The Criterion Collection

[Yami]

Originally Posted by obscurelabel

It would really be wonderful if the original soundtrack would be included as an option. Since so much money and effort was spent by Beatrice Welles to do the new version that likely won't happen. It's not that the new version is all bad (I think it's very good in its own right), it just isn't Orson Welles's work. I remember seeing a feature on the new soundtrack (probably on the Image DVD) and their discussions of the limitations of the original, including sync problems with the dialog and lip movements. While this may very well have been due to the limited budget (as they stated), such mismatches are present in ALL of Welles's films, and I would contend that it is impossible to discount the possibility that this was an artistic choice of Welles.

Anyway, just on the basis of it being original it should be included. Have both, what are you afraid of

The good news is that it looks like Welles' 1955 edit will be included, according to an update on the article.

[filmmusic]

I wanted to ask a question:
Do you think that some Hitchcock DVDs could be upgraded to Blurays even though there are already US releases?
I'm talking about Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound.
Or Criterion has lost the rights to these?

I would buy the existing Blurays, but I hate the covers and I think Criterion Blurays would be great.

[Cochese04]

Hitchcock's Sabotage would be a day-one purchase for me. I don't think it's seen any Blu-ray release, let alone a Criterion. It's public domain so it shows up in those cheap Mill Creek DVD sets, but then so does The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Criterion put that out on Blu.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I wanted to ask a question:
Do you think that some Hitchcock DVDs could be upgraded to Blurays even though there are already US releases?
I'm talking about Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound.
Or Criterion has lost the rights to these?

I would buy the existing Blurays, but I hate the covers and I think Criterion Blurays would be great.

There's virtually no chance that will happen

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jw007

I just watched an awesome Werner Herzog documentary for the very first time: Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Borrowed it from the local library on DVD. It's pretty good, and pretty amazing to see human artwork from over 32,000 years ago.

Love this film. I have the blu ray but I hope to see it in 3D someday. This and Pina are on my list.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

There's virtually no chance that will happen

the reason?
they lost the rights?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Is it true that Criterion are releasing a boxset of Harold Lloyd talkies in the future? Not sure why they are bothering if that's the case. His talkies are nowhere near as popular or as well regarded as his silent films.

As for Limelight, it's ok, but I would much prefer Criterion to release The Kid.

Both the talkies (first) and the silents will be released according to Lloyd's granddaughter.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I wanted to ask a question:
Do you think that some Hitchcock DVDs could be upgraded to Blurays even though there are already US releases?
I'm talking about Rebecca, Notorious and Spellbound.
Or Criterion has lost the rights to these?

I would buy the existing Blurays, but I hate the covers and I think Criterion Blurays would be great.

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

There's virtually no chance that will happen

Originally Posted by filmmusic

the reason?
they lost the rights?

Yes, they lost the rights. Ten or so years ago. Not long after they released them on DVD, in fact.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Yes, they lost the rights. Ten or so years ago. Not long after they released them on DVD, in fact.

Oh ok, thanks. Pity...

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Oh ok, thanks. Pity...

The easiest way to tell is to look up the title at criterion.com. If the DVD is OOP, then it's 99-44/100% certain that they've lost the rights to it. Any title they have the rights to they keep in print indefinitely.

[The Great Owl]

It's time for a weekend of still-unwatched John Ford movies...

I just finished watching How Green Was My Valley. It's a beautiful film in so many ways, and I regret leaving it in my unwatched stack for almost a year after I purchased it. More than anything, the movie makes me think of my uncle, aunt, and four cousins in Alabama, all of whom grew up raising horses and all of whom have a similar style of toughness about them that the Morgan family has in this movie.

My heart is still with The Maltese Falcon in terms of 1941 fare, but How Green Was My Valley has a great many emotionally resonant moments, and I love how the movie showcases that grand sweeping epic feel in the way that Ford's films do so well. Maureen O'Hara and Anna Lee are both wonderful leading ladies, Walter Pidgeon (Man Hunt, Forbidden Planet) has a likable and strong role, and a young Roddy McDowall, who also co-starred with Walter Pidgeon in Man Hunt, is fun in one of his early career roles before he became an ape.

Next up... My Darling Clementine.

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

I blind bought The Night Porter last week. I can't say that I cared for it, and I regret paying full price a week after the B&Ns sale.

Not bad though, I'm happy with the majority of my CC blind buys.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by kuro_sawa

Love this film. I have the blu ray but I hope to see it in 3D someday. This and Pina are on my list.

Pina is an extraordinary film and would make for a great double feature with All That Jazz, if you're in the mood to watch dancing/dancers in film.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

What are your top 3 low-priced Criterion Blu-ray's and why? I have a couple of regular releases already chosen and in the shopping cart (BIOH), but need some help on the third one. I already own Identification of a Woman and have seen Letter Never Sent.

Ministry of Fear is my favorite lower-priced Criterion title. It's a visually spectacular film noir from one of the greatest directors, Fritz Lang. The story is engrossing, Ray Milland is a terrific leading man, and Marjorie Reynolds is a true beauty of noir.

Jubal is a criminally underrated Criterion title. It's a beautiful Western with great acting from Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger, and a young Charles Bronson. Valerie French plays an enticing "western femme fatale" of sorts.

I Married a Witch is a lighthearted "popcorn movie" in the Criterion Collection, but it's endlessly rewatchable. Veronica Lake is such a lovely witch, and this disc is awesome around Halloween time.

I cannot say enough good things about Letter Never Sent, and it's one of my favorite Criterion titles. I also love Identification of a Woman dearly.

