The Criterion Collection

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

My understanding is that the 3 disc cases were relatively new? My Nashville, Great Beauty and Persona were all digipaks.

My friend recently ordered Great Beauty and Persona from B+N and they were in 3 disc keep cases.

This seems like one of those "pictures or it didn't happen" type of internet things.

[Eufi721]

1st post
Just finished watching tokyo story & persona
Just amazing..........how simple and yet very powerful stories

[Josh B]

Originally Posted by olivianewtonyawn

Hated that movie. Here's the whole reason I bought it:

Suzuki was ostensibly fired for making "movies that make no sense and no money"

I thought oh my, this has to at least accidentally be good. No.

So I'd like some help from my very knowledgeable fellow forum members. Placing a B&N order online shortly, in my cart now I have: Insomnia, Seconds, George Washington, and Riot In Cell Block 11.

I'm going to add another title, but can't choose. I am very brave when it comes to blind buying, so I will probably purchase whatever is recommended by forum members. You can see my collection at my collection on this site, the criterions are organized on their own. Please feel free to recommend based on a director I need more of, a country, genre, whatever. Thanks everyone!

You don't have Naked Lunch, maybe give that a watch.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Eufi721

1st post
Just finished watching tokyo story & persona
Just amazing..........how simple and yet very powerful stories

You certainly picked two great films to watch.

[bstv69]

Sorry to keep constantly asking questions and recommendations, I am going to try and make this my last lol
I am going to try my luck with 3 more titles using the $8 off coupon. I was thinking about getting Rules of the Game(watched once already and thought it was just okay but feel like i need to rewatch it), Jules and Jim, High and Low and/or Pale Flower.
My Favorite Criterion films to date that I have watched are Vivre sa Vie, all of the Noir and Revanche. Here is my current collection: http://www.criterion.com/my_criterio...386/collection

[dannyfriar]

I know it wasn't mentioned, but I would really recommend A Christmas Tale. A wonderful character study, and of course, Catherine Deneuve.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by dannyfriar

I know it wasn't mentioned, but I would really recommend A Christmas Tale. A wonderful character study, and of course, Catherine Deneuve.

Another one seldom mentioned is the coming-of-age film My Life As a Dog which has just the right mix of drama and humor. I'm always smiling after I see it.

[dannyfriar]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Another one seldom mentioned is the coming-of-age film My Life As a Dog which has just the right mix of drama and humor. I'm always smiling after I see it.

This one sounds good! I'm going to watch it on Hulu later tonight.

[Zen_Amako]

I have to keep reminding myself about the Twin Peaks set coming out at the end of the month. l'll have to forego a few Criterions for that. Almost grabbed Insomnia tonight.

[oliver_67]

Speculation:

With Artificial Eyes releasing quite a few Truffaut on blu, does this signal a blu upgrade of Shhot the piano player and Stolen kisses from Criterion coming?

It will be great that we can Criterion blu of Soft Skin and Two English Girls. My MK2 DVD need major upgrade.

Anyone cares to comment?

[oildude]

Originally Posted by bstv69

Sorry to keep constantly asking questions and recommendations, I am going to try and make this my last lol
I am going to try my luck with 3 more titles using the $8 off coupon. I was thinking about getting Rules of the Game(watched once already and thought it was just okay but feel like i need to rewatch it), Jules and Jim, High and Low and/or Pale Flower.
My Favorite Criterion films to date that I have watched are Vivre sa Vie, all of the Noir and Revanche. Here is my current collection: http://www.criterion.com/my_criterio...386/collection

Based on your favorite Criterions to date, you will definitely want to get High and Low and Pale Flower. Two great gems of Japanese cinema, one a Kurosawa police procedural that I found riveting (I have discovered that I really like Kurosawa's films set in the modern era) and the other a stylishly cool Japanese noir. As for your third choice, I have yet to watch Jules and Jim, but Rules of the Game is a classic Renoir, often described as a comedy of manners which is another way of saying a romp or a farce. I liked it a lot. It has a wonderful 1930s sensibility to it that is timeless.

[monorail91]

Per the recommendation of so many on this forum, I took the plunge into Persona tonight on Hulu+. Man what a hypnotic journey that one was! You can read my review here.

For a movie that I know has inspired so much analysis and theory, I wanted to get my ideas out there before reading other material on this film, like the Criterion essays or additional theories this board. Excited to dive deeper into what's become my favorite Bergman work!

[Scottie]

I spent the evening watching The Complete Jean Vigo set.

There is no denying that Jean Vigo was a very controversial director, especially for his time. He did things that no one before him had done. As a result, his impact on the film world is equivalent to Orson Welles with Citizen Kane.

