The Criterion Collection

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by bsend

I have been holding off on Kurosawa titles in hopes of s box set. Maybe I should buy a few titles so that it happens for the community.

I think since it's a very good certainty that we will get a Fellini box for his 100th in 2020, I just can't see Criterion releasing two huge director boxsets so close together. I wish they just start individually releasing upgrades of the Kurosawa films that are MIA on BluRay. I've mentioned the titles multiple times on here that I want.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Drake2222

I store all my films by by genre, then alphabetically within each genre. For instance Adventure films, Comedy films, Crime films, Horror films, Sci-fi films, War films, Comic book type films, Sports films, Westerns etc

I once considered that, but then I'd go nuts trying to figure out where to file the ones that cross over genre boundries. Would I file Cowboys & Aliens under SF or Westerns? That kind of thing.

As it is, I'd love to still use my "fiendishly complex system that only I can figure out". I had to compromise to a degree once I moved in with my then-fiancée, so that she could at least try to find things on her own. Given that I still make it a little harder by shelving the boutique labels and series films separately, she still is more inclined to just say, "Sweetie? Do we have X, and if so, where on the shelves is it?"

One thing I do specifically for her is to file the Christmas movies in one special place. During the holidays, she likes to watch those, so I just make it easy for her to access those if I'm not around.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by renegadeviking

Anyone notice Kino Lorber publishes the masterpieces and Criterion Collection publishes fringe and weird movies these days.

That would depend on what one considers "masterpieces", "fringe", "weird", and "these days".

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Years and years ago -- I can't even say how long ago it was -- I tried having my DVDs stored chronologically. That worked really well for about ... 6 months. I'm exaggerating, but it really didn't last long until I was searching and searching for titles.

It was never really a problem for me to find specific titles filed chronologically, but that's because my brain is kinda-sorta wired that way. I also have my vintage (generally, pre-70s) paperback books filed by publisher, and within each publisher by catalog number. I had friends challenge me to find a specific title in my collection, and it never took me more than a minute to find it.

Eventually, when I made the full-on move to Blu-ray, I separated DVD and BD, and also kept Criterion titles separate as well.

I'd be inclined to interfile DVDs and BDs/UHDs except that I needed to double-shelf in order to have space for everything. Since I'm less inclined to watch DVDs than BDs/UHDs, but I'm not ready to get rid of the DVDs I haven't upgraded or aren't on BD yet, I figured it was easier to put the DVDs in the back of the shelves and the BDs in front.

[FragnitoM]

There’s only one correct way to organize your collection... Autobiographical

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Since my wife and I bought a house a year ago, I have a dedicated room on the first floor for my home video collection. We call it the "FLIB", for "Film LIBrary". I have eight bookcases, all double-shelved with DVDs in the back, and BDs/UHDs in the front.

I realize that I didn't mention my laserdiscs. They aren't in the FLIB for space reasons. My LDs are in a set of bookcases on one side of a hallway along the back wall of the finished half of the basement. I haven't had the time to organize them completely yet. So far, the Criteria are shelved together by spine number, and the RKO Classics Collection titles are shelved alphabetically. Pretty much everything else is chaotic order, though the MGM/UA boxed sets and double-features are at least together, if not in any kind of order.

[nitin]

And now it’s 3 all time great films in 3 nights...

Frankenheimer’s Seconds was so far ahead of its time that I am not sure it still gets the credit it really deserves. It’s true that the plot feels like a Twilight Zone episode, but leaving the comparison at just that (which a lot of reviews seem to do) does major disservice to what is perhaps the most imaginatively conceived cinematography/sound design/music trifecta to directly communicate the lucid nightmare that the main character goes through in the film.

Both Jerry Goldsmith’s and James Hong Wowe’s work here goes a long way to making this the sort of experience that feels Lynchian before Lynch came along! Rock Hudson and John Randolph are also superb in the lead roles.

Structurally, the film is also cleverly put together, I have read elsewhere that the middle section drags for some people but it is crucial to the themes that the movie is attempting to communicate about manufactured dreams and realities.

I saw it off the Criterion blu Which is sourced from a 4k scan/2k restoration which is stunning. The audio is a huge part of the experience and the lossless mono track is outstanding and has tremendous depth.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by nitin

[Show spoiler]And now it’s 3 all time great films in 3 nights...

Frankenheimer’s Seconds was so far ahead of its time that I am not sure it still gets the credit it really deserves. It’s true that the plot feels like a Twilight Zone episode, but leaving the comparison at just that (which a lot of reviews seem to do) does major disservice to what is perhaps the most imaginatively conceived cinematography/sound design/music trifecta to directly communicate the lucid nightmare that the main character goes through in the film.

