The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Oh shoot, it happened last night.

I was supposed to wait 2 more nights, but I couldn't.

I watched The Ice Storm. Yes I did. And I enjoyed every second of it.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Also not Criterion related but i think you should check out The Man from Earth, i thought i was engrossing from start to finish, and i think fits your description perfectly.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by jw007

Oh shoot, it happened last night.

I was supposed to wait 2 more nights, but I couldn't.

I watched The Ice Storm. Yes I did. And I enjoyed every second of it.

Love The Ice Storm... so many good moments in that film, and just really seems to capture the feel of the era. Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, and Allison Janney are simply amazing. Not to meantion the great casting of young actors just getting their start.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Sounds to me like you are ready to experience Vanya on 42nd Street and Insignificance.

[Polaroid]

I struggled to enjoy The Ice Storm.

It was watchable and I don't regret buying cause I will revisit soon and see if my opinions change, but first viewing didn't do much for me :/.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Also not Criterion related but i think you should check out The Man from Earth, i thought i was engrossing from start to finish, and i think fits your description perfectly.

I will enthusiastically second this.

It's also a great example of an interesting category of films which may or may not be SF/fantasy. They introduce an SF/fantasy element, and you're never really sure until the end (or close enough to it) whether that element is real or bogus.

Other such films are Miracle Mile, The Secret of Roan Inish, Ondine, Drones, and Safety Not Guaranteed.

[jayembee]

I want to take the opportunity to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to those who celebrate it.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

Ride the Pink Horse was a bit of a head scratcher for me. I've never seen the film, but have known about it for a while; never motivated enough to TiVO it from TCM. The novel was written by Dorothy B Hughes who also wrote 'In A Lonely Place" which is pretty high on some folks' wish list. I didn't realize it has script by Ben Hecht. The DoP was Russell Metty who won an Oscar for Cinematography for Spartacas (he had over 130 credits for cinematography).

It's quite good. Montgomery got a taste of directing when he did some scenes for They Were Expendable when John Ford wasn't available. He then directed Lady in the Lake and then this film. I think it's top notch but I was a Robert Montgomery fan going in so I may be prejudiced. Thomas Gomez is outstanding and there are some other familiar noir faces like Art Smith and Fred Clark. It seems to get overlooked in noir discussions for some reason.

[prior]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions, I will definitely check those out.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Films I love are

12 Angry Men,
Anatomy of a Murder,
Sweet Smell of Success,
On the Waterfront,
Black Narcissus,
Seconds.

Non-Criterions would be

Inherit the Wind,
The Night of the Iguana,
Suddenly, Last Summer,
The White Ribbon.

I'd like to have more of that kind (if you consider all of the above mentioned of one kind). Thanks for any help.

Hmmmm.. Judgement at Nuremberg?

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jmclick

All this fascinating talk about film noir and the Criterion Collection has, once again, called to mind my all-time fantasy release, one that will never happen. It would be a super deluxe edition of Otto Preminger's Laura (1944) with Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson.

Of course this masterpiece is already available on blu-ray from Fox, but what would distinguish my dream version would be the wealth of supplemental materials that Criterion would assemble. First up would be the mediocre 1955 television adaptation that starred Dana Wynter, Robert Stack, and George Sanders. Next would be the gawdawful 1968 TV Movie adaptation which featured Lee Radziwell, Stack, Sanders, and Farley Granger.

Of course the theatrical trailer would be included, but then would come the pièces de résistance! First would be all the discarded footage directed by Rouben Mamoulian. You can see little glimpses of some of these scenes in the re-release trailer, easily identified by the ugly costumes that Preminger tossed out when he re-shot the film (examples: the hideous dress that Judith Anderson is wearing in her first scene, and the ugly hat perched on Gene Tierney in the cigarette case sequence). Then would follow all the many deleted sequences, including the one of Andrews, Webb and Price in a stadium; the party scene with Price playing the piano, surrounded by a bevy of admirers; the scene on Webb's patio between he and Miss Tierney, etc., etc. And then, finally, would come the alternate ending that Darryl Zanuck demanded be shot against Preminger's wishes, and which was finally discarded. I have stills from it in my collection, and would love to see how it might have played out.

