The Criterion Collection

[colinrgeorge]

Originally Posted by retablo

Godfrey Reggio directly stated at an L.A. screening not long ago of the trilogy that he was working with Criterion on the blu-ray releases. Unless something drastically changed, I'd say that's a sure bet.

I'll believe it when I see it, folks. As far as I know, Reggio commenting that Criterion would release the trilogy was a number of years ago. I know there have been hints and allusions made to it, but nothing of late.

Nothing would make me happier than to get some concrete evidence, but I remain unconvinced.

[zafisher94]

I am loving this sale. Yesterday I picked up Shallow Grave, Samurai Trilogy, Paris Texas, Sweet Smell of Success, and Godzilla.

[*DrStrangelove*]

I only watched La Haine but what an amazing film. I was expecting more of a crime drama type film but really it was just like a day in the life of 3 poverty stricken guys in France. I still really liked it thou.

Now I plan on going back to BN to pick up Night of the Hunter and Battle of Algiers. I can't decide on my third choice. My last purchases were La Haine and Down by Law so I'm kinda in a 90's kick. Trying to decide between Shallow Grave or Being John Malkovich. What do you guys think?

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I only watched La Haine but what an amazing film. I was expecting more of a crime drama type film but really it was just like a day in the life of 3 poverty stricken guys in France. I still really liked it thou.

Now I plan on going back to BN to pick up Night of the Hunter and Battle of Algiers. I can't decide on my third choice. My last purchases were La Haine and Down by Law so I'm kinda in a 90's kick. Trying to decide between Shallow Grave or Being John Malkovich. What do you guys think?

I'm partial to shallow grave myself. I thought it better than trainspotting.

[zafisher94]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I only watched La Haine but what an amazing film. I was expecting more of a crime drama type film but really it was just like a day in the life of 3 poverty stricken guys in France. I still really liked it thou.

Now I plan on going back to BN to pick up Night of the Hunter and Battle of Algiers. I can't decide on my third choice. My last purchases were La Haine and Down by Law so I'm kinda in a 90's kick. Trying to decide between Shallow Grave or Being John Malkovich. What do you guys think?

I've never seen BJM, so I can't comment. But I blind bought Shallow Grave (it was part of Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments) and it was very good. Not scary at all, but a lot of suspense. I'd recommend it.

[paul000]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I only watched La Haine but what an amazing film. I was expecting more of a crime drama type film but really it was just like a day in the life of 3 poverty stricken guys in France. I still really liked it thou.

Now I plan on going back to BN to pick up Night of the Hunter and Battle of Algiers. I can't decide on my third choice. My last purchases were La Haine and Down by Law so I'm kinda in a 90's kick. Trying to decide between Shallow Grave or Being John Malkovich. What do you guys think?

BJM is sort of surreal, deals with some existential things, sort of f's w/your brain, and has light comedic moments.

SG is sort of a thriller, deals with some moral questions, is pretty straightforward, and has light comedic moments.

I think BJM is the better film and is much more "rewatchable", so that would be my recommendation. They're both worth watching though.

[CriterionCollector]

I got The Seventh Seal and Make Way for Tomorrow. Both of them were really good movies.

Hoping to get Ophuls' Earrings of Madame de... and maybe Mafioso. Another one I'm thinking about is M. Hulot's Holiday, since I loved Playtime.

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by CriterionCollector

I got The Seventh Seal and Make Way for Tomorrow. Both of them were really good movies.

Hoping to get Ophuls' Earrings of Madame de... and maybe Mafioso. Another one I'm thinking about is M. Hulot's Holiday, since I loved Playtime.

You should pull the trigger on the later as the Tati films are probably going OOP soon. I am happy because I already have Playtime, but I can't get M. Hulot's Holiday nor Mon Oncle as I will not be able of picking them during the sale .

[Darkcritic]

I got many replies to my question so quoting isn't possible but thanks for all the recommendations and suggestions ! I did some math and I will be able to get most (The original 6 picks) of them if not all (Although my picks may change, they always do ). I will get for sure (If I manage to find them, of course) the next ones:

- Anatomy of a Murder
- The Night of the Hunter
- Sweet Smell of Success
- 3 Women

Seems like a decent batch to me .

[octagon]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I only watched La Haine but what an amazing film. I was expecting more of a crime drama type film but really it was just like a day in the life of 3 poverty stricken guys in France. I still really liked it thou.

Now I plan on going back to BN to pick up Night of the Hunter and Battle of Algiers. I can't decide on my third choice. My last purchases were La Haine and Down by Law so I'm kinda in a 90's kick. Trying to decide between Shallow Grave or Being John Malkovich. What do you guys think?

paul000 summed them up pretty well. They're both pretty much on the same level with regard to overall quality, tone, accessibility, etc. I rented BJM a few weeks ago and bought SG blind last week and might maybe sort of wish I'd done it the other way around.

As an aside, I know you're just making conversation with the 90s kick comment and aren't explicitly looking for 90s titles but I have to throw this out just in case: Chungking Express.

It's not just a good film made in the 90s, it very has a 90s feel and that particularly time period (the British lease of Hong Kong was about to expire) doesn't exactly play a part in the story (primarily because there isn't much story) but looms large nonetheless.

In any event, it's a great film and you mentioned the 90s and blah, blah, blah...

