The Criterion Collection

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Anyone here seen Insomnia, the Swedish on Criterion?

How high would you rate it on a scale from 1-10?

Better than the American remake?

...dramatically better?

I recently bought and watched both versions on blu-ray and I like both equally. I think Skarsgard's character in the original Insomnia is in some ways superior to Pacino's in Nolan's remake because he isn't so much a protagonist and falls into the grey area. I'd rate the original version a 7.9 out of 10 and the remake a 7.6 out of 10, respectively.

[Blu-Velvet]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I have Pina on DVD and loooooove it. How does the Bluray compare? Does the 3D make a difference/worth it?

PINA without the 3-D is essentially just a souvenir of the film that records the dances but not the visual compositions. This is a film that was literally made for 3-D, as noted in the supplements and audio commentary! A fantastic 3-D experience!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

My pick at the film club tonight so I decided on The Gold Rush. All I need to decide now is which version to watch.

I am leaning towards the 1925 original as I do like to watch originals first. I have also read (as I did research for my Intro) that some found the narration on the 1942 remake to be slightly off-putting)

Thoughts please from those who have watched both versions?

1925 definitely.

[jmclick]

I live the most amazing life, and I say that with all humility and gratitude.

So I'm in Barnes & Noble this afternoon, making my last purchases for this particular sale, and I get into a lively discussion with my favorite customer service rep and another customer whom I've never met before. We get into an animated conversation that veers wildly from Robert Altman to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and from there to Ingmar Bergman, Sandra Bullock and Akira Kurosawa.

I finally make my choices and take them up to the register, along with five 30% coupons (I printed one off every time I got an email about the Black Friday sale) and two 20% off coupons. My choices were:

All That Jazz
The Big Chill (the only one that wasn't a blind buy)
Insomnia (recommended to me by the other two guys)
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Ride With the Devil
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
The Vanishing (another recommendation)

My total for all 7 is $93.53 after the dust settled and I'm feeling pretty happy when the other customer I've been talking with says, "Hold on a second." He's called the store manager over, and he says, "I bought this for the customer service rep (it's a Criterion box set on DVD ... I didn't catch the exact title), and I bought this for my friend here," and he hands me a copy of Kurosawa's Kagemusha on Criterion blu-ray. I immediately started protesting, and he said, "It's a Christmas gift from my wife and me." I said, "But you just met me ...", and he said, "Doesn't matter. You helped me pick out several titles, and I want to show my appreciation." He showed the store manager the receipt for both of the items, shook my hand and the hand of CSR, wished us a happy holiday and then walked away. I was so touched I had goosebumps ... what a treat to be the recipient of an unexpected and totally random act of kindness! Truly, my cup runneth over.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Anyone here seen Insomnia, the Swedish on Criterion?

How high would you rate it on a scale from 1-10?

Better than the American remake?

...dramatically better?

I hated Nolan's version, it just didn't work for me and I found it tedious and boring, I like his other work.

This version was A LOT better, I preferred the cast and I found it more tense. Overall it was just better in every way for me.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Blu-Velvet

PINA without the 3-D is essentially just a souvenir of the film that records the dances but not the visual compositions. This is a film that was literally made for 3-D, as noted in the supplements and audio commentary! A fantastic 3-D experience!

Ah thanks! I was worried it was just a gimmick (unlike Criterion to do that really..).

I am looking to buy a new TV and might as well get a 3D one for this haha!

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Ah thanks! I was worried it was just a gimmick (unlike Criterion to do that really..).

I am looking to buy a new TV and might as well get a 3D one for this haha!

Not sure how much is your budget or what size you are planning, but for the prices of good 3D TVs i would recommend that you take a look at projectors if your room allows it, i just got a 1080p entry level one which has 3d for a 100" screen and there is no going back to tv's now (at least not for watching movies on blu ray).

On a criterion note, i also am intrigued now by Pina in 3d, hmmm.

[oildude]

Today I broke down and bought the DVD of Le Samourai after waiting on the upgrade for years. Normally the six Barnes and Noble stores near me never stock it, but there I was walking by the DVD Criterion section on my way out of the media department when I saw it on the shelf. I still had a 30% coupon in my pocket so I got it for less than $10.

Finally got tired of waiting on a new master to become available for Criterion to release it on blu-ray. As a further incentive to buy the DVD, Le Samourai has been unavailable to stream on hulu plus for months (I keep checking and it is never there). It has been many years since I last saw it; so long, in fact, that I don't remember much about it other than I liked it a lot. Back then I had never heard of Melville, paid no attention to his filmography, and it was only much later that I finally "discovered" him when I began collecting Criterions.

It is now inevitable that Criterion will obtain a new master very soon and release Le Samourai on Blu-ray. All Jef Costello fans can now thank me for taking one for the team. You are welcome.

[*DrStrangelove*]

I need you all to put your collective minds together and help me out. I can get ONE more Criterion before the sale ends. Trying to choose between:

My Darling Clementine
The Earrings of Madame de...
The Leopard
Lola Montes
Ace in the Hole

Would be a blind buy. Please help.

