The Criterion Collection

[rkish]

Letter Never Sent release day...I'm psyched for this one. My last Prime shipment...should have it later today.

Letter Never Sent - Opening Shot - YouTube

Hey Spidey...I'm surprised I haven't seen/heard you talking about the Lost Keaton set coming out today as well. I know that these weren't his best shorts, but any Keaton is welcomed. I know it got a lukewarm to good review on the Beaver, but DVDTalk gave it a good review.

Amazon did something nice that was not expected...this ever happen to anyone else? I had Letter Never Sent set to be shipped via Prime, so I was expecting it to be delievered today. I ordered the Lost Keaton after my Prime expired and it was to be shipped Super Saver. I just checked and they shipped the Keaton along with the Criterion, so I'll get them both today. The Keaton should have gotten here late this week or early next week.

Thanks Amazon!

[ikari777]

I for one am looking forward to the Lost Keaton set! Let me know what you think!

[imnotready]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

On another note: I wasn't expecting The Lady Vanishes to be so great! Hitchcock states on the interview that his technical side was always developed, and it's clearly evident. There's some Genius editing, and camerawork and its quite entertaining throughout. It's very much like Rules of the Game. That would be an excellent double feature!

Yesssss. The Lady Vanishes is so delightful. Few films make me smile for 87 minutes straight. I wish I could say the same for the commentary...

[Tin Drum]

I watched Blow Out over the weekend for the first time and, aside from some suspension of disbelief towards the end, it was a great experience and has one of the most tragic endings ever!

Vilmos Zsigmond's camera work is, IMO, the obvious best in show in regards to the merits of the film but Travolta's work is really good and De Palma created an interesting atmosphere.

The video presentation is excellent with nice grain in spots, but I thought the audio could have been a little better as it was pretty low at times. I'm chalking that up to the track specification and it being an older film.

I am definitely thinking of picking this title up as I think it'll get multiple viewings down the road.

[scottpcusa]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

There is a lot of movies that are pass over from Canada. Some I am surprise that were never included in the Criterion collection (but I understand that not everything can, just think these would make a good fit) are :

L'Homme Qui Plantait Des Arbres by frederic back
Lies My Father Told Me by Jan Kadar
Kamouraska by Claude Jutra

Nothing to say these are the best of the best of Canadian cinema but I just think they would fit pretty good in the collection.

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Lies My Father Told Me was on TCM last month as part of 31 Days of Oscar. It was an interesting film, but one I'm not sure if I'd revisit a lot. It was kinda need to see Marilyn Lightstone in something other than a Kevin Sullivan production based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's literature though.

I think Criterion should release Ivan Reitman's Cannibal Girls. If they can release Equinox, or Murder a la Mod, then they can release Cannibal Girls. It's an interesting horror comedy starring Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin, before SCTV or anything else. Eugene is practically unrecognisable with his massive afro and gigantic 'stache...

Speaking of Canadian filmmaking, I saw Monsieur Lazhar and thought it was a wonderful film. The kids in it are amazing! In terms of the Oscar Nominations for Best Foreign Language Film, I definitely like it better than A Separation, which won the award (and FWIW, is a good film, too)

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

On another note: I wasn't expecting The Lady Vanishes to be so great! Hitchcock states on the interview that his technical side was always developed, and it's clearly evident. There's some Genius editing, and camerawork and its quite entertaining throughout. It's very much like Rules of the Game. That would be an excellent double feature!

I watched The Lady Vanishes today after work!
It's been a long time since I last saw it, but I always remembered it as being a lot of fun. Nothing has changed - it's still 90+ minutes of fun
Hitchcock sets up his characters really well in the first act. The evolution of the mystery in the second act is first class and there's a lot of excitement to be had in the final act.
I don't know if this has been commented on, but like Blow Out and The Killing, this disc includes a full feature in 1080p as an extra: Crook's Tour, featuring the two amusing Englishmen, Charters and Caldicott, from The Lady Vanishes. I can't wait to get stuck into that...
I'm actually on a little Hitchcock run at the moment: I watched my new copy of Notorious on the weekend and will probably watch Rebecca soon as well.
Speaking of non-Criterion titles, I also watched my new copy of The Apartment. Such a great film and such a beautiful black and white Cinemascope film.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I watched The Lady Vanishes today after work!
It's been a long time since I last saw it, but I always remembered it as being a lot of fun. Nothing has changed - it's still 90+ minutes of fun
Hitchcock sets up his characters really well in the first act. The evolution of the mystery in the second act is first class and there's a lot of excitement to be had in the final act.
I don't know if this has been commented on, but like Blow Out and The Killing, this disc includes a full feature in 1080p as an extra: Crook's Tour, featuring the two amusing Englishmen, Charters and Caldicott, from The Lady Vanishes. I can't wait to get stuck into that...
I'm actually on a little Hitchcock run at the moment: I watched my new copy of Notorious on the weekend and will probably watch Rebecca soon as well.
Speaking of non-Criterion titles, I also watched my new copy of The Apartment. Such a great film and such a beautiful black and white Cinemascope film.

