The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

You are welcome, Owl.

Put this film on your radar -- and ignore old reviews of it -- which was recently restored by Bavaria Media: Fedora.

U.S. release coming up later this year from Olive.

Pro-B

Thanks!

I'll be grabbing the Olive Films release of Fedora, for sure. I saw this movie on television during my childhood, and, although I do not remember a lot, I recall that I was unsettled while watching it.

[Thebunk]

My top 5 rewatchable Criterions are as follows:

1. Three Colors - Without a doubt in my opinion the best release in the entire catalog (that I have seen anyway). I can sit and watch almost any of the three films at any time. I really wish Kieslowski had received more due. I know he is not underrated per se, but I personally think he should be in the same group as the Kurasowa's and the Bergmans. I know he has a very small catalog (excluding his documentaries) but I believe quality outweighs quantity.

2. Fear and Loathing - Depp, Deltorro and everyone else jut revel in their characters and the absurdity is just so daman hilarious no matter how many times I have seen it.

3. Dazed and Confused - Yeah, I know, I am sucker for the more contemporary films but hey, I grew up in the 90s and this is a classic that only improves with age.

4. The Double Life of Veronique - Enough said. Another classic I would put with any past maters films. It is criminal that this is not heralded as more of one of the best films of call time. The release is also one of the best in terms of special features.

5. The Kid With a Bike - My first Dardennes brothers film and one that I think is a very under appreciated film in the catalog. I love their filming style as it add so much in terms of intimacy and realess with no pretension whatsoever.

Honorable Mentions:

12 Angry Men - Love, love this film. It was a blind buy and one that exemplifies of what a great pre1960s film can be and is.

Seven Samurai - Another great package an film that I appreciate more with each viewing

High and Low- I do not own this yet which is why I have it here and I only just watched this on Hulu ( and have seen it once) but I know already that once I buy it that it will be one I turn to often.

Le Cercle Rouge - Personally I prefer this to Le Samurai though anything with Delon just reeks of coolness. My favorite Melville by a mile.

Playtime - Another one I do not own but am waiting patiently for the re-release. What a great film and one that embraces the joyful side of cinema vs. that of its more serious and avant garde counterparts.

You did not ask for it but here are my top 5 most regrettable blindbuys:

1. Brazil - just do not get the parade for this at all. It is so dated and there is nothing engaging at all about the story or the characters. Will be selling this one shortly.

2. Wages of Fear - Another one of these I do not get the praise for. The ending is just one of the worst i have seenion well forever. So unbelievable and hokey. I have yet to watch Sorceror But I would guess it is better as long as they did not have the same ending. The blueprint for the story is defiantly there and I love the concept but the original failed in execution in my opinion.

3. Seconds - Very disappointing and not only because it is a third rate Twilight Zone episode stretched to a feature length but there is just so much wrong with it. The fast forward scenes ala old 1930s films. What was Frankenheimer thinking of when he did this in 67? And most of the characters were so wooden to me. Overall I would say this is one of the most overhyped releases that have come out (overhyped on this forum anyway).

4. Eyes Without a Face - I liked this better then Seconds because I appreciate the creepy tone and atmosphere (along with the execution) but now wish I just watched it on Hulu vs. blindbuying.

5. Anatomy of a Murder - A very good film that is completely degraded with its "aww shucks / Andy Griffith" style ending.

[jacobb1313]

Criterions re-watched most:

The Lady Vanishes
To Be or Not to Be
Videodrome
Trouble in Paradise
Gimme Shelter

Others like Solaris, Third Man, Battle of Algiers, Bunuel's and Kurosawa's get a re-view about once a year.

[MPerry_2000]

Hi Pro-B

Based on the post ten up from mine, I guess you are the person who reviews most of the Criterion releases for this web site. I was curious. It seems almost predictable that you (or others) will always have nothing but glowing things to say about these releases. I am not a troll and have no ill intent here. But for the sake of discussion, I am curious how almost every title from this company receives nothing but the highest of accolades from this web site.

The nature of Criterion is a lot of art house/foreign/noir type stuff. And I just can't see how every single one of them is a "they knocked it out of the park again" type review. Other than a VERY rare one off where the picture quality is knocked, it's just about always a foregone conclusion the Criterion movies will come highly recommended by Blu Ray.com.

