The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

The Great Owl might like this post.

I just finished watching an Olive film release: Ironweed.

This is a somber and depressing film but I remember watching it a long time ago and eventually bought it on blu a year ago. Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep's performances were phenomenal (along with Tom Waits). I can't say there is much in terms of redemption in William Kennedy's screenplay, but I must say the portrayals of homeless people in depression era 1930s America are incredibly realistic, from what little I fortunately know of this culture and time period.

Not recommended to own unless you are willing to have a lot of patience to sit through and endure this film.

[Page14]

I watched The Blob last night, partly in the spirit of Halloween approaching and partly because I want to have it fresh in my mind when I see the upcoming Twilight Time release of the 1988 version. I enjoyed it very much. It was great to see Steve McQueen in his first *starring* movie role ... even though he didn't look all that different to me from his later films. And I must have read it somewhere before, but if I did, I didn't remember that McQueen's girlfriend in the movie is none other than Helen Crump (Andy Griffith's girlfriend on his TV show). Fun stuff!

I listened to one of the audio commentaries (the one with the director and one of the co-stars) so far. It was interesting to me to learn how much of a shoe-string budget this film was made with. Quite an accomplishment. Lots of stories about what Steve McQueen was like and his "antics" during the production of the movie, and even after. The director tells how they did some of the effects, how they came up with the movie title, and even what The Blob was made out of.

This movie is also a bit of a time capsule on what life was like back in the 1950s ... so much less complicated (although at the time, it might have seemed very complicated).

Maybe this movie isn't for everybody, but I love this kind of stuff.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

The Great Owl might like this post.

I just finished watching an Olive film release: Ironweed.

This is a somber and depressing film but I remember watching it a long time ago and eventually bought it on blu a year ago. Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep's performances were phenomenal (along with Tom Waits). I can't say there is much in terms of redemption in William Kennedy's screenplay, but I must say the portrayals of homeless people in depression era 1930s America are incredibly realistic, from what little I fortunately know of this culture and time period.

Not recommended to own unless you are willing to have a lot of patience to sit through and endure this film.

Thanks for that review. I own a ton of Olive Films titles, mostly film noirs from the 1940s and 1950s, but Ironweed has eluded me so far.

Originally Posted by Page14

I watched The Blob last night, partly in the spirit of Halloween approaching and partly because I want to have it fresh in my mind when I see the upcoming Twilight Time release of the 1988 version. I enjoyed it very much. It was great to see Steve McQueen in his first movie role ... even though he didn't look all that different to me from his later films. And I must have read it somewhere before, but if I did, I didn't remember that McQueen's girlfriend in the movie is none other than Helen Crump (Andy Griffith's girlfriend on his TV show). Fun stuff!

I listened to one of the audio commentaries (the one with the director and one of the co-stars) so far. It was interesting to me to learn how much of a shoe-string budget this film was made with. Quite an accomplishment. Lots of stories about what Steve McQueen was like and his "antics" during the production of the movie, and even after. The director tells how they did some of the effects, how they came up with the movie title, and even what The Blob was made out of.

This movie is also a bit of a time capsule on what life was like back in the 1950s ... so much less complicated (although at the time, it might have seemed very complicated).

Maybe this movie isn't for everybody, but I love this kind of stuff.

I will be revisiting The Blob (1958) before my copy of the 1988 film arrives in the mail later this month. I've praised this Criterion Blu-ray many times here, and I still stand by my assessment that it's one of the most fun Criterion titles.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that The Blob was the first Criterion Collection movie that I ever saw. I watched it when I was 10 years old or so, back in the early 1980s.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Yeah, all things considered, that's not bad.

Scary that that's the case, when one thinks about it.

ETA: Huh. Just for the heck of it, I checked if my library had Marienbad, as they didn't used to. And lo and behold, they do have the Criterion DVD. So, at least I can see it again for the first time in a while I wait and decide whether to buy the BD.

I've got the Criterion DVD, and the Studio Canal Blu-ray, which I would recommend as a well-priced alternative. That said, that too has recently been announced as OOP, so once current stock has gone I'm sure it'll shoot up in price.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by ijustblumyself

From the looks of these releases, I think the Studio Canal Tati set seems pretty much the same as Criterion's in terms of PQ/AQ.

But it looks like the extras on the Criterion are going to be better. I have the SC set (shipped the very day the Criterion was announced ) but may end up selling it...

[starman15317]

I watched Godard's Alphaville last night. I checked out the old Criterion DVD from my university library.

Of the few Godard films I've seen (Breathless, Band of Outsiders, etc.) I never found myself enjoying his films. Alphaville, however, was different. I really enjoyed this one. It felt exciting and fresh to me.

Hopefully Criterion eventually gets the rights back or Studio Canal at least releases it on Blu-Ray.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by starman15317

I watched Godard's Alphaville last night. I checked out the old Criterion DVD from my university library.

Of the few Godard films I've seen (Breathless, Band of Outsiders, etc.) I never found myself enjoying his films. Alphaville, however, was different. I really enjoyed this one. It felt exciting and fresh to me.

Hopefully Criterion eventually gets the rights back or Studio Canal at least releases it on Blu-Ray.

That movie just shows that you don't need anything fancy to make a good sci-fi story. Just repurpose normal, everyday objects for some other use and employ different sound effects.

