The Criterion Collection

[rkish]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

This set is on my next order from amazon.uk since I am extremely scared it will become only available from sellers very soon and I will not be able to buy it then. I will probably get La Planete Sauvage release by MoC because I am tired of waiting for Criterion or some other North American release.

From what I am reading the supplements on this set alone make it worth the purchase. Plus yes many, too many of his early movies are lost or just a few minutes of them are left. Of the 21 movies he made before Tokyo Chorus (the earliest movie on the Silent Ozu set) 13 are lost and two others only have 15 or 20 minutes of film still available. But I suppose it's not a surprise, I think it's Martin Scorcese who mention that 80% of movies made in the silent era are lost to us now.

I think it's wise to get the Student Comdies now, as you never know how they are going to sell or how much stock they plan to produce. I don't think La Planete Sauvage is going to see a North American blu-ray release, so I would definitely pick up the MoC blu...it's really great and I'm a huge fan of the film, as I saw it in a US theater when it was first released.

Wow...I hadn't realized how many silents he made and how few are surviving.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by retablo

I havent been happy with several of them:
Pale Flower
House
Branded To Kill
In the Realm of the Senses (so basically a lot of the incoherent new wave Japanese garbage)
Topsy Turvy (although I disliked Mike Leigh's other films going into it)
Robinson Crusoe On Mars

I did a bit of a double-take the first time you posted that. I really loved it but even at that I can understand somebody not liking it. Actively disliking it just doesn't compute though.

Still, different strokes and whatnot.

[Sinthetic]

Originally Posted by lemonski

LOL I got suckered into blind buying that on DVD, it's terrible. I couldn't believe Criterion wasted their time transferring it to Blu-Ray

So far only two blind buys on BD for me

People On Sunday (which I absolutely loved)
M

M I was awfully disappointed with, IMO it fell well short for all the accolades people give it. For two movies made at essentially the same time, for me People On Sunday feels fresh and modern, while M feels old and creaky

Couldn't disagree more, Crusoe is one of the best films I've seen from the Criterion Blu Rays released so far. I guess you have to be in the right mood for it.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by billzfan

I was curious. I really wanted to own I, Vitteloni but I noticed it's only available on Criterion DVD. Does it still look decent? Does anyone here still buy DVD's?

I still buy DVDs. For example, after I fell in love with Harakiri, I bought a lot of Kobayashi's other films such as Samurai Rebellion, The Human Condition and Kwaidan. Obviously these copies are gonna have to do until the Blu-ray ones come out, because I'd rather have all these classics in some format than not at all.

[octagon]

I watched Melancholia last week (absolutely loved it) and watched World on a Wire (ditto and in almost all the same ways) over the past two nights and it was a very strange existential one-two.

And strangely enough, I got very strong Polanski vibes from both. The Polanski (and Kubrick) in the Part I of Melancholia was obvious enough but World on a Wire was harder to nail down.

The apartment settings ranging from decaying exteriors to oppulent interiors reminded me very much of all Polanski's apartment settings and The Tenant in particular and something about the look and facial expressions of the protagonist kept screaming Jack Nicholson. I thought it was just a facial resemblence but then I kept going to the fedora and overcoats and the way his face was shot and got lost in the 'who (if anybody) is getting influenced by whom' hall of mirrors.

In any case, between the two of them it was sixish hours very well spent. The kind of hours that make you want to dig out other stuff they've done.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

Couldn't disagree more, Crusoe is one of the best films I've seen from the Criterion Blu Rays released so far. I guess you have to be in the right mood for it.

It sounded like a good premise for a film, but it was it was too cheesy for my taste. The final straw was Victor Lundin's music video for the title song in the extras. Fromage overload LOL

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by octagon

I watched Melancholia last week (absolutely loved it) and watched World on a Wire (ditto and in almost all the same ways) over the past two nights and it was a very strange existential one-two.

And strangely enough, I got very strong Polanski vibes from both. The Polanski (and Kubrick) in the Part I of Melancholia was obvious enough but World on a Wire was harder to nail down.

The apartment settings ranging from decaying exteriors to oppulent interiors reminded me very much of all Polanski's apartment settings and The Tenant in particular and something about the look and facial expressions of the protagonist kept screaming Jack Nicholson. I thought it was just a facial resemblence but then I kept going to the fedora and overcoats and the way his face was shot and got lost in the 'who (if anybody) is getting influenced by whom' hall of mirrors.

In any case, between the two of them it was sixish hours very well spent. The kind of hours that make you want to dig out other stuff they've done.

I DVR'd HDNet's premier of Melancholia a few months ago and the mood hasn't struck me to watch it until your post. Thanks!

I keep checking my library, but World on a Wire hasn't hit their system yet and I'm leery of blind buying it.

[Sinthetic]

Originally Posted by lemonski

It sounded like a good premise for a film, but it was it was too cheesy for my taste. The final straw was Victor Lundin's music video for the title song in the extras. Fromage overload LOL

It makes a great deal of sense actually mate. I watched Hausu a few years ago and was really unimpressed by it. I watched it again a couple of weeks ago and loved everything about it. Still, we can't dwell on everything we dislike, there are too many movies to watch and too little time.

[Weirded Wonder]

Worst CC purchase = Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

I thought the acting was terrible, especially the overrated David Bowie.

