The Criterion Collection

[Arawn]

The Kurosawa influences on various Star Wars films are legion. Star Wars ( or, if you like, Episode IV or ANH ) also has some stuff borrowed from Yojimbo.

[trentdiesel]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I revisited Three Outlaw Samurai the other night and damn, what a blast that movie is.

I still wish they'd re-release that early DVD Samurai boxset that contained Rebel Samurai, Sword of the Beast, Samurai Spy and Kill! on Blu-ray.

Haven't bothered with Lone Wolf and Cub and Zatoichi, mainly because I don't understand what they are; are they a series of short films, or feature-length movies?

Three Outlaw Samurai is so awesome, I was extremely impressed by it. Sword of Doom is another samurai favorite of mine that I dont hear getting enough love. As for Lone Wolf and Cub, the easiest way to go is to watch Shogun Assassin, if you like that you will enjoy the other chapters in the story that it is culled from, though they are more put together for obvious reasons

[dwk]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

I revisited Three Outlaw Samurai the other night and damn, what a blast that movie is.

I still wish they'd re-release that early DVD Samurai boxset that contained Rebel Samurai, Sword of the Beast, Samurai Spy and Kill! on Blu-ray.

Haven't bothered with Lone Wolf and Cub and Zatoichi, mainly because I don't understand what they are; are they a series of short films, or feature-length movies?

Since you like Three Outlaw Samurai, I think you'd enjoy the Zatoichi movies.

The Lone Wolf and Cub movies are much more exploitation cinema. Really graphically violent, kinda rapey. ('though not as rapey as the Hanzo the Razor movies)

[demonknight]

Just met Alex Cox. Total sweetheart. One of the nicest people I’ve ever met. No word on a Walker Blu.

[benedictopacifico]

Originally Posted by Highfire

On Sunday night, my wife and I watched Cocteau's Orpheus (1950) and we both really loved it. This was my first experience with Cocteau and I loved the mood he built with this film and the effects were really impressive. We are both really interested in Greek mythology and I was very impressed with how they adapted the story to contemporary Paris.

How does this film compare to the other two films in the Orphic trilogy? Any recommendations for films similar to this one?

I haven't seen the other two films in the Orphic trilogy, but his version of the Beauty and the Beast is amazing.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by benedictopacifico

I haven't seen the other two films in the Orphic trilogy, but his version of the Beauty and the Beast is amazing.

It sure is. I was kind of interested in the new BFI restoration but it seems to be getting mixed pq reviews on different sites.

[Jexes23]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

It sure is. I was kind of interested in the new BFI restoration but it seems to be getting mixed pq reviews on different sites.

Yeah in 2011 when the Criterion was released I guess that was the best you could hope for. But after seeing all of the older B&W films getting the Criterion treatment recently I'm sure Beauty and the Beast could look a lot better if done today. Besides a 4k scan looking tighter they've come a long way in being able to stabilize the image. Films like Beauty and the Beast and Island of Lost Souls are hard for me to watch because the constant jittering of the film is super annoying.

[repulsed]

Originally Posted by benedictopacifico

I haven't seen the other two films in the Orphic trilogy, but his version of the Beauty and the Beast is amazing.

Was honestly not aware of a trilogy or related films to Orpheus but looking up Blood of a Poet, it sounds really good. It'd be nice to see a BD release even if it is short of an hour in length

Gotta get in another watch of Orpheus and Beauty and the Beast. Long overdue.

[deepseababy]

Originally Posted by Blue Rei

So my copy of Mulholland Drive came today and I saw the the film. All I have to say is this after watching it:



Between the creepy she-hobo at the beginning (and towards the end of the film), the cowboy and the ending overall, I was left gobsmacked. Words fail me......I have no idea to describe what I saw. It was so surreal. I loved the movie and I enjoyed Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring performances (loved their erotic scene together, and I'm neither a woman and nor do have I interest in the opposite sex) but the last bit of the movie is "WTF, where the hell did that come from?!".



I'm going to have to re-watch it. Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me is still my favorite David Lynch film but this one comes a close second.