Lucas did this as well with THX 1138 (still his best movie).

[Helikaon]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

That movie just shows that you don't need anything fancy to make a good sci-fi story. Just repurpose normal, everyday objects for some other use and employ different sound effects.

Lucas did this as well with THX 1138 (still his best movie).

Indeed. I also think The Man From Earth did this very well. Small setting, low budget, but a very interesting sci-fi film.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Page14

I watched The Blob last night, partly in the spirit of Halloween approaching and partly because I want to have it fresh in my mind when I see the upcoming Twilight Time release of the 1988 version. I enjoyed it very much. It was great to see Steve McQueen in his first movie role ... even though he didn't look all that different to me from his later films.

Actually, it was his fourth movie role. His first three were Girl on the Run (1953), Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)➊, and Never Love a Stranger (1958). The Blob, however, was his first starring role. He had uncredited bit parts in the first two, and a minor role in the third.

➊ And people thought The Towering Inferno was the first time McQueen and Newman were in a movie together.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

That movie just shows that you don't need anything fancy to make a good sci-fi story. Just repurpose normal, everyday objects for some other use and employ different sound effects.

Lucas did this as well with THX 1138 (still his best movie).

Originally Posted by Helikaon

Indeed. I also think The Man From Earth did this very well. Small setting, low budget, but a very interesting sci-fi film.

Tavernier's Death Watch is another great example.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by Page14

I watched The Blob last night, partly in the spirit of Halloween approaching and partly because I want to have it fresh in my mind when I see the upcoming Twilight Time release of the 1988 version. I enjoyed it very much. It was great to see Steve McQueen in his first movie role ... even though he didn't look all that different to me from his later films. And I must have read it somewhere before, but if I did, I didn't remember that McQueen's girlfriend in the movie is none other than Helen Crump (Andy Griffith's girlfriend on his TV show). Fun stuff!



I listened to one of the audio commentaries (the one with the director and one of the co-stars) so far. It was interesting to me to learn how much of a shoe-string budget this film was made with. Quite an accomplishment. Lots of stories about what Steve McQueen was like and his "antics" during the production of the movie, and even after. The director tells how they did some of the effects, how they came up with the movie title, and even what The Blob was made out of.



This movie is also a bit of a time capsule on what life was like back in the 1950s ... so much less complicated (although at the time, it might have seemed very complicated).



Maybe this movie isn't for everybody, but I love this kind of stuff.

This is my favorite B movie. I can't get enough of it. I'll have to watch it again soon.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Actually, it was his fourth movie role. His first three were Girl on the Run (1953), Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)➊, and Never Love a Stranger (1958). The Blob, however, was his first starring role. He had uncredited bit parts in the first two, and a minor role in the third.

➊ And people thought The Towering Inferno was the first time McQueen and Newman were in a movie together.

Thank you for the correction. I knew I should have looked up the facts before posting that. Oops! (And I've seen Somebody Up There Likes Me enough times that I should have known better).

Correction to my original post made.

[The Great Owl]

Sundays and Cybele is mine. I stopped by Movie Stop on my way to the grocery store, saw that this disc was only $29, and decided to pull the trigger. Looking forward to checking it out this week!

[Sinthetic]

Just noticed The Night Porter cover art is up. Very striking.

NSFW by the way.

[octagon]

Where do you work, in a convent?

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by octagon

Where do you work, in a convent?

I have a friend who works at a Christian college that would, indeed, fire him for looking at some non-erotic, grainy, cropped cleavage on the job.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by octagon

Where do you work, in a convent?

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I have a friend who works at a Christian college that would, indeed, fire him for looking at some non-erotic, grainy, cropped cleavage on the job.

This raises an interesting point. I know for the most part one could argue that Criterion's covers are "art", but workplaces tend to be very sensitive about these issues now. You don't even have to be at a religious college to get in trouble.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

That movie just shows that you don't need anything fancy to make a good sci-fi story. Just repurpose normal, everyday objects for some other use and employ different sound effects.

Lucas did this as well with THX 1138 (still his best movie).

I believe Stalker by Tarkovsky would fall in the same category (in my opinion it is better than Alphaville and THX 1138). It is a fantastic philosophical sci-fi.

The novel, Roadside Picnic, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, is one the greatest sci-fi stories I have read. It is also great that they wrote the screenplay with Tarkovsky.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by jscoggins

This raises an interesting point. I know for the most part one could argue that Criterion's covers are "art", but workplaces tend to be very sensitive about these issues now. You don't even have to be at a religious college to get in trouble.

Yeah, but then people should not be spending their working hours trawling through Criterion releases

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Yeah, but then people should not be spending their working hours trawling through Criterion releases.

My older brother has worked as a computer security consultant for a couple of decades. I like his take on this issue...

If an employee is looking at pornography on a work computer, then it's a company problem, meaning that it adversely affects the entity of the company as a whole.
If an employee is simply spending too much time on the internet for non-work-related purposes, though, then it's just a manager/employee issue that can be handled according to a supervisor's discretion.

In the grand scheme of things, Blu-ray.com probably seems fairly innocuous if the IT department is scanning over the web records for an employer, but I could be wrong. At least we're not watching Videodrome from our workplace (See? I kept this Criterion-related.).