The Criterion Collection

[AreaUnderTheCurve]

Originally Posted by FaceInTheLeaves

On a more positive note, it provides a fleeting distraction from the endless 'Which films should I buy in the Barnes & Noble sale?' posts. The boredom is rife.

Ignore my previous post in the thread.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Why the constant focus on the OOP titles? This, Chungking, etc.... If a person doesn't want to own Playtime when it's readily available and accessible, why should they want to own it if it's not going to be made anymore by Criterion?

The film is the same as it ever was..... same as it ever was....

I can understand jumping at an OOP title from the perspective of somebody new to Criterions. There is so much to take in and become familiar with. I just started buying Criterion blurays this past summer. Because I'm not real familiar with some (make that most) of these titles, I'd lean toward holding off on the less familiar titles for another sale, while buying titles I'm more familiar with now. But if a title I find interesting is going OOP, then I'd jump on it while I still can (like I did with Chungking Express).

Oh and thanks for the reminder ... I have to pick up Stop Making Sense one of these days.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Why the constant focus on the OOP titles? This, Chungking, etc.... If a person doesn't want to own Playtime when it's readily available and accessible, why should they want to own it if it's not going to be made anymore by Criterion?

The film is the same as it ever was..... same as it ever was....

Did you read the post the guy you quoted was responding to? That first guy said he was trying to decide between Playtime, Summer With Monika and Rosetta.

The fact that one of them is going OOP is a pretty good tie-breaker, don't you think?

At the very least it's relevant information.

[G:Box]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Why the constant focus on the OOP titles? This, Chungking, etc.... If a person doesn't want to own Playtime when it's readily available and accessible, why should they want to own it if it's not going to be made anymore by Criterion?

The film is the same as it ever was..... same as it ever was....

+1 people forget the purpose of buying a film.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Why the constant focus on the OOP titles? This, Chungking, etc.... If a person doesn't want to own Playtime when it's readily available and accessible, why should they want to own it if it's not going to be made anymore by Criterion?

The film is the same as it ever was..... same as it ever was....

True, but the opportunity may come along only once in a lifetime.

So if you find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
driving to a B&N Criterion sale,
just be careful not to let the days go by,
because if you spend too much,
you may ask yourself My God, what have I done!
Into the blue again, after the money's gone.
you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack

Wow, after all these years, I suddenly understand what that song is about....thanks, Beta!!

[Show spoiler]You're a top shelf guy, Beta. Anyone who speaks David Byrne is a pretty good bloke

[octagon]

Originally Posted by G:Box

+1 people forget the purpose of buying a film.

The purpose? Singular?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by octagon

Did you read the post the guy you quoted was responding to? That first guy said he was trying to decide between Playtime, Summer With Monika and Rosetta.

The fact that one of them is going OOP is a pretty good tie-breaker, don't you think?

At the very least it's relevant information.

It's very relevant indeed. There's lots of titles I want and I can't just buy all of them right away, so if there's 5 films I'm really interested in, knowing about one of them being OOP greatly helps prioritize the order I'll get them in.

[thebard]

Originally Posted by G:Box

+1 people forget the purpose of buying a film.

People buy films for different purposes. Somethimes, it is to have a film we know we like so that we can watch it whenever we want. Sometimes, it is to expose ourselves to new films if they seem like something we will like.

I often find myself in the second camp, but also often find myself needing to prioritize my purchases due to budget.

Chungking Express seemed like it would be up my alley (I was right). It was not at the top of my priority list. It going out of print bumped it up on that list. What are my other viewing options... See if a rental outlet has a less-than-mainstream title? Wait for the one time every two years it shows up on TCM or Netflix? I do know that if I wait for it to quadruple in price it will probably, quite frankly, not be worth my investment for a blind buy.

I apologize if part of Criterion's mission statement is to include only people who are already familiar with their catalogue, and those who can afford release-day purchases on every title, or to exclude those of us who need to prioritize our purchases. I am happy with this particular purchase, regardless of what your purpose for buying a film is.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Page14

Oh and thanks for the reminder ... I have to pick up Stop Making Sense one of these days.

It NEVER goes on sale (at least it didn't during the 9 months I was back-and-forth over upgrading my DVD)

I finally pulled the trigger a year + ago, and have watched that BD more times than I care to admit! Highly recommended.

Originally Posted by octagon

Did you read the post the guy you quoted was responding to? .

I actually confused it with another post, so I did indeed miss the relevant parts..... My foot is too deeply lodged in my mouth to come out ahead, so I keep digging further

[starman15317]

The problem with movies going OOP is that everyone discovers something at a different time, if ever. Take The Third Man, for example. I just saw it for the first time earlier this year and now I very much enjoy it, but it's too late for me to get the Criterion BD (unless I want to spend a lot of money). Thankfully, it's still available via the StudioCanal release, but the Criterion release is obviously better. When that movie went OOP, I didn't have a Blu-Ray player and, since I'm only 17, I had never even heard of the movie then.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Hopefully Mizo finally.

Originally Posted by rkish

...but would not be upset at all if they finally released their first Mizo on blu.

Yeah, all other things equal that would probably be my first choice. The main argument in favor of going the 'more Kurosawa' route is that Tokyo Story and Sansho already have pretty well rated UK releases.

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I finally pulled the trigger a year + ago, and have watched that BD more times than I care to admit! Highly recommended.

