The Criterion Collection

[dsman71]

I was reading from a Facebook post that Criterion now has Foriegn Correspondent, Young and Innocent and Sabotage are available on Itunes in HD ( Criterion Cast Website )
Does that mean they have these titles and will come to HD or ... ?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

Thanks for the insights. I'm going to key on those on my next watch.

As to Kaufman/Jonze, yep, I'm a pretty big fan. Mostly Kaufman, whether its Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine or even Synechdoche, his brand of writing clicks with me quickly each time (much like the plays of Tom Stoppard do).

That reminds me, i need to re watch Synechdoche. After all it is the best film of the oughts.

[Snicket]

What? Oh yes, I did write a short essay where I equate The Perks of Being A Wallflower with The 400 Blows.

#Badass

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ParticleDan

I watched Quantum Leap growing up, so I associate Dean Stockwell with that series but my appreciation for him has increased quite a bit after seeing Long Day's... and Rapture.

Dean Stockwell is pretty awesome in Paris, Texas.

He's actually sort of cool in David Lynch's Dune as well. I know that there aren't many people out there who have my back when it comes to my love of Lynch's Dune, but that's alright. I live alone, and I can watch it whenever I want.

[Scottie]

I'm a little over halfway done with Army Of Shadows, but I stopped to take a dinner break.

I love this film - plain and simple. Before I read more into this movie, I thought it was going to be a crusade-type film. I'm glad that I was wrong.

First and foremost, I don't think they could have come up with a better title than this. I was a bit curious what it meant at first, but as I watched more and more, I figured it out. The Resistance group is the "Army Of Shadows", who conduct all of their dealings, etc. underground and out of the public's eye.

When Philippe Gerbier jumped out of the airplane and landed in the woodsy environment, all I could think of was Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. I am such a huge Metal Gear Solid and Kojima fan and I immediately made a parallel connection between the two.

I'm curious if this film inspired Metal Gear Solid 3, though.

Another thing I enjoy is the coloring of the scenery. It just feels like it conveys a different mood to me than the film normally would. I don't know if I'm the only one who feels this way. Regardless, I can't wait to finish it!!!

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Dean Stockwell is pretty awesome in Paris, Texas.

He's actually sort of cool in David Lynch's Dune as well. I know that there aren't many people out there who have my back when it comes to my love of Lynch's Dune, but that's alright. I live alone, and I can watch it whenever I want.

And don't forget his bizarre turn in ... BLUE VELVET! He's also very good in a completely different character in THE PLAYER.

In LONG DAY'S JOURNEY... he seems sort of a cross between James Dean and Montgomery Clift with a flavor of his own. I posted a user review for Olive's Blu-ray at https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Long-...6/#UserReviews The film takes a little while to get going and to get into (as often happens with filmed stage plays), but once things start to happen and relationships start to be revealed it becomes riveting through the end.

[The Great Owl]

I'm liking the Melville discussions, as always, and I guess that this is as good of a time for me to bite the bullet on an actual review for...



Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is my favorite Blu-ray in my current collection (at least until Le Samouraï is released in the format).
Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is one of my all-time top five movies.
Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is my all-time favorite war film.

Army of Shadows (L'armée des ombres) packs its hardest visual punch right off the bat, with the first shot of a procession German Nazi troops marching by the Champs-Elysees. The remainder of the film is more subtle in its presentation of small details that give a feel for what it must have been like to have lived in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. If you blink, you may miss the sight of an automobile powered with a gas cylinder or references to food rationing. One memorable dialogue scene depicts a character eating inside a small makeshift wooden room inside his house as a way of alleviating the coldness inside the rest of the house in light of wartime coal and fuel shortages.

