The Criterion Collection

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I think it would be a good idea to start going into films not expecting much. However, several of the films that I'm "neutral" about were seen before I had a stronger appreciation for filmmaking and the underlying elements to them. Therefore, I think a revisit should be entitled for several films.

Certain opinions WILL change, though, for some films over the course of time. Even Roger Ebert has gone back and changed his reviews on certain films he just didn't "get" at the time, for whatever reason. Which, of course, isn't saying you'll eventually love every movie you might dislike now — you won't — but some of the denser, more layered films might sit with you, and the longer they do, you'll begin to peel back those layers and see new things. It'll be interesting to see how you feel about something like M or Rosemary's Baby in 5 years.

The first times I saw La Grande Illusion, I thought it was terribly boring. And I wasn't THAT enamored with M. Over the years, images and themes form those films sort of "sunk in", and it left me curious as to why I had these films stuck in my head that I didn't particularly care for. After watching them both several more times, they are now some of my favorite films. Weird, but it happens.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I just want to revisit the point of owning Criterion films without watching or caring about the supplements. If that's the case, why not just streaming it using Hulu or another service?

I don't remember anyone saying they don't care about supplements...

Personally, I always watch at least the majority of them unless if I disliked the film (then I usually skip them--which does happen often times). Commentaries I'll only sit through for the ones I've really liked, since they'll be the only ones I'd want to obviously watch again right after.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I feel as if a lot of people like films just based off the superficial environmental details and not the meanings of the films.

A movie's ability to entertain me and keep me immersed in a story are far more important to me than whether or not the film has a meaning.

I do love to speculate about the meaning of a film after I have seen it, but only if the story kept me interested enough to care.

My two least-favorite films of all time are Pay It Forward and Crash (2005). Both of these films are epic fails in my eyes because they are examples of Hollywood trying to preach morality to us at the expense of telling a story that actually makes sense. In instances like this, when a filmmaker goes for "meaning" over telling a story, I will often see right through the intent and resent the filmmaker's attempt to manipulate me with emotional blackmail.

By contrast, my all-time favorite film, Le Samourai, does not have any real underlying moral or meaning. It's just a cool story told in a breathtakingly efficient way with a minimum of dialogue and sidesteps. I relate to the main character's predicament, and that's enough for me.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A movie's ability to entertain me and keep me immersed in a story are far more important to me than whether or not the film has a meaning.

I do love to speculate about the meaning of a film after I have seen it, but only if the story kept me interested enough to care.

My two least-favorite films of all time are Pay It Forward and Crash (2005). Both of these films are epic fails in my eyes because they are examples of Hollywood trying to preach morality to us at the expense of telling a story that actually makes sense. In instances like this, when a filmmaker goes for "meaning" over telling a story, I will often see right through the intent and resent the filmmaker's attempt to manipulate me with emotional blackmail.

By contrast, my all-time favorite film, Le Samourai, does not have any real underlying moral or meaning. It's just a cool story told in a breathtakingly efficient way with a minimum of dialogue and sidesteps. I relate to the main character's predicament, and that's enough for me.

I agree.

At the end of the day, a movie's purpose is to sell and to entertain. What good is watching a movie that you don't?

I do enjoy there being meaning in films that I like because it gives me more appreciation for the film, but like I stated earlier, I think the story is one of the most important things to a good movie.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I agree.

At the end of the day, a movie's purpose is to sell and to entertain. What good is watching a movie that you don't?

I do enjoy there being meaning in films that I like because it gives me more appreciation for the film, but like I stated earlier, I think the story is one of the most important things to a good movie.

You're gonna hate Brakhage and frampton.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

You're gonna hate Brakhage and frampton.

They're another example of something I loved seeing in classes and everyone else hated.

[joie]

A PBS station in San Francisco used to play an "important" film once a week, in its original aspect ratio. So, years ago, I first saw 8 1/2 on a small Sony 12" TV. (It was sometime after 1984, the 1st year the 49ers went to the Superbowl, so I had to have a TV and bought a small one to see that. It's still with me and still working.)

I thought 8 1/2 was visually spectacular, but didn't see a "story." Years later -- I skipped VHS and DVD -- I got a Blu-ray setup and borrowed Nine from the library and almost immediately after seeing it ordered Criterion's 8 1/2.

"Guido," the director of both films, can't seem to get a script together. In 8 1/2, he was making Italia and in Nine he was making Nine, which is somewhat of a remake of 8 1/2. But the two films end differently: Italia was a failure; Nine was a success. (One has to watch Nine completely (until the end) to understand how it was a "success.")

My point is that seeing Nine can shed some light on the story of 8 1/2. There is a story there.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by joie

A PBS station in San Francisco used to play an "important" film once a week, in its original aspect ratio. So, years ago, I first saw 8 1/2 on a small Sony 12" TV. (It was sometime after 1984, the 1st year the 49ers went to the Superbowl, so I had to have a TV and bought a small one to see that. It's still with me and still working.)

I thought 8 1/2 was visually spectacular, but didn't see a "story." Years later -- I skipped VHS and DVD -- I got a Blu-ray setup and borrowed Nine from the library and almost immediately after seeing it ordered Criterion's 8 1/2.

