The Criterion Collection

[blu-bry]

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?

I think that can only be answered by having a good knowledge of your taste in films. If you like Bresson, and appreciate his methodical, intentional, understated style, then you will probably love it. I do.
If you have never seen one of his films, you may be a little surprised at the seeming lack of emotion or energy his characters sometimes project.
Bresson is not for the adrenaline starved explosion lover, but Pickpocket is a good sample of his style and worth a watch for anyone. (That's not to say his films don't have suspense, but they are not like most modern films.)

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

I will say that Emily Watson is wonderful in Red Dragon given the weak script. That's my only compliment.

That was Emily Watson!? I did not realise that was her :O!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion?

Le Samourai
Army of Shadows
Le Cercle Rouge
The Night of the Hunter
The Vanishing

I've watched all of the above movies more than 10 times.

Seven Samurai is up there as well. I've probably revisited it seven or eight times.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Watched Judex last night. A really cool, stylish film. I enjoyed it, definitely worth a blind buy. Has a lot of replay value. Gonna have to give it a second view soon.

Judex is wonderful. I don't totally love the final scene as it felt totally tacked on, but given the feel of the film and its campy-ish style - I give it a pass.

[JeffTheMovieGuy]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Watched Judex last night. A really cool, stylish film. I enjoyed it, definitely worth a blind buy. Has a lot of replay value. Gonna have to give it a second view soon.

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion? Mine would have to be La Haine. Just love the film. Can't get enough of the three character's. Vincent Cassell is great as usual. I would urge anyone that hasn't picked it up to do so.

Hausu is my most watched but I'm just now really getting into Criterion.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion? Mine would have to be La Haine. Just love the film. Can't get enough of the three character's. Vincent Cassell is great as usual. I would urge anyone that hasn't picked it up to do so.

Antichrist.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I think that The Silence of the Lambs is an excellent film, but Manhunter was the one that I saw first, and Brian Cox was my introduction to Hannibal Lector.

I will confess that 1980s nostalgia elevates Manhunter to a new level for me, because I was a huge fan of the Mann-produced Miami Vice television series at the time, and I instantly loved how Manhunter shared the look and vibe of that series. The music in Manhunter is quite amazing as well.

Hannibal is one of my least favorite movies of all time. I had been looking forward to it, because I quite enjoyed the Thomas Harris novel, but this film adaptation is a textbook example of how studio compromise can wreck a vision. The filmmakers try to water down the disturbing conclusion of the Harris novel, but, by doing so, they make it even more sickening, because the philosophy of the novel is lost on the viewer of the film.

I remember reading Hannibal and being so very disappointed in it as a continuation of the story. I thought the film would have done one better, but the two writers (Mamet and Zaillian) have totally different styles so I should have known the film would have been all over the place - and it certainly was!

Edit: I just read that Mamet's screenplay was changed by Zaillian (and Mamet kept co-credit) - so now I don't know what to think... Zaillian is very hit or miss.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Watched Judex last night. A really cool, stylish film. I enjoyed it, definitely worth a blind buy. Has a lot of replay value. Gonna have to give it a second view soon.

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion? Mine would have to be La Haine. Just love the film. Can't get enough of the three character's. Vincent Cassell is great as usual. I would urge anyone that hasn't picked it up to do so.

Vivre sa vie and In The Mood For Love.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion?

La Haine is really good. Literally a jaw dropping ending.


Beauty and the Beast is probably my most watched.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

La Haine is really good. Literally a jaw dropping ending.


Beauty and the Beast is probably my most watched.

Not Tin Drum :P?

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Not Tin Drum :P?

The Tin Drum is not exactly uplifting viewing!

[smoss469]

I've been home sick since yesterday so I've used the time in bed to catch up on some stuff sitting on the Tivo.

Blue - Normally this isn't my type of film, I don't go in for the introspective woman deals with a tragedy stuff but I recorded all 3 movies in the trilogy. I kind of liked it. I mean it didn't wow me or make me want to watch it again right away but it was a solid film. I did however love the constant blues present in most scenes; I thought it was a nice touch. It also didn't hurt that Juliette Binoche is extremely cute in the film.

Purple Noon - I liked this one better than Blue.

[Show spoiler]I have to admit, that even though Ripley was a double murdering thief, liar and basically everything else under the sun I didn't hate his character. I guess it helps that Philippe was such a distasteful dirtbag, and I didn't care for Freddy either so it was hard to sympathize with them. I almost wished they had let him get away with it in the end instead of catching him on the last frame.

Witness for the Prosecution - Not a CC title but HOT DAMN was it an awesome movie. The CC release, Anatomy of a Murder was #1 on my list for top court room movies but I think I might have to do an 1A/1B type of thing and call it a tie. Charles Laughton was amazing in the movie and

[Show spoiler]the last second twist ending was great!

I'll definitely be picking this one up in the near future.

[James Luckard]

Wow! The packaging for The Essential Jacques Demy is not great, I think they're going to get a LOT of complaints and returned items.

I just stopped at B&N to pick up my copy on my way into work. The copy on hold for me had a completely crushed box. I asked to see the rest of the stock. They had an entire box of maybe 30 copies (I'm in LA, lots of film buffs). Out of 30 copies, I'd say 5 were hideously crushed and mangled, and the other 25 were either badly smashed or at least noticeably crushed. In addition, about 10 of them also had the plastic worn off and black scorch marks on the corners, either from rubbing against the box or from the shrink wrap machines.

