The Criterion Collection

[captveg]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm really interested in checking out more Indian films or films set in India. I only have The River (French Import) and The Darjeeling Limited I believe but I'm interrelated in getting the Satyajit Ray's films. Can anyone recommend great films set in India with beautiful cinematography?

Gandhi (1982) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) are a couple obvious choices.

[ycbbh]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm really interested in checking out more Indian films or films set in India. I only have The River (French Import) and The Darjeeling Limited I believe but I'm interrelated in getting the Satyajit Ray's films. Can anyone recommend great films set in India with beautiful cinematography?

You've made a great start. I've been to every state in India (apart from the regions bordering Burma) and Darjeeling still looks better than real life.

Do you want Western films that are set in India or Indian films as well? Either way it's a fairly large category.

You can't get much greater than Octopussy or Temple of Doom but I guess you've probably seen those
David Lean's A Passage to India or Attenborough's Gandhi both a little ponderous but look great
I've also found the 70s adaptation of Siddhartha quite pulchitrudinous
Tarsem Singh's The Fall has several scenes set in India and it's gorgeous
Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay is a great look at the city in the 80s

Couple of Tamil films (there are many more I'm just not familiar enough with that side of the Indian film industry) - Roja, Bombay, Kannathi Muthamittal

Loads of Bollywood throughout the years, don't know if they're going to be on Blu. Good looking (but not necessarily that good) from the last couple of decades include Dil Se, Dil Chahata Hai, Lagaan, Devdas, Bunty aur Bubly, Delhi 6, Swades

If you want to see something that's been incredibly popular with Indian audiences recently have a look at Dabaang and its sequel - they are ridiculous

[MifuneFan]

Rang De Basanti is a great Indian film with very nice visuals

[ycbbh]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Rang De Basanti is a great Indian film with very nice visuals

You generally can't go too wrong with an Aamir Khan movie

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by ycbbh

You've made a great start. I've been to every state in India (apart from the regions bordering Burma) and Darjeeling still looks better than real life.

Do you want Western films that are set in India or Indian films as well? Either way it's a fairly large category.

You can't get much greater than Octopussy or Temple of Doom but I guess you've probably seen those
David Lean's A Passage to India or Attenborough's Gandhi both a little ponderous but look great
I've also found the 70s adaptation of Siddhartha quite pulchitrudinous
Tarsem Singh's The Fall has several scenes set in India and it's gorgeous
Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay is a great look at the city in the 80s

Couple of Tamil films (there are many more I'm just not familiar enough with that side of the Indian film industry) - Roja, Bombay, Kannathi Muthamittal

Loads of Bollywood throughout the years, don't know if they're going to be on Blu. Good looking (but not necessarily that good) from the last couple of decades include Dil Se, Dil Chahata Hai, Lagaan, Devdas, Bunty aur Bubly, Delhi 6, Swades

If you want to see something that's been incredibly popular with Indian audiences recently have a look at Dabaang and its sequel - they are ridiculous

ahh.. since now the floodgates have been opened..
I'll vouch for Dil Chahata Hai as a Bollywood film worth seeing. Of course we had 3 Idiots as a minor crossover hit a few years back. I also enjoyed the film Talaash (on Netflix) which is kind of a sexy, mystery/drama and features two of Bollywood's biggest stars - Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

Dil Se features great music by A.R. Rahman (same composer who did Jai Ho for Slumdog and works on MANY Indian films.) As a film, however, Dil Se is ridiculous, so much so that it makes it a rather fun experience. It isn't exactly camp, but fun nevertheless. And even more preposterous and silly is a film called Kahaani which translates to "A Story". It is competently made and was a HUGE hit in India, but it is BAAADD in a way that I had a lot of fun with.

[kryptonite1970]

Originally Posted by captveg

Gandhi (1982) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) are a couple obvious choices.

I agree with Gandhi but Slumdog Millionnaire? I don't get why people like that movie. Really surprised it won an Oscar.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

you are my favorite J Wayne, though... it's close, but I give you the nod.

[smoss469]

Criterion tweeting about The Warriors. Make it happen guys!

[Meek12345]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I'm not a fan of John Wayne, either. Quite frankly, I think he's a terrible actor. He was always more of a star than an actor. That said, I probably have more films in my collection starring him than any other actor. He just had a knack for finding himself in some great films from some great directors. Even John Ford, who worked with him regularly, was surprised by his performance in Red River. He reportedly commented, "I didn't know the big sonofabïtch could act."

Thanks for reminding me of that quote from Ford. Makes me laugh every time. Brad Pitt comes to mind after reading all of these posts about actors with more star quality than acting ability. I think he was good in Twelve Monkeys and Se7en. However, I think that Taraji Henson and Cate Blanchett acted circles around him in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I still haven't seen The Tree Of Life and some of his other critically praised performances (The Assassination of Jesse James) though.

Originally Posted by jayembee

Not to dismiss Ace in the Hole -- it's a solid film -- but there are better examples of films from both of those worthies already out.

Douglas: Paths of Glory (from Criterion), Spartacus (Universal), and Champion (Olive). And Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is coming out from Paramount in a few weeks, and The War Wagon (co-starring John Wayne) from Universal a few weeks after that.

Wilder: Sunset Blvd. and Stalag 17 from Paramount; The Seven Year Itch from Fox; Some Like It Hot and The Apartment from MGM; and Double Indemnity is coming from Universal in mid-April.