"Guido," the director of both films, can't seem to get a script together. In 8 1/2, he was making Italia and in Nine he was making Nine, which is somewhat of a remake of 8 1/2. But the two films end differently: Italia was a failure; Nine was a success. (One has to watch Nine completely (until the end) to understand how it was a "success.")

My point is that seeing Nine can shed some light on the story of 8 1/2. There is a story there.

This might be the most positive thing I've ever read about Nine. I don't hate it, myself...I see the purpose just as you point out--it's worthwhile for what it is.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A movie's ability to entertain me and keep me immersed in a story are far more important to me than whether or not the film has a meaning.

I do love to speculate about the meaning of a film after I have seen it, but only if the story kept me interested enough to care.

My two least-favorite films of all time are Pay It Forward and Crash (2005). Both of these films are epic fails in my eyes because they are examples of Hollywood trying to preach morality to us at the expense of telling a story that actually makes sense. In instances like this, when a filmmaker goes for "meaning" over telling a story, I will often see right through the intent and resent the filmmaker's attempt to manipulate me with emotional blackmail.

By contrast, my all-time favorite film, Le Samourai, does not have any real underlying moral or meaning. It's just a cool story told in a breathtakingly efficient way with a minimum of dialogue and sidesteps. I relate to the main character's predicament, and that's enough for me.

I misread this and thought it said that Crash was one of your all time favorites. Almost fainted.

[TJS_Blu]

For what its worth...The Varda-Demy family are soliciting donations to help restore The Umbrellas of the Cherbourg for the Cannes film festival.

[joie]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

This might be the most positive thing I've ever read about Nine. I don't hate it, myself...I see the purpose just as you point out--it's worthwhile for what it is.

Yeah, it really took a beating from the critics and didn't even recoup its production costs, so it was definitely a box-office failure.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

For what its worth...The Varda-Demy family are soliciting donations to help restore The Umbrellas of the Cherbourg for the Cannes film festival.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by sc1957

IScottie... I like your outlook.

I think that once you've decided that a particular film doesn't interest you, there's no reason to revisit it just in case "you might like it better the next time." If you don't like a film, you don't like it.

I'll watch a film because it's "important" and because it gets a lot of mention among film aficionados, but if it bores me I won't watch it again no matter what the "experts" say. Life's too short.

Another Scott

Thank you.
Two Scotts!

On a side note, The Naked Kiss is going on now and Shock Corridor will be on later

[*PREACHER*]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Thank you.
Two Scotts!

On a side note, The Naked Kiss is going on now and Shock Corridor will be on later

Cannot wait to read your reviews on them as they still sit wrapped on my shelf...I know...drag me into the street and shoot me!!!

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by iScottie

On a side note, The Naked Kiss is going on now and Shock Corridor will be on later

The opening scene of The Naked Kiss is perfection.

[IronWaffle]

I'm watching 3:10 to Yuma on HDNet right now. So far the image, fine grain and all, is beautiful. In just these first ten minutes it is blowing away my DVD.

Side note. With all the talk about the importance of the visual today, I find it doubly amusing to see the credit sequence end with a POV shot from the stagecoach driver looking down his reins at the horses with the director's name boldly laid over the image. That shot alone tells quite a story.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

The opening scene of The Naked Kiss is perfection.

Hell yeah! I don't care what you think of it, you will feel something. It's just so outrageous.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by retablo

The first times I saw La Grande Illusion, I thought it was terribly boring. And I wasn't THAT enamored with M. Over the years, images and themes form those films sort of "sunk in", and it left me curious as to why I had these films stuck in my head that I didn't particularly care for. After watching them both several more times, they are now some of my favorite films. Weird, but it happens.

I was fairly indifferent (if not fairly cold) to a lot of my favorites at first. Sometimes even after mulitple viewings.

Weird or not, it definitely happens.

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Commentaries I'll only sit through for the ones I've really liked, since they'll be the only ones I'd want to obviously watch again right after.

I have a very hard time with commentaries. No matter how interesting the track I invariably want the people to shut up so I can just watch the damn movie again.

Originally Posted by iScottie

On a side note, The Naked Kiss is going on now and Shock Corridor will be on later

Two excellent examples of films I wasn't exactly crazy about but didn't regret buying in the slightest. I don't know when (or even if) I'll ever get around to revisiting them but it's nice to have that option a few short steps away.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Hell yeah! I don't care what you think of it, you will feel something. It's just so outrageous.

I know! I had to re-watch that scene a couple times before I continued on with the rest of the film, the first time I saw it.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

I'm watching 3:10 to Yuma on HDNet right now. So far the print is beautiful. In just these first ten minutes it is blowing away my DVD.

Side note. With all the talk about the importance of the visual today, I find it doubly amusing to see the credit sequence end with a POV shot from the stagecoach driver looking down his reins at the horses with the director's name boldly laid over the image. That shot alone tells quite a story.

Sounds like a great shot! I'm a huge fan of westerns and I can't wait to get my hands on this film. I have the DVD, but considering its hitting blu soon...