I found a single good copy in the shipment of 30 and snapped it up. The poor packaging is a combination of two things. The outer case is about 1/8" larger than the widths of the total individual digipaks that slip into it, so it's VERY easily squished, even if you just pick it up roughly. In addition, the outer case is not made of heavy-duty cardboard, like the Universal Hitchcock set, but out of very flimsy cardboard, like a slipcover.

Most of the copies at my B&N were just sort of bent and dinged, and I'm sure some customers won't care, but Criterion buyers are probably pickier than people buying the latest CGI brainbuster. If all the shipments ended up like this one did, a lot of people are going to be unhappy.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

Watched Judex last night. A really cool, stylish film. I enjoyed it, definitely worth a blind buy. Has a lot of replay value. Gonna have to give it a second view soon.

That got me thinking, what's everyone's most watched Criterion? Mine would have to be La Haine. Just love the film. Can't get enough of the three character's. Vincent Cassell is great as usual. I would urge anyone that hasn't picked it up to do so.

In The Mood For Love, Late Spring, Tokyo Story, Harakiri, and Rushmore for me.

The Great Beauty will probably make that list eventually.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

Wow! The packaging for The Essential Jacques Demy is not great, I think they're going to get a LOT of complaints and returned items.

I just stopped at B&N to pick up my copy on my way into work. The copy on hold for me had a completely crushed box. I asked to see the rest of the stock. They had an entire box of maybe 30 copies (I'm in LA, lots of film buffs). Out of 30 copies, I'd say 5 were hideously crushed and mangled, and the other 25 were either badly smashed or at least noticeably crushed. In addition, about 10 of them also had the plastic worn off and black scorch marks on the corners, either from rubbing against the box or from the shrink wrap machines.

I found a single good copy in the shipment of 30 and snapped it up. The poor packaging is a combination of two things. The outer case is about 1/8" larger than the widths of the total individual digipaks that slip into it, so it's VERY easily squished, even if you just pick it up roughly. In addition, the outer case is not made of heavy-duty cardboard, like the Universal Hitchcock set, but out of very flimsy cardboard, like a slipcover.

Most of the copies at my B&N were just sort of bent and dinged, and I'm some customers won't care, but Criterion buyers are probably pickier than people buying the latest CGI brainbuster. If all the shipments ended up like this one did, a lot of people are going to be unhappy.

Mine arrived in the UK in great condition (bar one slight scuff on one corner). The outer box is the same kind of cardboard as the typical Criterion digipack.

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I've been home sick since yesterday so I've used the time in bed to catch up on some stuff sitting on the Tivo.

*puts on face mask* Feel better soon

[olivianewtonyawn]

Any thoughts on John Frankenheimer's Seconds? Going to B&N tonight for yet another spree and I noticed this one last time. Sounds interesting and like a great performance from Rock Hudson, but I was wondering about how rewatchable this one is.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

Wow! The packaging for The Essential Jacques Demy is not great, I think they're going to get a LOT of complaints and returned items.

I just stopped at B&N to pick up my copy on my way into work. The copy on hold for me had a completely crushed box. I asked to see the rest of the stock. They had an entire box of maybe 30 copies (I'm in LA, lots of film buffs). Out of 30 copies, I'd say 5 were hideously crushed and mangled, and the other 25 were either badly smashed or at least noticeably crushed. In addition, about 10 of them also had the plastic worn off and black scorch marks on the corners, either from rubbing against the box or from the shrink wrap machines.

I found a single good copy in the shipment of 30 and snapped it up. The poor packaging is a combination of two things. The outer case is about 1/8" larger than the widths of the total individual digipaks that slip into it, so it's VERY easily squished, even if you just pick it up roughly. In addition, the outer case is not made of heavy-duty cardboard, like the Universal Hitchcock set, but out of very flimsy cardboard, like a slipcover.

Most of the copies at my B&N were just sort of bent and dinged, and I'm sure some customers won't care, but Criterion buyers are probably pickier than people buying the latest CGI brainbuster. If all the shipments ended up like this one did, a lot of people are going to be unhappy.

That's too bad. Surprising because the packaging shots over at criterionforum don't look too bad except for curled edges on the individual film digipacks.

Also surprising about the extra space in terms of the box itself and digipacks include because the photos over at Criterionforum seem to show different - the photo below shows them almost too snug!

How odd that something seems to have been changed...



Not surprised about the cardboard. Criterion always sacrifices durability in terms of their packaged sets.

[tisdivine]

Just blind bought my 1st Bergman's today at the B&N sale.

Persona
Autumn Sonata
The Seventh Seal

Hidden Fortress (Last AK blu I needed)

You all have given such amazingly positive reviews i decided to take the chance. Liv Ullmann's face kind of gets on my nerves 🙀🙀 lol but I love Ingrid Bergman. Can't wait to check them out.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Just blind bought my 1st Bergman's today at the B&N sale.

Persona
Autumn Sonata
The Seventh Seal

Hidden Fortress (Last AK blu I needed)

You all have given such amazingly positive reviews i decided to take the chance. Liv Ullmann's face kind of gets on my nerves 🙀🙀 lol but I love Ingrid Bergman. Can't wait to check them out.

You are in for a treat