The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

I just watched A Day in the Country via Hulu and I honestly really enjoyed it. Still, the entire release feels like a waste as the short would be better suited as an extra to another Renoir film or a film with a similar mood.

Originally Posted by callahan09

Thank you very much! I agree with you on Koyaanisqatsi, by the way! It's a primary reason I'd like to have the boxed set. Nevertheless, I think I'm leaning towards putting that one on the backburner for now.

I'll add John Cassavetes to my short list. I hope you don't mind, but I took a look at your collection, and it is pretty much entirely the sort of movies I either own or would want to own, so I feel pretty good about checking out anything you would recommend.

So I think I've decided to make my short list: Cassavetes, David Lean, or Zatoichi.

I'm always hearing such wonderful praise of Cassavetes, that's why it's on my shortlist, but it's a total blind buy, truthfully I don't know what to even expect. Could someone give me a little more insight with comparisons to other filmmakers/works?

Thanks!

No problem. Feel free to ask whatever questions you may have. I'm currently in the process of finishing up my unwatched Criterion Blu-rays and thinning down my collection further.

Regarding Cassavetes, I honestly cannot think of too many other films that feel like his. Maybe Paris, Texas resembles some of his catalogue in terms of tone and honesty, but he seems to be his own person.

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

There's some gems. Another highlight is Cassavetes, Falk and Gazzara. I think they may have had a couple of drinks beforehand...

Dick Cavett - John Cassavetes, Peter Falk and Ben Gazzara - (1970) - Husbands Film - YouTube

Ha, you've got to love the 70s. They weren't the first or last guests to "loosen up" before a Cavett show.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by jayembee

All excellent choices. Or Bruce McDonald's Dance Me Outside and Highway 61 (but especially the former) or Mina Shum's Double Happiness.

Have you ever read W.P. Kinsella's short story collections about Hobbema? There's 6 or so. Apparently Kinsella hates Dance Me Outside. The short stories are pretty hysterical. I read a few of the Hobbema collections back when I was in high school.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Don McKellar's The Grand Seduction. All my Newfie coworkers loved it. It's a more recent film, and a remake of sorts.

I'd personally like to see Goin' Down the Road by Donald Shebib, and for Criterion to see if SCTV folks would allow them to take the Garth & Gord & Fiona & Alice spoof and use it as an extra.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Have you ever read W.P. Kinsella's short story collections about Hobbema? There's 6 or so. Apparently Kinsella hates Dance Me Outside. The short stories are pretty hysterical. I read a few of the Hobbema collections back when I was in high school.

No, I haven't read any of Kinsella books. I've heard that Kinsella didn't like the movie, but that's life.

[Polaroid]

Omg managed to scrounge a voucher off eBay - enough for a MoC, sadly can't afford a Criterion.

Im stuck between:

La Planete Sauvage

Onibaba

The Passion of Joan of Arc

Nosferatu

Van Gogh

Or are there others I'm forgetting which are incredible >.<

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by jayembee

No, I haven't read any of Kinsella books. I've heard that Kinsella didn't like the movie, but that's life.

Read Kinsella. I haven't read his baseball books, like Shoeless Joe. Good Canadian literature. Right now I'm going through Lucy Maud Montgomery's works, many I have read countless times over 20+ years, others I've never read before. I used to enjoy the Anne adaptations, but watching them now, holy crow did Kevin Sullivan royally screw them up, including the first.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Omg managed to scrounge a voucher off eBay - enough for a MoC, sadly can't afford a Criterion.

Im stuck between:

La Planete Sauvage

Onibaba

The Passion of Joan of Arc

Nosferatu

Van Gogh

Or are there others I'm forgetting which are incredible >.<

They've released a lot of good stuff.

I like both Mabuses a lot and Cleopatra was a lot more fun than I expected. I kind of bought it on a whim (not a steelbook collector but sometimes they catch my eye) and would up pretty impressed.

Nosferatu is a real gem though. It's a great film, it looks absolutely fantastic and not surprisingly the supplement package is pretty solid too. I don't have any of the others on your list so I can't compare them but I can give a solid thumbs up to Nosferatu.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by octagon

They've released a lot of good stuff.

I like both Mabuses a lot and Cleopatra was a lot more fun than I expected. I kind of bought it on a whim (not a steelbook collector but sometimes they catch my eye) and would up pretty impressed.

Nosferatu is a real gem though. It's a great film, it looks absolutely fantastic and not surprisingly the supplement package is pretty solid too. I don't have any of the others on your list so I can't compare them but I can give a solid thumbs up to Nosferatu.

Ah ok thanks Im not sure if I want the steelbooks or not, the MoC one look so nice but I want some uniformity, maybe i'll buy both at some point :P

[jw007]

Originally Posted by BobbyMcGee

I definitely second Pro-B's recommendation of Tyrannosaur. When I saw it in the theater there were people openly weeping. The film is just brutal at times.

I would also recommend Amour (2012). One of the most realistic depictions of love, marriage, and old age I have ever seen. Also very much heartbreaking at times as well.

Oh, I bought Amour on blu-ray last year and finally opened it up and watched the film last month. It's a totally emotionally arresting film. Very moving and disquieting at times.