[blg]

Originally Posted by retablo

I havent been happy with several of them:
Pale Flower
House
Branded To Kill
In the Realm of the Senses (so basically a lot of the incoherent new wave Japanese garbage)
Topsy Turvy (although I disliked Mike Leigh's other films going into it)
Robinson Crusoe On Mars

While I've been very happy with the vast majority of Criterion titles (too many to mention), I have a few I didn't care for either:

A Christmas Tale
The Secret of the Grain
Topsy Turvy
Fat Girl
Close Up
El Norte

[mport5150]

Originally Posted by retablo

I havent been happy with several of them:
Pale Flower
House
Branded To Kill
In the Realm of the Senses (so basically a lot of the incoherent new wave Japanese garbage)
Topsy Turvy (although I disliked Mike Leigh's other films going into it)
Robinson Crusoe On Mars

Originally Posted by lemonski

LOL I got suckered into blind buying that on DVD, it's terrible. I couldn't believe Criterion wasted their time transferring it to Blu-Ray

So far only two blind buys on BD for me

People On Sunday (which I absolutely loved)
M

M I was awfully disappointed with, IMO it fell well short for all the accolades people give it. For two movies made at essentially the same time, for me People On Sunday feels fresh and modern, while M feels old and creaky

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

Couldn't disagree more, Crusoe is one of the best films I've seen from the Criterion Blu Rays released so far. I guess you have to be in the right mood for it.

Originally Posted by lemonski

It sounded like a good premise for a film, but it was it was too cheesy for my taste. The final straw was Victor Lundin's music video for the title song in the extras. Fromage overload LOL

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

It makes a great deal of sense actually mate. I watched Hausu a few years ago and was really unimpressed by it. I watched it again a couple of weeks ago and loved everything about it. Still, we can't dwell on everything we dislike, there are too many movies to watch and too little time.

Wow, I am just about to pull the trigger on two Criterions:

Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Island of Lost Souls....making me rethink my choices! BTW, I love sci-fi, especially 50's-60's-70's sci-fi.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by blg

While I've been very happy with the vast majority of Criterion titles (too many to mention), I have a few I didn't care for either:

A Christmas Tale
The Secret of the Grain
Topsy Turvy
Fat Girl
Close Up
El Norte

Some titles I wouldn't recommend as a blind buy:
Antichrist
Fat Girl
Fear and Loathing (its growing on me though)
Life During Wartime
Salo
Tiny Furniture

By the way is Sweetie anything like Fat Girl because I blind bought it? Also blind bought A Christmas Tale, what are some comparable films?

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by octagon

I did a bit of a double-take the first time you posted that. I really loved it but even at that I can understand somebody not liking it. Actively disliking it just doesn't compute though.

Still, different strokes and whatnot.

+1 I had the same reaction. (Pale Flower was one of best blind buys I have made)

The search for meaning in life, the conflict between our animalistic impulses (what Freud called the Id) and the constraints of laws and modern social norms, the perfect use of scope photography, the avant-garde score, and the climax

[Show spoiler](The scene in the club both up to, and after Muraki has killed his target. When Muraki and Saeko make eye contact and look into each other's souls for that brief period, is one of the greatest scenes of any film. IMHO)

[Bruisermoore]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

I DVR'd HDNet's premier of Melancholia a few months ago and the mood hasn't struck me to watch it until your post. Thanks!

I keep checking my library, but World on a Wire hasn't hit their system yet and I'm leery of blind buying it.

I just finished watching it (the credits are rolling as I type this) and I loved it. It was a blind buy for me as well. I heard so many good things about it though, so it wasn't a tough decision to buy for me.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Beard Esquire

Worst CC purchase = Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

I thought the acting was terrible, especially the overrated David Bowie.

I do it a bit different then most of you guys in here, I never blind buy a Criterion. First I was always a big fan of "classic" cinema and foreign movies. From very early on in the 70's I started watching movies that most kids my age would just never watch because they would find them boring. Plus being from Quebec I was introduce to French cinema so names like Truffaut, Godard, Cocteau, Melville, Gabin....by the time I was a teen seen it all. When I was in college 85-87, I then took some cinema classes and got introduce to a lot more foreign movies. So with Criterion I know which one I will buy cause I have seen them and know them and enjoy them and I rent the rest, those I never seen. I am safe from the "blind buys" that way.

[jayputter]

Originally Posted by mport5150

Wow, I am just about to pull the trigger on two Criterions:

Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Island of Lost Souls....making me rethink my choices! BTW, I love sci-fi, especially 50's-60's-70's sci-fi.

Personally, I love Robinson Crusoe On Mars. I saw it one afternoon when I was 12 or so, and I was overjoyed to see it come out on blu. If you're a fan of 50's and 60's sci fi and don't mind a bit of cheese (esp RCOM) I'd recommend both those films.

[georgec]

Does anybody know if the summer sale will happen at B&N in July/Aug?

There were some memos from maybe criterionforum.org talking about how B&N was going to stop doing the Criterion sale that popped up a few months ago.

[Wally Q]

Originally Posted by mport5150

Wow, I am just about to pull the trigger on two Criterions:

Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Island of Lost Souls....making me rethink my choices! BTW, I love sci-fi, especially 50's-60's-70's sci-fi.

I fell asleep about halfway through RCOM and I realized about 20 minutes into anyways that I wasn't really that much in the mood for it. Very slow... slower than Cast Away and I loved the pacing of that. I'll be giving it another chance soon.

Don't doubt Island of Lost Souls; great movie! Wonderful makeup for it's time.

[shadedpain4]

If anyone is having trouble being patient waiting for Late Spring, i just got my notice that it shipped from DeepDiscount.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

If anyone is having trouble being patient waiting for Late Spring, i just got my notice that it shipped from DeepDiscount.

Having place my order with amazon.ca, I don't expect receiving it for another two weeks more or less