The Criterion Collection

[Mr. Thomsen]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I'm just going to call it right now. Although, my preference is for Lubitsch and Ophuls, quite a few people will be floored by Seconds. I expect to see it on a bunch of "best Criterion releases of 2013 lists."

I believe you are absolutely right.

Seconds haunted me for years, or rather the ending of it did! I watched it on television as a kid back in the 1980s, and had nightmares about the ending for a long time.

It took me years before I found out what movie it was, when I accidentally stumbled over a still photo in some old book on horror movies. And even then I had to wait 5-6 years before I was able to revisit it, when it was released on laserdisc, and make sure that it was the same movie.

As per my signature, it's one of my most wanted blu-ray upgrades. I am quite happy they are including the old commentary track from the LD and DVD, too. I remember it being very informative and entertaining.

[Mr. Thomsen]

Oh, another point: Seconds is probably Rock Hudson's best performance ever. In fact, it is the movie that convinced many critics that Hudson could actually act very well and was not just another pretty face.

An interesting tidbit is that it was booed at the Cannes Festival because the audience saw it as too conservative and old-fashioned, cutting away from all nudity among other things. Little did they know that the nudity had been censored by the studio and would only be-instated in the 1980s.

[Abdrewes]

Mr. Thompson, it's been a while since I've last seen Seconds, so all I have to draw from is a very rusty memory of it (basically just the gist of the plot). But, have you seen John Frankenheimer's Seven Days in May? Worth checking out? It's the film he made in between Manchurian Candidate and Seconds and I've read it touches on similar themes, specifically paranoia.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Having seen 9 out of 15 titles from the Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection, I can rank them in the following order:

1. Rear Window
2. Vertigo
3. The Trouble With Harry
4. Psycho
5. North By Northwest
6. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
7. Shadow Of A Doubt
8. Saboteur
9. Rope

Excited to watch The Birds within the next day or so. The other 5 don't really interest me, but I'll still watch them.

I'm sure an extensive search could confirm that I've boasted this before, but "Rope" is one of my truly favorite Hitchcock film....

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Having seen 9 out of 15 titles from the Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection, I can rank them in the following order:

1. Rear Window
2. Vertigo
3. The Trouble With Harry
4. Psycho
5. North By Northwest
6. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
7. Shadow Of A Doubt
8. Saboteur
9. Rope

Excited to watch The Birds within the next day or so. The other 5 don't really interest me, but I'll still watch them.

What are your thoughts on North by Northwest? It's the obvious "crowd pleaser" Hitchcock film in his canon, but it is still my favorite of his works. The Birds comes in second, though, and I cannot wait to see it on the big theater screen this summer.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I'm sure an extensive search could confirm that I've boasted this before, but "Rope" is one of my truly favorite Hitchcock film....

Same here. Although, I must admit that it was my first Hitchcock film. I loved it so much as a high school senior that I sought out all the films he made after 1940.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by nametag

Give Marnie a go, it's one of my favourites and really underrated IMO. (I actually prefer it to Psycho and The Birds, but don't tell anyone). It has a similarly obsessive, messed up relationship at it's centre to Vertigo, only... less bizarre. And Hedren is great.

Oh I will. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I'm sure an extensive search could confirm that I've boasted this before, but "Rope" is one of my truly favorite Hitchcock film....

I don't know. I wasn't too won over by it.

I found it to be quite a drag for a good portion of the film, maybe because I've seen similar instances in films where two people try to cover up something they did. The thing that did make this film more unique than the others was their rationale behind what they were doing.

I am a big James Stewart fan so I do applaud his performance.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

What are your thoughts on North by Northwest? It's the obvious "crowd pleaser" Hitchcock film in his canon, but it is still my favorite of his works. The Birds comes in second, though, and I cannot wait to see it on the big theater screen this summer.

North By Northwest was pretty good. I personally think it was a little overhyped, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a good movie. It was a good little spy film full of witty humor from time to time. My favorite part was when Cary Grant's character was at the auction and bidding on the art haha.

I just got done watching all of the seasons of Mad Men a few weeks ago so it was neat to see another ad man.

