The Criterion Collection

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Any fans of The Long Day Closes?

I just watched it for the first time and really struggled through it. The pacing was mega slow (and I usually have a stomach for slow films) and I couldn't find any compelling tug in the narrative. It picked up a little more in the latter half of the film once school starts, but was still tedious. Maybe I'm just over films about boys coming of age with a catholic guilt complex.

It sort of reminded me of Beasts of the Southern Wild or Pan's Labyrinth, in the way that magical realism provides an escape or means of growth except that here the boy's life isint that awful, and his imagined sequences are quite joyless.

I really found that film refreshing, it's true the narrative is very loose, but I really liked the music and enjoyed the cinematography of all the slow long scenes, and found the atmosphere to be quite unique, I've read it is a kind of autobiographical work with part of it being his struggles with homosexuality.

I have to agree with pro-b when he mentions on the review:

I think it is fair to say that Terence Davies is Britain's best answer to Terrence Malick

[theater dreamer]

BTW, fantastic releases this month. I'm sure to hit my free $50 certificate from Criterion with their fall sale.

[jw007]

Good month as always from Criterion, but nothing here screams out at me aside from the Robert Altman film. I'm not too keen on the "maximalist" front artwork though. A Taste of Honey intrigues me the most. I've not yet seen the Orson Welles' films but I can see a lot of people are super excited about those. The Teshigahara film warrants a viewing before a purchase for me at least. The Ingrid Bergman doc doesn't interest me too much though.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by jw007

Good month as always from Criterion, but nothing here screams out at me aside from the Robert Altman film. I'm not too keen on the "maximalist" front artwork though. A Taste of Honey intrigues me the most. I've not yet seen the Orson Welles' films but I can see a lot of people are super excited about those. The Teshigahara film warrants a viewing before a purchase for me at least. The Ingrid Bergman doc doesn't interest me too much though.

Woman In the Dunes is a must have, if you havent seen it get on it right away!
The Bergman documentary actually sounds really interesting but doesnt seem like the kind of thing that is 100% necessary to really own.
McCabe is the real star of the show for me this month though!

[jbieste]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Well handsome, I think you'd better tell RayJ what's going on. All this secrecy's going to ruin my little dinner.

...Come on Mr. C., what is darkening your brow?

Mr RayJ did you happen to see Amazon is giving away Top Gun steelbook on facebook?

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I really found that film refreshing, it's true the narrative is very loose, but I really liked the music and enjoyed the cinematography of all the slow long scenes, and found the atmosphere to be quite unique, I've read it is a kind of autobiographical work with part of it being his struggles with homosexuality.

I have to agree with pro-b when he mentions on the review:

Fair, it did have a pretty distinct look.

[laikaisdead]

Is FamilyVideo the cheapest place to buy Criterions online?

They are $23.99 there.

[monorail91]

Just watched Woman in the Dunes on Hulu and zzz.... Though it did remind me of In the Realm of the Senses, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, and Cars all at once. There were moments that were really compelling but didn't feel like there was enough story to fill a 2 1/2 hour director's cut.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Any fans of The Long Day Closes?

I just watched it for the first time and really struggled through it. The pacing was mega slow (and I usually have a stomach for slow films) and I couldn't find any compelling tug in the narrative. It picked up a little more in the latter half of the film once school starts, but was still tedious. Maybe I'm just over films about boys coming of age with a catholic guilt complex.

It sort of reminded me of Beasts of the Southern Wild or Pan's Labyrinth, in the way that magical realism provides an escape or means of growth except that here the boy's life isint that awful, and his imagined sequences are quite joyless.

I haven't seen the film since the Blu-ray was released.

From what I recall, I enjoyed the film but didn't love it enough to continue keeping it in my collection. That being said, it's a beautifully made film and the use of cuts is superb. Isn't there a scene where the protagonist is in his home and it naturally cuts to the outdoors (or vice versa)? I also really enjoyed that the film was based to a large extent on Davies' childhood, specifically how film was a major form of escape for him.

[Scottie]

Alice in the Cities review is up.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The set may has been discontinued, but they do still have the rights to all the films

Speaking of discontinued, could someone please post a list of OOP Criterion Blu-rays (including packaging).

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by jvince

Speaking of discontinued, could someone please post a list of OOP Criterion Blu-rays (including packaging).

