The Criterion Collection

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by rkish

Wow...two milestones today! My 20th wedding anniversary and this is my 2000th post on this Criterion thread!

Still got quite a ways on blowing past Spidey!

Wow. Congratulations! (On the marriage thing, that is ) Twenty years is impressive and it sounds so long, but when I think about how fast the 2.5 years my wife and I have been married have gone by, sometimes 20 years doesn't sound like it will take that long.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by joie

What do you make of one of the resistance characters complaining about Germans executing people without a trial, yet the resistance strangled one of its own members without a trial.

"The fog of war", as Robert McNamara might say.

Melville shows this scene without judgment, and that's what makes it so effective. It's another casualty of the war of attrition that the Resistance is fighting with the Germans.

From a historical interest perspective, but without getting too philosophical with politics in this thread, I can understand how there might be a perceived difference between killing someone because it is too dangerous to hold that person prisoner and killing someone who has already been taken prisoner. In Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, for example, we see American troops shooting German soldiers who have just put their hands up to surrender, because they may not have believed it strategically feasible to gather prisoners at that particular moment when emotions are high and gunfire is going on. I believe, however, that there was a big outcry during the Battle of the Bulge when Germans executed several prisoners who had already been in captivity for a while.
Both scenarios are appalling and unfortunate, of course, but the Resistance may have felt it impractical to hold the traitor somewhere where he would be kept from divulging more information to the enemy.

In this Melville film, the traitor had apparently revealed information to the Germans that resulted in the capture of one of the key Resistance leaders, and the "execution" of that traitor was a move to prevent any future capture or deaths, while cautioning other Resistance members of the dangers of giving in to German interrogation. It's a horrifying scene, especially because none of the people involved are actual soldiers, and they are ordinary citizens who have been thrown into the role where they must make their own rules as they go along.

I cannot imagine having to make a decision like that, and I pray that I am never in a situation where I must make such a decision.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by dsman71

http://blog.criterioncast.com/post/4...-correspondent

What do we make of this ?

A blu box would be amazing.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Have you read Nolan vs. Nolan by David Bordwell. It's an excellent deconstruction of Nolan's Insomnia.

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the link, Abdrewes.

I have the Norwegian original on disc, and I've seen the remake; I definitely prefer the original, by a long way.

And thanks also for giving me the space to admit I'm not a big Nolan fan.

Speaking of which, I re watched Armageddon yesterday, on a visual level it may be his masterpiece.

I agree, and isn't that why Criterion released it in the first place? It's certainly why I return to it as (I'll admit it!) a piece of thought-free fun to blow the cobwebs away.

I still hold out hope for a Blu release of the extended cut, though.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Wow. Congratulations! (On the marriage thing, that is ) Twenty years is impressive and it sounds so long, but when I think about how fast the 2.5 years my wife and I have been married have gone by, sometimes 20 years doesn't sound like it will take that long.

Thank you Sir! It still doesn't seem that long to me. Just you wait...it goes by fast.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the link, Abdrewes.

I have the Norwegian original on disc, and I've seen the remake; I definitely prefer the original, by a long way.

And thanks also for giving me the space to admit I'm not a big Nolan fan.


I agree, and isn't that why Criterion released it in the first place? It's certainly why I return to it as (I'll admit it!) a piece of thought-free fun to blow the cobwebs away.

I still hold out hope for a Blu release of the extended cut, though.

I haven't seen the original, but reading Bordwell's piece made me very curious.

As for Armageddon, it's definitely a big dumb blockbuster that's fascinating to digest ironically. Nothing "works" in the classical sense, that's why it's so great to experience with others or just deconstruct (both direction and logic).

I too like to mix in the occasional moronic film to cleanse my pallette. Proof enough is that I've got an even stronger desire to dive into the better Olive releases and imports I've got.

[ShellOilJunior]

A Hitchcock box seems likely. I hope so because I'm not giving Apple my money.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

As for Armageddon, it's definitely a big dumb blockbuster that's fascinating to digest ironically. Nothing "works" in the classical sense, that's why it's so great to experience with others or just deconstruct (both direction and logic).

I too like to mix in the occasional moronic film to cleanse my pallette.

Hmmm, I wouldn't call it moronic, myself, and I actively (but gently!) disagree with you that "nothing "works" in the classical sense" ... but then, I also have a populist streak that I suspect would make me something of an unperson to a lot of folk on this thread.

Armageddon may be loud and overdosed on braggadocio, but it's also full of the themes and ideologies that buoyed sci-fi (and made it great!) throughout much of the 20th century — told with quite amazing fluidity, economy and visual wonderment. In its own rock face, it's a jewel.

