The Criterion Collection

[pro-bassoonist]

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray REVIEW







Pro-B

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray REVIEW

Thanks!

I can't wait until the 15th. I was going to watch "Melancholia" tonight, but I think I'll just have a Lars-fest when this arrives: "Breaking the Waves" and "Antichrist" and "Melancholia" ...

... Then I'll go kill myself.

Reading the review now. Heh.

ETA: Excellent review.

[Show spoiler]BTW, you say that the film is admittedly not an easy film to like. Are ANY of Lars' films easy to like?

ETA2: OH, and I forgot to add "The Kingdom" in there. I actually saw the entire thing once in a theater. What an awesome piece of work. But I only have it on DVD, as it was a gift (don't even know if it is on BD).

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Thanks!

I can't wait until the 15th. I was going to watch "Melancholia" tonight, but I think I'll just have a Lars-fest when this arrives: "Breaking the Waves" and "Antichrist" and "Melancholia" ...

... Then I'll go kill myself.

Reading the review now. Heh.

ETA: Excellent review.

[Show spoiler]BTW, you say that the film is admittedly not an easy film to like. Are ANY of Lars' films easy to like?

ETA2: OH, and I forgot to add "The Kingdom" in there. I actually saw the entire thing once in a theater. What an awesome piece of work. But I only have it on DVD, as it was a gift (don't even know if it is on BD).

I find his films really easy to like, I don't know why, they are so raw and beautiful and explore themes some people are scared to.

They can be so tragic and cruel, but there is always some beauty and hope in his films, its hard to see if your not a die hard fan like me though haha!

[hustlermane]

Wow, that Breaking the Waves set looks brilliant. As you say pro-b, it's not an easy film to like and I'm not sure how often I'd revisit it, but I think I'd want it in my library!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

My wife and I LOVED Le Havre. La Vie De Boheme Will be in my next batch of Criterions ordered, I am sure.

I, too, watched Le Havre with my wife... We weren't quite as taken with it. Of the movies that made the cut and qualify as "Criterion titles that I liked," I've got this ranked 49 out of 50. I was a little put off by the whimsical nature of this film. The blank expression by the young boy also reminded me of something I don't like, too, although I can not put my finger on it. I actually thought of Wes Anderson although, yes, I know - quite different. The concert scene was, to me, just whimsy for whimsy sake. And it was terribly predictable and kinda cookie cutter, really.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

BTW, you say that the film is admittedly not an easy film to like. Are ANY of Lars' films easy to like?

I do believe that some of his movies like Dancer In The Dark, Dogville or Europa are easy to like. I also think Melancholia is easy to like.

But what does "easy to like" mean anyway ?

[italy12]

Originally Posted by tenia

I do believe that some of his movies like Dancer In The Dark, Dogville or Europa are easy to like. I also think Melancholia is easy to like.

But what does "easy to like" mean anyway ?

Tenia?? As in "Irreversible"??

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by tenia

I do believe that some of his movies like Dancer In The Dark, Dogville or Europa are easy to like. I also think Melancholia is easy to like.

But what does "easy to like" mean anyway ?

I was dating this Bohemian girl who was a big fan of Bjork at the time that Dancer in the Dark came out. I took her to go see it at the theater (she REALLY wanted to see it) and she came out scarred for what seemed like weeks. I'm not particularly well versed in Lars VT knowledge, but I'm not sure how one can defend that film as "easy to like."

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by tenia

I do believe that some of his movies like Dancer In The Dark, Dogville or Europa are easy to like. I also think Melancholia is easy to like.

But what does "easy to like" mean anyway ?

I suspect that what is meant by "not easy to like" is that the film in question is dark and depressing and generally negative. Leaving Las Vegas, for example, is a terrific film, but it's not "easy to like". I might include 12 Years a Slave in that category (despite it's uplifting ending), though I don't think it's "not easy to like" so much as a "hard film to watch" because of all the shït that happens.

That said, I find LVT's films easy to like. I loved Breaking the Waves unreservedly from the first time I saw it.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I was dating this Bohemian girl who was a big fan of Bjork at the time that Dancer in the Dark came out. I took her to go see it at the theater (she REALLY wanted to see it) and she came out scarred for what seemed like weeks. I'm not particularly well versed in Lars VT knowledge, but I'm not sure how one can defend that film as "easy to like."

