The Criterion Collection

[Visco.]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

Same here visco. I see you are still faithful to your original avatar.

Infatuation is a disease.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've never seen the StudioCanal Blu-ray, but the Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray of To the Wonder looks outstanding, and the experience of watching the Blu-ray is spot-on compared to my experience of seeing the movie at the theater.

That said, I get the impression that American audiences were short-changed with this particular movie, which seemed to have been given a dismissive release with abysmal cover art and a lower bit-rate. I had a Region B player, I'd probably spring for the StudioCanal Blu-ray for these reasons, but I really have no complaints about the picture quality of the Magnolia Pictures disc.

I have a much more favorable opinion of To the Wonder than most reviewers did, and it ranks as my second favorite film of 2013, behind All Is Lost. It's a visually-arresting and surprisingly touching film that plays out like a silent Expressionist movie where the characters are conveying their emotions through physicality. To the Wonder has a visual flow to it that just takes my breath away every time.

To The Wonder is great. All I had read prior to seeing it was how "pretentious" it was. After seeing it, I found it to be a much less pretentious and even stripped down movie compared to the likes of Tree of Life (which I also enjoy).

[jetthead]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

The beetles have to be A Hard Day's Night. It's the only one of the Beatles films not owned by Apple Corps. Lionsgate would have released their own edition by now since nearly all of the Miramax library is already out and it already had a complete restoration. The 2004 DVD is easily one of the best DVD encodes I've seen for a film.

If that's the case, that bodes well for other "MIA" titles from Miramax like El Cid, Like Water for Chocolate, and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover (the last of which was one Criterion tried to get a while back).

Alliance released a 1080i Blu-ray of A Hard Day's Night in Canada.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Nice! I've visited your website a handful of times in years past, and it's a cool setup.

For years, I was active on an R.E.M. website, Murmurs.com, and I am still close friends with several people from the forum. Those websites are great for meeting a ton of people when the concerts roll around.

The Criterion title, Being John Malkovich, made big waves on that R.E.M. website, because Michael Stipe played a hand in the production.

Speaking of John Malkovich, I once met him in person at an after-party in Manhattan for the Tribeca Film Festival back in '06. I walked up to him and and half-drunk I tried to explain to him why I missed the premiere of his film (Colour Me Kubrick) because I was busy trying to interview Jeff Goldblum at another theater for his premiere around the same time! I said something like "I felt like I had just seen "Being Jeff Goldblum" because the movie was all about him (from a film called Pittsburgh, which is ironically where I live too - and Goldblum is originally from here). Anyway, Malkovich signed my ticket stub for Colour Me Kubrick (which I had missed) and patted me on the back and left. I felt like a bozo, but thats my Malkovich story!

If anyone is interested though, I have video I shot of Mr. Goldblum answering a question of mine in a movie theater at the Tribeca film festival. Sadly, no video of Mr. Malkovich though. I wish I had the guts to film Sarah Silverman sitting behind me at the theater though but I didn't realize it was her until the screening was over. I did see her give Conan O'Brien a gigantic hug though before I got a few seconds of Conan in the lobby on my camera. Hehe.

I totally remember Murmurs.com and I noticed its still online. Well, thanks for stopping by my site over the years. I appreciate it!

[jw007]

I watched Naked Lunch last night for the 2nd time in a row (3rd time overall) and with the commentary on. Wow, I can't believe I actually nearly passed on buying this film. I learned a lot about William S. Burroughs and his friendship with Kerouac and Ginsberg. I didn't realize Naked Lunch was interpreted by Cronenberg as almost a life story on Burroughs himself. Pretty interesting.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by jetthead

Alliance released a 1080i Blu-ray of A Hard Day's Night in Canada.

(Okayyyyyy....? )

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

The beetles have to be A Hard Day's Night. It's the only one of the Beatles films not owned by Apple Corps. Lionsgate would have released their own edition by now since nearly all of the Miramax library is already out and it already had a complete restoration. The 2004 DVD is easily one of the best DVD encodes I've seen for a film.

Emphasized for facts.
Who did the theatrical restoration in the 80's/90's, where the "I'll Cry Instead" intro was first added on after Lennon's death?

[Show spoiler]

The Beatles - I'll Cry Instead - YouTube

I remember that was on the Voyager LD/CD-ROM back in the day, but not sure whether that was a Rialto restoration in the theaters, thus making it a Voyager/Criterion title.

Oh, yeah. We're gettin' it.

[dorothyv]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

If that's the case, that bodes well for other "MIA" titles from Miramax like El Cid, Like Water for Chocolate, and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover (the last of which was one Criterion tried to get a while back).

