The Criterion Collection

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Fat Phil

Great point. The reason I can speak so very eloquently about the sh***y garbage-ness of Wild Orchid is precisely because i've seen the whole thing

Zalman King's films are pretty poor, basically self-serious softcore porn. He should have stuck with acting because he was great in "Blue Sunshine" and "Trip With the Teacher". Although, "Two Moon Junction" is redeemed somewhat by Herve Villechaize popping up out of nowhere.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

But I think for cinephiles, it's important to take the bad with the good. It makes you appreciate the masterpieces all the more.

I agree with this. I also subscribe to the theory that if the director and actors have put the time in, then so should the viewer - especially as seeing a film is a choice. Even if one has avoided spoilers, I think it reasonable to assume that a cinephile is likely to be broadly aware of a director's oeuvre and reputation going in.

[Polaroid]

Still angers me Jennifer Lawrence gave up on Phantom Thread after 3 minutes and was happy to judge it against other films during the Oscars.

[kwillard37]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Still angers me Jennifer Lawrence gave up on Phantom Thread after 3 minutes and was happy to judge it against other films during the Oscars.

No ****ing way. Did this really happen? After all the hate mother! got for her to do that is insulting.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by kwillard37

No ****ing way. Did this really happen? After all the hate mother! got for her to do that is insulting.

“I got through about three minutes of it. I put in a good solid three. I’m sorry to anybody who loved that movie,” Lawrence said. “I couldn’t give that kind of time. It was three minutes and I was just [oof].”

“Is it just about clothes?” she continued. “Is [Reynolds Woodcock] kind of like a narcissistic sociopath and he’s an artist so every girl falls in love him because he makes her feel bad about herself and that’s the love story? I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know. I’ve been down that road, I know what that’s like, I don’t need to watch that movie [laughs].”

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I've been watching a lot of older films of late. There are so many wonderful movies that have not received a release befitting of the incredible talent involved, and many of these already have high definition masters. We all understand Criterion's business model requires the occasional issuance of big movies that have already come out on blu-ray. The Criterion treatment guarantees they will be great revenue streams; these movies help fund their other projects. However, I would hope that they'll focus a bit more on movies that have never had a domestic high definition release for the time being, as well as upgrading their own catalog. I think it's time.

For instance, what would it take to get Bette Davis into the collection? Her Academy Award-winning performance in Jezebel was pitch perfect.


Miss Davis humbly requests a profile page on the Criterion site.

I'm not familiar with the process involved to attain distribution rights, but you can't tell me that Bette doesn't have plenty of fans that would absolutely jump at the opportunity to own a box set. Look at some of the options that haven't had a blu-ray release:

Jezebel (1938)
Now, Voyager (1942)
The Little Foxes (1941)
Marked Woman (1937)
The Cabin in the Cotton (1932)
Kid Galahad (1937)

Plenty of choices there to make a fine "Early Davis" collection.

Kid Galahad is a pretty straightforward movie from a script standpoint, but I found it quite entertaining. Fantastic cast with Edward G. Robinson and an early appearance from Humphrey Bogart, when Hollywood was still casting him as the heavy. Michael Curtiz' direction is taut, as always, and the stars shine. Jezebel was Warner Bros' answer to MGM's Gone With the Wind. Davis was given the part of Julie Marsden when she didn't get Scarlett O'Hara, and she plays the entitled Southern belle beautifully.

I also think it's time for some more Barbara Stanwyck on blu-ray, and Criterion is the obvious choice to make this happen. First off, The Lady Eve upgrade is long overdue. And then there's a wide selection of Stanwyck films that have never had the treatment they deserve.


Barbara Stanwyck gives an Oscar-worthy performance in Stella Dallas.

Few actresses possessed the range that Missy had; she shined in screwball comedies, historical dramas, Westerns, film-noir, melodrama, and she was one of the greats to emerge from the pre-code era. Her work is woefully underrepresented on blu-ray.

The Lady Eve
Stella Dallas
Baby Face
The Bitter Tea of General Yen (Sony's BD-R release really needs an upgrade!)
Ball of Fire
Night Nurse
East Side, West Side
Sorry, Wrong Number
The Miracle Woman
All I Desire

Just a small selection of her work that deserves to be appreciated by new generations of film goers. These performances showcase Barbara's work with some of the Studio System's top directors: Frank Capra, King Vidor, Douglas Sirk, Howard Hawks, and William Wellman.

