The Criterion Collection

[madmojo]

Ya know, getting back on the topic of Criterion blu releases, am I the only one who would really like Onibaba, The Woman In The Dunes, and Ugetsu? If you can't tell, I'm missing my Japanese Cinema class from college a few years ago.

[dag]

I watched Sweet Smell of Success tonight, and I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed. Sophisticated, witty, zippy dialogue, cool jazz, nice clothes, Toots Shor, gorgeous penthouse, Noo Yawk in the fifties. This is a great movie.

[Monty70]

Just finished watching Diabolique for the first time. Wow, I can see why people claimed that H.G. Clouzot was the only director who gave Hitch a run for his money. A superbly crafted film that lives up to the hype, even after 55+ years.

[Benchman]

Originally Posted by Monty70

Just finished watching Diabolique for the first time. Wow, I can see why people claimed that H.G. Clouzot was the only director who gave Hitch a run for his money. A superbly crafted film that lives up to the hype, even after 55+ years.

I watched that yesterday and felt the same exact way

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by dag

I watched Sweet Smell of Success tonight, and I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed. Sophisticated, witty, zippy dialogue, cool jazz, nice clothes, Toots Shor, gorgeous penthouse, Noo Yawk in the fifties. This is a great movie.

SSoS is that.

[madmojo]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

No, there are at least two of us. I'd even take an upgrade on Jigoku.

I'd also very much like the Samurai Trilogy, this time with much better picture quality.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by madmojo

I'd also very much like the Samurai Trilogy, this time with much better picture quality.

I'm going to have to dig that out again one of these days. I went into it the first time through expecting to love it and spent a lot of time scratching my head.

[madmojo]

Originally Posted by octagon

I'm going to have to dig that out again one of these days. I went into it the first time through expecting to love it and spent a lot of time scratching my head.

I'd say approach it more as a Gone With The Wind melodrama type film instead of a regular samurai picture. At least, that's what I did.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by keldons

I wonder when people on here will realize that different films will resonate with different people based on their sensibilities, and arguing over which directors mean more to you over the internet is a huge waste of time. Do you really care if someone thinks Gallo is better than Fincher or vice versa?

The Brown Bunny Gallo? :barf: 1.5 hours of my life I will never get back.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by madmojo

I think some people tend to think that favorite = best. I'm willing to admit a lot of my favorite directors are nowhere near the best.

Different folks, different strokes guys.

I remember saying this alot, and had quotes as people's sigs over this. So of course I agree. Dennis Hopper is prob my fav director, but of course no one is putting him as the best director ever.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by madmojo

Ya know, getting back on the topic of Criterion blu releases, am I the only one who would really like Onibaba, The Woman In The Dunes, and Ugetsu? If you can't tell, I'm missing my Japanese Cinema class from college a few years ago.

Are you kidding? I want Woman In The Dunes and any Mizoguchi. I might crack on Samurai films on here (alot of them are good btw. Pretty much my Seven Samurai opinion on here gets a little overboard), but I LOVE Japanese Cinema, and mostly Japanese New Wave. Some of you all have seen more Naruse and Ozu then me, because I haven't got into them, just don't know why.

Prob my top upgraded hopes (and not to high on upgrades):

1. Fists in the Pocket
2. Ugetsu (but rather want a new Kenji Mizoguchi film in the collection)
3. Ashes and Diamonds
4. Woman in the Dunes (would love the whole set)
5. Ballad of a Soldier (not the best of films but it's melodramatic nature and the beauty of Criterion's transfer will have me upgrading it ASAP)

[ikms]

Originally Posted by madmojo

I'd also very much like the Samurai Trilogy, this time with much better picture quality.

I haven't watched my DVD set in ten years, but I remember thinking at the time that "man, this transfer looks awful"... suffice to say, most of Criterion's early DVD releases (Morrissey, Suzuki Seijun, ect) were some of the lousiest of the format and yet priced for collectors. Newline's Platinum series had replicated the Criterion treatment I was used to, with commensurate PQ, for just 1/2 the price. I soured on Criterion's digital releases for most of the decade, even after my LD devotion, so it seems fitting that I return to them now that BR has replaced LD as the "niche" format of cine-philes. I am glad they got their image quality act together

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

You're awesome (just for putting Fincher in his place with Anderson and Bay first of all.) People yelling out and waiting for Fincher's The Game to be re-released on Criterion

...Ohh, is THAT what this's all been about for the last three pages?

