The Criterion Collection

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by ROclockCK

After a very short time, almost immediately actually, Weekend was just about this relationship. Haigh did a fine job getting past all the socio-politico clutter that often accompanies any non-mainstream subject in an attempt to explain its context, instead trusting his audience to work it out for themselves. All of that stuff was still there in the POV of these characters and their behaviour...which somehow made the story even more dramatic...I mean

[Show spoiler]you could sense the internal hurdles these guys had to vault over to make any sense at all of their head-spinning encounter and its unexpected effect over such a brief span of time. And the ending wasn't an easy out

. I thought the performances were uniformly superb. Top notch AQ and PQ as well.

And if it seems like I'm in 'zombie post' mode today, I was actually going back over the thread looking for any discussion or comments about Lonesome, which was the other Criterion Blu-ray I watched this weekend*. Folks here have been anticipating this release for months, and I just couldn't believe so little has been said about it...heck, there isn't even a site review up yet???

My quick take on Lonesome is that this is a must-have Blu-ray for any silent movie fan...not only for the one-of-a-kind, almost experimental titular film, but all the background info on previously unknown (to me) Paul Fejos. This set even includes 2 of his other films, The Last Performance and Broadway. I was so enthralled, I watched the whole durn thing last night. Criterion rediscovery at its finest.

* Criterion's Weekend + TT's High Time + KINO's They Made Me a Fugitive + Olive's Private Hell 36 + Criterion's Lonesome all back-to-back...so top that for eclecticism!

I agree with you about Weekend. It became one of my top-favorite films of its year in part because it truly does depict gay relationships in a realistic and honest way and it's one of those films people not familiar with such relationships could learn a lot from watching. Fortunately, such films are being made more and more: e.g., The Kids Are All Right; Pariah; In the Family (a tiny film that had an extremely limited release). Apparently, the upcoming Keep the Lights On will be another such film (I haven't seen it yet).

It's remarkable how persistent the broad generalizations, incorrect assumptions and stereotypes about gay relationships are among those who are LGBT. (I had to address a common one just yesterday.) That's largely due to a relative dearth in the media (especially mainstream media) of honest depictions of gay relationships that, collectively, could reflect, to some degree, the immense variety that exists in reality.

But films such as these could potentially help to enlighten the general public, while giving LGBT audiences some measure of satisfaction at seeing onscreen characters engaged in relationships they can better relate to on some level. It's a start.

I also admired Weekend because it's a fine example of how a high-quality film can be produced for little money, something I'm appreciating more and more as I start to make my own films. It's a terrific story that was realized in a way that looks and sounds great, with fine cinematography and acting.

*
I plan to buy Lonesome during B&N's next big Criterion sale in November. It looks like a truly intriguing film.

BTW, good for you on finding the time to watch all those films in one weekend. I need to start having some marathon movie watching weekends myself so I can get through my big stack of not-yet-watched titles I have in my collection. But, my schedule tends to keep me busy.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by BluPix

I agree with you about Weekend. It became one of my top-favorite films of its year in part because it truly does depict gay relationships in a realistic and honest way and it's one of those films people not familiar with such relationships could learn a lot from watching. Fortunately, such films are being made more and more: e.g., The Kids Are All Right; Pariah; In the Family (a tiny film that had an extremely limited release). Apparently, the upcoming Keep the Lights On will be another such film (I haven't seen it yet). ...

I also admired Weekend because it's a fine example of how a high-quality film can be produced for little money, something I'm appreciating more and more as I start to make my own films. It's a terrific story that was realized in a way that looks and sounds great, with fine cinematography and acting.

You make a great point here. Have you seen Your Sister's Sister? It's a very well-done, nano-budget film with a lesbian character who fits into the character dynamics exactly like the two straight characters. And her sexual orientation is important to the story in the same way that the grief and insecurity of the other characters is important -- not a focus but used as an element of what happens in the film. I like Lynn Sheldon's work (Humpday), but I guess we won't see in Crit BD because it usually comes out on blu anyway.

[BluPix]

Originally Posted by RojD

You make a great point here. Have you seen Your Sister's Sister? It's a very well-done, nano-budget film with a lesbian character who fits into the character dynamics exactly like the two straight characters. And her sexual orientation is important to the story in the same way that the grief and insecurity of the other characters is important -- not a focus but used as an element of what happens in the film. I like Lynn Sheldon's work (Humpday), but I guess we won't see in Crit BD because it usually comes out on blu anyway.

