The Criterion Collection

[*DrStrangelove*]

I saw Cruel Gun Story last night and absolutely loved it. I felt it was similar to The Killing I'm a way but still totally different. I'm really getting into these Nikkatsu films and Hulu is really helping me check these out. I also just finished Youth of the Beast which I also thought was great. This is my second Suzuki I have seen and so far I really like his work. I noticed that both I've seen (YotB & Take aim at the police van) have had pretty straight forward plots. Are these his most accessible? A lot of people describe Suzuki's films as being weird and having no actual plot so I'm wondering if that only applies to Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter. I'm probably gonna check our Gate of Flesh or maybe watch another film in the Nikkatsu Noir set. So far I have seen Cruel Gun Story, Take aim..., and My Colt is my passport. Are the others worth checking out?

[SlickDamian]

Watched Three Colors:White earlier for the first time. Great film! Very different than Blue. Can't decide which one I like more! It is often said that White is the weakest part of the trilogy, but so far they are on an equal footing in my opinion. Pumped for Red tomorrow!

And after watching these and Veronique, The Decalogue has become one of my most wanted films to see (all 10 parts). A Criterion release of that would be a beauty.

[WhoIsTylerDurden]

Originally Posted by joie

There is some unusual editing in "Walkabout." At 51:29 a cut begins with a blurry frame (about the 9th frame in), then a yellowed piece of what looks like newspaper makes its way diagonally across the screen from lower right to upper left. At about 51:38 another cut occurs with the same paper moving from upper left to lower right. There are another two or three cuts like that up until about 52:00. The paper is in focus and appears to contain summary business reports, with several companies mentioned, like "U.K. Cables Group." Several other businesses are mentioned. The reports contain "for 1968" and "for 1969," but there isn't enough information to know when the information was printed.

At 40:35 it appears as though one frame is repeated 24 times. The picture may be grainy enough to confirm that it is one frame by checking whether the grain moves, but I didn't do that.

I am curious about whether I have a rare cut of the film.

That is definetly not a rare cut of the film, that's how it was edited and released. I won't say that the newspaper sequence wasn't unusual, though, even for 70s cinema.

[curtistalls]

Originally Posted by Banned User

For instance that travesty that was the Coen's Ladykiller remake. Possibly the worst movie I have every seen.

While Ladykillers is by no means a perfect film, worst movie ever is a stretch...I think some of these may take that title.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I saw Cruel Gun Story last night and absolutely loved it. I felt it was similar to The Killing I'm a way but still totally different. I'm really getting into these Nikkatsu films and Hulu is really helping me check these out. I also just finished Youth of the Beast which I also thought was great. This is my second Suzuki I have seen and so far I really like his work. I noticed that both I've seen (YotB & Take aim at the police van) have had pretty straight forward plots. Are these his most accessible? A lot of people describe Suzuki's films as being weird and having no actual plot so I'm wondering if that only applies to Branded to Kill and Tokyo Drifter. I'm probably gonna check our Gate of Flesh or maybe watch another film in the Nikkatsu Noir set. So far I have seen Cruel Gun Story, Take aim..., and My Colt is my passport. Are the others worth checking out?

Tokyo Drifter has a plot, I found it to be pretty straightforward. Branded to Kill has one, it's not as straightforward. A lot of people claim Head and Hausu have no plots, but they do. A lot of films that seem plotless do have a plot, but it's not clearly defined and/could be so basic that people are trying to hard to define it.

Originally Posted by Banned User

The tendency in this forum to bash more mainstream popular directors while touting more 'obscure' directors is nothing new. Personally I enjoy the Coen's movies. God knows there are a ton of worse directors out there. For the most part 90% of American made films are flashy popcorn affairs. Wholly hollowed out experiences with no thinking required, encouraged or possibly even allowed. In this ocean of mediocre its nice to have a few decent directors that try to be different. Many of whom build their films upon the masters before them. This is nothing new. Directors have been copying, stealing and paying homage to great movies since the birth of cinema. I'd argue the Coen's have very much a mastery of suspense as Hitchcock did and their films are well crafted and IMO very enjoyable. While not a huge fan of Tarantino I appreciate his ability to resurrect unused actors careers and revive dead genre's. Also his films have a freshness to them when compared to most of his contemporaries. Gilliam is less mainstream and IMO a utter genius. He reminds me in the sense of Orson Welles in the fact he neither gets the backing or the control to explore his artistic vision like he should. (Although recently: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmb...y-family-pasta)