Also, I would love to see Vertigo on the big screen.

[Abdrewes]

Rented a copy of The Night Porter Will post my thoughts sometime soon...

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by spanky87

Got a copy of La Promesse for $17.99 at local used video store (which is great for Canada prices). It's a blind buy, the only Dardenne bros film I've seen is Rosetta and I thought it was great.

That is a great find. I personally find La promesse to be much better than Rosetta, and actually one of their best works. If you enjoy it, I highly suggest the rest of their filmography.

[DarkRyder]

I am bowled over at how amazing this month is, and how some people find no interest in it is beyond me. Obviously I am thrilled for the Fassbinder collection, but color me massively disappointed with it being DVD only. Considering there is a DVD boxset, I may just end up saving my money and getting that, unless it is announced the films in the Eclipse set are remastered.

Other than that, really want to watch all the other films released, so I may save up money for the November sale to purchase all of these. Once again, great job Criterion

[dsman71]

My favorite Hitchcocks
North by Northwest
Psycho
The Birds
Rear Window
Vertigo
The Lady Vanishes
The 39 Steps
Now Im even a fan of Torn Curtain, Saboteur since that box set had them

[shortmartin]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Rented a copy of The Night Porter Will post my thoughts sometime soon...

that is one creepy movie. definitely worth a watch. interested to see what you think.

[shortmartin]

Does anyone know whether Marathon Man is something we might expect from Criterion?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by shortmartin

Does anyone know whether Marathon Man is something we might expect from Criterion?

It's coming from Warner Bros. on September 10.

[Joe Dalek]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I'm sure an extensive search could confirm that I've boasted this before, but "Rope" is one of my truly favorite Hitchcock film....

A simple search should actually turn up an Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection thread where this convo can move to.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Rented a copy of The Night Porter Will post my thoughts sometime soon...

Originally Posted by shortmartin

that is one creepy movie. definitely worth a watch. interested to see what you think.

Creepy is a good description of the movie. I would also add off-putting, somber, but brilliant. Need to revisit the Bluray I have of it. Its been awhile since I last watched it.

I consider The Music Room one of, if not the best, release of 2011. I will be picking up both The Big City and Charulata on its strength alone. Both blind buys for me.

To Be or Not To Be is a definite purchase for me. As is Seconds. Interested in The Earrings of Madame de though Lola Montes, while interesting and beautiful to watch, didn't leave much of a impression on me.
.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

A simple search should actually turn up an Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection thread where this convo can move to.

Our conversations go OT every now and again, it's really OK.

[UNCMT9]

Just watched Sansho the Bailiff. One of my favorites to date.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by UNCMT9

Just watched Sansho the Bailiff. One of my favorites to date.

Care to expand on that?

[tenia]

Originally Posted by R o d

That's the way I felt when I bought the Criterion DVD in 2008. They decided not to release it in Blu-ray even though they had been releasing films in Blu for quite a while.

At that time Criterion was in effect telling us that there would be no Blu-ray for this title. The message was clear: you should buy the DVD because that’s the only format we are going to release. So that's what I did. And now I feel a little burned.

It would be different if this was a complete restoration or if they offered new supplements, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. So the honest thing to do is for Criterion to offer their customers the option of an upgrade for the cost difference between the two formats. That would be fair.

They are setting a precedent with this release. It will be interesting to see how they respond.

To be fair : it's certainly not an exception. Gaumont has also been doing it, MoC has been doing it at some point. It's all a question of material and market share.

At the time, maybe it simply made no sense to release a Blu Ray financially speaking. Or they are basing the BD on an updated master (I think Gaumont is working on a new master which Jerome Soulet said to be better than their DVD, especially on the color grading). Thinking that not doing a BD at the time meant "this is the definitive edition, there will never be a BD" is a huge mistake, and a as huge extrapolation.

With BD sales increasing in the US, it isn't surprising at all to see even titles released quite late on DVD being upgraded, and it will certainly happens more and more (also simply because if they can put every single DVD release into a BD thanks to material up to this, they will certainly try and do it for as many titles than possible).