The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by DaveT1081

I have enough for 1 more of the following:

Complete Jean Vigo
Sansho the Bailiff
3 Women

I'm leaning toward the Altman but see almost nothing written about that one. Any recommendations?

Definitely 3 Women. It's phenomenal.

[The Great Owl]

My take on last night's viewing of Bigger Than Life...



As suburban nuclear families endeavored to live up to ideals of success and happiness in the postwar economy of 1950s America, the dark side roads of this strive for conformity were often explored in the cinema of that era. Some films used science fiction scenarios as metaphors for family tensions, and the depictions of the father with a strange red mark on his neck who becomes hostile and abusive toward his son after he falls under the control of extraterrestrials in 1953's Invaders from Mars or the scientist father whose focus on his occupation literally turns him into a reclusive monster in 1958's The Fly undoubtedly struck a nerve with audiences of the time. Other films, such as Nicholas Ray's memorable pair of Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Bigger Than Life (1956), were more direct, but no less unsettling, in their attempts to explore the angst and quiet desperation of individuals who broke down or crashed somewhere along the highway to the American Dream.

In Bigger Than Life, James Mason plays Ed Avery, a father who suffers from a rare artery condition while working two jobs to support his family, and is saved by a prescription of a "miracle drug", cortisone, which enables him to return to his productive everyday life. When Ed's dependency on the medication gradually spirals out of control, his wife, his young son, and his friends are increasingly affected by his deteriorating grip on sanity.

The premise of Bigger Than Life is just as relevant today, and many contemporary viewers may, as I did, hear Radiohead's chillingly monotone lyrics, "fitter, happier, more productive", going through their heads as the movie plays out. When the side effects of Ed Avery's wonder drug start to manifest themselves and Ed declines his wife's advice to return to the doctor because of his hesitation to incur more medical bills, I thought of my own long-standing tendency to ignore occasional illness symptoms simply because I am daunted by the prospect of reading through evasive and complex health insurance stipulations or playing telephone ping-pong back and forth between my insurance provider and a medical billing office. Today, in 2013, when an estimated 70% of Americans take prescription drugs, when foreclosures are commonplace in the wake of the early 2000s push for increased home ownership, and many everyday people slip through the cracks and go under if they are faced with just one unexpected medical crisis, we realize that Ed Avery, who is introduced to us by way of an opening scene that shows him beleaguered by frustration and pain as he sits at his school desk, exists in somewhere in each one of us to some extent.

Bigger Than Life stands miles above more recent suburban discord films, like The Ice Storm, American Beauty, or Revolutionary Road, because it examines the trials and tribulations of a nuclear family with genuine empathy without resorting to dismissive smugness, and provides practical everyday glimpses into financial woes and embarrassing setbacks that can plague good people who only want the best for their loved ones. While I would not rank this particular film quite on the same level as my absolute favorite Criterion titles, I do believe that it is the best cinematic depiction of suburban family ideals gone wrong that I have seen to date.

This Criterion Blu-ray presentation of Bigger Than Life explodes with lively colors and detail that make the most of this DeLuxe Color CinemaScope feature. Yellow taxi cabs look wonderfully bright, shadows look appropriately ominous, and facial reaction expressions look detailed even from a distance. Bigger Than Life features a decent amount of helpful extras, including an informative commentary that I enjoyed after my first viewing and a pleasingly insightful critique of the film by Jonathan Lethem, the author of Motherless Brooklyn.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

The only character that comes to mind that I truly relate to is your number one choice, Owl.

Bobby Dupea is one of my all-time favorite film characters, and is one of the best examples of a fictional person who makes me ponder my own life.

My characters-who-reminds-us-of-ourselves discussion idea seems to have gone over like a lead balloon, but I had a lot of fun writing my own post yesterday when I had a free moment to think back on some of my favorite flicks in the Collection.

[Snicket]

Ok fine, I'll get in on this sale...gheez.


I think I will go pick up Devil's Backbone and The Ice Storm this weekend...sounds good.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Ok fine, I'll get in on this sale...gheez.


I think I will go pick up Devil's Backbone and The Ice Storm this weekend...sounds good.

Glad that we could twist your arm. I'm looking forward to reading what everyone else thinks of The Devil's Backbone.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

Weekend has a spectacular first half but the latter half is much too much politically oriented to truly enjoy, IMO. I do admire the film as a whole, though.

[Show spoiler]

I think the only part of Week End that I really liked was the opening, after that I just grew to dislike it more and more.

[dannyfriar]

Has anyone seen A Christmas Tale?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

Has anyone seen A Christmas Tale?

If you like fine tuned family dramas, you should like this one. It's much breezier than the epic 150 minute runtime would have you believe.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I think the only part of Week End that I really liked was the opening, after that I just grew to dislike it more and more.

Are you a fan of 2 or 3 things..., Coop? If I could only have one Godard film in my collection, it would be this one

[dannyfriar]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

If you like fine tuned family dramas, you should like this one. It's much breezier than the epic 150 minute runtime would have you believe.

