The Criterion Collection

[hyp3rlink]

Originally Posted by rkish

Yeah...this and Solaris were the two LONG films...might save "Children" for Wednesday night, as I'm off on Thursday and Friday...trying to get a couple of shorter films in after work/nighttime. Thanks Joe!

Watched Knife in the Water last night and liked it quite a bit. It isn't very long either (90 mins IIRC)

[keldons]

Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil
Sans Soleil

seriously.

[myka22]

If anyone here reads The Nation, they have a lengthy review of Criterion's BBS set in the new issue.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

They very well may have "honored" the $1 price if the few people who actually noticed it had just quietly ordered it. When it gets posted all over the internet and there is a sudden rush to cash in on the mistake from people tipped off to the error, I don't blame them a bit for not "honoring" the "deal." If you expect ethical treatment from a business you should be prepared to be an ethical customer in return.

I completely agree with this.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by rkish

4.) Knife in the Water
7.) Children of Paradise
11.) Beauty and the Beast
14.) Burden of Dreams (but only if you've seen Fitzcarraldo first)
15.) Shoot the Piano Player
20.) La Strada

No brainers...

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by painted_klown

Hey all.

I watched "Breathless" last night and I have to admit that I wasn't all that impressed by it. I am not quite sure why.

I imagined that it was more of a gangster/crime movie I suppose. To me, it was more of a love story of sorts...maybe I am just too young, or not educated enough, to see whatever it is that everyone raves about. The reviews for this movie are so good that reading them actually made me want to re-watch this film again today, just to see if I saw what I had missed the first time around.

Perhaps I will have to re-visit it right away.

I think Godard is overrated. (but I do enjoy Pierrot le fou and Vivre sa Vie) I tend to really like some of the so called "left bank" new wavers, esp. A. Resnais, L. Malle and A. Varda

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by Monty70

I think Godard is overrated. (but I do enjoy Pierrot le fou and Vivre sa Vie) I tend to really like some of the so called "left bank" new wavers, esp. A. Resnais, L. Malle and A. Varda

I can understand how someone could be underwhelmed by Breathless. I think it's a great film, but if you're expecting a gangster picture, you'll be dissapointed. I enjoyed the level of stress shown by Belmondo.

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

Have you seen any of his early, Neo-realist films? They're all quite accessible and straight-forward.

[octagon]

My exposure to new wave is still rather limited but underwhelmed strikes me as a good word.

Breathless and 400 Blows had a lot of interesting - some very interesting - moments and elements but I didn't find the films themselves particularly interesting or engaging.

Just to be clear, my reactions were positive overall. There was just a strong 'eh' element along with that.

[Sukuri]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

This +111111111111

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Have you seen any of his early, Neo-realist films? They're all quite accessible and straight-forward.

No, I haven't, which is why

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

Wham! Bam! Thank you Ma'am!

I got like 20 Italian filmmakers I am far more interested in off the top of my head (I can list if some smart*** thinks I don't ).

[rock, stone]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

I can understand how someone could be underwhelmed by Breathless. I think it's a great film, but if you're expecting a gangster picture, you'll be dissapointed. I enjoyed the level of stress shown by Belmondo.

A director that I don't really "get" and think may be overrated is Fellini.

I also think there is room for some filmmakers not being to an individual's taste. I can certainly see Godard being an acquired taste, although I love his "earlier, funnier" movies.

I don't love Fellini, either. I can see what he is doing, but it has yet to ever touch me. But I stop short of saying he is over rated, since I can see no evidence that I am the one true arbiter of what is quality filmmaking.

[painted_klown]

It's nice to see a lot of diversity regarding various directors on this thread.

I wasn't sure how everyone would react to my thoughts on Breathless.

To be clear, it's not that I didn't like it, I just think I went into it expecting a different type of film altogether. Sort of the opposite of popping in "True Romance". You think it's going to be a love story...but you get a crime/gangster film instead.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by painted_klown

It's nice to see a lot of diversity regarding various directors on this thread.

Oh, you could have very easily taken the pounding you were no doubt expecting...it just depends on who's around at any given time

[rkish]

Originally Posted by retablo

No brainers...

Well...finished Mon Oncle during lunch break today and completed Knife in the Water and Shoot the Piano Player tonight. Started watching Sans Soleil, but needed to take a break.

Half done...don't think I'll see them all, but should hit most of them...will save Children of Paradise for Wednesday night.

[dag]

A pretty good long weekend (today is Victoria Day in Canada, a statutory holiday) spent with Criterion BDs:

Pale Flower
The Mikado
Topsy-Turvy
Diabolique
Senso

Diverse genres and nationalities, beautiful picture quality. I haven't quite caught up with all of the 2011 releases, but I've made real progress this month.

[Benchman]

Originally Posted by Monty70

I think Godard is overrated. (but I do enjoy Pierrot le fou and Vivre sa Vie) I tend to really like some of the so called "left bank" new wavers, esp. A. Resnais, L. Malle and A. Varda

Godard has always been a little too pretentious for my taste. Personally my favorite French director is Henri-Georges Clouzot.

[Harry Caul]

Originally posted by]ben.baf

Godard has always been a little too pretentious for my taste. Personally my favorite French director is Henri-Georges Clouzot.

How dare you compare a God to those New Wave Directors!
Next you will be comparing Jean Renoir to those.

[ShellOilJunior]

8 1/2
Nights of Cabiria
La Strada
La Dolce Vita

Watch those and try to tell me Fellini is overrated. This discussion reminds me of the pseudo-intellectual in line at the movies in Annie Hall. Does his work not hit you guys on a gut level?

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

8 1/2
Nights of Cabiria
La Strada
La Dolce Vita

Watch those and try to tell me Fellini is overrated. This discussion reminds me of the pseudo-intellectual in line at the movies in Annie Hall. Does his work not hit you guys on a gut level?

I own the Criterion blu of 8 1/2, and I've seen La Strada. With both pictures, I can see what he's trying to do, but I doesn't hit me as being particularily "good", which is what I was expecting. I thought 8 1/2 would blow me away, but I was very underwhelmed. I thought it was extremely (obviously) self-indulgant and just too pretentious. I should probably give La Strada another try. Do you think that seeing La Dolce Vita and Nights of Cabiria would change my opinion of his work?

On another note, I haven't seen a French New Wave film which I thought was bad (albeit, I've only seen 7 or 8). The 400 Blows really hit me a certain way.