The Criterion Collection

[the sordid sentinel]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I'm about to start the Criterion version of Mona Lisa. Not the best picture/audio, but it doesn't matter - I'm only wanting to see a brilliant performance.

Brilliant performance for sure, and a great movie. RIP Bob Hoskins.

My favorite Coens:

1. Blood Simple
2. No Country for Old Men
3. Fargo
4. Miller's Crossing
5. Raising Arizona
6. The Big Lebowski
7. Barton Fink
8. True Grit

[starman15317]

Just finished watching Safety Last! What a great film.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I'm about to start the Criterion version of Mona Lisa. Not the best picture/audio, but it doesn't matter - I'm only wanting to see a brilliant performance.

I couldn't decide whether to watch Mona Lisa, The Long Good Friday, Brazil, or Who Framed Roger Rabbit tonight. So I've decided to go the dark horse route, and watch Atom Egoyan's Felicia's Journey.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

FULL PROGRAM:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=13861

Pro-B

I really hope this means a blu-ray of Dragon Gate Inn in the future. The films of King Hu NEEDS this.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by starman15317

Just finished watching Safety Last! What a great film.

It's wonderful. In my top 5 from the 1920s. I really need to watch The Freshman. I've had it on my shelf for weeks now and still haven't gotten to it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's wonderful. In my top 5 from the 1920s. I really need to watch The Freshman. I've had it on my shelf for weeks now and still haven't gotten to it.

I never got around to writing a User Review for The Freshman, but it's a hilarious flick that rivals Safety Last! in quite a few ways. I prefer the visual innovation in Safety Last!, but I relate more to the story in The Freshman.

The Freshman has a wonderful Criterion presentation across the board, in terms of the transfer and the supplements.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's wonderful. In my top 5 from the 1920s. I really need to watch The Freshman. I've had it on my shelf for weeks now and still haven't gotten to it.

I've had it for weeks, as well, but I haven't seen it yet.

I'm not the biggest fan of Safety Last! but here's my 1920s rankings for what it's worth.

Feature Films
01. Metropolis (1927)
02. Sunrise (1927)
03. Lonesome (1928)
04. The Gold Rush (1925)
05. Un Chien Andalou (1929)
06. Nosferatu (1922)
07. The Kid (1921)
08. Man With A Movie Camera (1929)
09. Safety Last! (1923)
10. Blackmail (1929)

Shorts
01. Steamboat Willie (1928)
02. The Skeleton Dance (1929)

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I've had it for weeks, as well, but I haven't seen it yet.

I'm not the biggest fan of Safety Last! but here's my 1920s rankings for what it's worth.

Feature Films
01. Metropolis (1927)
02. Sunrise (1927)
03. Lonesome (1928)
04. The Gold Rush (1925)
05. Un Chien Andalou (1929)
06. Nosferatu (1922)
07. The Kid (1921)
08. Man With A Movie Camera (1929)
09. Safety Last! (1923)
10. Blackmail (1929)

Shorts
01. Steamboat Willie (1928)
02. The Skeleton Dance (1929)

I don't know if you're region free, but Coeur Fidele is well worth checking out.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I don't know if you're region free, but Coeur Fidele is well worth checking out.

I'm not.

Thanks for the recommendation though, I'll try to find it.

[movieben1138]

Just paid my respects to Mr. Hoskins with THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. Great film. Great performer. He will be missed.

--Ben

[oildude]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I've had it for weeks, as well, but I haven't seen it yet.

I'm not the biggest fan of Safety Last! but here's my 1920s rankings for what it's worth.

Feature Films
01. Metropolis (1927)
02. Sunrise (1927)
03. Lonesome (1928)
04. The Gold Rush (1925)
05. Un Chien Andalou (1929)
06. Nosferatu (1922)
07. The Kid (1921)
08. Man With A Movie Camera (1929)
09. Safety Last! (1923)
10. Blackmail (1929)

Shorts
01. Steamboat Willie (1928)
02. The Skeleton Dance (1929)

Nice list. I highly recommend Fritz Lang's other silent masterpiece, Die Nibelungen. As much as I like Metropolis, Lang's five hour epic is on another level altogether. The sets are gargantuan and truly amazing. It has some fantastic performances. One of the most emotional roller coaster films I have ever seen, filled with tragically flawed heroes and scheming villains, stirring sword combats, and flame-filled battles. Some of the scenes are heartbreaking, especially one scene where Atilla the Hun experiences a personal tragedy. As a bonus, it has the original music score and it is among the best I have ever heard in a silent film.

I also recommend The Big Parade, if you have never seen it. An outstanding classic of silent cinema that has stood the test of time. Another film that I found packed with great performances and real emotion.

[Scottie]

I just finished "A Raisin In The Sun" and I'm really looking forward to Criterion's release of it. Sidney Poitier once again gives a fantastic performance in his role of Walter Lee Younger, the main protagonist of the film.

Even though many people consider the film to be racist, I think there are a lot of deep rooted messages beneath the surface, including discussions about civil rights, pride, and workmanship, just to name a few.

The film was only offered in SD and the picture and audio quality were quite good. I can only imagine how great it will look in HD!

Originally Posted by oildude

Nice list. I highly recommend Fritz Lang's other silent masterpiece, Die Nibelungen. As much as I like Metropolis, Lang's five hour epic is on another level altogether. The sets are gargantuan and truly amazing. It has some fantastic performances. One of the most emotional roller coaster films I have ever seen, filled with tragically flawed heroes and scheming villains, stirring sword combats, and flame-filled battles. Some of the scenes are heartbreaking, especially one scene where Atilla the Hun experiences a personal tragedy. As a bonus, it has the original music score and it is among the best I have ever heard in a silent film.