Melville's matter-of-fact emotionally-detached portrayal of his French Resistance characters only serves to enforce my impression of this film as one of the most patriotic works of cinema that I have seen. The Resistance is often depicted in roughly the same way that Melville's gangsters are depicted in Le Samouraï and Le Cercle Rouge, with a distinctly fatalist honor-and-dishonor among thieves fashion, and an early scene of the Resistance killing a traitor is bone-chilling. There are no suave heroes in this movie, and the Resistance is shown as a scattered assortment of ordinary-looking citizens from all walks of life, as if they are the plain people that you might seen in an office building or a vehicle license-renewal line any day of the week. This matter-of-fact characterization, though, drives home the point that many of the real heroes during World War II were the ones in the shadows, whether one is a barber who aids an escaping prisoner, a middle-aged woman who betrays no emotion during an ill-fated mission involving an ambulance pick-up, or a bespectacled civil engineer who can take a man's life in a split second.

The come-as-it-may fatalist mentality of the Resistance "army of shadows" accentuates the true concept of a war of attrition. To borrow an old concept, a large tree is not harmed by one single swing of the axe on a particular day, but the tree will gradually wither and die over time if it is struck by an ax once a day for weeks, months, or years. The idea that an ordinary citizen in the Resistance is willing to sacrifice his or her life at a moment's notice simply to take just one ax swing at a towering force of evil is difficult to imagine, but that relentlessness of attrition warfare gradually shifted the tide to the greater good. The image of four key characters in an automobile with their resigned expressions gives the modern-day viewer a picture of a truly difficult time in our history when freedom itself was not for free. Army of Shadows consists of a series of connected vignette scenes that show us not only the emotionally-draining duties of fighting in the shadows, but also the unsung anonymity of dying in the shadows. Melville himself took part in the Resistance, and his film, much like Paul Greengrass's 2006 movie, United 93, is an ode to the sacrifices of those who revealed their inner steel when chosen by circumstances.

Lino Ventura, a veteran of a great many French gangster films, is at his toughest here, but not without the everyday flaws and fears of a normal person who may decide to run from a firing squad instead of standing his ground. Simone Signoret may be removed from her more glamorous roles of previous films, but her character is nonetheless a beautiful depiction of strength and resourcefulness.

On Blu-ray, Melville's Army of Shadows is more clear and convincing in its detached subtlety than ever before. The transfer makes us feel the cobblestones of drab wartime streets, the cold dawn grass of rural prison camp, and the unmemorable corridors of hideout houses in anonymous gray provinces.

A helpful Blu-ray commentary sheds light on many of the small details of Army of Shadows that modern-day viewers might miss. Although I am a lifelong resident of the southeastern United States who grew up around backyard barbecues, football games, and church dinners without traveling far from home, I felt a kinship with the French Resistance history by way of explanations of previously-unrecognized details unveiled by this commentary.

Army of Shadows is a superb package on Blu-ray, and it has my highest recommendation.

[dsman71]

http://blog.criterioncast.com/post/4...-correspondent

What do we make of this ?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by dsman71

http://blog.criterioncast.com/post/4...-correspondent

What do we make of this ?

Remember the scene in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure where Bill and Ted yell, "Excellent!", and start playing air guitar?

I'm doing that right now.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by dsman71

http://blog.criterioncast.com/post/4...-correspondent

What do we make of this ?

A hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl?

Geez, I crack me up.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

[Show spoiler]I'm liking the Melville discussions, as always, and I guess that this is as good of a time for me to bite the bullet on an actual review for...



Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is my favorite Blu-ray in my current collection (at least until Le Samouraï is released in the format).
Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is one of my all-time top five movies.
Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows is my all-time favorite war film.

Army of Shadows (L'armée des ombres) packs its hardest visual punch right off the bat, with the first shot of a procession German Nazi troops marching by the Champs-Elysees. The remainder of the film is more subtle in its presentation of small details that give a feel for what it must have been like to have lived in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. If you blink, you may miss the sight of an automobile powered with a gas cylinder or references to food rationing. One memorable dialogue scene depicts a character eating inside a small makeshift wooden room inside his house as a way of alleviating the coldness inside the rest of the house in light of wartime coal and fuel shortages.

