The Criterion Collection

[Page14]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

I wouldn't call "falling asleep to a movie" necessarily an insult to a movie. There's the falling asleep to a movie because it's boring, and then there's falling asleep to certain types of movies because you're so comfortable watching them that they relax you. I've fallen asleep to Drugstore Cowboy (my favorite movie ever) literally dozens of times - it hypnotizes and relaxes me to a point where I gradually fall asleep. Koyaanisqatsi sometimes has the same effect on me. 2001: A Space Odyssey is a relaxing experience as well, but man whenever that eerily epic Ligeti music kicks in, I am wide awake.

Weird how falling asleep to some relaxing music is considered a compliment to that music, but for some reason the opposite is the case when it comes to movies and it's considered an insult.

Sometimes, I think falling asleep during a movie can be due to some kind of a sensory overload. For example, I love CGI in general. But when it's served to you in maximum dosages, it can often be overkill.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Page14

Sometimes, I think falling asleep during a movie can be due to some kind of a sensory overload. For example, I love CGI in general. But when it's served to you in maximum dosages, it can often be overkill.

I fall asleep a lot while watching movies on weeknights, after my work day and after my workout with my running group.

It's the strangest thing, because I'll be fully alert and interested while watching a movie, and then suddenly become drowsy. I'll pause the disc so that I can close my eyes and doze "only for a minute", and then wake up about a half hour later to find out that the Blu-ray player and the television have both shut themselves off altogether.

This is why my plan of watching the Zatoichi movies on weeknights has been such a misadventure so far. The movies are great, but the timing of my watching them is not.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by John Klein

Mainly because movies is mostly a visual art form. Unless it was made to put people to sleep, a film isn't doing a good job if it isn't keeping your attention.

Isn't music supposed to be keeping your attention as well though?

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

Isn't music supposed to be keeping your attention as well though?

Not really. Some of it is made to calm people and put them to sleep, some of it is to get you in the mood for things (hence why some people have music playing during sex time). Some music tells a story but for the most part, it is there to just make you feel things. Movies are there to primarily tell you a story.

At least that is how I see it.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by John Klein

a film isn't doing a good job if it isn't keeping your attention.

or maybe you're not mature enough to appreciate it.
i have various examples with movies I was bored at the first time I saw them (mostly in my teens), and now I think they're masterpieces.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by sc1957

All Tarkovsky films do this to me.

But for the full effect, watch Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse.

I own that movie, much to my chagrin, and its hard for me to go back and revisit that film again... I don't recall falling asleep watching it, but it was the most plotless, minimalist, most repetitious film I'd ever seen. Of course the point of the film was that it was about pure Nihilism. And for fans of Friedrich Nietzsche, it was enthralling.

I do remember falling asleep watching 2 distinct films though. The first was World on a Wire, which was maddening to watch. The second and more recent film I had a hard time with was Inside Llewyn Davis. I think with the latter film I just was really tired that night.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by jw007

I own that movie, much to my chagrin, and its hard for me to go back and revisit that film again... I don't recall falling asleep watching it, but it was the most plotless, minimalist, most repetitious film I'd ever seen. Of course the point of the film was that it was about pure Nihilism. And for fans of Friedrich Nietzsche, it was enthralling.

I do remember falling asleep watching 2 distinct films though. The first was World on a Wire, which was maddening to watch. The second and more recent film I had a hard time with was Inside Llewyn Davis. I think with the latter film I just was really tired that night.

See now I love World on a Wire.

...though it was tough to get through on the first viewing.

But I don't know if you could pay me to watch Andrei Rublev again.

I honestly don't know why some films that are long and slow make me want to fall asleep, while others become favorites in my collection.

Maybe some of it is subject matter, music, actors etc.

But sometimes there's no real rhyme or reason to it.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I honestly don't know why some films that are long and slow make me want to fall asleep, while others become favorites in my collection.

Maybe some of it is subject matter, music, actors etc.

But sometimes there's no real rhyme or reason to it.

I'm with ya. I'm not opposed whatsoever to slow movies. I could watch Ozu all day long. Solaris is puzzling to me. I watched another 30 minutes at lunch and actually dozed off again on some long drawn out shot. I'm down to the last 20 minutes now. I'm doing a double espresso and knocking this puppy out tonight.

[pedromvu]

I have started to fall asleep with silent movies, but also with movies like Transformers, unless I am watching it at a theater, I usually start falling asleep because of how tired I am, the other day I had to rewind two times before finishing Sunset Boulevard and I thought it was great, even better than the first time I watched.

[llj]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

See now I love World on a Wire.

...though it was tough to get through on the first viewing.

But I don't know if you could pay me to watch Andrei Rublev again.

