The Criterion Collection

[EPlay]

Originally Posted by jw007

Altman isn't one of my favorite directors I admit. His other film in the collection, Short Cuts, has characters that have to be the most unlikeable I've ever encountered in a film.

Altman isn't one of my favorites, either, but Short Cuts is my favorite of his. I haven't seen it since its theatrical run but the scene where

[Show spoiler]Andie McDowell explains why she didn't pick up the birthday cake

is incredibly sad and seared in my memory.

Have seen a handful of Altman's other films, including 3 Women and Nashville and barely remember a thing about them. (Although "I'm Easy" is a fantastic song.) I would probably appreciate them more now as my tastes are different now.

[WalterNeff]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

No, but hopefully stop acting on it.

Why

[Monty70]

Really hope that today's Criterion email cartoon hint is for "The Devils". (1971)

[nondiatonic]

My feelings for Altman are no secret given my avatar.

I think Nashville is certainly a difficult movie. I also agree that it dragged at parts; however, it amazed at others. Overall it was a solid film, but I felt myself thinking about how much better Short Cuts is.

[Show spoiler]I'm also annoyed by the random cut during the final song. The camera pans up to the sky as people join in singing and then the film quickly cuts to a random audience member then back to the sky. I think removing that cut would make the ending more powerful.

Originally Posted by jw007

[...] Short Cuts, has characters that have to be the most unlikeable I've ever encountered in a film.[...]

I don't agree that the characters in Short Cuts are unlikable. Or maybe our unlikables are not synonymous. While I certainly do not relate with all the characters or agree with their decisions, I find their lives fascinating. I don't feel I have to relate to a character to be interested in their existence.

Altman has multiple masterpieces: McCabe and Mrs. Miller (the scene on the bridge...),The Long Goodbye, The Player, Short Cuts. And, most of the rest of his filmography consists of phenomenal films.

His output is criminally underrepresented on BD.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Monty70

Really hope that today's Criterion email cartoon hint is for "The Devils. (1971)

[joie]

If the hint is for "Satyricon," will Criterion subtitle the Latin? There was a little spoken Latin in "The Great Beauty," but it wasn't subtitled. "Satyricon" has spoken Italian and Latin, too.

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Perhaps someday?

[hustlermane]

Wow, didn't get the clue. I assumed Devils or something.

I'm so excited! Fellini Satyricon is one of my all time faves, and one of his best films IMO - I like it more than anything except probably Dolce Vita. Can't wait to see what extras they'll unveil for it

[DaveyJoe]

Originally Posted by WalterNeff

Why

I don't know about you, but I have rent to pay, not that I wouldn't love to pull a "Harry and Monika."

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Monty70

Really hope that today's Criterion email cartoon hint is for "The Devils". (1971)

Ken Russell is criminally under-represented (0) on Criterion. Would love to see Women in Love, The Devils, and The Music Lovers. In that order.

[Kevin Ridge]

Loved the album but watched A Hard's Day Night for the first time tonight. What a riot. Has to be one of the more laid back fun Criterions out there. While not traditional actors the boys were charming and were great on delivering the quick one liners. Looking forward to getting into the extras and will probably end up playing the full album on my iPod first thing in the morning at work.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Kevin Ridge

Loved the album but watched A Hard's Day Night for the first time tonight. What a riot. Has to be one of the more laid back fun Criterions out there. While not traditional actors the boys were charming and were great on delivering the quick one liners. Looking forward to getting into the extras and will probably end up playing the full album on my iPod first thing in the morning at work.

The extra about editing is pretty good.

[DaveyJoe]

Quick question: I'm interested in Antonioni's trilogy L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclise, but I can only find the latter two available in HD. Is it okay to watch them out of order?

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

Quick question: I'm interested in Antonioni's trilogy L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclise, but I can only find the latter two available in HD. Is it okay to watch them out of order?

Yep!

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

Quick question: I'm interested in Antonioni's trilogy L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclise, but I can only find the latter two available in HD. Is it okay to watch them out of order?

Yes, but please don't write off L'avventura for not being in HD yet. It is the best of the three.

[StonesEGF]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

Quick question: I'm interested in Antonioni's trilogy L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclise, but I can only find the latter two available in HD. Is it okay to watch them out of order?