I find it completely heartbreaking. An idealistic, unassuming woman who was turned into a pawn in Hollywood. Everyone played her.

It was like Lynch was giving us a heads up about the #metoo chorus that has been singing very loudly since November 2017. Hollywood's dark days.

[Banned User]

As long as people are discussing Samurai films a shout out to the under appreciated The Sword of Doom. While many won't like the abrupt ending there is no denying the quality of the film and the amazing performances. Personally I feel the ending, though not planned, fits the film in more ways then one.

Also I second the request for Rebel Samurai: Sixties Swordplay Classics boxset to be released on Bluray. Or at the very least Samurai Rebellion which is a brilliant film.

[KJones77]

https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2018/da...als-announced/

Tunes of Glory got a restoration from Janus and will premiere at NYFF. Would imagine an upgrade should be coming at some point. The restoration of Detour will also be at NYFF.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by Banned User

As long as people are discussing Samurai films a shout out to the under appreciated The Sword of Doom. While many won't like the abrupt ending there is no denying the quality of the film and the amazing performances. Personally I feel the ending, though not planned, fits the film in more ways then one.

Yeah Sword of Doom was great as well, as was the superb Harakiri.

I'm really happy with my Criterion samurai collection thus far, but we need that boxset on Blu and I'm still deciding if I should buy Zatoichi and Lone Wolf and Cub.

[Jonbaker]

Originally Posted by mja345

"Carnal Knowledge" and "Diva" I could definitely see Criterion releasing.

Both of those would be great. I'm really surprised they haven't been released already, especially Diva.

Has there been any word on blu-ray releases of Andy Warhol's Frankenstein and Andy Warhol's Dracula? Perhaps even Bad?

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Jexes23

Yeah in 2011 when the Criterion was released I guess that was the best you could hope for. But after seeing all of the older B&W films getting the Criterion treatment recently I'm sure Beauty and the Beast could look a lot better if done today. Besides a 4k scan looking tighter they've come a long way in being able to stabilize the image. Films like Beauty and the Beast and Island of Lost Souls are hard for me to watch because the constant jittering of the film is super annoying.

You mean like the 4K restoration that's been out in France and just came out in the UK?

[trentdiesel]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Yeah Sword of Doom was great as well, as was the superb Harakiri.

I'm really happy with my Criterion samurai collection thus far, but we need that boxset on Blu and I'm still deciding if I should buy Zatoichi and Lone Wolf and Cub.

Harakiri is in my top 20 favorite films of all time, superb is the right descriptor for it.

[willtopower]

Originally Posted by trentdiesel

Harakiri is in my top 20 favorite films of all time, superb is the right descriptor for it.

Completely agree with the greatness of Harakiri. Certainly one of the best films imo.

[ReturnoftheRat90]

Originally Posted by Jonbaker

Has there been any word on blu-ray releases of Andy Warhol's Frankenstein and Andy Warhol's Dracula? Perhaps even Bad?

Apparently Paul Morrisey is a stickler with the rights to that and Blood For Dracula as he allegedly feels that he has not received enough money/been satisfied with the deals he had made previously with those two on home video. Bob Furmanek also said that Flesh has alignment issues with the 3D that needs extensive fixing but Paul outright denies said issues and told Bob that if he wanted to work on it he would have to pay for the restoration out of his own pocket, this is on top of the really high licensing fee he is requesting which apparently makes that restoration absurd to take on. Some people tried to convince him to do a kickstarter for it which I think is a pretty good idea.
I would definitely donate to it!

[nitin]

Originally Posted by trentdiesel

Harakiri is in my top 20 favorite films of all time, superb is the right descriptor for it.

Kobayashi’s Samurai Rebellion is equally great, been wanting an upgrade of that for ages.

[mrjohnnyb]

I know that this is not Criterion news, but I also know that there are a lot of posters here that appreciate Melville. It is a clip from the new 4K restoration of When You Read This Letter (1953.)

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=23819

[theater dreamer]

So, it looks like I'm watching Harakiri in the morning after I finish Psycho.