The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

I am however excited about using my coupons, once they start arriving. Looking forward to great deals!

I just created a new membership at B&N, so I look forward to receiving fresh new coupons in time for the November mega-sale (coinciding with Black Friday and the holiday Christmas sales). Bring on the savings!

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Xtempo

I haven't seen Fallen Angels yet but its on my watch it now list and a bunch of other films on DVD and BD and LD that made me have a huge backlog. I think that is similar to CE or at least I've read that in this thread i think. I wish Criterion had more of his films in the collection.

I too need to watch more Wong Kar-Wai movies. Honestly, these are the only 2 movies I've seen of his. I'm curious about Ashes of Time and his newest film, The Grandmaster. Fallen Angels is also on my watch list too, as is 2046 and Days of Being Wild.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

Hi, everyone! I decided to ask this question here instead of creating a separate thread. Hope you don't mind.

I've only just started collecting Criterion Blu-ray discs. Here's the list of what I already have:

Fanny and Alexander
Days of Heaven
Paris, Texas
Playtime
Thin Red Line
8 1/2
Rosemary's Baby
The Red Shoes
Black Narcissus
Stagecoach
Repulsion
Night of the Hunter
12 Angry Men
The Double Life of Veronique
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

So the question is, where do I go next? Please recommend me 5 black-and-white and 5 color Criterion Blu-ray films that you think are essential.

Thanks in advance!

I'm having a hard time limiting to 5 each, so screw it. I'll list 10 each -- and I'm having almost as hard a time limiting it to that. I'm also limiting it to one film per director (except in the couple of cases where I recommend sets) just to try for a little more variety.

Black & White:

Beauty and the Beast
David Lean Directs Noël Coward
Ivan's Childhood
The Killing
M
Paths of Glory
Seven Samurai
Smiles of a Summer Night
The 39 Steps
Wings of Desire

On edit: I just realized I have two Kubrick films listed. I can't decide which one to remove. Screw it, they're both great.

Color:

Belle de jour
Black Orpheus
Branded to Kill
Brazil
Charade
Cronos
Harakiri
The Three Colors Trilogy
The Tin Drum
Walkabout

[zoodermin]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

Hi, everyone! I decided to ask this question here instead of creating a separate thread. Hope you don't mind.

I've only just started collecting Criterion Blu-ray discs. Here's the list of what I already have:

Fanny and Alexander
Days of Heaven
Paris, Texas
Playtime
Thin Red Line
8 1/2
Rosemary's Baby
The Red Shoes
Black Narcissus
Stagecoach
Repulsion
Night of the Hunter
12 Angry Men
The Double Life of Veronique
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

So the question is, where do I go next? Please recommend me 5 black-and-white and 5 color Criterion Blu-ray films that you think are essential.

Thanks in advance!

B&W

Seven Samurai
The Seventh Seal
Modern Times
On the Waterfront
The Killing
Sansho the Bailiff

Color

Three Colors
In the Mood for Love
Blow Out
Being John Malkovich
The Royal Tenenbaums

[starman15317]

Scored a used copy of Howards End for $12 today! It's a blind buy.

I also saw Eraserhead in a theater today. Good time, that movie is still wild.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

On request, I'm double-posting my review from the movie thread. It was a joy to watch this film on Blu-ray at long last.

[Show spoiler]

My first exposure to 2001: A Space Odyssey was through the Arthur C. Clarke novel, which was written as Clarke completed the screenplay with director Stanley Kubrick. In retrospect, I probably did myself a disservice by reading the novel during childhood shortly before I saw the movie on television. Kubrick's film eschews traditional narrative styles to present us with a work of art that functions more as a symphony and a celebration of visual wonder than as a typical plot-driven movie, whereas the Clarke novel offers more concise explanations of phenomena that Kubrick purposely left to our imagination. I have not revisited the novel for a couple of decades, and, with each subsequent viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey, I am compelled to forget that I ever read the novel so that I can simply appreciate the film on its own majestically vague terms.

During my latest viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey, as I watched the film on Blu-ray for the first time this evening, I pondered the propensity of human nature to seek and explore, regardless of consequences, but also thought about the age-old description of human life as "once a man, twice a child." Astronaut Bowman's quest for understanding reflects a desire to which any viewer can relate, while the outcome of his quest could very well symbolize our own aging process and the maturity that comes with the realization that we will never truly understand everything around us during our mortal lives. The film's final sequences, which I will not discuss in detail here, are wondrous, but also eerie with their images that reflect aging and, quite possibly, a death of sorts that leads to an afterlife where the being finally achieves transcendence. One could interpret the ending in a Biblical way, where a being experiences a rebirth into an afterlife, but this is only one of countless interpretations that each attentive viewer will kick back and forth in his or her mind like pinballs in a game. Regardless of how one's thought processes grasp the visual splendor of this film, my advice to first-time viewers is simply to watch the events unfold without trying to piece loose ends together.