[jw007]

I'm starting to realize, by the way, such as with my above posting, that I shouldn't have to feel the need to own or purchase films in order to watch them, especially if I'll only see the film once. I feel that Amour will be a one-time viewing for me for the foreseeable future.

Is this a lesson I am finally starting to learn?

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Omg managed to scrounge a voucher off eBay - enough for a MoC, sadly can't afford a Criterion.

Im stuck between:

La Planete Sauvage

Onibaba

The Passion of Joan of Arc

Nosferatu

Van Gogh

Or are there others I'm forgetting which are incredible >.<

What I would go for: 1. Passion of Joan of Arc 2. Onibaba 3. Nosferatu

what I really want is Faust and The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, honestly.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

What I would go for: 1. Passion of Joan of Arc 2. Onibaba 3. Nosferatu

what I really want is Faust and The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, honestly.

Thanks Have heard great thing about the Joan of Ark release.

Originally Posted by jw007

Oh, I bought Amour on blu-ray last year and finally opened it up and watched the film last month. It's a totally emotionally arresting film. Very moving and disquieting at times.

Its so beautiful though, yet so heartbreaking. I wish she deserved the oscar, she was so real and the couple had some great chemistry.

I need to see again, absolutely heartbreaking. But hey, its Haneke - what do you expect :P?

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Omg managed to scrounge a voucher off eBay - enough for a MoC, sadly can't afford a Criterion.

Im stuck between:

La Planete Sauvage

Onibaba

The Passion of Joan of Arc

Nosferatu

Van Gogh

Or are there others I'm forgetting which are incredible >.<

onibaba

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

onibaba

Its defintely between Joan of Arc and this, both are ones I've wanted upgraded on Criterion for ages >.< wonder if I can get anymore vouchers somehow lol.

[benbess]

Is there a chance Ryan's Daughter could be released by Criterion?

[lukejosephchung]

Originally Posted by benbess

Is there a chance Ryan's Daughter could be released by Criterion?

They DO have a new licensing agreement with Warner, which owns the movie...the first release under that license is February's "Watership Down"...

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Zatoichi is a great set IF you like Samurai material period. beautiful boxset and it's just hard not to recommend it.

The David Lean Box is equally good on a completely different level.


By Brackage is of more limited fan base so I wouldn't suggest it UNLESS you already know you like the style of Material.

Qatsi probably falls into the same category.


Samarui Trilogy is excellent and Yojimbo/Sanjuro are just plain superb if you like those type films


Now just as a heads up if you aren't reading the deals area -- if your 20% is good through next weekend at least, I'd suggest maybe holding off until next weekend as there is a high probability of a 30% off coupon that could save you quite a bit. I hate to have that 20% go unused and then the 30% not materialize, but the evidence and BN History strongly suggest this will happen.

I'll echo all this advice. I've got all of the sets you mention except for the Cassavetes set because I already have the separate region-free British Blu-ray releases of the two titles I was most interested in.

The Lean set is excellent, and my favorites are actually THIS HAPPY BREED and IN WHICH WE SERVE, although I very much like BRIEF ENCOUNTER and BLITHE SPIRIT as well, just to a lesser degree as both seem more conventional and somewhat more dramatically forced than the first two.

As for Zatoichi, their similarities to each other are no more than any TV episodes in a series, which gradually develop and deepen the character a bit over the entire run while exploiting what audiences like best about it. The main difference from a TV show is that each of these is a full-length feature film instead of a 25-min. or 50-min. episode, giving a bit more room for plots and characters. On the B&N half-price sale with additional coupons and membership discounts, it's really a must-buy set if you have any interest in Samurai films. There's even one film where he meets Yojimbo, played by Toshiro Mifune! That means you absolutely need the Blu-ray editions of YOJIMBO/SANJURO to watch along with them. The SAMURAI trilogy is more thoughtful and leisurely, but gorgeous to look at and very good on its own.

[jhiggy23]

Just watched Babette's Feast and I still love it as much as I did the first time I saw it. It doesn't get much discussion here, but I highly recommend it, especially with Thanksgiving being next week.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by octagon

This is a fantastic set. I pretty much expected In Which We Serve and This Happy Breed to be fairly sappy and sentimental but they were remarkably restrained and both are very good.

And the supplements are outstanding. There's a lot of material about each film, about David Lean and a *lot* about Noel Coward and it's all really interesting.

Yep. And for what it's worth, In Which We Serve received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, and the Academy gave Noel Coward a special honorary Oscar for the film. It also captured the Best Picture prizes from the New York Film Critics and the National Board of Review. Not too shabby a record!

I've only seen a very poor non-Criterion print of This Happy Breed in which the Technicolor was so faded that everything looked a ghastly shade of pink. It stars one of my favorite British Actresses (Celia Johnson), but I can't evaluate the film honestly because I was so put off by the bad color. Now you've got me thinking that this set may need to be be my next Criterion purchase!

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Its defintely between Joan of Arc and this, both are ones I've wanted upgraded on Criterion for ages >.< wonder if I can get anymore vouchers somehow lol.

Keep an eye for Eureka specials next week, last year they dropped the prices of several titles for black friday week.