This is my most wanted title for a future Criterion release. I own the bare-bones oop dvd, but a BD restoration with some supplements would be

[Oscar Rothman]

So Criterion doesn't have It's a Wonderful Life after all? Well, that sucks

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by dorothyv

This is my most wanted title for a future Criterion release. I own the bare-bones oop dvd, but a BD restoration with some supplements would be

Never heard about it until now, but it's been added to the Streaming Queue to be watched later

[dorothyv]

Originally Posted by smoss469

Never heard about it until now, but it's been added to the Streaming Queue to be watched later

You are in for a treat. I wish that I could watch it again for the first time. Let me know your thoughts after you see it.

[vader4]

Originally Posted by Oscar Rothman

So Criterion doesn't have It's a Wonderful Life after all? Well, that sucks

Enh, I'd rather have Breaking the Waves than It's a Wonderful Life.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Okay, well here are my annual "stretches" for the new year's clues (please, bear with and indulge me):

The entire group beneath the cliff: Memories of Underdevelopment (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea - 1968) or The Crowd (King Vidor - 1928) or Underground (Emir Kusturica - 1995) or Terra Em Transe a.k.a. Entranced Earth (Glauber Rocha - 1967) or La Terra Trema a.k.a. The Earth Trembles (Luchino Visconti - 1948)

The coastal image: The Palm Beach Story (Preston Sturges - 1942)

The party on the beach: Festen a.k.a. The Celebration (Thomas Vinterberg - 1998) or The Party (Blake Edwards - 1968) or Hellzapoppin' (H.C. Potter - 1941) or Hallelujah! (King Vidor - 1929) or Party Girl (Nicholas Ray - 1958) or The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh - 1939)

I was hoping one of the above was for Stanley Kramer's On the Beach.

[EPlay]

Originally Posted by dorothyv

This is my most wanted title for a future Criterion release. I own the bare-bones oop dvd, but a BD restoration with some supplements would be

re: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

This is the only film I walked out on as an adult. I did make it until the last 15 - 20 minutes (People walked out in droves, starting from 15 minutes in). Part of me wants to see it again 25 years later as tastes change and to see the last part. The other part knows I HATED this movie and don't think a 180 is likely.

[Abdrewes]

Ooh, I see that Sisters is part of the Criterion Collection via Hulu+. I think I will stream that right now and comment back later. It is time to erase these last couple DePalma blind spots (well, minus Murder a la Mod. I don't think I will ever get through that film, sad to say,)

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by EPlay

re: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

This is the only film I walked out on as an adult. I did make it until the last 15 - 20 minutes (People walked out in droves, starting from 15 minutes in). Part of me wants to see it again 25 years later as tastes change and to see the last part. The other part knows I HATED this movie and don't think a 180 is likely.

I didn't see it in the theater but had the same feelings about it. I did manage to see the whole thing and was sorry I did. Yea, that was a long time ago but revisit it? It was just such an unpleasant experience.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Ooh, I see that Sisters is part of the Criterion Collection via Hulu+. I think I will stream that right now and comment back later. It is time to erase these last couple DePalma blind spots (well, minus Murder a la Mod. I don't think I will ever get through that film, sad to say,)

You didn't know it was released by Criterion? One of their older titles. Spine 89.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Then it could be a hint for Joe's Apartment? I don't see an apartment though.

I would sell my soul to see Megan Ward in high definition on a Criterion Collection Blu-ray release.

No lie.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I would sell my soul to see Megan Ward in high definition on a Criterion Collection Blu-ray release.

No lie.

I didn't realize souls carried an expected retail value of $24-$27

[14728]

I figured out what that raisin meant!

[dorothyv]

Originally Posted by EPlay

re: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

This is the only film I walked out on as an adult. I did make it until the last 15 - 20 minutes (People walked out in droves, starting from 15 minutes in). Part of me wants to see it again 25 years later as tastes change and to see the last part. The other part knows I HATED this movie and don't think a 180 is likely.

Originally Posted by hoytereden

I didn't see it in the theater but had the same feelings about it. I did manage to see the whole thing and was sorry I did. Yea, that was a long time ago but revisit it? It was just such an unpleasant experience.

I get that it is totally a "love it" / "hate it" type of film. My feelings were just as strong the first time I saw it, though my feelings ran in the direction opposite to your feelings. I had never seen a film like it before. The cinematography, score, costumes, set design, acting, and writing / direction blew me away (and still do).

Have you seen any other Greenaway films? If so, did you have a similar reaction to his other films?