The Criterion Collection

[jmclick]

While we're on the subject of Ingmar Bergman, I wish Criterion would license the Oscar-nominated short film, De Düva: The Dove, and include it as a bonus on their next Bergman blu-ray release. This pithy parody of the Swedish director's greatest films had the audience screaming with laughter when I saw it some 25 years ago. The scene I remember best had a character pointing at a tall, thin building and identifying it in what could best be described as "pigeon Swedish" as a "phallica symbolska." If you've never seen it, it's particularly a "must."

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Good choice.

I recommend Fanny and Alexander. You can get a good price on it during the sale. The film has nearly all of Bergman's favorite themes.

Also, since you like Seventh Seal you may want to check out Woody Allen's hilarious Love and Death (It's coming soon from Twilight Time).

Fanny and Alexander is the only Bergman film I've seen that I don't like.

It's very long...very slow...and very bourgeois.

The subject matter just doesn't appeal to me.

Not saying it's a bad film, but it's definitely an acquired taste imo.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jmclick

While we're on the subject of Ingmar Bergman, I wish Criterion would license the Oscar-nominated short film, De Düva: The Dove, and include it as a bonus on their next Bergman blu-ray release. This pithy parody of the Swedish director's greatest films had the audience screaming with laughter when I saw it some 25 years ago. The scene I remember best had a character pointing at a tall, thin building and identifying it in what could best be described as "pigeon Swedish" as a "phallica symbolska." If you've never seen it, it's particularly a "must."

It's hysterical. My favorite bit of "pigeon Swedish" in it was the word someone used for water: "aitchtooska". It comes as a surprise that one of the cast members is Madeline Kahn.

Of course, it really belonged on the release of The Seventh Seal, given its scene of playing badminton with Death.

[BohemianGraham]

The latest Muppets film did a shout out to Bergman and the Seventh Seal, and I was sadly the only one in the theatre who laughed.

[Show spoiler]

[jrsl76]

I laughed at this as well and I was also the only one.

[Herry Dunston]

I was lucky to buy Eraserhead with the second printing disc at B&N. Not sure what else to get from the Criterion sale, but that movie was my main priority.

[Deep]

Originally Posted by Herry Dunston

I was lucky to buy Eraserhead with the second printing disc at B&N. Not sure what else to get from the Criterion sale, but that movie was my main priority.

Boy, do I envy you My quandary (and I am sure some others on this thread can relate) usually is what not to get.

-D

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

The latest Muppets film did a shout out to Bergman and the Seventh Seal, and I was sadly the only one in the theatre who laughed.

Tiny Toon Adventures occasionally had Bergman-themed jokes. Hell, there was even a cartoon in one episode that was a parody of Sawdust and Tinsel. I also recall parodies of Citizen Kane and Sunset Blvd.

But then, Tiny Toon Adventures, like its Looney Tunes ancestor, often did jokes based on pop culture references, some obvious, some obscure.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I don't see ANY complaints about MoC dual format, so why is it mainly with Criterion collectors?

MoC offers DVD only releases in addition to their dual format releases, don't they? Criterion DVD buyers weren't being charged 'a little more', they were being charged somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty percent more. That's not insignificant and grumbling about it is hardly unreasonable.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by octagon

MoC offers DVD only releases in addition to their dual format releases, don't they?

Not generally. AFAIK, only upgrades that have an existing Std Def in print have a DVD only option for dual format releases.

[JLant19]

Stopped by Barnes & Noble this morning and picked up

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Darjeeling Limited
Island Of Lost Souls
Nashville
Sweet Smell Of Success

Just watched Island and highly enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of 30's horror and this fits in perfectly. I loved the darkness of the film and Laughton's performance was great.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

With all this Bergman talk, why is no one offering praises of Persona?

Persona is his best, in my opinion. I don't consider myself to be a fan of Bergman's, but could watch Persona a million times. The Criterion is excellent too.

Originally Posted by Polaroid

TGAOT is perfect example of why plastic cases are flawed an limited, they look cheap, generic and don't feel special and you can't fit nice big booklets in them.

I don't think plastic cases have anything to do with the move to smaller notes. MoC have comfortably fit 80page booklets in to their amarays.

Originally Posted by jw007

Funny how people today don't appreciate free things, because for them its at the expense of space. Same thing happened with the recent U2 iTunes release when millions of people went apeshit because they found a free U2 album on their iphones, so in other words it was like they got technologically violated and raped by some rich rock n' roll bastards. Maybe consumers don't like the fact that a company made a decision to include both formats on a release, and for them it was akin to getting violated with "things" they didn't need or want. Kind of like the U2 iTunes album that they didn't need or want.

