The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Page14

I watched ITMFL for the first time a few nights ago. Loved it! (... not to mention Maggie Cheung Man-yuk being very easy on the eyes). I'm still working my way through the special features.

I watched In the Mood for Love last week, and was so enthralled by the movie that I watched it a second time the following night. It's a remarkable Criterion title.

Originally Posted by oildude

I can think of some non-Criterion titles, which I have spoiler tagged below. In a similar vein, these are all moving and emotionally compelling character driven films showing the pain of circumstances and the struggle to overcome and find redemption, in some cases to the edge of life itself. Not all of these are quite as depressing as Umberto D is in places (although Tomorrow may actually top it), each documents struggles and the real threat of bottoming out. All are fantastic films with powerful life affirming lessons to be learned:

[Show spoiler]
Tomorrow (1972, Joseph Anthony, a devastating film, one of the most profoundly moving I have seen, with a great performance from Robert Duvall - available exclusively from B2MP)




The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler)




The Men (Fed Zinnemann, also Marlon Brando's first starring role - available from Olive - check out DVD Planet where Olive's are cheap as of a couple of days ago)




The Slender Thread (Sydney Pollack, starring Sidney Poitier, also from Olive)




The Apartment (Billy Wilder)

One other film that comes to mind for similar reasons is a Criterion - Harakiri. A superb film, where the main character seeks to find salvation from the pains and injustices that life circumstances - and wicked men - have done to him. Being Japanese, and a samurai, the path he chooses to find fulfillment and end his pain is culturally correct, yet different in implementation than the viewer might expect, and the result is an edge-of-your-seat experience.

I could not agree more with regard to The Apartment and The Best Years of Our Lives. They're both outstanding.

Tomorrow (the Robert Duvall film) is sitting in my unwatched Blu-ray stack right now, and I'm looking forward to my first viewing.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Can anybody recommend me films similar to this? I also love It's A Wonderful Life and Wild Strawberries where we're shown the hurt and sadness of the main character before being shown the beauty of life.

I would also recommend you watching De Sica's Shoeshine, which is on DVD from Masters of Cinema. It's a no-brainer, especially since you have seen Umberto D. now and The Bicycle Thieves.

[Clare2904]

DVD planet are having a Criterion sale

http://www.dvdplanet.com/Search/grp/...Criterion-Sale

[PowellPressburger]

I started listening to the commentary track last nite for All That Heaven Allows, and it is good. I really hope if Written on the Wind gets a BLU upgrade they could also be able to include a commentary for that movie. ATHA is really good and the new transfer is wonderful. WotW is my favorite though I just love Lauren Bacall in the film.

I also picked up L'eclisse and my DVD copy does feature that incorrect commetary track from "Riot" Normally I never ever touch the DVD copies except for ... you guessed it the commentary tracks which I play on the DVD from my computer so I can listen to them as I work. (I am sure Criterion will do an exchange for the errored disc.)

[Scottie]

Heads-up, folks. TCM will be showing Kieslowski's Three Colors Trilogy on June 23 beginning at 2 A.M. EST.

Originally Posted by oildude

The Best Years of Our Lives is an exceptional experience. It perfectly captures the torments of returning WWII servicemen, some shattered physically, all emotionally impacted, and the effects this has on those around them. Each main character is seeking a way back to normalcy, while holding off the personal demons that no one understands except other veterans. It is an emotional rollercoaster that hits on all the right notes.

Don't delay on Harakiri. I was not a big samurai movie fan at the time (although that view is now changing), so I let it sit on my shelf too for an extended period. Then one day I watched it, and it is now among my favorites in the Criterion Collection. It is done so well on so many levels, another emotionally affecting film, where the beauty in life may be the manner of death itself.

Thanks for the further information.

I think I'm going to blind buy The Best Years of Our Lives, unless I can find it on TCM. It sounds like a film that I will truly enjoy and one that will not feel its runtime.

RE: Harakiri - I'm not the biggest samurai fan, but I'm truly engulfed in Kurosawa's films (which I've further been watching lately). I don't have too many samurai films left, but this one will be the next one I watch.

Originally Posted by ccfixx

I would also recommend you watching De Sica's Shoeshine, which is on DVD from Masters of Cinema. It's a no-brainer, especially since you have seen Umberto D. now and The Bicycle Thieves.

Awesome. I'll check it out.

[MKej]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

I would also recommend you watching De Sica's Shoeshine, which is on DVD from Masters of Cinema. It's a no-brainer, especially since you have seen Umberto D. now and The Bicycle Thieves.

+ Miracolo a Milano

[Clare2904]

The upcoming B&N sale, it is a straight 50% off the RRP?

I ask as 2 DVD's I have my eye on are listed with a RRP of $39.99 so they will be priced at £20 during the sale, the same as most Blu's?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

The upcoming B&N sale, it is a straight 50% off the RRP?

I ask as 2 DVD's I have my eye on are listed with a RRP of $39.99 so they will be priced at £20 during the sale, the same as most Blu's?

Yes and yes.

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Yes and yes.

Thank you and Thank you

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Not a Kurosawa film but Masaki Kobayashi.

Oh yes, I know.

I was just stating I've been watching Kurosawa films.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by MKej

+ Miracolo a Milano

The UK blu ray of that has another good film from De Sica, Il Tetto (The Roof) only on dvd though. I thought it was better than Miracle in Milan tbh.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iscottie

well, my emotions are in an uproar after watching umberto d. It's such a powerful film in the sense that it is incredibly depressing yet reaffirming about life.

