The Criterion Collection

[CriterionBlues]

Hopefully that image is a semi-hint that The Kid is finally coming soon.

I also noticed that In Cold Blood has a 4k restoration playing in FF this weekend. I wasn't completely sold on the clue before, but now I am.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

[...]
Tess is too but this is to replace my dual format digipack, and Videodrome I thought was very weird but cool (love the packaging, and I wanna check out that Fear on Film roundtable with Cronenberg, Carpenter and Landis from '82!).
[...]

Ahh, so Tess is now being sold as bluray only. The digipak run sold through quickly. Wonder if my digipak will become collectible?

As for the special features on the Videodrome disc, I highly recommend Camera. A great and unsettling short film by Cronenberg.

[Yami]

Arrow's region free Kiju Yoshida box set has been detailed:

Release Date: 19th October 2015
Region: ABC/Free

The work of Kiju Yoshida is one of Japanese cinema’s obscure pleasures. A contemporary of Nagisa Oshima (Death by Hanging, In the Realm of the Senses) and Masahiro Shinoda (Pale Flower, Assassination), Yoshida started out as an assistant to Keisuke Kinoshita before making his directorial debut at age 27. In the decades that followed he produced more than 20 features and documentaries, yet each and every one has proven difficult to see in the English-speaking world.

This collection brings together three works from the late sixties and early seventies, a loose trilogy united by their radical politics and an even more radical shooting style. Eros + Massacre, presented here in both its 169-minute theatrical version and the full-length 220-minute director’s cut, tells the parallel stories of early 20th-century anarchist (and free love advocate) Sakae Osugi and a pair of student activists. Their stories interact and intertwine, resulting in a complex, rewarding work that is arguably Yoshida’s masterpiece.

Heroic Purgatory pushes the dazzling cinematic language of Eros + Massacre even further, presenting a bleak but dreamlike investigation into the political discourses taking place in early seventies Japan. Coup d’état returns to the past for a biopic of Ikki Kita, the right-wing extremist who sought to overthrow the government in 1936. Yoshida considered the film to be the culmination of his work, promptly retiring from feature filmmaking following its completion.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

- Limited Edition Blu-ray collection (3,000 copies)
- New high definition digital transfers supervised by Kiju Yoshida
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations for all films
- Uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM Audio on all films
- New translated English subtitles on all films
- Yoshida …or: The Explosion of the Story - a 30-minute documentary on Eros + Massacre with contributions from Yoshida and film critics Mathieu Capel and Jean Douchet
- Introductions to Heroic Purgatory and Coup d’etat by Yoshida
- Newly-filmed discussions of Eros + Massacre, Heroic Purgatory and Coup d’etat by David Desser, author of Eros Plus Massacre: - - An Introduction to the Japanese New Wave, recorded exclusively for this release
- Scene-select commentaries by David Desser on all three films
- Heroic Purgatory theatrical trailer
- Coup d’etat theatrical trailer
- Limited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by maarko phntm
- Illustrated 80-page perfect-bound book featuring new writing on the films by David Desser, Isolde Standish (author of Politics, Porn and Protest: Japanese Avant-Garde Cinema in the 1960s and 1970s) and Dick Stegewerns (author of Kiju Yoshida: 50 Years of Avant-Garde Filmmaking in Post-War Japan)

Eros + Massacre has been one of the most egregious omissions from the Criterion Collection, but you don't have to wait any longer...

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by jw007

Here's yesterday's haul from Barnes & Noble! It's my first haul for this year's July sale (at least 2 or 3 more to go probably):

André Gregory & Wallace Shawn: 3 Films(50% off sale, 20% coupon, 10% members discount - $35.99 before tax)

Is the 20% off coupon you used a member coupon?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Yami

Eros + Massacre has been one of the most egregious omissions from the Criterion Collection, but you don't have to wait any longer...

the press release calls it "obscure" and only one Japanese critic thought to vote for it in the recent Sight and Sound poll, so I don't think its omission is as egregious as you say.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

the press release calls it "obscure" and only one Japanese critic thought to vote for it in the recent Sight and Sound poll, so I don't think its omission is as egregious as you say.