In technical terms, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a marvel. I am inclined to agree with filmmakers who exalt this film as the pinnacle of practical special effects. This is a film designed by engineers to reflect a convincing vision of life in outer space, and its sequences predicted details of our first lunar landing with surprising accuracy. My personal favorite Stanley Kubrick movie is The Shining, but 2001: A Space Odyssey was an earlier demonstration of Kubrick's ability to create unease through bright light rather than with darkness. Kubrick's uncannily clinical brand of storytelling can turn off many viewers, but his style is brilliantly suited to this particular tale.

This 2007 Blu-ray stands shoulder-to-shoulder with many present-day releases in the format, and I personally believe that the glowing reviews of the presentation from that year of release are still helpful to prospective buyers today. I am curious to see what a more thorough restoration of this film would yield in the Blu-ray format, but I am also stunned at how much better this existing Blu-ray looks than any other home presentation that I have seen of the film. As is, it's a beautiful high definition transfer of a beautiful movie. The audio presentation shines in this film that depends heavily on an orchestral score. A myriad of interesting special features, many of which I have not yet gone through, shed light on the movie without doing any mental heavy lifting. When it comes to interpreting this particular wonder, you're on your own, and that's the most enjoyable aspect of this presentation.

As a space geek who saw this when it first came out it was just jaw-dropping. It was 1968-69 and the race to the moon was a real life event. It was easy to believe that what you were seeing on the screen would be an approximation of what really would be taking place in 2001. Sadly, life didn't imitate art and after the Apollo landings the real space program lost direction (and funding) and we seem to be satisfied with keeping manned space exploration stuck in low Earth orbit and letting robotic probes do the deep space exploration shown in Kubrick's film.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by shortmartin

Abdrewes, can you please post the links to the previous polls, if they're ready at hand? Thanks.

Sure thing. Sorry for the late response.

You can always add your list, maybe we can retally them down the line

Links in the OP:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=226310

[Abdrewes]

Owl, my eyes feel super heavy right now, but I will be sure to read your 2001 appreciation in the A.M.

thanks for your effort!!

[thebard]

Courtesy of poster Rory in the Mad Mad World thread:

Originally Posted by cinemaretro

When asked if there's anything else he might add, Dave said, "Criterion has hired me to create a map of locations for their box set release of this movie...

http://www.cinemaretro.com/index.php

[Spire]

This will become my first double dip in any format...lol

[GentleGiant]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

B&W

Seven Samurai
The Seventh Seal
Modern Times
On the Waterfront
The Killing
Sansho the Bailiff

Color

Three Colors
In the Mood for Love
Blow Out
Being John Malkovich
The Royal Tenenbaums

Thanks!
I have Seven Samurai on Criterion DVD, and I love it. But I guess I need to upgrade, right?

And thank you all for your recommendations! I'll be checking them out.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

Hi, everyone! I decided to ask this question here instead of creating a separate thread. Hope you don't mind.

I've only just started collecting Criterion Blu-ray discs. Here's the list of what I already have:

Fanny and Alexander
Days of Heaven
Paris, Texas
Playtime
Thin Red Line
8 1/2
Rosemary's Baby
The Red Shoes
Black Narcissus
Stagecoach
Repulsion
Night of the Hunter
12 Angry Men
The Double Life of Veronique
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

So the question is, where do I go next? Please recommend me 5 black-and-white and 5 color Criterion Blu-ray films that you think are essential.

Thanks in advance!

Try these...

B&W --

THE SEVENTH SEAL or WILD STRAWBERRIES (or both)
YOJIMBO/SANJURO
THE GOLD RUSH or CITY LIGHTS or both
DESIGN FOR LIVING
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS

Color --

THREE COLORS TRILOGY
EVERLASTING MOMENTS
TOKYO DRIFTER
THE MAKIOKA SISTERS
THE FOUR FEATHERS

and lots, lots more!! ... like the David Lean box set that's got great transfers of great films in both B&W and color, the Pierre Etaix set, all the other Bergmans, some early Godard, some Antonioni, more Japanese Criterions, etc.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

So the question is, where do I go next? Please recommend me 5 black-and-white and 5 color Criterion Blu-ray films that you think are essential.

