The Criterion Collection

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Yeah, I would, without a doubt, pull the trigger on both Lifeboat and The Lost Weekend right now if I had a Region Free player and knew that they would never see a release date in the United States for a long ways away.

I have a feeling we'll see both within the next year or so, at least I hope we do...

I'd go with Lifeboat, The Tarnished Angels, Make Way For Tomorrow from MoC. The 3 additional Antoine Doinel films, Peeping Tom, and The Lodger from other distributors.

Don't Look Now is available, too, but the PQ is supposed to be crap.

I fear that some of the remaining Melville titles will never be released here and my most hoped for title - Chabrol's Le Boucher.. unless Cohen puts it out, I just don't expect to see it.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by jw007

Imagine if someone decided to get rid of the title cards and put subtitles to really old silent films. Aside it from being totally illegal, even if it was legal to do, do you think that would be unethical? Could scholars/historians/fans of the films figure out, by reading lips, what words were being said, in order to make subtitles for these ancient silent films?

I wonder how different the viewing experience would be?

That would seem like an entirely pointless endeavor.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by jw007

Imagine if someone decided to get rid of the title cards and put subtitles to really old silent films. Aside it from being totally illegal, even if it was legal to do, do you think that would be unethical? Could scholars/historians/fans of the films figure out, by reading lips, what words were being said, in order to make subtitles for these ancient silent films?

I wonder how different the viewing experience would be?

That sounds like a job for Ted Turner!

[Snicket]

I just read that paramount bought the video rights to Boyhood. No more Criterion. Unless it's a CCOBB thing.

[Polaroid]

Digipak! Get in there !!! So excited to get this :P

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

[Show spoiler]

Digipak! Get in there !!! So excited to get this :P

I just rewatched it yesterday and I didn't really like it this go around. I thought it was cool when I first saw it, but it just seemed too silly for me now.

Part of me thinks that some of the concepts explored in later works, specifically Twin Peaks, were first brought to light in that film, such as

[Show spoiler]the alternate dimensions and what not.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Stolen Kisses is a great film. I'd buy without hesitation - although, I'm going to wait for CC to upgrade their Doinel box.

I've ordered the UK release (having also ordered The Soft Skin already picked up Shoot The Pianist), but will happily double dip should Criterion choose to release the set on Blu-ray too.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I just rewatched it yesterday and I didn't really like it this go around. I thought it was cool when I first saw it, but it just seemed too silly for me now.

Part of me thinks that some of the concepts explored in later works, specifically Twin Peaks, were first brought to light in that film, such as

[Show spoiler]the alternate dimensions and what not.

Aw thats a shame I can watch this over and over, I love the world Lynch created and the atmosphere.

Maybe its as you said because you love Twin Peaks and its been fresh on your mind?

I haven't seen his short film in a long time either so its also great they included them in the package ^^ Just wish they was releasing a boxset of ALL his works! lol

I do wonder how this transfer will compare to Lynches cleaned up version he did before? sure I read he obsessively went over each frame cleaning it up etc

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Awesome! Will have to look at the Eureka site to see what prices are like. Thanks for the info.

Eureka are the closest thing we have to Criterion in the UK. I'm very fond of them, and own a complete Masters Of Cinema collection! Their website offers fantastic customer service too (one of the team is a frequent contributor to the MoC thread over in the UK forums).

[ultlife2013]

Children Of Men would be an awesome addition to the Criterion collection. The film already has awesome audio and video quality but only around 1 hour of extras. Criterion could upgrade those to at least 780i and add another hour at least of extras. Plus a nice essay booklet and packaging.

Who's with me and who's against me?!

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Children Of Men would be an awesome addition to the Criterion collection. The film already has awesome audio and video quality but only around 1 hour of extras. Criterion could upgrade those to at least 780i and add another hour at least of extras. Plus a nice essay booklet and packaging.

Who's with me and who's against me?!

Great film, really hard to fault it, incredible cinematography, brilliant performances from everyone involved, a realistic take on the future too.

I would NOT complain about Criterion releasing it haha

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Great film, really hard to fault it, incredible cinematography, brilliant performances from everyone involved, a realistic take on the future too.



I would NOT complain about Criterion releasing it haha

The collection needs more Cuaron in it ASAP!

My only real issues with the film is the ending and some overdramatic scenes. But it's still shot so nicely and edited amazingly.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

The collection needs more Cuaron in it ASAP!

My only real issues with the film is the ending and some overdramatic scenes. But it's still shot so nicely and edited amazingly.

I dont mind the ending and I thinK I know what scenes you mean but for me they had to be over dramatised, those scenes were he importance to the story and the characters and I think it worked really well

He is a very talented director - I LOVED Gravity and thought it had an incredible use of 3D (something I avoid at all costs) - maybe Criterion should release that on 3D Bluray like Pina! haha!

