Ride the Pink Horses is the most exciting one for me. That's a sure buy.
The Soft Skin is probably a buy, though we didn't like Jules & Jim much, so I'll wait and see.
Cries and Whispers is tempting because we love Bergman, though it seems pretty upsetting (even for him) so I'm not sure...
And it's rare that I buy a documentary because they just don't have much replay value for me, though I'd be interested to see them all once.
Hard to complain about a month where you get a Bergman and a Truffaut though, right?
Bergman is gold. Not a big Truffaut fan, but hard to believe someone that wasn't impressed with J&J would be dazzled by SS. That said, Pink Horse is the weakest title as far as I'm concerned. It's kind of like Riot, I'm more than OK with the genre, but both titles are a long way from the top of my priorities.
I have a bit of a hard time relating to those that think docs are a one-time-viewing experience. True, ignorant of the facts presented, one may not require a 2nd presentation of the "facts"; but it's the manner of the facts presentation that warrents a 2nd viewing. Not sure why docs with "real facts" are different than fictional films with story (made-up) facts. For example, how many times did you watch Star Wars? It doesn't take much to wrap your head around the premise of the movie, and unless you're a fan of blowing sh*t up, then what makes you want to see it again? To me, it's how the story is presented...
Bergman is gold. Not a big Truffaut fan, but hard to believe someone that wasn't impressed with J&J would be dazzled by SS.
Loved 400 Blows, and that and J&J are the only Truffaut we've seen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TJS_Blu
That said, Pink Horse is the weakest title as far as I'm concerned. It's kind of like Riot, I'm more than OK with the genre, but both titles are a long way from the top of my priorities.
We didn't like Riot, what makes this like riot? Just that it's a film noir?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TJS_Blu
I have a bit of a hard time relating to those that think docs are a one-time-viewing experience. True, ignorant of the facts presented, one may not require a 2nd presentation of the "facts"; but it's the manner of the facts presentation that warrents a 2nd viewing. Not sure why docs with "real facts" are different than fictional films with story (made-up) facts. For example, how many times did you watch Star Wars? It doesn't take much to wrap your head around the premise of the movie, and unless you're a fan of blowing sh*t up, then what makes you want to see it again? To me, it's how the story is presented...
I just don't get engaged in documentaries the same way. There are many I have enjoyed, but they almost all feel like a one-and-done to me.
We didn't like Riot, what makes this like riot? Just that it's a film noir?
Just not an especially highly regarded example of the genre. As CC has (naturally) stressed, lots of superior talent went into the making of this film, not sure that the end product is reflective of the talent. I'm totally OK with people seeing S&S, Riot, or Pink Horse, but wouldn't say any are particularly compelling blind buys.
Just not an especially highly regarded example of the genre. As CC has (naturally) stressed, lots of superior talent went into the making of this film, not sure that the end product is reflective of the talent. I'm totally OK with people seeing S&S, Riot, or Pink Horse, but wouldn't say any are particularly compelling blind buys.
Leonard Maltin gave it 3 1/5 stars.
It has a 7.3 rating on IMDB and a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. High user ratings on TCM...
It's not widely seen, but you seem to be in the minority?
I have a bit of a hard time relating to those that think docs are a one-time-viewing experience. True, ignorant of the facts presented, one may not require a 2nd presentation of the "facts"; but it's the manner of the facts presentation that warrents a 2nd viewing. Not sure why docs with "real facts" are different than fictional films with story (made-up) facts. For example, how many times did you watch Star Wars? It doesn't take much to wrap your head around the premise of the movie, and unless you're a fan of blowing sh*t up, then what makes you want to see it again? To me, it's how the story is presented...
I'm not a big fan of documentaries, unless it's a subject that I'm particularly interested in. I have zero interest in sports, for example, so a documentary like, say, Tokyo Olympiad I don't care to watch (even though I'm a fan of Kon Ichikawa's films). Fiction films about sports I can enjoy, depending on the story, cast, and direction. On the other hand, I'm not generally interested in the subjects of Errol Morris's films, but after seeing some interviews with him, I find him fascinating as a person, so I'm inclined to watch his films anyways.
I'm the same way about books. I'll read non-fiction books about subjects I'm particularly interested in, but not about subjects I'm not interested in. It's just the way I'm wired.
Going in the other direction, some years back I knew this woman who was working at becoming a writer. Her in-laws couldn't wrap their brains around that. She said it was because they never read any fiction, and couldn't understand why anyone would want to, because "it's not about real people".
