The Criterion Collection

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Not the original poster, but Insignificance was just dull to me. I couldn't get into it, and I wanted to enjoy it. I also couldn't get into Walkabout. I like Roeg's cinematography though.

Originally Posted by Banned User

I skipped blind buying Insignificance. From reading about it I could kind of tell it wasn't my bag. However I love Walkabout. Wonderful film..

That was on my list to (blind) buy during the sale as well, but people's impressions of it were decidedly mixed - much, much more than other titles that I was considering as blind buys - so I put it off. Most comments since have verified this decision, though I'll check it out eventually.

Shock Corridor was on my list as well - as a blind buy, too - and I held off on it for these same reasons.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Cinemach

That was on my list to (blind) buy during the sale as well, but people's impressions of it were decidedly mixed - much, much more than other titles that I was considering as blind buys - so I put it off. Most comments since have verified this decision, though I'll check it out eventually.

Shock Corridor was on my list as well - as a blind buy, too - and I held off on it for these same reasons.

Shock Corridor's still on my list too. I watched The Naked Kiss, but it's a title I can hold off on. I'm trying to stop my blind buying of CCs, so I can avoid buying something I hate. I haven't had it happen yet, but the chance is still there.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I was going to blind buy it during the B&N sale, but I bought a bunch of other titles, and put it off for the next sale. I then watched it and was glad I didn't blind buy it, or Black Moon.

I did blind buy Black Moon, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I rather enjoyed the atmosphere of the film even though the story, if you want to call it that, makes no sense whatsoever. It may make sense if you are heavily medicated. The lensing, use of colors, framing and look of the film is wonderful. IMO some of the best cinematography I've ever seen as far as the quality of the visuals. Still a very weird film.

My favorite blind buys this year are still Pale Flower and The Music Room.

[tenia]

Difference between Barnes & Noble & Planet Axel :

Ordered Repulsion & Léon Morin at B&N on July 31st. Repulsion shipped on August 3rd. Léon Morin shipped on August 9th, so with a delay. Still nothing in my mailbox (in France).

Ordered The Killing, Secret Sunshine & Jean Vigo box last Saturday. Everything was shipped today. It's not even released yet.

[ShellOilJunior]

I hope this works. I haven't been able to get to 1826 all day.

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by tenia

Difference between Barnes & Noble & Planet Axel :

Ordered Repulsion & Léon Morin at B&N on July 31st. Repulsion shipped on August 3rd. Léon Morin shipped on August 9th, so with a delay. Still nothing in my mailbox (in France).

Ordered The Killing, Secret Sunshine & Jean Vigo box last Saturday. Everything was shipped today. It's not even released yet.

Yes, Axel are great for that, but the flip-side is that you probably paid close to twice as much per title from them compared to B&N.
Ok, maybe not quite but definitely 60-70% more.

[tama]

All this talk of Insignificance has got me interested to see this film now.

[500_Days_of_Night]

Just watched Paths of Glory for the first time...

Wow, what a movie.

[Vriess]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that the films directed by Nicolas Roeg probably aren't for you, then. Maybe, you like The Witches (1990), though, with Angelica Huston! It's not typical Roeg fare but it's a great children's movie and Roald Dahl adaptation, I think.

Uhm I just stated I really enjoyed two of his movies...

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by Vriess

Uhm I just stated I really enjoyed two of his movies...

Ummm, then I misread your post before commenting. Ummm...

[SammyJankis]

The only Roeg I've seen is Don't Look Now, which I loved. I need to get around to watching Walkabout.

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by Banned User

I did blind buy Black Moon, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I rather enjoyed the atmosphere of the film even though the story, if you want to call it that, makes no sense whatsoever. It may make sense if you are heavily medicated. The lensing, use of colors, framing and look of the film is wonderful. IMO some of the best cinematography I've ever seen as far as the quality of the visuals. Still a very weird film.

My favorite blind buys this year are still Pale Flower and The Music Room.

I liked Black Moon quite a bit actually. (the film is beautiful and seems to put me in a dream like state)

I am heavily medicated, and can tell you the film still makes little sense.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I hope this works. I haven't been able to get to 1826 all day.

Had the same problem with 1820...

[plattopus]

Just watched Night Train to Munich and absolutely loved it. I'm not savvy of all the rights and whatnot but any guesses as to whether it'll get an upgrade? Also the two Hitchcocks which are not yet OOP?

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by plattopus

Just watched Night Train to Munich and absolutely loved it. I'm not savvy of all the rights and whatnot but any guesses as to whether it'll get an upgrade? Also the two Hitchcocks which are not yet OOP?

