The Criterion Collection

[rkish]

Originally Posted by octagon

A Safe Place is definitely pretty bad. It's only saving graces are Nicholson, Welles and the sneaking suspicion that it wasn't trying too terribly hard to be, well, good.

Other than that I can't think of anything I really dislike.

There are several I haven't watched yet (Benjamin Button being one of them) and a handful I didn't exactly love (Howards End, House, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence) but I can't really think of anything that's generated any serious buyer's remorse let alone any 'omg, wtf was I thinking'.

(If I had to pick one least favorite standalone I would probably give Howards End the nod over House because I still haven't finished House)

It's far from my favorite film of all time...but I think it was Jaglom's attempt at a "Godard-esque" type of film. OK...it didn't deliver as had been intended, but the fact that Orson shows up at all gives the film a little credibility. I'm surprised that the woman on this forum haven't come out more in support of it, as it is clearly a film made with a "female mind". Anais Nin was a big influence on Jaglom and personally supported the film...

[rkish]

Originally Posted by retablo

I had buyers remorse with Pale Flower, Branded to Kill, In the Realm of the Senses, and Gomorrah. I have a suspicion I won't like House either, but I haven't watched it yet.

Sorry to hear that retablo...but any film genre is an acquired taste. As I know you're a filmmaker yourself, I'd be curious to hear which Japanese film genres and specifically which Japanese directors are your favorites and/or that you have respect for?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by rkish

It's far from my favorite film of all time...but I think it was Jaglom's attempt at a "Godard-esque" type of film. OK...it didn't deliver as had been intended, but the fact that Orson shows up at all gives the film a little credibility. I'm surprised that the woman on this forum haven't come out more in support of it, as it is clearly a film made with a "female mind". Anais Nin was a big influence on Jaglom and personally supported the film...

I still can't entirely shake the thought that it was all a very dry, very elaborate spoof.

Which if true would have oddly enough made it awfully damn good

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by octagon

The main reason I don't put Howards End in the buyers remorse category is because I'm fairly certain I will one day come to agree. I don't know exactly what my expectations were but I know they were heavily formed by Remains of the Day and the like. I was also in a fairly virulent anti-HBC phase (that has since largely passed) which couldn't have helped.

I've been half itching to revisit it over the past few weeks and I have a feeling I'll be scratching that itch before long.

HBC is Hudson's Bay Company to me, not Helena Bonham-Carter. However, early Helena is much more interesting than a lot of her later stuff. I actually prefer her when she's doing period piece dramas, and not Tim Burton/Harry Potter cracked out characters. I thought she did a better job as the Queen Mum in The King's Speech, than she did as the Red Queen or Bellatrix. She also does plays fine Queen Jane Grey.

I had the opposite problem, I saw Howard's End before Remains of the Day, and was a bit disappointed in it, although I still enjoyed it. A Room With a View was excellent though.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

and of course the best announcement of the bunch, Downey Sr. Eclipse (with hopefully a mainline release of Putney Swope).

Spidey...do you know the names of any of the films that will be represented in this Eclipse set? I'd love to stream them, if they are available on NetFlix or even YouTube if NetFlix isn't an option...

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by rkish

It's far from my favorite film of all time...but I think it was Jaglom's attempt at a "Godard-esque" type of film. OK...it didn't deliver as had been intended, but the fact that Orson shows up at all gives the film a little credibility. I'm surprised that the woman on this forum haven't come out more in support of it, as it is clearly a film made with a "female mind". Anais Nin was a big influence on Jaglom and personally supported the film...

I'm female, and I hate it. It's not made with a "female mind," it's made of bullshiat: http://www.henryjaglom.com/rainbowfilms/safeplace.html - Anais Nin's review, as printed on Jaglom's site.

There are plenty of other male film makers who can succesfully make "female minded" films. Jaglom isn't one of them. Bergman, Malle, and Altman are far more succesful. I wasn't a fan of 3 women or Black Moon, but both were much better and far more "female minded" than A Safe Place.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by hotFstop

I'd love to see them release Satyricon on blu.

This one's streamable on NetFlix, FYI...

[rkish]

Originally Posted by SHMACKDOJO

Holy crow. Has anyone here seen Altman's 3 Women? I just watched it on Netflix instant, and was kinda blown away. It's an epically odd, pre-Lynchian drama starring Sissy Spacek and Shelley Duvall. Mulholland Dr by way of Carrie, if you will -- a must for fans of both.

Wow...SHMACKDOJO...thanks for the heads up. I didn't know this was streamable...I just added it to my instant queue.

From jcs913's and your feedback, I think I just found my Saturday morning film.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Hi Wildcat,

You should also see Manolete. The subject is very similar, as the title suggests. It is a much more elegant film than The Moment of Truth, though not a better one.