I was just tallking with my nephew about this a couple weeks ago. SMS is still the only concert film I can just sit down and watch like a movie. I enjoy other things but my attention just starts to wander no matter how good it is.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by starman15317

The problem with movies going OOP is that everyone discovers something at a different time, if ever. Take The Third Man, for example. I just saw it for the first time earlier this year and now I very much enjoy it, but it's too late for me to get the Criterion BD (unless I want to spend a lot of money). Thankfully, it's still available via the StudioCanal release, but the Criterion release is obviously better. When that movie went OOP, I didn't have a Blu-Ray player and, since I'm only 17, I had never even heard of the movie then.

I'm kind of in the same boat regarding The Third Man. I learned about the movie before I jumped to bluray. I'm lucky in that I at least have the Criterion DVD set ... but I thought long and hard before I bought it because I never saw it before and at that time, my view of Criterion was that they were very expensive (to me anyway).

[Show spoiler](Also ... let's just say I got you by a few years [cough, cough] ... and still wasn't aware of it in all that time. ).

[Page14]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

It NEVER goes on sale (at least it didn't during the 9 months I was back-and-forth over upgrading my DVD)

I finally pulled the trigger a year + ago, and have watched that BD more times than I care to admit! Highly recommended.

My nephew raves about SMS too ... and I'm not sure if he was even born when it was recorded. Maybe I'll put it on my wish list for Santa. So many blurays, so little time.

EDIT: (Sorry for straying OT a little bit).

[zoodermin]

Originally Posted by thebard

People buy films for different purposes. Somethimes, it is to have a film we know we like so that we can watch it whenever we want. Sometimes, it is to expose ourselves to new films if they seem like something we will like.

I often find myself in the second camp, but also often find myself needing to prioritize my purchases due to budget.

Chungking Express seemed like it would be up my alley (I was right). It was not at the top of my priority list. It going out of print bumped it up on that list. What are my other viewing options... See if a rental outlet has a less-than-mainstream title? Wait for the one time every two years it shows up on TCM or Netflix? I do know that if I wait for it to quadruple in price it will probably, quite frankly, not be worth my investment for a blind buy.

That's exactly what happened to me. I like Chungking Express very much but I didn't plan to buy it in this sale, now that it's OOP I had to before the price increases dramatically.

On another note, thank you guys for your help in choosing a film. I will buy Playtime this time just in case it goes OOP and I'll grab the other two in the next sale.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Page14

EDIT: (Sorry for straying OT a little bit).

David Byrne has had his hand in a few films..... so a "David Byrne Set" from Criterion is possible....


(tip-toeing the line between on and off topic )

(I thought "True Stories" was tough to follow... but it was late at night, and I was tired )

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by PrestonXI

Talking Heads much?

He quoted a Talking Heads song, so I quoted one in response. It's okay, I know nothing's wrong.

[thecynical_drummer]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Why the constant focus on the OOP titles? This, Chungking, etc.... If a person doesn't want to own Playtime when it's readily available and accessible, why should they want to own it if it's not going to be made anymore by Criterion?

The film is the same as it ever was..... same as it ever was....

Well placed Talking Heads reference...

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

It NEVER goes on sale (at least it didn't during the 9 months I was back-and-forth over upgrading my DVD)

I finally pulled the trigger a year + ago, and have watched that BD more times than I care to admit! Highly recommended.

I was able to pick up Stop Making Sense for about $14, if I remember, during a BN 40% off sale by using a coupon. That might be the way to go for anyone looking for it. I was very happy, especially because, as you say, it never goes down in price.

[alien2010]

Got my copy of Heaven's Gate today. Watched it and I have to say, it is stunning. The transfer is a major improvement on the region 2 DVD releases I've seen. The sound is another major improvement, its great that the dialogue has been enhanced and is far easier to understand what's being said. I've read that the dialogue mix has always been a problem since the film was previewed to studio bosses all them years ago.

As for the film? Well... its great to see the anti western getting the big budget epic treatment. The film shows the harsh life of what poor immigrants had to endure and how a small band of wealthy landowners tried to take the law into their own hands and enforce their own ruthless punishment on people who had to chance in life and were dying due to starvation.

As for the film itself... well its flawed, but the flaws compensate the mystery and ambiguities the film draws up. Overall its a film definatley worth checking out.

Originally Posted by Belloche

Criterion posted William Friedkin's top 10. The Facebook link calls him a cinematic sorcerer. I dearly hope that's a clue to a future release. Sorcerer is my most wanted Blu-ray.

I really do hope that's true? Sorcerer is a film that is crying out for a remaster. Even though Friedkin's blu ray efforts are patchy (The French Connection remaster does leave a lot to be desired) the DVD that was issued in 1998 is diabolical. A maltreated Pan & Scan nightmare of a widescreen beauty that will benefit an HD makeover, even if the results will divide opinion.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

I've only watched it once, but I didn't find it all that funny. I actually found it quite boring. I did find some of the framings and "background humor" to be clever at times - even ingenious in a few scenes. But about the most reaction it ever got out of me was "oh, that's clever". Can't say I ever really laughed. It wasn't a particularly long film, but for what it was I also felt like it overextended it's welcome by at least 30 minutes.

I actually would put Playtime among the bottom as far as the Criterion's I've purchased. For me it was also a blind buy. So I wouldn't recommend it unless you are already familiar with Tati and have seen some of his other (better) films first.

This is exactly why I'm reluctant to answer these blind-buy questions.
I loved Playtime, but it's clearly not a film for all tastes.
People should endeavour to see these films if they can, but it's a bit tricky asking advice on whether or not it should be bought.
Having said that, I did blind-buy Playtime and I don't regret it, and I have blind-bought Rosetta and La Promesse and I'm not expecting to regret those choices either