The Criterion Collection

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

Since Antonioni is "Direttore del giorno" thought I'd mention that I'm going to see Zabriskie Point tonight at the Belmont.
I've always wanted to see this film, though I know nothing about it.

It's an interesting movie, though I remember finding it pretty alienating when I first saw it.

[StLouisRibs]

So - the TCM festival is showing a new restoration of Spartacus in March. Could an upgrade be on the way?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

So - the TCM festival is showing a new restoration of Spartacus in March. Could an upgrade be on the way?

That's the first thing I thought.

Here's the info:

[bwdowiak]

The other two films I saw this weekend were Truffaut’s The Last Metro and Bigger Than Life. One exceeded expectations and I thought the other was a dud – a blind buy misfire.

First the good: I thought The Last Metro was a wonderful film! “equal parts romance, historical tragedy and even comedy” is what it says on the back of the Criterion disc… I feel that this sums up the movie very well as it is a success on all 3 fronts. I don’t know that I’ve met a movie that deals with Nazi-occupied France that I haven’t liked, so take that into consideration if you’re thinking about seeing it. The film is well-acted, warm, and while it isn’t going to make any short lists of the greatest Criterion titles, it is very much worth its 135 minute run time.

The bad: Bigger Than Life is a miserable movie. It may have been socially important at the time. Now it just plays out as

[Show spoiler] one dude on an extended bad trip

. The color transfer is one of the best I’ve ever seen, but so what? The movie is dark and has nothing to say to the 21st century viewer. It is a dinosaur and is better viewed as a historical curiosity. No thanks.

[deepbreathsanddeath]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

The other two films I saw this weekend were Truffaut’s The Last Metro and Bigger Than Life. One exceeded expectations and I thought the other was a dud – a blind buy misfire.

First the good: I thought The Last Metro was a wonderful film! “equal parts romance, historical tragedy and even comedy” is what it says on the back of the Criterion disc… I feel that this sums up the movie very well as it is a success on all 3 fronts. I don’t know that I’ve met a movie that deals with Nazi-occupied France that I haven’t liked, so take that into consideration if you’re thinking about seeing it. The film is well-acted, warm, and while it isn’t going to make any short lists of the greatest Criterion titles, it is very much worth its 135 minute run time.

The bad: Bigger Than Life is a miserable movie. It may have been socially important at the time. Now it just plays out as

[Show spoiler] one dude on an extended bad trip

. The color transfer is one of the best I’ve ever seen, but so what? The movie is dark and has nothing to say to the 21st century viewer. It is a dinosaur and is better viewed as a historical curiosity. No thanks.

Interesting. I couldn't possibly feel more differently. I found the themes of Bigger Than Life relevant and found the movie quite disturbing and effective. It's funny how different opinions can be. I'm always finding myself surprised

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I thought The Last Metro was a wonderful film! “equal parts romance, historical tragedy and even comedy” is what it says on the back of the Criterion disc… I feel that this sums up the movie very well as it is a success on all 3 fronts.

Agreed. I got this from the local library a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised. I now see Gerard Depardieu in a whole new light. Hollywood just messed up Americans having the chance at another great actor.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

Agreed. I got this from the local library a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised. I now see Gerard Depardieu in a whole new light. Hollywood just messed up Americans having the chance at another great actor.

Uh, wait. What?!

(Or if that was sarcasm, just ignore me. )

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

The other two films I saw this weekend were Truffaut’s The Last Metro and Bigger Than Life. One exceeded expectations and I thought the other was a dud – a blind buy misfire.

First the good: I thought The Last Metro was a wonderful film! “equal parts romance, historical tragedy and even comedy” is what it says on the back of the Criterion disc… I feel that this sums up the movie very well as it is a success on all 3 fronts. I don’t know that I’ve met a movie that deals with Nazi-occupied France that I haven’t liked, so take that into consideration if you’re thinking about seeing it. The film is well-acted, warm, and while it isn’t going to make any short lists of the greatest Criterion titles, it is very much worth its 135 minute run time.

The bad: Bigger Than Life is a miserable movie. It may have been socially important at the time. Now it just plays out as

[Show spoiler] one dude on an extended bad trip

. The color transfer is one of the best I’ve ever seen, but so what? The movie is dark and has nothing to say to the 21st century viewer. It is a dinosaur and is better viewed as a historical curiosity. No thanks.

Agree on Bigger than Life. I thought it was wholly unremarkable.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

First the good: I thought The Last Metro was a wonderful film! “equal parts romance, historical tragedy and even comedy” is what it says on the back of the Criterion disc… I feel that this sums up the movie very well as it is a success on all 3 fronts. I don’t know that I’ve met a movie that deals with Nazi-occupied France that I haven’t liked, so take that into consideration if you’re thinking about seeing it. The film is well-acted, warm, and while it isn’t going to make any short lists of the greatest Criterion titles, it is very much worth its 135 minute run time.