Thanks for the recommendations! Paths of Glory is a great film, but I always want to flip a table after the ending. Even if it was realistic, it makes my blood boil. What do you think of the releases of Sunset Blvd. and The Apartment?

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jw007

I'm sticking to my opinion... I firmly believe this film, as the masterpiece that it is, has absolutely no redemption or is redeeming in any way! It is the only masterpiece I've ever seen that is completely hopeless, completely meaningless and completely devoid of anything joyous. You've seen the film, right? How many times have you watched it? Perhaps I need to see this again a few more times. I don't think it is insulting at all to call an amazing movie like this "soulless". It is completely appropriate because it is honestly as humanly vacant as ever.

I think The Turin Horse is absolutely unique and the transfer is completely stellar. The cinematography is otherworldly at times. The sound is completely immersive. And the story is completely without hope, without joy and without positivity. This does not mean the film is bad! If it was meant to be this way, it accomplishes its mission superbly! It is a film that is meant to be seen in such a way, in a way that movies dare never go, and in a way that is so bleak and dark, that it is nearly transcendental. It is a meditative experience in all facets!

Congratulations on your thoughts on this film as well, sir.

I think my feelings and possibly projections on this film have a lot to do with the scene where the man has to go out and tell the jokers to buzz off for his wife. I see humanity and soul all over this film but it is truly drenched in coldness and I love that about it. It strips all the events down completely. I think that the word nihilism has a connotation that there is no empathy at all or not a care in the world. To me, and in my opinion the film exemplifies this, it is just a certain understanding of things, and does not mean you are malicious or feel for nothing etc. The film shows the same plights as a "normal" citizen of the time but obviously these people are way less "fun". That scene is crucial; wish I were better with words.

[Spire]

Originally Posted by smoss469

Criterion tweeting about The Warriors. Make it happen guys!

I thought the Paramount disc looked good but couldnt stand the comic book style transitions...

[natureboy]

Originally Posted by Spire

I thought the Paramount disc looked good but couldnt stand the comic book style transitions...

I've held onto my old Paramount non-Director's Cut DVD for this reason (I have the DC blu as well).

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ycbbh

You can't get much greater than Octopussy

Amen to that.

*high five*

Originally Posted by smoss469

Criterion tweeting about The Warriors. Make it happen guys!

What what say what? I just shelled out $5 for the existing Blu-ray a couple weeks ago. It's a great disc.

[smoss469]

I really enjoyed the transitions, I thought they were well done.

On a side note, it appears DeepDiscount moving their operations from CA to KY haven't helped any. The order had to go from KY to WV. That's normally a 1 or 2 day trip using normal snail mail... my order has been sitting in KY for Eight Days. Looks like I wasn't meant to receive my copy of Thief.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Amen to that.

*high five*



What what say what? I just shelled out $5 for the existing Blu-ray a couple weeks ago. It's a great disc.

Criterion Collection ‏@Criterion 2h

Walter Hill remembers making THE WARRIORS, 35 years later. We can dig it: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture...hill-interview

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by smoss469

Criterion Collection ‏@Criterion 2h

Walter Hill remembers making THE WARRIORS, 35 years later. We can dig it: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture...hill-interview

I would love a Criterion release of The Warriors, but unfortunately, Warner Bros. currently has the rights due to their Paramount deal.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I would love a Criterion release of The Warriors, but unfortunately, Warner Bros. currently has the rights due to their Paramount deal.

I've got Walter Hill's Hard Times, The Driver, and The Warriors. I hope that Shout Factory is still on for releasing Southern Comfort later this year, because that's my favorite Hill flick.

[smoss469]

Walter Hill has a lot of good movies to his credit, even strictly from a directing stand point. A wide range from the oddly dystopian, The Warriors or Streets of Fire, buddy films 48 Hours/Another 48 Hours, comedies Brewster's Millions etc.

My favorite though, has to be Last Man Standing. I love the Red Harvest story based films and have at least that I know of.

Interesting note, IMDB has a listing for a Warriors film that's going to start production soon (hopefully).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423512/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_1

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm really interested in checking out more Indian films or films set in India. I only have The River (French Import) and The Darjeeling Limited I believe but I'm interrelated in getting the Satyajit Ray's films. Can anyone recommend great films set in India with beautiful cinematography?

The River is a terrific film. It's behind only Kwaidan in my Criterion Upgrade Wish List. As for Satyajit Ray, you can't go wrong there. His best -- the Apu Trilogy -- isn't available on Blu-ray yet, unfortunately.

In addition to ones others have recommended, check out various of the Merchant Ivory productions. I especially liked James Ivory's Heat and Dust and Nicholas Meyer's The Deceivers. Not all of the Merchant Ivory films have to do with India, but a goodly percentage of them do.

Another Indian film I saw on Netflix about a month ago that I recommend is Joseph Mathew's Bombay Summer, if you can find it. It's expired from Netflix now, and there's no listing at Amazon, either for streaming or DVD.

Another recent film set (primarily) in India is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which my wife and I quite liked.

And I'd be remiss in not bringing up a couple of Kipling classics: Gunga Din (RKO, 1939) and Kim (MGM, 1950). Or the Kipling associational title: John Huston's wonderful The Man Who Would Be King.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by kryptonite1970

I agree with Gandhi but Slumdog Millionnaire? I don't get why people like that movie. Really surprised it won an Oscar.

I'm not a big fan of Danny Boyle's films in general, but I quite liked Slumdog Millionaire.