The Criterion Collection

[Miho]

Does B&N have a 50% off sale on these every year in July?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Miho

Does B&N have a 50% off sale on these every year in July?

Yes sir. I've got to start saving up.

[AverageAtBest]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Yes sir. I've got to start saving up.

Is it a strange thing to already have a list made up of what I plan on getting(that will most likely buy some of and find replacements for during that span) in july?

[Miho]

Thanks!

Gonna hold off on the 4-5 movies I wanted ... ... and get to pick 4-5 more yippe!

[Ctzalman]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

The eerie sound design & the cold, pensive faces reflect everyday existence. Some of the aerial shots are almost comparable to Koyaanisqatsi and, in a way, King Vidor's The Crowd. That coupled with the Black and White cinematography makes it look like its commenting on the shared, not terribly exciting, experience we all have on this earth, virtually only existing on one lateral plane: the earth's crust. It also contrasts very nicely with all the metaphysical goings on in the space station section of the film, especially considering the curved tunnels resemble the interior of the space station.


My $0.02

yes, the driving sequence is great. i believe tarkovsky himself commented that it was used to juxtapose the mundaneness of future earth as opposed to the weirdness of outer space. the scene is the only real images of earth that are presented to the viewer (other than the cottage scene in the beginning, but that is more of a secluded area; we're not witnessing the world at large).

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I've yet to dig into my Fernando Di Leo set.

I hope you do soon... it took me about a year to actually watch all the films, but it's a very worthwhile collection.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Maybe It came off wrong, but The Raid and Upstream Color are polar opposites, right?

Absolutely.... hopefully I'm receiving the latter in the next few days

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I hope you do soon... it took me about a year to actually watch all the films, but it's a very worthwhile collection.



Absolutely.... hopefully I'm receiving the latter in the next few days

I'll try to crack them open this weekend.

Koyaanisqatsi time!

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I'll try to crack them open this weekend.

Koyaanisqatsi time!

Yay Koyaaniqatsi. I have a feeling that's the only film I'm going to keep revisiting from that set...the other two, not so much.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by gates70

Thank you sir! I'm not against waiting for Paths of Glory.

All four of your choices are excellent films, but I would strongly disagree with dropping Paths of Glory. It's Kubrick, and it's one of his best, most moving films. I'd stick to your original plan and decide between Badlands and Night of the Hunter. Both stories revolve around serial killers. One is a dark modern fairy tale with noir elements (NOTH). The other is Malick's take on a young murderous couple on the run and is based on the same true story that inspired later films like Natural Born Killers. Personally, I'd go with Night of the Hunter now and get Badlands later. I just think NOTH is the better film.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I hope this means there's hope for a Hiroshima mon amour Blu:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=11028

Originally Posted by bugsy_pal

I'll take Hiroshima Mon Amour on blu, and a restored La Grande Bouffe on blu as well!

The Classics selection this year is extraordinary. These films, in particular, should look incredible on Blu-ray. I cannot wait to see which cut of La Reine Margot we will get. The biggest treat, however, will likely be The Desert of the Tartars. Absolutely superb Zurlini

I am ready for the Blu-ray upgrades



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[Antonmassacre1]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I was thinking about getting tickets for a showing of Mistaken For Strangers up there. Would you recommend the event in general?

I usually go to one or two a year and have yet to be disappointed. I recommend you go at least half an hour early if you want a decent seat. They seem to always have a Q & A with the director or subject of the doc. Two of my most memorable screenings over the years were for Anvil and Bones Brigade. Give it a shot.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I'll try to crack them open this weekend.

Koyaanisqatsi time!

Ugh, Koyaanisqatsi is too good. Shame the other two films don't do much for me.

[RupertPupkin]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

The Classics selection this year is extraordinary. These films, in particular, should look incredible on Blu-ray. I cannot wait to see which cut of La Reine Margot we will get. The biggest treat, however, will likely be The Desert of the Tartars. Absolutely superb Zurlini

I am ready for the Blu-ray upgrades

[Show spoiler]

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yes- I remember well the No Shame (miss that label) edition of The Desert Of The Tartars which comes with the long out out print CD audio soundtrack.
But - talking about Zurlini - I think that I would have an heart attack if one day Criterion or any label (why not already in Italy) put out "La Fille à la Valise" (La Ragazza con la valigia)
Claudia Cardinale is absolutely gorgeous in this movie. As Always, but more than always.
and the b&w photography is stunning. No Shame movie used for its DVD the same restoration than Mk2 DVD. I think that if they did a x2 scan, a blu-ray could be possible (I've never seen it on HDTV though)

since you have a Marco Ferreri in your list : what would you think of a Blu-Ray transfer of "Liza" ? And I won't talking about Catherine Deneuve here ; but the photography is magnificient (both cut would be great (since only the French cut has Catherine's voice- some scenes are different, and in different order/editing)
well, I think I need a pacemaker if these two titles show up one day on blu-ray...