Can anybody recommend me films similar to this? I also love it's a wonderful life and wild strawberries where we're shown the hurt and sadness of the main character before being shown the beauty of life.

Thank you!

Ikiru!!

only a tad bit schmaltzy.. did make me think of it's a wonderful life, but it is so much better.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Ikiru!!

only a tad bit schmaltzy.. did make me think of it's a wonderful life, but it is so much better.

I really want to see it! I wish Criterion released it on Blu-ray.

EDIT: Just saw that it's on Hulu! Woo hoo!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I really want to see it! I wish Criterion released it on Blu-ray.

EDIT: Just saw that it's on Hulu! Woo hoo!

"I also love it's a wonderful life and wild strawberries where we're shown the hurt and sadness of the main character before being shown the beauty of life."

It is EXACTLY this type of film. I'd be really surprised if you didn't say that, at very least, you really liked it.

[bwdowiak]

I was, for a long while, considering a blind buy for Red River. I am, by no means, a fan of westerns, but 1) a good film is a good film regardless of it's genre or subject matter and 2 ) I am thinking about collecting all of the Montgomery Clift films on blu-ray.

I still might pick it up, but my curiosity may have piqued for All That Heaven Allows... apart from the cinematography and the use of colors and whatnot, is the story entertaining? Being that I've posted so much here over recent months, maybe some of you might know what I enjoy. would you recommend it for me? nobody will be held responsible if I think it stinks.

I have no real reason to draw this comparison, but the CC Technicolor champ up until this release has been The Red Shoes and while I can't say that it didn't look great, I found the lack of a story (ok, it shows up in the last 25 minutes in a rather hurried fashion) to be detrimental to the film.

I did, however, really enjoy a film like Leave Her To Heaven where the color cinematography was more at the service of the film as opposed to being the main attraction.

What do you think? btw.. I have seen zero Douglas Sirk films.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I was, for a long while, considering a blind buy for Red River. I am, by no means, a fan of westerns, but 1) a good film is a good film regardless of it's genre or subject matter and 2 ) I am thinking about collecting all of the Montgomery Clift films on blu-ray.

I still might pick it up, but my curiosity may have piqued for All That Heaven Allows... apart from the cinematography and the use of colors and whatnot, is the story entertaining? Being that I've posted so much here over recent months, maybe some of you might know what I enjoy. would you recommend it for me? nobody will be held responsible if I think it stinks.

I have no real reason to draw this comparison, but the CC Technicolor champ up until this release has been The Red Shoes and while I can't say that it didn't look great, I found the lack of a story (ok, it shows up in the last 25 minutes in a rather hurried fashion) to be detrimental to the film.

I did, however, really enjoy a film like Leave Her To Heaven where the color cinematography was more at the service of the film as opposed to being the main attraction.

What do you think? btw.. I have seen zero Douglas Sirk films.

ATHA is a MELODRAMA, but it's a Douglas Sirk melodrama and the Technicolor is arguably the star of the movie ATHA has a story, but in the hands of a lesser director, it would be pure schmaltz. Sirk makes it beautiful. That's all I can say.

I just watched The Tarnished Angels on TCM the other day and I was surprised that it was filmed in black & white, but Technicolor would probably have been a distraction to that story. I think of Tarnished Angels as Sirk Noir.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I was, for a long while, considering a blind buy for Red River. I am, by no means, a fan of westerns, but 1) a good film is a good film regardless of it's genre or subject matter and 2 ) I am thinking about collecting all of the Montgomery Clift films on blu-ray.

I still might pick it up, but my curiosity may have piqued for All That Heaven Allows... apart from the cinematography and the use of colors and whatnot, is the story entertaining? Being that I've posted so much here over recent months, maybe some of you might know what I enjoy. would you recommend it for me? nobody will be held responsible if I think it stinks.

I have no real reason to draw this comparison, but the CC Technicolor champ up until this release has been The Red Shoes and while I can't say that it didn't look great, I found the lack of a story (ok, it shows up in the last 25 minutes in a rather hurried fashion) to be detrimental to the film.

I did, however, really enjoy a film like Leave Her To Heaven where the color cinematography was more at the service of the film as opposed to being the main attraction.

What do you think? btw.. I have seen zero Douglas Sirk films.

By both! Two of the greatest films ever made!

[Andrew13]

Just watched Harakiri for the first time last night. Phenomenal film, possibly the best samurai film I've seen outside of Seven Samurai. Looking over the rest of Kobayashi's filmography, is there a particular route anyone would recommend? I've currently eyeballing The Human Condition as a potential blind buy during the B&N sale, as a near future blu-ray upgrade seems unlikely, though I'd be lying if I said the 10 hour running time wasn't somewhat intimidating.

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by Andrew13

Just watched Harakiri for the first time last night. Phenomenal film, possibly the best samurai film I've seen outside of Seven Samurai. Looking over the rest of Kobayashi's filmography, is there a particular route anyone would recommend? I've currently eyeballing The Human Condition as a potential blind buy during the B&N sale, as a near future blu-ray upgrade seems unlikely, though I'd be lying if I said the 10 hour running time wasn't somewhat intimidating.

Samurai Rebellion by Kobayashi is pretty damn entertaining. Still haven't gotten around to Human Condition yet though.

[Polaroid]

Nearly 15th wood best day of the month lol XD well, not for my bank!