The Criterion Collection

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I feel like watching another Criterion, but I don't know what to put on

The 5-hour cut of Fanny & Alexander.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

My least favorite has to be Cosmopolis at the moment, I think it's good, but it feels more stagey than A Dangerous Method for me.

Me too. I wasn't a huge fan of Method, but I took more away from it than Cosmopolis, which I honestly didn't care for.

[jayj15]

Originally Posted by ZooTv

Hoping the announcement brings the following titles:

L'Eclisse
Eraserhead
La Notte
Rififi
Le Samourai

Can't believe Rififi has been out on Blu-ray since 2011 in the UK and no Criterion upgrade. Criterion does still have the rights to it correct? And I have a bad feeling we'll have to wait until December for Le Samourai or something

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I need to rewatch Naked Lunch. I think I was too young for it the first time around.

I really liked A Dangerous Method, but just don't expect much from Freud's character. He's purposefully written as smug & unwielding. It's much more about Jung's hang ups.

Thanks for the response. Sounds interesting

[A Sith Lord?]

Just watched 400 Blows.

I must say, the movie hit close to home for me so my opinion is very biased of it. I didn't have any extra-marrital affair problem with my parents, but I have heard them argue in my sleep plenty amongst many other things.

This movie was such an unpredictable roller coaster. Every time I thought something was going to happen, the movie swayed me in another direction. The music to the movie was just as beautiful.

There's so many "twists" in the movie that just make you go "WOW that explains that". You are introduced to his father as this awesome down to Earth hardworking dad. You feel bad because you witness the mother cheating on him. You feel bad for Antoine because as he says to the shrink, even when he tells the truth his parents think he's lying (and every other adult). He's beyond the ultimate underdog. I kept rooting for him the entire movie. To see his parents and himself enjoy a night at the movies so much as if there wasn't a care in the world, then the tough love of embarrassing him in class. The look of doubt on his father's face when told he'd have to give up parental rights. Even though his father kept saying he'd had enough, you saw on his father's face for those few seconds the look of "I love my son so much, is this really the right thing to do?"

Then the revelation of Antoine being a bastard child and what not. It made me appreciate his dad even more, dislike his mother a bit more or less, and just say wow this kid.

The running scene at the end was so beautifully done.

I think I'll probably watch this movie again and again, that much replay value.

So this is my 7th Criterion I've watched now:

Man Who Knew Too Much
12 Angry Men
Royal Tenanbaums
On The Waterfront
The Killing
Paths of Glory
Godzilla
400 Blows

and I have yet to be disappointed. So thrilled I've gotten into these movies. They're a much much much needed refreshment to the movies I've been watching the last 5-10 years that I always held high praise to. Paths of Glory,12 Angry Men, and 400 Blows ALONE have raised the bar on my cinematic tastes. I watched 12 Angry Men in school as everyone else did, but to watch it in this quality and actually understand all of what's going on was a huge difference.The simplicity of those films, yet the strong message, tone, and emotion each have separately really really strike the right chords.

Must buy more criterions! Must buy more criterions!

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by MasturB

...

and I have yet to be disappointed. So thrilled I've gotten into these movies.

...

Must buy more criterions! Must buy more criterions!

I'm new to them too - I recently bought an all-region Blu-Ray player just so that I could start picking them up. Being in Australia, in the past, I have been very envious of you guys who could get them.

My first three were The Lady Vanishes, The 39 Steps and The Night of the Hunter. TLV and 39S are both such beautiful prints compared to the garbage $5 DVDs releases I've been used to.

And Night of the Hunter was a blind-buy and was just incredible to watch. I just can't stop thinking about it.

Have Ministry of Fear and The Man Who Knew too Much on the way and am eyeing many more of them...

After lurking for a few weeks on this thread, I've finally signed up to participate.


Above all else, I am hoping Criterion are planning to release some Preston Sturges movies. I can't believe none of them are on Blu-Ray.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by MasturB

I have yet to be disappointed. So thrilled I've gotten into these movies. They're a much much much needed refreshment to the movies I've been watching the last 5-10 years that I always held high praise to. Paths of Glory,12 Angry Men, and 400 Blows ALONE have raised the bar on my cinematic tastes. I watched 12 Angry Men in school as everyone else did, but to watch it in this quality and actually understand all of what's going on was a huge difference.The simplicity of those films, yet the strong message, tone, and emotion each have separately really really strike the right chords.

Must buy more criterions! Must buy more criterions!

