The Criterion Collection

[randian]

Originally Posted by hudson4k

I've never really tried getting into it, but I'm very interested in Classic Hollywood. Any good beginner titles from Criterion I can pick up in the sale?

What genres do you like? If you like musicals I thought Swing Time was a good movie, for example.

[traths]

Originally Posted by hudson4k

I've never really tried getting into it, but I'm very interested in Classic Hollywood. Any good beginner titles from Criterion I can pick up in the sale?

12 Angry Men and Notorious would be a good start.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by BenOswald

I did a blind rental of it & loved it so much that just bought it.

The structure, editing & camera language is fantastic, and worthy of multiple viewing for me on those notes alone. Much more of a psychological western than I thought it would be, and I mean that in a good way.

I would say it's 80-90% as good as High Noon and 3:10 to Yuma, so if you like those at all...

I agree. It’s not going to have a lot of action like Winchester ‘73 so if you’re looking for a shoot ‘em up you’ll be disappointed. A little side note: Millard Mitchell is in both those pictures and he’s great.

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by hudson4k

I've never really tried getting into it, but I'm very interested in Classic Hollywood. Any good beginner titles from Criterion I can pick up in the sale?

"City Lights" and/or "Modern Times" by Chaplin - classic silent and silent-ish comedies
"Stagecoach" by Ford - classic western, late '30's
"The Lady Eve" by Sturges - classic screwball/rom-com from the early '40's
"To Be Or Not To Be" by Lubitsch - classic anti-Nazi comedy from the mid '40's
"Notorious" by Hitchcock - classic anti-Nazi spy romance from the mid '40's
"On the Waterfront" by Kazan - classic drama, a good example of how acting was starting to develop in the '50's
"Paths of Glory" by Kubrick - classic war film, late '50's

I would say those are all "beginner titles" for a budding cinephile.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by hudson4k

I've never really tried getting into it, but I'm very interested in Classic Hollywood. Any good beginner titles from Criterion I can pick up in the sale?

The Sweet Smell of Success. Essential.

[donidarko]

Ordered:

Blow Out (1981)
Girlfriends (1978)

[movieben1138]

Made my first two sale purchases:



The 10% indeed did not apply, but fortunately for this first strike they had put up old signage in the media section. I was able to point out the "members save an additional 10%" on the Criterion sale sign and they honored it.

[u2popmofo]

Every stinking sale I sit here and stare at all the Kurosawa titles I want and think to myself, "If I finally buy these, they're guaranteed to announce a box set". I talk myself out of it, and the box set is never announced. Will that finally change?

[SeanJoyce]

Pretty livid with Barnes and Noble not honoring my 10% discount after all these years of being a member. I displayed my tattered card to the store manager and explained that the bi-annual sales are literally the only reason I renew my membership every year as opposed to participating in the Criterion flash promotions or ordering through Amazon.

He relented and "tried" to apply the discount, but the screen wouldn't let him and I wasn't going to rake him over the coals for a manual override.

I was given a number for corporate to call, but I doubt that's going to result in a damn thing. Disgusting, IMO, for a brick and mortar chain on the verge of obsolescence. Instead of walking out with 7 (for now), I rang up 2. Thus ends splurging and my relationship with B&N.

[CrossRhodes94]

Which is better? Stagecoach or Destry Rides Again? Thinking about picking up one of those.

[TellingTruth]

Any good films about rap from Criterion?

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by TellingTruth

Any good films about rap from Criterion?

TT (Morgan) is hitting all the threads. You go boy!!!!! Don't hurt em' TT...

[dressedtokill]

Originally Posted by CrossRhodes94

Which is better? Stagecoach or Destry Rides Again? Thinking about picking up one of those.

Stagecoach

[ozmodiar]

Originally Posted by TellingTruth

Any good films about rap from Criterion?

They do have the Beastie Boys Video Anthology.

[Psychosmeg]

They only have 2 in stock of Agnes Varda at Unobstructed View, this title is selling out fast as I knew it would. So glad I ordered my copy as soon as possible, I can really see myself coming back for a second order.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by CrossRhodes94

Which is better? Stagecoach or Destry Rides Again? Thinking about picking up one of those.

Both are really good. I have both, but just a hypothetical exercise, if I had to part with one, I’d keep Destry, but only because I’m a tad partial to Jimmy Stewart and Marlene Dietrich.. more so than Ford and John Wayne.

If you have any preference in that regard, you can follow your gut. Seriously, though, both are great classic westerns.

[BenOswald]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

I agree. It’s not going to have a lot of action like Winchester ‘73 so if you’re looking for a shoot ‘em up you’ll be disappointed. A little side note: Millard Mitchell is in both those pictures and he’s great.

Yeah, for sure. Another point I was gonna make is that it's refreshing to have a western that's not about "civilizing the west", Indian affairs, or cattle/land issues. Instead, it's about one dude's trip and him having to reconcile his past. In that sense, it's got a little Noir vibe too.

[u2popmofo]

Ghost Dog just hit $19.99 on Amazon.

[drownsoda]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Pretty livid with Barnes and Noble not honoring my 10% discount after all these years of being a member. I displayed my tattered card to the store manager and explained that the bi-annual sales are literally the only reason I renew my membership every year as opposed to participating in the Criterion flash promotions or ordering through Amazon.

He relented and "tried" to apply the discount, but the screen wouldn't let him and I wasn't going to rake him over the coals for a manual override.

I was given a number for corporate to call, but I doubt that's going to result in a damn thing. Disgusting, IMO, for a brick and mortar chain on the verge of obsolescence. Instead of walking out with 7 (for now), I rang up 2. Thus ends splurging and my relationship with B&N.

I had the same experience—I preordered a few titles online last night (which you aren't able to use your membership discount on, which I was fine with): The Passion of Joan of Arc, Diabolique, the America Lost and Found box set. Went to pick them up this morning, and decided on a whim to grab They Live by Night and In a Lonely Place while I was in the store. Since it was a separate transaction and was not part of my online order, I offered my membership card, but the clerk told me in a somewhat dismissive tone that the 10% discount doesn't apply with the sale. I didn't ask any questions, but I was a little bit miffed if I'm being honest.

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by hudson4k

I've never really tried getting into it, but I'm very interested in Classic Hollywood. Any good beginner titles from Criterion I can pick up in the sale?

Along with some others I’ve seen mentioned, I’d suggest:

It Happened One Night
My Man Godfrey
Sullivan’s Travels
Gilda
Red River
The Philadelphia Story
My Girl Friday
Some Like It Hot