Melville's matter-of-fact emotionally-detached portrayal of his French Resistance characters only serves to enforce my impression of this film as one of the most patriotic works of cinema that I have seen. The Resistance is often depicted in roughly the same way that Melville's gangsters are depicted in Le Samouraï and Le Cercle Rouge, with a distinctly fatalist honor-and-dishonor among thieves fashion, and an early scene of the Resistance killing a traitor is bone-chilling. There are no suave heroes in this movie, and the Resistance is shown as a scattered assortment of ordinary-looking citizens from all walks of life, as if they are the plain people that you might seen in an office building or a vehicle license-renewal line any day of the week. This matter-of-fact characterization, though, drives home the point that many of the real heroes during World War II were the ones in the shadows, whether one is a barber who aids an escaping prisoner, a middle-aged woman who betrays no emotion during an ill-fated mission involving an ambulance pick-up, or a bespectacled civil engineer who can take a man's life in a split second.

The come-as-it-may fatalist mentality of the Resistance "army of shadows" accentuates the true concept of a war of attrition. To borrow an old concept, a large tree is not harmed by one single swing of the axe on a particular day, but the tree will gradually wither and die over time if it is struck by an ax once a day for weeks, months, or years. The idea that an ordinary citizen in the Resistance is willing to sacrifice his or her life at a moment's notice simply to take just one ax swing at a towering force of evil is difficult to imagine, but that relentlessness of attrition warfare gradually shifted the tide to the greater good. The image of four key characters in an automobile with their resigned expressions gives the modern-day viewer a picture of a truly difficult time in our history when freedom itself was not for free. Army of Shadows consists of a series of connected vignette scenes that show us not only the emotionally-draining duties of fighting in the shadows, but also the unsung anonymity of dying in the shadows. Melville himself took part in the Resistance, and his film, much like Paul Greengrass's 2006 movie, United 93, is an ode to the sacrifices of those who revealed their inner steel when chosen by circumstances.

Lino Ventura, a veteran of a great many French gangster films, is at his toughest here, but not without the everyday flaws and fears of a normal person who may decide to run from a firing squad instead of standing his ground. Simone Signoret may be removed from her more glamorous roles of previous films, but her character is nonetheless a beautiful depiction of strength and resourcefulness.

On Blu-ray, Melville's Army of Shadows is more clear and convincing in its detached subtlety than ever before. The transfer makes us feel the cobblestones of drab wartime streets, the cold dawn grass of rural prison camp, and the unmemorable corridors of hideout houses in anonymous gray provinces.

A helpful Blu-ray commentary sheds light on many of the small details of Army of Shadows that modern-day viewers might miss. Although I am a lifelong resident of the southeastern United States who grew up around backyard barbecues, football games, and church dinners without traveling far from home, I felt a kinship with the French Resistance history by way of explanations of previously-unrecognized details unveiled by this commentary.

Army of Shadows is a superb package on Blu-ray, and it has my highest recommendation.

Another great review by The Great Owl. I don't think I could have said it better myself - even if I tried.

War is a very grim thing in our world. So many young and innocent lives are lost amongst the fighting. Whether they are physically lost through death or they are lost to due forced maturity for taking a stand with their country, it doesn't change the fact that we are all human.

As you said, so many random walks of life provided such unselfish acts of kindness throughout the film to all of the characters. The best thing that I liked about the entire film was how this group of people were able to take a stand and stick to it. I can't even imagine living in an area occupied by a different rule, let alone standing up to them.

I also think that it is great how Jean-Pierre Melville was part of the Resistance himself and how he was able to incorporate some of his own experiences through Army Of Shadows. It's such a shame that the film was lost for almost 40 years, but I'm glad we finally have it now.

Another thing I truly liked about the film was the scenery. This film had some of the best shots that I've ever seen. Going back to my discussion on The Double Life Of Veronique a few weeks ago, seeing films like this just makes me want to go to these areas even more for a tour / trip / vacation.

