The Criterion Collection

[Saucerful]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I agree. I didn't like the film at all. I thought the opening 45 minutes was an attempt to humanize the characters to make the film more tense, but failed miserably at doing so. While not a thriller, I think the opening period is somewhat analogous to the opening period in the Deer Hunter, which does an excellent job of making you care about and know the characters before the tragic events that follow.

Wages did have some nicely directed tense scenes, but ultimately if you don't care about the characters, the scenes don't have much of an effect.

It was one of my bigger disappointments in the collection.

You never know for sure how you are going to react to a film, but I went into Wages knowing almost nothing about it and it was one of the few films I've seen lately that absolutely blew me away on the first viewing. I loved every second of it and was on board with the characters right from the start.

The Deer Hunter's "first act" is a fair comparison, although in my opinion they both work well. Speaking of which, I was really hoping the deer in the New Year's drawing would be The Deer Hunter although I guess that's been debunked?

[aes3728]

First trip of sale completed:

Picnic at Hanging Rock
All that Heaven Allows
Smiles of a Summer Night
Videodrome
Life Aquatic
Ace in the Hole
Red River
Judex
Hard Day's Night

Threw on Videodrome when I got home. That was quite the experience. About to comb through the extras. Making me look forward to Scanners next week.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

I thought Raisin in the Sun turned out to be something else? The Big Chill?

And wasn't Wild Child Macbeth? (That clue was the person on the rug with the knife and blood, yeah?

I have a hard time believing that The Big Chill had more than one clue for the same exact film (people dancing and a random raisin). Not to mention, the clue regarding the raisin is so minute in The Big Chill, that it seems almost irrelevant. Lastly, the fact that Criterion and Sony have a partnership now pretty much seals the deal for me.

Macbeth was for the objects on the rug, yes, but apparently the girl is for something else (Wild Child is the only logical guess, as I can't see Criterion releasing something as terrible as Ringu).

[ngower]

Watched The Night of the Hunter tonight. Very good flick. The middle third had is so wonderfully suspenseful. One of few early-to-mid 20th century flicks that genuinely kept me on edge—the 39 Steps being the other. It did close a little flatly, but overall a solid film. Though it goes without saying, Robert Mitchum was fantastic. Checking out some of the special features now.

As someone with a budding/developing interest in cinematography, I was in LOVE with the framing and composition of these shots. Every single image has an incredibly symmetry to it. Inspiring, to say the least.

[atlantajoseph]

Sanity/OCD check:

Am I the only one here who cuts out and saves "Director Approved" wacky-C stickers from the shrinkwrap? I usually place inside the booklet for safekeeping.

Anyone else do this?

[atlantajoseph]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Confirmed Releases
La Dolce Vita (1960)

Well this would be spectacular and long overdue!! Thanks for sharing.

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

Sanity/OCD check:

Am I the only one here who cuts out and saves "Director Approved" wacky-C stickers from the shrinkwrap? I usually place inside the booklet for safekeeping.

Anyone else do this?

I peel them off and place on the front of the case

[K1NG J0RDAN]

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

Sanity/OCD check:

Am I the only one here who cuts out and saves "Director Approved" wacky-C stickers from the shrinkwrap? I usually place inside the booklet for safekeeping.

Anyone else do this?

I do that too. Except mine are in a pile in my closet at the moment.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

I thought Raisin in the Sun turned out to be something else? The Big Chill?

And wasn't Wild Child Macbeth? (That clue was the person on the rug with the knife and blood, yeah?

I brought that up before as well. The raisins dancing to Motown like in the ads = big chill cast dancing to Motown.

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I agree. I didn't like the film at all. I thought the opening 45 minutes was an attempt to humanize the characters to make the film more tense, but failed miserably at doing so. While not a thriller, I think the opening period is somewhat analogous to the opening period in the Deer Hunter, which does an excellent job of making you care about and know the characters before the tragic events that follow.



Wages did have some nicely directed tense scenes, but ultimately if you don't care about the characters, the scenes don't have much of an effect.



It was one of my bigger disappointments in the collection.

Couldn't disagree more ... I thought WOF had an excellent beginning ... I don't think it's possible to compare it to the epic that the Deer Hunter is. I thought WOF was far more successful at establishing characters than Sorcerer.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I brought that up before as well. The raisins dancing to Motown like in the ads = big chill cast dancing to Motown.

The group of people are dancing to the band (The Big Chill and All That Jazz, respectively). The raisin really seems to be irrelevant to that whole section of the newsletter, hence it's location further back.

[Ausjdm]

Safe is coming to CC that's f'n awesome I loved that movie! That list of movies coming out is amazing.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by mdonovan

Couldn't disagree more ... I thought WOF had an excellent beginning ... I don't think it's possible to compare it to the epic that the Deer Hunter is. I thought WOF was far more successful at establishing characters than Sorcerer.

Fair enough. In the last sentence I assume you didn't mean Sorcerer?

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

I peel them off and place on the front of the case

Me too...

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The Big City left me speechless.

The Big City is probably my favorite Ray film and I have seen all 30 films (including 1 TV film) he directed...

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

The Big City is probably my favorite Ray film and I have seen all 30 films (including 1 TV film) he directed...

Wow! That makes me pretty happy haha.

I enjoyed The Coward and Charulata and I thought that The Music Room was just okay. That being said, The Big City!

[aes3728]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Fair enough. In the last sentence I assume you didn't mean Sorcerer?

I'm assuming that they were drawing comparisons from the original WoF to the remake being Sorcerer

[Scottie]

I have been looking into the Criterion conference titles that have been teased / announced and here are the lists.

2011

Apu Trilogy
Anatomy of a Murder
Frampton set
a Hal Ashby film (Ian on the forum thinks it’s Harold and Maude)
Shallow Grave

2012

Badlands / Pre-Code Warner Bros film
A Brighter Summer Day / Limite / World Cinema Foundation
Eclipse titles getting stand-alone releases (Les Miserables / Jungle Book mentioned)
Fellini’s Satyricon / Jacques Rivette / more Imamura
Richard III / Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp Blu-rays
The Devil’s Backbone
Le Samourai
Shoah
Apu Trilogy / more Satyajit Ray films
On The Waterfront

2013

The Chaplin canon (discussing the possibility to acquire)
Napoleon (1927) (discussing the possibility of moving forward)
The Devils (neither said or not said)
The Emigrants / The New Land (Troell) (WB showed interest in Criterion licensing)
Safe (1995)
More Oshima (Boy is on the list)
More Cronenberg (Scanners? The Brood?)
More Howard Hawks ("two versions" - Red River)

[The Bronx Bull]

Looking to trade the following (like new) Criterion blu's for almost any other Criterion blu's (that I don't own)... send me a PM!

Cronos
Shallow Grave
Overlord

[jayj15]

I rented Carol Reed's "Odd Man Out" from Criterion on Itunes. While it wasn't quite as good as "The Third Man" it was one of the best film noirs I've seen. Check it out if you haven't seen it. Picture quality was great, maybe this gets announced on the 15th?