I have a more negative opinion of Burton. To me he is a one trick pony artistically. I agree with a earlier statement that he basically makes the same movie over and over. I have a lot of respect for Fincher's work even though IMO his films tend to have the same dark feel I tend to like that same darkness and atmospheric feel in movies. There really is no doubting his capability at directing major films. If anything he is one of the best directors of title sequences. Although I'd love to see him branch out.

I'm not even going to mention my thoughts of Nolan and Anderson. Two of the biggest pinata's, or punching bags, in this criterion forum. the only difference being some want to punch them and others bring a baseball bat.

I guess everyone has their tastes and there are no wrong answers. Overall I tend to always find something I like in a movie even when its contrasted with a lot of bad. Except in a few cases. For instance that travesty that was the Coen's Ladykiller remake. Possibly the worst movie I have every seen.

This. I wasn't trying to bash any directors in my comment. Well, except The Ladykillers, the Coens should be ashamed for that one. I just don't enjoy some of those other directors as much as others. Even the ones people tend to bash a lot like Nolan and Anderson, there's at least one film by them that I have enjoyed. I just find that some of these directors are overhyped in both how awesome they are, and to a certain extent, how horrid they are. I just find that people are more quick to take offense if you didn't absolutely love a film, and just enjoyed it. My former co-worker thought I had killed his grandmother because I thought Inception was ok, and not "bestest movie evarrr!!!!!1111eleventy!!!!!" I have no problems if you enjoy the director, but I don't, or I don't enjoy them as much as you, so don't try to force me into liking it.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by curtistalls

While Ladykillers is by no means a perfect film, worst movie ever is a stretch...I think some of these may take that title.

Point taken. Ughh those are some bad films. I think my personal distaste of Ladykillers is because I'm such a huge fan of the original and the remake went so horribly wrong.

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I have no problems if you enjoy the director, but I don't, or I don't enjoy them as much as you, so don't try to force me into liking it.

You will conform!! Compliance is not a option!

[Narcissus]

Originally Posted by Banned User

You will conform!! Compliance is not a option!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsHNigj-mN0

[Yami]

Here's a great interview with Criterion producer Curtis Tsui on the Godzilla release

[Jayderek]

looks like...(thought it was Badlands but I guess not)...will be announced on Friday (Facebook photo hint)

[Yami]

According to Criterion, it isn't Badlands.

[Romulus]

Some people are thinking it's Heaven's Gate.

[Yami]

Alambrista! is the best guess I've seen so far.

[Darkcritic]

What about Alambrista! by Robert Young? I saw the suggestion in FB and it certainly matches with the overall feel of the film from what it looks. I have never seen it but a few screenshots might depict similar scenes.

[monque]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Some people are thinking it's Heaven's Gate.

Like your avatar. PT rules.

[JHas]

I still think it's Badlands.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Some people are thinking it's Heaven's Gate.

There was talk of a restored post-MGM Heaven's Gate a while ago...

I don't recall any good-looking sunsets in it, though--Remember everything being dusty and sepia, even in color.

[rafaelsalguero]

Originally Posted by Jayderek

looks like...(thought it was Badlands but I guess not)...will be announced on Friday (Facebook photo hint)

looks like "Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN"

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by monque

Like your avatar. PT rules.

Thanks man, one of my favorite album covers of all time. Album is great too.

[Darkcritic]

Pretty sure it is Alambrista! Everything seems to match good. Surprising choice ! I have never seen it and, for some reason, I kind of expect this one to be in the bare-bones range, at $29.99. April is shaping up to be quite interesting, let hope at least a great upgrade shows up.

[Narcissus]

Oh Please Oh Please Oh Please:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otPyEsObI1M