I think the U2 situation is very different. I don't like the idea of content being pushed in to my account without my say so, full stop. It could have been my favourite band or U2 (who I have no feelings about either way) and I'd have felt the same way about it.

Re - Criterion and dual-format: that's actually how I wound up going multi-region for Blu-ray. I upgraded to Blu-ray in 2009 but stuck with multi-region DVD only. As I still bought Criterion releases, albeit only on DVD, their decision to include Blu-rays as a part of the package I was already buying is what pushed me in to buying a US player.

It's worth noting that the price of Criterion releases did jump significantly for me with dual-format, with DVDs costing around £15.99 and dual-format sets going for £23.99.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by octagon

MoC offers DVD only releases in addition to their dual format releases, don't they? Criterion DVD buyers weren't being charged 'a little more', they were being charged somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty percent more. That's not insignificant and grumbling about it is hardly unreasonable.

Masters Of Cinema appear to have once again abandoned DVD-only releases. Importantly tho, MoC charged only a little more for the dual-format releases than they did standard DVD, which is I guess why customers were more open to them. That being said, there are some vocal naysayers of dual-format even there.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Tiny Toon Adventures occasionally had Bergman-themed jokes. Hell, there was even a cartoon in one episode that was a parody of Sawdust and Tinsel. I also recall parodies of Citizen Kane and Sunset Blvd.

But then, Tiny Toon Adventures, like its Looney Tunes ancestor, often did jokes based on pop culture references, some obvious, some obscure.

The absolute best Pinky and the Brain pastiche was The Third Mouse. Absolute genius.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f_jCKuyTig

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Personally I really like Summer Interlude. For what it's worth, Godard called in "the most beautiful of all films".

Godard was much kinder about Bergman than Bergman he ("Godard is a fu**ing bore" he once proclaimed!).

Bergman was a frequent hater.

On Antonioni - “Fellini, Kurosawa, and Bunuel move in the same field as Tarkovsky. Antonioni was on his way, but expired, suffocated by his own tediousness.”

On Welles - “For me he’s just a hoax. It’s empty. It’s not interesting. It’s dead. Citizen Kane, which I have a copy of — is all the critics’ darling, always at the top of every poll taken, but I think it’s a total bore. Above all, the performances are worthless. The amount of respect that movie’s got is absolutely unbelievable.”

Personally I'd take any of those guys over Bergman.

[ijustblumyself]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Godard was much kinder about Bergman than Bergman he ("Godard is a fu**ing bore" he once proclaimed!).

Bergman was a frequent hater.

On Antonioni - “Fellini, Kurosawa, and Bunuel move in the same field as Tarkovsky. Antonioni was on his way, but expired, suffocated by his own tediousness.”

On Welles - “For me he’s just a hoax. It’s empty. It’s not interesting. It’s dead. Citizen Kane, which I have a copy of — is all the critics’ darling, always at the top of every poll taken, but I think it’s a total bore. Above all, the performances are worthless. The amount of respect that movie’s got is absolutely unbelievable.”

Personally I'd take any of those guys over Bergman.

I wouldn't say Bergman is any more of a hater than a lot of these guys. Most directors have been quoted as putting down other 'greats'.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

The absolute best Pinky and the Brain pastiche was The Third Mouse. Absolute genius.

[Show spoiler]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f_jCKuyTig

That is brilliant. Even has a zither-sounding opening theme. Thanks for the laughs, I never saw this episode.

[Herry Dunston]

Hypothetically speaking, which Jacques should I get for my collection first: complete Tati or complete Demy?

While I don't mind challenging films, I prefer to watch films to unwind. A more viewer-friendly option would be nice.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Herry Dunston

Hypothetically speaking, which Jacques should I get for my collection first: complete Tati or complete Demy?

While I don't mind challenging films, I prefer to watch films to unwind. A more viewer-friendly option would be nice.

Demy gets my vote. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort alone are worth it.

[Mansinthe]

ive just watched Bergman's The Devils Eye @ Hulu



really liked it a lot and its a funny but still serious comedy. somehow its tone did remind me a bit of Persona (one of my favorites as well)
every time a actor says somethign it feels like bergman is speaking to you. its absolutly the same like bergman talks in the interviews.

sometimes he sounds a bit bitter and narcistic.. but i think he is still a awesome person. im not really much into "what famous person that is dead would you like to meet" stuff.. but i would love to have a talk with bergman and kurosawa.

i LOVED the books of these two.

Godard was much kinder about Bergman than Bergman he ("Godard is a fu**ing bore" he once proclaimed!).

i like godard as a person. interviews and stuff with him are always very interessting .. that stuff with hitchcock A+++++++++
but his movies are really a "bore" for me as well. i will try to get into Pierot le Fou at some point.