The Criterion Collection

[octagon]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

As a final comment, which doesn't have a lot to do with Criterion, Veda Pierce is the c-word that rhymes with bunt, with a capital C. I don't use that word often or lightly, but I just finished reading Mildred Pierce, and let me say, the film and miniseries have nothing, and I do mean nothing, on the character in literary format. I suggest you guys read the novel when you get the chance. I'm becoming a huge fan of James M. Cain.

Weird, GoHasting just put that in the mail yesterday (along with Double Indemnity and Let the Right One In).

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Something different from me today, a movie I had never seen before

Leon Morin, Pretre 1961 (Leon Morin Priest)

I actually had to read the book many many moons ago in highschool but I never saw the movie. Since the release in Blu-ray last year there as been much talk about the movie and TFO had it on last night in HD so got comfortable and watched it. I would not call myself a big Jean Paul Belmondo fan but when I get a chance to see one of his movies I do so. The movie was very well made and I could also see what is so interesting for so many of you. I wish I could say that I liked but not really but I did not hated it either. It's a bit of a neutral stand. Glad I have seen it at least once but I don't see that I would want to see it again.

I liked this movie very much. I especially liked the small characters that played against their normal stereotypes. Like the nice german solider playing with the kid. etc. There were a few more of these roles that were small parts, but played against the grain, but I can't remember them all right now. Maybe I need to rewatch it. The dialog is great in the film and Melville really did a good job with the whole thing. I still prefer Army of Shadows and Le Samourai.

One of the actors in the film is a young Patricia Gozzi. The reason I bring that up is she is excellent in Twilight Times Rapture. Which comes highly recommended.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by octagon

Weird, GoHasting just put that in the mail yesterday (along with Double Indemnity and Let the Right One In).

All novels!? Awesome! I'm going to get to Double Indemnity once I finish Peyton Place (I'm reading it for the notoriety it caused), The Glass Key (was it you or Shell who insisted I read it?), Myra Breckinridge (again, notoriety), and Ulysses. Well, not so much reading Ulysses, but avoiding reading it much like Love and War. I',m picking at those two sporadically.

I broke down and made a second Amazon order of Night of the Hunter, Zazie, and The Leopard, because my mom wanted a book she couldn't find electronically. Everything shipped today, including my initial order, except Night of the Hunter (it said 1-3 weeks), and The Mark of Athena (yeah, yeah, I like those Percy Jackson books and their spin-offs!), and the latter is a pre-order for October.

[Darkcritic]

Seeing the excitement generated around the release date of Lawrence of Arabia, I am wondering which are the thoughts on the David Lean Directs Noel Coward boxset. Does anybody mind sharing ? Also, who else is extremely excited with the release of Lawrence of Arabia? I definitely am .

[octagon]

Yeah, the novels. Since stumbling across a sales thread several weeks ago I've really been having good luck with GoHastings. Their used book prices are pretty good and books orders ship for a flat dollar. They have some pretty good blu-ray deals but I've been having a lot of fun with books and cds there too.

The Glass Key was Shell (or at least it wasn't me). I've read it (along with The Maltese Falcon and The Dain Curse) but need to give it another look. I just finished filling in missing Chandlers and am now moving on to Cain and Hammett (including The Thin Man which for some wierd mental block reason I never associate with him).

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Seeing the excitement generated around the release date of Lawrence of Arabia, I am wondering which are the thoughts on the David Lean Directs Noel Coward boxset. Does anybody mind sharing ? Also, who else is extremely excited with the release of Lawrence of Arabia? I definitely am .

My thoughts so far are "the box looks freaking awesome but I hate the way the spines of the digipaks refuse to lay perfectly flat".

I hope to have more eventually

As far as LoA, I don't know if I would say excited. I collect AFI 100 titles and even if that weren't the case I'd probably want to get it anyway but I dunno...while I recognize the accomplishments and enjoy Lean's big Hollywood epics I can't really say they do all that much for me.

Bridge on the River Kwai is a great film and I enjoy it but it doesn't make it off the shelf all that often.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Seeing the excitement generated around the release date of Lawrence of Arabia, I am wondering which are the thoughts on the David Lean Directs Noel Coward boxset. Does anybody mind sharing ? Also, who else is extremely excited with the release of Lawrence of Arabia? I definitely am .

I got my set last week during the sale, cannot wait to receive it. Ship last Tuesday but I don't expect it for another three weeks

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by octagon

Yeah, the novels. Since stumbling across a sales thread several weeks ago I've really been having good luck with GoHastings. Their used book prices are pretty good and books orders ship for a flat dollar. They have some pretty good blu-ray deals but I've been having a lot of fun with books and cds there too.

The Glass Key was Shell (or at least it wasn't me). I've read it (along with The Maltese Falcon and The Dain Curse) but need to give it another look. I just finished filling in missing Chandlers and am now moving on to Cain and Hammett (including The Thin Man which for some wierd mental block reason I never associate with him).

Probably because The Thin Man was his last novel, and was done in a very different tone from the others. At least that's why I never clicked that he wrote it until I read it 2 weeks ago.

I buy a lot of book, yet I get a lot of stuff online if it's public domain. There are tons of free ebooks out there of classics. Others, I'll download them, and then go buy them if I love them. Mildred Pierce is one such book I will eventually buy.

