The Criterion Collection

[rock, stone]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

To be completely honest, I am surprised by this late on-going dicussion. Currently going through high school but plan entering film school next year. Can't speak about other countries but, in Mexico, you can't just start working for yourself and hope to achieve success by being really good (I know, it is sad but that an unfortunate truth ). I am planning to enter a public film school which is said to be one of the best ones in the country (Plus it is free!!!) but the hard part is that the number of students is REALLY limited. I am in pre-production to make my first independient short film (A small project, nothing too fancy, as there aren't many mediums to make it done. Have been tinkering with "experimental" film for a while but never a solid short film) with the hopes to take it into competition. What I didn't know is that many students at film school weren't aknowledgeable in film . I mean, being the only person interested in film at my school (And one of three persons I have personally met that like film in a serious way), I pictured my possible future classmates just as me. Hunting down obsucre films, trying to get as most from the art as possible and never setting barriers between me and a potential gem. For most part of what I have been reading, it doesn't sounds like it .

Your potential classmates will be just like this thread, only possibly not as outright shitty to each other's faces since you will have the added social lubricant of real life fear of actual confrontation.

If you are in High School right now, my best advice to you would be to get a cheap camera and cheap (or pirate) editing software and start making stuff. It doesn't matter if it is good, because it won't be. You will have to make 100 horrible things for every 1 good thing, so don't be precious, be prolific. No one else has to see the bad stuff.

Everyone you admire got to grips with the fact that they love creating and they have to be the one who does it themselves. Everyone you don't admire is moaning on a message board right now.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by melo4mvp

Just watched Harakiri for the first time. What an incredible movie. The ending was great. I think this is my favorite criterion so far.

I have Harakiri on Eureka, but I agree, the film itself is truly amazing. Some of the best cinematography I've seen in quite sometime, especially during that samurai duel in the field near the end. So awesome.

[BohemianGraham]

As of yesterday, I was almost caught up with my PVR, with the exception of La Strada, but TCM had a bunch of classic horror films on last night, so I'm back at square 1 with playing catch-up.

However, I will say I'm now in the release Bitter Rice on BD please, Criterion camp.

The Bicycle Thief/Bicycle Thieves, in comparison, was ok. It was a great film, but at the same time, I just didn't like it all that much. I understood what De Sica was aiming at, but I just couldn't get into the film. I though that Ricci was a bit of a jerk, and was trying to using his circumstances as a reason for being such a jerk. I just couldn't feel sympathy for him. Everyone had it rough, he wasn't anyone special. I don't regret watching the film, but I do feel that it was hyped up.

[Illy Scorsese]

The B&N Criterion Sale ending the day before "Rushmore" and "12 Angry Men" come out is complete bullshit...

That is all.

[Yami]

That's capitalism surely

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

As of yesterday, I was almost caught up with my PVR, with the exception of La Strada, but TCM had a bunch of classic horror films on last night, so I'm back at square 1 with playing catch-up.

However, I will say I'm now in the release Bitter Rice on BD please, Criterion camp.

The Bicycle Thief/Bicycle Thieves, in comparison, was ok. It was a great film, but at the same time, I just didn't like it all that much. I understood what De Sica was aiming at, but I just couldn't get into the film. I though that Ricci was a bit of a jerk, and was trying to using his circumstances as a reason for being such a jerk. I just couldn't feel sympathy for him. Everyone had it rough, he wasn't anyone special. I don't regret watching the film, but I do feel that it was hyped up.

[Show spoiler]The scene with the boy watching his father steal the bicycle didn't get you?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Bingo.

How how many film school students know anything outside of the same ol' Bergman, Godard (just Breathless), Kurosawa, Kubrick, Welles crap? For example, did anybody that went to film school learned about animation from the likes of Jan Lenica? Or early Russian silents that had nothing to do with Eisenstein like Yevgeni Bauer? Or South American films that wasn't made in the last 10 years? Any of them know any Frans Zwartjes films?

For anyone to believe going to school to watch Citizen Kane for the 1,000th time would be better time used than what I experience and learn freely, well that would just be their opinion.

The problem is many films students haven't even seen the "crap" from those directors you've listed. I took several film classes in school and most people favored 90's to present. I quickly became known as the black-and-white guy because I referenced so many 40's and 50's films.

