The Criterion Collection

[deepseababy]

Originally Posted by soarinsteven

Ooh I'm excited to not have to wait much longer for their release of Boyhood. Now if they would only get to that special edition of Blue is the Warmest Color...

I hear you. I've waited so long for the special Criterion treatment of Blue is the Warmest Colour, but gave up when they said they did not have any plans to release it in the foreseeable future. Granted, that does't mean it won't happen.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

It's weird that Criterion being so secretive, is having all these early phantom pages like last month, maybe no one there reads this thread? or maybe they are just doing it for films that will not be announced tomorrow to confuse us?

Either way we will know tomorrow, 4 titles so far, the other has to be an upgrade.

Hopefully that possible upgrade is Le Samourai. So far it seems the only new CC release im getting in 2016 is Lady Snowblood.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by ajburke

A Safe Place was mentioned in a lot of posts a couple of pages back as being among the worst titles in the CC. I definitely get this sentiment, but I enjoyed it more than Drive, He Said, at least by a degree. Does anyone have any thoughts on why Drive, He Said is being spared from the negativity directed at A Safe Place? A Safe Place doesn't have much going for it, but it does have Jack, and I did get marginal enjoyment from the goofy usage of La Mer.

Thanks!

I love Drive, He Said! Objectively, it might not be a great movie, but subjectively for me, it might be my second favorite BBS movie after Five Easy Pieces. A Safe Place is a horribly pretentious movie that doesn't work on ANY level, other than you can say that "it has Jack Nicholson and Orson Welles in it". It's a failed attempt at an arthouse film from someone who doesn't know the first thing about filmmaking. Drive, He Said at the very least works as a snapshot movie - it captures the mood of the late Vietnam War period - the draft dodging and the college campus riots (one of the scenes in the movie was filmed during an actual riot which gives it a semi-documentary feel). The optimism and hippy search for a utopia of the 1960s is gone. The room mate character's attempt to avoid being drafted isn't so much about the principe of "ending the war", which was a sentiment of the optimistic 60s. It's an attempt to save himself and survive - he pretty much says so directly in the movie himself at one point, that it's "strictly a survival trip". It also tackles the other theme of the hippies - free love, in the form of the main character who is in frustratedly in love and wants a relationship on a level that is more than only sexual. In short, I feel that it captures the wave speech from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas pretty well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az36k4-Hc94

Oh, and it also helps if you're a basketball fan, which I am very much and I know Jack Nicholson is. The basketball scenes are filmed well and are very realistic.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Not trying to ruffle any feathers here, but I think Boyhood is the most overrated movie of the last ten years.

Maybe even the last 20 years.

Admirable concept...mediocre result.

THANK YOU.

Totally agree!

[mja345]

Re: "Drive, He Said". That's a very good post, I KEEL YOU. While I wasn't a big fan of the film, there were definitely some intriguing elements to it. The basketball scenes were exceedingly well-done. And the commentary regarding the end of the optimism of the "free love" era is prescient at times. The roommate's transformation from a socially aware student to outright nutcase encapsulates that sense of optimism turned into a sense of dread and paranoia. And I thought Bruce Dern, as always, was very good in his role. Karen Black, while playing a thankless part, was good as well.

But the main problems in the film IMO are the performances of the two main actors. They really drag the film down. The themes in the film that are potentially fascinating are touched on sporadically IMO, and not on a consistent enough basis. It goes off into long stretches that are unfocused and uninteresting. I think the film could have really benefited from a tighter script and much better performances from the two leads. The film's lack of focus could have been a product of the fact Jack was directing it, and I can't imagine the cocktail of drugs 1970 Nicholson was on. I think that perhaps manifested itself in a more palpable way behind the camera than it did in front of the camera.

I think an interesting comparison for "Drive, He Said" is "The King of Marvin Gardens". Both films are similar in that they're messes at times, but are filled with plenty of interesting ideas. While I don't love "Marvin Gardens", what elevates it over "Drive, He Said" IMO is you have three truly great actors in Dern, Jack and Ellen Burstyn versus a lot of pedestrian actors in "Drive, He Said". Also, Bob Rafelson is there to lend a bit more focus to "Marvin Gardens". I would have been interested to see what "Drive, He Said" could have been with Nicholson (granted, too old to play the main role in 1970) in the lead part and Rafelson behind the camera to give the film a bit more focus. But I really respect that you like that film because, when I watched it, I thought, "There's a lot of potential here, but it just really missed the mark for me."

And regarding "A Safe Place", I knew it would be pretty poor when I saw it was directed by Henry Jaglom. He made a couple good films in "Tracks" and "Sitting Ducks", but every film of his I've seen after that has been an escalation in pretentious horseshit.

[alien2010]

Originally Posted by Namuhana

Hmm, I found The Social Network to be incredibly boring, but I really enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl.

I could not agree more. I loved The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo even more so than the original version. As for Gone Girl its a good movie, but it's not one I would revisit so quickly. I've had the blu-ray since a week after release date (bought of Ebay) and I still haven't played it. Despite this, they certainly pale in comparison to SE7EN.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by mja345

Re: "Drive, He Said". That's a very good post, I KEEL YOU. While I wasn't a big fan of the film, there were definitely some intriguing elements to it. The basketball scenes were exceedingly well-done. And the commentary regarding the end of the optimism of the "free love" era is prescient at times. The roommate's transformation from a socially aware student to outright nutcase encapsulates that sense of optimism turned into a sense of dread and paranoia. And I thought Bruce Dern, as always, was very good in his role. Karen Black, while playing a thankless part, was good as well.