Well, it will never happen in this lifetime, but when I get to that big screening room in the sky where every lost film has been found, restored and is available in a Criterion edition, this will be the first one I watch! Anyone's welcome to screen it with me ... they'll be plenty of popcorn to go around!

While I am glad to have Laura on blu, I too would love more of the history of the film in the form of bonus features. I guess it was a touchy subject for Fox or they just didn't feel it was worth it to dig into this stuff.

[dsman71]

I love Laura, great film !

In lieu of Dont Look Now coming from Criterion, I decided to rent it to see if I wanted to add it to my collection
I sure do ! I admit the climax left me a little confused but when I watch it again it will make more sense Im sure. I did look at Wikipedia to figure things out, but Id rather watch the movie and understand it more. There was a deeper meaning to this movie, and it was very innovative. It was like watching the Sixth Sense for the first time

[The Great Owl]

My viewing of Roman Polanski's Macbeth the other night compelled me to watch my Blu-ray of Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood earlier today.

Throne of Blood is a visually spectacular film, and, although I've seen it several times before by way of my old DVD edition, I had forgotten how incredible the action sequences are. Kurosawa's mastery of the camera shows during one particular sequence when Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and company are chasing two men on horseback to the castle. I'd love more detail about how the arrow sequences during the conclusion were filmed, because the risk-taking mastery of these shots could even rival those of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

Throne of Blood is my favorite screen version of Macbeth, although, as the booklet essay states, it's so much more than a mere adaptation.

The Blu-ray looks incredible across the board, and it's a huge improvement over the DVD edition.

I could write about this movie all night, but it's time for me to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Films I love are

12 Angry Men,
Anatomy of a Murder,
Sweet Smell of Success,
On the Waterfront,
Black Narcissus,
Seconds.

Non-Criterions would be

Inherit the Wind,
The Night of the Iguana,
Suddenly, Last Summer,
The White Ribbon.

I'd like to have more of that kind (if you consider all of the above mentioned of one kind). Thanks for any help.

A non-CC came to mind...Glengarry Glen Ross.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by prior

Do you guys have any suggestion in terms of Criterion films with underlying abstract or philosophical themes that challenge you intellectually as well as emotionally, maybe concerning a moral dilemma and playing largely in one room/dialog driven/with only a limited ensemble cast?

Films I love are

12 Angry Men,
Anatomy of a Murder,
Sweet Smell of Success,
On the Waterfront,
Black Narcissus,
Seconds.

Non-Criterions would be

Inherit the Wind,
The Night of the Iguana,
Suddenly, Last Summer,
The White Ribbon.

I'd like to have more of that kind (if you consider all of the above mentioned of one kind). Thanks for any help.

Satyajit Ray's last film, The Stranger, meets your criteria rather well.

[MifuneFan]

30% off is now active at BN.com, stacks with the Criterion sale. $19.99 titles go down to $13.99

Code: BFRIDAY14

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by CHEЯNOБLY!

A non-CC came to mind...Glengarry Glen Ross.

Great movie and, IMHO, Jack Lemmon's finest dramatic performance.

[AaronJ]

It's so beautiful. So many unbelievable images. Wow. Gorgeous.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Great movie and, IMHO, Jack Lemmon's finest dramatic performance.

Speaking of Lemmon, I wish Missing would get an upgrade.

[xanman]

Not sure if this was mentioned previously.

The Criterion Designs book is 59.97 on Amazon and they have a coupon code for 30% off a book "holiday30" right now. Just got it for $54.59 total with tax.

Edit: I guess it's 30% but only up to 10 dollars total credit.