Glad you enjoyed it!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Agree on Bigger than Life. I thought it was wholly unremarkable.

I whiffed on watching The Burmese Harp. My wife actually had time to watch something with me so we watched Ali: Fear Eats the Soul which I had out at the same time. Without elaborating, I thought Ali was just 'ok,' and am probably one of very few around here who will now go on record as saying that I much preferred All That Heaven Allows.

TBH is still on my radar though.

Originally Posted by iScottie

Glad you enjoyed it!

yep! thanks, Scottie! it was one I felt "I had to see" because it is Truffaut, but I ended up being very pleased.

obviously, you didn't care for it?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

yep! thanks, Scottie! it was one I felt "I had to see" because it is Truffaut, but I ended up being very pleased.

obviously, you didn't care for it?

I liked it enough, it didn't leave too much of an impression on me.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I liked it enough, it didn't leave too much of an impression on me.

so what's your Truffaut outlook going forward? I assume that you will be in on The Soft Skin... yes? how about the Twilight Time title - The Bride Wore Black?

yes and no for me. I've only seen the latter. good for one watch - nothing more.

[zoodermin]

Sorry if this was asked before but when does the B&N sale start?

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

Sorry if this was asked before but when does the B&N sale start?

check the first post here... it starts on the 11th. There are also coupons listed.

[Musicguy]

Originally Posted by RojD

I was getting sorta whiny about what looked like gratuitous references to Turn of the Screw in Innocents until that last shot. WOW! Had to have a second slug of bourbon after after that last image.

Do you also feel that way when "Gone With the Wind" has gratuitous references to "Gone With the Wind" or any other novel a film is based on???

[painted_klown]

I have a stupid question here all.

Do Criterion use the exact same transfer on their essential art house DVDs as they use on the spine numbered full featured editions?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

so what's your Truffaut outlook going forward? I assume that you will be in on The Soft Skin... yes? how about the Twilight Time title - The Bride Wore Black?

yes and no for me. I've only seen the latter. good for one watch - nothing more.

I will only purchase those two films, especially the former, if I do not have any other means to see them prior to their release.

The only Truffaut film I truly enjoy is The 400 Blows. I need to give Jules and Jim another chance.

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by iScottie

The only Truffaut film I truly enjoy is The 400 Blows. I need to give Jules and Jim another chance.

I've never really been crazy about his films but I do enjoy reading his film criticism.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

It's an interesting movie, though I remember finding it pretty alienating when I first saw it.

Having only seen L'Avventura before I was expecting some alienation, especially given the blurb, and I also find it hard to warm to themes of dissatisfaction involving the richest state in the most priveliged nation on earth (sorry), but actually I found it very involving and myself very much rooting for the protagonists. In fact, I found it deeply moving; the astoundingly beautiful cinematography probably helped - and the restoration is top notch. The ending is sublime. Can we have a Criterion of this please!

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I whiffed on watching The Burmese Harp...still on my radar though.

I loved this film when I rented the MoC - amazing on every front!

[RojD]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Do you also feel that way when "Gone With the Wind" has gratuitous references to "Gone With the Wind" or any other novel a film is based on???

No, I don't think so. If The Innocents had been called "Turn of the Screw," I wouldn't have felt elements like overlaps in the story and character names were gratuitous at all, and I would have been thinking of the movie as a (very free) adaptation. But as I was watching The Innocents, I kept feeling like I was seeing elements of something outside that were incorporated into the film for an unclear and, ultimately, unnecessary purpose. The kids were their own unique characters in the film, not the kids from Turn of the Screw, despite their having the same names and being in some of the same situations. And the determined Miss Gibbons wasn't at all like the fragile governess in James though some of her experiences were the same. I was totally captured by the film, but I thought the references to James were unnecessary. The film's characters were far strong enough to have been just fine with their own plot and didn't need to be locked into elements of Turn of the Screw. That's what I was getting at. And the ending of The Innocents is way more shocking than that of Turn of the Screw....but at the same time, similar.

I don't know the play that The Innocents was based on, but I wonder if it was the source for some of the strength, and creepiness, of some of these characters. The special features mentioned that the studio bought the rights to the play as a way of getting the rights to Turn of the Screw, but I don't think they mentioned whether Capote and the other screenwriters went back to James for their adaptation or to the play. In my experience of the movie though, it was wholly original with surface references to James that it really didn't need.