The Criterion Collection

[Vigojean]

Originally Posted by Jackie Scanlon

It's been re-assessed more negatively in recent times, not only in the metoo era, but also more generally with critics.

Because the infatuated storyline is the only thing that works. The other subplots (angsty daughter, gay neighbor, cheating wife) are corny and soap opera-ish. He should’ve stuck with the infatuation, like Lolita and Death in Venice. Instead, he gave us a dark sitcom family drama. Gilliam would’ve made it work

[Reddington]

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

[traths]

July can't come soon enough.

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by Kaiju

There's not a whole lot of disc replication factories around... I doubt any label does it "in house" either...

[acroyear2]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

Well, hopefully if Criterion is planning a box set of Ray's work they'll announce it by the end of this week (ahead of the standard monthly announcement). I hope they do something more than simply point to the Channel's collection.

I'd recommend The Music Room or The Hero as both fantastic places to start.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

The Music Room is an absolute great as a picture of tragic decadence though people not into Indian classical music have found its segments of musical performances a little heavy going.
Charulata aka The Housewife is a brilliant introduction to Ray, and the film he himself felt was the "least flawed" of his work. The Big City is an excellent modern day (for its time) urban social drama. The Hero is a decent film with some nice dream imagery, but it's also a little didactic (actor feeling corrupted by cinema compared to his more pure theater days) compared to the bulk of Ray's work.

[mmarczi]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

I would start with Pather Panchali or The Big City.

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by Doc Moonlight

It's also been called "the most depressing Christmas film of all time".

Mon Oncle Antoine isn’t even the most depressing Canadian holiday film-that would be Lies My Father Told Me

I love Cronenberg to death, but I’m not sure if I’d put one of his films above The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, The Decline of the American Empire, Kamouraska, Les Ordres, My Winnipeg, or 23 Short Films About Glenn Gould

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

The Adversary is my absolute favourite film by Ray. Incredibly innovative filmmaking, and it’s story about the anxiety of entering the working world/adult sphere really resonated with me when I first saw it. The AMPAS’ restorations of his oeuvre is just a stunning achievement

[beamish13]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Sayles's films are all over the place with respect to rights. Only a few are on Blu-ray: Matewan from Criterion, Baby It's You and Eight Men Out from Olive. On DVD, they're largely from MGM/UA or Sony. Lone Star is owned by Warner.

Sayles owns the home video rights to his early features, and he even retains the original camera negatives like Jim Jarmusch

[Vigojean]

Originally Posted by acroyear2

Well, hopefully if Criterion is planning a box set of Ray's work they'll announce it by the end of this week (ahead of the standard monthly announcement). I hope they do something more than simply point to the Channel's collection.

They did the birthday thing for Chaplin too, so I think it’s a common thing they do, unless they’ve hinted at a box set before. I actually want a Chaplin box set myself

[TheSpruceMoose]

Gave the extended version of Criterion's It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World a whirl last night. A pretty commendable effort given the fact that some of the extra footage lasts only a fraction of a second, and by most would've been dismissed otherwise, but there it it is inserted in an effort to replicate the original vision intended regardless of the quality of the surviving elements.

Still prefer the general release but hey more Phil Silvers and Dick Shawn ain't bad either.

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

Originally Posted by Page14

For what it's worth, TCM will be showing the entire trilogy tonight ... starting at 8:00 EST.

There’s a Satyajit Ray marathon happening right now on TCM. It started last night with the Apu trilogy and ends 9 1/2 hrs from now.

[dkelly26666]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Saw a Criterion "born on this day" tweet for Satyajit Ray. I've read many posts here over the years on The Apu Trilogy, and also praise for The Music Room - but I've yet to see any of his films.

Is there a "best" place to start, or can one just dive in? Reading some synopses, The Hero sounds of particular interest.

I'd say start with "The Apu Trilogy".

Absolutely timeless and hasn't aged a day. The three, taken together, form one of the greatest masterpieces in film, IMHO.

[CinemaBlu]

Charulata is my favorite. But you can’t really go wrong wherever you start. Sure, some are better than others, but I’ve never seen a bad Satyajit Ray film.

[Ender14]

I just got an email that all discs are 30% off on the Criterion site through May 31. Not as good as 50% but if there are some discs you just can't wait to get it's not a bad deal.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by Ender14

I just got an email that all discs are 30% off on the Criterion site through May 31. Not as good as 50% but if there are some discs you just can't wait to get it's not a bad deal.

In my experience, 30% off of Criterion's site is usually the Amazon price range.

Good for racking up some more points at Criterion if you were just going to buy stuff normally.

[Jonbaker]

Originally Posted by Ender14

I just got an email that all discs are 30% off on the Criterion site through May 31. Not as good as 50% but if there are some discs you just can't wait to get it's not a bad deal.

Is this now replacing the 50% off flash sale?

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by dvining

In my experience, 30% off of Criterion's site is usually the Amazon price range.

Good for racking up some more points at Criterion if you were just going to buy stuff normally.

Actually, prices are still a little more than Amazon. But like you said, at least through Criterion you get the points towards a free disc.

[Ender14]

Originally Posted by Jonbaker

Is this now replacing the 50% off flash sale?

Not that I am aware of.