Here is a list of the nine Out of Print titles. It is important to note that Cohen Media will be releasing and/or re-releasing the entire Merchant Ivory catalogue in the future, so another Blu-ray release of Howards End is very likely.

Army of Shadows
Le Cercle Rouge
Chungking Express
Howards End
Last Year at Marienbad
Léon Morin, Priest
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Pierrot le fou
The Third Man

Criterion offered replacement cases for the original DigiPack releases of the following films, but the program no longer seems to be offered. I guess it is assumed that DigiPack packaging is out of circulation and that if no one had purchased a replacement case for an OOP title yet, no one ever would.

The 400 Blows
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The Last Emperor
The Last Metro
Last Year at Marienbad
The Man Who Fell to Earth
El Norte
The Third Man

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Is Woman in the Dunes anything like In the Realm of the Senses? What exactly makes it so good that it is highly regarded?

Not quite, WiTD has little to do with exploration of sexual desire / obsession. it's more of a bizarre survival story, about a human being reduced to the status of an insect (the lead character starts off as an amateur entomologist, so there's a touch). It's a terrific adaptation of Kobo Abe's book.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I haven't seen the film since the Blu-ray was released.

From what I recall, I enjoyed the film but didn't love it enough to continue keeping it in my collection. That being said, it's a beautifully made film and the use of cuts is superb. Isn't there a scene where the protagonist is in his home and it naturally cuts to the outdoors (or vice versa)? I also really enjoyed that the film was based to a large extent on Davies' childhood, specifically how film was a major form of escape for him.

It's a near masterpiece in my view. I prefer it to Tree of Life, a film it's sometimes compared to.

[easydreamer]

Great to know that Criterion still holds the rights to the other Teshigawara films in the box. Hopefully they will remaster them in HD & release the box set again someday.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by easydreamer

Great to know that Criterion still holds the rights to the other Teshigawara films in the box. Hopefully they will remaster them in HD & release the box set again someday.

I hope they at least have the rights to The Face of Another. But as others have mentioned, it's odd that they would stuff almost all the supplements from the box set onto Woman in the Dunes. What will they use for the others? Maybe new material hopefully?

That's why I'll hold onto my box set until I know The Face of Another is being released.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by laikaisdead

Is FamilyVideo the cheapest place to buy Criterions online?

They are $23.99 there.

I think most of us buy from a combination of places, during different times of the year. Amazon will do Criterion sales a few times a year; sometimes the entire catalog, other times short sales by genres. Barnes & Noble do two sales during the year; 50% off MSRP. They issue a good deal of coupons for anywhere from 20% off to a one-time 40% off coupon. If you buy in store, and are a B&N member ($25 annual fee), you can get an additional 10% off. Their next sale is in July. Most individual films then are $19.99.

Criterion also holds 24 hour flash sales during the year. 24 hours each, and 50% off MSRP. I think they have been doing two a year. Again, individual titles are $19.99. There's no sales tax for most states (New York the only exception, I think), and over $50 gives you free shipping, too. There will be other online sellers that do sales. I watch the Reddit Criterion group. I find a lot of sale information posted there.

While I'll occasionally buy during non-sales, I do the bulk of my Criterion buying during the two B&N sales, and during the Criterion flash sales. The Criterion sales are nice, because once you've bought $500 in merchandise/films, you get a $50 coupon.

[CelestialAgent]

Up for Chimes at Midnight, McCabe & Miss Miller and Woman in the Dunes.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by laikaisdead

Is FamilyVideo the cheapest place to buy Criterions online?

They are $23.99 there.

I'm done with Family Video. A few years ago I ordered Persona and they sat on the order for a week. No email communication or shipping notice. Unacceptable.

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Any fans of The Long Day Closes?

I just watched it for the first time and really struggled through it. The pacing was mega slow (and I usually have a stomach for slow films) and I couldn't find any compelling tug in the narrative. It picked up a little more in the latter half of the film once school starts, but was still tedious. Maybe I'm just over films about boys coming of age with a catholic guilt complex.

It sort of reminded me of Beasts of the Southern Wild or Pan's Labyrinth, in the way that magical realism provides an escape or means of growth except that here the boy's life isint that awful, and his imagined sequences are quite joyless.

I love The Long Day Closes, probably because I connect so easily with the main character.