The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Did you just use Bergman and quirk in the same sentence.

Yes, but not in that sense. Bad choice of words.

Let's say, "magical nuances", instead.

[octagon]

So it looks like my July B&N list is more or less set (pending July releases during the sale and mood swings between now and then)...


Definite/Highly Likely

Badlands
The Blob
Everlasing Moments
Gates of Hell
Ivan's Childhood
La Jetee Sans Soleil
A Man Escaped
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Marketa Lazarova
Ministry of Fear
On the Waterfront
Safety Last
Sansho the Bailiff
Things to Come
The Tin Drum
Wild Strawberries


Still on the Bubble (some of these have been on the bubble for a while)

310 to Yuma
Band of Outsiders
Being John Malkovich
Heaven's Gate (I watched the first hour of this via TCM and it was kind of intriguing - I wish I had finished it before it was automatically deleted to make space for subsequent recordings)
Jubal
Last Year at Marienbad
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Life is Sweet
Medium Cool
Monsieur Verdoux
Pierre Etaix
The Red Shoes
Shoah
Vive sa Vie
Three Outlaw Samuai

[oildude]

Originally Posted by octagon

I don't know about extremely but yeah, inaccessible seems like a pretty fair tag. My eyebrows always go up a little when people suggest it as an introductory film. I've only watched it a couple times and I haven't really seen that many other Bergmans but that just seems off to me. It's not like Seventh Seal is some impenetrable maze of surreal metaphors. But it's not exactly user friendly either. At least it hasn't struck me that way anyway.

I have the exact same reaction as you when I see The Seventh Seal recommended as an introduction to Bergman (unless, of course, it is preceded by a viewing of Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey).

I think Smiles of a Summer Night is a good gateway drug. Or Summer with Monika. My only hesitation with F&A is the length, but it is also a good one. Speaking only for Bergman blu-rays, of course.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by oildude

I have the exact same reaction as you when I see it recommended as an introduction to Bergman (unless, of course, it is preceded by a viewing of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure).

I think Smiles of a Summer Night is a good gateway drug. Or Summer with Monika. My only hesitation with F&A is the length, but it is also a good one. Speaking only for Bergman blu-rays, of course.

Smiles of a Summer Night looks like a good choice to me too.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

That actually might be dead on the money for my wife, as that time period is her particular interest, having done her PHD on the end of the nineteenth century/turn of the century literature. (Specifically from England, but the period will still be of interest to her)

If she likes period pieces Everlasting Moments might be worth a look too.

Some of the subject matter is pretty dark but it's never overwhelmingly or depressingly dark. It's honest (or at least it seems honest, like I would really know) but it doesn't dwell on harship in a weepy, melodramatic way.

I actually found it pretty...uplifting isn't the right word...inspiring is probably more accurate.

Everlasting Moments doesn't get a lot of chatter here but when it does it's almost always (or maybe even just plain always) very favorable.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by octagon

If she likes period pieces Everlasting Moments might be worth a look too.

Some of the subject matter is pretty dark but it's never overwhelmingly or depressingly dark. It's honest (or at least it seems honest, like I would really know) but it doesn't dwell on harship in a weepy, melodramatic way.

I actually found it pretty...uplifting isn't the right word...inspiring is probably more accurate.

Everlasting Moments doesn't get a lot of chatter here but when it does it's almost always (or maybe even just plain always) very favorable.

Thanks for the recommendation - I just jumped over to the review, and it mentions it features rape, which is pretty much a dealbreaker in our entertainment.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Turns out that there is a StudioCanal Blu-ray of Melville's Army of Shadows out on the market now.

Our very own pro-bassoonist states that the color schemes are different on the StudioCanal version than the Criterion version. I then looked up the StudioCanal version review of Le Cercle Rouge, and there is a color scheme difference with that version from the Criterion as well.

Curiosity will get the best of me one of these days, because I'd love to have the "correct" versions of two movies in my all-time Top Ten List.

For now, though, I'm just going to plead ignorance, since I do not have the ability to watch Region B titles. I'll just imagine that Criterion has the ultimate versions of these films.