It's amusing to read on IMDB all the people who think the minseries ending is

[Show spoiler] lame, and too depressing, when it's word for word from the novel.

The Crawford film deviates quite heavily from the source material.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by octagon

My thoughts so far are "the box looks freaking awesome but I hate the way the spines of the digipaks refuse to lay perfectly flat".

Whichever way they are laying towards, flex them the other way and they will lay flat. I had this same thing with my David Lean set.

[easyblu]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

You get Ozu or you don't I think is one of the best way to explain it. For me his movies is almost like watching a painting in movement, everything is relax, calm, slow. He as a way of talking the most usual of subjects that we deal with everyday, family, love, friendship, sorrow....and some how make them so interesting you can't help yourself but keep on watching. However it is very much a hit or a miss with him, if you don't enjoy the first movie you see there is very good chance you won't really enjoy most of them.

Tokyo Story was my first Ozu, and I have to admit that it bored me a bit at first (and depressed me with the way the kids treated their parents). Several weeks later, I decided to give Ozu another try with Late Spring and Early Summer, and I was hooked. He is now my favorite director, and I am eager to give Tokyo Story another go (hopefully on blu-ray). When I am watching an Ozu film, I forget about my own life briefly.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Is this the same guy who flipped out over Anatomy of a Murder's aspect ration? He's a maroon if it is:

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2012/...d_mea_cu_1.php

He's still ranting even after he was corrected.

You mean he's a "ta-ra-goon-de-ay"?

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

True fanboyism at is best Too think most of these "new Batman loyalist" dare call Star Wars fans nerds

Go have a look at the main thread, some are in fit because of some of the reviews comments. Too many seem to take "In Nolan We trust" a bit to serious, time to cut down on the medication boys or maybe up the dosage

Yeah, I already waded through about seven or eight pages of that thread earlier . It's kind of spoiling the healthy anticipation I have for the movie. And hey, I'd consider myself a Star Wars fan (or nerd, whichever you prefer) but I'd never go as far as making death threats, or other accusations that can be made far too easily on the internet. I'll probably have too much common sense for that, as opposed to some others.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

According to a sign at my local Barnes and Noble, the Criterion Quadrophenia will be a B&N exclusive from 8/14 through 8/27

Is that just an early release date and/or will it include a discounted price?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

My attention span is such that I've avoided Ozu after a few attempts. I had some success recently with the silent Naruse films (Eclipse), perhaps because most are just over an hour long. I fully intend to give Ozu-san a fair shake eventually.

Naruse films are more hard edged than Ozu, but both their silent films have their similarities. Joe, if you are region free, you might want to consider the BFI Naruse DVD boxset. A great set of films, that I think you'll enjoy, if you like his silent films. Have you checked out the silent Ozu Eclipse set?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I've made plans to visit Ozu's grave this Autumn. It promises to be even more static and peaceful than his films.

You will see my avatar character (symbol) on his gravestone.

I'm jealous..you will join the ranks of Chishu Ryu and Wim Wenders.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by easyblu

Tokyo Story was my first Ozu, and I have to admit that it bored me a bit at first (and depressed me with the way the kids treated their parents). Several weeks later, I decided to give Ozu another try with Late Spring and Early Summer, and I was hooked. He is now my favorite director, and I am eager to give Tokyo Story another go (hopefully on blu-ray). When I am watching an Ozu film, I forget about my own life briefly.

If you are region free, check out the BFI releases...well worth the investment.

[jcs913]

Rich, speaking of Ozu, you have to be happy about the upcoming MOC release...

I honestly thought that BFI owned the UK rights to all the Ozu films and were releasing them all, but I guess not, huh?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Rich, speaking of Ozu, you have to be happy about the upcoming MOC release...

I honestly thought that BFI owned the UK rights to all the Ozu films and were releasing them all, but I guess not, huh?

I'm very happy John...just disappointed that BFI will likely miss this one and The End of Summer. But I guess getting released at all is the important thing.

Now we gotta start seeing more Naruse releases...at least Mizo has gotten his due.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by JHas

Can't agree more. The pacing was off, assuming it had to do with possible editing changes after Heath's death.

The shooting for The Dark Knight was completed before Heath Ledger passed away, so his death would not have affected the film.

By contrast, his final film, Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) was still in production at the time and he had not completed all his scenes. To complete the film, three different actors—Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law—were hired to, essentially, play representations of his character in three different fantasy segments (or something like that ).

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by nametag

I'm kind of hoping it's better. TDK was ambitious but a bit of a mess IMO, though Heath Ledger was brilliant.

Just really annoyed that because of how in-demand tickets were at the London IMAX I have to wait TEN WHOLE DAYS from release day to see it and am worried I'm going to be accidentally spoiled. Just going to avoid reading any reviews in the meantime (though already am aware that most of them are 4 and 5 stars...)

I definitely sympathize with you. Here in New York, the IMAX tickets for nearly all showtimes during opening weekend were sold out nearly two months (or more) in advance. As a result of that and my determination to see it in IMAX, I'm going, this coming Saturday, to the showtime that starts at two o'clock in the morning. (Theaters here still consider that "Friday night.")

I won't arrive home until almost sunrise. Fortunately, I'm something of a night owl anyway.