The Criterion Collection

[starman15317]

Yeah, in fact, Seven Samurai is one that I plan to get before the sale is over.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

Wow, no Paths of Glory love on this thread

One of my top 3 Criterions, and one I always recommend to someone looking for suggestions.

This thread is years old, and it turned over a good many of its members a year ago, to the point that many newer members, including yourself, now have no "tribal" knowledge of what came before. Paths of Glory got lots of love "in the old days". Many comments about the film in the legacy posts. As always, someone brings up a title like Paths of Glory, it gets a flurry of discussion, then things settle down until the process repeats again. I think it still gets recognition, but is not so commonly discussed anymore. Criterion's catalog has grown and more recent films have moved into the forefront of consciousness. The same could be said for many films that were popularly (or at least frequently) discussed in early 2013 and prior that barely get a mention anymore.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I just watched Carl Theodor Dreyer's Master of The House and I loved it. What a great silent film! It's one of the delicious films where a tyrant get his just desserts. The actress who plays The Nanny stole the film IMO. If looks could kill,lol..

I completely agree with this. A magnificent film.
I wish Criterion would release more silent film. Outside of the usual suspects.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

It is beyond words. I watched last night and was raging at that ***t of a General

As absurd as this may seem today, the General and his command methods explored in Kubrick's Paths of Glory have historical precedent. I have read that the word "decimation" originated with a practice by the Romans to instill discipline in units that had failed in some spectacular way to perform as expected in battle. If the perceived failure was grievous enough for a Roman general to fear it might infect the entire army, or legion, or whatever, or if he felt the honor of the unit was compromised, then one extreme method of atonement was to exact a blood debt from the affected unit, paid by one man in ten chosen randomly for execution. Needless to say, this method of punishment proved motivating to the other nine men not selected.

Paths of Glory is based on historical events of early 1917, when the French army launched a massive attack along a portion of its sector of the Western Front in what was to be a "final all out grand offensive" to break through the German lines and push the invaders out of their trenches and out of France. This was less than five months after the 1916 phase of the battles at Verdun and the Somme had come to an exhausted end. The Germans knew about the upcoming French attack well in advance, had months to prepare, and shredded the French. Morale and discipline collapsed in many French units, thousands of poilus had finally had enough after three years of terrible casualties suffered in what they perceived to be endless offensives with meager results, to the point that mutinies broke out up and down the line. Out of fear that the mutinies would spread and that the Germans would find out and take advantage of the situation, the French army sacked its commander responsible for the failed 1917 offensive and began instituting a series of reforms.

In the initial days of the mutinies, before humane reforms were put in place, some over-zealous incompetent commanders reverted to brutality to shame and discipline their units, thinking that blooding them by continually forcing them into the meatgrinder of German fire would make them stronger, or that shooting a few of their own men would make the remainder harder and more motivated. It did not work, obviously. It only made things worse, the soldier's refusals to continually engage in hopeless attacks and the outright mutinies spread like a virus, until the offensive was called off, the French army was placed on the defensive, and earnest work was done to improve their conditions and morale.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I just watched Carl Theodor Dreyer's Master of The House and I loved it. What a great silent film! It's one of the delicious films where a tyrant get his just desserts. The actress who plays The Nanny stole the film IMO. If looks could kill,lol..

Good to see a comment on Master of the House. Periods go by when I can't check the board, but I haven't seen any discussion of the film when I've been reading. A search didn't turn up much. And I asked, too.

I enjoy Dreyer, and I've had Master setting in my screen stand for a couple of months now. Sounds like I should get it out.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by RojD

Good to see a comment on Master of the House. Periods go by when I can't check the board, but I haven't seen any discussion of the film when I've been reading. A search didn't turn up much. And I asked, too.

I enjoy Dreyer, and I've had Master setting in my screen stand for a couple of months now. Sounds like I should get it out.

Strange that it hasn't been reviewed here. This is the man mind you who directed one of the greatest silent films, The Passion of Joan of Arc.

[ngower]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is a must-own title IMO.

I know, it's in my Collection.

[zoodermin]

Originally Posted by ngower

I know, it's in my Collection.

Oh shit haha! I completely missed it! Then I'll recommend Bergman's The Seventh Seal or Persona (or both!)

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

Oh shit haha! I completely missed it! Then I'll recommend Bergman's The Seventh Seal or Persona (or both!)

I second those two Bergman films, both are in my top 100.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by Freder Fredersen

I find the film infuriating in a way. Just when I get caught up in the unfolding story, here comes an avant-garde flourish to throw me for a loop and question what the *bleep* is really going on. Sounds like the point though.

I think that's why I loved it so much, as soon as you are getting invested in the story, Bergman tells the audience that this story isn't the main point being made. Sure, the story is completely engrossing, but I love how Bergman sidetracks.

[ngower]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

Oh shit haha! I completely missed it! Then I'll recommend Bergman's The Seventh Seal or Persona (or both!)

I really don't like the Seventh Seal. Couple of brilliant lines, but mostly just not my thing. Persona is on my to-watch list and I almost bought it at B&N. The Chaplin and Truffaut nods are solid as well (400 Blows was also not my thing, but Jules and Jim is one I need to finish watching).

