The Criterion Collection

[blu-bry]

My Zatoichi set has arrived! It is in immaculate condition, and was packaged in a sturdy cardboard shipping box. Now, to enjoy the films...

[The Great Owl]

The theatrical showing of the 35mm print of Godard's Breathless was outstanding. After this and last week's showing of Seven Samurai, I'm really getting into Midtown Art Cinema's Tuesday Classics. I was going to end it with these two, since it's sort of a hassle to drive downtown on weeknights, but I'm now thinking that I should make it to The 400 Blows, Solaris, and 8 1/2 after all.

A few thoughts about Breathless...

If you really want to understand how Breathless was a game-changer in 1960, then spend a lot of time watching 1950s movies first. During the past few months, I've watched a lot of classic-era film noirs from the 1940s and 1950s, so the differences between the styles of those earlier films and this Godard film really resonated with me tonight. In stylistic terms, Breathless must have made most 1950s movies look as though they had aged 20 years overnight.

To contemporary viewers, Breathless looks like it was created by a film school student. I'm inclined to believe that this is because many film school students these days make films that resemble Breathless, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Every time I watch Breathless, I imagine that Quentin Tarantino basically modeled his first few movies entirely on Godard's stylistic choices. The bedroom scene in Pulp Fiction with Bruce Willis and Maria de Medeiros looks as though it were crafted straight from the Breathless blueprint.

Anyway, it was a great experience to see a classic Godard film on the big screen, and it was so much fun to watch Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg on the big screen. I'm on cloud nine.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The theatrical showing of the 35mm print of Godard's Breathless was outstanding. After this and last week's showing of Seven Samurai, I'm really getting into Midtown Art Cinema's Tuesday Classics. I was going to end it with these two, since it's sort of a hassle to drive downtown on weeknights, but I'm now thinking that I should make it to The 400 Blows, Solaris, and 8 1/2 after all.

I'm very jealous. I wish we had a cinema that would screen classics here.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Visco.

The HD cable version needed some work too. I kept thinking how amazing it would look on blu-ray. It's unfortunate because it makes me doubt if it will ever get a blu.

I think a director like Danny Boyle would want to press the studios to release his films on Blu-ray, but then again, some directors have no say in what gets released on home video and what doesn't. I think The Beach will eventually be released in a high definition format, but the question is when.

[bdmartin134]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The theatrical showing of the 35mm print of Godard's Breathless was outstanding. After this and last week's showing of Seven Samurai, I'm really getting into Midtown Art Cinema's Tuesday Classics. I was going to end it with these two, since it's sort of a hassle to drive downtown on weeknights, but I'm now thinking that I should make it to The 400 Blows, Solaris, and 8 1/2 after all.

A few thoughts about Breathless...

If you really want to understand how Breathless was a game-changer in 1960, then spend a lot of time watching 1950s movies first. During the past few months, I've watched a lot of classic-era film noirs from the 1940s and 1950s, so the differences between the styles of those earlier films and this Godard film really resonated with me tonight. In stylistic terms, Breathless must have made most 1950s movies look as though they had aged 20 years overnight.

To contemporary viewers, Breathless looks like it was created by a film school student. I'm inclined to believe that this is because many film school students these days make films that resemble Breathless, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Every time I watch Breathless, I imagine that Quentin Tarantino basically modeled his first few movies entirely on Godard's stylistic choices. The bedroom scene in Pulp Fiction with Bruce Willis and Maria de Medeiros looks as though it were crafted straight from the Breathless blueprint.

Anyway, it was a great experience to see a classic Godard film on the big screen, and it was so much fun to watch Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg on the big screen. I'm on cloud nine.

Great Owl, I just want to express how jealous I am of your options to watch these movies in Atlanta. I never took for granted my time living in Buckhead, going to Tara off of Cheshire Blvd. Never got down to Midtown that much, but had great opportunities to catch some of the newer independent type films going through there.. I currently live in West Palm Beach, and the options to catch older films or early showings of newer, less known films is almost impossible. I miss that city very much, I hope to move back.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

I have a polar opposite take on this idea.

Art, in my mind, is meant to be interpreted in a way unique to each individual (this applies to all art forms).

I like to watch a film 2-3 times (sometimes more depending on the depth of the film) before I read/view anyone else's perception of the film (even the intended interpretations as described by the director). I feel that someone else's views on a film subconsciously affect my insights (either directly or comparatively). Once I feel that I have solidified my own interpretations I will go back and read other interpretations (or the intent of the director), because at this point I can safely compare my insights with others without risking losing my views or blending my interpretation with theirs (that said, sometimes I do choose to blend my ideas with others if doing so explains more than I was able to get on my own in a way that I accept).

I respect your opinion just like you respected mine, but you may have missed my point.

Usually I don't want to watch a trailer before I see a film and I definitely NEVER watch the supplements before I see a film for the first time. However, there are exceptions. For me, its not about the movie, but about the director himself. I wanted to know more about Cassavetes, and watching his films is not going to answer my questions about his personal life, how he directed his actors in films and what his belief system was. I could read books about him but a thorough documentary film is a bit more accessible for the time being.

Having said that, I see nothing wrong about watching a documentary about a certain filmmaker before seeing his films, if the main goal is to "get to know" who the filmmaker is, rather than his films (which I'll watch without knowing anything about first).

Does this make sense now?

[hustlermane]

Here in Sydney, Aus, we don't have the best cinema culture but the Art Gallery of NSW often shows good stuff (on 35mm) - their upcoming program includes 8 1/2, Last Year at Marienbad, Mulholland Drive, The Trial, Rashomon and others. I'm not huge on Rashomon, but it could be special on film. The rest go without saying, I'll be there!

