The Criterion Collection

[brake]

Watched Yojimbo on BD the other day... Superb! Brilliant! Spectacular!

Oh, and the actual disc was technically great too.

[Harry Caul]

Originally posted byShellOilJunior


Watch those and try to tell me Fellini is overrated. This discussion reminds me of the pseudo-intellectual in line at the movies in Annie Hall. Does his work not hit you guys on a gut level?

Thank you, exactly my thought, watched Toby Dammit with Terence Stamp the other Night, just great and entertaining. And if you watch for example Casanova on Blu-ray, you gotta admire those guys that build those sets, it's just unbelievable! Maybe Fellini in later years wasn't that good, but still it's Fellini and like always when you use someones name as in "Felliniesque" that means you created something originally and unique.

[Harry Caul]

Originally posted bySlick Damian

Do you think that seeing La Dolce Vita and Nights of Cabiria would change my opinion of his work?

Maybe Nights of Cabiria because that Woman is a great actor and outdoes a Chaplin in that Movie, but if you thought 8 e mezzo wasn't good, I don't think you would appreciate either one of them. (Sounds harsh, I don't mean it in a hostile manner, just that I think than it's not for you) At least you like Videodrome that is great.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Harry Caul

Maybe Nights of Cabiria because that Woman is a great actor and outdoes a Chaplin in that Movie, but if you thought 8 e mezzo wasn't good, I don't think you would appreciate either one of them. (Sounds harsh, I don't mean it in a hostile manner, just that I think than it's not for you) At least you like Videodrome that is great.

Masina wasn't the prettiest actress but her face is perfect for cinema. She's a joy to watch.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Do you think that seeing La Dolce Vita and Nights of Cabiria would change my opinion of his work?

If you see La Dolce Vita-- go in well rested. It's a 3-hour sprint and at times very fast but when it's over you'll think "wow, that was a hell of a film!"

Nights of Cabiria is brilliant. The pacing in the film is just right and has a certain cadence I love.

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

I thought 8 1/2 would blow me away, but I was very underwhelmed. I thought it was extremely (obviously) self-indulgant and just too pretentious.

Must that be such a terrible thing? I think the dream sequence in 8½ is both indulgent and brilliant at the same time.

And I like Nights of Cabiria, but really don't like La Strada. All the characters just got on my nerves (I admit an innate dislike of clowns and carnies may have been a factor...) which just made the whole thing tedious and the emotional part of the movie lost on me.

[skinnyboy]

how much costs a (standard) criterion blu ray in store in the USA?

[biglou114]

Originally Posted by skinnyboy

how much costs a (standard) criterion blu ray in store in the USA?

Criterions aren't usually found in many stores here in the US. Barnes and Noble and Borders do sell them at MSRP (not counting coupons or membership discounts), and on the rare occasion I've seen it somewhere else the lowest non-sale price is $30.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

I own the Criterion blu of 8 1/2, and I've seen La Strada. With both pictures, I can see what he's trying to do, but I doesn't hit me as being particularily "good", which is what I was expecting. I thought 8 1/2 would blow me away, but I was very underwhelmed. I thought it was extremely (obviously) self-indulgant and just too pretentious. I should probably give La Strada another try. Do you think that seeing La Dolce Vita and Nights of Cabiria would change my opinion of his work?

On another note, I haven't seen a French New Wave film which I thought was bad (albeit, I've only seen 7 or 8). The 400 Blows really hit me a certain way.

Try the Region free UK Bluray Spirits of the dead. The first two segments aren't the greatest, although Bardot is always worth watching and both helmed by competent directors Roger Vadim & Louis Malle. Its worth seeing IMO for the 3rd segment by Fellini with some amazing surreal imagery. All are Edgar Poe tales although very much removed from the source material.

8½ has a amazing beginning, but for me seemed to falter a little in the setup, but later picked back up. There was enough there that I feel I will enjoy it more on later viewings. Although there was enough there to also deter me from getting Amarcord. I prefer to have a storyline of some sort and not just abstraction. (I'm still on the fence about it)

The 400 blows kept me interested and was obviously well directed, but I left it with no real urge to see it again.

[greekak229]

Everything Criterion releases could be considered pretentious! Who cares?!

[cyniclaus]

I lived in Italy for 10 years and speak fluent Italian, but I have a hard time finding Italian cinema that seems relevant or even interesting. Fellini is frankly overrated...a lot of "art for the sake of art". The type where people are reluctant to admit they didn't "get" the film for fear of being labeled an uncultured ignoramus.

Amarcord really discouraged me from seeing many of the other Fellini films...I found it way too self indulgent. Maybe I'm just too much of a cynic to buy into the syrupy, heavy-handed nostalgia that flowed throughout that film.

