The Criterion Collection

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Preach it! It really takes down a big number of targets: the Army, mental institutions, greed & racism. It was so ahead of its time. Its mindboggling that a film like Crash came out 40 full years later. In a way, Shock Corridor is like every socially conscious film Paul Haggis has ever directed rolled into one, except you know, good.

Save a spot for me in the love parade for Shock Corridor.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by metaridley

You're supposed to fellate everything Criterion releases, though.

I haven't truely disliked anything that Criterion has released, but I will say my biggest disappointment has probably been Derek Jarman's Jubilee.

That one was tough. I've also not gotten around to watching most of the more avant-garde titles like the Brakhage and Hollis Frampton. The idea of movies with NO sound seems slightly tedious, but I need to pop them in soon.

That said, I just had a big Terrence Malick fest over the past couple of days and I had somewhat forgotten how great the films were. I watched The New World for the first time a couple months back and in the past few days, I watched Badlands, Days Of Heaven and The Thin Red Line. All great, but it had been much longer since I'd seen Badlands and TRL. I loved TRL more now than when I originally saw it. It may just be Malick's Masterpiece of a series of Masterpieces.

I got sidelined by going to see Stoker and coming back to work from my "weekend", but I plan to view Tree Of Life for the first time tomorrow. I never got to the theater to see it unfortunately.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by jayj15

Not trying to be rude, but have you ever taken a film history class? It really gives you a better appreciation of film. You would probably enjoy 8 1/2 and other Criterion releases even more.

I went to film school and I still find some Criterion releases "boring". Not everything is going to relate to every person, so it's cool.

I despised La Grande Illusion the first time I had to watch it as a Freshman. By the time I was graduating, and had seen shown it 4 different times in 4 different classes, I loved it. So yes, that does happen, too.

[ParticleDan]

Originally Posted by metaridley

You're supposed to fellate everything Criterion releases, though.

I'm really surprised that no one has responded with a pun about The 400 Blows

[retablo]

Originally Posted by ParticleDan

I'm really surprised that no one has responded with a pun about The 400 Blows

You sorta just did

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by ParticleDan

I'm really surprised that no one has responded with a pun about The 400 Blows

The combination of your deadpan Keaton avatar and your matter of fact post made me laugh heartily.

[ccg1978]

I'm getting Badlands in the mail from Netflix today. Can't wait to fellate it later tonight.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by metaridley

You're supposed to fellate everything Criterion releases, though.

I must have miss that memo, I only have 42 of what they have release so far on Blu-ray and the rest while not bad movies I would never want to own or pretty much watch them again.

Was the same for DVD, no way would I care of having every single release they make. Again not bad movies but that does not mean I have to go and get them because they release them

[shortmartin]

Originally Posted by Oblivion138

Save a spot for me in the love parade for Shock Corridor.

+1 for me too. I love Shock Corridor. I also love and respect his movie White Dog, another amazing work of social critique and analysis.

[shortmartin]

saw Spring Breakers last night. I found it to be uneven in spots, with a set of other problems that can be discussed, but overall it was provocative, entertaining, rich in symbolism and, like the Fuller movies we're discussing, a work with socially critical angles. I'd love to see Criterion release a Harmony box set, which would presumably also include Gummo (and potentially Kids). For me, Gummo is one of the great indie films of the 90s and needs a spine number.

I also find myself thinking about Spring Breakers in tandem with Magic Mike, as both seem like experiments with genre (teen movies, melodrama . . . and whereas MM draws on the genre of movies about showbiz and the entertainment industry, SB represents a nice homage to gangster films in its own unique way). Also, both are set in the Tampa/St. Pete area, and both excel in the use of location shooting and color photography.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I must have miss that memo, I only have 42 of what they have release so far on Blu-ray and the rest while not bad movies I would never want to own or pretty much watch them again.

Was the same for DVD, no way would I care of having every single release they make. Again not bad movies but that does not mean I have to go and get them because they release them

During an average month, there are usually a couple of new Criterion releases that intrigue me, and my eyes just sort of glaze over the rest of them. It's been that way since Criterion first came to my attention a little over a decade ago. Ever so often, I'll find three or four releases in a given month that attract my attention, but that usually does not happen.

I've got 33 Criterion Blu-rays in my collection right now. There are several more that I would like to own in due time, but I'll never come close to owning them all, nor do I want to own them all.

[metaridley]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

There are a handful of Criterion titles that I've found to be boring. Akira Kurosawa's The Lower Depths and Dodes'ka-den both come to mind. Nicholas Roeg's Bad Timing did not quicken my pulse, although I should give that one another chance someday. For some reason, I did not gush over Kubrick's Paths of Glory when I first saw the film. Richard Linklater's Slacker had me looking at my watch.

After going through the overall presentations of each Criterion package, I can understand each film's significance in cinema history, and I can understand why these films are acclaimed as underrated masterpieces by some, but they just do not merit frequent rotation under my roof.

Some may view these films differently, though. Arguing with another Criterion fan about the merits of a particular film is sort of like mud-wrestling with a pig. After a while, you realize that the pig is enjoying it.

Do you talk in real life the way you type online?

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

During an average month, there are usually a couple of new Criterion releases that intrigue me, and my eyes just sort of glaze over the rest of them. It's been that way since Criterion first came to my attention a little over a decade ago. Ever so often, I'll find three or four releases in a given month that attract my attention, but that usually does not happen.

I've got 33 Criterion Blu-rays in my collection right now. There are several more that I would like to own in due time, but I'll never come close to owning them all, nor do I want to own them all.

I have been lucky since October last year. I got In The Mood For Love and I really did not want to get any of the releases until Monsieur Verdoux. I do now have two more for June with Things To Come and Safety Last. Even going back to DVD I can't recall one month where I wanted everything that was being release and a lot of time could go 5 or 6 months without wanting anything.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by metaridley

Do you talk in real life the way you type online?

People actually talk in real life? When did that start?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Unfortunately no. I was looking into film classes at my college and they were mostly aimed at directing but no history or analysis per say.

IScottie - You should look into The Story of Film: An Odyssey. My wife and I consider ourselves film novices and this was our way of taking a short film class together at our own pace.

[*DrStrangelove*]

I'll be happy to see Greta Gerwig in the criterion collection with Frances Ha. I'm one of the few who loved Greenberg and Lola Versus. She was also great in Damsels in Distress.

[shortmartin]

Frances Ha will make a nice addition to the collection . . . although I'm wondering how long Criterion takes to put out the releases that they hint at in the newsletters. For example, I'm wondering whether we can expect Lord of the Flies sooner rather than later. 3:10 to Yuma and Safety Last were announced quickly after those hints.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I'll be happy to see Greta Gerwig in the criterion collection with Frances Ha. I'm one of the few who loved Greenberg and Lola Versus. She was also great in Damsels in Distress.

Greenberg was really unfairly maligned upon release. It's by far Ben Stiller's finest hour as an actor.

[PowellPressburger]

Frances Ha, just noticed Britta Phillips is in the movie also! Satisfaction is one of my guilty pleasure films and she was the singing voice of Jem in Jem and the Holograms!

[Guitar Joe]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

People actually talk in real life? When did that start?

There's an app for that.