Short of composing a mini novel, I was curious for your or others thoughts on the matter.


And for the record, I am a big supporter of Criterion and probably own 40 or 50 of them myself.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MPerry_2000

Hi Pro-B

Based on the post ten up from mine, I guess you are the person who reviews most of the Criterion releases for this web site. I was curious. It seems almost predictable that you (or others) will always have nothing but glowing things to say about these releases. I am not a troll and have no ill intent here. But for the sake of discussion, I am curious how almost every title from this company receives nothing but the highest of accolades from this web site.

The nature of Criterion is a lot of art house/foreign/noir type stuff. And I just can't see how every single one of them is a "they knocked it out of the park again" type review. Other than a VERY rare one off where the picture quality is knocked, it's just about always a foregone conclusion the Criterion movies will come highly recommended by Blu Ray.com.

Short of composing a mini novel, I was curious for your or others thoughts on the matter.


And for the record, I am a big supporter of Criterion and probably own 40 or 50 of them myself.

Pro-B is fair and balanced as far as making a case for why each movie belongs in the Criterion Collection, even if certain ones are not favorites. I think that it makes good sense to review these movies from the standpoint of why they belong in the Collection as such. If I recall correctly, Frances Ha and Tiny Furniture received lukewarm movie content reviews on this site, but the supplements and transfer quality were rated with the appropriate detachment from the aspects of the review dealing with the actual film.

I shop for my Criterion Blu-rays carefully after thorough research, so I am generally pleased with the films, and my own User Reviews indicate this as such. Even if a movie does not ring all of my bells (Nashville, for instance), then I still appreciate Criterion's thorough presentation of the movie as a historically significant work of cinema.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by MPerry_2000

Short of composing a mini novel, I was curious for your or others thoughts on the matter.

I think it's fair to say reviewers here in general tend more toward the generous side of the reviewing spectrum. There does seem to be a culture of 'if you can't say something nice, well, at least don't be too harsh'.

Which is fine.

That said, two things about Criterion reviews in particular.

As Owl already mentioned, the so-called one-offs might be a bit more common than one might think. Tennenbaums, Darjeeling, The Uninvited, Frances Ha, Dazed and Confused, I Married a Witch...they all got muted recommendations at best.

And 'highly recommended' is basically a solid B with 'very highly recommended' being the top grade. There are a lot of Criterion releases that don't really interest me but I can't think of too many off the top of my head that don't warrant a B.

Oh yeah, Traffic.

I freaking hate Traffic.

So okay, one.

[FaceInTheLeaves]

Originally Posted by Meek12345

Do you all think that the David Lean Directs Noel Coward set is very rewatchable/replayable? Brief Encounter is the only film I have seen in the set and I thought it was quite good. I'm thinking about picking the set up during a 50% off sale later this year. Is this set worth $49.98? Thanks in advance for your help!

Lean Directs Coward is my favourite Criterion blu-ray. The first time I saw Brief Encounter the grit in the eye scene made me cry with laughter. But the more I watched it (usually on rainy afternoons) the more moving I found it. Ditto This Happy Breed, which is one of my all time favourite films. Celia Johnson's a goddess.

I didn't like Blithe Spirit the first time I saw it (apart from Margaret Rutherford) but the Criterion blu-ray's a vast improvement on my old DVD and that dramatically increased my enjoyment. I much prefer Lean's early films (especially Brief Encounter, This Happy Breed and Great Expectations) to his later epics.


My 5 most re watched Criterion's are;

1. A Canterbury Tale (DVD)
2. I Know Where I'm Going (DVD)
3. The Lady Vanishes
4. This Happy Breed (from Lean Directs Coward)
5. The Darjeeling Limited

I also have huge amounts of warmth for 12 Angry Men, High & Low and Weekend but haven't owned them long enough to clock up as many viewings.

[MPerry_2000]

HI Great Owl

Your sentiments in general echo mine. I am a big supporter of Criterion and am more than happy to support them on many occasion. The fact that their releases are so varied is great. And not all movies are going to resonate with all people.

