The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

You are one lucky snob, JW (only you would bring up the fact that she is a Libra) She has one very impressive body of work too. Each record from Dry to Let England Shake is completely unique.

Get a LastFM, JW. I would totally friend you

I have enough accounts as it is. Owl got me into signing up for Fitocracy.com and I never use it.

Any chance you're on What.cd? Shhhhh.

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Obviously, I am familiar PJ Harvey, but up until now, anything I've heard in passing hasn't stuck. Where should I start if I want to look into her stuff more?

I'm also enjoying some Massive Attack recently, too. and I LOVE Arctic Monkeys, but that's not exactly related to anything we've mentioned except for that they're British.

My favorite album of hers is still Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. Start there.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Obviously, I am familiar PJ Harvey, but up until now, anything I've heard in passing hasn't stuck. Where should I start if I want to look into her stuff more?

I'm also enjoying some Massive Attack recently, too. and I LOVE Arctic Monkeys, but that's not exactly related to anything we've mentioned except for that they're British.

Gah. I desperately need to listen to more Massive Attack. I always say I will, but I never do.

So, PJ Harvey's body of work is very diverse. I mean Rid of Me and White Chalk sound like they were recorded by two very different people. But to avoid giving the usual advice to trek on in chronological order, if I had to choose the two most accessible albums, I would suggest To bring You My Love & Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

I had a similar issue with PJ, but after giving her work a couple additional tries, I have come to love it all very much. Part of it has to do with her honesty. There is no posturing present or filter in her songs.


JW, I will sign up for what.cd

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jw007

My favorite album of hers is still Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. Start there.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

So, PJ Harvey's body of work is very diverse. I mean Rid of Me and White Chalk sound like they were recorded by two very different people. But to avoid giving the usual advice to trek on in chronological order, if I had to choose the two most accessible albums, I would suggest To bring You My Love & Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

I had a similar issue with PJ, but after giving her work a couple additional tries, I have come to love it all very much. Part of it has to do with her honesty. There is no posturing present or filter in her songs.

Thanks, guys! I'll start w/ Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Gah. I desperately need to listen to more Massive Attack. I always say I will, but I never do.

So, PJ Harvey's body of work is very diverse. I mean Rid of Me and White Chalk sound like they were recorded by two very different people. But to avoid giving the usual advice to trek on in chronological order, if I had to choose the two most accessible albums, I would suggest To bring You My Love & Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

I had a similar issue with PJ, but after giving her work a couple additional tries, I have come to love it all very much. Part of it has to do with her honesty. There is no posturing present or filter in her songs.


JW, I will sign up for what.cd

AB, you can't sign up for that site. It's totally private. Only a member can sent an invitation. PM me if you want to know more (but only if you're truly ready for this).

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Thanks, guys! I'll start w/ Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

[smoss469]

Talk about a thread de-rail.

[Dustin Putman]

Am I missing something? How do Sigur Ros and Arctic Monkeys relate to Criterion?

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by Dustin Putman

Am I missing something? How do Sigur Ros and Arctic Monkeys relate to Criterion?

In his essay for Last Year at Marienbad, Mark Polizzotti mentions Vanilla Sky, which features a song by Sigur Ros. I'm being facetious, sorry about the brief derail :/

[SammyJankis]

Announcements in four days. I hope those Lynch/Cronenberg titles are announced, if only for the whining to end.

Who am I kidding? They'll still whine.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

I have to say I like your taste in music. It sounds like you're also into shoegaze bands. I go more for The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Slowdive, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine, Catherine Wheel, Flying Saucer Attack, Chapterhouse, Lush, Curve and The Verve. I'm also more about sounds over lyrics. For instance, I just saw Sigur Ros (the Icelandic band - featured in The Life Aquatic) live in concert not long ago. I couldn't understand a single word or lyric but the music was so enveloping. So kudos to you too!

Thank you! If you like Sigur Ros, then you might like Mogwai. Both bands are quite intense live, and they both have a unique "post-rock" instrumental approach.

Ride's Nowhere is my favorite album of the 1990s (I've posted that here before at some point.). Catherine Wheel's Ferment and My Bloody Valentine's Loveless are right up there as well. All of those shoegaze bands were (and still are, in some instances) amazing.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

Check out a band called Jucifer if you haven't already. A 2 piece and astounding musicians. A lot like PJ Harvey with some Black Sabbath thrown in. Sounds crazy but it works.

I saw Jucifer at Athfest in Athens, GA several years ago. Outstanding show! Jucifer's album, I Name You Destroyer, is a great listen.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

All of us (JW, BW, Owl) seem to have similar taste in music. Do you guys have LastFM accounts? It basically tracks everything you listen to.

I have a Spotify playlist with almost 1,500 songs that I quickly picked from my existing CD collection. I just let it shuffle sometimes when I'm working on the computer (I still have the free Spotify, and I don't mind the ads that much.)

Steering this big ship back into Criterion waters...

I wish that the Criterion Collection would take on D.A. Pennebaker's 101, the documentary about Depeche Mode's 1988 tour.

[shortmartin]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I have a Spotify playlist with almost 1,500 songs that I quickly picked from my existing CD collection. I just let it shuffle sometimes when I'm working on the computer (I still have the free Spotify, and I don't mind the ads that much.)

Steering this big ship back into Criterion waters...