I honestly don't know why some films that are long and slow make me want to fall asleep, while others become favorites in my collection.

Maybe some of it is subject matter, music, actors etc.

But sometimes there's no real rhyme or reason to it.

I felt World on a Wire got better as it went along. The first hour or so can be pretty tough going.

Then again a lot of Fassbinder is a like that too. Just watched The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, and that's another slow starter that by the end hits you right between the eyes.

The best "falling asleep" experience I had while watching a movie was this time many years back at around 2:00am on Christmas Eve. I had a terrible fever and my family had gone to sleep. I had stayed up wrapped in blankets watching A Christmas Carol and munching on doritos; drifting in and out of sleep with a dorito flavoured taste in my mouth with a body temperature of +1000 while watching A Christmas Carol was something akin to a really crazy peyote experience...

[Polaroid]

Are we getting a re release of Beauty and the Beast?

https://vimeo.com/153126796

I know its for a theatrical release, but do you think as its a new restoration Criterion will grab it for bluray?

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I feel that way about Tarkovsky in general.

You described it perfectly.

Mesmerized by the mood/tone/imagery.

...followed by the slow, agonizing wait for something to actually happen.

Tarkovsky is a grandmaster, but I just don't seem to connect with his work on an emotional level.

You must not have seen Ivan's Childhood. Because no way you could say that if you have.

Moody, beautiful, powerful, and visceral. A cinematic poem that kicks you in the gut with its emotionally honest portrayal of the fear, the hate, and the lost innocence of youth of a people fighting for their very existence. One of the greatest films ever made about the human condition, told against the backdrop of the Soviet-German War. It was Tarkovsky's first feature and if he had made no other after it he would still be remembered as a master film maker.

[Polaroid]

Chiming in - everyone should see The Mirror.

Its mesmerising!

"The Mirror" trailer - YouTube

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by oildude

You must not have seen Ivan's Childhood. Because no way you could say that if you have.

Moody, beautiful, powerful, and visceral. A cinematic poem that kicks you in the gut with its emotionally honest portrayal of the fear, the hate, and the lost innocence of youth of a people fighting for their very existence. One of the greatest films ever made about the human condition, told against the backdrop of the Soviet-German War. It was Tarkovsky's first feature and if he had made no other after it he would still be remembered as a master film maker.

I've seen it.

Thought it was pretty good...but didn't love it.

But I feel the same way about Solaris.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Chiming in - everyone should see The Mirror.

Its mesmerising!

"The Mirror" trailer - YouTube

The Mirror was fascinating to watch once.

Though I understood very little of what was going on and it was tough to get through it.

...might give it a second chance if Criterion ever released it.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

The Mirror was fascinating to watch once.

Though I understood very little of what was going on and it was tough to get through it.

...might give it a second chance if Criterion ever released it.

Tbh been a while since I saw it, but I think majority of it were memories from his life, and a lot of the dialogue was written by his father?

Just looked up on IMDB:

Tarkovsky mixes flash-backs, historical footage and original poetry to illustrate the reminiscences of a dying man about his childhood during World War II, adolescence, and a painful divorce in his family. The story interweaves reflections about Russian history and society.

It's definitely one of my favourite film form him, although I can't get enough of the ending moments in Stalker!

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Are we getting a re release of Beauty and the Beast?

https://vimeo.com/153126796

I know its for a theatrical release, but do you think as its a new restoration Criterion will grab it for bluray?

I thought this looked fine on blu-ray when I watched it a couple of months ago. Isn't there a supplement showing non-restored vs. restored images on the disc?

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

I thought this looked fine on blu-ray when I watched it a couple of months ago. Isn't there a supplement showing non-restored vs. restored images on the disc?

I can't remember tbh - but its is a fantastic release already, I have to watch it with Glass' opera though - makes it even more magical!

I wonder how different the new restoration is cause as you said, it was pretty good at the moment!

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

You're dead to me Al.

...we're through.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by llj

I felt World on a Wire got better as it went along. The first hour or so can be pretty tough going.

Then again a lot of Fassbinder is a like that too. Just watched The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, and that's another slow starter that by the end hits you right between the eyes.

The best "falling asleep" experience I had while watching a movie was this time many years back at around 2:00am on Christmas Eve. I had a terrible fever and my family had gone to sleep. I had stayed up wrapped in blankets watching A Christmas Carol and munching on doritos; drifting in and out of sleep with a dorito flavoured taste in my mouth with a body temperature of +1000 while watching A Christmas Carol was something akin to a really crazy peyote experience...

Just wondering how you would know this?

I've eaten Peyote on 3 separate occasions under the guidance of a Shaman in a ceremony, so I can say with full confidence I know how this feels. Ha.

I don't recall that my body temperature zoomed up either.