It has a 7.3 rating on IMDB and a 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. High user ratings on TCM...
It's not widely seen, but you seem to be in the minority?
Well, that's always a possibilty.
Not sure what 'The Unsuspected' IMDB or RT scores are, but I've never seen it rated below Pink Horse by afficianados. I'd prefer to have seen existing CC edn noirs from Fuller, Dassin, or Siodmak upgraded, but I'd take Unsuspected or Blood on the Moon over Pink Horse about anyday.
It probably has something to do with the fact that documentaries are closer to a bonus feature than a cinematic film with a story. Not putting it down for those who love watching lots of docs, just saying it's kind of the style of the genre, and that hinders rewatchability for many who only view bonus features once or twice ever. It's also closer to something you'd see on the news, again as opposed to fictional cinema with cinematography, score, actors, and such. Real life stuff can be great, but for many it's the escape of an original story with fictional characters and a cinematic sheen that is more appealing and ripe for revisiting.
Not sure what 'The Unsuspected' IMDB or RT scores are, but I've never seen it rated below Pink Horse by afficianados. I'd prefer to have seen existing CC edn noirs from Fuller, Dassin, or Siodmak upgraded, but I'd take Unsuspected or Blood on the Moon over Pink Horse about anyday.
François Truffaut followed up the international phenomenon Jules and Jim with this tense tale of infidelity. The unassuming Jean Desailly (Le doulos) is perfectly cast as a celebrated literary scholar, seemingly happily married, who embarks on an affair with a gorgeous stewardess, played by Françoise Dorléac (The Young Girls of Rochefort), who is captivated by his charm and reputation. As their romance gets serious, the film grows anxious, leading to a wallop of a conclusion. Truffaut made The Soft Skin at a time when he was immersing himself in the work of Alfred Hitchcock, and that master’s influence can be felt throughout this complex, insightful, underseen French New Wave treasure.
1964 • 117 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In French with English subtitles • 1.66:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Audio commentary by screenwriter Jean-Louis Richard and François Truffaut scholar Serge Toubiana
• New video essay by filmmaker and critic Kent Jones
• Interview with Truffaut from 1965 about the film
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: An essay by critic Molly Haskell
Hollywood actor turned idiosyncratic auteur Robert Montgomery (Here Comes Mr. Jordan) directs and stars in this striking crime drama based on a novel by Dorothy B. Hughes. He plays a tough-talking former GI who comes to a small New Mexico town to shake down a gangster who killed his best friend; things quickly turn nasty. Ride the Pink Horse features standout supporting performances from Fred Clark, Wanda Hendrix, and especially Thomas Gomez, who became the first Hispanic actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for his role here. With its relentless pace, expressive cinematography by the great Russell Metty (All That Heaven Allows), and punchy, clever script by Charles Lederer (His Girl Friday) and Ben Hecht (Spellbound), this is an overlooked treasure from the heyday of 1940s film noir.
1947 • 101 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • 1.37:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Audio commentary featuring film noir historians Alain Silver and James Ursini
• New interview with Imogen Sara Smith, author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City
• Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 1947, featuring Robert Montgomery, Wanda Hendrix, and Thomas Gomez
• PLUS: An essay by filmmaker and writer Michael Almereyda
With his trademark mixture of empathy and scrutiny, Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line) has changed the face of documentary filmmaking in the United States, and his career began with two remarkable tales of American eccentricity: Gates of Heaven and Vernon, Florida. The first uses two Southern California pet cemeteries as the bases for a profound and funny rumination on love, loss, and industry; the second travels to a languorous southern backwater and meets a handful of fascinating folks—a determined turkey hunter, a curious minister, a laconic policeman—engaged in individualistic, sometimes absurd pursuits. Morris consistently creates humane portraits of true candor, and these early works remain two of his greatest and most provocative films.