The curriculum can only go so deep because so many students don't even have a knowledge of some of the landmark films--- Citizen Kane and Breathless are definitely two of them.

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by Illy Scorsese

The B&N Criterion Sale ending the day before "Rushmore" and "12 Angry Men" come out is complete bullshit...

That is all.

Jus thrilled it will be during the more expensive NOV releases is the plus side.

[JHas]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Let's be real, it was said most likely to bash the movie, though it's actually a + for it.

I wasn't really trying to bash the movie, am I huge Godard fan? No, and I actually like this one, especially the scene where Sam Fuller is in, but whatever, take my comment however you want.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The problem is many films students haven't even seen the "crap" from those directors you've listed. I took several film classes in school and most people favored 90's to present. I quickly became known as the black-and-white guy because I referenced so many 40's and 50's films.

The curriculum can only go so deep because so many students don't even have a knowledge of some of the landmark films--- Citizen Kane and Breathless are definitely two of them.

Things must have change in the 30 something years since my college years. I took cinema class while in college as a side thing (it wasn't what I was aiming to become at all but always enjoyd movies and wanted to learn about them in a different way). Boy was I the odd guy out in there. It was funny most of those in cinema class reminded me of highschool kids listening to the most obscure music possible in order to be different than everyone else. Of course the reason they were trying to be so different was to be cool which sort of kill the purpose of trying to be different They were always complaining the movies we were talking about were just too main stream. I suspect most of those would go nuts in todays cinema class if it's all about the 90's and after

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Well a good side of the internet, you get to meet people that have the same interests. It sounds like you really want to freely explore and learn more, and that is wonderful. I "hunt" and keep "hunting" just because I love everything about filmmaking, not to be a filmmaker or anything.

Off-topic to film schools, but here is a site if you want that has many avant-garde and experimental films from some of the best around the world. One of my fav sites to be honest:

http://www.ubu.com/film/index.html

Well, thanks a lot for the link .Looking around for a few minutes I found a lot of interesting works. One site I usually visit once a day is "Short of the Week". Some really good short films from a big variety of themes. The only downside is that they tend to be way too polished. There isn't much raw material in there . Still, if you haven't seen it, I recommend you to check it out.

Originally Posted by rock, stone

Your potential classmates will be just like this thread, only possibly not as outright shitty to each other's faces since you will have the added social lubricant of real life fear of actual confrontation.

If you are in High School right now, my best advice to you would be to get a cheap camera and cheap (or pirate) editing software and start making stuff. It doesn't matter if it is good, because it won't be. You will have to make 100 horrible things for every 1 good thing, so don't be precious, be prolific. No one else has to see the bad stuff.

Everyone you admire got to grips with the fact that they love creating and they have to be the one who does it themselves. Everyone you don't admire is moaning on a message board right now.

Well, that a great thing to hear of . I have been experimenting with my camera for quite some time. Many experimental films that I tend to do to practice some technique or just find out if something can be done (Filming with almost light or no ilumination at all in dark spaces and still trying to get that morning natural light to create an interesting effect). Still, I am planning on filming my first "serious" short film as soon as possible but my current school program is more than exhausting.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Things must have change in the 30 something years since my college years. I took cinema class while in college as a side thing (it wasn't what I was aiming to become at all but always enjoyd movies and wanted to learn about them in a different way). Boy was I the odd guy out in there. It was funny most of those in cinema class reminded me of highschool kids listening to the most obscure music possible in order to be different than everyone else. Of course the reason they were trying to be so different was to be cool which sort of kill the purpose of trying to be different They were always complaining the movies we were talking about were just too main stream. I suspect most of those would go nuts in todays cinema class if it's all about the 90's and after

Pat, that is funny, as I took a class in 89-90 and remember it the same way. To me, taking that class was about getting a background/history of the themes and style used. I already had my tastes and frankly did not care what others thought about. Everyone has different tastes and I only thought of it, as I do today, as a film or someones interpretation of something. If people are uninterested in the 'history' of things, then they usually will not repeat it.

[scottpcusa]

Not that I'm worried about the quality of the release, but I'm anxiously awaiting the review for Kuroneko, and cant wait to get the BD and watch it in HD!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Pat, that is funny, as I took a class in 89-90 and remember it the same way. To me, taking that class was about getting a background/history of the themes and style used. I already had my tastes and frankly did not care what others thought about. Everyone has different tastes and I only thought of it, as I do today, as a film or someones interpretation of something. If people are uninterested in the 'history' of things, then they usually will not repeat it.