Too bad The 39 Steps isn't coming out until June. I'm eagerly anticipating that one.

[ikari777]

Indeed! I was pretty much happy even during the delayed announcement when I saw the hint picture for 39 Steps!

[NeoMaximuz]

I watched The Lady Vanishes last week. Great movie and another great Criterion release. I was also stoked for The 39 Steps--can't wait!

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by imnotready

I wish I could say the same for the commentary...

This is a pretty good commentary, actually.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Isn't Snow one of those filmmakers that prefers not having his films released on home video? (Unless I'm thinking of Mathew Barney...)

There is "prefers" and then there is talking him into it ($$$$). Do it for the fans Snow.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by rkish

Hey Spidey...I'm surprised I haven't seen/heard you talking about the Lost Keaton set coming out today as well. I know that these weren't his best shorts, but any Keaton is welcomed. I know it got a lukewarm to good review on the Beaver, but DVDTalk gave it a good review.

Amazon did something nice that was not expected...this ever happen to anyone else? I had Letter Never Sent set to be shipped via Prime, so I was expecting it to be delievered today. I ordered the Lost Keaton after my Prime expired and it was to be shipped Super Saver. I just checked and they shipped the Keaton along with the Criterion, so I'll get them both today. The Keaton should have gotten here late this week or early next week.

Thanks Amazon!

I haven't seen this set yet, so be sure to tell me your thoughts.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by rkish

Amazon did something nice that was not expected...this ever happen to anyone else? I had Letter Never Sent set to be shipped via Prime, so I was expecting it to be delievered today. I ordered the Lost Keaton after my Prime expired and it was to be shipped Super Saver. I just checked and they shipped the Keaton along with the Criterion, so I'll get them both today. The Keaton should have gotten here late this week or early next week.

Not that exactly, but this was the first time they combined two of my prime orders and shipped them together, when I ordered them separately and expected them separately.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching this (Letter Never Sent). I'll have to wait until the weekend, but it's already really interested me from the package/description itself, despite my knowing very little about the film.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Not that exactly, but this was the first time they combined two of my prime orders and shipped them together, when I ordered them separately and expected them separately.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching this (Letter Never Sent). I'll have to wait until the weekend, but it's already really interested me from the package/description itself, despite my knowing very little about the film.

I've had separate Prime orders with the same release date shipped together...but I've never had an "upgrade" on one order (Supersaver) ship with a Prime released on the same date.

[neo_reloaded]

I saw a Janus Films print of Godard's Week End last night in a local theater. Parts of it were outstanding, and I spent probably the first hour convinced I loved the film. Unfortunately there are some (lengthy) segments in the back 45 minutes or so that seem to just go on and on (and the main characters themselves look bored to tears as well, haha). However that does seem par for the course with Godard films (I've seen quite a few now, slowly working my way through his catalogue - new wave at least, though I've seen some from the 80's and some of his most recent output), and I liked Week End more than I was ever bored by it. Parts of it are very disturbing: the constant specter of car crash infernos, and the motionless, blood-stained bodies lying about everywhere, obviously. But also the way that rape is portrayed, almost as a casual inconvenience. And what Roland does with his lighter at one point.... Yet also a hilarious film - clever dialogue, breaking of the 4th wall, etc.

I figure a Criterion release is assured at this point. Definitely one I'd like to revisit.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Was there ever an English dubbed version of 'My Life as a Dog' ?

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

I saw a Janus Films print of Godard's Week End last night in a local theater.
I figure a Criterion release is assured at this point. Definitely one I'd like to revisit.

It may well be, it,s been sometime since a release of one of his movies

[Shout92]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Robert Altman's "The Long Goodbye" deserves to be on Criterion:

http://criterioncast.com/2010/11/30/...-long-goodbye/

Three Reasons For Criterion Consideration: The Long Goodbye - YouTube

[P@t_Mtl]

I am sure I am late to the party but amazon.uk as this set from Artificial Eye The Mizoguchi Collection. It came out last week.

[BohemianGraham]

Not Criterion, but several people, including myself, wished this might have been a Criterion release (a loooooong shot, but we could dream). Yellow Submarine: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0079J28NW

The US site doesn't have the pre-order up yet for some odd reason. I'm still waiting for them to add the June pre-orders for Criterion too. They're also having a mini-sale of sorts, as a bunch of titles are down in the 20-24 dollar range.