If it was going to get a blu-ray, it would of when it was announced. It was a couple months before they went all blu-ray, so those dvd only films (Night Train, Dillinger is Dead, etc) got screwed and prob will be some of the last to be upgraded, if at all.

[ShellOilJunior]

It's a shame Z didn't get a blu. At least Close-Up and Everlasting Moments made the cut (barely).

[Darkcritic]

Today I was trying to pick the "Criterion of the day" so I decided to go with Diabolique, another of my last B&N sale blind-buys. I can't really explain into words how I feel towards this film now. I am extremely impressed by it and will go out of the way right now and just call it a masterpiece . Clouzot got EVERYTHING right on this one, more than I could have hoped even with my sky-high expectations. Now after seeing the film I could understand why some people said Hitchcock had a formidable "adversary" on Clouzot . Diabolique really gives Hitchcock a run for his money and then some. The level of suspense found here is off the charts. I appreciate how Clouzot give time to build-up tension and also kinda confuses the viewer with that slow-burning start. Vera Clouzot was amazing but, in my opinion, Simone Signorete completely stole the film. Characters such as this one shows the quality of an actress that was Signorete and why is one of my favorite French actresses "pre-Nouvelle Vague" (And I say pre because she also had major contributions before the whole movement begun). Overall, I felt Diabolique is one of those masterpieces that aren't as well known because of more recent similar examples like in this case Psycho's popularity. This is truly sad as Diabolique has to be one of the best french films I have seen in terms of sheer suspense. It seems like Solaris comes next (And you can bet I would go with something like Playtime or Vivre sa Vie instead ).

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

If it was going to get a blu-ray, it would of when it was announced. It was a couple months before they went all blu-ray, so those dvd only films (Night Train, Dillinger is Dead, etc) got screwed and prob will be some of the last to be upgraded, if at all.

Criterion's page for Night Train to Munich does say "from new, restored high-definition transfer". It is kind of odd they only releaesd DVD's on a few of those titles, especially if they already had the HD transfer ready to go... (maybe this particular transfer wasn't up to par for a blu-ray, so they just went with the DVD?)

I don't know if being late spine necessarily means it will be one of the last to get an upgrade, they seem to be filling in their back-catalogue fairly randomly. Being one of the last spines surrounded by blu-ray editions, sort of makes it stand out that maybe it needs a blu as well.

I'm just hoping they start to upgrade some of their Eclipse sets, or at least start offering new ones as blu-ray. Not even a hint of moving in that direction yet. I want Criterion to get EVERYTHING going in blu-ray.

[capnnarcolepsy]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

Criterion's page for Night Train to Munich does say "from new, restored high-definition transfer". It is kind of odd they only releaesd DVD's on a few of those titles, especially if they already had the HD transfer ready to go... (maybe this particular transfer wasn't up to par for a blu-ray, so they just went with the DVD?)

I don't know if being late spine necessarily means it will be one of the last to get an upgrade, they seem to be filling in their back-catalogue fairly randomly. Being one of the last spines surrounded by blu-rays edition, sort of makes it stand out that maybe it needs a blu as well.

I'm just hoping they start to upgrade some of their Eclipse sets, or at least start offering new ones as blu-ray. Not even a hint of moving in that direction yet. I want Criterion to get EVERYTHING going in blu-ray.

The reason these latter spines didn't get blus was due to Criterion only having DVD rights to them. In some cases they obtain these rights years before they are released, and have explained that they would have to renegotiate rights in order to produce the bluray version, which would hold up the release even longer. CG's reasoning for saying they would likely be the last to be upgraded is due to them being so recently released. As much griping as there is about upgrades over new releases, imagine a release that's barely been out a year taking up an upgrade spot. Personally, I wouldn't mind. Much like CG, I'd love to have "Dillinger Is Dead" on blu, but people would certainly be upset over it. A few years inbetween will soften that upgrade blow.

And, as is often said around here, the Eclipse series are most likely never going to be released on Blu. I know it might be tough to buy a DVD nowadays, but the way these sets are is completely worth it. I have six of the sets and I've been impressed with them all.

[SpiderBaby]

They should have blu rights to Janus films like Dillinger is Dead. I think most of these are under that "minor" crap we joke about now. Those "minor" films "THEY THINK" are "minor", they put out in dvd-only.

I might get crap for this, but I believe those "minor" dvd only films are not getting the releases they used to anymore. They did go to all blu releases, but I feel they have drastically reduced the obscure movies. Back then, they could of put them out on just dvd. Now, they have to think which films they want to spend the $ and time restoring and getting rights to, and is it worth it.