The Criterion Collection

[Kasponius]

Originally Posted by oildude

For anyone debating whether or not to order Still Walking during the Amazon sale, I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. The acting, dialogue, and family dynamic are superb. Before actually watching it, I would have said this is not my normal style of movie based on the description. I took a chance and blind bought it with a gift card. All I can say is I was very impressed.

ACK!! You're killing me dude! I was trying to refrain from any more spending after ordering 16 or so Criterions the other day You twisted my arm though. Another addition to the collection it is...

It's too hard to resist buying all these titles at such a great price. I figure I'm going to end up buying them at a higher price at a later date anyways, so I may as well stab the bank account a few times with a knife right now rather than slash it to pieces with a machete later

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by silentblu

I'm trying to decide.

Melville or Visconti or Fellini

I think Amarcord and 8 1/2 are awesome, so I'd pick that one, but you can't go wrong with Melville either.

[silentblu]

Originally Posted by greekak229

I think Amarcord and 8 1/2 are awesome, so I'd pick that one, but you can't go wrong with Melville either.

I went with Melville. Maybe I'll get some others tomorrow.

[DreamVillain]

Melville FTW!

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

We have a Round Table and at this round table, we speak in Native American language? You and your "spot on" buddies can keep at your "look what I got, it's the same as you, let's high five!" lists, but you leave me my monkey! I mean, my roundtable. I need it for poker night with ccfixx. Father/Son time.

[Deviation]

Army of Shadows
Blow Out
Broadcast News
Le Cercle Rouge
Still Walking
Sweet Smell of Success
Yi Yi


...and there goes my budget.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by Hendershot737

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Kasponius

Over the past couple days, I've been watching America Lost and Found: The BBS Story. I really enjoyed "Easy Rider" and "Five Easy Pieces". Jack Nicholson was fantastic in both. Although "Head" was a little out there for me, it was entertaining. "Drive, He Said" was pretty good... but I would have to say that "A Safe Place" is terrible. Currently, I would say it's the worst movie I own! Maybe I'm being harsh & need to give it another chance?

I wasn't even able to force myself to watch all of "A Safe Place". Did anyone else actually enjoy watching it? Perhaps I'm too small-minded for it? I realize that back in 71' it was probably quite new wave and experimental or whatever, but tonight I find it hard to watch. From the 35% rating on Rottentomatoes and the 5.7 on IMDB, I know I'm not alone! It's neat to see Orson Welles acting in it with Nicholson, & Tuesday Weld is certainly easy on the eyes... but it's not enough to keep me interested tonight

I didn't enjoy the film either, it became tedious, and I ended up vacuuming halfway through it. What a let down after watching Lord Love a Duck. It has some nice cameos in it. One of the hippie girls is Suleen Gay from Nashville (why isn't that on Blu yet?), and Paris Hilton's great-aunt Francesca (looked on IMDB for the last one). I'm going to try watching it again, to see if it improves with repeat viewings. Right now, it's probably one of the worst Criterion films out there. However, the other 6 in the box set more than make up for this, especially Head. But then, I'm a biased Monkees fan.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by silentblu

I went with Melville. Maybe I'll get some others tomorrow.

Which Melville(s)?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by rock, stone

Yeah but it is worth noting you have to combine luck and effort and a paid membership for B&N.

Agreed...but the luck increases if you order missing titles from a local store and have them delivered to the store. They typically get them in 3 days and you can check them for any damage before purchasing.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Kasponius

I wasn't even able to force myself to watch all of "A Safe Place". Did anyone else actually enjoy watching it? Perhaps I'm too small-minded for it? I realize that back in 71' it was probably quite new wave and experimental or whatever, but tonight I find it hard to watch. From the 35% rating on Rottentomatoes and the 5.7 on IMDB, I know I'm not alone! It's neat to see Orson Welles acting in it with Nicholson, & Tuesday Weld is certainly easy on the eyes... but it's not enough to keep me interested tonight

It was a struggle for me to get through it, too. I NEVER give up on a film in the middle of it so I forced myself to finish it.

