The Criterion Collection

[GAX279]

I watched Pale Flower last night, and enjoyed it quite a bit. As mentioned throughout this thread and site, the PQ was very good, as was the overall story. I really liked Muraki and thought Saeko was very pretty. A great blind-buy.

Can someone point me in the direction to a link, or explain, more about the gambling games (I know one was "matched pair," was the other poker?) that were played in the film. I'm curious to read and learn about the game, the game pieces, etc. and how it relates to their culture.

I tried Wikipedia and IMDb and nothing was mentioned. Nor was it mentioned in pro-b's review. Doing a keyword search in this thread did not yield anything, either.

It was late when I finished the film so I didn't have a chance to look at the supplements or booklet, not sure if it's mentioned in the either?

Thank you.

[SlickDamian]

I agree with everyone who didn't like 8 1/2. It was bloated and pretentious. I thought it was a mess. Very self-indulgent.

[HelmutNewton]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I liked 8 1/2 on my first watch (also my first Fellini), but I didn't really love it until I watched a few more Fellinis, so I made the same mistake as you. 8 1/2 isn't the best Fellini to start with, but everyone seems to think people need to watch it, regardless as to whether or not they know Fellini's work at all. I think reading up on Fellini and getting some background via his films helps to make 8 1/2 a more enjoyable experience.

8 1/2 was also my first Fellini. But I saw it in film school (projected, with an audience), and my professor gave us great background on Fellini. So I loved it from the first viewing.

[SpiderBaby]

According to a post on CForum, Criterion MIGHT release 2 MORE Czech New Wave sets. I am super excited for this to happen and for Criterion to release these films. On the other hand, so many of these films outshine most of the mainline releases (not to mention, like Daisies, some of these have R1 releases already and other region releases with extras), so it sucks they won't be getting the treatment other films get.

Here is the rumored list:

Koreny ceske nove vlny / Roots of Czech New Wave, containing:
- O necem jinem / Something Different
- Transport z raje / Transport from Paradise
- Demanty noci / Diamonds of the Night
- Krik / The Cry
- Kazdy den odvahu / Courage for Every Day

Dozvuky ceske nove vlny / Echos of Czech New Wave
- Vsichni dobri rodaci / All My Good Countrymen
- Spalovac mrtvol / The Cremator
- Ucho / The Ear
- Valerie a tyden divu / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

[Yami]

If The Cremator doesn't get the Blu-Ray treatment I'm not sure if I could contain my anger, it's definitely in my top 10 all time list.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by HelmutNewton

8 1/2 was also my first Fellini. But I saw it in film school (projected, with an audience), and my professor gave us great background on Fellini. So I loved it from the first viewing.

I'd had the bad luck to have seen Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories" cribbing first years earlier, and that was where we all first thought Woody was a snotty elitist jerk who spat on his Love and Death fans.
Woody still thinks he got an unfair bum rap in his real-life image from trying to play Guido (it was supposed to be one long dream sequence, he claims!), but it was hard fighting off the old associations when Fellini/Guido tries sneaking away from his "intellectual" press interview so he can go play on the Riviera so more...Oh, the constantly demanding burden of misunderstood fame, why won't they leave him alone?
( <- World's smallest violin)

[rkish]

Originally Posted by GAX279

I watched Pale Flower last night, and enjoyed it quite a bit. As mentioned throughout this thread and site, the PQ was very good, as was the overall story. I really liked Muraki and thought Saeko was very pretty. A great blind-buy.

Can someone point me in the direction to a link, or explain, more about the gambling games (I know one was "matched pair," was the other poker?) that were played in the film. I'm curious to read and learn about the game, the game pieces, etc. and how it relates to their culture.

I tried Wikipedia and IMDb and nothing was mentioned. Nor was it mentioned in pro-b's review. Doing a keyword search in this thread did not yield anything, either.

It was late when I finished the film so I didn't have a chance to look at the supplements or booklet, not sure if it's mentioned in the either?

Thank you.

The Japanese "card game" you are referring to is called "Hanafuda" and it is indeed a "matching game". Believe it or not...my 12 year old had "money" that he accrued in Nintendo bucks and bought a boxed set of the cards...which are actually small tiles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda

It's actually a fun game...there is even an iPad/iPod app that you can download (it might even be free) and you can play between two Apple devices.

I let my son watch the very beginning of the film, to let him watch them play the game...but no more than that!

[nathan_393]

Can anybody who's familiar with The Red Shoes PM me and tell me about their thoughts regarding the film's ideological gender construction? The reason I ask is because I'm considering using the film for an essay for my third-year visual rhetoric class, but I don't own it yet and I'm not sure if it's worth spending any tuition money on it for class.

I know it's regarded as an exceptional film; I'm just curious if I'll be able to base an essay on the film's visual construction of gender (or, for those more inclined towards literary theory, the "feminine masquerade").

Thanks guys!

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

According to a post on CForum, Criterion MIGHT release 2 MORE Czech New Wave sets.

When the Pearls set was announced, someone (you, Spidey?) said something about additional volumes being released in the future and I thought, dream on. This will be great news if it pans out. Wish Criterion would use the Eclipse series for regional surveys more often. Don't know how many would merit 3 volumes, but a yearly release from east europe/near/mid-east, africa, central/south america would be peachy.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Woody Allen

[octagon]

Originally Posted by rkish

The Japanese "card game" you are referring to is called "Hanafuda" and it is indeed a "matching game". Believe it or not...my 12 year old had "money" that he accrued in Nintendo bucks and bought a boxed set of the cards...which are actually small tiles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda

It's actually a fun game...there is even an iPad/iPod app that you can download (it might even be free) and you can play between two Apple devices.