But the main problems in the film IMO are the performances of the two main actors. They really drag the film down. The themes in the film that are potentially fascinating are touched on sporadically IMO, and not on a consistent enough basis. It goes off into long stretches that are unfocused and uninteresting. I think the film could have really benefited from a tighter script and much better performances from the two leads. The film's lack of focus could have been a product of the fact Jack was directing it, and I can't imagine the cocktail of drugs 1970 Nicholson was on. I think that perhaps manifested itself in a more palpable way behind the camera than it did in front of the camera.

I think an interesting comparison for "Drive, He Said" is "The King of Marvin Gardens". Both films are similar in that they're messes at times, but are filled with plenty of interesting ideas. While I don't love "Marvin Gardens", what elevates it over "Drive, He Said" IMO is you have three truly great actors in Dern, Jack and Ellen Burstyn versus a lot of pedestrian actors in "Drive, He Said". Also, Bob Rafelson is there to lend a bit more focus to "Marvin Gardens". I would have been interested to see what "Drive, He Said" could have been with Nicholson (granted, too old to play the main role in 1970) in the lead part and Rafelson behind the camera to give the film a bit more focus. But I really respect that you like that film because, when I watched it, I thought, "There's a lot of potential here, but it just really missed the mark for me."

And regarding "A Safe Place", I knew it would be pretty poor when I saw it was directed by Henry Jaglom. He made a couple good films in "Tracks" and "Sitting Ducks", but every film of his I've seen after that has been an escalation in pretentious horseshit.

Well, basketball skills had to do a lot with choosing the main actor for Drive, He Said. In the behind the scenes featurette on the disc, Nicholson mentions that he even had several pro NBA players audition for the role. In the end, I guess he settled for a sweet spot and chose someone who could both play basketball and act well enough.

But it is sloppy and has some amateurish mistakes. I've noticed one very poor edit in one of the early scenes where the teacher successfully tries to get imprisoned with his students yet in the next cut he is shown outside of the mini prison area.

What I remember about The King of Marvin Gardens the most is how it stands out in Jack Nicholson's filmography since he plays a very quiet and introverted character compared to most of his other roles.

[ShellOilJunior]

Why not release the Before Trilogy in the same month as Boyhood?

[The Great Owl]

I just used my Barnes & Noble 25% Off coupon to order Speedy. The total was $21.90. Here's to my last Criterion purchase of 2015. It's been a solid year.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Quinni

I don't have any experience with Yang, but A Bright Summer Day may be interesting for me.

Be careful. The thread is likely to keep hyping it, and then you may end up tuning it out.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Why not release the Before Trilogy in the same month as Boyhood?

I've been holding off on seeing the Before Trilogy until the Criterion release. I can't stream and it seems like only Before Midnight is on blu. I would prefer to see the trilogy released before Boyhood.

Maybe Criterion is playing us and putting up phantom, phantom pages.

[monorail91]

The phantom pages kind of spoil the fun, eh? Excited about Boyhood though.

My wish list for today's announcements --

New spines:

-Angels in America
-Un borghese piccolo piccolo (An Average Little Man)
-Captain EO
-Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
-Evita
-Forget Me Not
-Hedwig and the Angry Inch
-Madonna concert films (especially the Blond Ambition Tour). I know, long shot!
-Mildred Pierce
-Mommie Dearest
-Ordinary People
-A Place in the Sun
-Repeat Performance
-Simon Killer
-Suddenly, Last Summer
-The Tenant
-Two Women
-The Woman in Question

Plus upgrades for:

-Bicycle Thieves
-I Vitelloni
-The Lady Eve
-Mala Noche
-Summertime
-Written on the Wind

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by monorail91

-Madonna concert films (especially the Blond Ambition Tour). I know, long shot!

wow, i wouldn't see Criterion releasing this in a million years, but it would be a dream come true! (by any company)

[nissling]

If they announce A Brighter Summer Day, that'd be the day. To me it's easily among my top five favorite films of all time and just before Christmas each year I watch it on my good old Laserdisc player. But this time, if they announce it I'll rewatch The Terrorizer for now and watch ABSD on Blu-Ray next year.

Man, that LD took me some long years to find...

[monorail91]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

wow, i wouldn't see Criterion releasing this in a million years, but it would be a dream come true! (by any company)

By Madonna standards, it's probably the peak of her "importance" as far as mass popularity, and gave us some of her most iconic moments. Plus, hasn't been released on DVD OR Blu-ray (besides Truth or Dare, which is good but not enough!).

But I don't need to tell you that, from the Wish List in your signature I can tell you're a Madonna fan too!

[PBateman87]

I didn't really expect this apparent, upcoming release of Boyhood. I love the film and I'm glad I have held off from buying the Blu-ray (it's been available to watch on Showtime/The Movie Channel for many months now, and I find myself watching it whenever I come across it). I'll definitely buy a Criterion edition.

[Polaroid]

Not Criterion related at all.

But wtf someone remade Martyrs??????

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by nissling

If they announce A Brighter Summer Day, that'd be the day. To me it's easily among my top five favorite films of all time and just before Christmas each year I watch it on my good old Laserdisc player. But this time, if they announce it I'll rewatch The Terrorizer for now and watch ABSD on Blu-Ray next year.

Man, that LD took me some long years to find...

Would you say it feels like the style Yang uses on Yi Yi and The Terrorizers? Or is it something completely different?

[belcherman]

Well, since the phantom pages have outed the new releases, the remaining question is what previously released film will get a blu-ray upgrade? My pick would be for The Lady Eve, but if going with a film that already has a region b release, then Pickup on South Street or Magnificent Obsession would both make me very happy.

[nissling]

Fabs: I'd say if you like Yi Yi there's a good chance you'll enjoy ABSD. Just be ready for a very wide, massive amount of characters and plotlines that may require several viewings to fully understand. If you keep your interest up throughout the film you'll be rewarded.