The Criterion Collection

[Clare2904]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

You did not get a decent transfer on this release.

Pro-B

Actually I did. You may not think so but what I saw with my own eyes was acceptable to me.

[shadedpain4]

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.

Clementine!

[*DrStrangelove*]

What a bummer about The Earrings Of Madame transfer. Was really leaning towards making that one my last purchase. Now idk.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

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!

It's between Clementine and Ace In The Hole, but if pressed, I'd go with My Darling Clementine

[Disturbed Blu 1]

Anyone else have their copy of Criterion Designs cancelled from bn.com?

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

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!

I sent you a PM

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

Actually I did. You may not think so but what I saw with my own eyes was acceptable to me.

It is not a question of whether I think so or whether you believe that what you saw with your own eyes is acceptable -- the disc is loaded with digital anomalies. In simple English, there are distorted images, moving and static, and film, dated or not, cannot possibly look like that.

You can be happy with that, it is your right, but that is not an "average presentation of a film".

Pro-B

[RojD]

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 is a fantastic film in 3D, perhaps the best I've seen, though I thought 3D adds a lot to Cave of Forgotten Dreams, too. Gravity's 3D visuals are wonderful, but I thought the script was, er, less good.

I have to think that 3D cinematographers would watch Pina for insight on the unique possibilities that 3D offers. Wenders doesn't use the gimmick of things flying at the viewer in Pina; instead, it's about how 3D can create volume and texture and can open up movement. It's worth buying the disc just for the opening dance number.

[jmclick]

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.

Oh, wow! I can't comment on numbers 2 and 4, but numbers 1, 3, and 5 are all excellent choices. Each one has its own special appeal. My Darling Clementine is an American classic of the Old West featuring a great performance by Henry Fonda who is supported by the John Ford stock company (including Ward Bond, Jane Darwell, and Russell Simpson who appeared in Ford's The Grapes of Wrath). Like the previous DVD release from Fox, you get two versions of the film in this package, the theatrical cut and the pre-release edition which surfaced not too many years ago. The bonus features on this one are superb.

The Leopard is one of director Luchino Visconti's finest efforts and the Criterion transfer is gorgeous. In terms of length and vision, this is a bona fide epic. The word "sumptuous" is an apt description. Burt Lancaster heads an excellent international cast. Over the years, this masterpiece has been shown in a variety of edited cuts; happily, the Criterion version is complete. I think this is a film that merits repeated viewings.

Ace in the Hole (aka The Big Carnival) is prime Billy Wilder, and Kirk Douglas is perfectly cast as a cynical heel of a reporter. Jan Sterling, whose career deserves to be better remembered, walked away with the National Board of Review's Best Actress accolade for her work in this film (she was also superb in the airline drama, The High and the Mighty). This is a tough, gritty little drama, and its indictment of media manipulation still rings true today.

The wonderful thing is, you can't go wrong with any of these, so choose the one that you think would best appeal to your sensibilities in the short-term and then add the other two to your "must-have" list during the next Criterion sale.

Oh, and let us know what your final pick is, and what you think of it!

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

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!

I've never seen 'Ace in the Hole', but Kirk Douglas and Billy Wilder sounds like a winner to me. Plus, the plot looks interesting.

[aes3728]

One last pick before sale is over and need help deciding on one:

The Big Chill
Ride the Whirlwind/The Shooting
Y tu Mama Tambien

All blind buys.

[PowellPressburger]

I'd prob choose The Shooting/ Ride the Whirlwind

But the other 2 choices are both really good.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by aes3728

One last pick before sale is over and need help deciding on one:

The Big Chill
Ride the Whirlwind/The Shooting
Y tu Mama Tambien

All blind buys.

Ride The Whirlwind/The Shooting. Two great movies and really good all new special features with a lot of insight as to how these films came to be.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Clare2904

Actually I did. You may not think so but what I saw with my own eyes was acceptable to me.

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

It is not a question of whether I think so or whether you believe that what you saw with your own eyes is acceptable -- the disc is loaded with digital anomalies. In simple English, there are distorted images, moving and static, and film, dated or not, cannot possibly look like that.

You can be happy with that, it is your right, but that is not an "average presentation of a film".

Pro-B

It may also be that the anomalies and problems become more apparent the larger the viewed image. There are titles that I have found acceptable to my eye when viewed on a 65" plasma, but I can see in the image how problems pointed out in reviews of the transfer would be much less tolerable if viewed projected.

[jw007]

I went crazy earlier today and went on a mini Barnes & Noble shopping spree for Criterions to two different stores.

I ended up using the 30% coupon on 3 separate items from 3 different cashiers.

I bought a total of 5 Criterion releases!

Here's the haul:

The Complete Jacques Tati (box set) / $39.37 with 50% off, 30% coupon and 10% member discount
L'Avventura / $12.59 with 50% off, 30% coupon and 10% member discount
Eclipse Series 12: Aki Kaurismäki’s Proletariat Trilogy / $12.76 with 50% off, 30% coupon and 10% member discount
L'Eclisse / $16.20 with 50% off, 5/50 coupon and 10% member discount
The Rules of the Game / $16.19 with 50% off, 5/50 coupon and 10% member discount

I'm so glad I waited for the Black Friday weekend to splurge on Criterions!

Still got one more trip for Sunday.

[Bates_Motel]

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 or The Leopard.

[filmmusic]

@DrStrangelove

I wouldn't get the Leopard if I were you, since it's an inferior release to the restored version with the correct aspect ratio available in other territories.
I would try to find the OOP Australian Bluray.

see the difference:
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich

(french is almost identical to Australian but it hasn't got English subtitles, that's why I suggested the latter)

[tenia]

I also wouldnt get Madame de, and would rather get the French BD which is much better but only has English subs on the movie, not on the extras.

[tisdivine]

Speaking of Madame De... I just watched Late Spring last night and I was surprised by the quality. Im not usually one to complain because I know these movies are extremely old and were improperly stored etc but there seemed to be a lot of scratches and fading within the picture. Has anyone else noticed this? I mean its certainly not unwatchable by any means but like I said that kind of issue usually doesnt bother me at all and it did on this blu.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Speaking of Madame De... I just watched Late Spring last night and I was surprised by the quality. Im not usually one to complain because I know these movies are extremely old and were improperly stored etc but there seemed to be a lot of scratches and fading within the picture. Has anyone else noticed this? I mean its certainly not unwatchable by any means but like I said that kind of issue usually doesnt bother me at all and it did on this blu.

I find A LOT of old asian cinema have these problems, not sure really, maybe they don't get stored/protected as well as other films?

Godzilla has this issue, Also I found Spirit of the Beehive to have a few issues.