The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Speaking of Un Flic, heist films, and the like...

I just finished revisiting John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle. If I were not so sleepy right now, I'd take out my Criterion Blu-ray of Stanley Kubrick's The Killing for a spin, because these two films would make a fitting double feature. Sterling Hayden is incredible in both, and the "dishonor among thieves" theme is so well played out in both.

Rififi will make an equally fitting double feature with either film, of course. I was also fond of doubling Rififi with Becker's Touchez Pas Au Grisbi, because those are similar in tone.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm on the fence between the original 1925 version of The Gold Rush and City Lights as my favorite Charlie Chaplin film. They're both hilarious and poignant in all of the right ways.

I'm looking forward to delving into The Buster Keaton Collection, since it arrived at my doorstep a month ago. It'll probably be a few weeks before I get started, though. I've got quite a backlog in my stack from purchases over the past two months. At any rate, I look forward to comparing Keaton's work with my Chaplin films.

I share the same "issues" regarding "delving" into collections and box sets.

Here are a bunch of box sets I'm still putting off watching that I recently bought during the sales:

- Pierre Etaix (box set)
- The Documentaries of Louis Malle (Eclipse #2)
- World Cinema Project (box set)
- Shoah
- Five films by John Cassavetes (box set)

Where should I start? It will take weeks to go through just one of these I'm sure.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

I share the same "issues" regarding "delving" into collections and box sets.

Here are a bunch of box sets I'm still putting off watching that I recently bought during the sales:

- Pierre Etaix (box set)
- The Documentaries of Louis Malle (Eclipse #2)
- World Cinema Project (box set)
- Shoah
- Five films by John Cassavetes (box set)

Where should I start? It will take weeks to go through just one of these I'm sure.

Several months ago, I bought The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series on Blu-ray. I've seen all of the The Twilight Zone episodes a million times during my life, but I've been going through all of them in order on the Blu-ray set to enjoy the outstanding high definition transfers (and they really are outstanding). I've gone about it by watching a few discs at a time, and then taking breaks to watch other Blu-ray purchases. Right now, I'm halfway through Season Four.

I've decided that I want to finish off The Twilight Zone set before I start on The Buster Keaton Collection, because I don't want to juggle two big box sets with unwatched material at the same time. It'll be a fun endeavor, of course, because some of the strongest episodes of The Twilight Zone are in Season Five, but it's going to take a short while.

I intended to buy the John Cassavetes: Five Films set this past fall, but it fell way down on my priority list when I decided instead to collect film noirs on Blu-ray. I'm not sure when I'll get around to buying it, but there's no hurry.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Several months ago, I bought The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series on Blu-ray. I've seen all of the The Twilight Zone episodes a million times during my life, but I've been going through all of them in order on the Blu-ray set to enjoy the outstanding high definition transfers (and they really are outstanding). I've gone about it by watching a few discs at a time, and then taking breaks to watch other Blu-ray purchases. Right now, I'm halfway through Season Four.

I've decided that I want to finish off The Twilight Zone set before I start on The Buster Keaton Collection, because I don't want to juggle two big box sets with unwatched material at the same time. It'll be a fun endeavor, of course, because some of the strongest episodes of The Twilight Zone are in Season Five, but it's going to take a short while.

I intended to buy the John Cassavetes: Five Films set this past fall, but it fell way down on my priority list when I decided instead to collect film noirs on Blu-ray. I'm not sure when I'll get around to buying it, but there's no hurry.

Your Twilight Zone experience reminds me of my Star Trek: The Next Generation experience. I ended up buying the first 2 seasons on Blu-ray a few months after they came out and then spent a month (or two) watching an episode or two a night for weeks on end. By the end of the 2nd season, I was burnt out. I bought the 3rd season on a whim but never opened it. I ended up selling all 3 seasons last week to another member on this forum. I grew up watching TNG and had probably seen these episodes dozens of times (yes, all 180 episodes or so). Yet, I bought these for the new HD experience. I realized that spending $50 on a season was crazy after purchasing season 3. I realized there were 4 more sets to go and that would be about $200+. So instead, I've decided to wait 2 years until all 7 seasons come out at once for a much lower price (maybe lower than $100?). As much as I love TNG, I just think its a bit too much "work" to get through 180 episodes over a matter of months.

