The Criterion Collection

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

I loved Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, it was cool enough just for the visuals for sure. I even like the Music only re-scored bonus audio channel for this release. I just turn off the subtitles for that version and actually have set the sleep timer a few nights watching that version. The image quality is great on this release. It was a film I'd never heard of until Criterion announced it, and as soon as I read the synopsis I knew it was a blind buy.

Forgot to mention the music. Amazing score that stays with you long after viewing. Haven't listened to the Alternate score yet.

[JJJ225]

Made my first B&N trip of the sale. I bought:

The Fisher King
Limelight
Odd Man Out
Sullivan's Travels
Tootsie

Cashier let me use 15% or 20% coupons on each, plus a $5 off $50. Price came out to $13.93 each plus tax!

[the sordid sentinel]

Finally got my order to go through. Odd Man Out, The Killers, and The Bridge for me.

[jayembee]

Got my first picks from the sale:

John Cassavetes: Five Films
The Confession
State of Siege

[jw007]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Love that green rug

Thanks, kind sir, but actually that is green carpeting! Yes, and the carpet is supposedly over 30 years old (notice the wrinkles/creases in the fabric).

[Martin_31]

I was hesitant about buying the Eclipse sets, but now I own four of them. I bought them during the flash sale. I think nobody would go wrong buying them.

[lordmorpheus72]

Hit the BN 50% sale today finally... with come coupon stacking I made out pretty good with the following;

The Fisher King upgrade for me
The Killers upgrade for me
Robinson Crusoe on Mars blind buy but sounds cool
Tootsie blind buy, can you believe I've never seen this. hope I don't regret it...how can I though right? Sydney pollack, Dustin Hoffman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray and Jessica Lange!

I need along weekend to watch all of these. The bad thing is there is 17 more days left in the sale and I don't get paid for 21 more days.

[filmmusic]

If I could buy in this sale ( ), I would buy these:

Watership Down
Five Easy Pieces
Lady Vanishes
Three Colors Trilogy
Paris Texas

None would be a blind buy except for the White film from the trilogy.
Although I'm still concerned about the wrong framing of Blue, and was thinking maybe to wait for an updated(?) version.

[Moniker]

Made my first purchase for this summer's B&N sale:

Don't Look Now

Applied an additional 15% coupon I'd received in my e-mail, and I'm hoping they'll send me some more.

I'd like to pick up:

Sullivan's Travels
The Fisher King - remarkably, this would be a blind buy for me (not sure how I avoided seeing it over the past 24 years)
La Dolce Vita

Maybe more, but I already have plenty -- some of which I haven't even watched.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Thanks guys. Late Ozu, Nikkatsu Noir, and all the others are all on my eye. I'm also interested in Late Ray, Lubitsch Musicals, Pearls of the Czech New Wave, the Kinoshita one, and the upcoming Varda set. Some real good sets out there.

Nikkatsu Noir is one of my favorite Eclipse sets. And if you like the lightness which is Lubitsch, you'll like that set. It finally showed me why anyone would want to watch Maurice Chevalier (because he's cute as a button and incredibly charming on screen), and "Jazz up your Underwear" is almost worth the price of the set. I do think that you have to be ready to grant the films their context to enjoy them, though.

I'll add that Mizoguchi’s Fallen Women was on of those WOW! sets for me. Their humanism transcends the differences in culture and movie conventions between Japan and the US. I recommend that set to anyone who'll listen to me.

And one last recommendation is the Jean Grémillon. Yeah, some of the plots and characters are melodramatic, but what an eye for imagery. I've watched all of these several times, sometimes with friends, and not only do people appreciate them, but I keep discovering patterns or themes I've missed in earlier viewings. They may be too loose to satisfy a contemporary viewer, but that's actually part of the appeal for me.

For myself, I'm looking forward to moving into more of the fringe Eclipse sets, things like King, Deardon, Kuruhara and, like you, Varda. There's a lot that's interesting in the series.

[Moniker]

If you're looking for recommendations, here are some of my favorite all-around Criterion Blu-rays (based mainly on the quality of the film itself, but also - at times - on the transfer and extras)

The 400 Blows - may favorite foreign film of all time, and just a beautiful movie that every cinephile should own

Dazed and Confused - a modern masterpiece, and certainly one of the most re-watchable films in the collection

The Thin Red Line - I saw this when it was released in early 1999, at the tender age of 20, and my initial response mirrored many filmgoers: "Beautiful images, but a bit slow and pretentious." Nearly 2 decades later I bought the Criterion during a B&N sale, mainly to help show off a new flat-screen TV we'd purchased, and I realized the film's true brilliance.

Crumb, Gimme Shelter, and The Thin Blue Line - At least a couple of these don't have great supplemental packages, but it matters little since these are three of my favorite documentaries of all time. The Thin Blue Line, in particular, holds a special place in my heart.

Walkabout - This is a great example of what I love about the Criterion Collection and sales like the bi-annual one at B&N. You can take a chance on buying an obscure title you've never seen before, and suddenly you're transported to another time and place, packed to the gills with unique moments and gorgeous images. A fascinating film.