The first film in the set is À propos de Nice and this is perhaps the closest example to an early French New Wave film that I can think of. Jean Vigo films life in the city of Nice as it is. He examines the daily functions of the lower, middle, and upper classes and differentiates their lifestyles from one another. One could almost say that it is a docu-drama of sorts. The editing is pretty rapid, as well. Vigo does not linger too much on one thing and skips around to cover as much ground in such a short duration of time. I was truly surprised to see a topless woman featured in the film. Nudity of any sorts, especially in film, was seen as taboo and it continued to be that way for many years to come. I wonder how those who were taken by surprise by this in the 1930s would view today's nudity.

The second film in the set is Taris. It is an educational piece of work about famous French swimmer, Jean Taris, and some of the different swimming techniques, such as the breaststroke. I was truly amazed at Vigo's directing, especially with some of the close-up underwater scenes that showed the swimmer's legs performing a handful of routines.

The third film in the set is Zéro de conduite. The film was way ahead of its time in terms of such concepts as challenging authority, rebellion, and revolution. I can see how François Truffaut was inspired by this film for The 400 Blows, where we see the character of Antoine Doinel constantly resisting authority, especially with his teacher and his parents. I can also see how this film influenced Lindsay Anderson with his film, If.... The characters in this film did not rebel to the degree that Malcolm McDowell's character did, but during such a time where respect was seen as one of the most essential qualities a person could have, this was certainly rare.

The last film in the set, L'Atalante, was Jean Vigo's only feature-length film prior to his early death in the mid-1930s. I could not help but think that the film shared a lot of qualities with F.W. Murnau's Sunrise, but in differing aspects. The story focuses on how a strained relationship ultimately leads to the separation and eventual reunion of two individuals who clearly care about one another. However, what makes this one stand out in particular for me was the sharp narrative. I was not as impressed by this film as the majority of film aficionados out in the world, but seeing some of the things that were put into the story truly surprised me. In one particular scene, the main characters are going out to a dance hall for the evening. They meet a swindler who speaks an explicit line of dialogue (I'm talking something that would almost only be acceptable in this century). I rewound the clip once or twice to see if I read the line correctly and surely enough, I did.

All four of these films had a strong impact on what we now know about film in this current day and age. It comes as no surprise to me that Jean Vigo had a huge influence on the Truffauts, Godards, and the like of the French New Wave of the 1950s and the 1960s. I would not say that these films are the most compelling bodies of work out there. They are, however, perfect examples of a visionary who was not afraid to take risks and challenge society's standards.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Every single Criterion blu ray disc has the exact same awesome menu design

Indeed - but I was meaning the collage backgrounds with the clips from the movie and the random colour panels which tie in with the design of the packaging. Just lovely!

[fdm]

Originally Posted by dynel

Anyone near the vicinity of B&N Denver? I would like to know if they have enough Criterion stock as I will visit the US soon

Plenty. There's several stores in the area, so depends on where you'll be. You can check stock online. Most central store is probably zip code 80246, if you want to enter titles and check stock via "Pick Me Up", or enter zip code where you'll be staying for better results. (Current 50% off sale ends Monday night, so it will be back to at or near full price on Tuesday.)

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by oliver_67

Speculation:

With Artificial Eyes releasing quite a few Truffaut on blu, does this signal a blu upgrade of Shhot the piano player and Stolen kisses from Criterion coming?

It will be great that we can Criterion blu of Soft Skin and Two English Girls. My MK2 DVD need major upgrade.

Anyone cares to comment?

Personally, I keep hoping that the Antoine Doinel set gets upgraded. Every time I'm tempted to upgrade my copy of The 400 Blows that little glimmer of hope keeps me from getting it.

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by Josh B

Hated that movie. Here's the whole reason I bought it:

I thought oh my, this has to at least accidentally .

Branded to kill is a great movie. If you like japanese cinema or noir style, get it

[dynel]

Originally Posted by fdm

Plenty. There's several stores in the area, so depends on where you'll be. You can check stock online. Most central store is probably zip code 80246, if you want to enter titles and check stock via "Pick Me Up", or enter zip code where you'll be staying for better results. (Current 50% off sale ends Monday night, so it will be back to at or near full price on Tuesday.)

Hi fdm, thanks for taking the time replying to this.

I'm actually in the city center, I believe that's 80202. already checked the stock online via "pick me up" but every result says "out of stock". So I was wondering if someone had a firsthand account of the actual stock there. I know there is a bigger one at Glendale Blvd, but I won't be coming near that one

[pro-bassoonist]

Y Tu Mamá También Blu-ray



Great release with excellent supplemental features

Pro-B

[dynel]

I was wondering if someone could lend me a hand in some suggestions based on the movie Wages of fear. I was really blown away by that one (no pun intended) And had me gripped to the edge of my seat, amazing movie.

I also intend to buy Night of the hunter based on the earlier recommendations here, and I believe it also nicely complements the atmosphere in Wages. But I have room for one more. Anyone?