The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

The book is nice but I won't buy it. It feels a bit redundant because I own many of those films already and could spend the dough on a few more blu-rays.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm interested in checking out some more Godard and would appreciate some recommendations. For the record, I outright loved Vivre Sa Vie, I very much liked Pierrot Le Fou but I have mixed feelings about Breathless. I appreciate how cool it is and it's influence, but I kind of hated it more than liked it lol.

Its always hard to recommend with Godard, since some of his films are very different, from Criterion blu rays i think the only ones you are missing are Weekend and Band of Outsiders.

I recommend Band of Outsiders, Weekend was too radical to my taste.

Outside of those i really recommend A Woman is a Woman which has great music by Michel Legrand (same composer from Vivre Sa Vie and Band of Outsiders).

For the record, i also like Breathless, but on the first time i didn't found anything special about it, only after i decided to revisit a few years after.

[Scottie]

On the subject of Godard, I actually just rewatched Vivre Sa Vie last night for the first time in almost two years. It is not my favorite of Godard's films, but there is no denying that it is exceptionally well-made and an essential film of the French New Wave.

I really love how raw and honest it is in its exploration of life. I do not think anyone, even the philosopher, understands the mysteries of life. Through our experiences and our errors, though, we gain a better grasp on such a continually developing concept. The cinéma vérité style of filmmaking further makes the film feel like a documentary where such a descent into prostitution can happen more so than the average person would think.

For those who have seen it, do you believe that Godard is trying to compare the character of Nana to a Joan of Arc-like martyr? I think the scene where Nana goes to the movies to see The Passion of Joan of Arc foreshadows her future struggles and her eventual fate.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm interested in checking out some more Godard and would appreciate some recommendations. For the record, I outright loved Vivre Sa Vie, I very much liked Pierrot Le Fou but I have mixed feelings about Breathless. I appreciate how cool it is and it's influence, but I kind of hated it more than liked it lol.

Contempt is his greatest masterpiece, so that's what you should go with next. I also love Une Femme Mariee, but that was is generally received more coolly. If you're interested in later Godard, Hail Mary is a good jumping off point. I have not seen all of Godard's work, but I have seen almost every feature (excluding the 70s period). This list I made may be of some help http://letterboxd.com/brandon_260/li...godard-ranked/

[Scottie]

I try not to bring these things up too often, but for anyone who will purchase or receive their The Complete Jacques Tati box set, could you please let me know how your box is in terms of tightness?

My set arrived a few minutes ago and it is very tight. The booklet (which appears on the far left of the box) cannot be moved to the right because of height issues. Also, the DigiPacks can only be placed in the box easily when grouped together, not individually.

Thank you!

[dsman71]

With my 10.00 off gift certificate I wound up blind buying the blu ray of I Married A Witch.. I really hope I like it..

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by dsman71

With my 10.00 off gift certificate I wound up blind buying the blu ray of I Married A Witch.. I really hope I like it..

Great purchase! I absolutely adore it.

[silverlakephil]

I started watching La Dolce Vita last night and the 4k scan is amazing..wow.

[TJS_Blu]

I decided to Up the Criterion content to this year's Halloween...

[Show spoiler]

[Show spoiler]Real artists:

[Show spoiler]Mark Kobasz and Chris Houston

[blujazz]

^so bleak it's kind of funny

[Kolm14]

So Vampyr is listed as Out of Print on Criterion's website. http://www.criterion.com/films/661-vampyr What do you guys think? Packaging Upgrade, Blu-ray upgrade? Criterion usually announces when things go out of print so I'm curious as to what's going on.

[The Great Owl]

I bought The Vanishing from Barnes & Noble for $26.70, after the 30% off sale and my membership.

I love the cover art for this release, and I know that I'm going to enjoy seeing the film for the thousandth time in a couple of days for my Halloween movie night.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

You might want to spoiler some of that so that the next first time viewer can wonder the same things you did.

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

I'd like to second this. The use of spoiler tags is greatly appreciated for those of us who like to discuss movies we have seen and get suggestions for new ones, but have an immense desire to go into our movies completely blind.

Sorry about this...I thought about it for a good 10 minutes about whether or not I should have used the spoiler tags but since the ending is already known in the first few minutes, I figured its anti-climactic and not a spoiler, but maybe it is after all.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I was lucky enough to see it in the theater, and it was a really engrossing experience. I thought about it for days and days afterwards. I think you captured it perfectly by saying how full of dread it is.

And wow, but I'm not sure if Dunst will ever be able to top that performance. I've always been a fan of hers, but to be honest I would never have thought that she had that performance in her.