I let my son watch the very beginning of the film, to let him watch them play the game...but no more than that!

I really liked that I had absolutely no understanding of the game.

Bond playing baccarat was interesting and exotic.

Bond playing poker? Not so much.

(though to be fair to poker, the Hollywood 'final showdown' convention that demands everybody at the table have escalating 50,000:1 hands certainly didn't help)

[DLizzle]

That poker scene in Casino Royale was the worst. I saw it in theatres when it came out, and am not sure if I can go back to it now because of that.

[broganreynik]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

BD-sized ! The boxes are actually kind of round. They are just bigger BD boxes that happen to be clear instead of blue. I got Sunrise and Touch of Evil a few days ago and they are really high-quality. Probably not as nice as Criterion's boxes but they are really good.

Is Touch of Evil region free?

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by broganreynik

Is Touch of Evil region free?

Nope. Unfortunately, it is B.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Touch...Blu-ray/26694/

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

According to a post on CForum, Criterion MIGHT release 2 MORE Czech New Wave sets. I am super excited for this to happen and for Criterion to release these films. On the other hand, so many of these films outshine most of the mainline releases (not to mention, like Daisies, some of these have R1 releases already and other region releases with extras), so it sucks they won't be getting the treatment other films get.

Here is the rumored list:

Koreny ceske nove vlny / Roots of Czech New Wave, containing:
- O necem jinem / Something Different
- Transport z raje / Transport from Paradise
- Demanty noci / Diamonds of the Night
- Krik / The Cry
- Kazdy den odvahu / Courage for Every Day

Dozvuky ceske nove vlny / Echos of Czech New Wave
- Vsichni dobri rodaci / All My Good Countrymen
- Spalovac mrtvol / The Cremator
- Ucho / The Ear
- Valerie a tyden divu / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

This would make my day. So excited about these "possible" Eclipse I just wish more Eclipse sets come out this year. These sounds fantastic but I want more variety too!

Originally Posted by broganreynik

Is Touch of Evil region free?

Sadly, no, it is region-locked .

[dag]

Originally Posted by dag

I've picked up the two Claude Chabrol releases from last fall; tonight it will be Le Beau Serge, followed on Tuesday by Les Cousins.

I thought Le Beau Serge was all right: an interesting little film, village boy briefly returns to his old haunts after making it in the big city, stirs up the jealousies of his down-and-out old best friend. But it didn't really feel too weighty to me.

I really felt swept along by Les Cousins. Virginal, earnest student (not quite a country bumpkin) arrives in Paris - the City of Light! bookstores! ideas! the avant garde! women! - and strives to push himself ahead in the world. The two instances of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde were really effective, I thought. Very enjoyable.

[RodneyOz]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

According to a post on CForum, Criterion MIGHT release 2 MORE Czech New Wave sets. I am super excited for this to happen and for Criterion to release these films. On the other hand, so many of these films outshine most of the mainline releases (not to mention, like Daisies, some of these have R1 releases already and other region releases with extras), so it sucks they won't be getting the treatment other films get.

Here is the rumored list:

Koreny ceske nove vlny / Roots of Czech New Wave, containing:
- O necem jinem / Something Different
- Transport z raje / Transport from Paradise
- Demanty noci / Diamonds of the Night
- Krik / The Cry
- Kazdy den odvahu / Courage for Every Day

Dozvuky ceske nove vlny / Echos of Czech New Wave
- Vsichni dobri rodaci / All My Good Countrymen
- Spalovac mrtvol / The Cremator
- Ucho / The Ear
- Valerie a tyden divu / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

I would dearly love both those sets... but would be kicking the walls about the number of titles NOT getting Blu-Ray treatments. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (which I've seen theatrically as well as having on DVD) would look incredible.

Anything that increases the visibility of Diamonds of the Night, though, would be worth it on that basis alone!

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by rkish

The Japanese "card game" you are referring to is called "Hanafuda" and it is indeed a "matching game". Believe it or not...my 12 year old had "money" that he accrued in Nintendo bucks and bought a boxed set of the cards...which are actually small tiles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda

It's actually a fun game...there is even an iPad/iPod app that you can download (it might even be free) and you can play between two Apple devices.

I let my son watch the very beginning of the film, to let him watch them play the game...but no more than that!

Wow! Thanks for finding this...

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by dag

I thought Le Beau Serge was all right: an interesting little film, village boy briefly returns to his old haunts after making it in the big city, stirs up the jealousies of his down-and-out old best friend. But it didn't really feel too weighty to me.

I really felt swept along by Les Cousins. Virginal, earnest student (not quite a country bumpkin) arrives in Paris - the City of Light! bookstores! ideas! the avant garde! women! - and strives to push himself ahead in the world. The two instances of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde were really effective, I thought. Very enjoyable.

I really liked both Le Beau Serge and Les Cousins, but particularly fascinating was the use of the same two actors in both films, but almost switching characters between films.
Both will get re-watched...

[JJJ225]

Anyone have any custom cover art for Curious Case of Benjamin Button? I want to put it in a normal clear Criterion case.