The Criterion Collection

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've been told that Pale Flower is a good Criterion title for people like me who are interested in film noir, so I may be picking that one up at some point in the not-too-distant future.

If you're into noir, you should run, not walk, to pick up Pale Flower.

[GentleGiant]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've seen Gone With the Wind a few times in my life. I have to say that, as much as I love Vivian Leigh's performance, I always fall head over heels in love with Olivia de Havilland every time I see the movie. She was really something else, and she was a big reason why The Adventures of Robin Hood was one of my first Blu-ray purchases.

She looks astoundingly beautiful in that film (The Adventures of Robin Hood), and the Blu-ray is exquisite.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I saw Elia Kazan's Wild River a couple of weeks ago, and was blown away. It's a beautiful Blu-ray of an underrated movie. If you are a fan of Lee Remick (Anatomy of a Murder), then I especially recommend this one.

I would love to see Criterion get hold of Kazan's A Face in the Crowd. Lee Remick and Andy Griffith's film debuts. If you want to see Andy as far removed from Sheriff Taylor as you can possibly imagine, this is it. This is a perfect companion film to Ace in the Hole.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

I've never seen any Cassavetes, and that enthusiastic post has me keen to check it out!

Minnie and Moskowitz is currently on Netflix. Certainly his most accessible albeit lacking some of the punch of his others. Fantastic film none the less.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I don't know what your preference in films is, but the Qatsi films essentially are a series of images set to music. I watched Koyaanisqatsi some years ago, and while it looked good, I got bored fast especially of the Philip Glass score and I would never consider revisiting it again.

Oh no! I adore Koyaanisqatsi and Phillip Glass's score for the film. I say the original poster should sample some of it on YouTube before making the commitment.

As for Naqoyqatsi, well, that's probably my least favorite Criterion, so the less said, the better.

[jetthead]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

If you like Montgomery Clift, then I highly recommend the recent Blu-ray release of From Here to Eternity. It's quite a remarkable disc in terms of the film itself and in terms of the goodies.

The Misfits will probably land in my collection in 2014. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Marilyn Monroe films that I checked out so far (Some Like It Hot, River of No Return, The Seven Year Itch, Niagara), and am gradually working my way through all of them and taking my time.

The Asphalt Jungle is the one that I really want to see on Blu-ray, though.

Don't Bother to Knock is an underrated MM film. Perhaps we will see a Blu-ray of it via Foxconnect next year.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Bonhams just had a film memorabilia auction and the star attraction was The title prop used in the film. Sold for a bit more than $4 million!

"The stuff that dreams are made of."

[ShellOilJunior]

Not too shabby:

http://www.foliosociety.com/book/MAF/maltese-falcon#

[Namuhana]

I received Tokyo Story and Sweet Smell of Success from B&N in the mail today. I've only seen the former (which is quite fantastic), but I've heard great things about the latter. I can't wait to watch both of them!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Not too shabby:

http://www.foliosociety.com/book/MAF/maltese-falcon#

Nice!

I've been eyeing a less expensive hardcover that has Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man, and Red Harvest.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Nice!

I've been eyeing a less expensive hardcover that has Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man, and Red Harvest.

I've built my book collection through library book sales. Paperbacks for 25 cents and hard cover for 50 cents. Movies are $1.00 but those are scratched up.

[Abdrewes]

On the commentary track for Domino, Richard Kelly mentioned that Tony Scott was inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums for the subtitles that introduce all the characters. It's crazy to think that Tony Scott was inspired by a Wes Anderson film. Talk about two filmmakers with very different sensibilities!

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Oh no! I adore Koyaanisqatsi and Phillip Glass's score for the film. I say the original poster should sample some of it on YouTube before making the commitment.

As for Naqoyqatsi, well, that's probably my least favorite Criterion, so the less said, the better.

I've never seen it but Phillip Glass is reason enough to see it as his music is magnificent.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

I've never seen it but Phillip Glass is reason enough to see it as his music is magnificent.

Definitely! The score may be too overbearing for some in the context of watching the movie, but there is no doubting the quality of it on its own.

*I do believe a piece from the soundtrack was used in Zack Snyder's Watchmen if I am not mistaken. So while it's not as notorious as "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", another filmmaker has acknowledged its brilliance.*

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Definitely! The score may be too overbearing for some in the context of watching the movie, but there is no doubting the quality of it on its own.

*I do believe a piece from the soundtrack was used in Zack Snyder's Watchmen if I am not mistaken. So while it's not as notorious as "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", another filmmaker has acknowledged its brilliance.*

Another reason why the watchmen was a great film.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Jef Costello

Is The Qatsi Trilogy worthy of a blind buy?

Absolutely fantastic set! Essential to have in anyone's film library if you're a history junkie or want a time capsule of the 20th century filmed in amazing quality... I think Baraka and Samsara would never have existed had the Koyaanisqatsi movie had never been made.

