The Criterion Collection

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by wiza_gab

Nice, I just bought Bad Boy Bubby and Sunrise. What do you guys think about Tokyo Sonata ?

Other than MOC's release of "For All Mankind," I own the blu-rays released by both Eureka! and the Masters Of Cinema line. I don't think you can go wrong with any of their blu-ray releases thus far, including "Tokyo Sonata."

CC

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Well..... I'm still without a credit card....... I never got an itemized list of the $7,000 worth of "Booty" the thieves pillaged from me....... and all of the deals going on are making me CRAZY

Sorry to hear about all the mess you're having, Beta. I've been in the same boat a few times in the past with credit card fraud... people buying website domains, people buying computer stuff from Hungary, etc. It's crazy, and I think the worst part is waiting for it to all be sorted out, which seems to take forever. Hang in there, though. Those Criterion releases will still be waiting for you.

CC

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

Other than MOC's release of "For All Mankind," I own the blu-rays released by both Eureka! and the Masters Of Cinema line. I don't think you can go wrong with any of their blu-ray releases thus far, including "Tokyo Sonata."

CC

Tokyo Sonata is easily my favorite film out on Blu by either Eureka or Criterion. Its not for everyone due to the pacing and Kurosawa's haunting yet simple style of directing but to me it hit harder than any film I have seen in recent years.

It definitely sticks with you and makes you re-evaluate your own actions and how you interact with the family unit.

[McCrutchy]

DVDBeaver has published an exhaustive review/comparison of the AK 100: 25 Films By Akira Kurosawa DVD box set.

To be honest, I just want Rashomon on a BD with English subs and new extras. The more I see of this box set, the more it smacks of intense favoritism for Akira Kurosawa, and, given the state of the American economy, it was likely at the cost of a number of other fantastic possible new additions to the Collection.

Obviously, Akira Kurosawa is now hugely over-represented in The Criterion Collection, much more so than ever before.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

DVDBeaver has published an exhaustive review/comparison of the AK 100: 25 Films By Akira Kurosawa DVD box set.

To be honest, I just want Rashomon on a BD with English subs and new extras. The more I see of this box set, the more it smacks of intense favoritism for Akira Kurosawa, and, given the state of the American economy, it was likely at the cost of a number of other fantastic possible new additions to the Collection.

Obviously, Akira Kurosawa is now hugely over-represented in The Criterion Collection, much more so than ever before.

And I'll say this at the risk of being publicly shunned and beat into silence but I think the majority of his works are highly overrated. I enjoy some of his films, like Ran, and I absolutely respect his place in the history of cinema but I think he was the most digestible and American friendly director to come out of Japan which likely accounts for why he is so heralded here when in Japan his popularity was uneven at best.

[whbinder]

I don't think you'll be beaten. One of the wonderful things about The Criterion Collection and it's viewers is the opportunity to see different things and discuss film in an educated manner. Differences of opinions are welcome when they're informed. I disagree with you about A.K. but your opinions come from a place of thoughtfulness and I respect that.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Volume11

And I'll say this at the risk of being publicly shunned and beat into silence but I think the majority of his works are highly overrated. I enjoy some of his films, like Ran, and I absolutely respect his place in the history of cinema but I think he was the most digestible and American friendly director to come out of Japan which likely accounts for why he is so heralded here when in Japan his popularity was uneven at best.

Well many of his movies are very influence by the westerns of John Ford, so yes that would make him extremely popular here in North America. It is true that he was not always as appreciated in Japan.

Me personaly, I enjoy watching his movies ever since I was a kid. I wish I could afford to buy that huge set on BD but the price is just too insane

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by Volume11

And I'll say this at the risk of being publicly shunned and beat into silence but I think the majority of his works are highly overrated. I enjoy some of his films, like Ran, and I absolutely respect his place in the history of cinema but I think he was the most digestible and American friendly director to come out of Japan which likely accounts for why he is so heralded here when in Japan his popularity was uneven at best.

You're not alone.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Volume11

And I'll say this at the risk of being publicly shunned and beat into silence but I think the majority of his works are highly overrated. I enjoy some of his films, like Ran, and I absolutely respect his place in the history of cinema but I think he was the most digestible and American friendly director to come out of Japan which likely accounts for why he is so heralded here when in Japan his popularity was uneven at best.