No: Was pointing out the usual Criterion 101 disclaimer that Bay and Fincher often gave special directors' permission for Criterion to release editions of their films, which is how we got those non-Janus titles in the first place. (Not sure whether Wes does too, he might just be a house favorite.)
No, it wasn't "Gee, Criterion released The Rock and Benjamin Button 'cuz they wanted to be mainstream and popular and stuff...Maybe if we ask them nice and give them Rice Krispies bars, they'll do it again!"
That was the myth we all believed back in the 90's, and it may have been a myth back then, too.

No, I wasn't comparing them, or anything, if that's what you're having your lil' sword-battle about. The only thing they have in common is being buddies with the Criterion execs.

[greekak229]

Watched Diabolique tonight. Man, I love this film. Criterion's release of it is terrific. On to Pale Flower later this week.

[nishant786]

anyone have any idea when the bn.com criterion sale is coming?

[italy12]

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

Will Amazon still honor the $1 purchases?

It has not even been one day, but it is still sitting pretty in my "orders" page on Amazon with the $3.98 (shipping) total. I'll just have to wait and see what happens from now until August! I'll keep this board updated...for those that care, obviously

[Banned User]

I would of watched Diabolique but instead of delivering my package UPS has 'Incorrect address' as the status. Even though I've ordered hundreds of packages through Amazon with the same address. Amazon says they contacted UPS and UPS says they are waiting for Amazon to contact them.How frustrating.

Then to top it off I watched Army of Shadows last night. Awesome movie by the way, but the booklet looks like someone took a box cutter to it. Tons of torn pages.
Anyone ever get a booklet like that?

Right now I'm trying to find the dark cloud over my head so I can chase it off.

[italy12]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Fight Club is a book adaptation and I'm sure you've never played a video game. I would like to see ZODIAC Director's Cut. Guess I'm the average fanboy then?

And I know I'll get some crap for this, but I love Fight Club the movie, and thought the book was highly entertaining as well. Fincher did a great job with the film as the book, IMO, isn't easily "transferrable" to the medium.

[charnier]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Brian De Palma makes terrible films, I'm sorry. Yeah, he has a couple good ones, like Blow Out, but come on, to say that Scorsese or Fincher aren't in the same league as the likes of De Palma or Mann is pretty absurd.

De Palma made Scarface and Carlito's Way - the latter especially puts De Palma in my good books.

Fincher - well I won't dispute his talent as a director, but his films, except for Seven, invariably leave me disappointed. He makes films where I just cannot connect with the characters - Zodiac was well shot and well acted, but I found it a trying and plodding experience because most, if not all, of the characters were a bunch of pricks. Even though Alien 3 is the better film to Resurrection and Fincher did have problems with the studio, I actually find Resurrection easier to watch because it was better paced and seemed to go by quicker; it also had the advantage of not having a bunch of bald headed Brits effing and blinding every two seconds (ok - you can blame the script and the casting director, but still...) As for Ben Button, meet Joe Blank or Mr Indifferent.

[italy12]

Originally Posted by Schonfelder

I don't get it, are you trying to say that, since it's a book adaptation, obviously it's awesome ?
Or are you telling that, since it's a book adaptation, it can't look like a video-game ?
Man, the fact that it's source is a book doesn't mean absolutely nothing. It can be a good adaptation from a good book, a bad adaptation from a good book, a bad from a bad book, and YES, it CAN look like a video-game AND be adapted from a book ! WOW !
And yeah, i sustain my word, mediocre movie, "90's" (in a bad way) screaming all over it, and boy, movies that are more interested in "sending a message" than in just being cinema (or, if i should say so, art) usually suck - unless you're a 15 y.o. kid and that "c'mon, change your life!" stuffed in every frame still isn't that ridiculously obvious (or tedious) and still "makes all sense".

Is that code for, "It absolutely means something"?

Just curious...