The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

Thanks to those who have already voted for best Upgrade of the Year.

If you haven't voted already please do so here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...dpT3c6MQ#gid=0

[Icemouth]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Here's one I just made:

that....made me legitimately angry.

[AgentOrange]

I think I've just determined which Criterion DVD for my LEAST desired upgrade to blu-ray... that dubious honor now goes to Naked Lunch.

I thoroughly enjoyed Videodrome, so thought I would give this one a shot. At this point I'm not sure it would be much of a stretch to claim it as the absolute worst film I've ever seen. It's very rare that I pull the plug on a film when I'm half-way through, but I just couldn't go on with this ridiculous trash any further. As far as critically adored movies, the only one where I'm sure I have a wider variance to the "professional" reviewers would be Lost in Translation. Just because it's another of the rare films I couldn't stand to finish, yet that one is even more universally loved by critics.

Disclosure: I have never read the book, however after watching a little more than half the film I'm pretty sure I have no interest whatsoever in this bullshit.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by rkish

I think you mean BFI Pat.

I do indeed, thank you for the correction!

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by madmojo

No one? Pity.

I never heard of it, I'm afraid. Looking over the director's filmography, don't recall seeing any of his films. If you'd be so kind, just let me know where to turn in my snob credentials.

You ought to tell us why you think the film is special.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

I never heard of it, I'm afraid. Looking over the director's filmography, don't recall seeing any of his films. If you'd be so kind, just let me know where to turn in my snob credentials.

You ought to tell us why you think the film is special.

they keep them on file at Barnes & Noble

[Beta Man]

I need to work on my reading comprehension..... I thought you were saying Naked Lunch was announced on BD..... I'd certainly upgrade it

I just finished watching Videodrome 15 minutes ago as a matter of fact too


Could be a two-film evening if my wife is up for watching "White" with me.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I need to work on my reading comprehension..... I thought you were saying Naked Lunch was announced on BD..... I'd certainly upgrade it

I just finished watching Videodrome 15 minutes ago as a matter of fact too


Could be a two-film evening if my wife is up for watching "White" with me.

Any title with "Naked" in it or a color is likely for a Criterion upgrade.

[Takeshi666]

Naked Lunch enjoys only the dubious honour of being one of the three Criterion titles I haven't upgraded to blu-ray yet - and one of the two I can't because there isn't one.

[madmojo]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

I never heard of it, I'm afraid. Looking over the director's filmography, don't recall seeing any of his films. If you'd be so kind, just let me know where to turn in my snob credentials.

You ought to tell us why you think the film is special.

Well, to be frank, the other films by Delannoy aren't worthy of the Criterion Collection and would most likely be harder to find than this one. The reason I think this film deserves a look by Criterion is hard to explain. (I've never been great at explaining myself.) It's subject matter has rarely been touched upon, except in an annoyingly sappy or preachy way in a very few modern films done by gay filmmakers. At the same time it's not shocking just to be shocking as I felt that Life During Wartime and it's predecessor Happiness were. It came out in 1964 in France, but took 3 more years to come out in the USA due in part to it's subject matter (and I believe it was strictly arthouse released). It was no doubt a gamble even to do a film based on a gay relationship between a 12 and 15 year old, even with as non-sexual as the story is. I doubt it could be made today either, as that age difference would rub people the wrong way. But here I think it was done masterfully. (Not to mention the story of the book's author would make a hell of a special feature. It's kind of scandalous.)

I don't think I did a good idea of explaining it, but then again there are some films I in the Criterion Collection that I can't explain why they should be in there.

[Hendershot737]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I need to work on my reading comprehension..... I thought you were saying Naked Lunch was announced on BD..... I'd certainly upgrade it

I just finished watching Videodrome 15 minutes ago as a matter of fact too


Could be a two-film evening if my wife is up for watching "White" with me.

Good for you for finding a woman who will enjoy such a flick with you. Having become newly single, I hope to find such a woman

[Darkcritic]

Just finished watching Hunger and can safely say it was a great blind-buy . I really liked the film, especially the slow but fascinating cinematography which greatly accentuated its atmosphere. To my surprise, I seemed to like one particular scene not commonly discussed. The one where...

[Show spoiler]all the police officers stand outside waiting for the prisioners to come, so they can torture and humiliate them. It was such a powerful scene with amazing rhythm. I especially loved the shot showing the traumatized police officer outside while his partners continued the carnage.

. All in all, I am really happy I got this one during the sale, it is a title well worthy of the big "C" and one I will watch again in the near future .

[dag]

I just finished watching White Material, and I must say I was terribly disappointed. The protagonist appears to be

[Show spoiler]the stupidest white woman in the entire continent of Africa

; her son is, frankly,

[Show spoiler]incomprehensible

; and Christopher Lambert (looking

[Show spoiler]extremely worse for wear from his glory days as The Highlander

) doesn't

[Show spoiler]really do a whole heck of a lot

.

I don't mean to trample a film that any posters here enjoy, but I found the characters' behaviour to be inexplicable, and I was entirely unsympathetic to anything that was appearing on screen. Frankly, I found the script very shallow, and the production very poor. Alas, I was really expecting much more.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by madmojo

I don't think I did a good idea of explaining it, but then again there are some films I in the Criterion Collection that I can't explain why they should be in there.

You did a fine job of explaining what appeals to you. I would ask if it features performances that are noteworthy or great art design (costumes/sets) or great cinematography or is it just the story dynamics you find appealing?

And yes there are several films in the collection I don't personally understand, but unless they are films that would surely be released by other major studios, I don't get too cranked up (I kinda think everyone is entitled to have passions about specific films and that they get released in our favorite format).

[RetroGamer]

Need help - can someone on criterion forum send a pm to a mod or admin for me over there? I just created my account to stop lurking, and apparently made an account for a minor. Must've ticked the wrong box?

Anyway, my username is the same over there too...

Cheers.

[Sukuri]

Originally Posted by dag

I just finished watching White Material, and I must say I was terribly disappointed. The protagonist appears to be

[Show spoiler]the stupidest white woman in the entire continent of Africa

; her son is, frankly,

[Show spoiler]incomprehensible

; and Christopher Lambert (looking

[Show spoiler]extremely worse for wear from his glory days as The Highlander

) doesn't

[Show spoiler]really do a whole heck of a lot

.

I don't mean to trample a film that any posters here enjoy, but I found the characters' behaviour to be inexplicable, and I was entirely unsympathetic to anything that was appearing on screen. Frankly, I found the script very shallow, and the production very poor. Alas, I was really expecting much more.

You aren't alone on this. That's more or less my opinion of the film too (you just worded it better).

[trombone dixie]

Originally Posted by roninblues

on the other hand, we might not have had them at all.

+1.

[Trekkie313]

Received my used DVD copy of Walker, it should be put out on Blu-Ray to keep it from fading into obscurity.

[stobbart]

Still Walking, in my opinion, is the best film that Criterion released this year

[blujazz]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Just finished watching Hunger and can safely say it was a great blind-buy .

The dialogue in this film for me is intense, especially *the* scene from the later half of the film. Can't wait to watch "Shame"!