Why does it seem like a "chore" having to get through these TV series on Blu-ray? I don't want it to be like that. I'm going to revisit Star Trek: TNG in a few years after my craving goes back up again for it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

Your Twilight Zone experience reminds me of my Star Trek: The Next Generation experience. I ended up buying the first 2 seasons on Blu-ray a few months after they came out and then spent a month (or two) watching an episode or two a night for weeks on end. By the end of the 2nd season, I was burnt out. I bought the 3rd season on a whim but never opened it. I ended up selling all 3 seasons last week to another member on this forum. I grew up watching TNG and had probably seen these episodes dozens of times (yes, all 180 episodes or so). Yet, I bought these for the new HD experience. I realized that spending $50 on a season was crazy after purchasing season 3. I realized there were 4 more sets to go and that would be about $200+. So instead, I've decided to wait 2 years until all 7 seasons come out at once for a much lower price (maybe lower than $100?). As much as I love TNG, I just think its a bit too much "work" to get through 180 episodes over a matter of months.

Why does it seem like a "chore" having to get through these TV series on Blu-ray? I don't want it to be like that. I'm going to revisit Star Trek: TNG in a few years after my craving goes back up again for it.

I'm having a blast revisiting The Twilight Zone seasons and marveling at the improved picture quality, but I still feel the need to portion out the episodes over time. It's my all-time favorite show, and I notice new things with each subsequent viewing, but it would take weeks for me to revisit all five of the seasons back-to-back in order.

This is one reason why The Twilight Zone is, at present, the one and only television series that I own on Blu-ray. It's the only television series currently available in the format that I will actually revisit multiple times in the years ahead, whereas I would probably watch most television shows only once and then let them collect dust.

When the Original Series of Star Trek went on sale for a criminally low price a couple of weeks ago for Christmas, I had a fleeting temptation to pull the trigger on those seasons to relive some childhood nostalgia. I decided against the purchase in the end, though, because I knew how it would probably play out. I'd probably revisit a few key episodes that I remember from childhood, and then let that set collect dust while I go back to watching movies. It would be sort of cool to watch Captain Kirk fight Gorn in high definition, but it's not a priority now.

Of course, if the five seasons of Miami Vice are ever upgraded to Blu-ray, I'll be buying those without a second thought. That's my second favorite show behind The Twilight Zone, and I revisit my Miami Vice DVDs quite often.

[Scottie]

The Great Beauty won Best Foreign Film of the Year at the Golden Globes tonight.

[SimBelm]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The Great Beauty won Best Foreign Film of the Year at the Golden Globes tonight.

Made me smile, I'm surprised it didn't win anything at Cannes. I had a bet split between it and Blue to win the Palme.

[Reeniop5]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The Great Beauty won Best Foreign Film of the Year at the Golden Globes tonight.

Looking forward to watching it for the first time with the Criterion release!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The Great Beauty won Best Foreign Film of the Year at the Golden Globes tonight.

Nice! I understand that my favorite 2013 film, All Is Lost, won the Best Score, so that's good to hear as well.

I have not seen The Great Beauty, but my spider sense leads me to believe that I'd probably enjoy it even more than I enjoyed Blue is the Warmest Color. I just have good vibes about The Great Beauty, and the descriptions make me think of the Fellini films or the Antonioni films.

[Ausjdm]

Also fellow spotlighted criterion director Steve McQueen won best picture for 12 years a slave. And maybe soon to be criterion class I hope, alfonso cuaron won best director...