Sorry to be off topic but waaaah you changed profile pic :'( don't recognize you anymore lol

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

I also noticed that In Cold Blood has a 4k restoration playing in FF this weekend. I wasn't completely sold on the clue before, but now I am.

I just passed on a used copy of the Sony release about a week ago because of the Criterion rumors. They showed the new restoration earlier this year at Berlin too, didn't they?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Sorry to be off topic but waaaah you changed profile pic :'( don't recognize you anymore lol

yeah, I'm Apu now. kind of looks like my son, so it's all good, although he is half Indian and half Polish.

[The Great Owl]

Oh, and the Criterion Blu-rays were not my biggest purchases this week.

I closed on my new home this morning. I'm a whole lot excited, I'm a little terrified, and I'm going through all of the mindsets that come along with this being my first rodeo at home ownership.

As it turns out, I will probably be sitting even closer to my television screen than I do now, so there won't be a need for me to buy a massive projector or anything like that. Modest-sized televisions for life, and that's all good.

Right now, my movie collection is stored in a bunch of those plastic cases that I buy at Target, and they will probably stay that way as well, since they can all fit into my bedroom closet along with my normal bedroom closet stuff. I'll keep the favorite stuff in the wooden chests in my living room, like I do now, but I've always preferred an uncluttered and spacious living room setup, so there's no need to buy any huge shelves.

I may or may not make the Criterion Blu-ray of House my first movie viewing in my new home once I get settled in two or three weeks.

[jlk5844]

Just to be clear, before I open it, there aren't any differences between the digipack and the case version of Tess other than the obvious? Cause it looks like the booklet is very slightly thinner in the case version when looking through the bottom/top of the case.

On the back of the digipack:
"PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Colin MacCabe"

On the back of the case:
"PLUS: An essay by critic Colin MacCabe"



Edit: just flipped through my booklet from the digipack, it appears the essay is really the only thing in it, otherwise it's just chapter list, credits, etc. False alarm haha.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Oh, and the Criterion Blu-rays were not my biggest purchases this week.

I closed on my new home this morning. I'm a whole lot excited, I'm a little terrified, and I'm going through all of the mindsets that come along with this being my first rodeo at home ownership.

As it turns out, I will probably be sitting even closer to my television screen than I do now, so there won't be a need for me to buy a massive projector or anything like that. Modest-sized televisions for life, and that's all good.

Right now, my movie collection is stored in a bunch of those plastic cases that I buy at Target, and they will probably stay that way as well, since they can all fit into my bedroom closet along with my normal bedroom closet stuff. I'll keep the favorite stuff in the wooden chests in my living room, like I do now, but I've always preferred an uncluttered and spacious living room setup, so there's no need to buy any huge shelves.

I may or may not make the Criterion Blu-ray of House my first movie viewing in my new home once I get settled in two or three weeks.

Congrats! We just moved into our new house about a month ago, so I know exactly what you are going through. This will probably be my smallest BN sale purchase as a result.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Congrats! We just moved into our new house about a month ago, so I know exactly what you are going through. This will probably be my smallest BN sale purchase as a result.

Nice! Congrats to you as well.

Most of my trepidation comes from the fact that I'm not a handyman, and I'm unfamiliar with the art of fixing things or of general carpentry. I have no problem with elbow grease or hard work, but I'm just flat out clueless when it comes to most repairs. On the bright side, I did put a new wall platelet over an exposed electrical outlet in my living room, and I clipped some shrubs away from the back of my place this afternoon, so I guess that's a start. All of this is going to be a learning curve for me, but that's a good thing. Fortunately, this place is pretty much entirely move-in ready, so there's no need for repainting or extensive work, save for some A/C repairs that I'm hiring someone to do this week.

As far as Criterion purchases during this sale, my fourth and final Criterion purchase will be Hiroshima Mon Amour next week.

[Glanced]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

[Show spoiler]I understand where you're coming from. However, the actuality of the supernatural and John's "gift" of second sight are not left up to interpretation. Of course, not every movie needs to be highly interpretable, and there shouldn't be rules for art. But, in a movie like this, spelling everything out seems like an underestimation of the audience.

