The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I am failing to understand what part of what I wrote you find amusing. What you say may be true, but it does nothing to discredit what I wrote.

You wrote:

I can understand how the Western genre may not work for a non-U.S. resident.

I was pointing out that the Brits (who are "non-U.S. residents") have a thing for Westerns (at least in novel form). I might also point out the prevalence of "Spaghetti Westerns" as suggesting that Italians like Westerns as well. And Akira Kurosawa liked John Ford's Westerns.

I wasn't trying to discredit your statement, but more pointing out that there's a disconnect between what you said, and some of my understanding of who or who doesn't like the genre.

In general, I think you're probably right about "non-U.S. residents" possibly not connecting with the whole frontier thing like we in the US do. But it's not quite so cut and dried. Sometimes what makes people interested in something is because it's something that is foreign to their personal or cultural experience.

I think you're also interpreting my "amusement" in a more negative light than it was intended. Perhaps the amount of conflict in this thread the last few days has made people a bit more sensitive in the face of perceived attacks.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

I've always been partial to Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. I'd avoid Titus at all costs.

I disagree. Taymor's Titus was disappointing, but I wouldn't say "avoid it at all costs" is the way to go. I'd say the same for Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing.

Which reminds me that Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing is definitely worth a watch.

I also should've included Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books as a worthwhile, and very different, take on The Tempest.

Which reminds me that I need to check out Taymor's The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as Ralph Fiennes's Coriolanus.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I was pointing out that the Brits (who are "non-U.S. residents") have a thing for Westerns (at least in novel form). I might also point out the prevalence of "Spaghetti Westerns" as suggesting that Italians like Westerns as well. And Akira Kurosawa liked John Ford's Westerns.

(I'm in the UK) The Western is very popular here. It's a tradition for one to while away a Bank Holiday Monday or lazy Sunday afternoon in front of a Western for many here.

The Western, like the gangster movie, was very popular in France in the first half of the 20th century too (and continues to be). I don't think the genre is any less popular anywhere in the world than it is in general in it's homeland.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

What are some foreign films from the 80s that you've been enjoying lately?

I don't know about "lately", but these are my favorite foreign (language) films of the 1980s, clipped from a list I drew up for the Best Films of the 1980s poll.

As Tears Go By (Wong Kar-Wai, 1988)
An Autumn's Tale (Mabel Cheung Yuen-Ting, 1987)
Babette's Feast (Gabriel Axel, 1987)
Black Rain (Shōhei Imamura, 1989)
Das Boot (Wolfgang Petersen, 1982)
A Chinese Ghost Story (Ching Sui-Tung, 1987)
Coup de torchon (Bertrand Tavernier, 1981)
Eight Taels of Gold (Mabel Cheung Yuen-Ting, 1989)
Eijanaika (Shōhei Imamura, 1981)
The Element of Crime (Lars von Trier, 1984)
Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman, 1982)
Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988)
Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (Akira Kurosawa, 1980)
The Killer (John Woo, 1989)
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (Hayao Miyazaki, 1986)
The Makioka Sisters (Kon Ichikawa, 1983)
Mephisto (István Szabó, 1981)
Miracles (Jackie Chan, 1989)
My Life as a Dog (Lasse Hallström, 1985)
My Neighbor Totoro (Hayao Miyazaki, 1988)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Hayao Miyazaki, 1984)
Nostalghia (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1983)
Peking Opera Blues (Tsui Hark, 1986)
Pelle the Conqueror (Bille August, 1987)
Police Story (Jackie Chan, 1985)
Project A (Jackie Chan, 1983)
Ran (Akira Kurosawa, 1985)
Repentence (Tengiz Abuladze, 1984)
Rikyu (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1989)
Rouge (Stanley Kwan Jin-Pang, 1988)
The Sacrifice (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1986)
A Short Film About Killing (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1988)
A Short Film About Love (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1988)
Tampopo (Jūzō Itami, 1985)
A Taxing Woman (Jūzō Itami, 1987)
Veronika Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1982)
Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders, 1987)

[tisdivine]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Marketa Lazarova
Marketa Lazarova
Marketa Lazarova
Marketa Lazarova
Marketa Lazarova
Marketa Lazarova

Really? Lol Ive heard alot of good things on Sansho but no one ever talks about Marketa (or if they do I miss it lol). Why do you like it?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MechaGodzilla

There are many synth scores from the '70s and '80s that I love, but far from all of them. The Terminator for example is one where, whenever I watch it, it's like "ouch, this just doesn't sound very good". But on the other hand, films like A Clockwork Orange, Halloween I-III, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner and Escape from New York have some great synth scores. And not to forget Eduard Artemyev's fantastic work on the films of Andrei Tarkovsky, also very synth-heavy.

One of my favorite movies from last year, Cold in July, features an excellent synthesizer-driven score as an intentional homage to films like Blood Simple or to the John Carpenter movies.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I don't know about "lately", but these are my favorite foreign (language) films of the 1980s, clipped from a list I drew up for the Best Films of the 1980s poll.

I posted of my love for the French cinema of the 1980s in here a while ago. I've never been able to put my finger on quite why I'm so drawn to it, but I guess I just love that very specific aesthetic style that the period had.

Some favourites include -

Robert Bresson's L'argent.

Rohmer's output (esp. Full Moon In Paris)

Jacques Rivette's Le Pont du Nord.

Jacques Rozier's Maine-Ocean, which plays like a Rules Of The Game-style state of the nation address.

Godard's 80s work

Varda's 80s work (esp. Vagabond)

Maurice Pialat's Loulou and À nos amours are proper masterpieces too. His Police and the Palme d'Or winning Sous le soleil de Satan are magnificent too.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jayembee

You wrote:



I was pointing out that the Brits (who are "non-U.S. residents") have a thing for Westerns (at least in novel form). I might also point out the prevalence of "Spaghetti Westerns" as suggesting that Italians like Westerns as well. And Akira Kurosawa liked John Ford's Westerns.

