The Criterion Collection

[SimBelm]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Last day of the B & N Sale!

What was everybody's final take?

This was my first sale so I went incredibly overboard:

The Human Condition
High and Low
Army of Shadows
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
Double Suicide
Oshima's Outlaw Sixties
Pearls of the Czech New Wave
Last Year At Marienbad
Rebel Samurai - Sixties Swordplay Classics
Close-up
Repulsion
Samurai Trilogy
La Jetee/Sans Soleil
The Phantom Carriage
Jigoku
Cranes Are Flying
Dusan Makavejev: Free Radical
The First Films of Samuel Fuller
Berlin Alexanderplatz
3 Women
Something Wild
Patriotism
The Seventh Seal

I bought a couple Criterions at the start of the year and really enjoyed all of them so I made up a huge wishlist. I bought a few more in the DeepDiscount sale while the prices were good, but this was the sale I was saving for. Kicking myself for not staying up a few more hours and saving a hundred or two from the B2G1 overlap.

[jrsl76]

I spent way too much.

My BN Sale haul:

[DarkRyder]

Decided to do one last haul with the coupons for the first time:

Down by Law
Island of Lost Souls


for $20.60 together!

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Days of Heaven for me. I have passed it up 3 sales now.

If you are a fan of Kubrick, pick up World on a Wire next time - awesome sci-fi film and very Kubricky!

Out of all the Criterions I bought this sale, World on a Wire and The Killing were the most impressive blind-buy movies and had amazing Blu-ray restorations!

[Halation]

I got:

Belle de Jour
By Brakhage: An Anthology
Late Spring
The Night of the Hunter
Stagecoach

All Blus, no blind buys (except 53 of the 56 Brakhage flicks )

[Beta Man]

Hauls are for that other thread

Watched "Being John Malkovich" which I hadn't seen in a LONG time.... I gave the DVD to my Father-in-Law last week actually, and upon watching the BD, I completely forgot how hilarious the characters (Boss/secretary (or executive liason!) at the work-place were.

Charming, is a good word for it I guess.

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Annnnd once again I pass on Diabolique, which is the release I pass on every single sale, whether B&N or amazon. I want it, but for some reason I always put it back on the shelf while deciding. Anyone else have that one title you want but always seem to skip?

I think it has to be The Red Shoes for me . Can't think of a film that has been in every single one of my wishlists and still don't get. Someday ...

Also, GREAT haul and I am REALLY glad to hear you loved Certified Copy as much as I did (I talked a bit about it A WHILE ago). I have read all of your PMs and I am sorry I have not responded them yet, I was "out" of town for a week or two and have been really busy with the family . Will get to answer them as soon as I can!

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Hauls are for that other thread

I like the crowd here

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

I think it has to be The Red Shoes for me . Can't think of a film that has been in every single one of my wishlists and still don't get. Someday ...

Also, GREAT haul and I am REALLY glad to hear you loved Certified Copy as much as I did (I talked a bit about it A WHILE ago). I have read all of your PMs and I am sorry I have not responded them yet, I was "out" of town for a week or two and have been really busy with the family . Will get to answer them as soon as I can!

Thanks! No problem there---I didn't remember you talking about it, but I'd love to hear your thoughts again now that I've seen it myself. It's instantly one of my favorite 'newer films' in the collection.

I guess it's no use recommending The Red Shoes, as I know with my own experience, you already want it and don't need a recommendation, but still keep putting it off.

[Shout92]

The Last Temptation of Christ is one I always put off. It's more of a seasonal thing I suppose, as I really only watch it around Lent/Easter. So whenever the 50% off sale comes during July or November it just doesn't feel like the right to buy. You see, I'm one of those rare people on these boards who actually likes to watch the movies he buys when he buys them and not wait around six months and a hundred movie purchases later

Plus, the Catholic guilt it me has me thinking I should buy The Passion of the Christ or King of Kings to even things out

[Tin Drum]

Watched Metropolitan - and other than the disc being super loud while running in my player - I am currently in love with it. The script rightfully got recognition at the Oscars and the relatively unknown cast of first timers really stepped it up here. The late 80s/early 90s photography of NYC in and outside was awesome.

I haven't seen Disco in a while, but I don't remember it being this good. I'm going to try and seek out Barcelona.

[communichaoz]

This was my get from BN:

The Night of the Hunter
The 400 Blows
La haine
Down by Law
The Magician
A Night to Remember
Samurai Trilogy
Gojira
Rushmore

the last three I haven't seen yet.