Both Jerry Goldsmith’s and James Hong Wowe’s work here goes a long way to making this the sort of experience that feels Lynchian before Lynch came along! Rock Hudson and John Randolph are also superb in the lead roles.

Structurally, the film is also cleverly put together, I have read elsewhere that the middle section drags for some people but it is crucial to the themes that the movie is attempting to communicate about manufactured dreams and realities.

I saw it off the Criterion blu Which is sourced from a 4k scan/2k restoration which is stunning. The audio is a huge part of the experience and the lossless mono track is outstanding and has tremendous depth.

One of my absolute favorite blind-buys.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by nitin

[Show spoiler]And now it’s 3 all time great films in 3 nights...

Frankenheimer’s Seconds was so far ahead of its time that I am not sure it still gets the credit it really deserves. It’s true that the plot feels like a Twilight Zone episode, but leaving the comparison at just that (which a lot of reviews seem to do) does major disservice to what is perhaps the most imaginatively conceived cinematography/sound design/music trifecta to directly communicate the lucid nightmare that the main character goes through in the film.

Both Jerry Goldsmith’s and James Hong Wowe’s work here goes a long way to making this the sort of experience that feels Lynchian before Lynch came along! Rock Hudson and John Randolph are also superb in the lead roles.

Structurally, the film is also cleverly put together, I have read elsewhere that the middle section drags for some people but it is crucial to the themes that the movie is attempting to communicate about manufactured dreams and realities.

I saw it off the Criterion blu Which is sourced from a 4k scan/2k restoration which is stunning. The audio is a huge part of the experience and the lossless mono track is outstanding and has tremendous depth.

I've been wanting to get this for a long time and need to add it to a future sales order. Probably going to get a small order in at the end of the month and will think of attaching this on to an order as I'm a huge fan of Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

One of my absolute favorite blind-buys.

My favourite recent blind buys are Fat City and Houskeeping (from Indicator).

Favourite Criterion blind buys in recent times are probably Inside Llewyn Davis and now this (all time is pointless as about 60-70% of what I get is blind buys).

[nitin]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

I've been wanting to get this for a long time and need to add it to a future sales order. Probably going to get a small order in at the end of the month and will think of attaching this on to an order as I'm a huge fan of Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May.

As good as Manchurian IMHO.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by nitin

Favourite Criterion blind buys in recent times are probably Inside Llewyn Davis and now this (all time is pointless as about 60-70% of what I get is blind buys).

I picked up the Sony Blu around the time when it was first released (I wasn't able to catch it in theaters) and it's one of my favorites from the 2010s and Top 10 Coen for me.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

I picked up the Sony Blu around the time when it was first released (I wasn't able to catch it in theaters) and it's one of my favorites from the 2010s and Top 10 Coen for me.

I know you said elsewhere that you don’t really do silents but I would urge you to reconsider getting the Von Sternberg silents set. The Docks Of New York is a masterpiece (can’t speak for The Last Command yet but Underworld is pretty good too).

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by nitin

I know you said elsewhere that you don’t really do silents but I would urge you to reconsider getting the Von Sternberg silents set. The Docks Of New York is a masterpiece (can’t speak for The Last Command yet but Underworld is pretty good too).

Honestly, I'm kind of tempted. I watched a doc on TCM the other night called "Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers" and showed off some of Von Sternberg's silents; it peeked my interested. I might nab it at my local B&N later this week. The doc also reminded me I need to get off my bum and finally get around to finally watching "Metropolis" and "Sunrise".

[ravenus]

Based on a Georges Simenon book, Julien Duvivier's Panique/Panic is a crime noir that is less focused on the crime itself, and more on the psychology of witch-hunts and mob justice.

M. Hire (Michel Simon) is mistrusted by his neighborhood because he is not like them. A loner, he does not share gossip with them, rarely laughs, shows little interest in his fellow man. And M. Hire has his faults - he is a voyeur. Could he be the man behind the murder of poor Mlle. Noblet, found strangled in the parking lot? The film documents how a few well-placed hints and accusations are enough to bolster this public prejudice (hinted at earlier in a terrific bumper car ride sequence) into a pre-decided conviction, a danger that would appear ever closer in this age. While some of the actors' behaviors seem a trifle obviously molded by the script's contrivances, this is an extremely well-mounted and effective tense thriller, and to my mind better than HG Clouzot movies like Les Diaboliques and Le Corbeau.