Paris, Texas - great film, glorious transfer. proof that the spirit of 1970s cinema didn't completely die at the end of 1979.

America: Lost and Found (Box Set) - just a great set of films from my favorite era of American filmmaking

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by RojD

Nikkatsu Noir is one of my favorite Eclipse sets. And if you like the lightness which is Lubitsch, you'll like that set. It finally showed me why anyone would want to watch Maurice Chevalier (because he's cute as a button and incredibly charming on screen), and "Jazz up your Underwear" is almost worth the price of the set. I do think that you have to be ready to grant the films their context to enjoy them, though.

I'll add that Mizoguchi’s Fallen Women was on of those WOW! sets for me. Their humanism transcends the differences in culture and movie conventions between Japan and the US. I recommend that set to anyone who'll listen to me.

And one last recommendation is the Jean Grémillon. Yeah, some of the plots and characters are melodramatic, but what an eye for imagery. I've watched all of these several times, sometimes with friends, and not only do people appreciate them, but I keep discovering patterns or themes I've missed in earlier viewings. They may be too loose to satisfy a contemporary viewer, but that's actually part of the appeal for me.

For myself, I'm looking forward to moving into more of the fringe Eclipse sets, things like King, Deardon, Kuruhara and, like you, Varda. There's a lot that's interesting in the series.

Good suggestions. Yes, those are all on my list. I've already seen a couple in the Lubitsch set and love them. I've also seen the majority of the Fallen Widow set and like them, but don't love. Grémillon is a little melodramatic and I've been mixed on what I've seen, but I appreciate the context of his films during the war

Yes, the fringe sets will probably come last. You can add Downey to that list.

Scratch that, Flamenco will come last.

And probably the flash sales are the way to collect these because you get superior shipping and loyalty points for Criterions.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by RojD

Nikkatsu Noir is one of my favorite Eclipse sets. And if you like the lightness which is Lubitsch, you'll like that set. It finally showed me why anyone would want to watch Maurice Chevalier (because he's cute as a button and incredibly charming on screen), and "Jazz up your Underwear" is almost worth the price of the set. I do think that you have to be ready to grant the films their context to enjoy them, though.

I'll add that Mizoguchi’s Fallen Women was on of those WOW! sets for me. Their humanism transcends the differences in culture and movie conventions between Japan and the US. I recommend that set to anyone who'll listen to me.

And one last recommendation is the Jean Grémillon. Yeah, some of the plots and characters are melodramatic, but what an eye for imagery. I've watched all of these several times, sometimes with friends, and not only do people appreciate them, but I keep discovering patterns or themes I've missed in earlier viewings. They may be too loose to satisfy a contemporary viewer, but that's actually part of the appeal for me.

For myself, I'm looking forward to moving into more of the fringe Eclipse sets, things like King, Deardon, Kuruhara and, like you, Varda. There's a lot that's interesting in the series.

The Kurahara set is fantastic. Especially if you love New Wave film making, as well as like interesting cinematography.

[jwblu]

It's official I have my first Criterion blu-ray & it's Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by jwblu

It's official I have my first Criterion blu-ray & it's Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas

The only Gilliam film that I actually like! Enjoy!

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Forgot to mention the music. Amazing score that stays with you long after viewing. Haven't listened to the Alternate score yet.

I have the Vaelrie Project score as an itunes album and it's absolutely fantastic. Sadly I could not get it to sync with my current Valerie DVD (it being in PAL?) but I definitely look forward to experiencing it on this blu.

[monorail91]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Forgot to mention the music. Amazing score that stays with you long after viewing. Haven't listened to the Alternate score yet.

Same here, and me neither. I love the score so much I don't know if I could ever work up the nerve to listen to something else. Same thing with Beauty and the Beast and Philip Glass's opera as an optional audio track.

[AaronJ]

I'm going to dig into Part One of Che tonight. Not quite sure how far I'll be able to get into the extras, since I won't be able to start until after midnight (baseball game, natch). But I'm really looking forward to this.

[WonderWeasel]

I came across a like-new copy of Breathless today at Half-Price Books for $19.99. I also had a 40% off coupon, so with tax, it came to $12.99. I wasn't too enthralled with it the first time I saw it, but I figured at that price it was worth a re-watch. Worst case scenario, I can trade it in and get most of my money back

Also, I came across a like-new copy of Pierrot le Fou priced at $69.99. I have a 50% off coupon that is good for Sunday only that I'm not anticipating using. If anyone is interested, I can pick it up for $34.99 + tax and whatever shipping costs.

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I'm going to dig into Part One of Che tonight. Not quite sure how far I'll be able to get into the extras, since I won't be able to start until after midnight (baseball game, natch). But I'm really looking forward to this.

The Royals game had a rain delay and just started 10 minutes ago. I was hoping to watch Ministry of Fear afterward, but I may end up putting it off until tomorrow.