[CoenP]

Sorry if it's been asked before! Are there any B&N coupons available for international customers?

I've got Safety Last!, Seconds and To Be Or Not To Be in my basket and any (further) discount is welcome

[Judex]

Originally Posted by CoenP

Sorry if it's been asked before! Are there any B&N coupons available for international customers?

I've got Safety Last!, Seconds and To Be Or Not To Be in my basket and any (further) discount is welcome

Discount codes don't work on Criterion sale items anymore.

[GentleGiant]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

Try these...

B&W --

THE SEVENTH SEAL or WILD STRAWBERRIES (or both)
YOJIMBO/SANJURO
THE GOLD RUSH or CITY LIGHTS or both
DESIGN FOR LIVING
ISLAND OF LOST SOULS

Color --

THREE COLORS TRILOGY
EVERLASTING MOMENTS
TOKYO DRIFTER
THE MAKIOKA SISTERS
THE FOUR FEATHERS

and lots, lots more!! ... like the David Lean box set that's got great transfers of great films in both B&W and color, the Pierre Etaix set, all the other Bergmans, some early Godard, some Antonioni, more Japanese Criterions, etc.

Thanks. My priorities list has substantially expanded by now

[CoenP]

Originally Posted by Judex

Discount codes don't work on Criterion sale items anymore.

ok thanks! Bummer! Times like this I wish I had a relative or a friend in the USA who could help me out!

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

Thanks. My priorities list has substantially expanded by now

probably the best thing to do is pick something from Kurosawa / bergman / ozu / godard and if you like color movies that really "use" colors watch tokyo drifter or gate of hell.

there are way to much "must have movies" in the criterion collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

This is honestly a film I could never get tired of watching again and again. The key to this re-watchability is the mystery in the story and events of the film. Nothing is easily explained and therefore is always open to new interpretations each time I watch this film. I think this is part of the brilliance of Stanley Kubrick and how he always challenged film audiences with hidden messages and meanings and never opted for conventionality and formulaic filmmaking. I adore this film.

I realized last night that it's been too long since I last saw 2001: A Space Odyssey. I used to own the film on VHS, but I honestly cannot remember whether or not I ever owned it on DVD. (That's probably a bad sign that I bought entirely too many DVDs and sold too many DVDs back in the day.) At any rate, it's probably been a decade since I last sat down to watch the movie from beginning to end by myself at home with no distractions. That's how this Kubrick film should be viewed.

I'm hard-pressed to imagine how the film could be viewed as boring, because I am still blown away by each and every scene. The attention to detail shown by Kubrick's camera eye is just phenomenal.

It occurred to me last night that 2001: A Space Odyssey is a testament to all that has been lost since filmmakers started relying on computer effects for such films. There's a scene where a lunar craft is landing and kicking up dust around the lights of the landing area. The scene is so uncannily authentic in a way that CGI films cannot touch.

Originally Posted by hoytereden

As a space geek who saw this when it first came out it was just jaw-dropping. It was 1968-69 and the race to the moon was a real life event. It was easy to believe that what you were seeing on the screen would be an approximation of what really would be taking place in 2001. Sadly, life didn't imitate art and after the Apollo landings the real space program lost direction (and funding) and we seem to be satisfied with keeping manned space exploration stuck in low Earth orbit and letting robotic probes do the deep space exploration shown in Kubrick's film.

My review probably makes 2001: A Space Odyssey seem bleaker than it is, because it really is an exciting work that arouses wonder and curiosity in attentive viewers. I was late to the game, having been born in 1972, but I saw the movie for the first time during the early 1980s, and, even then, it captured my imagination about all of the possibilities of space exploration.

When I was younger, I imagined that spaceships like the Discovery would be commonplace by now in 2013. The idea that our 2013 society would care more about reality television and camera phone photos of Walmart shoppers than space exploration never would have occurred to me back then.
In all fairness, though, there are some extraordinarily cool things happening. The Mars landing, with all of the technology and precision involved, was a joy to see.

[Mansinthe]

maybe thats why i liked solaris more. its still more "scifi" for me.

born 1986 i have already watched stuff like stargate before ive seen 2001 for the first time ^^

but i liked the documentary "for all mankind" alot. we shoudlnt have stopped with the moon landing back then, we would be already on the mars if we stayed focused on exploring the universe.
but i think back then it was more like "we have done it, its enough now". only to proof who is faster and not to acutally "explore"..

[Show spoiler]maybe if they would have found some oil there