The Criterion Collection

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Review coming up later tonight

[Show spoiler]

Dr. Destructo - Tangerine Dream - Thief Soundtrack - YouTube

I can't wait to hear what you think of Thief Pro-B!

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Review coming up later tonight



Dr. Destructo - Tangerine Dream - Thief Soundtrack - YouTube

Yesssss! I may never get the opportunity to ask this again, so I must right now: Are you a fan of late Mann, Dr. Svet?

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Yesssss! I may never get the opportunity to ask this again, so I must right now: Are you a fan of late Mann, Dr. Svet?

Very big

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Thanks, y'all! I have always enjoyed spreading the word about good flicks.

Over the past few days, I've been posting (spamming?) a few reviews of Olive Films titles in that thread.


Unrelated, but all of the people posting ideas for upcoming Kurosawa releases should remember Stray Dog. That's my favorite Kurosawa next to Seven Samurai.

It's always appreciated Owl! I'll look for the Olive Films thread.

As for your region free discs, do you mind sharing what player you use to play them? Looking to get one for myself, jus so many choices. Thanks!!

[momaw]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Personally, as much as I like his wacky yakuza films, my favorite films of his (out of the dozen or so that I've seen) are two of his "prostitute" films: Gate of Flesh and The Story of a Prostitute. While downbeat, they're both terrific. Both are available on Criterion DVD, but not, alas, on Blu-ray. Gate of Flesh is near the top of my Criterion Upgrade Wishlist.

Different director, but regarding Japanese "women" films, what did you guys think of A Woman Ascends the Stairs. I really enjoyed it and would upgrade to Blu.

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

As for your region free discs, do you mind sharing what player you use to play them? Looking to get one for myself, jus so many choices. Thanks!!

I use a modded Oppo. Pricey, but the quality is worth it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

It's always appreciated Owl! I'll look for the Olive Films thread.

As for your region free discs, do you mind sharing what player you use to play them? Looking to get one for myself, jus so many choices. Thanks!!

My $70 Samsung Blu-ray player is a Region A player, but it plays the region free (or "all regions") Blu-rays as well, like all Region A players do. I've deliberately avoided buying a player that will allow me to play Region B Exclusive discs, because God knows that I spend enough on Blu-rays already.


Unrelated, but I just finished watching the StudioCanal Blu-ray of The Third Man, and I am immensely pleased. Had I not been aware of the existence of the out-of-print Criterion disc, I would have raved about this being one of the best things ever to happen to Blu-ray. Since I have owned the Criterion DVD since its release, I have double the extra features. A great, great movie.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by momaw

Different director, but regarding Japanese "women" films, what did you guys think of A Woman Ascends the Stairs. I really enjoyed it and would upgrade to Blu.

I'm tempted to see it because I've heard that Hirokazu Kore-eda, one of my favorite directors, has said he's influenced by that film's director.

[ShellOilJunior]

Those who have been supporting Criterion back in the DVD days (and earlier) recall CC released many films on a single DVD then later revisited some titles with a re-master and a 2 (or 3) disc release.

Hidden Fortress was a title that did not get a re-release. So it's great it's getting its due after all these years.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Those who have been supporting Criterion back in the DVD days (and earlier) recall CC released many films on a single DVD then later revisited some titles with a re-master and a 2 (or 3) disc release.

Hidden Fortress was a title that did not get a re-release. So it's great it's getting its due after all these years.

I had the Criterion DVD of The Hidden Fortress, and I am looking forward to seeing the film with an improved transfer.

I actually triple-dipped with Seven Samurai, because I had the scrappy original Criterion DVD, then purchased the remastered DVD years later, and, finally, this current Blu-ray. The high definition picture quality is a dream come true.

I also had the initial DVDs of Rashomon (I loved the original DVD cover art.), Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and the others.

[Scottie]

I can't even put into words how much I loved High and Low.

Everything in the film from the story, to the camera positions, to the positioning of characters within the mise-en-scene was perfect.

Absolutely fantastic!

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I actually triple-dipped with Seven Samurai, because I had the scrappy original Criterion DVD, then purchased the remastered DVD years later, and, finally, this current Blu-ray. The high definition picture quality is a dream come true.

I also had the initial DVDs of Rashomon (I loved the original DVD cover art.), Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and the others.

Same here. I've purchased every Seven Samurai release. I had the old single disc release of Yojimbo but never bought the 2 disc dvd. Thankfully, I never went headfirst into the DVD format (only owned about 40 dvd's).

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I can't even put into words how much I loved High and Low.

Everything in the film from the story, to the camera positions, to the positioning of characters within the mise-en-scene was perfect.

Absolutely fantastic!

+ 8 million

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Thankfully, I never went headfirst into the DVD format (only owned about 40 dvd's).

I went head first down that rabbit hole...

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

Yeah, Great Owl and his reviews have inspired me to buy many a blu-ray, Criterion and non-Criterion alike.

Suck up.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

What about Dersu Uzala? A wonderful story that I've only seen on the Kino DVD. It won a Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film!

Originally Posted by EricJ

Think Criterion already has DU, so that's no suspense.
And, more to the point, didn't lock it away in a MOD Archive because they hated DVD.

Criterion had the rights to Dersu Uzala back in the Laserdisc Era, but Kino acquired the DVD rights. Until I hear differently, I'll assume Kino still has the rights.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My region-free Australian Blu-ray of Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1959) was in my mailbox when I arrived home. (Sorry, Twilight Time!) It's great to have this one in the collection, because it's a childhood favorite.

Hmmm...as soon as the holidays are in the rearview mirror, I shall hie me to EzyDVD and see about getting that. It's always been a favorite of mine, too. I practically wore out my Fox LD, as it was for a long time my default movie for whenever I couldn't make up my mind what to watch. Oddly enough, though, I've only watched it a couple of times since the DVD was released.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Unrelated, but I just finished watching the StudioCanal Blu-ray of The Third Man, and I am immensely pleased. Had I not been aware of the existence of the out-of-print Criterion disc, I would have raved about this being one of the best things ever to happen to Blu-ray. Since I have owned the Criterion DVD since its release, I have double the extra features. A great, great movie.

If not for the fact that there are too many other films I need to get first, I've been very tempted to pick by the Lionsgate/StudioCanal BD even though I already have the Criterion BD simply to get the extras that aren't on the Criterion.

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I can't even put into words how much I loved High and Low.

Everything in the film from the story, to the camera positions, to the positioning of characters within the mise-en-scene was perfect.

Absolutely fantastic!

+ highest possible number

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I actually triple-dipped with Seven Samurai, because I had the scrappy original Criterion DVD, then purchased the remastered DVD years later, and, finally, this current Blu-ray.

I quintuple-dipped. I have the both the CAV (analog sound) and CLV (digital sound) laserdiscs, the original 1999 DVD release, the 2006 3-disc release, and the Blu-ray. I think that's the record for me for the most editions of a single Criterion title.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I can't even put into words how much I loved High and Low.

Everything in the film from the story, to the camera positions, to the positioning of characters within the mise-en-scene was perfect.

Absolutely fantastic!

Probably my favorite Kurosawa film, pure brilliance!


Also, I checked out The Spirit of The Beehive for the first time via Netflix:

What a special film, a genuine masterpiece. That word is used too much anymore, this film deserves that term.

It simply blew me away and it is probably in my top 5 foreign films, I cannot stop thinking about it.

I am starting to be more rigid on ratings but this film is a definite:

5/5