The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by blu-bry

I'm curious what you guys think of the later films in the set. I enjoyed most of the earlier films more than the last few.

I've found it really depends on the writer or director of the film. I'll post more about this after I've completed the set.

[blu-bry]

We seriously need more Melville on Criterion Blu-ray. I enjoy every one of his films that I've seen and I own some of the Criterion DVDs.
I just watched "Le Silence de la Mer" for the first time on Hulu and immediately ordered the Eureka MOC disc. I was shocked that I hadn't seen this one before. I was captivated from beginning to end!
On a side note - I've only been to Paris once, but it has made me a sucker for most films that show the landmarks and monuments of that city. It brings back great memories.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I haven't seen too many Criterion DVDs, but the ones I have seen have been rather impressive, considering what the studio had to work with. Therefore, you can't really go wrong with it.

The film is also available on Hulu if you want to go that route (which is quite good, as well).

Thanks, Scottie! I agree - I have been impressed with the transfers on the CC DVDs I have seen.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was a happy camper when it came to the picture quality of my old Criterion DVD of L'Avventura. If I were you, though, I'd wait for the Blu-ray, because it's so close to release. The Blu-ray will probably turn a BMW into an Aston Martin.

Yeah, it would make sense to hold out knowing that something better is coming soon. I'm trying to capitalize, however, on the fact that many will be upgrading and unloading their old disc.

been hanging out here for too long... too many movies on me 'definite buy' list. I like to taper that wishlist down any way I can.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by blu-bry

I'm curious what you guys think of the later films in the set. I enjoyed most of the earlier films more than the last few.

I enjoy them. I prefer the episodes where Ichi

[Show spoiler]doesn't have to carry a baby around, and doesn't try to have a baby suck on his nipple.

but that's just me!

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by blu-bry

We seriously need more Melville on Criterion Blu-ray. I enjoy every one of his films that I've seen and I own some of the Criterion DVDs.
I just watched "Le Silence de la Mer" for the first time on Hulu and immediately ordered the Eureka MOC disc. I was shocked that I hadn't seen this one before. I was captivated from beginning to end!
On a side note - I've only been to Paris once, but it has made me a sucker for most films that show the landmarks and monuments of that city. It brings back great memories.

I felt the same way (captivated) when i watched Le Silence de la Mer.

I think travel and cinema go so well together. My experiences from one always enrich the other.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I felt the same way (captivated) when i watched Le Silence de la Mer.

I think travel and cinema go so well together. My experiences from one always enrich the other.

I still have the Blu-rays of Le Silence de la Mer and Two Men in Manhattan in my unwatched pile, but I hope to see them soon.

Le Cercle Rouge is my favorite Melville film, followed by Army of Shadows. I need to give Léon Morin another shot, as I don't remember it doing much for me on my first watch a year or so ago.

I hope Criterion decides to upgrade Le Samourai so that I can finally see. I would buy the DVD, but I have a feeling it will finally be announced.

[Scottie]

Yi Yi...

WHOA!

[Roninblues]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

4 Ripley novels read, 1 to go
22 Zatoichi films watched, 3 to go

It feels like I've known Ichi forever!

Then you can start with the TV series (100 episodes)

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Yi Yi...

WHOA!

[Show spoiler]I'm sorry, Grandma. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to you. I think all the stuff I could tell you... You must already know. Otherwise, you wouldn't always tell me to 'Listen!' They all say you've gone away. But you didn't tell me where you went. I guess it's someplace you think I should know. But, Grandma, I know so little. Do you know what I want to do when I grow up? I want to tell people things they don't know. Show them stuff they haven't seen. It'll be so much fun. Perhaps one day... I'll find out where you've gone. If I do, can I tell everyone, and bring them to visit you? Grandma, I miss you. Especially when I see my newborn cousin who still doesn't have a name. He reminds me that you always said you felt old. I want to tell him that I feel I am old, too.

The film is a masterpiece. I watch it once or twice a year. It's the kind of film you put on when you want to feel better about life.

[ultlife2013]

I watched Tokyo Story last night and really enjoyed it. It's a very slow paced and quiet film that has a lot of layers. I recommend it.

If you guys want a longer review let me know and I would be happy to oblige. My taste in films is second to none.

[Deep]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Yi Yi...

WHOA!

My feelings exactly after I watched it for the first time not too long ago. It is hard to put into words what it is about the movie that is so great but I just couldn't stop thinking about the film for days after watching it.

