The Criterion Collection

[Mr. Eddy]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

On a side note; The Night Porter is coming out Oct. 25 with a region 2 blu release in France. I have this on Criterion DVD and it's one of my favorites. Any chance Criterion releases this soon? Anybody heard much about this new French release?

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=7211

I really hope this film gets a new U.S. release as well, the current DVD isn't a very good one and to make matters worse isn't Anamorphic, with Criterion taking older films from their catalogue and re-releasing them with new transfers hopefully Night Porter isn't too far off into the future, heck just an Anamorphic DVD with less screen artifacts would suffice for now.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

What are everyones opinions on "Hunger"? The review interests me, but I rarely see it mentioned here in any posts. Would anyone recommend it?

Hunger is a fine film. It's graphic but realistic and I recommended buying it if you feel intrigued. I still remember the screening I saw at the New York Film Festival a few years ago (along with Che, Parts 1 and 2); Criterion's release is in my own collection.

[Yankees0222]

A little off topic here but I've heard some people mentioning a far fetched/potential 6 hour cut of "The Tree of Life"..... I just watched it yesterday and while I think the version released by Fox is amazing, I don't know if I could have watched it for 6 hours. I think the length as it stands is perfect. Are there people really clamoring for a 6 hour cut? And why?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by BluPix

Hunger is a fine film. It's graphic but realistic and I recommended buying it if you feel intrigued. I still remember the screening I saw at the New York Film Festival a few years ago (along with Che, Parts 1 and 2); Criterion's release is in my own collection.

Thank you for the response! I am very intrigued, it's currently at the top of my list of ones I need to blind-buy (along with 'The Phantom Carriage', Le Beau Serge', and 'Bigger than Life'). Just hoping to find a good price for it..

On another note:

I watched "The Red Shoes" last night... I feel like it's a film you need to watch for yourself to understand why it is as loved and appreciated as it is. I was pretty blown away by the beauty of it, much more than I expected to be. So happy to have blind-bought. Honestly, the transfer is probably one of the very best I've seen from Criterion, just incredible.

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by Yankees0222

A little off topic here but I've heard some people mentioning a far fetched/potential 6 hour cut of "The Tree of Life"..... I just watched it yesterday and while I think the version released by Fox is amazing, I don't know if I could have watched it for 6 hours. I think the length as it stands is perfect. Are there people really clamoring for a 6 hour cut? And why?

I wouldn't say that I'm clamoring for it, but it would be great (imo)...the more Malick, the better

And yes, I do enjoy this current cut very much, but I do feel that it was missing some things...but perhaps I am thinking this only because I know that there is a lot cut out. Perhaps if I did not know of how much was cut, I wouldn't be hungry for it.

And it goes for The Thin Red Line as well. The current cut is wonderful, but the idea of a longer cut sounds very appealing.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Thank you for the response! I am very intrigued, it's currently at the top of my list of ones I need to blind-buy (along with 'The Phantom Carriage', Le Beau Serge', and 'Bigger than Life'). Just hoping to find a good price for it..

On another note:

I watched "The Red Shoes" last night... I feel like it's a film you need to watch for yourself to understand why it is as loved and appreciated as it is. I was pretty blown away by the beauty of it, much more than I expected to be. So happy to have blind-bought. Honestly, the transfer is probably one of the very best I've seen from Criterion, just incredible.

It seems you and I have similar tastes to some extent (at least within the realm of the Criterion Collection).

I also am eager to own The Phantom Carriage and Le Beau Serge (and Les Cousins), especially after reading Dr Atanasov's reviews on each of those releases. I had owned The Red Shoes for a while before watching it and was also blown away by it. Absolutely amazing, especially the fantastical ballet sequence at the center of it, but the entire film was truly an unforgettable experience.

Bigger than Life is quite a compelling family and psychological drama. It's the best performance I've seen so far from James Mason, who's strong in every role he's in. Its conclusion, given the circumstances, is perhaps a bit too "happy" to be completely realistic but, hey, it's a 1950s film from a major Hollywood studio, so that's not a huge surprise. Nevertheless, it's a fine film in its own right and still has resonance today, more than a half-century after it was made.

So, Coop, what are a few of the other Criterions you own or highly desire?

[BluPix]

So, does anyone know when the purported, big Barnes & Noble Criterion sale is going to be? I keep seeing November, but when and for how long? The latter part of the month? Two weeks?... How did they run it last year? What percentage off/price?

...I'm just eager to get great deals on excellent blu-ray (and possibly even DVD) releases. I may even become a B&N member if it truly helps.

I can almost see them in my dreams ... The Phantom Carriage ... People on Sunday ... Insignificance ... Les Cousins ... Le Beau Serge ... House ... Something Wild ... Summer Hours ... A Christmas Tale ... Black Narcissus ... many others ...

Bring it on... I've been waiting for the November sale only since their summer sale, lol.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by BluPix

So, does anyone know when the purported, big Barnes & Noble Criterion sale is going to be? I keep seeing November, but when and for how long? The latter part of the month? Two weeks?... How did they run it last year? What percentage off/price?

50% off, most likely for two weeks.

Not sure when it will begin. I usually go to my Barnes & Noble towards the end of October and ask one of the employees to find out.

[fdm]

It's 11/1 thru 11/21. (So say the rumors on the internets.)

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Finally got around to watching Harakiri last night. 3 words: Brutal, Haunting and Beautiful. Amazing film!. The image looked exceptionally sharp and has to have one of the best minimalistic soundtracks in existence. Everything about this release was top notch. Makes me anticipate a future Criterion Kwaidan and Samurai Rebellion Blu release.

