The Criterion Collection

[GenPion]

The Demy set sounds amazing. I am glad I held off and didn't yet import The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

On the subject of Haggis, I think he may be one of my least favorite screenwriters in all of Hollywood. I am not a fan of his writing style.

[bwdowiak]

Many times I have expressed opinions that have gone against the consensus here. I did not hate, but I do not share the same enthusiasm for High and Low, The Red Shoes, and Hiroshima Mon Amour. I wasn't crazy about Jules and Jim initially either, but reflecting on it has caused me to change my opinion. Sometimes it is more interesting to have a friendly debate over the merits (or lack thereof) of a film rather than just heaping two cents of praise on a universally loved film.

I say that if you have an opinion, be prepared to back it up with something other than saying, "it's boring" or "it was too slow" or not saying anything at all.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by jw007

I wonder if this "dual format" experiment Criterion is doing will even last? Did Criterion give a reasonable explanation why there are still separate DVD editions still being released on top of the Dual Format editions?

There isn't much of a debate. Single DVD releases serve a large number of public and academic institutions. So they will be periodically reintroduced.

Pro-B

[jw007]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

There isn't much of a debate. Single DVD releases serve a large number of public and academic institutions. So they will be periodically reintroduced.

Pro-B

Thanks for silencing any mutterings or murmurings of a potential debate, I appreciate this. I forgot that the DVD only editions are created for education and libraries. I'm guessing Criterion is producing smaller batches of their DVD editions though than in the past now.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jw007

I wonder if this "dual format" experiment Criterion is doing will even last? Did Criterion give a reasonable explanation why there are still separate DVD editions still being released on top of the Dual Format editions?

This brings up yet another debate on the BD vs. DVD vs. Dual Format releases.

Something tells me Criterion is going to make a price adjustment sometime in the near future so they can sell more releases.

The DVD-only people need to get with it. I understand the academic institutions argument but is DVD really a worthwhile investment for even libraries these days?

A big reason I only owned about 40 dvds (I own about 150 blu-rays) was because my library system had EVERYTHING on dvd. The biggest drawback was 1 in 3 discs was scratched-up so bad the film wouldn't play. In some cases I got to the last chapter of the film and the disc crapped out.
It makes more sense for libraries to invest in blu-ray/blu-ray equipment because a typical BR disc is much sturdier than a DVD.

We live in a society where some people will upgrade their phone every 6 months but won't give up DVD.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Cronenberg is hit-or-miss with me. The movies that quicken my pulse are usually Cronenberg's late 1970s/early 1980s films that deal with horror on a more visceral level. The character study/thriller movies from later in his career tend to fall flat with me. This is strange, because I usually feel the opposite way about most directors.

I used to love the early Cronenberg horror films, especially the fact that they all conform to the theme of "biological horror" (I still feel bummed that he never ended up making his version of Frankenstein). But they don't hold up for me anymore. I certainly don't find them unwatchable these days, but I'm less inclined to want to own them on Blu-ray.

The only film of Cronenberg's that I can honestly say I didn't like was was M. Butterfly, but not for the seemingly obvious reason. I saw it at a Boston Film Festival screening, and at the same festival I also saw Farewell to My Concubine, which I unreservedly loved.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I tried The Umbrellas of Cherbourg once before in the past and I had heard that every line of the movie is sung. I watched maybe 10 minutes of it and said to myself, "what?!? every line of dialogue in this movie is sung!" point is.. I should have known better. I can barely stomach any musicals.

Philisitine.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I would recommend taking a look at some of his more recent stuff. A History of Violence and Eastern Promises are both very strong. If you want to stay within his work as a sci fi/horror director, The Brood and eXistenz would be good next steps.

In the latter case, I'd suggest The Dead Zone rather than The Brood.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

OK, so now I'm curious about what the actual cover will look like. Criterion's site still shows this as the cover.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jayembee

OK, so now I'm curious about what the actual cover will look like. Criterion's site still shows this as the cover.

It's the same image

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Haggis also co-wrote the screenplay of my favorite film of the 2000s, Casino Royale. The Bond franchise seems to bring out the best in people whose work normally underwhelms me, though. Sam Mendes is another such example.

I'll forgive Haggis for anything he does that's underwhelming because he was the writer/showrunner of two TV series that I greatly enjoyed: EZ Streets and The Black Donnellys.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It's the same image

Really? You're seeing the same image? I'm not.

Go to http://www.criterion.com/films/28043-scanners

Is the cover shown on that page the same as the one Pro-B posted?

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Really? You're seeing the same image? I'm not.

Go to http://www.criterion.com/films/28043-scanners

Is the cover shown on that page the same as the one Pro-B posted?

They look the same to me

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

They look the same to me

That is confusing. The image that Pro-B posted is an orange-y still from the film with blood on the face and the eyes whited out, and the title in white at the bottom of the cover. The image at Criterion.com is a painting (by Connor Willumsen, according to the text) that's greenish-black, cut up into blocks, and with the title in green at the top.

I don't know how to explain why I'm the only one seeing them differently.

(Whistling The Twilight Zone theme...)

[shadedpain4]

I can see the two different cover images. Your guess is as good as mine as to which is the real cover.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Philisitine.

I know. First Tati and now this, right?

[LPMA]

Originally Posted by jayembee

OK, so now I'm curious about what the actual cover will look like. Criterion's site still shows this as the cover.

They both are identical?

I think the old cover you might be seeing was the plain-looking artwork they used for Hulu pre-announcement.

[bwdowiak]

was surprised to see the blu-ray edition of Persona available to borrow at my library today. I thought for sure, there would be a backlog of people reserving it. I had considered it a safe blind buy, but since I have not pulled the trigger yet, might as well give it a spin free of charge.

looking forward to it!

[Polaroid]

Just found this...

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Brood-Blu-ray/64495/

Is it some fake some one has uploaded? Dunno how stuff like this works on this site

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Just found this...

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Brood-Blu-ray/64495/

Is it some fake some one has uploaded? Dunno how stuff like this works on this site

That is the cover for the itunes version.