-D

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

[Show spoiler]I'm sorry, Grandma. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to you. I think all the stuff I could tell you... You must already know. Otherwise, you wouldn't always tell me to 'Listen!' They all say you've gone away. But you didn't tell me where you went. I guess it's someplace you think I should know. But, Grandma, I know so little. Do you know what I want to do when I grow up? I want to tell people things they don't know. Show them stuff they haven't seen. It'll be so much fun. Perhaps one day... I'll find out where you've gone. If I do, can I tell everyone, and bring them to visit you? Grandma, I miss you. Especially when I see my newborn cousin who still doesn't have a name. He reminds me that you always said you felt old. I want to tell him that I feel I am old, too.

The film is a masterpiece. I watch it once or twice a year. It's the kind of film you put on when you want to feel better about life.

The film really is something special.

That particular quote you posted was probably the highlight of the film. Such innocence.

Originally Posted by Deep

My feelings exactly after I watched it for the first time not too long ago. It is hard to put into words what it is about the movie that is so great but I just couldn't stop thinking about the film for days after watching it.

-D

I agree. The film is nothing too specific - it's just a look at life. I really love these Asian family dramas, particular the ones by Ozu, Koreeda, and now Yang.

As a side comment about the film, some of the shots are truly mesmerizing. These was one of Ting-Ting in the street with her umbrella that truly wowed me.

[SammyJankis]

The visual style in Yi Yi never gets tiresome. It echoes Ozu, certainly; a lot of static shots and the camera never gets up and moves (whenever there is movement, it's done through panning.) But whereas Ozu's films feel boxed in (I mean that as a compliment), Yang's film makes it feel like there's an entire world outside of its composition. More often than not, wide shots are on display when you'd typically expect a medium shot (a lot of the conversations with the father are framed this way.) The window shots that give us a view on the outside world amplifies the emotional beats. It doesn't matter how detailed the outside world may seem; the specifics of these lives in this particular room are what matter (my favorite example of this is when the mother is standing in an empty room at work, gazing out the window while thinking of something so particular.)

One of my favorite moments is the juxtaposition of the father's night with an old love and the daughter's first date. It's moments like this that makes you cherish every moment you have with this family. And it should go without saying, but every scene with Ota is gold.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

I watched Tokyo Story last night and really enjoyed it. It's a very slow paced and quiet film that has a lot of layers. I recommend it.

If you guys want a longer review let me know and I would be happy to oblige. My taste in films is second to none.

Here is my User Review that I wrote for Tokyo Story a few months back...

[Show spoiler]Today, in the good old 21st century, we have a phenomenon known as "surfer's voice." Imagine yourself sitting at home alone one night and deciding to alleviate your solitude by connecting with a friend or family member. A text message or a Facebook post will not suffice, because these luxuries, while convenient, are no substitute for a human voice or the sight of a friendly face. You scroll through your phone contacts and realize that you have not talked with a particular person for a long while. This other person answers the phone and is seemingly grateful to hear from you, but there is something lacking in the person's enthusiasm during the conversation. This person appears to be typing on a keyboard as he or she talks, and is responding to you with short answers as he or she surfs the web or multitasks at the same time while apparently pretending to listen to you. After interacting with this "surfer's voice" for a short while, you politely end the conversation, and stare at the wall in the silence of your home. Not only are you more alone than ever, but you also feel as though you have intruded on a loved one's life.

Yasujiro Ozu's 1953 film, Tokyo Story, was created long before Facebook and smartphones, but the struggles to reconcile the attention that we pay to those whom we love with our hectic routine responsibilities and distractions were just as ubiquitous then as they are today. When an elderly husband and wife travel by train to visit their children in postwar Tokyo, they soon understand that their visit is an apparent inconvenience and, as they become apprehensive about overstaying their welcome, we learn that none of the characters are truly exempt from the shortcomings of taking those in their lives for granted.

Halfway through my first viewing of Tokyo Story last night, I noticed an absence of any camera movement whatsoever. Each scene is filmed with from a camera in a static location, usually at a low angle across a room, so that no maneuvering of the lens angle is necessary as characters enter, sit down, converse, stand up, or exit. The camera eye also remains focused on any given character during the entirety of that person's dialogue, as if to show undivided attention and respect for that character without the interruptions of jump cuts or reaction shots of others. With this filmmaking approach, Yasujiro Ozu makes time for each and every person without multitasking. In a perfect world, the rest of us would do the same for those in our lives.

This was my first experience with an Ozu film, and I was enthralled by his low-key ability to endear us to everyday people and to convey the richness and complexities of supposedly ordinary events and interactions. I watched this beautiful story by way of the new Criterion Blu-ray transfer that accentuates the detail and subtleties of the black-and-white presentation, and then enjoyed editor David Desser's commentary track, with its uncannily fascinating play-by-play descriptions of camera angles and narrative purposes behind each shot. I then watched the supplement documentaries with my own "surfer's voice" approach, by multitasking on my computer at the same time. I suppose that the lessons of Tokyo Story need to sink in with me even more in the future.