GATES OF HEAVEN: 1978 • 82 minutes • Color • Monaural • 1.33:1 aspect ratio
VERNON, FLORIDA: 1981 • 55 minutes • Color • Monaural • 1.66:1 aspect ratio
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New 2K digital restorations of both films, supervised by director Errol Morris, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-rays
• New interviews with Morris
• Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980), a twenty-minute film by Les Blank featuring Herzog fulfilling a bet intended to inspire Morris to complete his first feature
• Footage of Herzog professing his admiration for Gates of Heaven at the 1980 Telluride Film Festival
• PLUS: An essay by critic Eric Hynes
Among the most important documentaries ever made, The Thin Blue Line, by Errol Morris (Gates of Heaven), erases the border between art and activism. A work of meticulous journalism and gripping drama, it recounts the disturbing tale of Randall Adams, a drifter who was charged with the murder of a Dallas police officer and sent to death row, despite overwhelming evidence that he did not commit the crime. Incorporating stylized reenactments, penetrating interviews, and haunting original music by Philip Glass (Koyaanisqatsi), Morris uses cinema to build a case forensically while effortlessly entertaining his viewers. The Thin Blue Line effected real-world change, proving film’s power beyond the shadow of a doubt.
1988 • 101 minutes • Color • Monaural • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New high-definition digital restoration, supervised by director Errol Morris and producer Mark Lipson, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New interview with Morris
• New interview with filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer
(The Act of Killing)
• NBC report from 1989 covering Randall Adams’s release from prison
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar Charles Musser
TITLE: THE THIN BLUE LINE (BLU-RAY EDITION)
CAT. NO: CC2462BD
UPC: 7-15515-14191-8
ISBN: 978-1-60465-970-2
SRP: $39.95
STREET: 3/24/15
CRIES AND WHISPERS - Blu-ray
This existential wail of a drama from Ingmar Bergman (Wild Strawberries) concerns two sisters, Karin (Ingrid Thulin) and Maria (Liv Ullmann), keeping vigil for a third, Agnes (Harriet Andersson), who is dying of cancer and can find solace only in the arms of a beatific nurse (Kari Sylwan). An intensely felt film that may be Bergman’s most striking formal experiment, Cries and Whispers (which won an Oscar for the extraordinary color photography of Sven Nykvist) is a powerful depiction of human behavior in the face of death, positioned on the borders between reality and nightmare, tranquillity and terror.
1972 • 91 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Swedish with English subtitles • 1.66:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Introduction by Ingmar Bergman from 2001
• New interview with actor Harriet Andersson, conducted by film scholar Peter Cowie
• New video essay on the film’s visuals by filmmaker : : kogonada
• Behind-the-scenes footage with commentary by Cowie
• Ingmar Bergman: Reflections on Life, Death, and Love with Erland Josephson (2000), a 52-minute interview with Bergman and his longtime collaborator
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
• PLUS: An essay by film scholar Emma Wilson
Two ordinary inner-city Chicago kids dare to reach for the impossible—professional basketball glory—in this epic chronicle of hope and faith. Filmed over a five-year period, Hoop Dreams, by Steve James (Life Itself), Frederick Marx, and Peter Gilbert follows young Arthur Agee and William Gates as they navigate the complex, competitive world of scholastic athletics while dealing with the intense pressures of their home lives and neighborhoods. This landmark film, which documents the journeys of two remarkable families, continues to educate and inspire viewers, and it is widely considered one of the great works of American nonfiction cinema.
1994 • 171 minutes • Color • 4.0 surround • 1.33:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New digital restoration, with 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Two audio commentaries: one by filmmakers Peter Gilbert, Steve James, and Frederick Marx, and one by the film’s subjects, Arthur Agee and William Gates
• Life After “Hoop Dreams,” a new documentary catching up with Agee, Gates, and their families
• Additional scenes
• Collection of excerpts from Siskel & Ebert tracking the acclaim for Hoop Dreams
• Original music video for the film’s theme song from 1994
• Trailers
• PLUS: Essays by author John Edgar Wideman and filmmaker and critic Robert Greene
Attention Canada: CRIES AND WHISPERS are available in English-Speaking Canada only. THE SOFT SKIN, RIDE THE PINK HORSE, THE GATES OF HEAVEN/VERNON, FLORIDA , THE THIN BLUE LINE and HOOP DREAMS are available in all Canada.
I just don't get engaged in documentaries the same way. There are many I have enjoyed, but they almost all feel like a one-and-done to me.
What would you say is your favorite documentary film?
My top 5 FAVORITE documentaries are:
1. Dark Days (amazing and original documentary of homeless people living in the subway tunnels underneath NYC)
2. Mule Skinner Blues (the first time I saw this hilarious documentary film I couldn't stop laughing at times. It's total entertainment)
3. Supersize Me (guilty pleasure and highly entertaining, plus the dangers of fast food is well documented here)
4. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (a fascinating story about a famous Japanese sushi chef and his dedicated, upscale clientele)
5. Nostalgia for the Light (beautifully photographed and moving, poignant story on Chilean political prisoners)
What would you say is your favorite documentary film?
