The Criterion Collection

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

SAFETY LAST is a film that works best with a large audience and a live score (of course that goes for virtually any silent film, as they were all shot and edited with that in mind, and Lloyd actually previewed his features with audiences so he could re-edit before release to adjust for bigger or smaller laughs than expected). Still, I much prefer Lloyd's THE KID BROTHER and THE FRESHMAN, and several of his other films over SAFETY LAST. With time and luck, the rest of his output will eventually be on Criterion Blu-rays along with Chaplin's complete output. Luckily we've already got nearly every Keaton film on nice Blu-ray editions from Kino (Warner owns his MGM productions and Sony owns his Columbia shorts, so hopefully they'll both figure out there's a market for them in HD).

I wasn't that keen on Keaton too though I have only seen The General. I have seen a few Chaplin's and much prefer those. I hope to expand my CC collection with Criterion & I'll try to check out more from HL & BK too.

[Clare2904]

How bloody spooky. I click "submit reply" on my last post, open the dvd case for the film I'm about to watch (Louvre City) and inside is a Keno International film booklet with Keaton staring at me

[deepbreathsanddeath]

Chaplin is my favourite silent comedian. Cliche, but true. I've only seen one Lloyd which is Safety Last! and I didn't love it. I liked the film (and it looked unbelievably good on blu-ray), but Lloyd as a comedian... He just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I need to see more of his films and I do intend to.

I only recently started watching Keaton and I really dug what I saw. His "stunts" and physical acts are amazing. Very talented performer. I did that I can only watch his films in small bites though. I love his stone face but weirdly enough, if I watch too much of his work in one go, I begin to find the mostly-expressionless face less charming and it stops adding to the experience, and rather just winds up making it less entertaining. That's why I watch his work one film at a time (or 2-3 short films) and I appreciate his style a lot more.

I've only watched 4 Chaplin's so far (what's on blu-ray from criterion) and I find him endlessly entertaining and hilarious. I've re watched all 4 films at least 5 or 6 times each since owning them and they're just as funny every time.

Kino have done a remarkable job with the Keaton collection and I hope Criterion will put more Chaplin out a bit quicker.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by jw007

Here it is! My final haul tallied up from B&N. I ended up buying 17 Criterion releases (15 BDs and 2 DVDs) and all were purchased in-store using various coupons ($5/50 coupon, 30% coupon and 20% coupon).

The list (in order of purchase):

Slacker ($17.99 + tax) (50% off + 10% member discount)
Black Moon ($12.96 + tax) (50% off + 20% coupon + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Insignificance ($16.20 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
La Notte ($16.21 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
John Cassavetes: Five Films ($44.99 + tax) (50% off + 20% coupon + 10% member discount)
City Lights ($16.32 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Hunger ($16.32 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Gojira (Godzilla) ($16.33 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Naked Lunch ($12.96 + tax) (50% off + 20% coupon + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Frances Ha ($16.20 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Rushmore ($16.21 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival ($22.04 + tax) (50% off + 30% coupon + 10% member discount)
3 Women ($16.40 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Tokyo Story ($16.40 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
Kicking and Screaming ($12.30 + tax) (50% off + $5/50 coupon + 10% member discount)
The Documentaries of Louis Malle (Eclipse Series 2) ($25.19 + tax) (50% off + 30% coupon + 10% member discount)
To Be or Not to Be ($17.99 + tax) (50% off + 10% member discount)

Subtotal: $319.56
Total: $341.94
Total member savings: $78.70
Average price per item (without tax): $18.79
Average price per item (with tax): $20.11

Picture of final haul:

JW your a CC forum buddy of mine and I must say that is a killer haul homie!!!

It must be Xmas time for good luck I just completed my CC sale with the first time in 2 years I was able today to use a extra coupon for a CC buy. after work I got kicking & screaming and the John cassavetes set for 50% off + 10% member discount + without even asking the dude was like ill add the extra 30% off coupon deal because he said that box was overpriced in his words lol. 43$ for that set that was money!

[lordmorpheus72]

No picture of my month long haul, still waiting on an Amazon delivery, but here's the damage:

3 Films by Roberto Rossellini Starring Ingrid Bergman
Anatomy of a Murder
City Lights
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival
Repo Man
Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom
John Cassavetes: Five Films
Tokyo Story


Doesn't look like a lot when I type it all out, but it was a nice chunk o' change... thank goodness for the B&N 50% sale and BF at Amazon. But worst of all, there are still November discs I want, and then comes December, January, and February.

[drawohua]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was thinking of grabbing Pale Flower from Barnes & Noble during lunch break to complete the sale month, but I stopped at a used store down the street first and found the Citizen Kane digibook in perfect condition, so that's where the money went instead. A fortuitous find, since I've been slowly grabbing Orson Welles films.

After my recent purchases of Citizen Kane, Tokyo Story, and Sunrise, I now have eight films on the Sight and Sound Top 10 list on Blu-ray. Not that this is specifically what I've been aiming for, but there's definitely a reason why these films have ranked so high on that list.

