The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Glad to see you liked it JW. Wow Better than Francis nice cant wait to watch my copy soon

You're going to totally love this movie... I am now officially a fan of Noah Baumbach. I prefer him over Whit Stillman now too.

After you see this, let me know what you thought of the movie..looking forward.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Ctzalman

the thin red line and on the waterfront are the only two that are absolutely essential

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

godzilla and night of the hunter as well

Paths of Glory and The Killing are more essential than any of the above.

[ravenus]

Durr, I've never understood the logic of posting a list of films and asking strangers "Which of these should I add to bulk up my collection of titles with a C-logo?". Read plot synopsis, read reviews, check it out by rental or streaming or other means, or send a PM to people whose tastes you KNOW match with yours. Ah well, end of whine.

Last night I watched Late Spring. I hadn't seen this film before, but felt relatively safe in buying it because I'd seen Late Autumn, Early Summer and Tokyo Story and I felt there was a sufficiently predictable pattern to Ozu's style for me to take the gamble. Predictable is not a knock here, as Ozu's films are not about the destination but the journey, and Late Spring is another fine film from his repertoire. The plot concerns a elderly gent (Chishu Ryu) worried about marrying off his daughter (Setsuko Hara), but the girl is happy with caring for her father and wants to continue their present life. The plot is simple, the script's beauty is in the delicate portrayal of relationships and the dilemma the characters face between their emotional desires and the role that civilized human society requires them to play. It's sad that most Indian audiences are not interested in foreign cinema that doesn't come from Hollywood. I feel they would find a lot common social / cultural ground with the characters of Ozu films and the moral dilemmas they face. It also helps that Ozu has a very unpretentious low-key style. Late Spring, like his other films, has a gentle pace, but cannot be described as slow-moving in the sense that there are no wasted or empty moments. My favorite scene in the film is when the father advises the daughter as to why she should get married and how she should aim for happiness in life. It's beautifully understated both in direction and in the actors' performances, and brings a lump to my throat.

The video quality of the CC blu-ray is compromised on account of the source material. While CC have doubtless done their best to give us great quality, there are many damage marks (most of them slight and non-distracting) and some amount of flickering. The mono sound is clear and solid. I haven't gone through the extras, but Wim Wender's film Tokyo-Ga sounds pretty interesting.

[greekak229]

Right off the top of my head, I feel Night of the Hunter is one of the most essential Criterions to own.

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by greekak229

Right off the top of my head, I feel Night of the Hunter is one of the most essential Criterions to own.

+10. I own it and it is one of the greatest movie experiences ever. That scene when Mitchum comes though the moonlit night singing "leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms" as the children are sleeping in the barn is my most memorable 5 minutes in movie history.

[Mansinthe]

that movie has so much awesome scenes and shots.. the scene in the sleeping room with all the shadows ... love it. the children in the river on their boat.. that movie is so well done its incredible. and the bonus features.. dear god..

[mdonovan]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

+10. I own it and it is one of the greatest movie experiences ever. That scene when Mitchum comes though the moonlit night singing "leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms" as the children are sleeping in the barn is my most memorable 5 minutes in movie history.

Intabuy next sale

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Ooh. I really like Jane Campion. I need to see this.

Re: Essential Criterions (five):

Blow Out
The Last Temptation of Christ
Harakiri
The Thin Red Line
Red Desert (for the adventurous)

[moviebuffed]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

that movie has so much awesome scenes and shots.. the scene in the sleeping room with all the shadows ... love it. the children in the river on their boat.. that movie is so well done its incredible. and the bonus features.. dear god..

Agree 100%. Add to this that it's directed by an Academy Award winner in the acting category and this being his only stab at directing is just brilliant.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Ooh. I really like Jane Campion. I need to see this.

Re: Essential Criterions (five):

Blow Out
The Last Temptation of Christ
Harakiri
The Thin Red Line
Red Desert (for the adventurous)

probably you shouldnt leave out seven samurai , on the waterfront, M, 12 angry men
but blow out? yeah it was a good movie but essential ? 0_o

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

that movie has so much awesome scenes and shots.. the scene in the sleeping room with all the shadows ... love it. the children in the river on their boat.. that movie is so well done its incredible. and the bonus features.. dear god..

I was glad to have seen this film for the first time in blu-ray format. I can't even imagine what the world would have been like had Charles Laughton made another movie after this. It's pretty amazing that its his first and only directorial effort. There are so many timeless shots and scenes in The Night of the Hunter that even seasoned directors with a dozen movies under their belt can't even achieve.

[Mansinthe]

probably was far ahead of its time , and did flop cuz of that.
(like the suzuki movies for example?)

[Hintermann]

Originally Posted by jw007

There are so many timeless shots and scenes in The Night of the Hunter that even seasoned directors with a dozen movies under their belt can't even achieve.

The nightly standoff between Robert Mitchum and Lilian Gish where the characters sing out .... one to unnerve the other and that other to give herself courage .... is extraordinary to say the least. Gish's kindhearted but batty character is really something.