I came very close to getting the Studio Canal version of Le Cercle Rouge because of the colour scheme, but then there's also the issue that this version is slightly cropped on all sides compared to the Criterion.
A very tough choice, because the Studio Canal also has a long documentary on Melville.
I ended up getting the Criterion, but I'm not sure if I made the right choice. I love the film though!

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by SimBelm

Women in New York was fantastic. Although it's not his, the dialogue meshes with him perfectly. The plants and fish tanks covering the characters as if they were in a zoo, I can't get enough of his and Ballhaus' use of mirrors and obstructions.

Did you find that on Youtube?

[drbikeshorts]

I'll weigh in on this Bergman talk, but I'm no expert and haven't seen some of the key works like Persona and Wild Strawberries.
I actually think The Seventh Seal is funnier than it is given credit for. It's pretty dark humour, but it is there.
Summer Interlude and Smiles of a Summer Night are quite accessible and very enjoyable. So is Summer with Monika.
The Magician was a little strange, but I think partly because I don't think the plot description does it any favours.
I found Fanny and Alexander to be very accessible. If you're concerned about the running time, watch it like a mini-series over a few nights. On the blu-ray it is broken up into four parts, each between 60 and 90 minutes long.

[drbikeshorts]

Hitchcock’s Earliest Films to Tour U.S.
This could finally mean the so-called "Hitchcock 9" are finally going to be released.
I know The Lodger is already available on blu-ray in the UK, but I'd love to see a box-set of all nine films. Would buy it in an instant.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I found Fanny and Alexander to be very accessible. If you're concerned about the running time, watch it like a mini-series over a few nights. On the blu-ray it is broken up into four parts, each between 60 and 90 minutes long.

I'm not intimidated by the length, though with a new baby, we're watching even a movie with a 90 minute run time in two or three parts most of the time :P

[A Sith Lord?]

I just watched Paris, Texas...

Wow.

I feel so depressed after watching it. What a great performance by Stanton. I loved the cinematography. The camera shots, the segue shots were marvelous and so was the scenery. Also loved the soundtrack to this movie. Great work by Ry Cooder. Don't know why but the guitar chords were just fitting with the deserted and lost theme this movie had.

Travis is quite the enigma; for Walt, for Hunter, for Jane.

Money well spent on this movie. Will definitely watch it again, and recommend to my friends.

[A Sith Lord?]

Time for me to slip in Badlands before I head to bed, since its runtime is only 94 minutes!

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

Hitchcock’s Earliest Films to Tour U.S.
This could finally mean the so-called "Hitchcock 9" are finally going to be released.
I know The Lodger is already available on blu-ray in the UK, but I'd love to see a box-set of all nine films. Would buy it in an instant.

Ah! That certainly would be great.

I love Hitchcock

[Scottie]

Would you guys recommend waiting for a John Cassavetes Criterion set or import the Germany set?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by MasturB

I feel so depressed after watching it.

When I showed it to a couple of other people a few months ago...after the film ended I was quiet for a little while, absorbing the emotions and appreciating just how brilliant it is, as I always do when I watch a great film. They were so confused at why I would be affected by a film. Seriously, nobody I know ever feels anything when they watch a film...their first reaction is always to leave and get on to doing the next thing instead of stopping to think about it.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Would you guys recommend waiting for a John Cassavetes Criterion set or import the Germany set?

I'm waiting, but they're great films...if you haven't seen them and are wanting to sooner.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I'm waiting, but they're great films...if you haven't seen them and are wanting to sooner.

I PROBABLY won't watch them yet, though.

Is there a guarantee that Criterion will in fact release them and within a year?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I PROBABLY won't watch them yet, though.

Is there a guarantee that Criterion will in fact release them and within a year?

With the amount of rumored titles that stack up constantly...barely anything seems guaranteed. If you won't watch them yet mayyyybe waiting a bit isn't bad..

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Would you guys recommend waiting for a John Cassavetes Criterion set or import the Germany set?

If you're willing to drop big money is say import, but CC's gotta release it sometime down the road.

PS: Glad to see you liked Zero Dark Thirty. A harsh but essential look at the last ten years.