And I guess that's just my thing. To use a sports metaphor, with so many different at bats, they almost never seem to strike out. And that's what I am questioning. You have referenced three movies where I could rattle off 100. 150. Of course art is subjective. And one of my all time favorite movies 8 1/2 is bashed quite a bit on these forums as being to art house. But I think it's brilliant. I get it. Art speaks to us all differently.

It just seems like there are incredibly few reviews that question the actual content/artistic merit of the movie. Said another way, I'm talking about Criterion's superior presentation of inferior content. That's very rarely said, and that seems strange.

[Majin Blu]

Originally Posted by jw007

Hey folks, its been a while since I posted here (been traveling a lot lately) but I'm wondering what are your top 5 most re-watchable Criterions in your opinion?

You may include films in your collection if you wish but list 5 that you can watch the most over and over again.

I will start with my top 5 most re-watchable Criterions:

1. Naked (1993)
2. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
3. The Ice Storm (1997)
4. Slacker (1991)
5. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Notice something? These are all films that have come out in the last 25 years. Yes, I'm a sucker for newer films when it comes to re-watchability.

Out of the ones I have:

1. La Haine
2. Island of Lost Souls
3. M
4. Godzilla
5. Shock Corridor

[pro-bassoonist]

Hi MPerry_2000

I believe that the company's mission statement has the type of answers you are looking for:

The Criterion Collection is a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films on home video. Our editions often feature restored film transfers, commentary tracks, and other supplemental features that the company pioneered when it released its first laserdiscs, Citizen Kane and King Kong, at the end of 1984. Ever since, Criterion has been working closely with filmmakers and scholars to ensure that each film is presented as its maker would want it seen and published in an edition that will deepen the viewer’s understanding and appreciation of the art of cinema.

We aim to reflect the breadth of filmed expression. We try not to be restrictive or snobby about what kinds of films are appropriate. An auteur classic, a Hollywood blockbuster or an independent B horror film has to be taken on its own terms. All we ask is that each film in the collection be an exemplary film of its kind.

With a few minor exceptions, I happen to believe that the types of films that enter the collection meet these high standards.

Also, one small but very important addition: The Criterion Collection has done a great deal to promote classic American films.

As far as the technical presentations and the quality of the supplemental features are concerned, I believe that the overwhelming majority of the time they are second to none, which is why Criterion has built such a strong image.

Thank you for your question, MPerry_2000, and have a wonderful weekend

Pro-B

Originally Posted by MPerry_2000

Hi Pro-B

Based on the post ten up from mine, I guess you are the person who reviews most of the Criterion releases for this web site. I was curious. It seems almost predictable that you (or others) will always have nothing but glowing things to say about these releases. I am not a troll and have no ill intent here. But for the sake of discussion, I am curious how almost every title from this company receives nothing but the highest of accolades from this web site.

The nature of Criterion is a lot of art house/foreign/noir type stuff. And I just can't see how every single one of them is a "they knocked it out of the park again" type review. Other than a VERY rare one off where the picture quality is knocked, it's just about always a foregone conclusion the Criterion movies will come highly recommended by Blu Ray.com.

Short of composing a mini novel, I was curious for your or others thoughts on the matter.


And for the record, I am a big supporter of Criterion and probably own 40 or 50 of them myself.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by jw007

Hey folks, its been a while since I posted here (been traveling a lot lately) but I'm wondering what are your top 5 most re-watchable Criterions in your opinion?

This list could change because I still have some unwatched Criterions, but out of what I have watched...

1.Charade
2.Fish Tank
3.Stagecoach
4.Rushmore
5.To Be or Not to Be

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by MPerry_2000

It just seems like there are incredibly few reviews that question the actual content/artistic merit of the movie.

eh, the films selected by Criterion are generally a cut above the average. Have you done some comparison shopping? Glenn Erickson is a real knowledgeable guy, I value what he has to say at another site, but his evaluation of the artistic merit of films is generally a bit more generous than my personal evaluation as well as what I perceive to be the "consensus" critical opinion.

[MifuneFan]

I feel like I just entered bizarro world.

[octagon]

Just?