Thanks for both of those recommendations. I've heard of them (especially the recent Your Sister's Sister) but haven't yet seen them; I'll have to check them out. I like when films depict various facets of their characters, including sexual orientation, as simply being an important but one of many natural aspects of their characters.

Just like they would be in real life.

[ccg1978]

ok, I just went through every single title on the first page and read the Blu-ray.com review. I haven't really heard of a lot of these movies but I went ahead and added 20 to my Netflix to preview. *fingers crossed*

[Agent Bond]

The Last Days Of Disco is available on Blu-Ray?!!

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

The Last Days Of Disco is available on Blu-Ray?!!

Haha You just lost your Guru status

[Agent Bond]

I had no idea! Its one of my favorite films and I always wanted to get it on BR. The same with Orlando. They were both on my wish lists a few years ago and the next thing I know, I got them both granted. Just crazy!

I remember the DVD version got taken off the market because of rights issues with the music used in the film. I hope Criterion resolved those because I'd hate for any song to be removed or dubbed over.

[TylerDurden]

I just watched Samurai Trilogy part 1. The movie has a sweeping emotion and raw power that not even tinseltown could replicate. Im looking forward to the other parts later.

[Cocophone]

Originally Posted by Agent Bond

I had no idea! Its one of my favorite films and I always wanted to get it on BR. The same with Orlando. They were both on my wish lists a few years ago and the next thing I know, I got them both granted. Just crazy!

I remember the DVD version got taken off the market because of rights issues with the music used in the film. I hope Criterion resolved those because I'd hate for any song to be removed or dubbed over.

Orlando was released on bluray over a year and half ago.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Orlando-Blu-ray/16886/

It's one of my favorites except for the miscasting of Billy Zane.

However, the miscasting of Billy Zane is no where as bad as

[Show spoiler]the CGI butterfly that flies away from George Clooney at the end of The American.

Spoiler is for the film The American.

[Joe Dalek]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Echo Bridge released a blu-ray for DEAD MAN in 2011.

And being an Echo Bridge Blu-ray it was rubbish. The film deserves better.

[HyperRealist]

Quadrophenia $19.99 Deep Disount DotD
http://www.deepdiscount.com/deals_daily-deep-deal

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

Quadrophenia $19.99 Deep Disount DotD
http://www.deepdiscount.com/deals_daily-deep-deal

thank you SOOOO much. I REALLY wanted this but was a bit skint...but I ordered this for that price!!!

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

Quadrophenia $19.99 Deep Disount DotD
http://www.deepdiscount.com/deals_daily-deep-deal

YES YES GOOD.

Thanks!!

[jrsl76]

I hope I can swing some sort of good deal so that I can buy Children Of Paradise as soon as it's released. It's one of my favorites.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

I hope I can swing some sort of good deal so that I can buy Children Of Paradise as soon as it's released. It's one of my favorites.

Sadly Les Enfants Du Paradis and Les Visiteurs Du Soir are both $41 on Amazon.ca In fact with a few exception most of the upcoming releases for September, October and November are all over $40 I will have to hope for some sort of sale from B&N otherwise a lot of these titles will only be added in my collection slowly over a long period of time

[toddly6666]

I picked up Lonesome today from B&N for $14.80. I'm so pysched to see this film - it looks awesome!

[jcs913]

New newsletter clue, lets get moving sleuth's...

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Sadly Les Enfants Du Paradis and Les Visiteurs Du Soir are both $41 on Amazon.ca In fact with a few exception most of the upcoming releases for September, October and November are all over $40 I will have to hope for some sort of sale from B&N otherwise a lot of these titles will only be added in my collection slowly over a long period of time

Yeah and Amazon Canada didn't even attempt to do the cheap preorder window on the September releases. Some months they just skip for some reason.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by jcs913

New newsletter clue, lets get moving sleuth's...

Jailhouse Rock

Really I have no idea but I am really not that good with these pic clues

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Yeah and Amazon Canada didn't even attempt to do the cheap preorder window on the September releases. Some months they just skip for some reason.

Forty douleur for a single movie is just too much for my wallet unfortunately even with the fact that I really want those two movies. I will have to get the order for a week where that will be my one and single buy unless they drop the prices a bit (but very unlikely) or it's the sale.

I wish Amazon.ca was a little better with sales, they drop prices but unless you happen to check your wish list on the two or three days they drop the price, you will never know about it and then they just raise it back up to over $30. They have a strange way of doing things I find