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I need you all to put your collective minds together and help me out. I can get ONE more Criterion before the sale ends. Trying to choose between:

My Darling Clementine
The Earrings of Madame de...
The Leopard
Lola Montes
Ace in the Hole

Would be a blind buy. Please help.

I have seen 2, 3 & 5

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by oildude

Today I broke down and bought the DVD of Le Samourai after waiting on the upgrade for years. Normally the six Barnes and Noble stores near me never stock it, but there I was walking by the DVD Criterion section on my way out of the media department when I saw it on the shelf. I still had a 30% coupon in my pocket so I got it for less than $10.

Finally got tired of waiting on a new master to become available for Criterion to release it on blu-ray. As a further incentive to buy the DVD, Le Samourai has been unavailable to stream on hulu plus for months (I keep checking and it is never there). It has been many years since I last saw it; so long, in fact, that I don't remember much about it other than I liked it a lot. Back then I had never heard of Melville, paid no attention to his filmography, and it was only much later that I finally "discovered" him when I began collecting Criterions.

It is now inevitable that Criterion will obtain a new master very soon and release Le Samourai on Blu-ray. All Jef Costello fans can now thank me for taking one for the team. You are welcome.

You made a wise decision, because the Criterion DVD of Le Samouraï still looks better than the French Pathe Blu-ray.

Le Samouraï was an early Criterion discovery of mine, and it led to my subsequent fascinations with French gangster cinema and classic-era American film noir. It was my all-time favorite film for years, before it was dethroned by Out of the Past (1947).

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I need you all to put your collective minds together and help me out. I can get ONE more Criterion before the sale ends. Trying to choose between:

My Darling Clementine
The Earrings of Madame de...
The Leopard
Lola Montes
Ace in the Hole

Would be a blind buy. Please help.

Ace in the Hole wins by a landslide! It's a gleefully cynical Billy Wilder film, and it's a classic of the noir era. Kirk Douglas and Jan Sterling make a great team!

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Not sure how much is your budget or what size you are planning, but for the prices of good 3D TVs i would recommend that you take a look at projectors if your room allows it, i just got a 1080p entry level one which has 3d for a 100" screen and there is no going back to tv's now (at least not for watching movies on blu ray).

On a criterion note, i also am intrigued now by Pina in 3d, hmmm.

Ah I have considered them in past but never really looked into them properly, it would be nice to have a projector rather than be limited to a standard TV screen size.

You got any recommendations on whats actually worth getting? Also I did't think projectors did 3D at home, which is stupid because thats what they use at cinemas haha! Does the 3D quality changed for projector or is it same as the TV quality ones? Also with projectors, do you need a dark room or can you watch them like you would a TV?

Thanks if I get this, I can also get Gravity on 3D which was used so well!

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by *DrStrangelove*

I need you all to put your collective minds together and help me out. I can get ONE more Criterion before the sale ends. Trying to choose between:

My Darling Clementine
The Earrings of Madame de...
The Leopard
Lola Montes
Ace in the Hole

Would be a blind buy. Please help.

I'd choose this because its such an incredibly beautiful film, the set design, the costumes. The acting is also really good, the only thing is some people find it a bit of a drag, but for me the beauty of whats on screen makes up for that.

Doesn't The Earrings of Madame de... have a really bad transfer? like pretty embarrassing, over processed images that look like filters have been applied very poorly?

[Clare2904]

I watched Earrings and found nothing overtly amiss. Some people want perfection, me, I just want a decent transfer and to be able to enjoy the film without crying over a speck of dust.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

I watched Earrings and found nothing overtly amiss. Some people want perfection, me, I just want a decent transfer and to be able to enjoy the film without crying over a speck of dust.

You did not get a decent transfer on this release.

Pro-B

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

I watched Earrings and found nothing overtly amiss. Some people want perfection, me, I just want a decent transfer and to be able to enjoy the film without crying over a speck of dust.

The Gaumont release has a really nice transfer compared to Criterions in my opinion, I think its region free too? Everything looks more natural, Criterions just looks so over processed on the edges :/

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...dame_de....htm

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

The Gaumont release has a really nice transfer compared to Criterions in my opinion, I think its region free too? Everything looks more natural, Criterions just looks so over processed on the edges :/

It is not a really nice transfer. It is better than the first one Gaumont provided, but it is still problematic.

By the way, we do have reviews for these releases here, correct?



Pro-B

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

It is not a really nice transfer. Its better than the first one Gaumont provided, but it is still problematic.

By the way, we do have reviews for these releases here, correct?



Pro-B

I was just going off the screen grabs on DVDBeaver and comparing it to the C version ^^

Yah just a had a read through and great reviews, does sum up the issues I mentioned far better than I did!

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

I watched Earrings and found nothing overtly amiss. Some people want perfection, me, I just want a decent transfer and to be able to enjoy the film without crying over a speck of dust.

I, too, did not see anything too problematic with it.