The Criterion Collection

[koberulz]

The real fun part is going to be waiting until December to actually get any of the discs...I'm struggling just waiting for the sale to start. Might take me a week or two just to whittle my list down to something within my budget...

[Ray Jackson]

I feel like I need at least one, preferably two, blind buys for this upcoming Barnes and Noble sale in order to satiate my my unbridled lust for Criterion debauchery.

But for the life of me, I can't think of a single one I'm interested in.

I have five titles on my list and they're all upgrades or double dips or in the case of Kwaidan, titles that I traded away and later regretted it.

Anyone have any suggestions?

And don't say Antichrist.

I won't go there.

Not now...not ever.

[20th Century Boy]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I feel like I need at least one, preferably two, blind buys for this upcoming Barnes and Noble sale in order to satiate my my unbridled lust for Criterion debauchery.

But for the life of me, I can't think of a single one I'm interested in.

I have five titles on my list and they're all upgrades or double dips or in the case of Kwaidan, titles that I traded away and later regretted it.

Anyone have any suggestions?

And don't say Antichrist.

I won't go there.

Not now...not ever.

You like Corman-schtick? If so, Eating Raoul.

[MifuneFan]

Good thing Ray mentioned Kwaidan. I almost forgot about it, and I had been saving the Blu-ray to watch for Halloween since last year.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I almost forgot about Kwaidan. Been saving the Blu-ray to watch for Halloween since last year.

Kwaidan is such a gorgeous movie on Blu-ray. Most of it was filmed inside an airport hangar, and the level of detail with the stage sets and props is really something else.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Kwaidan is such a gorgeous movie on Blu-ray. Most of it was filmed inside an airport hangar, and the level of detail with the stage sets and props is really something else.

Oh I didn't know about the airport hangar thing, that's really cool. As soon as it's dark enough tonight, I'm going to put it on. The Shining (UK cut) will have to wait till tomorrow night.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Oh I didn't know about the airport hangar thing, that's really cool. As soon as it's dark enough tonight, I'm going to put it on. The Shining (UK cut) will have to wait till tomorrow night.

I'm going to keep it classy tonight, and go with Hack-O-Lantern.

[bwdowiak]

Kwaidan is great. This would be my Halloween recommendation for the Criterion crowd:

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm going to keep it classy tonight, and go with Hack-O-Lantern.

I just watched that, and it’s amazing!

For the It’s Always Sunny crowd, Mac’s dad is one of the leads!

[Rich Pure Doom]

I loved the first two stories in Kwaidan but could not have been more bored with the last two.

[repulsed]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm going to keep it classy tonight, and go with Hack-O-Lantern.

Saving that for just after midnight tonight. First time for me. Can't wait!

[javy]

Thank you for the intro to Kwaidan guys. It's $20 on Amazon right now so I placed an order. I won't have it in time for Halloween, but no matter. Supernatural horror is my favorite in the genre and this sounds amazing. The description on the back sold me with, "colorfully surreal sets and luminous cinematography", and especially, "haunting tales of demonic comeuppance and spiritual trials".

Can't wait.

[hoytereden]

Speaking of Japanese horror-Has there been any mention of an upgrade of Onibaba? Like the sands in Woman In the Dunes, the reeds in Onibaba also seem to be always moving, beckoning... The higher definition of BD would just add to that atmosphere.

[zackisthewalrus]

This may be a stupid question, but do we know the exact dates for the November B&N sale yet?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

I loved the first two stories in Kwaidan but could not have been more bored with the last two.

Really? The third is the best, in my opinion. The intro to that one is a bit sleepy, but sticking with it was very rewarding. Thought it was incredible, actually.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Really? The third is the best, in my opinion. The intro to that one is a bit sleepy, but sticking with it was very rewarding. Thought it was incredible, actually.

Yeah, Hoichi the Earless is the best story, followed closely by The Woman of the Snow

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

I loved the first two stories in Kwaidan but could not have been more bored with the last two.

From a pure visual standpoint, I would argue that the third story is the most interesting to look at.

I've heard some people describe Kwaidan as a horror film and I can't really agree with that. It's a collection of ghost stories...none of which are particularly scary or deeply disturbing in some way imo.

A ghost story, per se, isn't necessarily something that qualifies for the horror genre in my personal opinion.

I watch Kwaidan for the visuals and the atmosphere.

...and I enjoy it for those reasons.

[MifuneFan]

Watched Kwaidan tonight, and my goodness, this is definitely one of the most revelatory upgrades in the collection. The transfer is such a huge improvement from the DVD, and the colors are so vibrant that it made me feel like I was seeing it for the first time again. It was also a treat to finally see the full version of the film, which I only remembered this including after not recognizing certain scenes.

Anthologies are one of my favorite sub-categories of horror films, and this is probably one of the most acclaimed ones out there. I'm not sure if I would label it as scary, but it's certainly eerie, and with the sound effects added to the haunting imagery, it can get a little unnerving at times.

I think Hoichi the Earless, being the longest and most fleshed out, will be most people's favorite of the four. It certainly has been the most memorable to me. The first two are very good too, while the fourth is shorter, and not as noteworthy. Some of the best actors of that time are in here too, including Takashi Shimura, and Tatsuya Nakadai. It would have been cool to see Mifune in this one as well, but I imagine he was going through some production hell with Red Beard at the time, preventing him from doing any other roles at the time.

I love that Kwaidan works on many levels. On the surface are the actual folktales and ghost stories that are being presented. But stepping back, you see the costumes, the pageantry, and the overly theatrical performances, and it feels like you're in the audience watching a stage production. And, even if for some reason you decided to tune out the story, and the acting, the film itself is like a canvas in motion. There are times, I'd pause the film just to admire a composition, and think how it would look framed on my wall. It's a very relaxing, if not meditative film to watch, and one that I always look forward to revisiting.

[Arawn]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Anyone have any suggestions?

And don't say Antichrist.

I won't go there.

Not now...not ever.

[jw007]

Who else has continuously kept this thread open as one of their main tabs in their web browser since July of 2012?

I have.

I've seen the evolution of mankind unfold before my eyes here.

I've seen it all, including the sinking of the Titanic.

I have.