On the other hand, I did find La Strada to be compelling...at least it had a cohesive narrative and interesting characters. If anybody can recommend another Fellini film that is more like this one I'd be curious to check it out.

My favorite serious Italian film I've seen so far would have to be La Meglio Gioventù. Highly recommended. As far as Italian Criterions, my favorites are Il Posto and Pugni in Tasca. Gommorah was interesting in a "60 Minutes crime expose' " type of way, but is hardly a masterpiece of cinema. It had a lot less impact than the book.

My other favorites are mostly comedies from the likes of Benigni and Aldo, Giovanni, e Giacomo. A lot of modern Italian comedies, however, are almost unapproachable if you haven't immersed yourself in the culture.

[AreaUnderTheCurve]

Originally Posted by biglou114

Criterions aren't usually found in many stores here in the US. Barnes and Noble and Borders do sell them at MSRP (not counting coupons or membership discounts), and on the rare occasion I've seen it somewhere else the lowest non-sale price is $30.

I picked up The Thin Red Line at Best Buy for $29.99 plus tax.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by cyniclaus

I lived in Italy for 10 years and speak fluent Italian, but I have a hard time finding Italian cinema that seems relevant or even interesting. Fellini is frankly overrated...a lot of "art for the sake of art". The type where people are reluctant to admit they didn't "get" the film for fear of being labeled an uncultured ignoramus.

Amarcord really discouraged me from seeing many of the other Fellini films...I found it way too self indulgent. Maybe I'm just too much of a cynic to buy into the syrupy, heavy-handed nostalgia that flowed throughout that film.

On the other hand, I did find La Strada to be compelling...at least it had a cohesive narrative and interesting characters. If anybody can recommend another Fellini film that is more like this one I'd be curious to check it out.

My favorite serious Italian film I've seen so far would have to be La Meglio Gioventù. Highly recommended. As far as Italian Criterions, my favorites are Il Posto and Pugni in Tasca. Gommorah was interesting in a "60 Minutes crime expose' " type of way, but is hardly a masterpiece of cinema. It had a lot less impact than the book.

My other favorites are mostly comedies from the likes of Benigni and Aldo, Giovanni, e Giacomo. A lot of modern Italian comedies, however, are almost unapproachable if you haven't immersed yourself in the culture.

THANKS for your feedback...I've streamed the beginning of Amarcord and so far haven't "flipped" for it myself. Both films are on the "Dreaded 26" Criterion NetFlix streams, so I think I'll be watching La Strada next.

[Harry Caul]

Talk about Italian Movies; at least Battle of Algiers is coming. Hope Criterion will release their Titles by Pietro Germi; Divorce Italian style and Seduced and Abandoned.
From director Francesco Rosi; Salvatore Guiliano and Hands over the City. From Michelangelo Antonioni; L'eclisse and L'avventura.
And maybe some day they will decide to buy the rights to those early seventies Lina Werdmueller Films. Love to see them in good Quality.

[Harry Caul]

Originally posted by Cyniclaus


But I have a hard time finding Italian cinema that seems relevant or even interesting

I hope you mean today? Because if you want to call all Italian Cinema in general that I simply think you don't know it. I mean just as a example The good the bad and the ugly is not interesting? Or Hands over the City not relevant? A "newer" Italian Movie I did like was Vincere.

[GunRanger]

I hated La Strada. One of the things that bugged me the most was the awful sound and voice dubbing. The voice would be yelling at the top of his lungs, but Anthony Quinn would look calm. Bad sound is an issue I have with several of Leone's films too. I know that they would just add it in later for most Italian films of that period, but it's distracting.

[Harry Caul]

Originally posted by GunRanger

Bad sound is an issue I have with several of Leone's films too

The first one to be recorded direct I think was Duck you Sucker! because Rod Steiger insisted on it.

[jacobb1313]

Originally Posted by biglou114

Criterions aren't usually found in many stores here in the US. Barnes and Noble and Borders do sell them at MSRP (not counting coupons or membership discounts), and on the rare occasion I've seen it somewhere else the lowest non-sale price is $30.

I frequent some independent record stores and they have gone for $24.99 on a good, great, fantastic day. Otherwise $30 is pretty average.

[greekak229]

Newbury Comics usually indulges in Criterions every now and then.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by rkish

THANKS for your feedback...I've streamed the beginning of Amarcord and so far haven't "flipped" for it myself. Both films are on the "Dreaded 26" Criterion NetFlix streams, so I think I'll be watching La Strada next.

Rich, you can still rent the actual discs from netflix. Only the streaming is going away.