Criterion's blu-ray features an excellent 2K restored scan with strong contrast and texture, essential for this genre. The audio shows its age, but dialog is clean. Extras include, a 15 min conversation with Simenon's son, who talks about his dad's reactions to movie adaptations of his work, a discussion of Panique by two French critics (one of whom calls Duvivier a unlikable misogynist) and...this is out-of-the-box, a piece on the craft of subtitling foreign films. I have yet to go through the printed material (inconveniently) provided on the back of a nicely designed poster. An excellent release on the whole.

[jw007]

I've been on a Jim Jarmusch movie-watching spree the past week.

I've now watched his first 6 movies on blu-ray (of course I've seen these many times over my life, but have never dedicated a few weeks to only watching Jarmusch films):

Permanent Vacation
Stranger than Paradise
Down by Law
Mystery Train
Night on Earth
Dead Man

After re-watching Dead Man again (2nd time in a few months and 3rd time overall), I can now confidently declare that this movie is pure genius!

I cannot believe how insanely poetic and unique this movie is. The Neil Young score (that he performed live and spontaneous (!) ) is utterly amazing.

As much as I love Jarmusch's early films, I think Dead Man might be his best, even topping my favorite (Down by Law) due to just how great an ensemble cast he assembled (Robert Mitchum! John Hurt! Alfred Molina! Michael Wincott! Iggy Pop! Crispin Glover!). It's a subverted anti-western and very rare to feature an Indigenous Canadian (Gary Farmer) in a leading role. Johnny Depp was a revelation here too.

I'm fully aware how much Jarmusch loves Iggy Pop and Neil Young (he even made full length documentary films on them), but after totally not caring whatsoever for this film the first time I saw it like 10 years ago (and then seeing it a 2nd time made me wonder a bit more), the 3rd time seeing it made me realize just how great this film is. Wow.

Anyway, I'm going to continue my Jim Jarmusch movie watching tomorrow night with Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, which was his next feature film that came out after Dead Man. Sadly, this film isn't available on Region A blu-ray, nor on any digital streaming services (including Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV, etc.), but with the power of the internet I was able to obtain a 1080p copy ripped from the French blu-ray which I will be able to connect to my HDTV via an HDMI cable. A bit complicated but sure beats watching my old 480p DVD any day.

After that, I will hunt down a DVD (though its out of print now) or digital copy for 1997's Year of the Horse and then will be tackling his 2000s and 2010s films.

May the Jarmusch Be With You!

[GeoffOliver]

My purchases from this Criterion sale:

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by jw007

I've been on a Jim Jarmusch movie-watching spree the past week.

I've now watched his first 6 movies on blu-ray (of course I've seen these many times over my life, but have never dedicated a few weeks to only watching Jarmusch films):

Permanent Vacation
Stranger than Paradise
Down by Law
Mystery Train
Night on Earth
Dead Man

After re-watching Dead Man again (2nd time in a few months and 3rd time overall), I can now confidently declare that this movie is pure genius!

I cannot believe how insanely poetic and unique this movie is. The Neil Young score (that he performed live and spontaneous (!) ) is utterly amazing.

As much as I love Jarmusch's early films, I think Dead Man might be his best, even topping my favorite (Down by Law) due to just how great an ensemble cast he assembled (Robert Mitchum! John Hurt! Alfred Molina! Michael Wincott! Iggy Pop! Crispin Glover!). It's a subverted anti-western and very rare to feature an Indigenous Canadian (Gary Farmer) in a leading role. Johnny Depp was a revelation here too.

I'm fully aware how much Jarmusch loves Iggy Pop and Neil Young (he even made full length documentary films on them), but after totally not caring whatsoever for this film the first time I saw it like 10 years ago (and then seeing it a 2nd time made me wonder a bit more), the 3rd time seeing it made me realize just how great this film is. Wow.

Anyway, I'm going to continue my Jim Jarmusch movie watching tomorrow night with Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, which was his next feature film that came out after Dead Man. Sadly, this film isn't available on Region A blu-ray, nor on any digital streaming services (including Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV, etc.), but with the power of the internet I was able to obtain a 1080p copy ripped from the French blu-ray which I will be able to connect to my HDTV via an HDMI cable. A bit complicated but sure beats watching my old 480p DVD any day.

After that, I will hunt down a DVD (though its out of print now) or digital copy for 1997's Year of the Horse and then will be tackling his 2000s and 2010s films.

May the Jarmusch Be With You!

He f@cked his parents.

Mother, father, parents...both of em...f@cked em.

[evilive]

The Jim Jarmusch titles have been some of my absolute favorite blind-buys from Criterion.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

He f@cked his parents.

Mother, father, parents...both of em...f@cked em.

After he killed 'em, he cooked 'em up and ate 'em.