The Criterion Collection

[Abdrewes]

Roger Eberts latest entry into the Great Movies series is Ballad of Narayama:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...WS08/130309986

[rkish]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Roger Eberts latest entry into the Great Movies series is Ballad of Narayama:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...WS08/130309986

Thanks for sharing that! A nice review indeed!

[paulgeneacepeter]

Originally Posted by iScottie

What's the possibility of the following upgrades?

• #21 - Dead Ringers
• #23 - Robocop
• #29 - Picnic At Hanging Rock
• #42 - Fishing With John
• #47 - Insomnia
• #55 - The Unbearable Lightness Of Being
• #62 - The Passion Of Joan Of Arc
• #80 - The Element Of Crime
• #89 - Sisters
• #98 - L'Avventura
• #103 - The Lady Eve
• #105 - Spartacus (blah blah blah Universal )
• #115 - Rififi
• #129 - Le Trou
• #142 - The Last Wave
• #150 - Bob Le Flambeur
• #203 - The BRD Trilogy
• #208 - A Film Trilogy By Ingmar Bergman
• #215 - Knife In The Water
• #224 - Pickup On South Street
• #231 - The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse
• #250 - John Cassavetes: Five Films
• #260 - Eyes Without A Face
• #274 - Night And The City
• #277 - My Own Private Idaho
• #288 - F For Fake
• #314 - Pickpocket
• #319 - The Bad Sleep Well
• #321 - The Virgin Spring
• #322 - The Complete Mr. Arkadin
• #335 - Elevator To The Gallows
• #351 - The Spirit Of The Beehive
• #357 - The Fallen Idol
• #374 - Bicycle Thieves
• #380 - The Naked City
• #383 - Brute Force
• #396 - Ace In The Hole
• #398 - Les Enfants Terribles
• #400 - Stranger Than Paradise
• #401 - Night On Earth
• #447 - Le Doulos
• #448 - Le Deuxieme Souffle
• #452 - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
• #469 - The Hit
• #491 - Z
• #505 - Make Way For Tomorrow
• #515 - The Fugitive Kind
• #528 - 3 Silent Classics By Josef Von Sternberg

Honestly, I don't know if you want a Robocop upgrade just because even the DVD starts to show how fake the effects are so a blu ray would even make it more noticeable. Stick with the Criterion DVD.

[L0xNS0cks]

Originally Posted by oildude

Paying full price for a film of the caliber of Letter Never Sent would be money well spent. Paying what is 50% off, absolutely yes.

Completely agree. I just picked it up for a total of $10.79 on BB.com. Didn't realize I had the silver Best Buy rewards level. It gave me free expedited shipping plus I used a $5 rewards coupon.

Not bad

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Honestly, I don't know if you want a Robocop upgrade just because even the DVD starts to show how fake the effects are so a blu ray would even make it more noticeable. Stick with the Criterion DVD.

I know what you mean.

I don't own the DVD and the current Blu-ray is bad, so I was curious as to what the chances of getting a Criterion release are.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Honestly, I don't know if you want a Robocop upgrade just because even the DVD starts to show how fake the effects are so a blu ray would even make it more noticeable. Stick with the Criterion DVD.

That's silly, since film has even more resolution than blu-ray. It looked "fake" in theaters, too.

Originally Posted by iScottie

So even if a DVD is OOP, Criterion doesn't have the rights to it anymore?

Yes, if a title is OOP it means their license expired and was renewed by another company (or reverted back to the original company). With exceptions, as someone mentioned sometimes titles go OOP if they are working on an upgrade, so they don't make anymore old stock in preparation for the new.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by paulgeneacepeter

Honestly, I don't know if you want a Robocop upgrade just because even the DVD starts to show how fake the effects are so a blu ray would even make it more noticeable. Stick with the Criterion DVD.

I've got the Criterion DVD of Robocop, because I found it for a couple bucks at a used store two years back. It's a good bit of 1980s nostalgia fun, but I'm in no hurry to upgrade it to Blu-ray.

Let's face it... There are just some things that I really do not need to see in high definition. A rather unfortunate vehicle hit-and-run sequence from this movie comes to mind.

