The Criterion Collection

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by retablo

The footage matches with what's shown in this video, tone wise. There are no deep, over-saturated blacks here. It always had a "softer" look, despite the over-sharpening of previous DVD copies.

Children of Paradise - Restoration Demonstration - YouTube

That's the restration. That's how it looks. Criterion didn't "drop the ball" on anything. They didn't "make it waxy", just because that's what one website claims... you're just used to seeing an improperly contrasted version all these years. Just like Three Colors (and Criterion's mishap in the mis-framing of Blue), they are using the master given to them by Pathe, who did the restoration.

You are right. Maybe I was just used to seeing a crappy DVD instead of the real thing. It still looks waxy to me but that was probably meant to be that way. I will need some time to get used to it.

[Scottie]

Just watched Blow Out and loved it!

[Darkcritic]

Just saw a film I definitely need to recommend: Parque Via by Enrique Rivero. My story with this particular film has been a long one since I had been looking for it for around a year with no luck. Found it around a month ago from a local store and at the moment I barely believed I found it there out of nowhere. The film is very hard to get, even here in Mexico (The film was made in Mexico in 2008, the first-feature from this director).

Well, back into the film, I am really impressed by it. It felt like no other contemporary Mexican film I have seen (And I have seen LOTS). The cinematography here is so well controlled, executed and edited that even without a story it would be a beautiful film just to watch. Currently, Latin American cinema has been labeled "minimalistic", suggesting a new movement slowly growing with a tendency of using less to a greater effect. There is no better representation of this than Parque Via. The film tells the story of Beto, a man who is left guarding and attending a house that hasn't been sold in 30 years. He barely has contact with other people because of his fear to the outside and his lifestyle. The film captures his isolation perfectly by depicting routinary events like cutting the grass and cooking in extreme detail. The camera is sometimes static, sometimes moving, but you need to go out of the way to notice. It is perfecly implemented. The story has a great and unexpected ending which I will not spoil. Beautiful film that deserves the attention of everyone here. Try getting it on Amazon, it is a rare gem from contemporary Mexican cinema.

Criterion should seek this film for the Collection. It is well worth it. Can't believe such a film felt off my radar for so long. Mexican cinema at its finest.

[Mr. Thomsen]

Originally Posted by retablo

The footage matches with what's shown in this video, tone wise. There are no deep, over-saturated blacks here. It always had a "softer" look, despite the over-sharpening of previous DVD copies.

So the "waxiness" is more due to soft focus than DNR?

When I watch the 'before' and 'after' clips it also seems to me that the make-up plays a part. It's not like you can see pores in the skin in the 'before' clips that suddenly have disappeared in the 'after' clips. It looks like the actors wore heavy make-up.

[Lutz]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Just watched Blow Out and loved it!

Blow Out makes a fantastic triple feature with Dressed To Kill and Body Double.

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

I'd really like to see Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore get a Criterion release. Along with King of Comedy. And perhaps After Hours. That would be a nice Scorsese lineup there!

Unfortunately Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and After Hours are Warner's titles so the chances are just about nil, though I'd certainly love if Criterion took a stab at the latter. The King of Comedy has been on the rumor mill for a while as an upcoming release, possibly from Criterionn

[arshama]

Looking for Royal Tennenbaums.... best price!?!!? & if any of you want to sell it PM ME for a fast reply

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by arshama

Looking for Royal Tennenbaums.... best price!?!!? & if any of you want to sell it PM ME for a fast reply

I'm pretty sure that Barnes 'N Noble has it on-sale for $23.99 until tomorrow.

[GxyExpress999]

Just watched Weekend (2011) and loved the film. However, the only thing that bugged me was...

[Show spoiler]the drug use (Not sure if it's normal in the UK though.) I wanted to hear more of their "sober" conversations and arguments.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by GxyExpress999

Just watched Weekend (2011) and loved the film. However, the only thing that bugged me was...

[Show spoiler]the drug use (Not sure if it's normal in the UK though.) I wanted to hear more of their "sober" conversations and arguments.

That bothered me a bit too.

[P@t_Mtl]

Completed Travels With Hiroshi Shimizu tonight

Kanzashi 1941 (Ornamental Hairpin)

How can something as trivial as a hairpin be the entire subject of a movie? Shimizu manage's to achieve it. The idea behind it is interesting but overall for me it felt a bit flat. I did enjoy seeing Kinuyo Tanaka in a movie made by a director who is not Ozu or Mizoguchi. Overall this is not a Eclipse set I can call a "favorite" but still as a couple of movies worth seeing. If you are curious, try to rent or maybe get it during a sale.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by GxyExpress999

Just watched Weekend (2011) and loved the film. However, the only thing that bugged me was...

[Show spoiler]the drug use (Not sure if it's normal in the UK though.) I wanted to hear more of their "sober" conversations and arguments.

