The Criterion Collection

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by jw007

Glad to know I'm not the only one who is not a fan of Godard.

Well Breathless is the only Goddard film I've seen. I've looked through some of the CC releases. 1 or 2 look interesting but the rest? Looks like something I'd pass on.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

In context of time, it is harder to explain what he has done for cinema. The French New Wave brought to the forefront the directors importance, the director as the author.

Also the filming in Godard's film is different than Hollywood studio films of the past. There is more outside filming and jump cuts (supposedly he accidentally invented this technique). The importance of style is given more ground than before; the tone of film noir movies actual inspired many of the French New Wave directors.

So Bob Le Flambleur and Breathless has this cool, laid back style. And of course, Jean Seberg is just gorgeous. I would have definitely bought Herald Tribune everyday, if she was selling the newspaper.

Yeah, I'm not really a big French New Wave fan but even though 'influence' often gets overstated it's pretty clear the FNW led directly to Hollywood's Golden Age of the mid 60s-mid 70s which I do dearly love.

So do I love Breathless? No. But I'm sure glad he made it

(and I'm also glad I own it. I hate when people get snobbish about being 'students of the medium' but y'know there are just some things you need to pay attention to if you want to even try to understand how film developed over the years)

[joie]

Explore some of Godard's other works: Notre Musique is an interesting war movie.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

the tone of film noir movies actual inspired many of the French New Wave directors.

Well said. I love how French cinema of the 1950s and 1960s took cues from American film noir and ran with them. Jacques Becker's Touchez Pas Au Grisbi, Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows, and the Jean-Pierre Melville films of that era are all key examples, but I also love how Jean-Luc Godard lent a hip edge to noir conventions.

This sort of thing has been on my mind a lot lately. I just wrapped up my marathon of film noir titles from Olive Films and Kino this weekend. Almost just in time for the Criterion release of Rififi.

[Fellini912]

Here is one of the main reasons why I like Breathless



There is one thing for sure Godard was (and probably still is) good at - selecting beautiful, talented actresses.

[Fellini912]

Vivre Sa Vie might be more accessible for film lovers that are watching for first time Godard films.

It has a concrete structure (dividing the movie into chapters), making it somewhat more poetic. I tend to empathize more with Karina's beautiful character than Belmondo's character in Breathless, although I love both films. The black and white cinematography is amazing in Vivre Sa Vie.

Other film that people should consider is Pierrot le Fou



I love that Louise Brooks haircut on Karina, just beautiful.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

Other film that people should consider is Pierrot le Fou

No regrets about shelling out $60 for the out-of-print Criterion Blu-ray of Pierrot Le Fou.

I think that Breathless, Vivre Sa Vie, Contempt, Band of Outsiders, and Pierrot Le Fou are all golden.

I did not quite warm up to Weekend, but I should still give some of his subsequent films a chance at some point.

[smoss469]

I'd love to check out the OOP Melville CC releases but I'm not shelling out the $$ for the BD discs. I can always Netflix them and see if they're worth it. If they really seem like home runs, I could then justify paying OOP prices.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Vivre Sa Vie, Contempt, and Pierrot Le Fou are all A+ films. I've not been as high on the other Godards I've seen (Breathless, Band of Outsiders).

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Well said. I love how French cinema of the 1950s and 1960s took cues from American film noir and ran with them. Jacques Becker's Touchez Pas Au Grisbi, Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows, and the Jean-Pierre Melville films of that era are all key examples, but I also love how Jean-Luc Godard lent a hip edge to noir conventions. .

As for me, OTOH, I'm one of those people who can't watch 60's French New Wave without picturing the Monty Python sketch.
I'll pass on Breathless and the Richard Gere remake, thanks.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I'd love to check out the OOP Melville CC releases but I'm not shelling out the $$ for the BD discs. I can always Netflix them and see if they're worth it. If they really seem like home runs, I could then justify paying OOP prices.

As probably GreatOwl can attest, the Melville CC blu-rays are worth more than gold (especially Army of Shadows). I am sorry you missed out on a reasonable price on these classic films.

Definitely, do not miss out on Le Samourai and Bob Le Flambleur when and if they get released hopefully by criterion. I consider the above two mentioned films his best.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I have one Australian Blu-ray in my collection. I ordered the Australian edition of Journey to the Centre of the Earth a month ago, because the Twilight Time edition on these shores is sold out. It was a pleasure to upgrade this movie from DVD.

As long as the Australian releases are region free, I'm all good for them. I'll probably hold my horses before pulling the trigger on La Dolce Vita, though, since I suspect that it'll be here in my neck of the woods soon.

