Touché, I'm coming from a Canadian perspective, although the area I'm from, many hold similar stereotypes. I'm supposedly a drunkard who eats nothing but fish while listening to Celtic music.
This neorealist masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves) follows the daily life of an elderly pensioner as he struggles to make ends meet during Italy’s postwar economic recovery. Alone except for his dog, Flike, Umberto is determined to maintain his dignity in a city where human kindness seems to have been swallowed up by the forces of modernization. His simple quest to satisfy his most fundamental needs—food, shelter, companionship—makes for one of the most heartbreaking stories ever filmed, and an essential classic of world cinema.
1952 · 89 minutes · Black & White · Monaural · In Italian with English subtitles · 1.37:1 aspect ratio
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
· High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
· That’s Life: Vittorio De Sica, a fifty-five-minute documentary made for Italian television in 2001
· Video interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003
· Trailer
· PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans and reprinted recollections by De Sica and Carlo Battisti, who plays Umberto D.
Poetic realism reached sublime heights with Children of Paradise (Les enfants du paradis), widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. This nimble depiction of nineteenth-century Paris’s theatrical demimonde, filmed during World War II, follows a mysterious woman (The Pearls of the Crown’s Arletty) loved by four different men (all based on historical figures): an actor, a criminal, a count, and, most poignantly, a street mime (La ronde’s Jean-Louis Barrault, in a longing-suffused performance for the ages). With sensitivity and dramatic élan, director Marcel Carné (Port of Shadows) and screenwriter Jacques Prévert (Le jour se lève) resurrect a world teeming with hucksters and aristocrats, thieves and courtesans, pimps and seers. Thanks to a major new restoration, this iconic classic looks and sounds richer and more detailed than ever.
1945 · 190 minutes · Black & White · Monaural · In French with English subtitles · 1.37:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
· New high-definition digital transfer from Pathé’s 2011 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
· Audio commentaries by film scholars Brian Stonehill and Charles Affron
· Video introduction by director Terry Gilliam
· Once Upon a Time: “Children of Paradise,” a 2010 documentary on the making of the film
· New visual essay on the design of Children of Paradise by film writer Paul Ryan
· The Birth of “Children of Paradise,” a 1967 German documentary that visits Nice, where the film was partially shot, and features interviews with cast members Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur; production designer Alexandre Trauner; and others
· Restoration demonstration
· U.S. trailer
· New English subtitle translation
· PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dudley Andrew and excerpts from a 1990 interview with director Marcel Carné
TITLE: Children of Paradise (BLU-RAY EDITION)
CAT. NO: CC2177BD
UPC: 7-15515-09831-1
ISBN: 978-1-60465-627-5
SRP: $39.95
STREET: 9/18/12
Les visiteurs du soir – Blu-ray
A work of poetry and dark humor, Les visiteurs du soir is a lyrical medieval fantasy from the great French director Marcel Carné (Children of Paradise). Two strangers (Children of Paradise’s Arletty and La dolce vita’s Alain Cuny), dressed as minstrels, arrive at a castle in advance of court festivities—and it is revealed that they are
actually emissaries of the devil himself, dispatched to spread heartbreak and suffering. Their plans, however, are thwarted by an unexpected intrusion: human love. Often interpreted as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of France, during which it was made, Les visiteurs du soir—wittily written by Jacques Prévert (Children of Paradise) and Pierre Laroche (Lumière d’été), and elegantly designed by Alexandre Trauner (Port of Shadows) and shot by Roger Hubert (Children of Paradise)—is a moving and whimsical tale of love conquering all.
1942 · 121 minutes · Black & White · Monaural · In French with English subtitles · 1.33:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
· New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
· L’aventure des “Visiteurs du soir,” a documentary on the making of the film
· Trailer
· New English subtitle translation
· PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Atkinson
TITLE: Les visiteurs du soir (BLU-RAY EDITION)
CAT. NO: CC2183BD
UPC: 7-15515-09891-5
ISBN: 978-1-60465-633-6
SRP: $39.95
STREET: 9/18/12
Eating Raoul – Blu-ray
A sleeper hit of the early 1980s, Eating Raoul is a bawdy, gleefully amoral tale of conspicuous consumption. Warhol superstar Mary Woronov and cult legend Paul Bartel (who also directed) portray a prudish married couple feeling put upon by the swingers who live in their apartment building; one night, by accident, they discover a way to simultaneously realize their dream of opening a little restaurant and rid themselves of the “perverts” down the hall. A mix of hilarious, anything-goes slapstick and biting satire of me-generation self-indulgence, Eating Raoul marks the end of the sexual revolution with a thwack.