[Ausjdm]

I think if I'm not mistaken Lawrence won for when the awards shows do that "get it wrong year late move lol" as a make up for her not winning a golden globe last year for silver linings? But I agree American hustle was good but it's not 12 years a Slave level I even rank Wolf of wall st higher IMO

[moviebuffed]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I think if I'm not mistaken Lawrence won for when the awards shows do that "get it wrong year late move lol" as a make up for her not winning a golden globe last year for silver linings? But I agree American hustle was good but it's not 12 years a Slave level I even rank Wolf of wall st higher IMO

Lawrence did win the best actress Golden Globe last year for Silver Linings Playbook. Tonight's win makes this her two in a row.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just finished revisiting John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle. If I were not so sleepy right now, I'd take out my Criterion Blu-ray of Stanley Kubrick's The Killing for a spin, because these two films would make a fitting double feature. Sterling Hayden is incredible in both, and the "dishonor among thieves" theme is so well played out in both.

The Asphalt Jungle is my favorite noir film. Great cast: Hayden, Calhern (one of my favorite character actors), Jaffe, McIntire, Hagen, Whitmore, et alia. My favorite aspect was the unlikely friendship that developed between Dix and the Doc.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by moviebuffed

Lawrence did win the best actress Golden Globe last year for Silver Linings Playbook. Tonight's win makes this her two in a row.

Yeah, remember "I beat Meryl!"

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jayembee

The Asphalt Jungle is my favorite noir film. Great cast: Hayden, Calhern (one of my favorite character actors), Jaffe, McIntire, Hagen, Whitmore, et alia. My favorite aspect was the unlikely friendship that developed between Dix and the Doc.

It's definitely one of the better film noirs, although my own personal favorite noirs are Out of the Past, The Maltese Falcon (and Double Indemnity, Private Hell 36, The Big Heat, Laura, The Killing, Kiss Me Deadly...and I could go on). I also enjoyed the interactions between Dix Handley and Riedenschneider. I love how the weaknesses of each person figured into the outcome (betting on horses, younger women, etc.).

Louis Calhern was a fine character actor, and he has another memorable role in Hitchcock's Notorious.

Jean Hagen is quite magnificent in this film. I recently revisited Singin' in the Rain, which stars Hagen as Lina Lamont. I always feel sorry for her character being laughed off the stage in that film, although she's a villain.

I've had Out of the Past on the mind all day after revisiting the movie last night. The fact that there are no Jacques Tourneur films on domestic Blu-ray yet is a travesty of epic proportions (although good restorations are worth waiting for).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

This is one reason why The Twilight Zone is, at present, the one and only television series that I own on Blu-ray. It's the only television series currently available in the format that I will actually revisit multiple times in the years ahead, whereas I would probably watch most television shows only once and then let them collect dust.

I binged on TV series on DVD, and found a lot of them were "I liked it for the moment" that I enjoyed watching when they were first on, but found that I didn't really feel like revisiting them.

I've held back on TV shows on Blu-ray, but there are still a number that I've bought that I either have revisited, or will revisit: Firefly, Farscape, The Prisoner, Fringe, Justified, Treme, Game of Thrones, Broadwalk Empire, Deadwood, Rome, Band of Brothers, Continuum, Dexter, Hannibal, Pushing Daisies, Slings & Arrows, Sherlock, et alia.

Ones I haven't yet gotten, but are high on my list to get are: The Twilight Zone, Battlestar Galactica (the reimagined series), and Orphan Black. If I ever get region-free capability, there are a few European series that I'd pick up as well (Bron/Broen/The Bridge being top of the list).

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's definitely one of the better film noirs, although my own personal favorite noirs are Out of the Past and The Maltese Falcon. I also enjoyed the interactions between Dix Handley and Riedenschneider. I love how the weaknesses of each person figured into the outcome (betting on horses, younger women, etc.).

Out of the Past is definitely high on my list, too, but probably third or fourth. The Maltese Falcon I like well enough, but it doesn't work for me as well as a lot of others. I can think of several Huston films I like better, and several Bogart films as well.

Louis Calhern was a fine character actor, and he has another memorable role in Hitchcock's Notorious.

He had quite a range, but my favorite roles are in two comedies: Duck Soup and Diplomaniacs. It's a shame that Notorious is the only one of his films out on Blu-ray.

