The Criterion Collection

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Great news!

[Show spoiler]Attachment 251705 This arrived on the 24th.

Sorry, I can't tell what it is. The Irishman, or the Fellini set?
Either way, enjoy! (In a month!)

[joy-division]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

But this should keep me busy until then.

[Show spoiler]Attachment 251706

Apologies for the rotten picture.

It's not your fault criterion chose that picture!

[FragnitoM]

If i can find a copy of Crash in store put out early will they do the discount? or will it not ring up properly?

[joy-division]

Originally Posted by jw007

Same here. The last 10 minutes of The New World is some of the most beautiful and emotional cinema I've ever experienced in my life.

The only other movie that gives me such an emotional gut punch is the last 10 minutes of Field of Dreams.

When John Smith is in in the boat with the other indians, it's just nesmerising or when he & Pocahontas are just playing in the wheat fields, or he is interacting with them at night 😍
Of course, doesn't hurt that James Horner did the outstanding score

I never knew until recently that Q'orianka was a cousin of Jewel. Small world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPNL...ature=youtu.be

[belcherman]

Just two Criterions for me this sale. There weren't any must-haves for me, but I decided to pick up these:

[Show spoiler]

Crossing my fingers and taking my chances ordering two digipaks from B&N.

[Psychosmeg]

Is there anyone else waiting on their " Essential Fellini " set from Amazon US, it hasn't even been shipped out and says arriving this Friday. How come others had theirs shipped out from Amazon and mine hasn't, this suppose to be shipped out last Tuesday.

[ilenewoodsfan99]

Is it weird for me to want a solo release for Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia? Because I don't really want to buy an enormous set just for a small handful of movies, including one that has its own release now.

[DaBargainHunta]

Expiring from the Criterion Channel!

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

Expiring from The Criterion Channel - Dames (1934)



I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU! To be honest, I generally can't stand musicals (with a few notable exceptions - including Annie, which is one of my childhood favorites). But Dames is so much damn fun to watch, so joyous and infectious, that I cannot imagine anyone disliking it.

Even though Joan Blondell is given top billing, she's definitely not the star here - there are 3, 4, maybe even 5 other actors ahead of her in the cast with more prominent roles. Still, she shines whenever she's onscreen. With most (all?) of Blondell's movies expiring from the Channel at the end of the month, I'll definitely be diving into more her work...

I really loved the structure of Dames. A little over half of it is dedicated to telling the story - a millionaire offers his brother-in-law ten million if he's a "moral" man, as various comedic misunderstandings pose a "threat" to that "morality" - with the final 35-40 minutes literally turning into the stage play that had been referenced throughout the rest of the film. I've never seen another movie adopt that format. I thought it was very cool, clever, and inventive.

As for the stage play itself...oh boy! Such a sheer visual spectacle. The kaleidoscopic imagery, the incredible choreography, and of course the memorable songs (especially "I Only Have Eyes For You"). It is unbelievable to me that this movie is from 1934, because it looks decades ahead of its time.

DaBargainHunta's Decree: An absolute treat to watch! I am shocked how much I really loved it. (Subtitles/Captions: Yes!)

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

More Joan Blondell Pre-Code Movies - Expiring from The Criterion Channel

The good thing about these Blondell flicks is that the majority of them are only a little over an hour long, so it's very easy to knock out the ones you're interested in.

Night Nurse: Barbara Stanwyck plays a nurse who eventually has to care for two very sick children. On the job, she has to deal with shifty characters, including a menacing limo driver played by Clark Gable a few years before Gone With the Wind. Joan Blondell co-stars as another nurse and Stanwyck's roommate. This is a lot of fun, and it begins with a very striking camera sequence of an ambulance racing through the street, filmed from the perspective of being behind the wheel. I actually watched this a year ago before it expired, and now it's back and about to expire again.

Blondie Johnson: At only 67 minutes long, this doesn't waste any time. It's a novel gender-swapped spin on the gangster genre, with a woman (Joan Blondell) being the one to rise through the ranks. Chester Morris does a nice job here playing her partner-in-crime in this Depression-era picture. What's notable, especially for the time period, is that two women are part of her eventual entourage - including an Asian woman (Lulu, played by Toshia Mori). Not a bad little movie. I watched it late last night before bed, and it was easy to fit in because it was so short.