The film doesn't hide anything more than it needs to.

[Show spoiler]It's enough that John himself isn't aware of his ability -- he doesn't know how to interpret the image of his impending death. If Roeg and his collaborators made the film any more open-ended, then the theme of connectedness would be lost. They were confident in the story they wanted to tell to know what and what not to reveal.

[Show spoiler]The blind psychic that screams of impending doom...

The kind of psychic character in the movies you're thinking of are nothing more than lazy contrivances, with no connection to anything other than to conveniently set the main character on whatever path the plot needs him to go.

[Show spoiler]By the time Heather in Don't Look Now comes to the realization that John is in immediate danger -- near the end -- he's out of reach.

[Show spoiler]The disturbed, grieving wife that buys into the supernatural...

[Show spoiler]How is that camp? Her daughter dies. She meets two women that help her cope with her grief better than any of her meds do, so naturally she's going to want to talk to and better understand them. Maybe it's a placebo response? The film portrays her as a bit naive.

[Show spoiler]The husband who doesn't believe in the supernatural, but keeps seeing things he can't explain (until his curiosity and stubbornness push him to put himself in danger).

Yes? I still don't understand how this puts the film in b-movie territory.

[Show spoiler]He wanted to help who he thought was a child. It isn't until he sees the image that he saw in the slide at the start that he finally makes the connection -- but it's too late. He sees things but he doesn't know he's "seeing."

[Show spoiler]Not to mention the ending that turns into a simple slasher flick (although the shot of his foot breaking through the glass is very eerie).

[Show spoiler]A slasher? Just because a character is slashed once with a knife? That's a stretch. I think the film builds to its climax wonderfully, keeping enough mystery as to who or what is going around Venice killing innocent people.

That's a knife breaking through the glass, BTW, not a foot. :P

I do hope you give this one another go.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by Glanced

The film doesn't hide anything more than it needs to.

[Show spoiler]It's enough that John himself isn't aware of his ability -- he doesn't know how to interpret the image of his impending death. If Roeg and his collaborators made the film any more open-ended, then the theme of connectedness would be lost. They were confident in the story they wanted to tell to know what and what not to reveal.

I can respect that. I just feel differently about it.

Originally Posted by Glanced

[Show spoiler]The kind of psychic character in the movies you're thinking of are nothing more than lazy contrivances, with no connection to anything other than to conveniently set the main character on whatever path the plot needs him to go. By the time Heather in Don't Look Now comes to the realization that John is in immediate danger -- near the end -- he's out of reach.

[Show spoiler]I'm not against using a psychic, and, you're right, it didn't set the main character on a contrived plot arch. But, I think it is a weak use of direct foreshadowing. Let the audience slowly put the pieces together that John is setting up his own doom. Don't spoon feed us by telling us plainly, "Hey, John's gonna get messed up later, so be looking for that." It's a cheap way to throw in situations where we think "Oh, the music changed and he's on a precarious scaffold. This is it." It's almost like a jump scare. Hollow tension. And, once the tension is alleviated you realize it served only as filler. I suppose you could argue it allows the movie to build to its climax, but that's a weak argument.

Originally Posted by Glanced

[Show spoiler]How is that camp? Her daughter dies. She meets two women that help her cope with her grief better than any of her meds do, so naturally she's going to want to talk to and better understand them. Maybe it's a placebo response? The film portrays her as a bit naive.

[Show spoiler]Again, I respect this view. But, it has been done so many times. Making a character (often a woman) emotionally vulnerable with a questionable metal stability so that any far fetched explanation she comes up with (even if it's the truth) will not be believed by the other characters is old hat. I understand that it's a way to divulge information to the audience without the other characters catching on, but Roeg is more creative than this!

Originally Posted by Glanced

Yes? I still don't understand how this puts the film in b-movie territory.

[Show spoiler]He wanted to help who he thought was a child. It isn't until he sees the image that he saw in the slide at the start that he finally makes the connection -- but it's too late. He sees things but he doesn't know he's "seeing."

[Show spoiler]This one isn't as big a deal to me as the other points I made, so I understand your issue with it. It's just that having that one bull headed character who refuses to accept that the inexplicable occurrences around him might be connected to the warnings he's previously received (thus he dies a foreshadowed death) is a common horror device.

