The Criterion Collection

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I'm a big Cronenberg fan. Just saw Scanners for the first time today. Maybe it's I waited 2 years for it idk but was kind of a let down for me. The concept was really cool. The acting though is pretty poor and just seemed like there were many plot holes and cheesy parts. Videodrome is way better imo.

It has some really amazing parts but also has some really bad bits haha, I like it though, but there's a lot that can be improved, oh well - it's a film to sit back and just enjoy :-)

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I'm a big Cronenberg fan. Just saw Scanners for the first time today. Maybe it's I waited 2 years for it idk but was kind of a let down for me. The concept was really cool. The acting though is pretty poor and just seemed like there were many plot holes and cheesy parts. Videodrome is way better imo.

I love Scanners, but I love it because of the strong dose of 1980s childhood nostalgia that accompanies each viewing.

Scanners is a drive-in movie, through and through. This is why I chose it to cap off a fun week of Scream Factory horror movies and such (Deadly Eyes, The Burning, Deadly Blessing, the first two Friday the 13th movies, Just Before Dawn, Southern Comfort, The Final Terror).

I hold Scanners in equal regard with the above movies in that it's a flawed, but outrageously fun B-movie. The fact that it was released in a package with the Criterion "C" on the cover does not change that.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I'm a big Cronenberg fan. Just saw Scanners for the first time today. Maybe it's I waited 2 years for it idk but was kind of a let down for me. The concept was really cool. The acting though is pretty poor and just seemed like there were many plot holes and cheesy parts. Videodrome is way better imo.

I'd say Scanners is easily the most "b" film Cronenberg ever made, and whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you. Personally, it ranks towards the bottom of his filmography for me. I still bought the blu, because i'm a HUGE Cronenberg fan.

[dannyfriar]

I'm about to delve into the John Cassavetes set tonight. Which film should I start with?

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just got back from seeing the 75th anniversary showing of Gone with the Wind at Fox Theatre.

I thought that I was going to be the only person lame enough to spend a beautiful summer day like today inside a movie theater for four hours, but it turns out that this showing was completely sold out, and Fox Theatre was packed. Come to think of it, I guess that an anniversary showing of Gone with the Wind might be kinda sorta popular here in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fox Theatre treated us to old-school movie news and a cartoon before the movie started, just as was done at theaters decades ago. Live music was played for the overture and the intermission. That was a great touch.

Watching Gone with the Wind with a huge audience was so much fun. The crowd cheered at the signature cues (first camera shot of Rhett Butler, first camera shot of Mammy, Scarlett's red dress, Rhett's final line, etc.). The humorous aspects of the movie came across so well with a crowd. Finally, you could have heard a pin drop during the sequence where the camera pans out to show Scarlett walking by hundreds of wounded and dead soldiers on the street.


(I know this is not Criterion-releated, but, hey, give me a break. It does make me want a Blu-ray upgrade of That Hamilton Woman soon, though.)

When they reissued it way back in '68 a friend and I went to see it on a weekday afternoon and just before it started about 25 or 30 girls from the Catholic High School up the street plus Nuns sat down on the opposite side. It was funny because every time one of the many sad scenes took place you could hear this almost unified sniffle from that section and looking over I would see this entire section with tissues dabbing away.

Back to Criterion-thinking about the recent anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing got me to order from B&N:
For All Mankind
Things to Come

I have some other titles that my daughter picked up for me and I'll list them when I receive those.
Just a TCM reminder-Pandora's Box and La Haine are on later tonight.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

I'm about to delve into the John Cassavetes set tonight. Which film should I start with?

I think chronological is the best way.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

(I know this is not Criterion-releated, but, hey, give me a break. It does make me want a Blu-ray upgrade of That Hamilton Woman soon, though.)

Well, for the record, Criterion had planned to release Gone with the Wind on laserdisc. I don't know for sure what scotched their plans, but I suspect it happened when Ted Turner sold his catalog holdings to AOL-Time-Warner.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Well, for the record, Criterion had planned to release Gone with the Wind on laserdisc. I don't know for sure what scotched their plans, but I suspect it happened when Ted Turner sold his catalog holdings to AOL-Time-Warner.

There's also a wonderful reference to Gone with the Wind in Melville's Army of Shadows.

[nondiatonic]

Had some friends in from out of town this weekend. I showed them Close-Up and we went to see Venus in Fur at the theater (obviously predictable, but well executed and effective. Not his best, certainly, but I'm extremely glad I got to see this in theaters. Awaiting an American BD release to be announced).


We finished the weekend with me showing them Breaking the Waves.

Jesus. This second viewing was uncomfortably intense. I've never been so strongly emotionally affected by a film. I just can't shake the feeling.

[Show spoiler]Right after Jan's accident I was wondering if I had the emotional fortitude to make it through what was to come. Bess gradually becoming a martyr through her innocent, pure, and selfless attempts to save Jan is the most tragic thing I've ever seen on film. I know a lot of people talk about Salo being an uncomfortable, difficult, and disturbing watch, but Breaking the Waves definitely has it beat.

I don't think I can rewatch it for a while, but it has become one of my all time favorite films.

Transcendent.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

Had some friends in from out of town this weekend. I showed them Close-Up and we went to see Venus in Fur at the theater (obviously predictable, but well executed and effective. Not his best, certainly, but I'm extremely glad I got to see this in theaters. Awaiting an American BD release to be announced).


We finished the weekend with me showing them Breaking the Waves.