I've had Out of the Past on the mind all day after revisiting the movie last night. The fact that there are no Jacques Tourneur films on domestic Blu-ray yet is a travesty of epic proportions (although good restorations are worth waiting for).

True dat. I'm getting closer to the point of ordering a bunch of his films from Warner Archive that haven't even been released on commercial DVD yet. At the moment, the only thing of his out on Blu-ray is the episode of The Twilight Zone he directed ("Night Call").

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jayembee

True dat. I'm getting closer to the point of ordering a bunch of his films from Warner Archive that haven't even been released on commercial DVD yet. At the moment, the only thing of his out on Blu-ray is the episode of The Twilight Zoine he directed ("Night Call").

I did not think about that episode of The Twilight Zone being directed by Tourneur, but you're absolutely right. "Night Call" used to scare me to death when I was a kid. It's one of the Season Five episodes waiting for me to revisit with the Blu-ray set, and I'm looking forward to seeing it in the improved picture quality.

A French Blu-ray of Night of the Demon/Curse of the Demon came out recently, and I would be overjoyed to see Criterion take the helm with a domestic release.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection and the Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 1 DVD sets can be found for low prices. The word around the campfire seems to be that they are having trouble finding good source material for high definition presentations of these films, but the DVDs look pretty darn good on a high definition television, as I was reminded of this weekend when I went through the Noir set. I hope that some Blu-ray upgrades happen in 2014.
EDIT: Gun Crazy has a French release as well, so maybe the rest of them will follow.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Val Lewton Horror Collection and the Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 1 DVD sets can be found for low prices.

I have the Lewton set (on both LD and DVD), The Film Noir Classics Collection Vols 1-3 (but not 4 or 5 yet), the Warner Bros. Pictures Gangster Collection Vol 1 (but not 2, 3, or 4 yet), and the Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection. One of these days...

A French Blu-ray of Night of the Demon/Curse of the Demon came out recently, and I would be overjoyed to see Criterion take the helm with a domestic release.

According to the listing here, it's region-free (at least, Region A & B).

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm having a blast revisiting The Twilight Zone seasons and marveling at the improved picture quality, but I still feel the need to portion out the episodes over time. It's my all-time favorite show, and I notice new things with each subsequent viewing, but it would take weeks for me to revisit all five of the seasons back-to-back in order.

This is one reason why The Twilight Zone is, at present, the one and only television series that I own on Blu-ray. It's the only television series currently available in the format that I will actually revisit multiple times in the years ahead, whereas I would probably watch most television shows only once and then let them collect dust.

When the Original Series of Star Trek went on sale for a criminally low price a couple of weeks ago for Christmas, I had a fleeting temptation to pull the trigger on those seasons to relive some childhood nostalgia. I decided against the purchase in the end, though, because I knew how it would probably play out. I'd probably revisit a few key episodes that I remember from childhood, and then let that set collect dust while I go back to watching movies. It would be sort of cool to watch Captain Kirk fight Gorn in high definition, but it's not a priority now.

Of course, if the five seasons of Miami Vice are ever upgraded to Blu-ray, I'll be buying those without a second thought. That's my second favorite show behind The Twilight Zone, and I revisit my Miami Vice DVDs quite often.

Oh, the original series of Star Trek is a whole different story. I am ashamed to say that I paid full retail price for all 3 seasons ($180) when they came out on Blu-ray back in 2011. Obviously now I think saw it at one point for around $60 or 70 (for all 3 seasons). I must have spent at least 2 months watching all 80 or so episodes and supplements on my Blu-ray player at the time. And yes, that is ALL I was watching for those 2 months straight. I didn't mix them up or space them out with other movies or shows. I had a blast watching the original series though! Seeing the amazing difference in quality was truly a revelation too. Actually the whole reason I bought a Blu-ray player in the first place was because of Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray!

I definitely am interested in exploring The Twilight Zone on Blu-ray next though. Unlike you, I rarely watched the shows growing up.