I gave up on LVT after Dogville (actually half-way through it). While I admired the artistry of Dancer in the Dark and Breaking the Waves, his world-view just seemed so unremittingly bleak that I don't care to subject myself to it for another two hours. I didn't know if I was watching a movie or a snuff flick. I don't need all my entertainment to be light and fluffy, but shine at least a dim light of hope for the human condition. Compared to LVT, Thomas Hardy is a comedian.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I gave up on LVT after Dogville (actually half-way through it). While I admired the artistry of Dancer in the Dark and Breaking the Waves, his world-view just seemed so unremittingly bleak that I don't care to subject myself to it for another two hours. I didn't know if I was watching a movie or a snuff flick. I don't need all my entertainment to be light and fluffy, but shine at least a dim light of hope for the human condition. Compared to LVT, Thomas Hardy is a comedian.

You should try The Kingdom (no, not the film with Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner). It's actually quite comical, while still being a terrific ghost story. As the ad slogan put it, "It's like ER on acid".

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I gave up on LVT after Dogville (actually half-way through it). While I admired the artistry of Dancer in the Dark and Breaking the Waves, his world-view just seemed so unremittingly bleak that I don't care to subject myself to it for another two hours. I didn't know if I was watching a movie or a snuff flick. I don't need all my entertainment to be light and fluffy, but shine at least a dim light of hope for the human condition. Compared to LVT, Thomas Hardy is a comedian.

There is a lot of hope and light for some of the character in his films and for the audience, its subtle, but it is there.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jayembee

You should try The Kingdom (no, not the film with Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner). It's actually quite comical, while still being a terrific ghost story. As the ad slogan put it, "It's like ER on acid".

The Kingdom might be the best intro to his work, no? If you're region free there is a really nice box set

[Scottie]

Just a heads up, the new "The Night of the Hunter" release is a repackaging in a standard Blu-ray case (and photos of the new reissue of The 400 Blows).

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Just a heads up, the new "The Night of the Hunter" release is a repackaging in a standard Blu-ray case (and photos of the new reissue of The 400 Blows).

Thanks! was wondering what was up with the new release of Night of... on Amazon - I much prefer the digipak of 400 Blows though :/, same with Night tbh, only thing about Night digipak I hate is quality lol

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Just a heads up, the new "The Night of the Hunter" release is a repackaging in a standard Blu-ray case (and photos of the new reissue of The 400 Blows).

Oh, cool. Thanks for posting this, Scottie! I had not looked into it and thought for sure that The 400 Blows would come in a DigiPack. I've only had one so-so experience with a cardboard package and as a result, I vow to only get Criterion DigiPack titles direct from Criterion (sale only) or from Amazon.

This will save me a few bucks as I average paying around $17 - $18 for my 39.95 titles.

[Scottie]

No problem, guys.

[Polaroid]

Hope we get something good in next announcement, last few announcements haven't had much that appeals to me - they and a few AMAZING releases before though like Great Beauty, Persona, Breaking etc etc

[brandon_260]

I finally watched my blu-ray of Persona today and it's even more impressive than the screencaps made me believe. Truly one of the most stunning presentations Criterion has delivered. With this viewing, I think Persona has also overtaken The Thin Red Line as my all time favorite film. It's such a sublime masterpiece.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

The Kingdom might be the best intro to his work, no? If you're region free there is a really nice box set

Yes, I'd say The Kingdom would be a good introduction to LVT's work. It's weird and wonderful, and quite accessible. The second series isn't quite as good as the first, though.

Someone in the US doesn't have to go with the UK set, though, region free or no. The two series come separately in the US, but they're still in print, at a cost roughly the same as the UK set.

What I don't recommend, however, is the Canadian DVD (from Seville) of the first series. The quality of the encoding leaves a lot to be desired (though I've seen worse; I originally had a Hong Kong release of the first series that was simply ghastly).

I have kept the Seville release around, though, because it uses the 5-episode "International Version" of the series. No extra material in the episodes proper -- it's just re-edited to present the same material in five shorter episodes instead of four longer ones -- but there's an extra set of end-credits with LVT.