I would love to see Alejandro González Iñárritu featured in the collection, he's made some devastating films.

[silverlakephil]

[QUOTE=ultlife2013;9619547]Children Of Men would be an awesome addition to the Criterion collection. The film already has awesome audio and video quality but only around 1 hour of extras. Criterion could upgrade those to at least 780i and add another hour at least of extras. Plus a nice essay booklet and packaging.

Who's with me and who's against me?![/QUOTE]

I have my hand up. Michael Caine was so good it in. The scene with him in it with Ruby Tuesday playing in the background was so heartbreaking.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I have my hand up. Michael Caine was so good it in. The scene with him in it with Rudy Tuesday playing in the background was so heartbreaking.

Julianne Moore blew me away in it - she, as usual, was incredible to watch!

[Sinthetic]

Hell yeah, I knew Eraserhead was going to be a Digipack.

Oh and Children of Men would be a perfect film for the CC.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by jw007

I watched all the supplements from The Freshman last night and thought it was a great package in addition to the film.

One thing that struck me though was, how come back in the silent era (1910s-1920s), subtitles weren't used? Instead they used panels with text in between shots/sequences, but that is almost like subtitles, except more of a general "idea" that was going on in the scene as opposed to "word for word" dialogue. Perhaps the technology did not yet exist for subtitles back then or maybe it would have been too distracting for audiences.

If anyone can shed some light on this, I'd love to know more.

It's stuff like this that leads to me believe that silent films and sound films are essentially two different art forms that happen to use the same medium.

There's typically a different language being used to communicate ideas with the audience. Obviously, sound films use visual storytelling to a great extent in many films, and heck some sound films are practically silent anyways. But great silent films aren't "missing sound." They are created with a storytelling method that is 100% visual.

A truly great silent film doesn't need cards or subtitles. If it's made correctly everything that needs to be communicated can be done so visually.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Children Of Men would be an awesome addition to the Criterion collection. The film already has awesome audio and video quality but only around 1 hour of extras. Criterion could upgrade those to at least 780i and add another hour at least of extras. Plus a nice essay booklet and packaging.

Who's with me and who's against me?!

Not holding my hand up here, I'm afraid. I honestly think Cuaron is a visual genius, but he chooses/commissions/co-writes some of the crappiest scripts that make it to the screen. I was completely rapt in Gravity from the great opening visuals, but when we got the big reveal about Ryan's mystery just after, I groaned aloud. Loudly. (Yeah, I'm that guy in the theater.) It seemed so trite, especially in contrast to the fantastic visuals.

And it was the same thing in Children of Men, which I rewatched after. Another trite, obvious script with spectacular visuals. Does Cuaron have some kind of madonna complex? I'd love to see him interpret a script that a producer gave him, though I think he's probably too big for that to happen now. Or maybe his collaborators could just set up a rule that Cuaron doesn't get to write any more women's roles.

But speaking of Julianne Moore, I'm thrilled that Safe is going to be on blu at all, and on Criterion! Saw it when it came out some 10 years ago, and I can't say it was riveting from moment to moment. But when it gets where it's going, what a film! Safe has stayed with more than most films, and though I'd never recommend it to someone I don't know, I think people who have more formal tolerance will respond to it. I certainly didn't know that Julianne Moore could act like that. Lots of people don't like her, but I'm not one. She carries this film and creates a tension every moment she's on the screen that keeps you watching.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

yeah, their Lifeboat release looks pretty awesome, too. I know there is a region free version available, but the packaging for the MoC looks so much better... and the supplements seem impressive.

If supplements are important make sure your player/tv combo can handle 50hz. 1080p is 1080p the world over but even if you get past region-coding you can run into trouble with 1080i or SD materials on non-US discs.

The person at the store should know what you're talking about...just remember to ask.

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Eureka are the closest thing we have to Criterion in the UK. I'm very fond of them, and own a complete Masters Of Cinema collection! Their website offers fantastic customer service too (one of the team is a frequent contributor to the MoC thread over in the UK forums).

How odd you should say that, just this week I concluded an outstanding experience with their customer service. I ordered a couple steelbooks from them recently and one was slightly dinged and the inner plastic disc hub was cracked so that one of the two discs could not be secured. All I wanted was a replacement insert and a few days later a new, sealed steel was in my Chicago mailbox.

You can't beat that.

[soarinsteven]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I would love to see Alejandro González Iñárritu featured in the collection, he's made some devastating films.

Yes! I'm eagerly awaiting high def releases of Amores perros and 21 Grams.