This usually bothers me much more GxyExpess999, but, in this case, I think it didn't because

[Show spoiler]Haigh didn't 'fetishize' its use, lending undue importance to it in the lives of his characters - they were almost always talking about more interesting stuff anyway. And of course, it was the 'weekend', and sex was involved, so it seemed like more 'recreational' than 'habitual' use - although that was never made 100% clear. After awhile, I hardly noticed the drug use, but yes, when Haigh broached the subject in his interview, I realized there were a lot of tokes and snorts in this film...as well as chugs.

.

So with all the other life-changing drama going on here...well...

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

The third movie from the set Travels With Hiroshi Shimizu

Anma to onna 1938 (The Masseurs and a Woman)

This movie is very short at 66 minutes. It's the story of two blind masseurs, Toku and Fuku. Both a travelling from village to village offering her skills. The story mostly revolve around Toku and a woman from Tokyo that he at first mistaken as a thief. The woman is on the run but not for the reasons that Toku believe. The ending is a sad one. As I mention, the movie is short but it does a good job of presenting the characters. Video quality wise this was the best one in the set so far.

The Masseurs and a Woman was definitely my favourite in the Hiroshi Shimizu set, as well.
I enjoyed all the films although none stood out like masterpieces. I'm glad I bought it though.
If anyone wants a box-set of masterpieces, go straight to the Josef Von Sternberg set. Underworld kicks off what will become the codified gangster genre of the 1930s. The Last Command is a great Emil Jannings vehicle and a great story juxtaposing imperial Russia of 1917 against Hollywood of the late 1920s. The Docks of New York is an odd romantic drama and features the extraordinary physical presence of George Bancroft. All feature some of the best black and white cinematography you'll ever see.

[Darkcritic]

Another day, another film. Today I watched my very first Tati: Playtime. I can't quite describe how much I liked it because of how hard it is to summarize. This is one of the cases where I definitely think you need to see to understand. I loved how overwhelming it started to get in some points, lots of characters and things going on at once. This couldn't have been possible without the star of the film, the cinematography. I got tempted many times to pause the film just to appreciate the intrincate and complex shots. Many moving things get depicted but all of them seem lifeless, almost robotic. Tati wanted to showcase a bleak, confusing and systematic world but not without some beauty. Have never seen a film where greys can be so colorful (Obviously not talking about B&W here). The humor and the character of Hulot felt natural and human too, making easy for it to being relatable. If I needed to point out one small complaint though, it would be that the party scene started to drag around the end. Not a major problem, just a personal feeling. At the end, I throughly enjoyed Playtime and wish Criterion would release the upgrades of his other films.

[HyperRealist]

Eclipse Series 5: The First Films of Samuel Fuller is $13.98 at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Samuel...ords=eclipse+5

[GxyExpress999]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

That bothered me a bit too.

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

This usually bothers me much more GxyExpess999, but, in this case, I think it didn't because

[Show spoiler]Haigh didn't 'fetishize' its use, lending undue importance to it in the lives of his characters - they were almost always talking about more interesting stuff anyway. And of course, it was the 'weekend', and sex was involved, so it seemed like more 'recreational' than 'habitual' use - although that was never made 100% clear. After awhile, I hardly noticed the drug use, but yes, when Haigh broached the subject in his interview, I realized there were a lot of tokes and snorts in this film...as well as chugs.

.

So with all the other life-changing drama going on here...well...

I still liked those scenes but

[Show spoiler]the drugs (especially the hard ones) made me question if their emotions expressed there were just coked up and fake, although they seemed raw and real. I understand that Russell's character was private/shy/oppressed but did he really need that much drugs to open himself up? Having those drinks weren't enough? I was a bit surprised at their casual attitude toward drug use as well - as if they were having a coffee or something.

I guess I will have to watch the Haigh interview.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

The Masseurs and a Woman was definitely my favourite in the Hiroshi Shimizu set, as well.
I enjoyed all the films although none stood out like masterpieces. I'm glad I bought it though.
If anyone wants a box-set of masterpieces, go straight to the Josef Von Sternberg set. Underworld kicks off what will become the codified gangster genre of the 1930s. The Last Command is a great Emil Jannings vehicle and a great story juxtaposing imperial Russia of 1917 against Hollywood of the late 1920s. The Docks of New York is an odd romantic drama and features the extraordinary physical presence of George Bancroft. All feature some of the best black and white cinematography you'll ever see.

The Shimizu set is not bad but I think the choices of movies in it was a little strange. I am not familiar enough with Shimizu's work and what is actually still available, maybe Criterion was stuck with what was left rather than what was best?

[Agent Bond]

What was the first Criterion release on Blu-Ray?

[Ctzalman]

they released five:

The Third Man
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The Last Emperor

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by Ctzalman

they released five:

The Third Man
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The Last Emperor

Wasn't Bottle Rocket technically the first Ctzalman? That's the first CC Blu I recall available from online sources, or at least reaching store shelves.