I watched the bulk of Harakiri last night and will finish the remaining 45 minutes or so tonight. It is one intriguing piece of cinema. Its 2-1/2 hour (roughly) runtime is flying by. And I agree with you that the image looked incredibly sharp. I would go so far as to say that Criterion's treatment has rendered this film, which is nearly five decades old, just as sharp, defined and rich, visually, as most films made within the last few years. One of the true values of Criterion and the blu-ray format in general is that old films given such care have never looked or sounded nearly as good as they do now and can thus continue to be discovered and enjoyed by newcomers to those films. The value of what film preservationists are doing along with blu-ray, Criterion, Kino, Masters of Cinema and some other studios and labels, to preserve and present films of all eras in mint condition cannot be overstated.

Anyway, since you liked Harakiri, you may wish to check out the epic trilogy called The Human Condition. All three of those films, like Harakiri, were directed by Masaki Kobayashi and star Tatsuya Nakadai and originally released from 1959 to 1961. To call those three films amazing would be an understatement. They're all available via Criterion on DVD. I hope Criterion eventually upgrades them to blu-ray; judging from their work on Harakiri, the picture would look phenominal.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

50% off, most likely for two weeks.

Not sure when it will begin. I usually go to my Barnes & Noble towards the end of October and ask one of the employees to find out.

Thanks, Sammy...

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by fdm

It's 11/1 thru 11/21. (So say the rumors on the internets.)

...and thank you, fdm.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

I got my amazon order today and didn't realize SALO was going to be in a cardboard case or I would have bought it at Barnes & Noble. I could have sworn I read some where it was a plastic case. (JUST FYI I love the cardboard cases liek Salo and the like just didn't expect it on this release :-) Seems DVDbeaver had it listed as being in a transparent plastic case. I may return my amazon copy for credit and buy it this weekend at Barnes.

I received mine from Amazon on Tuesday and was also surprised that it was a cardstock digipack style package -- which I like and wish more studios packaged their titles that way. But, like you, I'm quite nitpicky about the condition of the (pricey) merchandise and it has to be in pristine condition. My copy arrived with some scratches on the front of it and the booklet to my copy of Harakiri, which arrived in the same package, had some dents and small tears, all due to the fact they were not packed as securely as they should have been. I've bought second copies of both titles from Amazon and will return the damaged ones; hopefully the etailer gets it right the second time.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Zen_Amako

I do like Criterion's packaging better than the BFI's. It's a bit more discreet and looks classier.

I also prefer Criterion's packaging to BFI's for the same reasons. Also, I feel Criterion's graphic of the repeating sets of hash marks, counting the 120 days by fives, is a clever and effective solution. It also appears on the main menu, where each hash mark is appears, one by one, just like inmates supposedly do in prison -- which the setting for Salo's story effectively is for the suffering characters.

That said, I do plan to eventually acquire the BFI in addition to my Criterion copy because, since I quite appreciate the film, I want to have as many different supplements about it as possible and the BFI release appears to contain several significant extras not found on Criterion's treatment (which has a fine set of extras, too, just different ones).

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Belloche

I made my way through The Adventures of Antoine Doinel box set over the last couple of days. I love The 400 blows but I had never seen the other films. I enjoyed the twenty year character arc, catching up with Antoine at different points in his life. I would recommend it to any fan of the first film.

I've loved The 400 Blows ever since the first time I caught it on cable a few years ago (I now have the Criterion blu), but I haven't seen the other films in the series. The Antoine Doinel box is another set I wish Criterion would upgrade to blu-ray. I would buy it rather quickly.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Browsing through the massive Collection I started to wonder something. Why Criterion does not have animated films in the Collection? I mean, it is not the lack of a good one. I am sure there are many animated features that would fit nicely under the CC brand. Films like La Planete Sauvage by Laloux or Waltz with Bashir by Folman would be really great additions.

I've been wondering the same thing myself lately. The two films you mentioned would be excellent additions to Criterion's offerings and I'd be proud to upgrade my current copies of them to Criterion blu, as would, imo, Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, since Criterion carries virtually all his other films.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by biglou114

I can now confirm the the November B&N sale will be 11/1-11/21. Sadly this means that 12 Angry Men and Rushmore won't be a part of this sale.

I wouldn't give up all hope that those two films will be included in the sale. B&N's summer sale included titles that were still in the preorder phase through the end of the month that the sale occured in. 12 Angry Men and Rushmore are scheduled for a November release, so there's a chance that they may, in fact, be included in the sale.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by BluPix

I wouldn't give up all hope that those two films will be included in the sale. B&N's summer sale included titles that were still in the preorder phase through the end of the month that the sale occured in. 12 Angry Men and Rushmore are scheduled for a November release, so there's a chance that they may, in fact, be included in the sale.

If that date is correct (which I doubt, as every November sale has lasted only 2 weeks), then those titles won't be apart of the sale. Both 12 Angry Men and Rushmore release on the 22nd.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

If that date is correct (which I doubt, as every November sale has lasted only 2 weeks), then those titles won't be apart of the sale. Both 12 Angry Men and Rushmore release on the 22nd.

Yes, they both release on November 22nd, but as I said, the previous B&N sale, this past summer, included titles that were, at the time, still in the preorder phase and had release dates that same month, including release dates that occured after the sale was to end. So, I suspect a similar scenario will happen with those Lumet and Anderson films.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

HAHA Yeah I watched Part I so far... I have had so much to watch lately I can't decide.

As far as I can recall, Ramirez only goes "the full-Keitel" in Part 1. (Should I have put a plot spoiler tag around that? )
All jokes aside, the full nudity works really well thematically.
I've now sold my UK edition, so I'm looking forward to picking up the Criterion edition in the November sale.