I had a lot of fun in those classes (I took another one on the following semester) and I also learn a few things. Like you I had my favorite styles and favorite genre but it was great to learn about new directors, new style of movies, new ways of making cinema that was not only just typical Hollywood. I enjoy the movies of Hollywood, they are fun to watch but it's also good to try something new and learn something new as well. Those classes help a lot with that.

I am sure even to this day, there is still a lot more and lots of different styles I should know and watch but I only have so much time now, it's not like when I was in my teens and early 20's. Work, wife, family, friends......I still try my best to get out of my comfort zone once in a while

[Banned User]

I'm not a huge fan of Godard, but I recognize a director who is inspired by prior films yet inventive on his own right. Compared to the majority of directors today who only copy what they have already seen to the point most movies are simply carbon copy films.

I would call Pierrot le Fou a artsy film. Matter a fact it helps to know many historical figures due to the large amount of references in the film.
It does however have a pretty defined plot. It just isn't handed to you in the normal structural sense.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by scottpcusa

Not that I'm worried about the quality of the release, but I'm anxiously awaiting the review for Kuroneko, and cant wait to get the BD and watch it in HD!

There is a review at the other website. Not sure if it's bad form to say which or to link to it...

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

[Show spoiler]The scene with the boy watching his father steal the bicycle didn't get you?

Bruno was the only character I sympathised with actually, due to that scene and the

[Show spoiler]The scene where he gets slapped in the face by his father, because his father is acting far more immaturely than he is about the bicycle. It's not the kid's fault his father seems to care more about the bicycle, even though that bicycle means that Bruno will get fed. As someone pointed out on IMDB (yes I know, I'm just asking for it by posting this) why didn't Ricci try alternate means of scrounging up cash to get a new bicycle, like pawn his bed, and a few other things? Sure it would have hurt his pride, and they would have lived lowly for awhile, but the fact that he would have been able to keep his job, would have enabled him to make the money to get those things back, and then some. Of course, we don't know if he did indeed do this, or if he just lost the job, and pawned those things to put food on the table.

.

I just couldn't sympathise with the Ricci at all. He just came across as a jerk through 98% of the film. I guess I'm just coming at it with a modern sensibility, and because I haven't lived in a situation like that. I found almost all of the characters in the film to be of a rather nasty nature.

[scottpcusa]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...DVD_Review.htm

Thanks. I've already read that one. I guess I should have clarified that I am a BD review-monger and like to read from this site AND that site.

[stobbart]

Originally Posted by madmojo

I'd not change a thing, but I would suggest anyone who wants to make movies to just watch a lot of movies and use the money that would be for college to make a well-done short piece & get on the festival circuit. Film school won't teach you anything you can't learn by trial and error.

I don't really agree with that at all. The first short that I made for college was completely different from a short that I am currently in post on and it will be done in about 2-3 weeks. And I just graduated last semester. And it was not for lack of movies I watched as I was digging through the Criterion Collection starting in high school.

Of course I felt my professors were exceptional and exposed me to some pretty obscure films, that I would guess most people on here have not even heard of. And I learned how my own specific tastes in film was reflected in the theory behind certain aspects. And it was only after learning that theory and exploring it that I was able to use those techniques in my current short film to a greater degree of understanding and effectiveness that would otherwise have been impossible for me to do had I just watched more movies.

Plus film school gives you connections and friends that really help you when you get out. Because the people I have working on my short: cinematographer, sound, etc are a lot better quality then had I just grabbed some people that I knew to make films.

I have been lucky since graduating to be working in "the business". But I feel that film school can take me even farther, which I why I am currently working on my grad school applications for Fall of 2012

[ShellOilJunior]

Characters in a film class:

90's to Present Guy: his frame of reference is Pulp Fiction to present.

Sci-Fi Guy: He loves science fiction and shows a little bit of interest in older cinema.

Film Snob: He pretends to have seen everything under the sun and references all types of films- good and bad. Whenever someone mentions an obvious classic is a "good film" he'll counter with "no, it's a great film".

Jaded: Open to all types of films and willing to watch anything. He/She gets tired of classmates discussing drivel like dare devil.