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by RupertPupkin

yes- I remember well the No Shame (miss that label) edition of The Desert Of The Tartars which comes with the long out out print CD audio soundtrack.
But - talking about Zurlini - I think that I would have an heart attack if one day Criterion or any label (why not already in Italy) put out "La Fille à la Valise" (La Ragazza con la valigia)
Claudia Cardinale is absolutely gorgeous in this movie. As Always, but more than always.
and the b&w photography is stunning. No Shame movie used for its DVD the same restoration than Mk2 DVD. I think that if they did a x2 scan, a blu-ray could be possible (I've never seen it on HDTV though)

since you have a Marco Ferreri in your list : what would you think of a Blu-Ray transfer of "Liza" ? And I won't talking about Catherine Deneuve here ; but the photography is magnificient (both cut would be great (since only the French cut has Catherine's voice- some scenes are different, and in different order/editing)
well, I think I need a pacemaker if these two titles show up one day on blu-ray...

Hi Mr. Pupkin

Yes, I have La Cagna/The Bitc h. Wonderful piece of satire, and Marcello and Catherine are superb. I have the Raro/Minerva release. Which one do you have? Wonderful presentation and a terrific booklet with it. Of course, I will immediately upgrade it if it is released on Blu-ray here, though I am not giving away the Italian release (I'd like to have the extra content).

Zurlini - If you refer to the double set, yes, of course I have it. I am a very big fan of Zurlini's work. Some time ago, I actually attended a wonderful retrospective (I believe it was organized by Mr. Karmitz and Co.) and they screened La ragazza con la valigia. However, Violent Summer is the better film (which is also on the set). Eleonora Rossi Drago and Jean-Louis Trintignant are superb in it. The DVD transfer is astonishingly good for...a DVD transfer, which makes me believe that there is a stunning HD master. The double set is one of my favorite in my library and I cannot wait until these two films transition to Blu-ray. Do you have it? Or do you have a different release? It is such a shame that we lost NoShame Films

La ragazza con la valigia - Valerio Zurlini, 1961 - YouTube

I keep hoping that Criterion will bring some of Zurlini's films to Blu-ray.

(And don't worry about Magnificent Obsessions. I have not forgotten. I had to push it back a bit because some high priority titles came, but this week I will post the review ).



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[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Ugh, Koyaanisqatsi is too good. Shame the other two films don't do much for me.

I really like Powaqqatsi aswell, but I really have nondesire to see Naqoyqatsi any time soon.

[RupertPupkin]

about Liza I have the same Italian DVD; like you, the excellent Minerva DVD release.
transfer is excellent and bonus are very interesting.
But the French cut is different. 1) this is Catherine Deneuve "real" voice; she's not dubbed; and 2) the editing is different. (they don't really give that much details about how much the editing was different in the bonus of the Minerva release)
in a nutshell, some scenes are new in the French cut, the end is somehow different, and some scenes are in different orders.
So, this is beyond the completist syndrome.
That said, the French DVD is not as good as the Italian DVD for the picture quality (different cut implies 2 different transfer); but I would be satisfied with only 1 blu-ray transfer !!!!

that's a movie I will be waiting desperately on blu-ray (like La Sirène du Mississipi (aka Mississippi Mermaid (a pretty good HDTV of Mississippi Mermaid was broadcast on Arte I believe)


yes, the NoShame edition of La Ragazza con la valigia was a double-movie features with the excellent first movie with J-L Trintignant, "un été violent" (aka Violent Summer)
I have both the Mk2 version and the NoShame edition for La Ragazza con la valigia* (as far as I can remember the NoShame movie use the same restoration transfer than the mk2 version but it is NTSC whereas the mk2 is PAL). As far as I can tell "Violent Summer" hasn't been released in France with such quality.
And you're right about the quality; both transfer are gorgeous.
* you're right : in France the movie was back in theatre with the restored copy; the DVD came out a few months later

Even if this is difficult for me to "think" - trying to forget Claudia Cardinale; I tend to prefer La Ragazza...
the light is stunning, all photography at night, we can see that Zurlini was an architect (it's even better than in 8 1/2) - the end at the beach, you can feel the heat (no no it's not a song) and well, chapeau bas to Jacques Perrin he is excellent in this movie.
I also like the social/class and church perspective in this movie- this reminds me Bolognini Il Bell'Antonio) (another blu-ray with by the way...)

[lim.davidd]

waiting for Marketa Lazarova and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp!

How come, they ignored A Matter of Life and Death/Stairway to Heaven?

[Abdrewes]

Has anybody seen the films of Jon Jost? I was googling Jon Rosenbaum's Koyaanisqatsi, and his review of Uncommon smSenses came up.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by lim.davidd

waiting for Marketa Lazarova and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp!

How come, they ignored A Matter of Life and Death/Stairway to Heaven?

I know right? It's such an essential film.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by oildude

All four of your choices are excellent films, but I would strongly disagree with dropping Paths of Glory. It's Kubrick, and it's one of his best, most moving films. I'd stick to your original plan and decide between Badlands and Night of the Hunter. Both stories revolve around serial killers. One is a dark modern fairy tale with noir elements (NOTH). The other is Malick's take on a young murderous couple on the run and is based on the same true story that inspired later films like Natural Born Killers. Personally, I'd go with Night of the Hunter now and get Badlands later. I just think NOTH is the better film.

Thank you! I ended up ordering Paths of Glory, The Battle of Algiers, The Night of the Hunter and 12 Angry Men. Cancelled a collectible that wasn't too important to me.