My top 5 FAVORITE documentaries are:
1. Dark Days (amazing and original documentary shot in the netherworlds of the subway tunnels underneath NYC)
2. Mule Skinner Blues (the first time I saw this hilarious documentary film I couldn't stop laughing at times. It's total entertainment)
3. Supersize Me (guilty pleasure and highly entertaining, plus the dangers of fast food is well documented here)
4. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (a fascinating story about a famous Japanese sushi chef and his dedicated, upscale clientele)
5. Nostalgia for the Light (beautifully photographed and moving, poignant story on Chilean political prisoners)
I doubt I could think of five I like enough to consider 'favourites.'
I often enjoy behind the scenes type documentaries, like Lost in La Mancha, for example.
Grizzly Man was great.
I found F For Fake quite interesting.
Capturing the Friedmans is an amazing documentary I don't want to watch ever again.
I enjoyed Stories We Tell recently.
I love a good nature documentary, though I know it's not quite the same thing, but Planet Earth etc are fantastically rewatchable.
I doubt I could think of five I like enough to consider 'favourites.'
I often enjoy behind the scenes type documentaries, like Lost in La Mancha, for example.
Grizzly Man was great.
I found F For Fake quite interesting.
Capturing the Friedmans is an amazing documentary I don't want to watch ever again.
I enjoyed Stories We Tell recently.
I love a good nature documentary, though I know it's not quite the same thing, but Planet Earth etc are fantastically rewatchable.
All fine films! I forgot about Lost in La Mancha and Grizzly Man! Good ones! I think Herzog's documentaries are fascinating and incredible at times. I also like Ken Burns' documentary films/series too. I forgot to mention how good a film Crumb is too... but yes, documentaries have a more difficult re-play value... although I'm kind of in the mood to watch For All Mankind again. And the Maysles' films are good (Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter) as well as Pennebaker's stuff (War Room, Monterey Pop).
All fine films! I forgot about Lost in La Mancha and Grizzly Man! Good ones! I think Herzog's documentaries are fascinating and incredible at times. I also like Ken Burns' documentary films/series too. I forgot to mention how good a film Crumb is too... but yes, documentaries have a more difficult re-play value... although I'm kind of in the mood to watch For All Mankind again. And the Maysles' films are good (Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter) as well as Pennebaker's stuff (War Room, Monterey Pop).
I should check out some more of Herzog's docs - that's the only one I've seen, I think.
I didn't care for Crumb when I first saw it. I could probably revisit it though.
I should check out some more of Herzog's docs - that's the only one I've seen, I think.
I didn't care for Crumb when I first saw it. I could probably revisit it though.
I still need to see Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but I do own the blu-ray of Encounters at the End of the World (shot in Antarctica) and liked the film. Into the Abyss is one of Herzog's more recent films and its another I still want to check out. Finally, I REALLY want to check out his newest doc Happy People: A Year in the Taiga.
What would you say is your favorite documentary film?
My top 5 FAVORITE documentaries are:
1. Dark Days (amazing and original documentary of homeless people living in the subway tunnels underneath NYC)
Back when I had cable, this was on the Documentary channel all the time, along with Ryan, Other People's Pictures, and Johnny Berlin (look 'em up if you're not familiar).
I still need to see Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but I do own the blu-ray of Encounters at the End of the World (shot in Antarctica) and liked the film. Into the Abyss is one of Herzog's more recent films and its another I still want to check out. Finally, I REALLY want to check out his newest doc Happy People: A Year in the Taiga.
This reminds me, I've been meaning to check out Gondry's documentary, Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?, too.
I got a little drink last night and found these on laptop XD (hence the borders aren't even lol....)
They are no where near perfect but much better than what Criterion has created (imo!) i think I did them just to see how it would look with that image and a different use of typography, dunno if it works, I'm very hung over and tired... lol.
I'm in for The Soft Skin and Ride the Pink Horse. Big fan of the former, never heard of the latter. That's Criterion summed up in two titles for me.
I have the excellent UK release of The Soft Skin but am double-dipping for the Kent Jones video essay.
I probably won't pick up Cries & Whispers, as I'm not really a fan, but I love the artwork. Same for The Soft Skin, which captures the tone of the film perfectly. Now, if only they'd have announced Une Femme Mariee for March too, which was in many ways Godard's response to Truffaut's movie.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Linear Mode
