The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

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.

Haha Leon Morin, Priest is on my watch list this weekend. I'm currently watching Harold And Maude, though.

[hoytereden]

Anybody else here enjoy The Honeymoon Killers? Don't notice it mentioned much. Underrated IMO, fascinating true story that pulls no punches. Would like to see it upgraded.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The mention of Letter Never Sent got me thinking about another outstanding "rugged adventure" Criterion title...

Cornel Wilde's The Naked Prey

This is one of the best Criterion DVDs out there, and I'd love to see an upgrade to Blu-ray so that the film's wilderness settings can be seen in high definition. The movie takes place in Africa, but it is loosely based John Colter's run from the Blackfoot Indians in 1809 Wyoming. There are some brutal scenes in The Naked Prey (especially one unfortunate sequence where someone is covered with clay), so it's not for the squeamish. Great great movie, though!

Criterion should also release Cornel Wilde's Beach Red and No Blade of Grass, methinks.

While we're on it how about The Big Combo?

[retablo]

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.

You'll love Le Doulos, Bob le Flambeur, and Le Deuxième Souffle then.

[ZooTv]

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

Glad to hear you enjoyed the masterpiece that is Le Cercle Rouge. It is second to only Le Samourai for me, when measured against the rest of Melville's catalog.

[Scottie]

I just watched Harold And Maude and I didn't really like it. Sure, it had it's funny moments, but the entire movie was just so depressing.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the film per say, but I didn't really like it. I guess it's the subject matter. Sure, the film showed death in a more humorous side to the general public, but I don't know. It didn't do it for me.

Originally Posted by retablo

You'll love Le Doulos, Bob le Flambeur, and Le Deuxième Souffle then.

Glad to hear. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Originally Posted by ZooTv

Glad to hear you enjoyed the masterpiece that is Le Cercle Rouge. It is second to only Le Samourai for me, when measured against the rest of Melville's catalog.

Thank you - I really want to see Le Samourai. Hopefully it's announced next week.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I just watched Harold And Maude and I didn't really like it. Sure, it had it's funny moments, but the entire movie was just so depressing.

I agree with the guy above me. On the surface, it appears depressing, but it's really about the spontaneity of living life with careless abandon, no matter what anyone thinks about you. The lyrics say it best:

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

[*DrStrangelove*]

My order from the flash sale finally arrived. All blind buys: Pale Flower, Harakiri, and The Game. I kind of just threw in The Game in there when Solaris sold out so I hope it's good. Gonna watch Pale Flower first.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by James78

I think the opposite!

[Show spoiler] I found the end so life-affirming. Harold is going to live his life his own way.

Originally Posted by retablo

I agree with the guy above me. On the surface, it appears depressing, but it's really about the spontaneity of living life with careless abandon, no matter what anyone thinks about you. The lyrics say it best:

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

I definitely know what you guys mean. I understand that it was a very dark film that showed a more positive and happier aspect to life amongst the concept of death. Harold wasn't the most normal person, in my opinion, but all that mattered was he was his own unique person and nobody could take that away from him.

Thanks for shedding some more light on this movie for me guys. I actually have that song stuck in my head haha.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

While we're on it how about The Big Combo?

I'm down with that. Not a bad suggestion at all.

[joie]

Richard Brody wrote, in The New Yorker's Godard’s Truthful Torture Scene, '“Le Petit Soldat” (which arrives this Friday at Film Forum, in a crisp new print, for a weeklong run—I’ll be introducing the screening on Tuesday, March 12th, at 8:30 P.M.), ... ."'

In the article, Brody compares Godard's treatment of torture in Le Petit Soldat with its treatment in Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty.

"A crisp new print" is interesting, however interesting Brody's article may be. I've only seen Fox Lorber's DVD US release and its quality is very poor, maybe a bit better than their DVD release of Breathless. Criterion may have released it on DVD at some point, too.

Edit: I suppose someone is going to release Le Petit Soldat again.