I opted for a book on Kieslowski instead. Really enjoying his work and this seems like a good read.

[SammyJankis]

Has anyone seen Leave Her to Heaven? There's a double bill at a theater with Out of the Past tomorrow, which I certainly plan on seeing. I mine as well catch this. I just don't know much about the film, aside from the fact that it's a 40s noir shot in technicolor (which intrigues me greatly.)

[ngower]

Originally Posted by Coen

8 1/2
Persona
The 400 Blows
On The Waterfront

I owned the DVD for 8 1/2 but never opened it. Definitely high on my list of Blu Rays to-buy. I spent most of this sale upgrading titles I already own, but I think I might pick it up in the Criterion.com sale.

Persona and 400 Blows I addressed above, and On The Waterfront is interesting but not one I want to own. Brando is unreal in it, and I love Kazan's depictions of the working-class, but overall just felt a little so-so about the film.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Has anyone seen Leave Her to Heaven? There's a double bill at a theater with Out of the Past tomorrow, which I certainly plan on seeing. I mine as well catch this. I just don't know much about the film, aside from the fact that it's a 40s noir shot in technicolor (which intrigues me greatly.)

Leave Her to Heaven is excellent. You might also want to post your question in the Twilight Time thread since they released the Blu-ray. Good discussion to be found there. Also check out the review on this site. The film is one of those that sticks with you after seeing it, an intense noir that looks at what happens when mental instability leads to obsession and murder. Gene Tierney, Cornell Wilde, and Jeanne Crain are superb, as is the supporting cast, including Vincent Price. As a character driven drama, it builds suspense as we begin to understand how disturbed one of the leads is and how the other characters are affected. The Technicolor and the scenery from lake and forest settings to the deserts of the Southwest is stunning and adds a unique visual immediacy and depth of field to the story that makes it stand out from other noirs. Claustrophobic city elements are replaced with wider spaces and daylight. I felt the same way about Niagara (also a color noir) and the B&W Cry Vengeance.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Leave...Blu-ray/65407/

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by oildude

Leave Her to Heaven is excellent. You might also want to post your question in the Twilight Time thread since they released the Blu-ray. Good discussion to be found there. Also check out the review on this site. The film is one of those that sticks with you after seeing it, an intense noir that looks at what happens when mentally instability leads to obsession and murder. Gene Tiernay, Cornell Wilde, and Jeanne Crain are superb, as is the supporting cast, including Vincent Price. The Technicolor and the scenery from lake and forest settings to the deserts of the Southwest is stunning and adds a unique visual immediacy to the story that makes it stand out from other noirs. Claustrophobic city elements are replaced with wider spaces and daylight. I felt the same way about Niagara (also a color noir) and the B&W Cry Vengeance.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Leave...Blu-ray/65407/

Ah, thanks! I didn't realize it was out on Blu.

I'll take advantage of the double bill.

[Wildcat47]

Originally Posted by ngower

Alright all, I'm sure there will be a billion answers: I wanna blind-buy the biggest omission from my Collection, but I want your help. Judging by my collection (size doesn't matter!) where do you see a massive gap—either with a must-have film, or a director, or a genre...whatever!? Pick one!

http://www.criterion.com/my_criterio...wer/collection

Massive gap - Westerns (seems to be the talk of the forum?) 3:10 to Yuma, Stagecoach, or Red River (in that order) would be my choices.

Also, add Paris, Texas and Close Up ASAP - 2 must haves IMO

Another gap - Silents: Lloyd and Chaplin both have great Criterion releases, with plenty more to come I would think. Also, The Phantom Carriage is fantastic.

Honorable mentions off the top of my head: Rififi, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, Wages of Fear, Anatomy of a Murder, Diabolique, Ace in the Hole, Hard Days Night (if you like the Beatles at all), Thief

Or if you go the Directors route, dive into more Kurosawa, dip into Kiarostami, Hitchcock, and Ray. And if you like him, Wes Anderson. I personally love his movies, but he seems to get tons of hate here.

I could go on forever, but hope this helps.

[Kevin Ridge]

Watched The Great Beauty for first time last night. Bought it based on praise it got around here. Was just glued to my couch the the whole time. What a great looking film and didn't feel like it was almost two and a half hours long.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Ah, thanks! I didn't realize it was out on Blu.

I'll take advantage of the double bill.

Definitely see it. Leave Her To Heaven is excellent and one of my best blind buys. Make sure to pick up the blu from Twilight Time quickly if you happen to enjoy it. I'm sure that one might be close to selling out.

[Mansinthe]

just watched Vampyr (1932 Dreyer) @ hulu.
now, im wondering why so many people are always asking for that movie to be released on bluray. compared to nosferatu it was nothing special at all.

it even fellt like parts of the movie are missing , lol.

[jayembee]

Some of you will have heard that James Garner passed away earlier today at the age of 86.

Only one of his films ever made it into the Criterion Collection, and that was their laserdisc release of The Great Escape.