The Criterion Collection

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Decided to re-visit my Eclipse sets and started with Silent Ozu set.

The first movie in the set is from 1931 Tokyo no korasu (Tokyo Chorus). It's classified as a comedy and while it does have some comedic elements I think it's more of a dramedy in the way Charlie Chaplin would make them. The main character of the story is played by Tokihiko Okada (who would sadly die the following year of tuberculosis). Seeing what he feel's is unfairness at work when one of his co-worker is fired, he stand up to the boss and is also fired. Having a young family with three children he now most face the reality of the depression and finding ways to support them. Shortly after his young daughter get's sick and his wife was reluctant to bring her to the doctor because of the money but he take's her to the hospital saying they will manage. As they return home later and the young girl is now well, they now see that they may no longer have the money they once had but they have each other and seem even more happier then ever before. The theme of family which is so important to Ozu was already present and would be part of his classic movies he would make 20 years later. After meeting his old teacher (he is seen briefly at the begining of the movie) who is now retired and run's a restaurant, they start helping each other with the hard times. In the end his old teacher help find him a good job, a job made for an educated man like him.

Tokyo Chorus is a feel good movie even with all the dark moments place into it. People make do and help each other and mostly for Ozu, the family is all and if the family stand together, nothing will stop them. I could not recommend Tokyo Chorus enough.

Thanks for your review! I had seen this and the others in this Eclipse set as NetFlix rentals a year or so ago...but decided to buy the Eclipse set to compliment my Silent Naruse set. I've only revisited that first film so far and you are on the money with your comparison to Chaplin.

I know you've got a region free player. If you're willing, you might want to check out the recent Ozu DVD set that BFI released with four of his silent student comedies. I've watched the first two so far and have enjoyed them both!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by rkish

Thanks for your review! I had seen this and the others in this Eclipse set as NetFlix rentals a year or so ago...but decided to buy the Eclipse set to compliment my Silent Naruse set. I've only revisited that first film so far and you are on the money with your comparison to Chaplin.

I know you've got a region free player. If you're willing, you might want to check out the recent Ozu DVD set that BFI released with four of his silent student comedies. I've watched the first two so far and have enjoyed them both!

A lot of these sets I find seem to be from from sellers and I think I heard that sellers will not ship outside of their country? There are quite a few sets I would like to have from the UK but scared of ordering due to the sellers

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by rkish

Thanks for your review! I had seen this and the others in this Eclipse set as NetFlix rentals a year or so ago...but decided to buy the Eclipse set to compliment my Silent Naruse set. I've only revisited that first film so far and you are on the money with your comparison to Chaplin.

I will watch the second movie in the set in a few nights. I also have Game Of Thrones to watch in between the movies

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

A lot of these sets I find seem to be from from sellers and I think I heard that sellers will not ship outside of their country? There are quite a few sets I would like to have from the UK but scared of ordering due to the sellers

This one is available directly from Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Student-...1689875&sr=1-1

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by rkish

This one is available directly from Amazon UK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Student-...1689875&sr=1-1

Thanks! I added it to my wish list. I will probably place an order there soon (amazon.uk) for some cheesie kung fu movies and will order it at the sametime

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Thanks! I added it to my wish list. I will probably place an order there soon (amazon.uk) for some cheesie kung fu movies and will order it at the sametime

Cool...let me know what you think. I'm pretty sure these films won't see a region A release by Criterion or any other company.

[colinrgeorge]

Finally came around on Melville after watching Army of Shadows. I'd previously only seen Le Samurai and The Red Circle and walked away feeling kinda meh about both.

Really glad I gave him another chance. Third time's a charm.

[greekak229]

I re-watched it, even though I own the Eureka version, and just want to say how incredibly amazing Harakiri is. Truly one of the best samurai films ever created.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by SHMACKDOJO

Finally came around on Melville after watching Army of Shadows. I'd previously only seen Le Samurai and The Red Circle and walked away feeling kinda meh about both.