I wish that the Criterion Collection would take on D.A. Pennebaker's 101, the documentary about Depeche Mode's 1988 tour.

good call, Owl, that would be a great addition to the CC. Off to see Gravity

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Thank you! If you like Sigur Ros, then you might like Mogwai. Both bands are quite intense live, and they both have a unique "post-rock" instrumental approach.

Ride's Nowhere is my favorite album of the 1990s (I've posted that here before at some point.). Catherine Wheel's Ferment and My Bloody Valentine's Loveless are right up there as well. All of those shoegaze bands were (and still are, in some instances) amazing.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I have a Spotify playlist with almost 1,500 songs that I quickly picked from my existing CD collection. I just let it shuffle sometimes when I'm working on the computer (I still have the free Spotify, and I don't mind the ads that much.)

Steering this big ship back into Criterion waters...

I wish that the Criterion Collection would take on D.A. Pennebaker's 101, the documentary about Depeche Mode's 1988 tour.

I am also truly sorry for this thread derail, but I must respond to Owl before I can get back to Criterion...

Owl: I am not a big fan of Mogwai but I like them in a way (bit too post-rock for me though). I enjoyed seeing Mono live though. Best post-rock concert I ever saw. Ride - Nowhere is simply amazing though for sure.

I don't use Spotify much because I guess I don't want other people to know what I'm listening to (like what happens if I decide to play a disco song or something embarrassing like that every now and then?!). Har har.

I totally would be up for a Criterion release of the D.A. Pennebaker "101" film of Depeche Mode though. Holy smokes, I'd eat that one up immediately.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

I don't use Spotify much because I guess I don't want other people to know what I'm listening to (like what happens if I decide to play a disco song or something embarrassing like that every now and then?!). Har har.

I took my Spotify off of the public settings one night, because I did not want anybody to know that I was playing Journey's "Only the Young" 10 times in a row.

...and I would not mind it if Criterion decided to add Vision Quest to the collection. I love love love that movie. I mean, it's not that far removed from Drive, He Said. Make it happen, Criterion.

[mrjohnnyb]

Since the next releases will come in January, let us consider the ones that Criterion made last year:

Ivan's Childhood
The Tin Drum
Two-Lane Blacktop
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Pina

Hmmmm...a Russian War Drama, a German War Drama, an American Road Movie, a British Thriller, and a 3-D Dance/Documentary.

Well, here are my guesses:

Bringing Up Baby(Howard Hawks is sorely under-represented in Criterion)
Sullivan's Travels(ditto Preston Sturges, plus there is often an upgrade)
Werckmeister Harmonies(ditto Bela Tarr)
Don't Look Now(I was hoping for this to be released at Halloween, but New Year's Day will do)
The Experimental Films of Andy Warhol(a release that would be very much like the Brakhage Anthologies)

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Well, here are my guesses:

Bringing Up Baby(Howard Hawks is sorely under-represented in Criterion)
Sullivan's Travels(ditto Preston Sturges, plus there is often an upgrade)
Werckmeister Harmonies(ditto Bela Tarr)
Don't Look Now(I was hoping for this to be released at Halloween, but New Year's Day will do)
The Experimental Films of Andy Warhol(a release that would be very much like the Brakhage Anthologies)

An interesting selection of projections. I appreciate the diversity that they try for in their releases. Sullivan's Travels sounds interesting (never seen it) as does Werckmeister Harmonies (again, never seen it) and I've never seen anything from Andy Warhol.

There are a few in there that I'm definitely curious about, but nothing I'm particularly psyched about. However as each announcement day approaches, I find myself feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. Sometimes the excitement is better than the gift!

[Carletty]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Since the next releases will come in January, let us consider the ones that Criterion made last year:

Ivan's Childhood
The Tin Drum
Two-Lane Blacktop
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Pina

Hmmmm...a Russian War Drama, a German War Drama, an American Road Movie, a British Thriller, and a 3-D Dance/Documentary.

Well, here are my guesses:

Bringing Up Baby(Howard Hawks is sorely under-represented in Criterion)
Sullivan's Travels(ditto Preston Sturges, plus there is often an upgrade)
Werckmeister Harmonies(ditto Bela Tarr)
Don't Look Now(I was hoping for this to be released at Halloween, but New Year's Day will do)
The Experimental Films of Andy Warhol(a release that would be very much like the Brakhage Anthologies)

If Criterion does something with Bela Tarr, I'd rather have his first four feature films in a set.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Announcements in four days. I hope those Lynch/Cronenberg titles are announced, if only for the whining to end.

Who am I kidding? They'll still whine.

No matter what titles Criterion announces for a given month, there will be whining from those who want a different set of titles announced. This is as axiomatic as the sun rising in the east, water being wet, and it being a long way to Tipperary.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Well, here are my guesses:

Bringing Up Baby(Howard Hawks is sorely under-represented in Criterion)
Sullivan's Travels(ditto Preston Sturges, plus there is often an upgrade)

Bringing Up Baby is owned by Warner, so it's highly unlikely.

Sullivan's Travels is owned by Universal¹, so it's a good possibility. It certainly would be nice to see Criterion upgrade their DVDs of this, The Lady Eve, and Unfaithfully Yours to Blu.

¹As are about half of Sturges' films, which Universal acquired from Paramount -- I've never been clear on why Paramount kept the rights to The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Universal did a nice DVD boxed set (Preston Sturges: The Filmmaker Collection), and I wouldn't object to their upgrading that to Blu, though I suspect it's not in the cards.

[Scottie]

I hope they upgrade the Agnes Varda collection.