The Criterion Collection

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

Check out Fires on the Plain and The Burmese Harp. They're only on DVD but they're in HD on the Criterion channel. Both seem to get even better as time goes by

Thank you for the suggestions. Will do!

[Rayjg]

Originally Posted by belcherman

That's happened to me a few times. There are titles that over the years, I've added and removed from my cart during various sales, and I've gotten the idea that I've actually pulled the trigger on them, when in fact I have not.

It's cost me dearly with Kino titles.

[Mike0284]

YouTube

[mja345]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

I have been jonesin' for a blu-ray of The Bad Sleep Well

Same here. That movie owns so much.

[ravenus]

Not a new watch and not on blu-ray, but I recently re-visited The Face of Another (1966) an intriguing Japanese weird existential film. This film was part of the very fruitful collaboration between writer Kobo Abe and director Hiroshi Teshigahara.

Based on Abe's own novel, the film's protagonist Okayama (Tatsuya Nakadai) has been badly disfigured in a work accident, and has in consequence shut himself off from the world and has a very strained relationship with his wife (Machiko Kyo). A doctor gives him the opportunity of having an experimental synthetic face that he can apply on like a mask, with the condition that he will give him a complete and frank report of all the ways his life and personality are affected by this mask. With his new face, Okayama takes on a different identity in addition to his own, even renting two rooms in an apartment building, one for each persona. He then proceeds to seduce his own wife.

Face of Another is a film of ideas, both philosophical and visual, the sort that could have only come in the 60's. Coincidentally, it came out in the same year (only a couple of months apart) as John Frankenheimer's Seconds, another bold and invigorating film about aging / disfiguration and self-identity in a contemporary world. I would highly recommend watching them as a double-bill (so long as you're not already feeling depressed ) Some people may find this film too talky, but I admire it hugely. And the visual ideas in the production design are absolutely terrific, making it well worth the visit for cinephiles.



While the Criterion DVD has pretty good image quality (other than being windowboxed) I sincerely hope a solid blu-ray of this film will make an appearance sometime in the foreseeable future. It may not be as high profile a film as Teshigahara-Abe's Woman in the Dunes, but it is another thoughtful venture from this creative team.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Mike0284

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQMK7yKCaUM

The closet videos have lost their charm IMO (not picking on Mike0284 as he's a great poster, just stating my opinion). It now feels like, "Let's get some rich celebrity in here and they can talk about movies for a few minutes." Six or seven years ago, it didn't feel that way. But a lot of shit has gotten worse in the last six or seven years. These videos have really sucked the last year or two, the people seem super detached, they should have some regular collectors in the f**king closet. They're the ones who drive their business. End rant, I apologize.

[MifuneFan]

I thought the closet video was great. Charlie Day is a great guy, and knows a lot about film. He picked some wonderful choices, and actually had interesting explanations for each choice. I'll always see him as Charlie from Sunny, so it's a bit surreal in that sense to see him pick these classic titles out. I can't speak for other videos in recent times, as I don't watch many of them, or I'll just skim through them.

[Rayjg]

Originally Posted by mja345

The closet videos have lost their charm IMO (not picking on Mike0284 as he's a great poster, just stating my opinion). It now feels like, "Let's get some rich celebrity in here and they can talk about movies for a few minutes." Six or seven years ago, it didn't feel that way. But a lot of shit has gotten worse in the last six or seven years. These videos have really sucked the last year or two, the people seem super detached, they should have some regular collectors in the f**king closet. They're the ones who drive their business. End rant, I apologize.

If they let a peasant in the closet there'll be nothing left.

[dvining]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

If they let a peasant in the closet there'll be nothing left.

I'd leave Salo, but pretty much.

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Not a new watch and not on blu-ray, but I recently re-visited The Face of Another (1966) an intriguing Japanese weird existential film. This film was part of the very fruitful collaboration between writer Kobo Abe and director Hiroshi Teshigahara..

I remember when they upgraded Woman in the Dunes to blu ray and all the bonus features on all three of his movies from their box set were on the one blu. I was super upset and still would love to see them upgrade the other two films from that box…. But know they probably won’t get around to it

They have been giving the Japanese film lovers the shaft for some time now….

[Mushi Minion]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

I remember when they upgraded Woman in the Dunes to blu ray and all the bonus features on all three of his movies from their box set were on the one blu. I was super upset and still would love to see them upgrade the other two films from that box…. But know they probably won’t get around to it

They have been giving the Japanese film lovers the shaft for some time now….

There’s more to Asia than just Japan.

[NeilZ]

Yeah Japanese movies which used to be among the best represented by Criterion in the DVD age, is currently very highly underrepresented.

With so many other labels picking up Japanese movies and finding a lot of success with them, I hope Criterion gets back to business and goes back to their roots.

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Not a new watch and not on blu-ray, but I recently re-visited The Face of Another (1966) an intriguing Japanese weird existential film. This film was part of the very fruitful collaboration between writer Kobo Abe and director Hiroshi Teshigahara.

Face of Another is overdue for a blu ray upgrade.

[dkelly26666]

I just watched the Criterion blu ray of "Branded to Kill". I'd never seen that one.

That was bats**t crazy in the best way, LOL. Lot of fun. Funny it's evaded me all these years, but always great to make a new discovery.

[JupiterMission]

Originally Posted by Mushi Minion

There’s more to Asia than just Japan.

Citation needed.

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by JupiterMission

Citation needed.

Tom Waits - Big in Japan - YouTube

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by dkelly26666

I just watched the Criterion blu ray of "Branded to Kill". I'd never seen that one.

That was bats**t crazy in the best way, LOL. Lot of fun. Funny it's evaded me all these years, but always great to make a new discovery.

If you enjoyed that, definitely check out Tokyo Drifter!

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by NeilZ

Yeah Japanese movies which used to be among the best represented by Criterion in the DVD age, is currently very highly underrepresented.

With so many other labels picking up Japanese movies and finding a lot of success with them, I hope Criterion gets back to business and goes back to their roots.

Yeah, I do hope they start releasing more Japanese films soon. I wouldn't mind their lack of Japanese releases if they simply didn't have the home vide rights to so many of them. So many great titles suggested in the last couple of pages and would be nice if we get one for their next batch of titles. Probably not though.

If not that, at crossing my fingers for Eastern Condors. Damn good Sammo Hung film that they have.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I thought the closet video was great. Charlie Day is a great guy, and knows a lot about film. He picked some wonderful choices, and actually had interesting explanations for each choice. I'll always see him as Charlie from Sunny, so it's a bit surreal in that sense to see him pick these classic titles out. I can't speak for other videos in recent times, as I don't watch many of them, or I'll just skim through them.

You saw a good one with Charlie, a lot of the recent ones suck out loud. Not a big deal, but just my opinion. Cate Blanchett and Todd Field seem super cool, a lot of other celebs seem like they couldn't care less.

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Yeah, I do hope they start releasing more Japanese films soon.

You don’t say.