I have the greatest respect for AK's works, and I think he deserves to be in the Collection, it's just that I have problems with devoting a huge release to one director like that. And, what's more is that it seems as though Criterion saw fit to remaster a number of the films that are in the Collection proper for this box set, so that means that even more money was spent on Kurosawa.

Then, to release the set only on DVD (when we already have a CC Blu-ray of Kagemusha and would have also had Ran) without all of the extras from the individual releases, especially as Blu-ray is exploding into the consumer mainstream, well, it just seems silly.

If Criterion wanted to put out a Kurosawa box set, they should have done English-friendly Blu-rays of the Japanese box set (and upon searching for that link I see that Japan has since gotten two other box sets from a different label for a total eighteen AK films on Blu-ray in Japan, AND a fourth box set is coming in February 2010 which will contain a further six Kurosawa Blu-ray titles).

In other words, the Criterion DVD box set has now even less appeal as definitive HD versions of many titles (and some not in the CC box) have already appeared in Japan.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I have the greatest respect for AK's works, and I think he deserves to be in the Collection, it's just that I have problems with devoting a huge release to one director like that.

I don't mind devoting a huge release to one director, but stupid for a director that has most of the films in the collection already. It's double-dipping more or less.

[Kartoon]

The set would have been better if they hadn't releasesed *most* of them previously and most of these were brand new to the collection. As it is most of his fans already own a lot of those movies making it not worth it.

I really wish they'd release the "new" ones seperately though.

[tkino81]

Does anyone know if they released all the replacement cases for their earlier titles? I got the replacement case for The Third Man, but not the rest.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by tkino81

Does anyone know if they released all the replacement cases for their earlier titles? I got the replacement case for The Third Man, but not the rest.

Nope.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Kartoon

The set would have been better if they hadn't releasesed *most* of them previously and most of these were brand new to the collection. As it is most of his fans already own a lot of those movies making it not worth it.

I really wish they'd release the "new" ones seperately though.

They have to eventually. It will cause an uproar if they don't.

[substance]

I own

The 400 Blows
The Seventh Seal
Kagemusha
The Last Emperor
Monsoon Wedding
The Third Man
Wings of Desire
The Curious Case of Bejamin Button

Plan to own

The Man Who Fell to Earth
Gomorrah
For All Mankind
8 1/2
Che

any recommendations for me?

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by substance

I own

The 400 Blows
The Seventh Seal
Kagemusha
The Last Emperor
Monsoon Wedding
The Third Man
Wings of Desire
The Curious Case of Bejamin Button

Plan to own

The Man Who Fell to Earth
Gomorrah
For All Mankind
8 1/2
Che

any recommendations for me?

Pierrot Le Fou, Wages Of Fear, Playtime and Repulsion. Those are my fav Blu-rays along with Last Year at Marienbad, but that isn't for everyone.

[substance]

any Criterion DVDs and Laserdiscs which will never make it to Criterion Blu-Ray(or Any Blu-Ray release) I should get?

some in my mind;

The Last Emperor TV cut didnt make it to the Blu-Ray edition
I really wanted RAN on Blu-Ray from criterion they say Lionsgate release is going to be a clone of canal+'s French HD DVD release which is mediocre.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

Pierrot Le Fou, Wages Of Fear, Playtime and Repulsion. Those are my fav Blu-rays along with Last Year at Marienbad, but that isn't for everyone.

I agree with the selections, but I'd say Pierrot and Playtime "isn't for everyone" and Marienbad, Wages, and Repulsion have a larger range of "appeal" but I could be wrong (Repulsion may be borderline on the universal "Appeal" meter )

[jason00]

Originally Posted by substance

any Criterion DVDs and Laserdiscs which will never make it to Criterion Blu-Ray(or Any Blu-Ray release) I should get?

some in my mind;

The Last Emperor TV cut didnt make it to the Blu-Ray edition
I really wanted RAN on Blu-Ray from criterion they say Lionsgate release is going to be a clone of canal+'s French HD DVD release which is mediocre.

I still own a few Criterion laserdiscs, but I love their version of Dead Presidents, which is something that never hit dvd from them and will certainly never hit blu ray. Also, the LD for Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It has a great audio commentary, and since it is Spike's first film it does have historical importance.

[retask]

I read that M was being release on BD by Criterion? Can anyone confirm this? Any source?