[Akijama]

Great news coming out of France,as The Fallen Idol and John Schlesinger - UK Trilogy (Billy Liar,Darling,A Kind of Loving) just got announced for its Blu-ray debut.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=202133
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=202134

And,potentially good news for fans of Lelouch's Un homme et une femme:

Translated via Google:

Warner would like to release Un homme et une femme,i know because I attended a screening of it yesterday talking with Claude Lelouch, he told me he had overseen a new HD master (one who has used for projection, beautiful copy).
Unfortunately, he does not know that Warner decided to release a film in brd.

Hmmmm,perhaps,there's hope for Blow-Up after all

[*DrStrangelove*]

Watched Bottle Rocket last night. Not my favorite Wes Anderson but still a fun little film. The aftermath of the BN sale has left me with a lot of great stuff to watch. I think the only non blind buy for me was M. Can't wait to dig into the Samurai trilogy. And then Fanny and Alexander! I got a lot to watch and not enough time.

[santasangria]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

I spent way too much.

My BN Sale haul:

[IMG]CriterionSale.jpg[/IMG]

dayum, nice selections. I really want the Paul Robeson and Von Sternberg, but is there a chance those would come to BD?

[Undeadcow]

Regarding Kuroneko...

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Who gave it lukewarm reviews? It's one of the best titles in the collection.

The funny thing about Criterion Collection reviews is that a lot of times I feel reviewers score higher just by label alone so margainly negative scores seem relatively more severe.

DVD Talk - "...in the end Kuroneko is a bit too stately for its own good and not very frightening, though it does sustain an uncanny atmosphere and is exceedingly beautiful throughout"

DVD Verdict - "...Shindo doesn't cultivate the kind of tension and atmosphere that he needs to sustain this premise for the long run because the tonal nature of the film is constantly clashing..." (Story 75/100)

I'll probably pick up Kuroneko in November, but was curious to see what people here think.

Note: Carrying over general discussion from sale thread.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Great news coming out of France

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Undeadcow

Regarding Kuroneko...The funny thing about Criterion Collection reviews is that a lot of times I feel reviewers score higher just by label alone so margainly negative scores seem relatively more severe (i.e. Kuroneko may be a fair-good movie but perhaps pails in comparison to Harakiri in percieved esteem for my resource investment).

DVD Talk - "...in the end Kuroneko is a bit too stately for its own good and not very frightening, though it does sustain an uncanny atmosphere and is exceedingly beautiful throughout"

DVD Verdict - "...Shindo doesn't cultivate the kind of tension and atmosphere that he needs to sustain this premise for the long run because the tonal nature of the film is constantly clashing..." (Story 75/100)

I'll probably pick up Kuroneko in November, but was curious to see what people here think.

Note: Carrying over general discussion from sale thread.

See, I think it's silly to base a review off of what label the film comes out on, and I don't like letting critics dictate what I should or shouldn't enjoy because they keep comparing a film to another, rather than looking at it on its own merits. I find most critics seem to have an axe to grind as of late anyways, and most of them like to bash something because it's cool. I'm reminded of David Niven's character in Please Don't Eat the Daisies when I see critics reviews of films.

[Reno McCoy]

Reviews can be tough sometimes for that very reason, BG. That's why places like Rotten Tomatoes are so great. They offer an idea of the overall consensus of critics. But even then, it's only a guideline.

Like you're suggesting, though, it's crucial that each individual goes into a film and can decide for himself what works and what doesn't. For me, I hate it when a friend reads critique after critique of a movie and then sees it for himself, only to come out afterward and repeat what he's read as if they were his own thoughts.

I think it's natural, however, for humans to make comparisons. It helps us categorize our thoughts, and also helps us (at least attempt to) communicate with others.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by Undeadcow

Regarding Kuroneko...The funny thing about Criterion Collection reviews is that a lot of times I feel reviewers score higher just by label alone so margainly negative scores seem relatively more severe. I'll probably pick up Kuroneko in November, but was curious to see what people here think.

Note: Carrying over general discussion from sale thread.

I say get it. Great ghost story that maintains the atmosphere throughout the movie IMO. The opening shot alone is worth a viewing. This is one of those movies that gets better on repeat viewings. Atleast it did for me..

I never thought the movie was suppose to be horrifying or terrifying. That is not the type of movie it is. However it maintains a certain feel throughout the film. If it was a fine wine I would taste bits of melancholy with a aurora of lost love and a slight gloominess of that loss followed by rushes of revenge and death. What can I say 68' was a vintage year for Japanese Cinema.

[Darkcritic]

Something I think most of you will enjoy ...

http://www.facebook.com/notes/el-des...41986502553280

Can't help but love this kind of stuff. Almodovar, always funny .