Really glad I gave him another chance. Third time's a charm.

Great to hear. My case is different, my first Melville was Army of Shadows. I was definitely impressed but it wasn't until I saw Bob the Gambler, Le Samurai, and Le Cercle Rouge, snd as abonus Leon Morin.. that I truly loved Melville. I guess seeing his films chronologically helps.

My order finally shipped!
12 Angry Men
Lady Vanishes
Belle de jour
La Jetee...
Three Outlay Samurai
Branded to Kill
Tokyo Drifter
All are blind buy minus 12 Angry men. Very excited to dive in, I guess I just don't know what to expect of Branded to Kill other than it being incoherent & bat s**t crazy.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by greekak229

I re-watched it, even though I own the Eureka version, and just want to say how incredibly amazing Harakiri is. Truly one of the best samurai films ever created.

Agree wholeheartedly. I would give it the highest reccommendation i could. Glad to see a couple weeks ago Ebert added it to his Great Movies.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

All are blind buy minus 12 Angry men. Very excited to dive in, I guess I just don't know what to expect of Branded to Kill other than it being incoherent & bat s**t crazy.

I think Branded to Kill gets an exaggerated reputation for being incoherent and nuts, for some reason. I thought the movie was quite coherent. It has a few unusual characters such as the main character's fetishes, and a death obsessed female character, but after watching Oshima's and Kurahara's movies in the Eclipse sets, a death obsessed character in 1960s Japanese cinema is nothing unusual.

Some of the plot devices are used maybe a bit differently from many films, such as the use of rain and water as an expressive device and metaphor. A few scenes are over the top, espcially a sequence in the middle when drawings appear on the screen (just like the cover art), but it is to convey a mood and the main character's thoughts. Just another way to do it, I guess.

I really liked the film a lot. I'd say I enjoyed it more than Tokyo Drifter, which I also enjoyed.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by oildude

I think Branded to Kill gets an exaggerated reputation for being incoherent and nuts, for some reason. I thought the movie was quite coherent. It has a few unusual characters such as the main character's fetishes, and a death obsessed female character, but after watching Oshima's and Kurahara's movies in the Eclipse sets, a death obsessed Japanes character from the 1960s is nothing unusual.

Some of the plot devices are used maybe a bit differently from many films, such as the use of rain and water as an expressive device and metaphor. A few scenes are over the top, espcially a sequence in the middle when drawings appear on the screen (just like the cover art), but it is to convey a mood and the main character's thoughts. Just a different way to do it, I guess.

I really liked the film a lot. I'd say I enjoyed it more than Tokyo Story, which I also enjoyed.

I think you mean Tokyo Drifter Dude!

[oildude]

Originally Posted by rkish

I think you mean Tokyo Drifter Dude!

Thanks. Fixed it. Early morning waiting on my coffee.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by oildude

I think Branded to Kill gets an exaggerated reputation for being incoherent and nuts, for some reason. I thought the movie was quite coherent. It has a few unusual characters such as the main character's fetishes, and a death obsessed female character, but after watching Oshima's and Kurahara's movies in the Eclipse sets, a death obsessed character in 1960s Japanese cinema is nothing unusual.

Some of the plot devices are used maybe a bit differently from many films, such as the use of rain and water as an expressive device and metaphor. A few scenes are over the top, espcially a sequence in the middle when drawings appear on the screen (just like the cover art), but it is to convey a mood and the main character's thoughts. Just another way to do it, I guess.

I really liked the film a lot. I'd say I enjoyed it more than Tokyo Drifter, which I also enjoyed.