Originally Posted by Glanced

[Show spoiler]A slasher? Just because a character is slashed once with a knife? That's a stretch. I think the film builds to its climax wonderfully, keeping enough mystery as to who or what is going around Venice killing innocent people.

That's a knife breaking through the glass, BTW, not a foot. :P

[Show spoiler]My issue with this is that I wanted something more psychological or more metaphorical. It just seemed too easy and too cliche. So, the danger turns out to be death via serial killer wielding a knife. Maybe I'm just too desensitized to this kind of horror mechanic, but I don't feel scared by seeing another person's physical danger (especially when it's so over used). Put me in a situation where I question my own control of my senses. Or I question something close to home like a loved one.

It's like watching a movie about someone who jumps out of a plane and dies. Am I sitting on the couch afraid of the situation I'm in (real or conceived because the movie put the thought in my head)? No. Maybe if I'm actually about to go skydiving, but I don't need a movie to tell me there's a risk involved when sky diving or that I should be afraid of an insane serial killer with a knife.

Originally Posted by Glanced

I do hope you give this one another go.

I will. Like I said, it will probably make a showing in October. And, I appreciate the discussion, even if (or rather especially because) I have a different opinion.

Also:

[Show spoiler]https://youtu.be/6C-Y3oX5PyQ?t=1m50s

I'm certain that's his foot while he's convulsing.

[film11]

Originally Posted by Iamspartacus

DePalma seems to be either loved or loathed due to his obvious influences and his gratuitous nudity etc. I'm in the camp that likes him. Carlitos Way, Untouchables, Scarface, Body Double, Dressed to Kill, Obsession, Sisters, Femme Fatale, Passion, Blow Out, Casualties of War, and even Snake Eyes were all very likable to me. I still need to see Raising Cain.

I'm a minority of One, but I even liked MISSION TO MARS (it was better than RED PLANET, that's for sure!)

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

My haul from last night:

Summer With Monika is my favorite Bergman. Nice haul!

[nondiatonic]

So, I'm going to make another blind buy this sale. It's either going to be The 400 Blows, Jules and Jim or Hiroshima mon Amour. Any thoughts (without giving away even the slightest shred of plot)?

I've never seen a Truffaut or a Resnais (!!). So, in order to make a more educated decision, I plan to watch one movie from each director that is not offered on BD currently.

From Truffaut I was thinking Shoot the Piano Player and from Resnais I was thinking Night and Fog. Will these give me a decent representation of each director (as well as one film can)?

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

From Truffaut I was thinking Shoot the Piano Player and from Resnais I was thinking Night and Fog. Will these give me a decent representation of each director (as well as one film can)?

Yes, to Shoot The Piano Player.

I would say "no" to Night And Fog, being that it's a short documentary as compared to a narrative film such as Hiroshima mon Amour.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

Yes, to Shoot The Piano Player.

I would say "no" to Night And Fog, being that it's a short documentary as compared to a narrative film such as Hiroshima mon Amour.

Right on. Thanks for the reply. What about Le Chant du Styrene or Mon Oncle d'Amerique (the only other two Resnais available on Hulu)?

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Nice! Congrats to you as well.

Most of my trepidation comes from the fact that I'm not a handyman, and I'm unfamiliar with the art of fixing things or of general carpentry. I have no problem with elbow grease or hard work, but I'm just flat out clueless when it comes to most repairs. On the bright side, I did put a new wall platelet over an exposed electrical outlet in my living room, and I clipped some shrubs away from the back of my place this afternoon, so I guess that's a start. All of this is going to be a learning curve for me, but that's a good thing. Fortunately, this place is pretty much entirely move-in ready, so there's no need for repainting or extensive work, save for some A/C repairs that I'm hiring someone to do this week.

As far as Criterion purchases during this sale, my fourth and final Criterion purchase will be Hiroshima Mon Amour next week.

I've definitely had to learn how to do a lot of stuff in the last few years. Thank God for the internet!

I am definitely hoping to pick up Hiroshima Mon Amour, as well as Sword of Doom, and maybe one other.