The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I saw Song of the South at a theater back in 1980 when I was in third grade. I was staying at a friend's house when his family decided to go out for a movie that night. I remember being quietly disappointed that they decided to go see Song of the South instead of The Empire Strikes Back, which I had already seen at a local theater with my brother, but wanted to see again. In retrospect, though, I'm glad that I had a chance to see the Disney movie on the big screen.

I'm just glad that I have it on (Japanese) laserdisc.

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by TylerScruggs

Perhaps I need to rewatch it, but I didn't quite jive with Thief. I found it to be super slow and despite the wonderful look and feel, didn't have much of a driving force throughout. I did a double feature with that and Drive, and although that film's ascetic is probably completely credited to Thief, I find it to be the superior film. It's atmospheric but not aimless.

Again, this is only a first impression. I had some pretty big expectations and I felt let down. :-/

Interesting. The characters supply the drive for me. Thief is so tightly wound in its attitude and blunt in its storytelling, in fact, that I can't help but see anything but driving forces--Frank, Leo, the crooked cops--that spur action and reaction. I think Drive is purposefully emptier, especially toward the beginning of the film, where Driver is reserved and reactive. Frank seems to always know where he's going (the collage, his professional code, etc) while Driver is removed from the everyday with only a five-minute window of extreme efficacy and control.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by cash_black

I love Drive, its in my top 100 but Thief is a masterclass, in my top 10, one of the greatest films ever made. Also Thief does get better with each viewing.

Thief is in my top 10 as well!

I love Thief so much because of it's visuals, it's soundtrack, and it's remarkable characters. Frank is one of my favorite characters of all time, and to follow him throughout his story is incredibly satisfying.

When I watch the ending, I get a combination of chills, excitement and enjoyment running though my body.

[hoytereden]

Eat Drink Man Woman is on TCM today. Would be a good candidate for the Collection or, at least, a good double feature with Babette's Feast.

[phillyfilmbuff]

Originally Posted by cash_black

for me

1. The Long Goodbye
2. The Player
3. 3 Women
4. The Gingerbread Man
5. Short Cuts
6. MASH
7. Popeye

I would say:
1. Nashville
2. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
3. The Long Goodbye
4. Mash
5. Gosford Park
6. The Player
7. Popeye
8. Pret-a-Porter
9. Brewster McCloud
10. California Split

[Ctzalman]

^that's more like it.. but you forgot 3 women and images. mccabe will always top my list for altman films, with 3 women coming in a close second.

[salad]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Eat Drink Man Woman is on TCM today. Would be a good candidate for the Collection or, at least, a good double feature with Babette's Feast.

Both movies are featured in the March Friday Night Spotlight Food In The Movies hosted by Anthony Bourdain, but 'Babette's Feast' does not air until the 28th when it's paired with 'Big Night.'

Speaking of Altman and food, one of his finest films, 'O.C. & Stggs,' features an important huevos ranchero preparation scene.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Eat Drink Man Woman is on TCM today. Would be a good candidate for the Collection or, at least, a good double feature with Babette's Feast.

I'd love it if Criterion managed to get their hands on Ang Lee's entire "Father Knows Best" trilogy: Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet (still my favorite Ang Lee film), and Eat Drink Man Woman.

[Yojimbo68]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Last night's theatrical showing of Seven Samurai at the Midtown Art Cinema here in Atlanta was fun!

The theater used an older 35mm print with loud mono sound from the front speakers, and I enjoyed the old school effect, print scratches and all.

Interestingly, this particular subtitle translation of Seven Samurai featured quite a few expletives that I've never seen in the newer translations on the Criterion DVD or Blu-ray editions. It was surreal and amusing to see the f-word appear in the subtitles several times (mostly from Mifune's Kikuchiyo).

I enjoyed the experience of seeing Seven Samurai with a big audience, because I've always watched it alone at home in the past. My two friends who were originally going to meet me there ended up canceling earlier yesterday, because they did not want to make the drive into town, but they really missed out. The comedic high notes of older movies like this come across so well when viewed with an audience.

As always when I'm watching this movie, I marveled at how some of the later action scenes were created before the days of digital effects, blue screen, etc.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the 35mm showing of Breathless next Tuesday night.

An offline friend has expressed interest in seeing the digital showing of 8 1/2 at this theater in a few weeks, so I might make it to that showing as well.


Incidentally, I saw a couple of big posters advertising Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin, so I look forward to visiting Midtown Art Cinema to see this film when it shows up. I'm almost finished reading the Michel Faber novel.

I caught that showing of Seven Samurai as well. Again, thanks for the heads up! It was great seeing a 35mm print with an audience!