Lawyer Man: Out of the expiring Joan Blondell movies I've seen, Dames and Night Nurse are genuinely good, Blondie Johnson is fairly decent, and Lawyer Man is enjoyable enough but definitely a bit middling and forgettable. William Powell stars as a corrupt lawyer, whose secretary (Joan Blondell) clearly pines for him. I am not sure why Powell's character is coveted by all the ladies in his life, as he has all the sex appeal of a taller, thinner "Mean" Gene Okerlund. Nevertheless, he is effective enough in the role of a lawyer man. Blondell is strictly a supporting character here. Worth watching if you're determined to see all of the Blondells before they expire, but if you're picking and choosing (like I am), you can probably give this one a pass. It's fun but not essential.

As a few of you have pointed out, there are several Blondell musicals also expiring. Even if they're "better" than Dames, I don't know if I'll be watching them, because that's still not my preferred genre and one is probably enough for me this month, lol.

Final (?) Blondell

There were more I wanted to see, but time caught up with me. I knew I had to make room for this though...

Three on a Match: Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart all in the same movie - sign me up! I've never seen Dvorak before but she ended up being the most impressive actress of the three. Bette and Bogey have small roles, so don't tune in just for them. Bette is barely given anything, so there are no glimpses of her future talent or superstardom to be found here. Bogey hasn't quite mastered his line delivery at this point, but his screen presence is still magnetic.

Still, this ended up being the best Blondell I watched on the Channel (along with Dames, of course). It immediately grabbed my attention and never lets go. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

The movie itself is only an hour, and unlike some of the others, I actually wished this one could be longer (if only to flesh out Bette Davis's character a bit more). It flies right by.

DaBargainHunta's Decree: Filled with delicious pre-code darkness, Three on a Match is definitely worth donating an hour to before it expires from the Channel tonight. (Subtitles: Yes!)

Before that, I watched a more recent film that has its roots in the 1930s movies Blondell and co. appeared in...

The Watermelon Woman: Even though this is also on Kanopy, I've been putting it off for over a year, so it was either now or never for me. I'm glad I watched it. It's about a black lesbian aspiring filmmaker, Cheryl, who works at a video store and wants to make a movie because stories like hers have never been never been told on the screen.

At her video store, Cheryl discovers two things:

1. The work of a 1930s black actress who went by only "The Watermelon Woman" and performed in Mamie roles similar to Hattie McDaniel and others. She has found her project!

2. A gorgeous white customer (played by Guinevere Turner) who clearly has a crush on her, and the feeling is mutual.

The Watermelon Woman switches back-and-forth between the main character's life and the movie she's making. The latter is shot like a documentary. All of this comes together to serve as an exploration of race, class, and sexuality in America circa the mid-'90s.

DaBargainHunta's Decree: Rough around the edges but still unique and insightful, The Watermelon Woman is well worth watching. (Subtitles: Yes!)

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by JasonMichael

Sorry, I can't tell what it is. The Irishman, or the Fellini set?
Either way, enjoy! (In a month!)

It’s the Fellini set. I wasn’t paying attention to the dimensions of the set when the announcement came out so I was surprised that the boxset resembled a Laserdisc set more than the usual Criterion boxsets.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by joy-division

It's not your fault criterion chose that picture!

But I didn’t do Agnes any favors with my lack of photography skills.

[Vidov]

Originally Posted by Psychosmeg

Is there anyone else waiting on their " Essential Fellini " set from Amazon US, it hasn't even been shipped out and says arriving this Friday. How come others had theirs shipped out from Amazon and mine hasn't, this suppose to be shipped out last Tuesday.

Just out of interest, have you tried contacting their customer service?

[fred25_Ca]

Just received the Bruce Lee box set from my wife as a gift, I was super excited, I mean, I only owned these movies on dvd. I'm excited to rewatch the movies and dig into the extras (which is what matters) but my God is the box set cheap! It's like those old flimsy dvd box set from back in the day. Even the booklet is a cheap newspaper format that is bend in two, beyond cheap. I am so disappointed but not surprised, somehow Criterion packaging keeps on disappointing me. It doesn't help I also received scream factory's The Fly box set, which is beautiful, was half the price, has as many movies and is sturdy and beautifully put together. I'm just so tired of Criterion underwhelming with their packaging. For the prices they charge, you'd think they'd make something more sturdy. :/
/End rant. :P

[Scottie]

IKARIE XB 1 is now featured on the front page of Janus's website.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

Expiring from the Criterion Channel!

[Show spoiler]

Final (?) Blondell

There were more I wanted to see, but time caught up with me. I knew I had to make room for this though...

[Show spoiler]Three on a Match: Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart all in the same movie - sign me up! I've never seen Dvorak before but she ended up being the most impressive actress of the three. Bette and Bogey have small roles, so don't tune in just for them. Bette is barely given anything, so there are no glimpses of her future talent or superstardom to be found here. Bogey hasn't quite mastered his line delivery at this point, but his screen presence is still magnetic.