This Criterion Blu-ray earns five stars all around.

I might have missed the mark altogether with my interpretation of the film, but it just struck a particular nerve with me, and I ran with it. Such a great film.

[Feiereisel]

This Movie Mezzanine piece by Daniel Carlson about the Criterion's approach toward popular ("mainstream", to use another, very imprecise term) films is an interesting read, though it seems aimed at a more general audience.

Proponents of Criterion releasing anything they think fits their mission statment will find it worth a read, especially for the thoughts with regard to THE BIG CHILL and the forthcoming TOOTSIE. Good stuff.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here is my User Review that I wrote for Tokyo Story a few months back...

[Show spoiler]Today, in the good old 21st century, we have a phenomenon known as "surfer's voice." Imagine yourself sitting at home alone one night and deciding to alleviate your solitude by connecting with a friend or family member. A text message or a Facebook post will not suffice, because these luxuries, while convenient, are no substitute for a human voice or the sight of a friendly face. You scroll through your phone contacts and realize that you have not talked with a particular person for a long while. This other person answers the phone and is seemingly grateful to hear from you, but there is something lacking in the person's enthusiasm during the conversation. This person appears to be typing on a keyboard as he or she talks, and is responding to you with short answers as he or she surfs the web or multitasks at the same time while apparently pretending to listen to you. After interacting with this "surfer's voice" for a short while, you politely end the conversation, and stare at the wall in the silence of your home. Not only are you more alone than ever, but you also feel as though you have intruded on a loved one's life.



Yasujiro Ozu's 1953 film, Tokyo Story, was created long before Facebook and smartphones, but the struggles to reconcile the attention that we pay to those whom we love with our hectic routine responsibilities and distractions were just as ubiquitous then as they are today. When an elderly husband and wife travel by train to visit their children in postwar Tokyo, they soon understand that their visit is an apparent inconvenience and, as they become apprehensive about overstaying their welcome, we learn that none of the characters are truly exempt from the shortcomings of taking those in their lives for granted.



Halfway through my first viewing of Tokyo Story last night, I noticed an absence of any camera movement whatsoever. Each scene is filmed with from a camera in a static location, usually at a low angle across a room, so that no maneuvering of the lens angle is necessary as characters enter, sit down, converse, stand up, or exit. The camera eye also remains focused on any given character during the entirety of that person's dialogue, as if to show undivided attention and respect for that character without the interruptions of jump cuts or reaction shots of others. With this filmmaking approach, Yasujiro Ozu makes time for each and every person without multitasking. In a perfect world, the rest of us would do the same for those in our lives.



This was my first experience with an Ozu film, and I was enthralled by his low-key ability to endear us to everyday people and to convey the richness and complexities of supposedly ordinary events and interactions. I watched this beautiful story by way of the new Criterion Blu-ray transfer that accentuates the detail and subtleties of the black-and-white presentation, and then enjoyed editor David Desser's commentary track, with its uncannily fascinating play-by-play descriptions of camera angles and narrative purposes behind each shot. I then watched the supplement documentaries with my own "surfer's voice" approach, by multitasking on my computer at the same time. I suppose that the lessons of Tokyo Story need to sink in with me even more in the future.



This Criterion Blu-ray earns five stars all around.

I might have missed the mark altogether with my interpretation of the film, but it just struck a particular nerve with me, and I ran with it. Such a great film.

Nice review and also thanks for taking the wind out of my possible review.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Nice review and also thanks for taking the wind out of my possible review.

Not at all! That's why I put spoiler caps around mine. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts about the film.

[Sinthetic]

A look at the Eraserhead packaging from Criterion Cast. I'll be posting some of my own when I get it in a few days.

[joie]

Originally Posted by Feiereisel

This Movie Mezzanine piece by Daniel Carlson about the Criterion's approach toward popular ("mainstream", to use another, very imprecise term) films is an interesting read, though it seems aimed at a more general audience.

Proponents of Criterion releasing anything they think fits their mission statment will find it worth a read, especially for the thoughts with regard to THE BIG CHILL and the forthcoming TOOTSIE. Good stuff.

But didn't Kim Hendrickson say that Criterion aren't film curators? Aren't keepers of a canon?

It's absurd to think that Criterion could ever release all that's important, culturally or historically, given the limited number of releases they are able to do. It could be accurate to say that they release what they feel is important, which is a small part of what they are able to license, which is a small part of what is culturally and historically significant.

edit: this is probably more of a reply to the author of the piece at the link. He uses "canon" and "curate."

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Not at all! That's why I put spoiler caps around mine. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts about the film.

Aww shucks.