The Criterion Collection

[adamhopelies]

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.

All of the cardboard Criterion box-sets have looked the same to me. You need to crease the individual digipacks back and forth but after that they're fine and sit flat.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by iScottie

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

Hmmm, I'm not sure, I didn't try, will check later and get back to you. It seems strange to think that it wouldn't. How peculiar.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Sneak peak for the Criterion book:

[Show spoiler]

Mine.

When I was really into reading comics, I bought books along the same lines, like gorgeous hardcovers of a particular artist's covers, or the like. So this is pretty much in my wheelhouse.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

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/

I'd echo this, if we're talking beyond Criterion. Hail Mary is great, though Slow Motion is probably the best intro to this period of Godard's work. Is Histoire(s) du cinéma readily available in the US?

Une femme mariée is a personal favourite too (and was the subject of my Masters thesis). The now-OOP Masters Of Cinema Blu-ray is great.

I've watched a lot of the 70s stuff. I love Numero Deux, but I tend to get lost in a lot of the political subtext of the work.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by jw007

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

Not opera, but Berlioz' "Requiem," specifically the Agnus Dei portion.

I am positive that this piece was also used in another film I've seen, but I can't remember what the heck it is.

Ugh, my dying brain.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

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!

you wouldn't say that Breathless is the most accessible? I'm constantly surprised when others have said that they didn't enjoy it, but liked a film like PLF (for example)

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

you wouldn't say that Breathless is the most accessible? I'm constantly surprised when others have said that they didn't enjoy it, but liked a film like PLF (for example)

Don't know about most accessible, but I love it. Always have, always will. But I think that films like Vivre sa vie and Band of Outsiders are equally accessible. I grant that some might find Vivre sa vie "slow" or something, but then they probably aren't going to be Godard fans in the first place.

I would argue that Contempt is Godard's masterwork, when it comes to features. It captures almost everything that he wanted to say about film in one nice little package. Certainly his later, highly didactic work is only for the feint of heart.

It's interesting that people have mentioned Hail Mary, since that's what made me a fan of his work, what drove me to learn more about him in the first place. I vividly remember the "cries of outrage" that accompanied the release of the film, and since I was at probably my most political stage in my life at the time (in High School, about 14 or 15), I of course wanted to see what the hubbub was about. It's a beautiful film, full of some incredibly imagery. But it wasn't until I experienced his earlier work, like Breathless, or like Vivre sa vie -- and I learned what those films meant to the history of film -- that I came to really appreciate his work. Until then, I suppose, he was just a filmmaker who had pissed off a bunch of religious nuts, and thus was a hero.

[Polaroid]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Sneak peak for the Criterion book:

Instant buy! AMAZING.

Originally Posted by jw007

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.



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

Lacrimosa, Zbigniew Preisner - same guy who did Double Life, Three Colors etc etc

The Tree of Life - Lacrimosa - YouTube

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I'd echo this, if we're talking beyond Criterion. Hail Mary is great, though Slow Motion is probably the best intro to this period of Godard's work. Is Histoire(s) du cinéma readily available in the US?

Une femme mariée is a personal favourite too (and was the subject of my Masters thesis). The now-OOP Masters Of Cinema Blu-ray is great.

I've watched a lot of the 70s stuff. I love Numero Deux, but I tend to get lost in a lot of the political subtext of the work.

This was on my radar, and I should have grabbed it when I had the chance. Oh well, I don't think I'll pay 100 bucks plus for an out of print Godard film, so I hope Criterion releases it someday.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

This was on my radar, and I should have grabbed it when I had the chance. Oh well, I don't think I'll pay 100 bucks plus for an out of print Godard film, so I hope Criterion releases it someday.

It appears it will be released by Cohen Media Group according to this:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/co...ve-1201333314/

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

you wouldn't say that Breathless is the most accessible? I'm constantly surprised when others have said that they didn't enjoy it, but liked a film like PLF (for example)

I don't personally think of Breathless as particularly inaccessible, but I can kind of understand why some might not be on board with it, especially if it's their first encounter with Godard. The film's mid-section in the apartment can alienate some, especially if they're not attuned to his style.

I think PLF is Godard at his most playful, at least when it comes to the early run. Story-wise it's probably of greater appeal to the casual viewer than the other "fun" films from this era, like A Woman Is A Woman.

Breathless was the first Godard film that I saw, at age 16, and it quite literally changed the way I think about cinema, and is the film responsible for my whole career path and whatnot. It was also the first Godard film I showed my wife, who's no cinephile, and she really fell for it, and Godard's 60s work in general (so much so that she walked down the aisle to the main theme from Le Mepris), so it's certainly an accessible movie.

[brandon_260]

Dipped back into my collection for the first time in a while the last few days.

Love Streams was very good, one of the Cassavetes I've enjoyed the most, but I can't pinpoint why exactly. A lot of what is going on seems very familiar to his prior works, but something about this stands above most for me. The only others I've enjoyed more are A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night.