[Horsebot3K]

Originally Posted by bdmartin134

Great Owl, I just want to express how jealous I am of your options to watch these movies in Atlanta. I never took for granted my time living in Buckhead, going to Tara off of Cheshire Blvd. Never got down to Midtown that much, but had great opportunities to catch some of the newer independent type films going through there.. I currently live in West Palm Beach, and the options to catch older films or early showings of newer, less known films is almost impossible. I miss that city very much, I hope to move back.

I'm so jealous. I went there once seven years ago and it was amazing. Apologies for sidetracking the thread, but do they still have that massive mall? That place ruled.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Horsebot3K

I'm so jealous. I went there once seven years ago and it was amazing. Apologies for sidetracking the thread, but do they still have that massive mall? That place ruled.

I have relatives there and I've been to WPB about 24 times in my life (which I don't care for at all...sorry) but you might be referring to "City Place". I remember seeing the movie "Defiance" there in that movie theater at City Place. We almost saw "The Wrestler" instead that night. This must have been years ago.

[TylerScruggs]

Anyone else find it super weird that Her hasn't been announced for blu-ray release yet?

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by TylerScruggs

Anyone else find it super weird that Her hasn't been announced for blu-ray release yet?

ooooh you right, thats weird... :/

[Horsebot3K]

Originally Posted by TylerScruggs

Anyone else find it super weird that Her hasn't been announced for blu-ray release yet?

Weird? Probably. Frustrating? Totally.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Horsebot3K

I'm so jealous. I went there once seven years ago and it was amazing. Apologies for sidetracking the thread, but do they still have that massive mall? That place ruled.

There's a huge mall just northeast of metro Atlanta that I've successfully avoided so far. Haha.

Atlantic Station near the Georgia Tech campus is pretty awesome, though, and I've seen movies there on occasion.

On the indie theater front, there's...
Plaza Theatre (the oldest theatre in Atlanta, where I saw Dr. No and From Russia with Love last summer)
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema (where I'm currently seeing these Criterion movies on Tuesday nights)
Tara Cinemas (where I saw All Is Lost last year, and several other low-key movies)

[ShellOilJunior]

The best theaters to me are the smaller, neighborhood movie houses or cinematheques. The air is devoid of the smell of corporate popcorn and there are fewer disturbances during the show. The great thing about the cinematheque here is that talking is so frowned upon during the show that people will tell others to shut up.

This is the Cedar Lee theater near me. They play mostly art house films, midnight movies, Rocky Horror and The Room:

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The great thing about the cinematheque here is that talking is so frowned upon during the show that people will tell others to shut up.

I do that in any theater - even a dive.

[bwdowiak]

My understanding is that the promotional code 'SHAMROCK' at Deep Discount DVD will get you 15% off. That makes the following $39.95 Criterion titles less than $20:

Lonesome
12 Angry Men
The Great Dictator
Things To Come
Life & Death of Colonel Blimp
Les Cousins
Bigger Than Life
Night To Remember
To Be or Not To Be
Smiles of a Summer Night
Late Spring
Le Beau Serge
The Seventh Seal
The Red Shoes
The Gold Rush
The Phantom Carriage
Richard III
3:10 To Yuma
Senso
Safety Last
City Lights
Zazie Dans Le Metro

[natureboy]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

My understanding is that the promotional code 'SHAMROCK' at Deep Discount DVD will get you 15% off. That makes the following $39.95 Criterion titles less than $20:

Lonesome
12 Angry Men
The Great Dictator
Things To Come
Life & Death of Colonel Blimp
Les Cousins
Bigger Than Life
Night To Remember
To Be or Not To Be
Smiles of a Summer Night
Late Spring
Le Beau Serge
The Seventh Seal
The Red Shoes
The Gold Rush
The Phantom Carriage
Richard III
3:10 To Yuma
Senso
Safety Last
City Lights
Zazie Dans Le Metro

Was just coming to post that, but I wasn't going to do the leg work and list the titles. You are a better man than I!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by natureboy

Was just coming to post that, but I wasn't going to do the leg work and list the titles. You are a better man than I!

thanks, natureboy.. pleasure is mine.

there are a few $49.95 titles that come out to less than 50% off and a few box sets, too, so be sure to check it out, people.

[Clare2904]

Is it possible to embed a video into a post? I see you can attach a link but see nothing for the actual video

When I copy the embed code into here only the text appears when I preview.

p.s - It is a Criterion video that I want to post

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by jw007

[...]For me, its not about the movie, but about the director himself. I wanted to know more about Cassavetes, and watching his films is not going to answer my questions about his personal life, how he directed his actors in films and what his belief system was. [...]

Having said that, I see nothing wrong about watching a documentary about a certain filmmaker before seeing his films, if the main goal is to "get to know" who the filmmaker is, rather than his films (which I'll watch without knowing anything about first). [...]

I see where you are coming from concerning wanting to know more about Cassavettes himself. So, i think in this case the points I made in contrast to your original post do not apply.

Personally, I would still be nervous to watch the documentary for fear of having any spoilers/interpretations presented (even if the chance is slight since this documentary appears to focus on Cassavetes, himself). In fact, I own Cassavetes: Five Films on DVD and have yet to watch A Constant Forge, because I haven't seen all five films (and I will probably watch any other films of his I have yet to see before I start it).

I attribute this choice to the fact that I also do not want my view of a film influenced by my opinion of the director's personal life (and, please, don't read this as though I'm accusing you of possessing this detestable character trait). Now, I believe I have no deficiency separating the man from the art, but I still can't shake the apprehension if I have not first thoroughly examined his art myself.

I think we can chalk our slight differences in opinion to my apparent OCD.