Definitely. La Notte is actually my favorite, and I consider it to be the most accessible entry point. This is probably entirely subjective, however... Just how I came to fall in love with Antonioni's themes and style.

[soarinsteven]

Oh my oh my I watched Satyajit Ray's THE BIG CITY today. What a magnificent film. Loved the deliberate pacing allowing the characters and story really breathe, and the viewer become completely involved with everything happening. I have to bow down to Madhabi Mukherjee. Incredible, deeply moving performance. A loving, strong mother, and wife who is never apologetic of her will and desire to leave the house to work, at first, out of necessity to help the family, and then because she likes her job, and is good at it. While her husband, young son, and poor in-laws who live with them all disapprove Ray makes no one easy villains. It's beautiful, thoughtful, storytelling. I'd liken it to the great feminist, modernist vs. traditionalism works of Ozu and Mizoguchi. Essential film of the collection.

Oh, and that ending is on some City Lights level greatness as the husband proudly says to his wife after quitting her job because her boss carelessly fires a fellow employee and friend. "Listen to me. You stood up to injustice. Was that wrong? I could never have done what you did. I wouldn't have had the courage. Earning our daily bread has made us cowards. But you weren't a coward. Isn't that a small achievement?" And. I. Cry.

[StonesEGF]

Originally Posted by jw007

I recall reading in this thread about your disapproval of Nashville. You are totally spot on in terms of the film conveying a sort of "inside joke" and being smarmy at times. It was both fascinating but also grueling (and even boring!) at times, but I know I'll need to re-watch this one again sometime in the future, just not yet (unless I decide to tonight after going through the supplements and watching it with the director's commentary on). Altman isn't one of my favorite directors I admit. His other film in the collection, Short Cuts, has characters that have to be the most unlikeable I've ever encountered in a film. 3 Women is interesting but ultimately frustrating as well to me. There is a sort of distancing and alienating factor going on in Altman's movies which reminds me of Bresson at times, but nevertheless, Nashville is an incredibly ambitious film about celebrity and its deceptions in the country music scene. It's one of the most essential movies of the 1970s too.

I'll be back on this thread later tonight to catch up on other responses (if any) to Nashville and Altman.

Ttyl.

I've found my own reaction to the Altman movies I've seen, including Nashville, to be a bit lukewarm. The notable exception, however, is Short Cuts. Raymond Carver's short stories which provide the inspiration for the film are quite a bit different in tone, but masterful. I loved the film, and while I agree that many of the characters are rather unsympathetic for the majority of the runtime, I find quite a bit of humanity in them in the final analysis. It's undeniably Altman's handling of the cast and narrative that makes the whole thing work. It can't come to blu-ray fast enough, in my opinion. I suppose I need to take another look at Nashville, seeing as it's been a few years since I last saw it...

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by jw007

I recall reading in this thread about your disapproval of Nashville. You are totally spot on in terms of the film conveying a sort of "inside joke" and being smarmy at times. It was both fascinating but also grueling (and even boring!) at times, but I know I'll need to re-watch this one again sometime in the future, just not yet (unless I decide to tonight after going through the supplements and watching it with the director's commentary on). Altman isn't one of my favorite directors I admit. His other film in the collection, Short Cuts, has characters that have to be the most unlikeable I've ever encountered in a film. 3 Women is interesting but ultimately frustrating as well to me. There is a sort of distancing and alienating factor going on in Altman's movies which reminds me of Bresson at times, but nevertheless, Nashville is an incredibly ambitious film about celebrity and its deceptions in the country music scene. It's one of the most essential movies of the 1970s too.

I'll be back on this thread later tonight to catch up on other responses (if any) to Nashville and Altman.

Ttyl.

Watch 3 Women a second time. It's a perfect masterpiece, and Altman's very best.

[hustlermane]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

Quick question: I'm interested in Antonioni's trilogy L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclise, but I can only find the latter two available in HD. Is it okay to watch them out of order?

Don't sleep on RED DESERT either, that thematic trilogy can definitely be extended to a quadrilogy - that its an excursion into colour is the only real difference. It also has Monica Vitta, and she's as incredible in it as the others.