[Dumbhuman]

Originally Posted by jw007

Hey folks, its been a while since I posted here (been traveling a lot lately) but I'm wondering what are your top 5 most re-watchable Criterions in your opinion?

You may include films in your collection if you wish but list 5 that you can watch the most over and over again.

I'm only counting current Blu-rays here so it's a little different than everything that ever has been in the collection in one form or another:

8 1/2 - Fellini really doesn't seem to get very much love in this thread or on this site for whatever reason, but this has been my favorite film for around twenty years and I can't count how many times I've seen it. High-brow, low-brow, gorgeous cinematography, gorgeous women, fantastic score, great fashion, funny, tragic, moving, cerebral, sentimental, both an expression of frustration with and simultaneously a celebration of life and cinema in its purest form... this one has it all for me.

Being John Malkovich - Absurdist humor galore, actors disappearing into their delightfully odd characters, existentialist crises and big ideas grounded in characters woefully/comically unprepared to deal with such things. Another of my all time favorite films that's definitely not for all sensibilities.

Bottle Rocket - Opinions on Wes Anderson have apparently become increasingly divisive as he's become more well-known over the last decade, but I remain a steadfast fan of his work even though his first remains firmly my favorite and I tend to like each successive film just a bit less than what preceded it. Lovable characters, tons of humor with an undercurrent of depression/failure, clean production design and staging, and lines like "How does an ******* like Bob get such a great kitchen?" all blend into a film I can easily watch any time. This was actually one of the reasons I finally bought a Blu-ray player when I did because the Criterion release included the original short and I didn't want to double dip on just a DVD version (though in a tragic twist of fate, I'm not nearly as much a fan of the original short).

Three Colors: Blue - I love Kieslowski's work in general, but this is the film of his that I've watched the most times over the years. I've seen it much more often than the other films in the trilogy and I can very easily watch Blue and then follow it up with any other film without feeling like I should be watching White and Red. It's just a hauntingly beautiful study of detachment caused by grief and the endurance needed to overcome that.

Pina 3D - I saw this three times in the theater and a few times since I purchased the Blu-ray. Even though I've loved Wim Wender's Wings of Desire for many more years, I think Pina might have already surpassed it in number of viewings. It's one of only two 3D films I currently own that isn't inherently juvenile or in my collection just as reference material (Dial M for Murder being the other). It's a visual treat through and through and I gladly paid the money to pick it up on release day rather than wait on a Barnes & Noble sale (as I'm currently doing with a lot of titles I want).

[Iamspartacus]

So in reading the Ace in the Hole review, I couldn't tell: is it a digipack or traditional criterion case?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Iamspartacus

So in reading the Ace in the Hole review, I couldn't tell: is it a digipack or traditional criterion case?

It's a three-disc set so it will be a DigiPak.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by iScottie

It's a three-disc set so it will be a DigiPak.

Hopefully CC starts using the 3 Disc Scanavo cases that we heard about months back!

[The Great Owl]

This Blu-ray.com site review states that Ace in the Hole is a two-disc Criterion. One Blu-ray and one DVD.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by sc1957

A couple of things that I take into consideration:

1) On this site, one person reviews all the Criterion releases. Why? You'd see a wider range of views if there was a wider range of reviewers. Who'd Pro-B bribe to be assigned all Criterions and no Transformers? (I may be wrong about this.)

2) Most of Pro-B's Criterion reviews end with HIGHLY RECOMMENDED or VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Shouting on the Internet, right? And it seems like "grade inflation," too. I think there should be more B's and C's, and fewer A's and A+'s. I realize that it's all subjective. I guess I'd just grade harder.

Having said that... There are many films released by Criterion which I love. There are many films released by Criterion which I loathe. Like most of us, I pretty much automatically assume that a Criterion release will have top-shelf audio, video, and supplements. So I read the reviews mostly to learn about the story the film tells. There are quite a few titles that I've heard of, and that I know are "famous" art or foreign films, but I don't really know what their story is about. The reviews tell me that.

Pro-B has reviewed the Criterion Films here since day one. Why? Because nobody is more qualified to review the films...not here nor anywhere else. You think there should be more B's and C's and that is your opinion. I do not like every Criterion release...not even close but they are all very good/great film. Yes, all of them.