[TheHighRoller]

The Criterion Collection needs to obtain Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty (2011) and release it on Blu-ray or Dual Format, although a DVD was released in the U.S. It's total Criterion material and I would love for this to be available in the U.S. on Blu-ray.

It's one of the best independent films I've seen, especially from a new director.

Sleeping Beauty - Official 2011 Trailer - YouTube

[BladeRunner2007]

That trailer looks very interesting and artsy which is a good thing imo. But I heard the film itself is not that good actually. A lot of potential but ultimately ill-conceived and too shallow. Still, I'm curious...

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Yojimbo68

I caught that showing of Seven Samurai as well. Again, thanks for the heads up! It was great seeing a 35mm print with an audience!

I'm glad that you were able to make it! I had so much fun seeing Seven Samurai with an audience, and I also enjoyed the brief presentation before the film.

I'm looking forward to seeing Breathless on Tuesday night at the same theater, and I'm thinking that I might try to make it to more of the films later on.

[The Great Owl]

I just finished watching the 1940 film, Stranger on the Third Floor, and I loved every minute.

Stranger on the Third Floor would make a perfect double feature with Fritz Lang's M, since this movie also stars Peter Lorre in a creepy role, and takes visual cues from German Expressionism. This movie is often acknowledged as the first film noir, but I find it to be quite a standout game changer on its own terms. A long dream sequence is worth the price of admission by itself.

[yhzmr]

Originally Posted by phillyfilmbuff

I would say:
1. Nashville
2. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
3. The Long Goodbye
4. Mash
5. Gosford Park
6. The Player
7. Popeye
8. Pret-a-Porter
9. Brewster McCloud
10. California Split

Any opinions on Kansas City? I enjoyed it quite a bit. Great performance by Harry Belafonte and some good jazz. The commentary by Altman was very good as he referenced his own experience growing up in KC.

[Brad1963]

My Altman picks, in no particular order.

Nashville
M*A*S*H
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
3 Women
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Gosford Park
The Player
A Wedding
Thieves Like Us
The Long Goodbye

[hustlermane]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

The Criterion Collection needs to obtain Julia Leigh's Sleeping Beauty (2011) and release it on Blu-ray or Dual Format, although a DVD was released in the U.S. It's total Criterion material and I would love for this to be available in the U.S. on Blu-ray.

I'll cosign this notion - I thought it was really quite a tremendous, ballsy film. It looks stunning too, and its the type of polarising film that prospers on Criterion.

[BladeRunner2007]

Originally Posted by hustlermane

I'll cosign this notion - I thought it was really quite a tremendous, ballsy film. It looks stunning too, and its the type of polarising film that prospers on Criterion.

Gonna rent it tomorrow, it's time to see this film for myself.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Glad you like my avatar. TIML is a movie I enjoyed as a kid. Don Knotts is perfect in it, but it also features one of my favorite character actors, Jack Weston. It's a great story, on many levels. One thing I learned today on IMDB is that the cinematographer for TIML, Harold E. Stine, was also the cinematographer on M*A*S*H. Stine didn't do a lot of film work. He was mostly a TV guy and M*A*S*H was one of his last films.

BTW, there's a rumored remake of TIML in the planning, with Zak Galifianakis to star and Richard Linklater at the helm. They have a tough act to follow.

Yeah, TIML is something I enjoyed mostly as a kid too ... which has everything to do with my fond feelings for it today. I agree with you on both Don Knotts and Jack Weston. Very interesting about Harold E. Stine too ... good trivia! Thanks for the info.

I've been hearing/reading rumors of a TIML remake for a long time. I think Jim Carrey was long rumored to be the next Henry Limpet. But that was a long time ago already. Hard to imagine anybody doing it better than the original ... Don Knotts (who appears in the Criterion release of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. ).

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I'd love it if Criterion managed to get their hands on Ang Lee's entire "Father Knows Best" trilogy: Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet (still my favorite Ang Lee film), and Eat Drink Man Woman.

I saw that trilogy available as a region free release so that's a possibility if Criterion doesn't pick any, or all, of them up.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just finished watching the 1940 film, Stranger on the Third Floor, and I loved every minute.

Stranger on the Third Floor would make a perfect double feature with Fritz Lang's M, since this movie also stars Peter Lorre in a creepy role, and takes visual cues from German Expressionism. This movie is often acknowledged as the first film noir, but I find it to be quite a standout game changer on its own terms. A long dream sequence is worth the price of admission by itself.

An example of how much could be done with a low budget programmer. RKO seemed to do this as well, if not better, than any other studio. This, the Val Lewton's, and an excellent early Lucy film called Five Came Back (a predecessor to Flight of the Phoenix?) are just a few examples.