The Moment of Truth -- Gianni Di Venanzo, who lensed a small portion of the film, was a legendary cinematographer, probably one of the best to work in Italy after the war. Fellini, Antonioni, Massell, and Monicelli loved him. Aside from the big films he lensed - 8½, Le Amiche, Il grido, La notte, and L' Eclisse - he also did some small but absolutely stunning films. For example, Maselli's Abandoned, with Antonioni's favorite Lucia Bosé. It is not on Blu-ray yet, but the Italian DVD is excellent. Every scene in this film is brilliant.



The Moment of Truth is a terrific film and a great release by Criterion, my favorite this year.
Now we need Rosi's La sfida.

THANKS Pro-B!

Sorry to keep pushing the NetFlix streaming...but Manolete is also available to stream...

[rkish]

Originally Posted by octagon

I still can't entirely shake the thought that it was all a very dry, very elaborate spoof.

Which if true would have oddly enough made it awfully damn good

Hmmmm...could be the reason why Nicholson and Welles got involved...

[rkish]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I'm female, and I hate it. It's not made with a "female mind," it's made of bullshiat: http://www.henryjaglom.com/rainbowfilms/safeplace.html - Anais Nin's review, as printed on Jaglom's site.

There are plenty of other male film makers who can succesfully make "female minded" films. Jaglom isn't one of them. Bergman, Malle, and Altman are far more succesful. I wasn't a fan of 3 women or Black Moon, but both were much better and far more "female minded" than A Safe Place.

Fair enough...when I've had a chance to view Tiny Furniture, I'll chime back in and give my love/hate feedback on both films...

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by joie

When I was young and foolish, I bought the BBS set for 50-odd dollars, dividing the cost by the number of movies, thinking it was a great buy. The only ones I'd like to keep are Five Easy Pieces and The Last Picture Show. Easy Rider is still available for about $10 in a region free UK release, so there is an alternative to the OOP US release (and Criterion). I've seen it projected ... the blu-ray was a disappointment, relatively speaking.

The individual movies in the Criterion set don't have UPCs, so it could be difficult to unload them, separately.

The site's price tracker does work, however.

I honestly fail to understand why people buy this set, and then decide to break it up. There are several people in the trading forum who have done this, and most of them are people who bought it because it was "50 bucks for 7 films, OMGQTFBBQ THEY'RE SOOOOOOO CHEAAAAP!" People don't treat the Star Wars sets this way, or LOTR.

I'm guilty of blind buying Criterions, but with a 7-film set, wouldn't you at least watch those that are readily available before purchasing?

Despite A Safe Place, the set is one of the best releases Criterion/Sony (they inititally were going to release it themselves) has done. Yes, it has some lacklustre films in it, but when you look at the time and effort put into the set, with the transfers and extras, plus the fact that Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and The Last Picture Show are the only films that were well-known and "appreciated," this box set is a perfect example of at least what I feel embodies the Criterion mandate.

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by joie

When I was young and foolish, I bought the BBS set for 50-odd dollars, dividing the cost by the number of movies, thinking it was a great buy. The only ones I'd like to keep are Five Easy Pieces and The Last Picture Show. Easy Rider is still available for about $10 in a region free UK release, so there is an alternative to the OOP US release (and Criterion). I've seen it projected ... the blu-ray was a disappointment, relatively speaking.

The individual movies in the Criterion set don't have UPCs, so it could be difficult to unload them, separately.

The site's price tracker does work, however.

That's really the only film I want from this set. Easy Rider I know is available elsewhere, though I believe it may be OOP in the US. Anyway, perhaps The Last Picture Show will be released as a standalone by someone sometime in the future.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I honestly fail to understand why people buy this set, and then decide to break it up. There are several people in the trading forum who have done this, and most of them are people who bought it because it was "50 bucks for 7 films, OMGQTFBBQ THEY'RE SOOOOOOO CHEAAAAP!" People don't treat the Star Wars sets this way, or LOTR.

I'm guilty of blind buying Criterions, but with a 7-film set, wouldn't you at least watch those that are readily available before purchasing?

Despite A Safe Place, the set is one of the best releases Criterion/Sony (they inititally were going to release it themselves) has done. Yes, it has some lacklustre films in it, but when you look at the time and effort put into the set, with the transfers and extras, plus the fact that Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, and The Last Picture Show are the only films that were well-known and "appreciated," this box set is a perfect example of at least what I feel embodies the Criterion mandate.

Here I agree totally...it's a SET of films. I plan to collect ALL of the Ozu films that BFI plan to release and I'm sure there may be one or two films that don't measure up to some of his gems...but it's a COLLECTION and I plan to buy and keep them all.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by rkish

Here I agree totally...it's a SET of films. I plan to collect ALL of the Ozu films that BFI plan to release and I'm sure there may be one or two films that don't measure up to some of his gems...but it's a COLLECTION and I plan to buy and keep them all.

