The Criterion Collection

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by WalterNeff

Does anyone have an opinion on Thief? I know it's one of the more popular criterions, but I haven't heard it get much praise(or hate) in this thread.

I actually found it quite boring, to be honest. It's down there with Public Enemies as his worst for me.

Heat and The Insider are his best films, IMO, followed by Manhunter and The Last of the Mohicans.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by spargs

Thanks for your thoughts on Insignificance, everyone. Much appreciated. I keep a ranked list of about 10 or so Criterions (usually blind buys, which at least 50% of my Criterions have been, with few regrets) for potential purchase for when the various sales arrive. It's been at the top of that list for months now (because I loved those 3 other Roeg films I mentioned), but I keep passing it over due to how much I disliked Bad Timing. I'm headed back to my local B&N today (3rd time this month) to buy Insomnia, and since it's impossible to buy just 1 Criterion, I figured that maybe it's time.

Go for it if you're comfortable with blind buying which is seems you are - I am too. The movie needs more fans so I hope you enjoy it. The ending and the score used is just so haunting.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I actually found it quite boring, to be honest. It's down there with Public Enemies as his worst for me.

Heat and The Insider are his best films, IMO, followed by Manhunter and The Last of the Mohicans.

same here. it was a OK movie. but i wouldnt want to rewatch it.. ever.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I actually found it quite boring, to be honest. It's down there with Public Enemies as his worst for me.

Heat and The Insider are his best films, IMO, followed by Manhunter and The Last of the Mohicans.

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

same here. it was a OK movie. but i wouldnt want to rewatch it.. ever.

I've never seen Mann's Public Enemies or Miami Vice, but alot of fans say The Keep is his worst( I personally enjoy it) Now Manhunter is his masterpiece, should have been a Criterion release. I've always liked Mann's Thief, looking forward to my copy in the mail soon.

[spargs]

Originally Posted by WalterNeff

Does anyone have an opinion on Thief? I know it's one of the more popular criterions, but I haven't heard it get much praise(or hate) in this thread.

I'm a big fan of Thief, it was a no-brainer day one purchase for me. Great cinematography and soundtrack. Plus, I'm a sucker for heist films. I'd probably rank only Heat and The Insider higher in Mann's filmography.

[the sordid sentinel]

Originally Posted by spargs

I'm a big fan of Thief, it was a no-brainer day one purchase for me. Great cinematography and soundtrack. Plus, I'm a sucker for heist films. I'd probably rank only Heat and The Insider higher in Mann's filmography.

Yep..same here. And the Criterion blu looks and sounds amazing.

[ultlife2013]

It's funny when someone says a wildly popular film is boring and then other people come out and start saying the same thing.

I'm just glad nobody really agreed with the other poster that said Playtime was a terrible movie. hew:

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

It's funny when someone says a wildly popular film is boring and then other people come out and start saying the same thing.

Why is that funny? The conversation is started that way. I wouldn't call Thief 'wildly popular', either.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

Yep..same here. And the Criterion blu looks and sounds amazing.

ive never seen a old release of thief , video/audio was good on the criterion release. but it wasnt that outstanding amazing like the review makes it sound.

i would not have given more than 4 / 5 stars for the video.

[spargs]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I actually found it quite boring, to be honest. It's down there with Public Enemies as his worst for me.

Yeah, Public Enemies was a big disappointment in my eyes... with that director, that cast, and that subject matter, it should have been a no-brainer winner for me. It wasn't awful, but it fell flat with me.

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

Manhunter is his masterpiece, should have been a Criterion release.

I wouldn't call it his masterpiece, but I would love a Criterion release of Manhunter! Especially considering I've never upgraded from the old Anchor Bay DVD of it...

[Ausjdm]

Is pickpocket worth a blind buy? Trailer looks good but wow the run time is so short. Like 74 mins wow?

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

Why is that funny? The conversation is started that way. I wouldn't call Thief 'wildly popular', either.

Now Thief isn't a very popular film? :Ohno:

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Now Thief isn't a very popular film? :Ohno:

Your definition of 'wildly popular' seems to be a little too lenient, it seems.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Is pickpocket worth a blind buy? Trailer looks good but wow the run time is so short. Like 74 mins wow?

Quality over quantity. Pickpocket is a masterpiece.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

Your definition of 'wildly popular' seems to be a little too lenient, it seems.

It's no "Tin Drum" that's for sure.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Is pickpocket worth a blind buy? Trailer looks good but wow the run time is so short. Like 74 mins wow?

its ok .. its avaible at hulu. i watched it yesterday and the 74 min felt more like 90 min. there is enough story in these 74 movie. but i wouldnt call it masterpiece. but thats just me... 6/10 for the story.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by spargs

What does everyone think about Nicholas Roeg's Insignificance? I haven't seen the movie, and have been considering a blind buy.

I loved, and own, Walkabout and The Man Who Fell to Earth, and I keep hoping Criterion gets the rights to Don't Look Now, which I also loved. However, on the strength of those 3 films, I had blind bought the Criterion DVD of Bad Timing years ago, and thoroughly despised it.

I watched Insignificance for the first time this year and I really liked it. It's one of the few films that I own where I had no idea how it would play out to some degree prior to seeing it.

I have not seen the stage play, nor have I read much about it, but strictly speaking from the film perspective, I think Roeg did a phenomenal job at examining stardom. Celebrities are often displayed in terms of their public life, but there is a lot more to them than that.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

It's no "Tin Drum" that's for sure.

That's a given.

[The Great Owl]

I have the following titles reserved to pick up at Barnes & Noble on the way home from work today...

Insomnia
The Essential Jacques Demy
The Phantom Carriage
House

I owned the Criterion DVDs of The Phantom Carriage and House, but held off on upgrading them to Blu-ray since I had last watched them just before buying my first Blu-ray player. It's about time to add them to my collection, since I've had a hankering to revisit The Phantom Carriage, and since the crazy color schemes of House should look great in high definition.

I'm stoked about Insomnia, especially after the reviews. I've been wanting to upgrade my Criterion DVD forever, and the findings about the high definition picture quality upgrade compel me to move this one to the top of my stack tonight.

The Essential Jacques Demy is a blind buy in every sense of the word. I have no idea what any of these films are about, and I only have name recognition of Demy from having heard the name mentioned here and there in film circles.

These purchases will squeeze the rest of the juice out of the July sale as far as I'm concerned. It's been a great month. Since I decided to purchase The Vincent Price Collection this morning (from Groupon, of all places, for $39), I won't be making any last minute spontaneous purchases once I arrive at Barnes & Noble today.

[The Great Owl]

August is going to be a quiet month, thank goodness.

In fact, aside from The Innocents and The Vanishing, there's nothing coming out from Criterion during the next three months that cannot wait until the November sale.

Things will also be relatively quiet on the Olive Films and Twilight Time front during those months. There are a few Kino Lorber titles that I want, but those are fairly inexpensive.

I should be able to catch up on some unwatched stuff soon.