I wasn't trying to discredit your statement, but more pointing out that there's a disconnect between what you said, and some of my understanding of who or who doesn't like the genre.

In general, I think you're probably right about "non-U.S. residents" possibly not connecting with the whole frontier thing like we in the US do. But it's not quite so cut and dried. Sometimes what makes people interested in something is because it's something that is foreign to their personal or cultural experience.

I think you're also interpreting my "amusement" in a more negative light than it was intended. Perhaps the amount of conflict in this thread the last few days has made people a bit more sensitive in the face of perceived attacks.

yeah, probably so. well, as always.. good info here Jay.

I think that people in the U.S. tend to romanticize our past and westward expansion in a way that foreigners would not, but your points about the spaghetti westerns, the British authors, and whatnot are well taken.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Really? Lol Ive heard alot of good things on Sansho but no one ever talks about Marketa (or if they do I miss it lol). Why do you like it?

I found it to be a mesmerizing experience, its not just a film, its so poetic and beautiful. Some of the best cinematography i've seen and it is full of atmosphere.

I found it to be a film that could be revisited so many times because there is so much to take in and absorb.

I have Sansho but I need to watch still - (I have a huge backlog!) so can't really say which is better, but if you want a sensual film that transports you into some dream like world then ML is the film for you, it's a feast for your sense. It is very hard to explain haha...

Just look at the opening sequence:

The Beginning of Marketa Lazarova - YouTube

It is a film worthy of the 'Masterpiece' label imo. I don't really know why more people are not discussing this gem, for me its on par with Tarkovsky's works.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I posted of my love for the French cinema of the 1980s in here a while ago. I've never been able to put my finger on quite why I'm so drawn to it, but I guess I just love that very specific aesthetic style that the period had.

I confess that before I started blind-buying a lot of foreign films on LD (not just Criterion, but Image's CinemaDisc Collection as well), and fell in love with the works of folks like Renoir, Truffaut, Tati, Ophüls, et alia, I wasn't all that keen on French cinema. Same with Italian cinema. Which is why there's only one French film on my list, and no Italian ones. Can't rightly put my finger on why, except that I'm more drawn to films from northern Europe than southern.

[MechaGodzilla]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I love the synthesizer and electronic music in general. The scores you mention are great. Maybe I shouldn't have singled out the synth. Many 80's scores have not aged well, though, IMO. synth or otherwise.

I'm a big fan of the synthesizer and electronic music as well, if it even has to be mentioned.

I think a reason many synth scores don't sound so good is because of the people behind them. The synthesizer can sound great, but like any other instrument it takes someone with skill and creative vision to get some pleasant sounds out of it.

I guess something that's both a blessing and a problem with the synth is that it's easily accessible to anyone; any random hack convinced of his own talent can grab one and start playing around with it. On the other hand, it's much less likely someone with no musical talent whatsoever is going to end up in charge of an orchestra, so in that sense there's more "quality control" with symphonic scores.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

One of my favorite movies from last year, Cold in July, features an excellent synthesizer-driven score as an intentional homage to films like Blood Simple or to the John Carpenter movies.

Interesting, maybe I'll check it out.

[ejm69]

Blind bought Red River last year and just got around to it. Absolutely loved it, especially the last 5 minutes or so which just subverted all of my expectations. This was my first experience of Montgomery Clift and I was blown away by his performance.

So recommendations of other Clift movies?

I watched the theatrical version. What makes it different from the pre-release version?

I was initially taken aback when the Tess character seemed to be randomly introduced, but her part really pays off in the finale.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ejm69

So recommendations of other Clift movies?

From Here to Eternity (1953)
Wild River (1960)
The Misfits (1961)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

The Young Lions is also coming out on Blu-ray in June from Twilight Time.

[dorothyv]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

From Here to Eternity (1953)
Wild River (1960)
The Misfits (1961)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

The Young Lions is also coming out on Blu-ray in June from Twilight Time.

Don't forget A Place in the Sun.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by dorothyv

Don't forget A Place in the Sun.

Yes, there are quite a few other good ones still not on Blu-ray.

I Confess
The Heiress
Raintree County
Suddenly, Last Summer

[Polaroid]

Lol we will be doing next months predictions soon lol, gotta love a short month + delay lol...

EDIT

15TH IS ON A SUNDAY IN MARCH NOOOOOOOOOOOO

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Lol we will be doing next months predictions soon lol, gotta love a short month + delay lol...

EDIT

15TH IS ON A SUNDAY IN MARCH NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Well, that was pretty obvious, since March is largely a duplicate of February, except in a leap year. At least in March there's no Monday holiday, so announcements should come on the 16th instead of the 17th.

[WinterLand]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, there are quite a few other good ones still not on Blu-ray.

I Confess
The Heiress
Raintree County
Suddenly, Last Summer

And "Freud" by Huston

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Yes, there are quite a few other good ones still not on Blu-ray.

I Confess
The Heiress
Raintree County
Suddenly, Last Summer

,

The Heiress is a brilliant, brilliant movie. I hope Universal does it up right a la Double Indemnity at some point. Yet another masterpiece from William Wyler. The picture is really Olivia de Havilland's, but Clift does a great job when he is onscreen.

One notable Clift film to mention is Lonelyhearts, a nasty bit of neo-noir with Robert Ryan and Myrna Loy giving great performances in supporting roles.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Well, that was pretty obvious, since March is largely a duplicate of February, except in a leap year. At least in March there's no Monday holiday, so announcements should come on the 16th instead of the 17th.

I've never really paid much attention to dates that much haha - good there are no holidays though XD