The Criterion Collection

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I haven't seen it yet, but I recently purchased Masters of Cinema's Mizoguchi set, so it will be coming up very soon.

If I had a region-free player, I would be making that purchase as well. Along with Sansho the Bailiff being a blind-buy for me, it was also my first Mizoguchi. Needless to say, The Life of Oharu is next up in my home cinema.

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about Criterion's latest home run...



Foreign Correspondent is a visual rollercoaster of elaborate set pieces, including an umbrella-lined city street

Sublime review, as always Owl!

That particular visual is, to me, iconic with Hitchcock.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Sublime review, as always Owl!

That particular visual is, to me, iconic with Hitchcock.

Thanks! The umbrella sequence demands multiple viewings.

It took me long enough to get around to this review, since I watched the movie and the supplements this past Tuesday and Wednesday before some busy offline stuff came my way with work. I was also able to take some time off work, though, to scratch an item off my cinematic bucket list by working a 13-hour day as an extra on a film set near where I live. I'm sworn to secrecy on the details and will be for quite a while, but this was an experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

If I had a region-free player, I would be making that purchase as well. Along with Sansho the Bailiff being a blind-buy for me, it was also my first Mizoguchi. Needless to say, The Life of Oharu is next up in my home cinema.

Being region free and having MOC as a resource is fantastic. Plus, the pricepoint on the Mizoguchi set, for everything that is included, is fantastic.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Being region free and having MOC as a resource is fantastic. Plus, the pricepoint on the Mizoguchi set, for everything that is included, is fantastic.

the mizoguchi set is just awesome. sometimes im so glad that im region free


if someone outside of the U.S. is still looking for a decent price of the Blue is the warmest color bluray , check out this shop.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/390779225512?...84.m1439.l2649

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

I bought it because it came highly recommended by Jean Luc Godard,

his movies bore me to tears but at least he has taste for other movies

[The Great Owl]

If we get a flash sale this time around, I'm thinking of grabbing the Eclipse DVD set, Nikkatsu Noir, and Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street, since I'm covered pretty well on the Blu-ray end of things.

Does anyone here have thoughts about the Nikkatsu Noir set?

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Does anyone here have thoughts about the Nikkatsu Noir set?

if you liked branded to kill and tokyo drifter you will most likely love this set !


(cancelt some of my amazon preorders , waiting for the next B&N sale. with the international shipping fees each movie ends up being around ~33$ -.-)

[jw007]

Hey Cinemach, that's not fair! You stole my avatar! Well, mine looks a bit better.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Does anyone here have thoughts about the Nikkatsu Noir set?

I've got 2 more CC BD's to watch and 2 more Eclipse sets, the Nikkatsu Noir set is the one I'm going to watch next. Can't wait!

[MKej]

What others sites have Criterion blu-rays than ships internationally than amazon and b&n?
And do they have bargains from time to time?

[Reeniop5]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about Criterion's latest home run...



Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent emerged in theaters only a few months after his previous release, Rebecca, and both films received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture of 1940. The fact that these two movies are worlds apart with respect to plot structure and tone is a testament to Hitchcock's cinematic talents, and it's quite amazing to compare the brooding psychological atmospherics of the Best Picture winner, Rebecca, with the crowd-pleasing contrivances and timely urgency of Foreign Correspondent. Decades later, Steven Spielberg would show a similar versatility with his two iconic, but disparate, 1993 releases, Jurassic Park and Schindler's List.

Foreign Correspondent is a visual rollercoaster of elaborate set pieces, including an umbrella-lined city street, an isolated rural windmill, a dizzyingly high hotel ledge, a cathedral tower, and an airplane, that propel the viewer from one sequence to another with barely a moment to catch a breath, and I cannot help wondering if Spielberg might have had this film in mind when he helmed Raiders of the Lost Ark. In terms of plot and pacing, Foreign Correspondent deliberately winks at the audience by way of a comically rushed romantic relationship and uncannily precise developments, while simultaneously amping the tension and the sense of imminent threat with stylistic touches that lend a newsreel investigation broadcast effect to the proceedings. The final result is a seemingly effortless blend of lighthearted popcorn movie flourishes and a stern call to arms for America to set its pre-World War II isolationist policies aside for the greater good.

This Criterion Dual-Format Blu-ray/DVD package of Foreign Correspondent delivers an outstanding film presentation along with a treasure trove of extras that will put a smile on the face of any Hitchcock enthusiast. The video quality is stunning, and this is one of the better high definition transfers of a black-and-white 1940s film in my collection. Since this film is graced with a number of special effects sequences that will make present-day viewers shake their heads in wonder at how the scenes were created, the spectacular detail and impressive black levels are crucial advantages. On the audio front, the film sounds great for its age. Several supplements shed light on the importance of this movie's place in the propaganda of the era or on the creation of the special effects, but my personal favorite extra is a 1972 broadcast of Dick Cavett interviewing Hitchcock.

Can't wait to see this..Thanks for the insight!

[deakin]

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, but Amazon has the preorder for Red River at 27.97, it's msrp is 49.99 but they have it at 39.99. Almost half off... Anyone know if they've honored mix ups like this before?

[Tns49]

Originally Posted by deakin

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, but Amazon has the preorder for Red River at 27.97, it's msrp is 49.99 but they have it at 39.99. Almost half off... Anyone know if they've honored mix ups like this before?

