The Criterion Collection

[herzog4life]

Blow Out is a favorite mine. Wouldn't mind Body Double too.

[octagon]

I would love to see solid releases of both Blow Out and Wall Street if only for 'time capsule' purposes - neither are particularly great films but they're both excellent shapshots of their respective eras.

[larry47591]

robinson crusoe on mars dropped to 26.99 on amazon if anyone is interested.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Apart from the obvious foreign art house classics in their collection, most Criterions are simply good B-movies. Every film has something redeeming about it, but I wouldn't say every release is a great film. Some have great cinematography, some are good examples of their genre or movement, some have a great performance from a particular actor.

I would kinda have to disagree with this. I definitely don't consider "most" Criterions to be "simply good B-movies". Admittedly there are a couple that I would consider to carry that label, but not most. I'm thinking of maybe 2 or 3, at least in the collection I have.

For example: Aside from the foreign art house classics, I wouldn't consider Bigger Than Life, Che, Charade, Days of Heaven, Night of the Hunter, The Red Shoes, Repulsion, Ride with the Devil, or Stagecoach to have many B-movie qualities. After all, Stagecoach was one of the first westerns not to carry the B-movie label.

Now maybe films like TMWFTE, or Paris, Texas, and maybe even Videodrome have B-movie qualities.

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

I would kinda have to disagree with this. I definitely don't consider "most" Criterions to be "simply good B-movies". Admittedly there are a couple that I would consider to carry that label, but not most. I'm thinking of maybe 2 or 3, at least in the collection I have.

For example: Aside from the foreign art house classics, I wouldn't consider Bigger Than Life, Che, Charade, Days of Heaven, Night of the Hunter, The Red Shoes, Repulsion, Ride with the Devil, or Stagecoach to have many B-movie qualities. After all, Stagecoach was one of the first westerns not to carry the B-movie label.

Now maybe films like TMWFTE, or Paris, Texas, and maybe even Videodrome have B-movie qualities.

Agreed. Though I'd say Videodrome has way more B-movie qualities than the other two you named. Paris, Texas has none, it's more or less pure art house to me.

[italy12]

When ordering from Criterion, do they charge your card at the time the order is placed, or do they charge you when the item is shipped?

Thanks!

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by EricJ

As for the owl in earphones, um...Who?

Blow Out.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I'll clarify what I meant by "B-movie" as I suppose that suggests pie-tin flying saucers. "Three-star" or "cult" are probably better terms.

The Red Shoes definitely falls inside the foreign art house category (it's British and brilliant) and Repulsion could (also a British film with a French star and a Polish director). I would argue that Paris, Texas is, even though it's in English and was shot and takes place in America, being that it was financed by European companies and made by a German director (and also is brilliant).

As far as the other films you listed, Stagecoach is the only one that I would consider a classic. I think Bigger Than Life is actually the epitome of a B-movie, and more in the pie-tin flying saucer sense than my broader one.

I'm not trying to disparage the films - I rate Cronenberg as one of my favorite directors and I consider most of his films B-grade or cult but that doesn't change the fact that I love them. I guess I'm trying to dispel this notion of "Criterion-worthiness" that keeps popping up. It seems if people truly held films up to that imaginary standard, there would only be 25 films in the collection. I'd consider Wall Street and Blow Out B-films, three-star films.

I see what you're saying, now I agree with you. You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by italy12

When ordering from Criterion, do they charge your card at the time the order is placed, or do they charge you when the item is shipped?

Thanks!

If it's a pre-order or backorder, I'm pretty sure you're not charged until your order ships.

CC

[cheez avenger]

Antichrist was ****ing disturbing!

The disc is reference.

I enjoyed the film, though.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I'll clarify what I meant by "B-movie" as I suppose that suggests pie-tin flying saucers. "Three-star" or "cult" are probably better terms.

The Red Shoes definitely falls inside the foreign art house category (it's British and brilliant) and Repulsion could (also a British film with a French star and a Polish director). I would argue that Paris, Texas is, even though it's in English and was shot and takes place in America, being that it was financed by European companies and made by a German director (and also is brilliant).

