The Criterion Collection

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by jw007

What I really like about Soderbergh's Solaris is that the film is much shorter and sleeker. Tarkovsky's version has the atmosphere and meditation that the remake will never have, but I think Soderbergh's version is far more accessible to the average person. In the remake, I also like the special effects (though minimal are quite effective) as well as the music and actors. The lead female character played by McElhone is far more haunting as well.

Now that, I flat out disagree with. She's good, but her presence is no more haunting than Natalya Bondarchuk's.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

After you've watched it tell me (us) what you think about the

[Show spoiler]Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) stalking Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr) sequence.

One of the more disturbing sequences in cinema.

Brilliance across the board! Such a great sequence.

I just brought this up in my above review of Black Narcissus, but I am totally going to enjoy the following double feature one night during Halloween season...

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Brilliance across the board! Such a great sequence.

I just brought this up in my above review of Black Narcissus, but I am totally going to enjoy the following double feature one night during Halloween season...

Black Narcissus is one of those titles that has always been on my list, but keeps getting pushed aside for other releases. This comparison makes me really interested. I don't know if you have read it, but Shirley Jackson's novel is amazing. Honestly, it is one of the few novels that can still get under my skin late at night.

[Edward J Grug III]

Black Narcissus is incredible. The Archers are probably my favourite discovery since getting into Criterion films!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Black Narcissus is one of those titles that has always been on my list, but keeps getting pushed aside for other releases. This comparison makes me really interested. I don't know if you have read it, but Shirley Jackson's novel is amazing. Honestly, it is one of the few novels that can still get under my skin late at night.

Oh yeah. I read Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House years before I finally saw the movie, The Haunting (1963). The movie is a brilliant adaptation, but there is still no real substitute for the novel.

You may watch Black Narcissus and think that I'm totally off base with my comparison, but my first thought after the film was over was to compare it to The Haunting of Hill House and the adaptation of that story.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Black Narcissus is incredible. The Archers are probably my favourite discovery since getting into Criterion films!

My eyes have always glazed over The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp when I see it in stores, but that Criterion Blu-ray has just moved to the top of my priority purchase list after watching Black Narcissus.

[Danchez]

So I'm going to go in on the 30th and pick up my final haul of Criterions, and I've compiled the following list of titles that have caught my eye:

Battle of Algiers
Black Narcissus
Brazil
Diabolique
M
Repulsion
Revanche
Sweet Smell of Success* (Definitely)
Wages of Fear

These would all be blind-buys, so if I end up only buying a select few from the list, which ones are absolutely essential?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Danchez

So I'm going to go in on the 30th and pick up my final haul of Criterions, and I've compiled the following list of titles that have caught my eye:

Battle of Algiers
Black Narcissus
Brazil
Diabolique
M
Repulsion
Revanche
Sweet Smell of Success* (Definitely)
Wages of Fear

These would all be blind-buys, so if I end up only buying a select few from the list, which ones are absolutely essential?

In my opinion - Diabolique, Repulsion, Revanche, and The Wages of Fear.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Danchez

So I'm going to go in on the 30th and pick up my final haul of Criterions, and I've compiled the following list of titles that have caught my eye:

Battle of Algiers
Black Narcissus
Brazil
Diabolique
M
Repulsion
Revanche
Sweet Smell of Success* (Definitely)
Wages of Fear

These would all be blind-buys, so if I end up only buying a select few from the list, which ones are absolutely essential?

They're all great, but I narrowed this down to four recommendations in bold font.

[lastemp3ror]

I bought the original Solaris because I loved the remake so much. The remake is probably one of my 5 favorite films of all time. I do have a soft spot for Clooney and the way Cliff Martinez's music ties together with the atmosphere of that film is uncanny. It is one of the few films that can draw me into the film.

[Danchez]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

He is the main reason why I didn't keep the movie.

He's actually the only reason why I haven't yet purchased the movie.

Oh and thanks for the suggestions, iScottie and The Great Owl! Looks like The Wages of Fear is a definite lock, then.

[tonylopez]

Originally Posted by lastemp3ror

I bought the original Solaris because I loved the remake so much. The remake is probably one of my 5 favorite films of all time. I do have a soft spot for Clooney and the way Cliff Martinez's music ties together with the atmosphere of that film is uncanny. It is one of the few films that can draw me into the film.

I'm starting to become very fond of Cliff Martinez's scores. Very poetically haunting at times to glowing and warm, the guy has style.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by Danchez

So I'm going to go in on the 30th and pick up my final haul of Criterions, and I've compiled the following list of titles that have caught my eye:

Battle of Algiers
Black Narcissus
Brazil
Diabolique
M
Repulsion
Revanche
Sweet Smell of Success* (Definitely)
Wages of Fear

These would all be blind-buys, so if I end up only buying a select few from the list, which ones are absolutely essential?

M is a must have. I enjoy Repulsion quite a bit as well. Wasn't too keen on Brazil or Black Narcissus myself.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

To each, his own, but for my money, the original Solaris is a classic nearly on par with 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is a film that had no need for improvement, much like Psycho prior to Gus Van Sant's version.

Well, IMO the Tarkovski Solaris and 2001 are certainly comparable on account of how indulgent they are
Anyway, Soderbergh's film (which is not a remake, but another adaptation of the Stanislav Tem novel) has on account of its brevity a stronger emotional impact for me. Bringing up the GVS remake of Psycho (remake, since that one was far more fixated on Hitchcock's film than Bloch's novel) is not correct here, that one being such a special case (supposedly it was shot for shot identical etc), even in the world of remakes.

[UncleBuckWild]

Can you guys recommend some feel-good movies on Criterion?

[UncleBuckWild]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Yojimbo.

... I mean something along the lines of Days of Heaven or Rushmore.

[Kolm14]

Originally Posted by UncleBuckWild

... I mean something along the lines of Days of Heaven or Rushmore.

You would consider Days of Heaven a feel-good movie?

[Show spoiler]Bill kills the farmer and then he dies and Abby abandons Linda at the boarding school. To me that isn't really feel-goodish :P

[UncleBuckWild]

Originally Posted by Kolm14

You would consider Days of Heaven a feel-good movie?

[Show spoiler]Bill kills the farmer and then he dies and Abby abandons Linda at the boarding school. To me that isn't really feel-goodish :P

Well, that's not all that bad when considering what happens in Yojimbo.

For most of the part it's a superb film with great cinematography.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My eyes have always glazed over The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp when I see it in stores, but that Criterion Blu-ray has just moved to the top of my priority purchase list after watching Black Narcissus.

Excellent - I hope you like it. Those and The Red Shoes are so wonderful, I will buy any other P&P films Criterion release without hesitation.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by UncleBuckWild

Can you guys recommend some feel-good movies on Criterion?

The Double Life of Veronique left me feeling great, but that's just me.

Originally Posted by brandon_260

M is a must have. I enjoy Repulsion quite a bit as well. Wasn't too keen on Brazil or Black Narcissus myself.

Yeah, I really didn't like Brazil. In fact, I hated it.

As far as Black Narcissus, I can take it or leave it. It was a neat concept and it was beautifully made, but something I wouldn't watch again.