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

I just got around $250 of Best Buy gift cards and plan to spend them on Criterion on my next trip . I can only get films that are available in store so I already checked in the site which films they have around the place I am visiting. I want to get some films (Prefer not to spend it all on Criterion, there are games to buy !) but have not decided which ones to get as there are many titles I am interested in. Here are the ones I want to get and would like to hear your opinion :

- Anatomy of a Murder
- Night of the Hunter
- 3 Women
- The Last Temptation of Christ
- Pale Flower
- Sweet Smell of Success

I am almost sure about the first two but all the other four are up to debate. I am really curious about 3 Women, though. I am also open to suggestions but I wish to keep it only on titles I can get at Best Buy in-store .

The only one of those I haven't yet seen is Pale Flower (though they're all in my personal collection).

They all have strong, largely positive reputations generally and I personally liked all the ones I've seen. A previous poster noted that he/she couldn't get into 3 Women but I think it's a very strong film. However, it does flow at a relatively slow pace with a tone that is rather dreamy and a bit surreal. It's ending may defy its viewers' expectations. Some people may have issues with this style of filmmaking but I see this approach as major strengths of the film. Other major strengths are the direction, writing and, especially, the acting by Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek. I think it's one of Robert Altman's best (in his long filmography).

[dsman71]

I watched the Gold Rush today and I loved it, great blind buy thanks to the B&N 50% discount

[BluPix]

This afternoon, I watched, in its entirety...

Kes (1969) by Ken Loach

...an excellent film. On the surface, it's about Billy, a neglected, abused and lonely working class boy who proudly cares for a bird he found in the wild and which he named Kes. But, beyond that, it's a metaphor for the plight of all the working classes in the UK—though I would argue that it could apply to the same people no matter which country in the world they reside in.

Billy is played by David Bradley, in a realistic and moving performance. In fact all of the performances and the style of the film seem quite genuine, without any signs of oversentimentality, like Loach's films in general. In fact, according to one of the extras on the disc, nearly all the characters are played by nonprofessionals, including Bradley.

The most memorable and moving scenes include Billy's interactions with and care of the kestrel, especially as the bird flies around the vast open spaces of rural northern England;

[Show spoiler]Billy's heartfelt speech to his class about how he cares for Kes

; and

[Show spoiler]the ending

.

The film's cinematography by Chris Menges is quite gorgeous—particularly the exteriors of wide-open fields, rolling hills, trees and woods and the remains of crumbling brick facades. It's often (and deliberately) rather soft visually with a muted color palette.

If you haven't yet experienced Kes, I urge you to do so.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by dsman71

I watched the Gold Rush today and I loved it, great blind buy thanks to the B&N 50% discount

As blind buys goes, Chaplin is usually pretty safe

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Boob-Ray

I usually watch movies in shifts.

I'm the same way. I tend to have too much in my schedule to sit through an entire film in one session. I typically break it up into two or three viewing sessions per film.

Some movies, though, are just so riveting that I've seen them in one sitting: Kes (which I saw just today, plus some of its extras); Salo; and The Battle of Algiers. I also remember recently rewatching a non-Criterion title, We Need to Talk About Kevin, unexpectedly in one sitting.

[octagon]

Kes is one of my favorite foreign language films.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by DeyoreW

A Criterion Collector for over ten years now, I have just about all the blu-rays and many of the DVDs.

After having a child recently and trying to "child proof" the house a bit, I got the bug to weed through my criterions and pull out the "adult films" and put in a box out of sight. There are so many films I haven't gotten around to watch though.

I wonder if we could compile a quick list of all criterion films with a very "adult" them or scene. I am talking rape scenes, gratuitous nudity and sex, excessive violence and language.

A start would be:
Salo
Antichrist
In the realm of the Senses

I am not looking for a lot of commentary or reasoning just a list of films I would not want to come home and see the wife and kids accidentally putting in.

If you've been collecting and watching Criterions for ten years, I would think you would have a better idea than any of us of what you would want your kids to avoid seeing until they were a little older. Just as personal tastes are subjective and vary from person to person, what parents would be comfortable allowing their kids to watch—and at what age and under what circumstances—can be debated and differs from parent to parent. Further, I don't know how restrictive or liberal you and your wife are with your kids' viewing choices.

Criterion's films, generally speaking, really are chiefly geared toward more mature audiences. I think you can point to a majority of the films in the collection and say that each of them is unsuitable for persons below a certain age for one reason or another or several. It may actually be easier to list the Criterion films that are absolutely, thoroughly kid & family friendly.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

The Qatsi trilogy. At least, the director mentioned it a while ago, and you could supposedly read it on that piece of paper that was posted by Criterion some time ago.

That would be a most welcome development, if it comes true.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by jhas

i would second this. Great altman film that i knew nothing about prior to blind buying the criterion during the last b&n sale. It's got a creepy/strangenss to it but doesn't have the full blown "naked midget talking backwards on a unicorn," imagery that a lynch film would have.

lol

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I've got to agree on that as well. Although, for some reason (and I know I'm alone on this), I really disliked all the films in that set (well, except for Head). All of them were just uninteresting to me.... not sure why.

On an unrelated note...at Barnes and Noble today I bought Down by Law, Crumb, The 39 Steps...annnnnd I also finally upgraded my DVD copy of Charade. It was the first Criterion disc I bought back when I was 13 .... I had seen it on television and really wanted to own it...and found out that edition was the best one available. It was really what made me want to see and get to know more films of the era, the first film that had done that for me.

Congrats on your upgrade of Charade. I can see how you would be so intrigued by such a stylish and rather fun film. I just bought Down by Law myself yesterday during the big B&N sale.