As far as the other films you listed, Stagecoach is the only one that I would consider a classic. I think Bigger Than Life is actually the epitome of a B-movie, and more in the pie-tin flying saucer sense than my broader one.

I'm not trying to disparage the films - I rate Cronenberg as one of my favorite directors and I consider most of his films B-grade or cult but that doesn't change the fact that I love them. I guess I'm trying to dispel this notion of "Criterion-worthiness" that keeps popping up. It seems if people truly held films up to that imaginary standard, there would only be 25 films in the collection. I'd consider Wall Street and Blow Out B-films, three-star films.

Joe...I gotta ask. What is the origin of your avatar?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I'll clarify what I meant by "B-movie" as I suppose that suggests pie-tin flying saucers. "Three-star" or "cult" are probably better terms.
I'd consider Wall Street and Blow Out B-films, three-star films.

I believe "Cult mainstream" was the word you were looking for--
(We have a problem on this board with lil' kiddies who think "B-movies" mean "Big movies that got a B- from the critics"....Nnnno. History reaches deeper than that.
And please tell us you're not that Clash of the Titans idiot again. )

In addition to Michael Bay and David Fincher licensing their big-studio movies to Criterion personally, Criterion does throw a few "discussion-worthy" studio name-directors into the mix, and Oliver Stone and Brian dePalma are not immune from the list.

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I hate to be "that guy", but I am really surprised they picked up Blow Out. It doesn't really have much going for it other than a great idea that is somewhat poorly executed, and a brilliant early Lithgow performance (if they're going to release this, I'd almost wish for Raising Cain as well). Nancy Allen, in particular, annoys me to no end in this film. Also, it's hardly a commercial darling, and tends to be (rightly) overshadowed by Dressed to Kill.

...Dressed to Kill, like Obsession, has not aged well.

It's only remembered today as the last remnant of our stereotyped perception of dePalma's late-70's/early-'80 phase of ripping off every Hitchcock movie ever made, and on that level, Blow-Out still plays better. (Okay, so that was Antonioni, but y'know, same difference.)
Better atmosphere, more plot, a creepy Lithgow and a younger, more involved and sympathetic Travolta, and just a more overwhelming sense of doom and irony--DTK wouldn't have gotten away with a Philadelphia parade.

[Strevlac]

Heh, I said deserves. I didn't say I was gonna personally deliver it (via fisticuffs, orally or otherwise). Sorry to dissapoint you!

BTW Depalma through 82 or so had skills and style to burn and put all of these current navel-gazing arthouse directors to shame. I'd rather watch Sisters, Obsession, Dressed to Kill or Blow Out anyday over the likes of Yi-Yi, Chunking Express, etc

[ccfixx]

It's a shame that this thread isn't R-rated. Some films released by Criterion are even R-rated.

CC

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

It's a shame that this thread isn't R-rated. Some films released by Criterion are even R-rated.

CC

Was you going to make a joke with a De Palma film?

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by EricJ

...Dressed to Kill, like Obsession, has not aged well.

It's only remembered today as the last remnant of our stereotyped perception of dePalma's late-70's/early-'80 phase of ripping off every Hitchcock movie ever made, and on that level, Blow-Out still plays better. (Okay, so that was Antonioni, but y'know, same difference.)
Better atmosphere, more plot, a creepy Lithgow and a younger, more involved and sympathetic Travolta, and just a more overwhelming sense of doom and irony--DTK wouldn't have gotten away with a Philadelphia parade.

I agree with you on the aging part; the same could be argued of Blow Out. Something about the whole "defenseless city working girl" angle is woefully early 80s.

I, for one, also remember Dressed to Kill because of Angie Dickinson (and Angie Dickinson's body double).

[italy12]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

If it's a pre-order or backorder, I'm pretty sure you're not charged until your order ships.

CC

Thank you, kind sir.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

Was you going to make a joke with a De Palma film?

I don't think so.

I was just referring to the comment I left earlier and then coming back to the forum later to see that it had been removed.

CC

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

I don't think so.

I was just referring to the comment I left earlier and then coming back to the forum later to see that it had been removed.

CC

oh. carry on then.

[greekak229]

Criterion has many many movies in its collection. Blow Out shouldn't make a difference, to those against the film.