Thanks! I really like the sound of it. I was thinking pairing that with either Bigger Than Life, The Killing, Night of the Hunter, Sweet Smell of Success, or Revanche. So many choices, not enough funds!

[septimus]

So, I've noticed several people talking about wanting to replace their digipak cases for Last Year at Marienbad and other similarly packaging films with clear, hard cases. Having received and been very impressed with the packaging of Marienbad with the embossed cardboard sleeve, I'm just curious why so many people seem to want a regular plastic case instead (to the point where Criterion apparently has had to start selling alternate cases on their site).

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

Thanks! I really like the sound of it. I was thinking pairing that with either Bigger Than Life, The Killing, Night of the Hunter, Sweet Smell of Success, or Revanche. So many choices, not enough funds!

The safest bet should be either Sweet Smell of Success or Night of the Hunter. I absolutely love all of those (except for the Kubrick film, which I only like), so I think you're in the right track

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by septimus

So, I've noticed several people talking about wanting to replace their digipak cases for Last Year at Marienbad and other similarly packaging films with clear, hard cases. Having received and been very impressed with the packaging of Marienbad with the embossed cardboard sleeve, I'm just curious why so many people seem to want a regular plastic case instead (to the point where Criterion apparently has had to start selling alternate cases on their site).

Because they stick out like a sore thumb when placed next to the regular cases and crease up easily. Plus, well, they're just ugly.

[Simon_LDT]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

Thanks! I really like the sound of it. I was thinking pairing that with either Bigger Than Life, The Killing, Night of the Hunter, Sweet Smell of Success, or Revanche. So many choices, not enough funds!

I'd nominate Revanche from that list. It's possibly my favourite Criterion release and one of the best foreign films I've seen in recent years. It's a really well written crime/psychological thriller.

The Killing and Sweet Smell of Success are superb noir films too if you can stretch the budget.

[Clare2904]

Hey everyone

I'm new to the world of Criterion and would like to ask where people buy their OOP copies.

So far I have only bought 3 (The Fireman's Ball - The Bank Dick - Mafioso)

As I live in Canada I always seen to get stung for postage cost, over $14 with Amazon and not much better on eBay.

Any other places worth a look?

Is it worth creating a "Wanted List" here?

A friend of mine back home in the UK thinks I paid a little too much for The Bank Dick, is there somewhere I can check the rough "worth" of an OOP?

Thanks for your help.

[dannyfriar]

Originally Posted by Simon_LDT

I'd nominate Revanche from that list. It's possibly my favourite Criterion release and one of the best foreign films I've seen in recent years. It's a really well written crime/psychological thriller.

The Killing and Sweet Smell of Success are superb noir films too if you can stretch the budget.

Living on baked beans on toast for a week or two sounds more appealing when I think what I can get with that money!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

Thanks! I really like the sound of it. I was thinking pairing that with either Bigger Than Life, The Killing, Night of the Hunter, Sweet Smell of Success, or Revanche. So many choices, not enough funds!

Of all these, I'd go with The Night of the Hunter. It's all that and a bag of chips.

My love of The Night of the Hunter goes way back to childhood, though, so I'm not sure how first-time viewers these days might evaluate it. I cannot imagine anybody on Earth possibly disliking it, though.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

Hey everyone

I'm new to the world of Criterion and would like to ask where people buy their OOP copies.

So far I have only bought 3 (The Fireman's Ball - The Bank Dick - Mafioso)

As I live in Canada I always seen to get stung for postage cost, over $14 with Amazon and not much better on eBay.

Any other places worth a look?

Is it worth creating a "Wanted List" here?

A friend of mine back home in the UK thinks I paid a little too much for The Bank Dick, is there somewhere I can check the rough "worth" of an OOP?

Thanks for your help.

BluraysForEveryone.com

[dannyfriar]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Of all these, I'd go with The Night of the Hunter. It's all that and a bag of chips.

My love of The Night of the Hunter goes way back to childhood, though, so I'm not sure how first-time viewers these days might evaluate it. I cannot imagine anybody on Earth possibly disliking it, though.

Knowing me, I'll probably end up getting all of them! Might have to wait for the Nov sale/see if any flash sales occur on Amazon or Criterion.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My love of The Night of the Hunter goes way back to childhood, though, so I'm not sure how first-time viewers these days might evaluate it. I cannot imagine anybody on Earth possibly disliking it, though.

Didn't dislike it, and in terms of its expressionistic visuals it's pretty amazing in a lot of shots, but I certainly can't imagine watching it more than once. To quote from the review on my blog:

the film is played a little too broad for my liking. Mitchum's character so obviously drips with evil intent he may as well have been wearing a large-sized flashing "CREEP" sign on his forehead...There's none of the subtlety and poise that bolstered the creepiness of films like Peeping Tom and The Innocents, made less than a half dozen years later. Even Hitchcock's, Psycho, not a subtle film, is significantly more layered than this.