Barbara Stanwyck's nearly six decade-long career in film and on television was owed to her monumental talent, and sheer adaptability. She had her first staring role on the Silver Screen in 1929. In 1983/'84, she received a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in The Thorn Birds.

It is time that these two superlative talents receive the attention they deserve.

I will endorse the Barbara Stanwyck requests. Especially Baby Face, The Lady Eve, The Bitter Tea of General Yen, and Ball of Fire.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Any of you Von Trier fans been following the response to his latest, The House that Jack Built? Hysterical as par for the course with Cannes, but I don't know what they were expecting. It's a serial killer movie from the guy that brought you Antichrist.

The silly thing is, those 100 people walking out will probably do more for the film's box office than 100 rave reviews. It's hard to take these things seriously. Anyway, it's my understanding that Cannes is more about being seen at the right parties and making deals than it is about critical evaluation of cinema.

As for me, I can't remember ever walking out of a film, but that's usually because I'm with someone else when i go. If the movie doesn't hold my attention, I close my eyes and take a nap.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by BwayJ

If they ever do more animation, I'd love The Adventures of Prince Achmed.

This, please. And hopefully, they could get some of the extras on the BFI version.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

Milestone has it on DVD, though the BFI UK Blu-ray is region free.

Nice, I need to grab it. Are the extras region free?

[Thomas Irwin]

Originally Posted by Dragon Ranger

What about....

[Show spoiler]

I actually like his acting in this film and wish it would get a release.

[Alex82]

If I explicitely paid money to see a movie (disc, rental, theater), then I'm gonna watch it entirely, no mather how bad it is.

If I see a movie on TV or if a movie is included in a streaming service, then I watch at least half the movie and then decide if I like it enough to watch the entire thing (if the movie is 2 hours long, then I watch at least 1 hour). But if by some reason, I decide to skip the rest of the movie, I won't post a review or a comment or a rating.

But in this case (Von Trier's latest movie), as fas as I know, people are not walking out of the movie because it's "bad", they're doing it because the graphic content is too perverse for their taste (children and women suffering mutilation, according to some reports), and I don't blame them for that, all the violence in the world and this guy decides to keep playing the enfant terrible part and troll everyone with graphic scenes.

One thing I agree, though... everybody has been warned at this point about this guy...

[Show spoiler]

...and if they think they may be offended by his style, they shouldn't watch his movies.

[StarDestroyer52]

Some more classic films I wish see a Criterion release:

The Thief of Baghdad 1940
Shoot the Piano Player
Ruggles of Red Gap
The Lost Weekend

Also, did Criterion lose Rohmer's Six Moral Tales? I would love to have My Night at Maud's. I swore when I watched it last on TV it still had the Janus logo, but maybe I am mistaken which is probably likely.

[CQD84]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

Also, did Criterion lose Rohmer's Six Moral Tales? I would love to have My Night at Maud's. I swore when I watched it last on TV it still had the Janus logo, but maybe I am mistaken which is probably likely.

I'm pretty sure they did. The set went OOP last summer.

(Thankfully I managed to purchase the last available copy within 100 miles from me)

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by CQD84

I'm pretty sure they did. The set went OOP last summer.

(Thankfully I managed to purchase the last available copy within 100 miles from me)

Yeah, I stayed on the fence hoping the price would drop and then it went OOP. I wish I just would've pulled the trigger. Wonder who has the US rights?

[DaBargainHunta]

The latest leak!



Hot on the heels of today's release, which did record numbers, Criterion has acquired the rights for the Collection and will include hundreds of hours of video game-related extras!

[Show spoiler]In my dreams, but that would be SO BAD!

Previous leaks:

[Show spoiler]

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by belcherman

The silly thing is, those 100 people walking out will probably do more for the film's box office than 100 rave reviews.

I was thinking the same - von Trier was likely thrilled. The worst reaction for him - and really most any artist - would be indifference.

[Polaroid]

Lack of phantom pages suuuuuuuuuucks

[dudeabides34]

They're on to you!

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Lack of phantom pages suuuuuuuuuucks

Is this due to the new web design?

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Is this due to the new web design?

Yeah ...

Trying to find another hole but no luck :'(