(Unrelated, but I've decided to stop putting movie titles in bold font in my posts, since it's cumbersome to do so if I'm typing on my iPhone, and I like uniformity. Old habits are hard to break, though.)

How is the PQ on the Australian edition of Journey to the center of the Earth? It's a favorite film of mine. I remember talking my parents and then my sister into taking me to see it in the theater when it came out. I didn't know about the Twilight Time release until it was too late.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

As probably GreatOwl can attest, the Melville CC blu-rays are worth more than gold (especially Army of Shadows). I am sorry you missed out on a reasonable price on these classic films.

Definitely, do not miss out on Le Samourai and Bob Le Flambleur when and if they get released hopefully by criterion. I consider the above two mentioned films his best.

I've seen Le Samourai, it wasn't a bad movie but the gangster themed movies he has all look interesting, also the Cohen release of Two Men in Manhatten is something I have in my queue as well.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by EricJ

As for me, OTOH, I'm one of those people who can't watch 60's French New Wave without picturing the Monty Python sketch.
I'll pass on Breathless and the Richard Gere remake, thanks.

I was like ten when that first aired. I obviously didn't know exactly what they were making fun of but I got the gist and even then I thought the boom dropping into the shot was hilarious.

[RandyK]

Behind on the discussion but I have to say I really enjoyed Breathless and I'm thinking about picking up Vivre Sa Vie next sale.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Yami

Paramount recently won a hard-fought legal battle over its copyright. No word on a release. I'd be surprised if they would bother going to the bother of a court case to just do nothing with it though

Thanks for the link. I had no idea. I have a "2-Disc Collector's Edition" DVD released by Koch Lorber about 10 years ago, with a "International Media Films Presents" banner at the top. I'm surprised that Paramount didn't go after them then.

It's a pretty neat package, with the following bonus features: commentary by Richard Schickel, collection of Fellini shorts, interviews with Mastroianni and Ekberg, an interview with Fellini, and a feature on Cinecitta. I suspect that I'll have to hold onto this DVD just for the extras, even after Paramount releases it on Blu-ray.

Anyway, I was tempted to order the Aussie release if it turns out to be region-free, but I'll be patient and wait for Paramount.

Originally Posted by Fellini912

I am glad that some film viewers still appreciate this fantastic film, in college the only way to see the film was through a beat up VHS copy.

It's my second (a very close second) favorite Fellini, after La Strada

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Fellini912

I visited the Trevi fountain during the day, years ago. It is actually nicely hidden and gorgeous; it must look beautiful at night.

I've seen it both during the day and at night, though that was almost 45 years ago. I've got slides of it somewhere that I need to scan some day, in my copious free time.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Thanks for the link. I had no idea. I have a "2-Disc Collector's Edition" DVD released by Koch Lorber about 10 years ago, with a "International Media Films Presents" banner at the top. I'm surprised that Paramount didn't go after them then.

It's a pretty neat package, with the following bonus features: commentary by Richard Schickel, collection of Fellini shorts, interviews with Mastroianni and Ekberg, an interview with Fellini, and a feature on Cinecitta. I suspect that I'll have to hold onto this DVD just for the extras, even after Paramount releases it on Blu-ray.

Anyway, I was tempted to order the Aussie release if it turns out to be region-free, but I'll be patient and wait for Paramount.



It's my second (a very close second) favorite Fellini, after La Strada

Some would consider Fellini's neorealism films to be his best. La Strada and Le Notti di Cabiria are some of his best films (which are also in the top of my list). Giulietta Masina (Fellini's wife) is fantastic in these films. She has one of the saddest faces in all cinema.

I am surprised that criterion has not released any of these films yet. If they can release La Strada (with Persona being announced this year) with Andrei Rublev, Pickpocket, Le Samourai or Dekalog, they will surpass the 2013 releases (which was their best year in releases).

[Rich Pure Doom]

Hey guys, I picked up the Samurai Trilogy today at a used store for a great price. I haven't seen any of these yet. What are your thoughts? Good purchase?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by EricJ

As for me, OTOH, I'm one of those people who can't watch 60's French New Wave without picturing the Monty Python sketch.

Originally Posted by octagon

I was like ten when that first aired. I obviously didn't know exactly what they were making fun of but I got the gist and even then I thought the boom dropping into the shot was hilarious.

I liked Terry Jones running out of improvisatory things to say, wandering offscreen, and then shoved back into shot by the director: "I am a revolutionary."