[K1NG J0RDAN]

I was able to score the Zatoichi set for only $67 at B&N just now! I can't believe they let me use the 30% coupon (member 10% as well).

EDIT: I blame Blu Titan for me getting this...

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The film noir aspect of The Maltese Falcon is the big reason why I wanted to watch it today.

I'm starting my "film noir marathon" this weekend, consisting of the following Blu-rays that I've purchased over the past couple of months...

[Show spoiler]Film Noir Collection (Union Station / Appointment with Danger / Dark City / Rope of Sand)
The Big Combo
A Double Life
Plunder Road
Private Hell 36
Crashout
Force of Evil
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Cry Vengeance
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
Panic in the Streets
Scarlet Street
The Stranger
The Hitch-Hiker
They Made Me a Fugitive
City That Never Sleeps
Shack Out on 101
The File on Thelma Jordan
Hoodlum Empire
Cloak and Dagger
Secret Beyond the Door
Hell's Half Acre
Ruthless
Body and Soul
Champion
The Dark Mirror
Suddenly

December will be a great time to enjoy these movies, and I am predicting that the above discs will make fine editions to the film noir (or film noir-esque) titles that I've already viewed on Blu-ray.

[Show spoiler]The Maltese Falcon
The Enforcer (my favorite cover art of any Blu-ray in my collection)
The Night of the Hunter
The Killing/Killer's Kiss
Ministry of Fear
On the Waterfront
Laura
Sunset Boulevard
White Heat
Kiss Me Deadly
Rebecca
Strangers on a Train
Shadow of a Doubt
Notorious
Spellbound
Niagara
The Big Heat
Sweet Smell of Success
Two Men in Manhattan
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (The 1956 version follows many noir conventions.)

...in addition to several impressive neo noir flicks, such as Chinatown, To Live and Die in L.A., Heat, and No Country for Old Men.

I've been told that Pale Flower is a good Criterion title for people like me who are interested in film noir, so I may be picking that one up at some point in the not-too-distant future.

It goes without saying that I cannot wait for Rififi and Thief to come out on Criterion Blu-ray in January, nor can I wait for The Big Sleep.

Maltese Falcon is so good and Sunset Blvd. is one of my all time favs!

Double Indemity is damn good too if its not on your list! I may buy asphalt jungle DVD just to rewatch I saw it like when I was 13 been awhile. Seemed cool from what I recall

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Maltese Falcon is so good and Sunset Blvd. is one of my all time favs!

Double Indemity is damn good too if its not on your list! I may buy asphalt jungle DVD just to rewatch I saw it like when I was 13 been awhile. Seemed cool from what I recall

I just finished revisiting The Enforcer (1951), because The Maltese Falcon got me in the mood to hit another Bogart film noir. The Enforcer is one of this year's best Blu-ray releases that flew in under the radar, and it has the best Blu-ray cover art in my entire collection. Jack Lambert, who played Philadelphia Tom Zaca in The Enforcer, is also a memorable character in the Criterion film noir title, Kiss Me Deadly.

Double Indemnity is outstanding. I've seen it quite a few times on DVD. It might even be my favorite Billy Wilder movie, although I really fell in love with The Apartment a few weeks back.


My Barnes and Noble shipments of The Complete Metropolis and It's a Wonderful Life arrived in the mail this afternoon. I'm saving It's a Wonderful Life for closer to Christmas, but I'm about to watch Metropolis right now.

I saw this completely restored Metropolis at an indie theater a few years ago, and the Kino DVD got a lot of mileage under my roof, but this will be my first viewing on Blu-ray. I'm looking forward to seeing how good the cityscapes come across on the disc, and I'm also looking forward to seeing how hot Brigitte Helm looks in high definition. Such a great movie.

[Thebunk]

Ok, blind buy recommendation time since the B&B sale ends next week.

First, just to set the tone, The Three Colors Trilogy is my favorite film release perhaps ever. Every time I revisit the films (especially Blue and Red) I love them more and more, other favorites in the collection for me are The Dardennes films (especially Kid with a Bike, less so Rosetta).

Here is what I have in order of my favorite Criterions:

- Three Colors
- Double life of Veronique
- The Kid with a Bike
- La Promesse
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- Le Cercle Rouge
- 12 Angry Men
- Seven Samurai
- Dazed and Confused
- Army of Shadows
- On the Waterfront
- Breathless
- Repo Man
- Brazil (yuck)

Criterions I have on route to me now and all are blind buys:

- Eyes without a face
- Anatomy of a Murder
- Seconds
- Wages of Fear
- Tokyo Story

Criterions I am on the fence about potentially ordering but not tied to:

- Diabolique
- Close Up
- High and Low

Criterion films I have seen but do not want to buy:

- Night of the Hunter
- Revanche
- Paris, Texas
- Battle of Algiers
- Any other Kurasowa
- Any other Samurai films
- Any other Goddard