Originally Posted by Polaroid

My fave performance from her! I just loved who it was a film about the end of the world, but it wasn't in a massive city with skyscrapers blowing up and focusing on hoards of people - it was stripped right back and felt more realistic - focusing on individuals in an isolated location. Also the fact it didn't focus son the end of the world till second half. I found it so refreshing and had far more impact on me than most end of the world films.

I did love her in The Virgin Suicides, but I do struggle to find big/bold performances from her, oh she was spectacular in Interview With a Vampire, she really did feel like an adult trapped in a young girls body in that film and was phenomenal.

I also found the scene where Charlotte looks up to the planet with the tool and then looks again and its much closer really scary and the acting was so genuine, I could feel her fear and anxiety.

Spectacular film - and that opening sequence, I wondered how he would trump Antichrist opening sequence.

I wish Nymphomaniac linked more obviously with the trilogy and had that stunning slow mo introduction - well you could argue Nymphomaniac is the start of a new trilogy... I just wish Nymphomaniac was as dark as Antichrist/Melancholia and more serious, although I do love the humour in Nymph.



Same, incredible piece of music, same goes for Lascia ch'io pianga (G. F. Händel) from Antichrist which whenever I hear, I feel dread and misery haha - but its incredible. I wish more films used existing classical music and celebrated it.

I think The Tree of Life has some of the best uses of classical music!

I agree on that last part of the The Tree of Life... what was that opera piece called again (during the evolution of the universe sequence)? It's still lodged in my brain and I can't get this music out of my mind.

AaronJ: glad to hear we both felt the same way about Melancholia.

Originally Posted by Coen

Love Melancholia, but I don't really find it all that bleak. When I think bleak, the first film that comes to mind is The Turin Horse.

Oh yes, that is truly bleak...on a whole other level.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I try not to bring these things up too often, but for anyone who will purchase or receive their The Complete Jacques Tati box set, could you please let me know how your box is in terms of tightness?

My set arrived a few minutes ago and it is very tight. The booklet (which appears on the far left of the box) cannot be moved to the right because of height issues. Also, the DigiPacks can only be placed in the box easily when grouped together, not individually.

Thank you!

Just saw the box in the store; they had 5-6 of them. All appeared to be and felt tight. The individual digipacks seemed flimsy and the sides (part visible) did not fit straight across. I'm not sure how to describe it.

Overall, the sets looked pretty flimsy as a whole, this coming from someone who has never complained about criterion packaging.

[Judex]

Originally Posted by Kolm14

So Vampyr is listed as Out of Print on Criterion's website. http://www.criterion.com/films/661-vampyr What do you guys think? Packaging Upgrade, Blu-ray upgrade? Criterion usually announces when things go out of print so I'm curious as to what's going on.

I'm guessing it's a packaging thing. They'll probably remove the book and re-issue it in a standard DVD case. Which would be a shame.

It'd be fantastic if a blu ray was to follow soon.

[silverlakephil]

I can't decide whether or not I'll get the Tati or Demy box set during the November B&N sale. I don't plan on getting both since I'm trying not to overspend. I'm leaning towards the Demy box since the new Playtime transfer is not getting that much of an enthusiastic review.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

I'm interested in checking out some more Godard and would appreciate some recommendations. For the record, I outright loved Vivre Sa Vie, I very much liked Pierrot Le Fou but I have mixed feelings about Breathless. I appreciate how cool it is and it's influence, but I kind of hated it more than liked it lol.

Vivre sa vie and Pierrot le fou are at the most accessible end of the Godard scale. Bande à part is the logical next step, in terms of the films available on Criterion Blu-ray. Weekend is a divisive film, and I still consider it a challenge, and I'm very well read on Godard. Contextualisation is pretty much a necessity for that film.

In other Godard news, my wife and I just adopted a puppy, and we've named him Godard!

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I try not to bring these things up too often, but for anyone who will purchase or receive their The Complete Jacques Tati box set, could you please let me know how your box is in terms of tightness?

My set arrived a few minutes ago and it is very tight. The booklet (which appears on the far left of the box) cannot be moved to the right because of height issues. Also, the DigiPacks can only be placed in the box easily when grouped together, not individually.

Thank you!

My copy arrived yesterday and I would describe it as "tight enough". It's not especially tight.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Just saw the box in the store; they had 5-6 of them. All appeared to be and felt tight. The individual digipacks seemed flimsy and the sides (part visible) did not fit straight across. I'm not sure how to describe it.

Overall, the sets looked pretty flimsy as a whole, this coming from someone who has never complained about criterion packaging.

Thanks for the response. I do not think any of my DigiPacks fit straight across in any of my box sets, so I am used to that aspect.

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

My copy arrived yesterday and I would describe it as "tight enough". It's not especially tight.

Thanks for the response. Does your box set allow you to place the booklet at the opposite end?