Almost always honor prices. Good luck.

[Kolm14]

Need a little help deciding what to get when the sale rolls around. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I want to choose 4 out of these:

Beauty and The Beast
Tokyo Drifter
To Be or Not To Be
The Earrings of Madame De...
Solaris
The Lady Vanishes
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The 39 Steps
Foreign Correspondent
( I'd like to limit it to only 1 Hitchcock)

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I'd like to clarify something. I have Amazon Prime and this is the type of packaging I get when ordering 1-2 Criterion blu-rays:

[Show spoiler]

Does anyone NOT receive this packaging? I ask because I've never had a damaged case and wondering how others get their orders. Thanks!

I get mine in a variety of ways, like others have said.

Boxes for more than on disc with brown paper or air pockets
Bubble mailers for single orders
Box with disc "vacuumed sealed" to a piece of cardboard.

I have Prime, and have had one or two damaged. However, Amazon has always been great at replacing damaged packaging.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about Criterion's latest home run...



Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent emerged in theaters only a few months after his previous release, Rebecca, and both films received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture of 1940. The fact that these two movies are worlds apart with respect to plot structure and tone is a testament to Hitchcock's cinematic talents, and it's quite amazing to compare the brooding psychological atmospherics of the Best Picture winner, Rebecca, with the crowd-pleasing contrivances and timely urgency of Foreign Correspondent. Decades later, Steven Spielberg would show a similar versatility with his two iconic, but disparate, 1993 releases, Jurassic Park and Schindler's List.

Foreign Correspondent is a visual rollercoaster of elaborate set pieces, including an umbrella-lined city street, an isolated rural windmill, a dizzyingly high hotel ledge, a cathedral tower, and an airplane, that propel the viewer from one sequence to another with barely a moment to catch a breath, and I cannot help wondering if Spielberg might have had this film in mind when he helmed Raiders of the Lost Ark. In terms of plot and pacing, Foreign Correspondent deliberately winks at the audience by way of a comically rushed romantic relationship and uncannily precise developments, while simultaneously amping the tension and the sense of imminent threat with stylistic touches that lend a newsreel investigation broadcast effect to the proceedings. The final result is a seemingly effortless blend of lighthearted popcorn movie flourishes and a stern call to arms for America to set its pre-World War II isolationist policies aside for the greater good.

This Criterion Dual-Format Blu-ray/DVD package of Foreign Correspondent delivers an outstanding film presentation along with a treasure trove of extras that will put a smile on the face of any Hitchcock enthusiast. The video quality is stunning, and this is one of the better high definition transfers of a black-and-white 1940s film in my collection. Since this film is graced with a number of special effects sequences that will make present-day viewers shake their heads in wonder at how the scenes were created, the spectacular detail and impressive black levels are crucial advantages. On the audio front, the film sounds great for its age. Several supplements shed light on the importance of this movie's place in the propaganda of the era or on the creation of the special effects, but my personal favorite extra is a 1972 broadcast of Dick Cavett interviewing Hitchcock.

Thanks for this Owl... I'm drooling now waiting to watch this!!

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by deakin

Don't know if this has already been mentioned, but Amazon has the preorder for Red River at 27.97, it's msrp is 49.99 but they have it at 39.99. Almost half off... Anyone know if they've honored mix ups like this before?

Amazon is really good about honoring prices... though I don't know if it's a mispricing. The price is a number I've seen on Amazon before. I got It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World for $29.99 and Thief for $24.99. Though I've never looked to see if the MSRP was incorrect.

[hustlermane]

Originally Posted by Kolm14

Need a little help deciding what to get when the sale rolls around. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I want to choose 4 out of these:

Beauty and The Beast
Tokyo Drifter
To Be or Not To Be
The Earrings of Madame De...
Solaris
The Lady Vanishes
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The 39 Steps
Foreign Correspondent
( I'd like to limit it to only 1 Hitchcock)

NOT Earrings of Madame De…, the blu-ray transfer is infamously botched. Incredible film though (and cover artwork!), and there's a French blu-ray forthcoming that early word says is much better.

Tokyo Drifter is wild though, and Solaris is a classic. I'd recommend both.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

if you liked branded to kill and tokyo drifter you will most likely love this set !

Originally Posted by smoss469

I've got 2 more CC BD's to watch and 2 more Eclipse sets, the Nikkatsu Noir set is the one I'm going to watch next. Can't wait!

Thanks for the input and the recommendations! It looks like a great buy. I'll either get it during the flash sale (if there is one) or wait until my backlog of unwatched Blu-rays and DVDs goes down.

Originally Posted by jw007

Hey Cinemach, that's not fair! You stole my avatar! Well, mine looks a bit better.

Speaking of your avatar, I ordered a "Used - Like New" new hardcover of Michel Faber's Under the Skin for five dollars from Amazon, because I'd like to read the book before I see this particular film.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by Kolm14

Need a little help deciding what to get when the sale rolls around. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I want to choose 4 out of these:

The Lady Vanishes
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The 39 Steps
Foreign Correspondent
( I'd like to limit it to only 1 Hitchcock)

Sadly those would be my 4 choices, but if you had to pick I'd actually chose Branded to Kill instead of Tokyo Drifter.