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

What are your top 3 low-priced Criterion Blu-ray's and why? I have a couple of regular releases already chosen and in the shopping cart (BIOH), but need some help on the third one. I already own Identification of a Woman and have seen Letter Never Sent.

Ministry of Fear!
and others not listed yet:
Ballad of Narayama
Gate of Hell

I am also a sucker for the DVD set Three Children's Classics featuring the red balloon, white mane, and paddle to the sea. I got The Red Balloon/White Mane at B&N Nov. sale for like $9. The Red Balloon has endless re-watchability.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Ministry of Fear is my favorite lower-priced Criterion title. It's a visually spectacular film noir from one of the greatest directors, Fritz Lang. The story is engrossing, Ray Milland is a terrific leading man, and Marjorie Reynolds is a true beauty of noir.

Jubal is a criminally underrated Criterion title. It's a beautiful Western with great acting from Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger, and a young Charles Bronson. Valerie French plays an enticing "western femme fatale" of sorts.

I Married a Witch is a lighthearted "popcorn movie" in the Criterion Collection, but it's endlessly rewatchable. Veronica Lake is such a lovely witch, and this disc is awesome around Halloween time.

I cannot say enough good things about Letter Never Sent, and it's one of my favorite Criterion titles. I also love Identification of a Woman dearly.

My favorite lower-priced Criterion title also stars Ray Milland. It's The Uninvited, from 1944, an exquisite ghost story that introduced actress Gail Russell and the song "Stella by Starlight" to audiences. Charles Lang's cinematography is beautiful (he was nominated for an Oscar for his work here).

Milland and Ruth Hussey, playing brother and sister, buy a cliffside mansion in England which turns out to be haunted. The wonderful thing about the plot is that the haunting is exactly that: there really is a ghost ... but there's a mystery concerning the spectre's identity and purpose. Add in a dash of romance and the slightest suggestion of lesbian obsession, and you have a wonderful film that invites repeated viewings. It's one of my favorite films and my most treasured Criterion blu-rays.

[Cat III]

I watched the first Zatoichi recently. It was an above average, though less than brilliant, flick. I'm impressed with Shintarô Katsu as the blind swordsman. This is my first experience with the franchise outside of Beat Takeshi's reboot. So now I wonder where the series goes from here. Do things get better? Is the there consensus as to which is the best installment? I know this was a major cash-cow for Daiei Studios so I it's safe to assume they didn't veer far from the established formula, but are there any entries that stand out?

It may have been said by others, but with the announcement of Hoop Dreams, I'm hoping more of Steve James' filmography is on the horizon, specifically Stevie. That is one emotional documentary. See it if you haven't (and see it again if you already have).

[PowellPressburger]

With all the new Criterion releases and I think it has been mentioned before but the fold outs instead of booklets is getting annoyingly bad! It is ok when the artwork etc they are presenting needs to be folded out. but to be honest I HATE unfolding one of them and most CC collectors are to anal to want to mess them up.

I hope they go back too booklets ASAP even if it is just 4-8 pages they don't need to be thick but booklet form please.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jmclick

My favorite lower-priced Criterion title also stars Ray Milland. It's The Uninvited, from 1944, an exquisite ghost story that introduced actress Gail Russell and the song "Stella by Starlight" to audiences. Charles Lang's cinematography is beautiful (he was nominated for an Oscar for his work here).

Milland and Ruth Hussey, playing brother and sister, buy a cliffside mansion in England which turns out to be haunted. The wonderful thing about the plot is that the haunting is exactly that: there really is a ghost ... but there's a mystery concerning the spectre's identity and purpose. Add in a dash of romance and the slightest suggestion of lesbian obsession, and you have a wonderful film that invites repeated viewings. It's one of my favorite films and my most treasured Criterion blu-rays.

I forgot that The Uninvited was a lower-price title. Definitely add my name to the list of fans.

The Uninvited (1944), The Innocents (1961), The Haunting (1963), House on Haunted Hill (1959), and The Legend of Hell House (1973) are my favorite "haunted house" films, and they make for an excellent weekend.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by jw007

Pina is an extraordinary film and would make for a great double feature with All That Jazz, if you're in the mood to watch dancing/dancers in film.

Yes definitely! That would make for a great bill. I liked Pina but I feel I still havent seen the film because I haven't seen it in 3D as intended. Maybe that's a bit much, but I am really interested in the difference it would make. Especially with Herzog's film.

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

What are your top 3 low-priced Criterion Blu-ray's and why? I have a couple of regular releases already chosen and in the shopping cart (BIOH), but need some help on the third one. I already own Identification of a Woman and have seen Letter Never Sent.

As others have said, Ministry of Fear for sure. The other one that I would really recommend is one you already have, Identification of a Woman. Truly underrated film. I'll add Blue is the Warmest Colour to the mix even though it may still get the deluxe release, it is worth noting. Wonderful movie and something I found surprisingly rewatchable. Gate of Hell is another great one but definitely not a blind buy I don't think. The colours and cinematography are worth the ticket alone though!

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

With all the new Criterion releases and I think it has been mentioned before but the fold outs instead of booklets is getting annoyingly bad! It is ok when the artwork etc they are presenting needs to be folded out. but to be honest I HATE unfolding one of them and most CC collectors are to anal to want to mess them up.

I hope they go back too booklets ASAP even if it is just 4-8 pages they don't need to be thick but booklet form please.

Beside the fact that I dislike them stylistically, I can't stand them practically! How in the HELL am I supposed to read those things? Like a newspaper is the logical thought, but even so it is really awkward for some reason. It's not a big deal but big step down in my opinion!