I preferred Tokyo Drifter TBH. Also, I agree, Branded to Kill was a bit crazy, but honestly, it's nowhere near as insane as Hausu, or even some of the tamer, non-Japanese stuff like Head or Pierrot le fou. Hausu is seriously the most bat shit insane Japanese film I've ever had the pleasure of watching. I'm not being sarcastic either, as it is a fun film to watch.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I preferred Tokyo Drifter TBH. Also, I agree, Branded to Kill was a bit crazy, but honestly, it's nowhere near as insane as Hausu, or even some of the tamer, non-Japanese stuff like Head or Pierrot le fou. Hausu is seriously the most bat shit insane Japanese film I've ever had the pleasure of watching. I'm not being sarcastic either, as it is a fun film to watch.

Ugh I've been on the fence about Hausu. Was thinking of DVRing it but I kinda feel it's up my alley so it would be nice to see in HD. I think I'll pick it up as soon as possible as i keep hearing it's a completely unique experience.

Would a Tokyo Drifter/ Branded to Kill double feature be too much: like a Baz Luhrmann double feature? I've got to limit my crazy.

[Sinthetic]

I hated Hausu when I watched it about 5 years ago. I re-watched it last night and I fell madly in love with it. Bought it on Blu Ray instantly after it ended. I can't get that little tune out of my head.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Ugh I've been on the fence about Hausu. Was thinking of DVRing it but I kinda feel it's up my alley so it would be nice to see in HD. I think I'll pick it up as soon as possible as i keep hearing it's a completely unique experience.

Would a Tokyo Drifter/ Branded to Kill double feature be too much: like a Baz Luhrmann double feature? I've got to limit my crazy.

Nope. But then, I didn't find the films to be all that crazy. They are, but they do not match Hausu. They're about even with Pierot le fou and Head. Tokyo Drifter isn't as oddball as Branded to Kill. It's a bit more straight-forward.

I highly recommend Hausu, I almost didn't watch it, because I expected it to be an unnerving/disturbing WTF am I watching experience, but it ended up being the complete opposite.

Here's the reason: I'm probably one of the few people in the world that dislikes 2001: A Space Odyssey, because I find it highly disturbing when

[Show spoiler]HAL cuts Frank Poole's oxygen hose, and he suffocates and drifts off into space

, it honestly scared me. Some of the other images are really freaky too, which is why I hate the film. I thought Hausu would be more along that kind of distrubing creepiness. It has some of that, but it's more like WTF, this is just so insane it's hilarious, than this is so creepy and uncomfortable to be watching.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

I hated Hausu when I watched it about 5 years ago. I re-watched it last night and I fell madly in love with it. Bought it on Blu Ray instantly after it ended. I can't get that little tune out of my head.

What I remember most about the film, and the part that cracks me up the most is

[Show spoiler] when Melody is playing the piano, and just stops, and holds up her hands with the "oh, my fingers are missing, how quaint" look on her face, and just starts screaming her head off, and is then eaten by the piano. I admit I have a sick sense of humour to find that part hysterical.

Hausu, IMHO, is essentially a completely cracked out, hour and a half episode of The Monkees, with Japanese school girls and death. I'm probably going to be attacked for saying that, but after rewatching The Frodis Caper, it's not really all that much of a stretch.

[Sinthetic]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

What I remember most about the film, and the part that cracks me up the most is

[Show spoiler] when Melody is playing the piano, and just stops, and holds up her hands with the "oh, my fingers are missing, how quaint" look on her face, and just starts screaming her head off, and is then eaten by the piano. I admit I have a sick sense of humour to find that part hysterical.

Hausu, IMHO, is essentially a completely cracked out, hour and a half episode of The Monkees, with Japanese school girls and death. I'm probably going to be attacked for saying that, but after rewatching The Frodis Caper, it's not really all that much of a stretch.

Hahaha! I really did love that part too. I laughed so much at

[Show spoiler] the part with the dancing skeleton and the cat on the piano. Mostly because I loved the cat and she was the a great member of the cast :P

.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

Hahaha! I really did love that part too. I laughed so much at

[Show spoiler] the part with the dancing skeleton and the cat on the piano. Mostly because I loved the cat and she was the a great member of the cast :P

.

Blanche the cat definitely stole the show from Auntie and the girls.