[ElliesDad]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The mention of Letter Never Sent got me thinking about another outstanding "rugged adventure" Criterion title...Cornel Wilde's The Naked Prey This is one of the best Criterion DVDs out there, and I'd love to see an upgrade to Blu-ray so that the film's wilderness settings can be seen in high definition. The movie takes place in Africa, but it is loosely based John Colter's run from the Blackfoot Indians in 1809 Wyoming. There are some brutal scenes in The Naked Prey (especially one unfortunate sequence where someone is covered with clay), so it's not for the squeamish. Great great movie, though! Criterion should also release Cornel Wilde's Beach Red and No Blade of Grass, methinks.

I'll second the up-grade, even though the standard version is pretty good. The colors and textures of the African wilderness could look remarkable on blu-ray. Great 'survival' film that focuses everything on camera work and facial expression with almost no dialogue to distract from the basic elements of heat, exhaustion, fear, and survival drive and instinct. Used the images in this film to good use in my running days.

Maybe time to take a futher look at "Letter Never Sent".

Originally Posted by retablo

I agree with the guy above me. On the surface, it appears depressing, but it's really about the spontaneity of living life with careless abandon, no matter what anyone thinks about you.

[Show spoiler] The lyrics say it best:

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

"The spontaneity of living life with careless abandon"...? What could possible go wrong with that...? Unless you're a nineteenth-century Flemish painter. Or a pirate...

[SammyJankis]

Possession needs to be in the Criterion Collection.

That is all.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Possession needs to be in the Criterion Collection.

That is all.

Should hopefully be announced any day now (so much anticipation)

Edit: I mean, not on Criterion... don't want to confuse

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

Should hopefully be announced any day now (so much anticipation)

Edit: I mean, not on Criterion... don't want to confuse

Seven days!

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Possession needs to be in the Criterion Collection.

That is all.

http://www.mondo-vision.com/possession.php

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I definitely know what you guys mean. I understand that it was a very dark film that showed a more positive and happier aspect to life amongst the concept of death. Harold wasn't the most normal person, in my opinion, but all that mattered was he was his own unique person and nobody could take that away from him.

Thanks for shedding some more light on this movie for me guys. I actually have that song stuck in my head haha.

That's how it starts. The seed is planted. There is no escape now.

I bet that's a title you comeback to in the future and see in a somewhat new light, and come to appreciate it more. Or, maybe not. I guess we'll see, lol.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by 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.

There's a few of those Region B titles that I'm watching, but not purchasing, because I'm waiting to see how they compare against inevitable Region A releases.
These three are definitely on the list.

[drbikeshorts]

Mrs Drbikeshorts and I finally got to catch up with two of our most anticipated films this weekend:
Michael Haneke's Amour and Olivier Assayas' Aprèi Mai.
Both were fantastic.
Amour deserves the hype. Not only did Emmanuelle Riva deserve the Oscar (don't you hate when people say that? ), but Jean-Louis Trintignant at least deserved a nomination. Having my own mother suffer a stroke and a long decline, there was a lot to relate to in this film. Frankly, the film has nothing on the real thing. However, Haneke really captures the stages of debilitation and the frustrations and problems of dealing with it. I don't know if I would own this film on blu-ray (after all, it's not much of a laugh ), but I highly recommend seeing it.
Aprèi Mai seems to be called Something In The Air in the U.S. and I think Australia instead of a simple translation of its French title: "After May". Anyway, lovely film. Assayas really captures the contradictions and hypocracy of middle class revolutionaries. Youth that want to fight the system, while still enjoying an education, opportunities and the shelter of their parents' homes. You can tell Assayas feels for his characters, but recognises (and cherishes) the folly of their revolutionary impetuousness. This is one I could see myself owning. Since it's an IFC film, there's a chance that Criterion could get this title, but I dread it will be released under the stupid Something In The Air title instead of Aprèi Mai.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by James78

I think the opposite!

[Show spoiler] I found the end so life-affirming. Harold is going to live his life his own way.

Exactly. It is, in the end, almost a "feel good" movie, at least one with a lot of energy, exorting to live, try new experiences, and going ahead in life without being afraid of making a few mistakes in the way.

It is also quite clear that Maude is a "Manic Pixie Dream Girl", helping Harold growing up and embracing life.