[Twisted-Alien]

Looks like this will be the first Criterion I'll buy. It's such a fun movie, and just look at that artwork. Absolutely beautiful.

Although I was always under the impression that Criterion releases were all art and indie films.

[Scottie]

Just finished Ivan's Childhood.

While it wasn't my favorite movie thus far, Andrei Tarkovsky does a great job at demonstrating how the innocence of childhood can be stripped away by war. In Ivan's case, he was left an orphan and with nobody except for his war friends.

[Show spoiler]In the end, it was only in death that Ivan could be a child and play with the other children.

[deepbreathsanddeath]

I only just realised that Criterion released Hoop Dreams in the US. I remember seeing this once ages ago when I was much younger and thought it was one of the most wonderful documentaries I'd ever seen. I wonder what the chances are that they'll release it on blu-ray...

They do such good work on documentaries which makes me happy. I'd love to see this get included in their blu-ray collection so I can get it and put it in my collection!

[dsman71]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

A blu box would be amazing.

Does that mean that have the rights to these films and those are the art designs for their releases ? I knew that they had Foreign Correspondent but Sabotage and Young & Innocent as well ?
A Hitchcock Trilogy would be delicious....

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I only just realised that Criterion released Hoop Dreams in the US. I remember seeing this once ages ago when I was much younger and thought it was one of the most wonderful documentaries I'd ever seen. I wonder what the chances are that they'll release it on blu-ray...

They do such good work on documentaries which makes me happy. I'd love to see this get included in their blu-ray collection so I can get it and put it in my collection!

It is highly unlikely that they will ever release Hoop Dreams on blu, and for good reasons. The movie was shot on tape. I love the DVD though, and it is definitely worth picking up.

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by dsman71

Does that mean that have the rights to these films and those are the art designs for their releases ? I knew that they had Foreign Correspondent but Sabotage and Young & Innocent as well ?
A Hitchcock Trilogy would be delicious....

I literally just bought the MGM DVD's of Sabotage and Young and Innocent but I would upgrade in a second. Not through iTunes download but actual Blu's...even though those downloads are tempting but I can't do it...probably won't
To answer your question though...I am guessing they have the rights to all three, which is fantastic, just hope they plan on releasing them all in a physical format.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Do it. Crumb is super entertaining and will play great regardless of your mood, I'd say if your in a Kiarsostami mood, watch one of his. Close up i's so meta that it makes Pulp Fiction look like The Public Enemy.

I ended up doing what I usually do and watched something that wasn't on my list earlier in the day. Went with Rosetta.

Thanks, though. Will get to them eventually.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Twisted-Alien

Although I was always under the impression that Criterion releases were all art and indie films.

Not these days...it's a mix now.

[metaridley]

Originally Posted by Twisted-Alien

Although I was always under the impression that Criterion releases were all art and indie films.

Not since they added Michael Bay movies to their catalog.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

Hmmm, I wouldn't call it moronic, myself, and I actively (but gently!) disagree with you that "nothing "works" in the classical sense" ... but then, I also have a populist streak that I suspect would make me something of an unperson to a lot of folk on this thread.

Armageddon may be loud and overdosed on braggadocio, but it's also full of the themes and ideologies that buoyed sci-fi (and made it great!) throughout much of the 20th century — told with quite amazing fluidity, economy and visual wonderment. In its own rock face, it's a jewel.

Man, I'll just start with one major component. Michael Bay doesn't know when and where to put his camera. Each edit and excessive camera movement is unmotivated and adds nothing to the narrative. Consider any indoor sequence, he almost always has his camera at extreme low angles while in medium shots its swooshing around unconscionably. It's terrible filmmaking, but impressive as art divorced from reason.

[deepbreathsanddeath]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

It is highly unlikely that they will ever release Hoop Dreams on blu, and for good reasons. The movie was shot on tape. I love the DVD though, and it is definitely worth picking up.

I wasn't aware of that. As I said, it's been a long time since I've seen it. Thanks for the advice. You're right, they probably won't release it on blu-ray. Someone else might but it would be worth grabbing the Criterion dvd which will no doubt contain special features not found on whoever decides to release it on blu-ray one day. It's currently $16.99 which is pretty attractive for a movie I'll probably never upgrade to blu-ray but would you say it's worth waiting until a Barnes and Noble 50% off sale and getting it for $12.50?

[metaridley]

I'm not sure how watching moronic films can be construed as a "cleansing of the palette" nor do I quite understand why someone would turn to Michael Bay when they want "moronic fun". His only good film is The Rock and frankly, there are plenty of other better blockbusters made for the unwashed masses to consume like junk food.