Jesus. This second viewing was uncomfortably intense. I've never been so strongly emotionally affected by a film. I just can't shake the feeling.

[Show spoiler]Right after Jan's accident I was wondering if I had the emotional fortitude to make it through what was to come. Seeing Bess gradually become a martyr through her innocent, pure, and selfless attempts to save Jan is the most tragic thing I've ever seen on film. I know a lot of people talk about Salo being an uncomfortable, difficult, and disturbing watch, but Breaking the Waves definitely has it beat.

I don't think I can rewatch it for a while, but it has become one of my all time favorite films.

Transcendent.

Well said. I agree with pretty much everything you said. Showed it to my wife this weekend. She liked it a lot. It speaks so well about so many things.

[The Great Owl]

I'm enjoying some of Nicolas Roeg's work from his days as a cinematographer before he started directing.

I watched The Masque of the Red Death (from The Vincent Price Collection) this morning, and am now going through it again with the commentary track. Roeg's early visual talents are on wondrous display here, and I cannot help wondering if the look of the Death in this movie was an influence for a pivotal figure in Roeg's Don't Look Now.

Seeing Roeg's otherworldly imagery in a Poe adaptation is a real treat.

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I'm a big Cronenberg fan. Just saw Scanners for the first time today. Maybe it's I waited 2 years for it idk but was kind of a let down for me. The concept was really cool. The acting though is pretty poor and just seemed like there were many plot holes and cheesy parts. Videodrome is way better imo.

Same here. I'm a huge Cronenberg fan but Scanners is only an OK film. I bought the Criterion for two reasons: 1) I needed to add a title to my B&N purchases to qualify for the $5 off $50 coupon; and 2) it came with Stereo.

[jw007]

Made my final haul today at the B&N 50% off sale using the $5 off $50 or more coupon.

I bought:

Insomnia
Riot in Cell Block 11
All that Heaven Allows

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

Made my final haul today at the B&N 50% off sale using the $5 off $50 or more coupon.

I bought:

Insomnia
Riot in Cell Block 11
All that Heaven Allows

Insomnia is a tremendous improvement over the Criterion DVD, and it jumped up pretty high on my list of favorite color releases from the studio.

I'll be interested to read your thoughts about Riot in Cell Block 11. This Don Siegel film does not get a lot of discussion in this thread, but I loved it when I watched it several months ago upon its release. I love how the movie is an early display of Siegel's ongoing themes about how our emotions help to define what makes us human.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Insomnia is a tremendous improvement over the Criterion DVD, and it jumped up pretty high on my list of favorite color releases from the studio.

I'll be interested to read your thoughts about Riot in Cell Block 11.

i know you're not asking me, but i LOVE Riot in Cell Block 11..... and I am right there with you on the power and enjoyability of Insomnia, but I would not even know where to begin in assembling a 'list' of best monochrome/color/pre-whatever-year/post what ever year, etc etc....



edit; i'm hoping this thread is safe to return to

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Insomnia is a tremendous improvement over the Criterion DVD, and it jumped up pretty high on my list of favorite color releases from the studio.

I'll be interested to read your thoughts about Riot in Cell Block 11. This Don Siegel film does not get a lot of discussion in this thread, but I loved it when I watched it several months ago upon its release. I love how the movie is an early display of Siegel's ongoing themes about how our emotions help to define what makes us human.

I feel compelled to watch Insomnia tonight. I think I will. I really am looking forward to this stunning new transfer. I read all the great reviews about the video quality of this release and look forward to seeing this myself.

As for Riot in Cell Block 11, I agree that there isn't too much talk about this film in this thread. I was deciding between buying that and Ace in the Hole, and went with Riot. I am not too familiar with Siegel's work so this would be a good introduction for me.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

I'm about to delve into the John Cassavetes set tonight. Which film should I start with?

If I have apprehensions about which end of the pool I dive into, I typically make plot synopsis and running time (shorter better for starters) my indicators

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm enjoying some of Nicolas Roeg's work from his days as a cinematographer before he started directing.

I watched The Masque of the Red Death (from The Vincent Price Collection) this morning, and am now going through it again with the commentary track. Roeg's early visual talents are on wondrous display here, and I cannot help wondering if the look of the Death in this movie was an influence for a pivotal figure in Roeg's Don't Look Now.

Seeing Roeg's otherworldly imagery in a Poe adaptation is a real treat.

I see you do not own Insignificance and Performance. While the latter can be pretty tough to get into, Insignificance is a real treat.

Re: Masque of Red Death. I do not remember it being that "otherworldly" looking. Maybe another viewing is in order.

[GasmaskAvenger]

Originally Posted by CinemaBlu

I bought the Criterion for two reasons: 1) I needed to add a title to my B&N purchases to qualify for the $5 off $50 coupon; and 2) it came with Stereo.

I hope Criterion's inevitable "The Brood" blu-ray will contain a 2K transfer of "Crimes of the Future".

Heck, they should also toss in some of the other early Cronenberg shorts too if it's possible.

Anyhow, I need Criterion's Scanners blu-ray since I already bought Scream Factory's Scanners 2/Scanners 3 double feature and those films would be pretty lonely without it's elder sibling standing beside them. Plus, you can't go wrong with double dipping on anything Cronenberg does

[Show spoiler](with the exception of "A Dangerous Method", IMO)

[Scottie]

What version of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World do you folks prefer?

I watched the extended cut today and I enjoyed it, but can't help feel that it was extremely dragged out to the point where it went from fun to annoying.

Is the theatrical version better?