DRIVE, HE SAID and A SAFE PLACE are easily the low points of an otherwise stellar BBS set (they're also two of the very worst films in the entire collection and have no business having spines). I know someone will counter with an argument that they fit thematically into the BBS set but they're bad films so I don't care if they fit or not.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

It was a struggle for me to get through it, too. I NEVER give up on a film in the middle of it so I forced myself to finish it.

DRIVE, HE SAID and A SAFE PLACE are easily the low points of an otherwise stellar BBS set (they're also two of the very worst films in the entire collection and have no business having spines). I know someone will counter with an argument that they fit thematically into the BBS set but they're bad films so I don't care if they fit or not.

Drive, He Said wasn't too bad, it definitely was more enjoyable than A Safe Place. My rankings of the Set:

Head: 10/10 - total bias here
Easy Rider: 8/10
Five Easy Pieces: 10/10
Drive, He Said: 6/10
A Safe Place: 5/10
The Last Picture Show: 9/10
The King of Marvin Gardens: 10/10

There's some redeeming value to the two "bad" films, not a lot, but some. I'm sure there are some who would enjoy these films, especially since they are so obscure. This is the first time A Safe Place has been made available on home media legally. It's probably the reason why so little effort was put in their special features and they're on the same disc. I think they both have a place in the collection, and don't spoil the BBS set at all. I don't like them all that much, but I will watch Drive, He Said again, and attempt to sit through A Safe Place in its entirety at some point.

[silentblu]

Originally Posted by octagon

Which Melville(s)?

The ones available. Army of Shadows and Le Cercle Rouge

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Drive, He Said wasn't too bad, it definitely was more enjoyable than A Safe Place. My rankings of the Set:

Head: 10/10 - total bias here
Easy Rider: 8/10
Five Easy Pieces: 10/10
Drive, He Said: 6/10
A Safe Place: 5/10
The Last Picture Show: 9/10
The King of Marvin Gardens: 10/10

There's some redeeming value to the two "bad" films, not a lot, but some. I'm sure there are some who would enjoy these films, especially since they are so obscure. This is the first time A Safe Place has been made available on home media legally. It's probably the reason why so little effort was put in their special features and they're on the same disc. I think they both have a place in the collection, and don't spoil the BBS set at all. I don't like them all that much, but I will watch Drive, He Said again, and attempt to sit through A Safe Place in its entirety at some point.

The problem with A Safe Place is that it's arty for the sake of being arty-- faux-European art house. It's a mess.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by silentblu

The ones available. Army of Shadows and Le Cercle Rouge

Glad to see you got Paths too. I think that one is essential in every Criterion lover's collection.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The problem with A Safe Place is that it's arty for the sake of being arty-- faux-European art house. It's a mess.

Agreed. Henry Jaglom was trying to impersonate Fellini. Apparently 8 1/2 inspired him to become a director/writer, rather than just an actor. BTW, Jaglom is the character "Conrad" in Drive, He Said. He was trying to cram down your throat that this film is artsy and intellectual, and therefore, all the hippies will flock to it and think it's great. I'll get shot for saying this, but it's a lot like Avatar. Pretty to look at, but not so great in the plot department.

[silentblu]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Glad to see you got Paths too. I think that one is essential in every Criterion lover's collection.

Yeah. First thing I picked up. I've been waiting for it to go on sale. Now will just have to wait for a month for Lolita and Barry Lyndon

[BouCoupDinkyDau]

Ordered The Seventh Seal and M. I can't even afford these right now, but I simply could not pass up the best price either of these two personal faves have had to date!

They are officially my first two Criterions ever.

[keldons]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Am I wrong in thinking this isn't available on Netflix? I haven't been able to find it anywhere, even using the various titles.

Its not on Netflix as far as I can tell. The titles and Breillat's director page bring up no results.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by BouCoupDinkyDau

Ordered The Seventh Seal and M. I can't even afford these right now, but I simply could not pass up the best price either of these two personal faves have had to date!

They are officially my first two Criterions ever.

That's the spirit!