Then went back to my Demy boxset for a rewatch of Cherbourg, which proved as beautiful as ever, then followed up with Rochefort, which was absolutely stunning. The Demy set is my frontrunner for release of the year.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

I would argue that Contempt is Godard's masterwork, when it comes to features. It captures almost everything that he wanted to say about film in one nice little package. Certainly his later, highly didactic work is only for the feint of heart.

I think there are a number of candidates (in all honesty I think Godard's is the strongest single body of work in 20th century arts). Pierrot Le Fou has always played like a "Greatest Hits" of his 60s to me, and is probably my own favourite. I'd probably say that Histoire(s) du cinéma is probably his greatest achievement. Adieu au langage is going to be one of the more highly regarded features in his oeuvre too.

Originally Posted by AaronJ

It's interesting that people have mentioned Hail Mary, since that's what made me a fan of his work, what drove me to learn more about him in the first place. I vividly remember the "cries of outrage" that accompanied the release of the film, and since I was at probably my most political stage in my life at the time (in High School, about 14 or 15), I of course wanted to see what the hubbub was about. It's a beautiful film, full of some incredibly imagery. But it wasn't until I experienced his earlier work, like Breathless, or like Vivre sa vie -- and I learned what those films meant to the history of film -- that I came to really appreciate his work. Until then, I suppose, he was just a filmmaker who had pissed off a bunch of religious nuts, and thus was a hero.

8000 people showed up to protest the New York Film Festival premiere of Hail Mary! I just recently revisited the film via the recent Cohen Blu. I'd never seen Anne-Marie Mieville's companion short, The Book Of Mary, until this recent screening (it's on the disc alongside Godard's film) and was blown away. Great A/V quality too.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

The Demy set is my frontrunner for release of the year.

Snap, tho I suspect this Tati set may pip it, on account of it being complete.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

This was on my radar, and I should have grabbed it when I had the chance. Oh well, I don't think I'll pay 100 bucks plus for an out of print Godard film, so I hope Criterion releases it someday.

Hopefully they will. It's a strange omission from the Criterion catalogue. It's probably the highest profile missing 60s Godard title.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Then went back to my Demy boxset for a rewatch of Cherbourg, which proved as beautiful as ever, then followed up with Rochefort, which was absolutely stunning. The Demy set is my frontrunner for release of the year.

The Demy box, from the physical beauty of the actual box itself, to the content of the films themselves, to the booklet, to everything -- it's absolutely stunning. I'm SO glad I got this.

For me, it's between the Demy box and Persona for release of the year. Of course, Persona is at a disadvantage since it's just a single film. But it's pretty amazing itself.

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I think there are a number of candidates (in all honesty I think Godard's is the strongest single body of work in 20th century arts). Pierrot Le Fou has always played like a "Greatest Hits" of his 60s to me, and is probably my own favourite. I'd probably say that Histoire(s) du cinéma is probably his greatest achievement. Adieu au langage is going to be one of the more highly regarded features in his oeuvre too.

Yeah, his non-features (like Histoire(s)) are arguably even more impressive than his features. But I'll always hold Contempt at the top, simply for the effect it originally had on me on first viewing. I remember watching it and thinking, "I've never seen anything like this before. Though, I suppose, you can say that about a lot of the great man's work.

8000 people showed up to protest the New York Film Festival premiere of Hail Mary! I just recently revisited the film via the recent Cohen Blu. I'd never seen Anne-Marie Mieville's companion short, The Book Of Mary, until this recent screening (it's on the disc alongside Godard's film) and was blown away. Great A/V quality too.

I need to get that. Like, yesterday. But yeah, the "outrage" was amazing. I have a feeling that Godard was probably sitting there in Switzerland just laughing his ass off at all of it.

[pro-bassoonist]

F for Fake Blu-ray REVIEW



Pro-B

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

8000 people showed up to protest the New York Film Festival premiere of Hail Mary! I just recently revisited the film via the recent Cohen Blu. I'd never seen Anne-Marie Mieville's companion short, The Book Of Mary, until this recent screening (it's on the disc alongside Godard's film) and was blown away. Great A/V quality too.

When I was a teenager, the minister at my Methodist Church mentioned Godard's Hail Mary during a sermon and expressed a severe disdain for the film, to say the least. According to him, the film was an abomination. I had forgotten about all of this until I saw the site review for the Cohen Media release of the Blu-ray.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

There is also this:

http://www.criterion.com/hulu

In case the letterboxd link gets removed in the future

Yeah, I think that was the one I'd seen before (and looked for a bit before I posted, but couldn't seem to find anything like it). Thanks for this also. (A bit easier to digest in that format.)

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

The Demy box, from the physical beauty of the actual box itself, to the content of the films themselves, to the booklet, to everything -- it's absolutely stunning. I'm SO glad I got this.

For me, it's between the Demy box and Persona for release of the year. Of course, Persona is at a disadvantage since it's just a single film. But it's pretty amazing itself.

Persona is my other main contender right now as well. L'avventura is the only yet to be seen release that may also be in contention.