I think this film has the potential of being in my top 10 after maybe another viewing. I absolutely loved it - especially the narration throughout. Like you said, the quality is fantastic. If you didn't know better, you would not think you were watching a 60s film.

[ZooTv]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

And don't forget his bizarre turn in ... BLUE VELVET!

He's absolutely brilliant in Blue Velvet, his rendition of "In Dreams" ranks among my all-time favorite scenes.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

As you said, so many random walks of life provided such unselfish acts of kindness throughout the film to all of the characters. The best thing that I liked about the entire film was how this group of people were able to take a stand and stick to it. I can't even imagine living in an area occupied by a different rule, let alone standing up to them.

Well said. The acts of kindness in the midst of everything were amazing to behold, and Melville's detachment while showing them somehow accentuated them even more.

It really shook me up when

[Show spoiler]Jean-François got himself arrested to be with Felix

. That was one of the most moving sequences of the film.

I still need to watch my Le Cercle Rouge Blu-ray. I held off on it, because I had revisited my DVD copy of the film just before buying a Blu-ray player and buying that film on Blu-ray, but I might go at it tonight.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Well said. The acts of kindness in the midst of everything were amazing to behold, and Melville's detachment while showing them somehow accentuated them even more.

It really shook me up when

[Show spoiler]Jean-François got himself arrested to be with Felix

. That was one of the most moving sequences of the film.

I still need to watch my Le Cercle Rouge Blu-ray. I held off on it, because I had revisited my DVD copy of the film just before buying a Blu-ray player and buying that film on Blu-ray, but I might go at it tonight.

I don't even know what I'm going to watch now.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I don't even know what I'm going to watch now.

Part of me wants to revisit Le Cercle Rouge this weekend when I have a sprawling afternoon of freedom and I'm not tired from work and gym. Revisiting it now sounds fun, though. I'll make up my mind in about five or ten minutes.

[joie]

What do you make of one of the resistance characters complaining about Germans executing people without a trial, yet the resistance strangled one of its own members without a trial.

[R o d]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

...Army of Shadows is a superb package on Blu-ray, and it has my highest recommendation.

It's a great film that puts ordinary people into extraordinary situations. The greatest moment in the film comes when

[Show spoiler]the Resistance has to take out one of their own because he has been found to be a traitor. They take him to a remote house only to discover some new neighbors have moved in. They can't use a gun as planned because it would be overheard. There is no knife around. All of a sudden they realize that to do what they have to do means they're going to have to use their bare hands. Now how do a group of ordinary people prepare themselves for something like that? And how do they actually do it? How long will it take? What will the struggle be like? The greatness of the scene is that it confronts the audience, because we're on the side of the Resistance, with those same questions.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Part of me wants to revisit Le Cercle Rouge this weekend when I have a sprawling afternoon of freedom and I'm not tired from work and gym. Revisiting it now sounds fun, though. I'll make up my mind in about five or ten minutes.

It's between Black Narcissus and Leon Morin, Priest for me right now.

Edit: I settled on Ivan's Childhood.

Originally Posted by joie

What do you make of one of the resistance characters complaining about Germans executing people without a trial, yet the resistance strangled one of its own members without a trial.

I sort of feel like that argument is the same with a lot of things in everyday life.

People feel it's justifiable if you do it to your own, but not if you do it to outsiders.

[Lordy]

Where the heck are the May pre-orders on Amazon?

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I have to say that Michael Bay's The Island and Tony Scott's Top Gun are definitely worthwhile Blu-rays in my collection as far as frequent revisits are concerned. They're both pretty amazing-looking in this format.

I haven't seen Armageddon since I watched it in the theater on the day of release.
...and I call myself a Criterion fan. For shame!

By the way, thanks for sharing that article. Good read!

For Tony Scott I have to go with Crimson Tide. I always feel the tension in this movie, and I love some of the Tarantino-supplied dialogue.