The Criterion Collection (and pretty much the Eureka Masters of Cinema collection) contain essentially a good 70-90 percent of what you would be likely to see at a typical film society, revival theatre, or arthouse during the 1960s and 70s or so until home video cut into their attendance by the mid to late 80s and 90s. Of course they also now include notable films from the past 30 years as well. While few people may like every single title, they're an invaluable education in cinematic styles, techniques, subject materials, and international culture. Continued exposure to them can only increase anyone's range of tastes, appreciation, and understanding of how movies can communicate ideas as well as entertain, and how movies don't necessarily have to be "fun" to be effective in some way. The bonus features are critical to the process, and their cumulative effect can be the equivalent of a reputable film school education.

And getting used to various niches of Criterion's releases (genres, directors, styles, eras, international movements) prepares one to spread out to releases from Kino, Olive, Flicker Alley, Image, Twilight Time, and other small indie labels, which may or may not have much in the way of bonus features. (It becomes an addiction, especially now in HD!)

[retablo]

Originally Posted by MasturB

So this is my 7th Criterion I've watched now:

Man Who Knew Too Much
12 Angry Men
Royal Tenanbaums
On The Waterfront
The Killing
Paths of Glory
Godzilla
400 Blows

and I have yet to be disappointed. So thrilled I've gotten into these movies. They're a much much much needed refreshment to the movies I've been watching the last 5-10 years that I always held high praise to. Paths of Glory,12 Angry Men, and 400 Blows ALONE have raised the bar on my cinematic tastes. I watched 12 Angry Men in school as everyone else did, but to watch it in this quality and actually understand all of what's going on was a huge difference.The simplicity of those films, yet the strong message, tone, and emotion each have separately really really strike the right chords.

Must buy more criterions! Must buy more criterions!

It's great that you're expanding your film horizons... there's a wonderful film world out there once you get past Hollywood That said, the things you've watched are still pretty mainstream... the fact that you loved 400 Blows is a good sign you're more open to various film styles that break from the standard conventions, though. You'll eventually be disappointed, but i'll be interesting to see what connects with you as you dig deeper into the less mainstream titles.

[Debbie Downer]

Wings of Desire

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Is Faraway, So Close as much of a snooze as its predecessor?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

That would be 5/5 must buys for me and that never happens in one announcement...if we get one of those though that would be great!

I'm really hoping for something big out of the blue though that we aren't expecting for one of these upcoming months.

That would make someone around here very happy.

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I was a bit cold on Crash the first go around. But like all of his other films, it's unforgettable. My least favorite has to be Cosmopolis at the moment, I think it's good, but it feels more stagey than A Dangerous Method for me.

I was cold on Cosmopolis upon first viewing, but I think I was expecting something much different: darker, not so artificially stylized; and a re-watch proved most beneficial for me. It is dark, but darkly comic: and totally, totally absurd.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

What do think about A Dangerous Method. It seems like an unconventional story for Cronenberg.

It's really far from the rest of his films, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Beautiful cinematography and a trio of fantastic performances.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I was a bit cold on Crash the first go around. But like all of his other films, it's unforgettable. My least favorite has to be Cosmopolis at the moment, I think it's good, but it feels more stagey than A Dangerous Method for me.

I haven't seen those plus Spider, I'd like to as soon as I get my Naked Lunch blu ray though.

I came around to Cosmopolis a lot more the second time I watched it. My least favorite is Rabid.

[A Sith Lord?]

So when do the June releases get announced?

[SammyJankis]

As always, on the 15th of every month. This Friday.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ZooTv

Hoping the announcement brings the following titles:

L'Eclisse
Eraserhead
La Notte
Rififi
Le Samourai

Throw in L'Avventura instead of Eraserhead, and this would be a perfect five-start month for me. I'd like to see L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclisse released together in an awesome box set.

I'm going to buy Identification of a Woman soon. I can't resist the lure of the synth-pop soundtrack.

[UNCMT9]

Was just thinking about how awesome Night of the Hunter is. For anyone that hasn't seen it, it's a must see (in my humble opinion)!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by UNCMT9

Was just thinking about how awesome Night of the Hunter is. For anyone that hasn't seen it, it's a must see (in my humble opinion)!

It's one of the best Blu-ray transfers in the Criterion queue, and it has a lot of replay value. I have to revisit this film about three times a year just for the sheer fun of it.

[UNCMT9]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's one of the best Blu-ray transfers in the Criterion queue, and it has a lot of replay value. I have to revisit this film about three times a year just for the sheer fun of it.

Agreed! Robert Mitchum is incredible. Not to mention the extras on this disc are incredible. Very underrated movie that no one thought would amount to much.

[Scottie]

I'm thinking that High And Low and Purple Noon will definitely be watched today.