The Criterion Collection

[Page14]

Originally Posted by oildude

Wings of Desire is a beautifully lensed, poetic film. It has several things going for it:

• A time-capsule window on West Berlin just before the fall of the wall. The city is as much a character in the film as the people and angels that inhabit it.
  
• Bruno Ganz, who has become a favorite actor of mine. If the name doesn't sound familiar, he gave what in my opinion is one of the single greatest performances ever put on film as Hitler in Downfall.
  
• Peter Falk
  
• A moving story

I really like Wings of Desire, but I will admit it is not for everyone. It is deliberately paced and spends a good deal of running time exploring the atmosphere of the city from the voyeuristic viewpoint of the angels, who eavesdrop on people's thoughts as they watch over humanity. One angel, played by Ganz, comes across the thoughts of a woman, who intrigues him like no one has ever done before.

Thanks for your thoughts. I've read before that Wings of Desire isn't for everybody. I'm intrigued enough by the comments I've read in here to find out for myself. Thanks for the info on Downfall too. That's one that I've seen parodied (I think that's the word I'm looking for) on youtube over and over again. I never knew what the title was. This is going to sound really bad, but I always thought the actor playing Hitler in those youtube clips was Anthony Hopkins. (Major "oops" ) FWIW, I plan on picking up Downfall too (just based on seeing Bruno Ganz's performance on the clips I've seen. Amazing!).

[AgentStarling]

I picked up Wings of Desire last year but haven't watched it yet. Someone recommended it years ago. Thanks for reminding me I own it.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by jacobb1313

Boogie Nights is in the Criterion Collection as a Laserdisc. Considering that happened with The Game, this title would be a solid bet.

All the extras on the current blu are from the Criteron laserdisc. The one missing extra is the John Holmes doc. If none of the Criterion extras were ported over then I could maybe see it, but as is Criterion has no reason to re-do this.

The current Boogie Nights blu is top notch. No need to re-visit it anyway.

[TriuneImpurityRites]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Absolutely. Terry Zwigoff's Art School Confidential would be nice, too. Todd Solondz's Happiness perhaps?
And I would like to see P.T. Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love from Criterion. Sony probably has no interest in releasing it anymore, and I'd rather see a $40 BD with bonus features from Criterion than one without them on Twilight Time.

would love to see

Happiness
the Fountain
Blindness

[jaredc]

Hello all. New to the thread and to the Criterion obsession. I was introduced to the collection through The Thin Red Line and have since bought about 12 more (mostly blind buys).

I was sad to see The Man Who Fell To Earth is out of print. Does anyone know the best (cheapest) way to obtain that film?

[Moniker]

Ghost World would be a great addition to the Criterion Collection, especially given their obvious affinity for Zwigoff. However, Art School Confidential was a misstep that in no way belongs in the collection.

[John D.]

Originally Posted by jaredc

Hello all. New to the thread and to the Criterion obsession. I was introduced to the collection through The Thin Red Line and have since bought about 12 more (mostly blind buys).

I was sad to see The Man Who Fell To Earth is out of print. Does anyone know the best (cheapest) way to obtain that film?

You could buy the DVD, or you could watch it on netflix too.

[jaredc]

Originally Posted by John D.

You could buy the DVD, or you could watch it on netflix too.

Thanks. I wanted the blu ray. Is there any reason it is out of print? It was the only blu ray I saw that they had out of print.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by jaredc

Hello all. New to the thread and to the Criterion obsession. I was introduced to the collection through The Thin Red Line and have since bought about 12 more (mostly blind buys).

I was sad to see The Man Who Fell To Earth is out of print. Does anyone know the best (cheapest) way to obtain that film?

Invest in a Region-Free player and buy the UK Blu-ray of the film.

[Sukuri]

Originally Posted by jaredc

Thanks. I wanted the blu ray. Is there any reason it is out of print? It was the only blu ray I saw that they had out of print.

The Third Man and Pierrot le Fou are also OOP.

I believe their deal with Studio Canal expired or SC wanted to do their own thing.

[kolosomo]

Regarding Wings of Desire: I thought I would like it but I really didn't. I don't mind a slow moving film but I found it absurdly slow and monotonous. I've seen it twice now and my opinion hasn't changed. It's put me off watching more of Wenders' films as well. I'm glad other people got more out of it than I did though. Maybe I'll have to try a third viewing sometime.

[starman15317]

I would be all over a Ghost World Criterion Blu.

[sugar_kane]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I would like to see more Assayas stuff like L'eau froide, Irma Vep and demonlover.

Lynch's Mulholland Dr., just to see what Criterion and Lynch could do together if they could stand to. But Hollywood can, should and will do this one.

I wish Criterion could relicense The Killer and Hard Boiled and give them proper, top-notch scans and Blu-ray releases.

[saprano]

Is The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou on bluray?

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by saprano

Is The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou on bluray?

Not yet, no. But don't worry. I'm sure Criterion will announce its release over a much more deserving title in the next month or so.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Not yet, no. But don't worry. I'm sure Criterion will announce its release over a much more deserving title in the next month or so.

The film will look and sound amazing on Criterion Blu.

[ShellOilJunior]

This is still one of the best blu-rays from Criterion. Great warm weather viewing.

[saprano]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Not yet, no. But don't worry. I'm sure Criterion will announce its release over a much more deserving title in the next month or so.

It sounds like you don't like it? l watched it on HDNet last night. It's a really good movie. Weird and different.

[frank_booth]

A Mulholland Drive Criterion would be an absolute dream. I'd buy it in a second, and I'm sure the legion of fans would too!

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by oildude

And if you are looking to pick up a few more region-free releases from Amazon.uk to make a more substantial order, I can recommend the following:

Zulu
The Italian Job (40th Anniversary of the original starring Michael Caine)
The Boys from Brazil
The Lavender Hill Mob
The Eagle has Landed

The other Ealing films are wonderful as well. Kind Hearts and Coronets is a must have. Whiskey Galore is Alexander Mackendrick first directing job and is pretty funny. Then you have Passport to Pimlico & Went the Day Well. Went the Day Well was brutal for being released in 42'. I'm still wondering where The Man With The White Suit is? Would love to some day see a Criterion Box set of some of these titles if they could obtain the rights.

Originally Posted by octagon

The MoC booklet looks pretty hard to beat but other than that it doesn't sound like that release is swimming in supplements. Given all the Billy Wilder material floating around and Criterion's director-centric general philosophy in the (unlikely but yaneverknow) event they do release it I would expect some very nice stuff.

MoC made up for it with the excellent 3 hour long Billy, How Did You Do It? on Lost Weekend.