad.

I recall someone thought it was due to the booklets included, so us that also in newer releases?

Someone brought that up at some point, but it's been debunked. If it was the cause of the problem, then allCriterion discs, regardless of pressing plant, would be affected. Even more, discs from a large number of other labels would also be affected.

(God...can you imagine the hysteria if the OOP Twilight Time titles started rotting?)

[SimBelm]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Thanks for the prompt replies! So almost any one really... but Faces gets two votes and was his first film, right? Might be a good way to start

I'll throw in another vote for Faces since it was his first feature after getting stung by the studio system and, IMO, began his major run of masterpieces.

[Feiereisel]

Eraserhead is back in stock at the Criterion website.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by Feiereisel

Eraserhead is back in stock at the Criterion website.

Thanks. I hope this means the flash sale will commence.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Feiereisel

Eraserhead is back in stock at the Criterion website.

Which means there's a good possibility for a flash sale tomorrow, eh?

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by Feiereisel

Eraserhead is back in stock at the Criterion website.

Originally Posted by iScottie

Which means there's a good possibility for a flash sale tomorrow, eh?

If it does, Eraserhead will probably will sell out quickly.

[rdandura]

I ordered it while it was still backordered.