Still, this ended up being the best Blondell I watched on the Channel (along with Dames, of course). It immediately grabbed my attention and never lets go. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end.

The movie itself is only an hour, and unlike some of the others, I actually wished this one could be longer (if only to flesh out Bette Davis's character a bit more). It flies right by.

DaBargainHunta's Decree: Filled with delicious pre-code darkness, Three on a Match is definitely worth donating an hour to before it expires from the Channel tonight. (Subtitles: Yes!)

Before that, I watched a more recent film that has its roots in the 1930s movies Blondell and co. appeared in...

The Watermelon Woman: Even though this is also on Kanopy, I've been putting it off for over a year, so it was either now or never for me. I'm glad I watched it. It's about a black lesbian aspiring filmmaker, Cheryl, who works at a video store and wants to make a movie because stories like hers have never been never been told on the screen.

At her video store, Cheryl discovers two things:

1. The work of a 1930s black actress who went by only "The Watermelon Woman" and performed in Mamie roles similar to Hattie McDaniel and others. She has found her project!

2. A gorgeous white customer (played by Guinevere Turner) who clearly has a crush on her, and the feeling is mutual.

The Watermelon Woman switches back-and-forth between the main character's life and the movie she's making. The latter is shot like a documentary. All of this comes together to serve as an exploration of race, class, and sexuality in America circa the mid-'90s.

DaBargainHunta's Decree: Rough around the edges but still unique and insightful, The Watermelon Woman is well worth watching. (Subtitles: Yes!)

Dvorak is brilliant in Three On a Match. I’d recommend also seeing her in the original Scarface and an interesting little Pre-Code Heat Lightning .

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Just two Criterions for me this sale. There weren't any must-haves for me, but I decided to pick up these:

[Show spoiler]

Crossing my fingers and taking my chances ordering two digipaks from B&N.

Maybe I’ve been lucky but I’ve had more problems with the Scavano cases than digipaks. During the last B&N sale, I received the Bruce Lee set in one of those ribbed cardboard packages and I opened it fully expecting rounded corners at least but it was undamaged. This time, the Fellini and Varda sets came in boxes and the Varda box looked like it had spent some time underwater but once again I opened it expecting the worst but it wasn’t damaged at all.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by joy-division

When John Smith is in in the boat with the other indians, it's just nesmerising or when he & Pocahontas are just playing in the wheat fields, or he is interacting with them at night 😍
Of course, doesn't hurt that James Horner did the outstanding score

I never knew until recently that Q'orianka was a cousin of Jewel. Small world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPNL...ature=youtu.be

It's high art.

Horner is one of my faves.

I didn't realize she was related to Jewel too. Amazing.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by fred25_Ca

Just received the Bruce Lee box set from my wife as a gift, I was super excited, I mean, I only owned these movies on dvd. I'm excited to rewatch the movies and dig into the extras (which is what matters) but my God is the box set cheap! It's like those old flimsy dvd box set from back in the day. Even the booklet is a cheap newspaper format that is bend in two, beyond cheap. I am so disappointed but not surprised, somehow Criterion packaging keeps on disappointing me. It doesn't help I also received scream factory's The Fly box set, which is beautiful, was half the price, has as many movies and is sturdy and beautifully put together. I'm just so tired of Criterion underwhelming with their packaging. For the prices they charge, you'd think they'd make something more sturdy. :/
/End rant. :P

So the extras matter more than the films? No.

And the packaging is great. You didn't even pay for it and you're complaining about "price." Please.

[Bn43]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

So the extras matter more than the films? No.

And the packaging is great. You didn't even pay for it and you're complaining about "price." Please.

I've still never read a single essay or anything that came with any of my Criterion discs. Very rarely watch special features.

I wonder if omitting all that stuff would reduce the price. It would give us better encodes with some releases, at least.

I still don't know if, when the time comes to copy all my discs to my as yet to be purchased NAS, I will buy enough storage to also copy the special features.

[Sifox211]

I watch every special feature and read all of the printed matter. I sometimes enjoy that more than the film

But seriously, I would be very disappointed if Criterion didn't do extras; but I do agree about their tendency to stuff too much on a disk... and I haven't even got round to the California disk in the Varda set...

[blujazz]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

But seriously, I would be very disappointed if Criterion didn't do extras; but I do agree about their tendency to stuff too much on a disk... and I haven't even got round to the California disk in the Varda set...

Agree, a significant weighing of a Criterion disc is its special features.

Also, would hate to see a situation like Indicator wherein the first wave have all the printed write-ups. For Indicator, I understand as most of its profit is sales right after release, but for a *relatively* bigger company like Criterion, the only people to benefit from that is ebayers.