Which two are you still missing? The man with a moving camera and?
thanks to the cinema in my town, I am able to see the bfi top 20 films in theatres starting from 2013.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by drawohua

Which two are you still missing? The man with a moving camera and?
thanks to the cinema in my town, I am able to see the bfi top 20 films in theatres starting from 2013.

8 out of 10? 2 out of 10 here. I own others on the top 10 list, but they're DVD versions that haven't been upgraded yet.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by drawohua

Which two are you still missing? The man with a moving camera and?
thanks to the cinema in my town, I am able to see the bfi top 20 films in theatres starting from 2013.

I have 7 of the 10 (really 8 of 10 as I have Sunrise pre-ordered). The only 2 I don't have are the ones without US releases: Man with a Movie Camera and The Passion of Joan of Arc.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by drawohua

Which two are you still missing? The man with a moving camera and?
thanks to the cinema in my town, I am able to see the bfi top 20 films in theatres starting from 2013.

I'm lacking Man with a Movie Camera and The Passion of Joan of Arc from the Sight and Sound Top 10. I always meant to check out The Passion of Joan of Arc on Criterion DVD, but never got around around to doing so.
I've seen a total of 30 films from the Top 50.

I just finished revisiting Citizen Kane with undivided attention, and am now watching it again with the Roger Ebert commentary track while I post on the laptop. The last time I saw this movie was by way of a VHS tape in the late 1990s, so it was really something else to see it in high definition in a good ratio. It really is one of the most visually spectacular films out there, and I cannot get enough of the use of shadows and framing. In visual terms, this movie is sort of like an amusement park with endless attractions. I would not hold it up as the all-time best movie ever made with respect to my personal tastes, but it is a genuinely fun movie with some of the most creative shots out there. This is an awesome Blu-ray package.

I did not realize beforehand that Paul Stewart played Kane's butler, Raymond, in the movie, and I got a kick out of seeing him because I just watched him in the Olive film noir title, Appointment with Danger, yesterday. Stewart also played in the Criterion title, Kiss Me Deadly. He starred in quite a few film noir titles, because he was one intensely evil-looking dude. One of the other films in his canon, Champion, is in my Blu-ray stack right now waiting to be watched.
It's also great, of course, to see Joseph Cotton (Shadow of a Doubt, Niagara).

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's also great, of course, to see Joseph Cotton (Shadow of a Doubt, Niagara).

Don't forget The Third Man! Cotten is excellent in that. You get your copy yet?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jayembee

It's not clear what's happening with The 400 Blows. It might be getting a new dual-format release a la Breathless. Or, if the rumors are true, there might be a Blu-ray upgrade for the entire Adventures of Antoine Doniel set.

Let's hope so. The Doinel box is one of my favorite CC releases.

I like the tone of the films. After 400 Blows there is more humor and romanticism to go along with some genuinely poignant moments. A pleasure to watch.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

Don't forget The Third Man! Cotten is excellent in that. You get your copy yet?

Joseph Cotton really is quite amazing in The Third Man.

The StudioCanal Blu-ray will probably take a good week or two to arrive at my doorstep, since I ordered it from ImportCDs. That company takes its time shipping items, but they always seem to arrive in immaculate condition.

I still own the Criterion two-disc DVD set of The Third Man, and will probably hold on to it for a good while because of the extras.

Most reviews that I've read indicate that the StudioCanal Blu-ray is a noticeable step down from the Criterion Blu-ray, but that it is still better than the standard definition presentation on the Criterion DVD. I'm good for the middle of the road right now, although I will continue to look for the Criterion Blu-ray on used store shelves and such on the freak chance that I find it for an inexpensive price from a seller that doesn't realize the value. The thrill of the hunt will continue.

[blkhrt]

Since the previous Criterion lightening deals were being discussed earlier, I thought I would mention that there will be several lightening deals on Criterion blus over the course of the week. The full calendar can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node...d_i=2921749011

The titles are as follows:

December 3

Diabolique
Three Outlaw Samurai

December 4

The 39 Steps

December 5

Being John Malkovich
A Night to Remember

December 6

The Gold Rush

December 7

Harakiri
Orpheus

Most titles are $17.99, except for Three Outlaw Samurai, which will be $14.49.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

Don't forget The Third Man! Cotten is excellent in that. You get your copy yet?

Also...

If you're a fan of Joseph Cotton, then you should check out his final film, The Survivor, from 1981. The Survivor is an adaptation of the James Herbert horror novel about an airline pilot who is the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash and who subsequently finds himself pursued by the ghosts of the passengers. This movie used to air on HBO all of the time when I was a kid, and it scared the devil out of me each time. There's one scene involving a little girl and a doll that still puts my hair up on end when I think about it. It's a cool Australian film that gives off the same eerie vibes as Picnic at Hanging Rock or The Last Wave, except that it's more visceral.