In fact, while rightly appreciating the surreal cinematography of Night Of The Hunter, we sometimes forget the brilliantly varied characters in the film, including the cameos.

[Mansinthe]

tokyo story made think about my own parents (and grandparents) as well.
someone else too?

floading weeds is a great ozu movie as well.

[StLouisRibs]

Over at DVDTalk there's confirmation of a Criterion B1G1 starting on Tuesday at BN and lasting a week (and immediately following that, the 40% off sale)

Similarly mentioning coupons for 25%/30% will be sent that weekend

[The Great Owl]

Elio Petri's 1970 Cannes Grand Prize winner, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, uses the premise of a highly-respected police official who leaves overt clues for his colleagues after murdering his mistress as a dark allegory about the authoritarian practices of the Italian government during the Cold War. I am fond of arguing that we can learn more about history by enjoying the fictional works from a given era than we can by studying dry textbooks or documentaries, and this particular film is a case in point. Like Haskell Wexler's 1969 film, Medium Cool, which is also available as a Criterion title, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion places us in the front row to experience the volatile climate of its era in a way that goes above and beyond the capabilities of nonfiction accounts. If the idea of watching a 1970 Italian political satire with a noticeably left-wing slant does not quicken your pulse, however, then rest assured that this Petri film is equally effective in general terms as an intense thriller that addresses the ability of power to corrupt the individual and the futility of overstepping our place in society according to common socioeconomic perceptions. In fact, I thought of an unlikely association as I watched this film last night, because I was reminded of a scene in the 1986 Rob Reiner film, Stand By Me, where a poor student from a bad family reveals that he returned stolen milk money to a school teacher and was subsequently framed by the teacher herself, who used the returned money to buy a new dress with the assurance that nobody would trust the student's word over hers. For every citizen who is above suspicion, like Gian Maria Volonte's unnamed police official, there are those who, regardless of their choices, will always be under suspicion. During my college years, I took a Sociology class which presented me with a case study about a 1980s American high school where wealthy students were rarely, if ever, disciplined for disruptive activities, such as vandalism, theft, or assault, while the underprivileged students from the same school constantly persecuted for any tiny infraction. I'd like to think that my Sociology professor with have a field day with this Petri film.

Gian Maria Volonte, whom I have always enjoyed watching in films like A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and Le Cercle Rouge, is a joy to watch in Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion. The film hits the ground running with Volonté's character entering the home of Augusta Terzi, played by the smolderingly sensual Florinda Bolkan. Terzi asks the inspector how he is going to kill her, and he replies that he is going to slash her throat. From there, the story follows Volonte through a maze of sadistic role-playing, smug self-absorption, complex interactions, espionage, and paranoia. The cityscapes of Rome are depicted in a low-key manner, so that the setting might represent any location in the world, and the imposing vision of suited officials surrounding us in obtrusively-lighted austere rooms could be taking place anywhere at any time. The distinctly Kafka-esque aesthetic of this film is no accident, as we are reminded during the story's uneasy conclusion.

This brave Criterion title looks incredible on Blu-ray, with a 4K restoration that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with my favorite high-definition presentations of 1970s cinema. Ennio Morricone's maniacally skewed music comes across beautifully on the audio front. I would love to have listened to a commentary track for this film, but I am pleased with the generous extras that are offered instead, namely an impressive full-length documentary of Elio Petri's career, an hour-length film about Gian Maria Volonte, and a short take on Ennio Morricone's work for the movie. A 25-minute English-language analysis of the film by Camilla Zamboni is also a welcome addition.

[The Great Owl]

After watching the Elio Petri documentary on the Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion Blu-ray, I am reminded that I need to check out Petri's The 10th Victim.



My arm was twisted after watching some of the Ursula Andress scenes from the film.

[Hintermann]

I intend to get IOACAS but will wait till after X-mas when the price drops a bit. Love that Criterion cover!

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by iScottie

They're only releasing DigiPacks for three-disc sets. Both City Lights and Frances Ha, for example, are dual format and they are both in plastic cases.

Oh. That's still bound to be like 75% of all Dual Format releases though. I mean, DVDs hardly have enough space.

I thought Criterion had 3-disc Scanavo cases? I know the release for Brazil had two discs on the right side- so you'd think there would be a case that would have an extra slot on the left side for a third disc.

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

I don't know why criterion can't use plastic cases with a "flipper" tray... I find the digipacks to be awfully flimsy.

A flipper tray would make it look a bit cheap.

They could do the three-disc slot model that I mentioned in my previous post.

Originally Posted by Roninblues

I meant "wouldn't want to re-watch anytime soon".

Like I said, I really liked The Forgiveness of Blood, but I couldn't really get attached to any of the characters. I felt for the sister, but the brother annoyed me. And it sucks that he

[Show spoiler]decided to leave in the end

. Because of the cover, you'd think he'd be a more supporting character, but it was all about how his sister Rudina basically keeps the family going. It made Nik seem like a whimp.