I also recommend The Big Parade, if you have never seen it. An outstanding classic of silent cinema that has stood the test of time. Another film that I found packed with great performances and real emotion.

Thanks for the recommendation. It certainly sounds interesting. I just searched it on Amazon Instant Video and they are streaming it for free for Prime members. The same thing for mostly all of his films, including the Dr. Mabuse Trilogy. When I get caught up on some more Blu-rays, I will give them a watch.

Browsing through my collection, I have the following 1920s films to watch.

The Big Parade
Broadway (Lonesome)
The Buster Keaton Collection (All)
The Freshman
The Last Performance (Lonesome)
Master Of The House
The Phantom Carriage
Wings

I've heard great things about all of them, so I'm looking forward to checking them out.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by oildude

Nice list. I highly recommend Fritz Lang's other silent masterpiece, Die Nibelungen. As much as I like Metropolis, Lang's five hour epic is on another level altogether. The sets are gargantuan and truly amazing. It has some fantastic performances. One of the most emotional roller coaster films I have ever seen, filled with tragically flawed heroes and scheming villains, stirring sword combats, and flame-filled battles. Some of the scenes are heartbreaking, especially one scene where Atilla the Hun experiences a personal tragedy. As a bonus, it has the original music score and it is among the best I have ever heard in a silent film.

I also recommend The Big Parade, if you have never seen it. An outstanding classic of silent cinema that has stood the test of time. Another film that I found packed with great performances and real emotion.

I'll second this, whole-heartedly. There are tons of other fantastic 1920s films on DVD, and a fair amount on Blu-ray that are also well-worth checking out. On Blu-ray, THE PENALTY, THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE, THE GREAT WHITE SILENCE, THE LODGER, SPARROWS, WINGS, and anything by Buster Keaton come to mind, among others. On DVD there are too numerous to mention.

EDIT: Just noticed you have a couple of these already! -- Watch 'em!

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's wonderful. In my top 5 from the 1920s. I really need to watch The Freshman. I've had it on my shelf for weeks now and still haven't gotten to it.

I actually like THE FRESHMAN quite a bit more than SAFETY LAST. It just seems more timeless and timely. Other Lloyd titles I love include THE KID BROTHER (possibly my favorite), WHY WORRY?, HOT WATER, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, and more. Hope these and the rest show up on Blu-ray soon from Criterion!

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

now that more people have chimed in with their top Coen films, I have to emphatically echo this sentiment. Blood Simple is a FANTASTIC film!

I love the extended chunk of the film that has no dialogue and no soundtrack, a la Hitchcock's Frenzy. they perfected that again when Anton has the honing device in No Country For Old Men. Melville has stretches of film like that, too. It's very suspenseful and I'm unaware of anybody outside of Hitch, the Coens, and Melville who have really pulled it off.

And FWIW, here are my top 10 Coen Brothers films at the moment. Order might change periodically. I actually got to see BLOOD SIMPLE shortly before its release, as our local theatre chain at the time had been one of the investors. I also happened to get to work on FARGO for a week! Frances McDormand was really nice! The Coens were nice, too!

1 Blood Simple
2 The Man Who Wasn't There
3 Fargo
4 Miller's Crossing
5 True Grit
6 O Brother Where Art Thou
7 The Hudsucker Proxy
8 Burn After Reading
9 No Country for Old Men
10 Intolerable Cruelty

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

I also happened to get to work on FARGO for a week! Frances McDormand was really nice! The Coens were nice, too!

Pic of name in credits or it didn't happen.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's too bad that Criterion did not upgrade The Long Good Friday to Blu-ray.

Arrow just revealed that they will be releasing all-new HD restorations of both Mona Lisa and The Long Good Friday, so its time to ditch those ancient Criterion DVDs and those awful AB BDs!

[The Great Owl]

Die Nibelungen is on my list of future purchases, since I've taken quite a liking to Fritz Lang's canon. I need to catch up on quite a few unwatched Blu-rays and DVDs on my shelf before I pull that trigger, though.

[lordmorpheus72]

hello again everyone, been a while for me in here (work and travel have kept me out)but jumping back in.

Finally starting to watch the films I picked up during the Flash Sale back in February... Started with my first re-watching of The Royal Tenenbaums. This was one of those movies I didn't like on the first watching, I didn't hate it, but didn't love it. I do enjoy most Wes Anderson films, but saw this early on and really wanted to give it a second chance... especially since it has such a great cast, including Bill Murray. Upon second viewing, I really enjoyed the film. I think either I hadn't seen enough of Wes Anderson films at the time, or was just in the wrong frame of mind. I know there are lot of non-fans of his, but I really enjoyed it and am glad I picked it up.

Second on the list was Modern Times. Again, and amazing Chaplin film. I love that he still filmed most of it as a silent film, even though it was made during the talkie era. The class struggle aspect was done so well, it seem seamless. Though my favorite part has to be the opening in the factory... simply amazing.

And on a sad note, so sad to read that Bob Hoskins has passed. So many great films, but I'll always remember him in The Wall, Hook, and of course Roger Rabbit. RIP Bob.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Die Nibelungen is on my list of future purchases, since I've taken quite a liking to Fritz Lang's canon. I need to catch up on quite a few unwatched Blu-rays and DVDs on my shelf before I pull that trigger, though.

Ministry of Fear is on my list to watch today if I can get to it. It'll be my first Fritz Lang film, I've yet to watch my copy of Metropolis. Very excited about this one!