Jenny Agutter, whom we all know and love from Walkabout and An American Werewolf in London, stars in The Survivor as well.

The Survivor would be a perfect Shout Factory/Scream Factory title, methinks.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I did not realize beforehand that Paul Stewart played Kane's butler, Raymond, in the movie, and I got a kick out of seeing him because I just watched him in the Olive film noir title, Appointment with Danger, yesterday. Stewart also played in the Criterion title, Kiss Me Deadly. He starred in quite a few film noir titles, because he was one intensely evil-looking dude. One of the other films in his canon, Champion, is in my Blu-ray stack right now waiting to be watched.
It's also great, of course, to see Joseph Cotton (Shadow of a Doubt, Niagara).

Stewart was at his most evil in The Window, one of those terrific RKO Noirs. Alan Ladd, another Noir player, is also in Kane as the pipe smoking reporter near the end. Even though he's not menacing in Kane, Everett Sloane was also a great villain in films. He was absolutely loathsome in Rod Serling's Patterns.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was thinking of grabbing Pale Flower from Barnes & Noble during lunch break to complete the sale month, but I stopped at a used store down the street first and found the Citizen Kane digibook in perfect condition, so that's where the money went instead. A fortuitous find, since I've been slowly grabbing Orson Welles films.

After my recent purchases of Citizen Kane, Tokyo Story, and Sunrise, I now have eight films on the Sight and Sound Top 10 list on Blu-ray. Not that this is specifically what I've been aiming for, but there's definitely a reason why these films have ranked so high on that list.

Your post made me count. 9 of the top 10, 32 of the 50 if we include DVDs.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Also...

If you're a fan of Joseph Cotton, then you should check out his final film, The Survivor, from 1981. The Survivor is an adaptation of the James Herbert horror novel about an airline pilot who is the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash and who subsequently finds himself pursued by the ghosts of the passengers. This movie used to air on HBO all of the time when I was a kid, and it scared the devil out of me each time. There's one scene involving a little girl and a doll that still puts my hair up on end when I think about it. It's a cool Australian film that gives off the same eerie vibes as Picnic at Hanging Rock or The Last Wave, except that it's more visceral.

Jenny Agutter, whom we all know and love from Walkabout and An American Werewolf in London, stars in The Survivor as well.

The Survivor would be a perfect Shout Factory/Scream Factory title, methinks.

I recommend "Breakdown" - an episode from Alfred Hitchcock Presents with Joseph Cotton. Really good episode.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Stewart was at his most evil in The Window, one of those terrific RKO Noirs. Alan Ladd, another Noir player, is also in Kane as the pipe smoking reporter near the end. Even though he's not menacing in Kane, Everett Sloane was also a great villain in films. He was absolutely loathsome in Rod Serling's Patterns.

I always get a head rush when I see the RKO Radio Pictures logo at the beginning of one of those movies. Great flicks all around.

Alan Ladd is the lead in Appointment with Danger, interestingly enough. We need The Blue Dahlia on Blu-ray.

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I recommend "Breakdown" - an episode from Alfred Hitchcock Presents with Joseph Cotton. Really good episode.

Thanks. I'll have to give that one a viewing, although I've probably seen it in the past and am not recalling it. Such a great show.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

j dubs - I thought you were gonna cut back for this sale. ?? good prices though... it has got me considering going the B & N route considering my disappointment with Amazon. STILL waiting to pounce, which means I'm still waiting for prices that now seem like they may never come.

Hey man, nice to see you around again! Yeah, I really thought I was going to cut back on this sale....but of course I couldn't. Still, 17 movies isn't as much as 33 that I bought during the last sale in July. Just had a few extra I wanted on top of the new releases. It's hard to resist. I think Amazon is good overall but the Criterion 50% off sale and additional coupons and discounts with B&N still top Amazon (at least in July and November). I load up 2 months out of the year!

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

JW your a CC forum buddy of mine and I must say that is a killer haul homie!!!

It must be Xmas time for good luck I just completed my CC sale with the first time in 2 years I was able today to use a extra coupon for a CC buy. after work I got kicking & screaming and the John cassavetes set for 50% off + 10% member discount + without even asking the dude was like ill add the extra 30% off coupon deal because he said that box was overpriced in his words lol. 43$ for that set that was money!

Hey thanks man! Very good to hear you got some coupons to work for ya. I might go and watch that Kicking and Screaming movie tonight actually. Frances Ha is still fresh in my memory. Gotta keep the momentum rollin'. You did better than me with the Cassavetes set (I only used a 20% coupon) and paid a few more bucks than you did. Enjoy.

[jrsl76]

Well, my final haul was:

City Lights
La Notte
I Married A Witch
The Uninvited
Eyes Without A Face
John Cassavettes Collection
Frances Ha
Tokyo Story
Il Generale Della Rovere (DVD)

I desperately wanted Zatoichi, but I just bought a new Car last month and it's lean times for a few weeks. Probably bought more than I should. I asked for Zatoichi for Christmas however.