1982 · 83 minutes · Color · Monaural · 1.78:1 aspect ratio
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
· New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director of photography Gary Thieltges, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
· Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Richard Blackburn, art director Robert Schulenberg, and editor Alan Toomayan
· The Secret Cinema (1968) and Naughty Nurse (1969), two short films by director Paul Bartel
· Cooking Up “Raoul,” a new documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with stars Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, and Edie McClurg
· Gag reel of outtakes from the film
· Archival interview with Bartel and Woronov
· Trailer
· PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Ehrenstein
Enormously wealthy and emotionally remote investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Traffic’s Michael Douglas) receives a strange gift from his ne’er-do-well younger brother (Milk’s Sean Penn) on his forty-eighth birthday: a voucher for a game that, if he agrees to play it, will change his life. Thus begins a trip down a rabbit hole that is
puzzling, terrifying, and exhilarating for Nicholas and viewer alike. This multilayered, noirish descent into one man’s personal hell is also a surreal, metacinematic journey that, two years after the phenomenon Se7en, further demonstrated that director David Fincher was one of Hollywood’s true contemporary visionaries.
1997 · 128 minutes · Color · 5.1 surround · 2.40:1 aspect ratio
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
· New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director David Fincher and director of photography Harris Savides, with original theatrical 5.1 surround theatrical soundtrack, in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition
· Alternate 5.1 surround mix optimized for home theater viewing, supervised by sound designer Ren Klyce and Fincher, in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition
· Audio commentary by Fincher, Savides, actor Michael Douglas, screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris, digital animation supervisor Richard “Dr.” Baily, production designer Jeffrey Beecroft, visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug, and visual effects producer Robyn D’Arcy
· An hour’s worth of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and film-to-storyboard comparisons for four of the film’s major set pieces, with commentary
· Alternate ending
· Trailer and teaser trailer, with commentary
· PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt
TITLE: The Game (BLU-RAY EDITION)
CAT. NO: CC2181BD
UPC: 7-15515-09871-7
ISBN: 978-1-60465-631-2
SRP: $39.95
STREET: 9/25/12
Attention Canada: Umberto D., Children of Paradise and Les visiteurs du soir are available in English-speaking Canada only. Eating Raoul and The Game are available in all Canada.
Pro-B
Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 06-16-2012 at 12:35 AM.
Won't happen unless Paramount re-presses it. I hope they do, sooner rather than later.
Agreed. I think that's all Paramount would have to do- print more. There's no need to restore the film or re-interview people for more extras. There's no need for Criterion to release Zodiac. Same deal for Tree of Life or even Fantastic Mr. Fox for the Anderson fans.
Actually if I'm not mistaken the complaints from some would be that there is already too much French, Japanase, etc released. Additionally anything that was already available on DVD is also a waste of time and effort, upgrades are an automatic disappointment.
Oh and anything modern or big budget by an Hollywood director is perceived as "selling out", you know - reminding people that Criterion is in the business of making profits. Fuggedaboutit.
Last edited by AgentOrange; 06-16-2012 at 01:47 AM.
Gonna blind buy Children of Paradise and Umberto D. Was really hoping for something on my wishlist, but I got jipped again!! Well, still really interested in these films.
What? I considered hockey long over before the final between LA and NJ even began. maybe its just starting for you though, but for others, once their teams are out, it's over:
Hey kids, sOrry to derail and gO off topic, but Saul is right, peoPle should be freaking out more over Le Havre. I finally sat down and watched it, and I hope it falls within the sale timeframe. If not, I'll pay more and get it from Amazon.
Again, sorry for derailling and discussing actual films in the collection.
I think I might buy Umberto D. I've never seen it, and I really like some of DeSica's other work.
When I saw DeSica's name on the front page, I thought Criterion had maybe announced releasing Two Women, which hasn't had an official release here in the states and deserves a restoration. Oh well . . .