That's slightly different. This is more akin to buying the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition on Blu-ray, and only keeping The Two Towers, because you don't like the other two. Or buying Fanny and Alexander, and then selling off the TV version. Or buying The Leopard, and only keeping the inferior English cut disc. What's the point in buying the set?

I know BBS is a little different because most of the titles aren't out individually, but wouldn't you wait to see if they were going to come out individually at some point? Not many people are going to trade for a partial set. I wouldn't, and you probably wouldn't recoup much back by trying to sell off films from a partial set for the same price as an individually released Criterion, especially when you can get the set for 50 bucks during a B&N sale.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I'm female, and I hate it. It's not made with a "female mind," it's made of bullshiat: http://www.henryjaglom.com/rainbowfilms/safeplace.html - Anais Nin's review, as printed on Jaglom's site.

There are plenty of other male film makers who can succesfully make "female minded" films. Jaglom isn't one of them. Bergman, Malle, and Altman are far more succesful. I wasn't a fan of 3 women or Black Moon, but both were much better and far more "female minded" than A Safe Place.

The review is hilarious. It looks to be penned by Jaglom under a bogus name. It only serves to validate the director's artistic masturbation.

THOSE WHO FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THIS FILM WILL DRIVE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS TO THE SAFE PLACE OF NONEXISTENCE. THE REAL MAGICIAN HERE IS HENRY JAGLOM, BECAUSE OUR FANTASY, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IS SET FREE ON FILM.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The review is hilarious. It looks to be penned by Jaglom under a bogus name. It only serves to validate the director's artistic masturbation.

Anais Nin is a real person, but Jaglom has turned her review into a parody WITH THE RANDOM CAPS.

Here's a CAPSLOCK-LESS VERSION: http://thesoundthepastmakes.blogspot...971s-safe.html

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Anais Nin is a real person, but Jaglom has turned her review into a parody WITH THE RANDOM CAPS.

Here's a CAPSLOCK-LESS VERSION: http://thesoundthepastmakes.blogspot...971s-safe.html

Pretty much the reviewer is saying IF YOU DIDN'T GET THE FILM.............there is something wrong with all of you!

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by rkish

Here I agree totally...it's a SET of films. I plan to collect ALL of the Ozu films that BFI plan to release and I'm sure there may be one or two films that don't measure up to some of his gems...but it's a COLLECTION and I plan to buy and keep them all.

Maybe they don't care that it's a collection?

It's just a mass produced package, on a cheap stamped optical disc. Not everyone has OCD about such frivolous things. If a person watches the entire set, only enjoys 2 of the 7 films and has no future utility out of the others. Then it makes sense to get rid of them. It's actually rational to do that where you can use it to trade or sell for $$$, it's irrational behavior to hang onto something you don't even like just for "collectors" purposes. Now for some people it's just too much trouble to bother selling/trading anyway. But for those that consistently do, I don't see why trading part of a set is any different.

I can't say I've really considered splitting up a set before. But I can see why people would, especially since this one is 7 films on 7 separate discs. The only question I have is why someone would only want the "bad" films out of the set in the first place.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

Maybe they don't care that it's a collection?

It's just a mass produced package, on a cheap stamped optical disc. Not everyone has OCD about such frivolous things. If a person watches the entire set, only enjoys 2 of the 7 films and has no future utility out of the others. Then it makes sense to get rid of them. It's actually rational to do that where you can use it to trade or sell for $$$, it's irrational behavior to hang onto something you don't even like just for "collectors" purposes. Now for some people it's just too much trouble to bother selling/trading anyway. But for those that consistently do, I don't see why trading part of a set is any different.

I can't say I've really considered splitting up a set before. But I can see why people would, especially since this one is 7 films on 7 separate discs. The only question I have is why someone would only want the "bad" films out of the set in the first place.

Sorta this. That's why I question why people would buy the BBS set, just to take one or two films out of it, and trade/sell them all off for the same prices an actual single release from Criterion gets.

No one is going to actively seek out Drive, He Said/A Safe Place, and the fact that you can buy the set so cheaply during a sale makes it seem even more silly, considering how people on this forum are so obsessed with price points and collection totals. You'd think they'd want to keep the film because it bumps up their totals.

It just seems to me that people are buying a large film set because it's cheap, and it's Criterion. Wouldn't you at least wait and see if they films are going to come out individually, or at least watch the films before you purchase the set? I'm all for blind buying, but I always research before I buy. I don't just jump on something because it's super cheap and looks like a good deal. As people have plainly expressed, that good deal turns out to be a not-so-good deal.

It's also not 7 films on 7 discs, it's 7 films on 6 discs. Drive, He Said and A Safe Place share a disc.

Also, the fact that they come in digipacks in a slipbox, rather than a normal case makes this set a bit tricky to split up. You'd have to invest in plastic cases and print off custom covers if you're selling/buying, in order to protect the disc from damage and dust. Also, what would you do with the booklet? Sell it or stick it somewhere. The way this set is set up, it's not as easy to split up.