The movie was intentionally over-the-top fake-looking, though. That gaudiness just sort of came with the territory for this one.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've got the Criterion DVD of Robocop, because I found it for a couple bucks at a used store two years back. It's a good bit of 1980s nostalgia fun, but I'm in no hurry to upgrade it to Blu-ray.

Let's face it... There are just some things that I really do not need to see in high definition. A rather unfortunate vehicle hit-and-run sequence from this movie comes to mind.

The movie was intentionally over-the-top fake-looking, though. That gaudiness just sort of came with the territory for this one.

I'd love an upgrade anyways, the current Blu ray is pretty terrible

[L0xNS0cks]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I'd love an upgrade anyways, the current Blu ray is pretty terrible

I think a high-def upgrade would be fun. Nothing like some 1080p nostalgia.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by L0xNS0cks

I think a high-def upgrade would be fun. Nothing like some 1080p nostalgia.

Agree. I have no problem going back to titles like Forbidden Planet or the Harryhausen films and seeing them on Blu-ray. To me, the pluses far outweigh the minuses. Example: Loved! the '33 version of King Kong on Blu.

[JackTwist]

To those Region B capable, what is your opinion of the upcoming releases of "Au Hasard Balthazar" and "Mouchette" from Artificial Eye? I suppose it will come down to reviews to ultimately make the decision to take the plunge or wait.

Also, I've preordered "La Notte" but cannot decided if its worth waiting or to go ahead given how much I adore Masters of Cinema's releases thus far.

[Scottie]

I'm almost done with Le Cercle Rouge and I LOVE it!!!!!

Although nothing is wrong with it, I much prefer this film to Army Of Shadows. I think it's more of a pacing thing for me and subject matter.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Agree. I have no problem going back to titles like Forbidden Planet or the Harryhausen films and seeing them on Blu-ray. To me, the pluses far outweigh the minuses. Example: Loved! the '33 version of King Kong on Blu.

What minuses?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Agree. I have no problem going back to titles like Forbidden Planet or the Harryhausen films and seeing them on Blu-ray. To me, the pluses far outweigh the minuses. Example: Loved! the '33 version of King Kong on Blu.

These movies all look spectacular on Blu-ray. Harryhausen's 20 Million Miles to Earth is better now than ever before.

King Kong (1933) is an essential Blu-ray for any and every collection. The best depiction of unrequited love in cinema history.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by octagon

What minuses?

I think the OP was about how the increased resolution exposed the limitations of the special effects of the day. Personally, I don't even pay attention to those things. I'm caught up in the movie.

[zoodermin]

Just watched Grey Gardens, both the documentary and the fictional film and I loved both of them! Those Beale women were truly phenomenal people and I hope Criterion and HBO release a BD version of both films soon.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm almost done with Le Cercle Rouge and I LOVE it!!!!!

Although nothing is wrong with it, I much prefer this film to Army Of Shadows. I think it's more of a pacing thing for me and subject matter.

Glad you like this one! Jansen is one of my all-time favorite film characters, and this is just one of the most outright cool movies ever made.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Glad you like this one! Jansen is one of my all-time favorite film characters, and this is just one of the most outright cool movies ever made.

It was so fantastic. It had a great buildup the first hour, excellent execution in the second hour, and a good resolution / finale in the last 20 minutes

[The Great Owl]

I added The Wages of Fear and Wings of Desire to my collection today. Woo hoo!

Both are upgrades of old DVDs, and I look forward to seeing them in high definition. The Nick Cave cameo on Wings of Desire is worth the price of admission, and The Wages of Fear is just crazy nail-biting intensity.

The Wages of Fear = 25% off (Thanks Abdrewes, for the coupon)
Wings of Desire = 40% off. The B&N clerk said that the sale sticker on the case had expired, but gave me the discount anyway, since they had forgotten to remove the sticker. Cool customer service props to her!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

It was so fantastic. It had a great buildup the first hour, excellent execution in the second hour, and a good resolution / finale in the last 20 minutes

Le Cercle Rouge really does have a brilliant methodical pacing style.

God saves a puppy somewhere in the world whenever someone is introduced to a new Melville film. Or so I've heard, anyway.