And what is it with The Game? It's a great movie, but I don't think it's Fincher's best. And I don't really think it's the type of film that belongs in the Criterion Collection.
Hey kids, sOrry to derail and gO off topic, but Saul is right, peoPle should be freaking out more over Le Havre. I finally sat down and watched it, and I hope it falls within the sale timeframe. If not, I'll pay more and get it from Amazon.
Again, sorry for derailling and discussing actual films in the collection.
After watching the trailer and searching Youtube and IMDb, I am getting really interested in Eating Raoul. I love black comedy and somehow this one has flown completely under the radar for me. The whole film is available to watch on Youtube, and there are quite a few sample clips. What I watched made me laugh and want to see more. Looks like a another great "whacked-out" early 80s cult film.
Double feature night for me, I watch two movie by Kenji Mizoguchi, the sometime overlook Japanese director after Kurosawa and Ozu
Oyu Sama 1951 (Miss Oyu)
It's pretty difficult for me to explain why I just enjoy this story so much. The movie is rather simple and there is not much going on. It's sort of a strange love triangle that remain's innocent and pure. Miss Oyu arrange for the marriage of her sister to a man. However he would rather be married to Oyu who cannot marry him due to conventions that dictate she raise her son while living with her dead husband family. The main problem that affect the viewing of this movies is the lack of understanding we have in the western world of these now long forgotten Japanese traditions like arrange marriage and other social conventions. Plus as a modern audience we wait and expect for these characters to do something "naughty" and we can't believe that they do not. Oyu Sama may not be Mizoguchi best movie but it's one of my favorite
Saikaku Ichidai Onna 1952 (The Life of Oharu)
With this Mizoguchi goes back to medievale Japan but no samurai. It's rather the story and a very difficult one of a courtesan. Oharu, the main character seem to fail at everything she does be it love, work and even prostitution. Failure is the theme of the movie and Mizoguchi want's to show how one can try to pick up after a failure and continue on, facing what must come's next. Oharu as a hard life and it seem everything just pile on her trying to break her but she goes on with her life. The movie is a bit difficult for me because I just can't believe one single person can have so much back luck. In the end the mesaage is to never give up.
After watching the trailer and searching Youtube and IMDb, I am getting really interested in Eating Raoul. I love black comedy and somehow this one has flown completely under the radar for me. The whole film is available to watch on Youtube, and there are quite a few sample clips. What I watched made me laugh and want to see more. Looks like a another great "whacked-out" early 80s cult film.
You might remember the director of this film (Paul Bartel) being Mr. McGree in Rock n' Roll High School.
Edit: Which also stars Mary Woronov in both films btw.
Last edited by SpiderBaby; 06-16-2012 at 04:49 AM.
Hey kids, sOrry to derail and gO off topic, but Saul is right, peoPle should be freaking out more over Le Havre. I finally sat down and watched it, and I hope it falls within the sale timeframe. If not, I'll pay more and get it from Amazon.
Again, sorry for derailling and discussing actual films in the collection.
You know, now that we are pretty much at the middle of the year in terms of releases it would be fun (Or at least interesting ?) to make a personal list of the best releases we have come to know so far (January-September). To make everything shorter what about listing just one film per month. Here is mine
January: Belle de Jour
February: World on a Wire
March: Letter Never Sent
April: Eclipse Series 32: Pearls of the Czech New Wave, A Hollis Frampton Odyssey
May: Summer Interlude
June: The Samurai Trilogy
July: Le Havre
August: Rosetta/La Promesse, Lonesome
September: Les Enfants du Paradis
You know, now that we are pretty much at the middle of the year in terms of releases it would be fun (Or at least interesting ?) to make a personal list of the best releases we have come to know so far (January-September). To make everything shorter what about listing just one film per month. Here is mine
January: Belle de Jour
February: World on a Wire
March: Letter Never Sent
April: Eclipse Series 32: Pearls of the Czech New Wave, A Hollis Frampton Odyssey
May: Summer Interlude
June: The Samurai Trilogy
July: Le Havre
August: Rosetta/La Promesse, Lonesome
September: Les Enfants du Paradis
I cheated just a LITTLE bit .
Well there is no arguing your list (Except I would put the Gorin films in January, and Downey in May too).
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