The Criterion Collection

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by oildude

My experiences were exactly the same as a child in the 1970s. Once a year was all you got. I recall seeing it one year for the first time ever on a color TV and thinking it looked so beautiful. This was also when cable was first appearing, and most of the local networks signed off and turned to snow sometime after midnight on weeknights. Only on weekends would they extend into the wee hours. I used to stay up really late watching monster movies back then. I remember when it was a big deal in the early 1980s when some network stations went to 24 hr programming. So, yeah, in that kind of TV climate The Wizard of Oz was a really big deal.

We also went outside and played a lot more, so we never felt deprived. Pong was pretty cool though when it came out.

Send the kids outside and get a break. I never understood the strategy until I had my own kids. My parents always sounded so exasperated when they told me "Just go outside!" and that was music to my young ears. It was a different era-you knew your neighbors and didn't worry about much except staying out of trouble or at least don't get caught! Pong was cool! I couldn't believe how hypnotic and addictive those simple graphics and gameplay were.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Yeah, it's always sort of funny to see one of your favorites on someone else's worst list, or vice-versa. That's what makes these lists fun, really.

Maybe I should revisit it. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've seen it, and maybe I just wasn't in the mood, or something.

1955 was a really strong year. Here are some of the movies that didn't even get nominated that year:

East of Eden
Rebel Without a Cause
To Catch a Thief
Night of the Hunter
Summertime
The Seven Year Itch
Bad Day at Black Rock
Oklahoma

Wow, all great films but I've always had a soft spot for Marty. I think it has a great script with memorable dialog, expert direction, and a great performance by Ernest Borgnine. It might be sentimental, but I don't see that as a flaw in this case.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by belcherman

1955 was a really strong year. Here are some of the movies that didn't even get nominated that year:

East of Eden
Rebel Without a Cause
To Catch a Thief
Night of the Hunter
Summertime
The Seven Year Itch
Bad Day at Black Rock
Oklahoma

Wow, all great films but I've always had a soft spot for Marty. I think it has a great script with memorable dialog, expert direction, and a great performance by Ernest Borgnine. It might be sentimental, but I don't see that as a flaw in this case.

Yeah, that's quite a list.

I have nothing against sentimentality at all. I'll give it another looks soon, as I just checked and saw that Netflix has it available for streaming.

[Brad1963]

Favorite BP winners:

All About Eve
From Here to Eternity
Lawrence of Arabia
Midnight Cowboy
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Least Favorite BP winners:

Crash
American Beauty
Titanic
Braveheart
Platoon

[Spanish Scott]

I don't think I've seen enough of the winners to give an accurate Top 5 list, but I can say that French Connection would be at the top of my "Least Deserving" list. While that probably puts me in a minority of one, I was bored to tears by it. Fernando Rey was the only redeeming feature about it. I thought Friedkin's To Live and Die in LA was much better.

[mande2013]

But more importantly, let's discuss why the "film school" favorites never actually seem to win Best Picture, films like Goodfellas, There Will Be Blood, Apocalypse Now, A Clockwork Orange, Taxi Driver, Citizen Kane, Chinatown(although this one lost to The Godfather Part II), Sunset Blvd, The Pianist, Raging Bull, and so on. Are these films just too vulgar for AMPAS?

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by mande2013

But more importantly, let's discuss why the "film school" favorites never actually seem to win Best Picture, films like Goodfellas, There Will Be Blood, Apocalypse Now, A Clockwork Orange, Taxi Driver, Citizen Kane, Chinatown(although this one lost to The Godfather Part II), Sunset Blvd, The Pianist, Raging Bull, and so on. Are these films just too vulgar for AMPAS?

I think at least one reason is that almost all of those films are pretty grim, when you come right down to it. Those films don't end well, and while people may think they are great films (as do I), most people will not feel great after seeing them.

That's one theory, anyways.

[Polaroid]

Going back to Boyhood discussion briefly... I have found something that has doe what they have done first! :P

Eastenders in UK (a soap) - there has been a character in it since 1985, so 30 years :P

Does that count haha!

Heres is the Bealehood trailer, by Eastenders lol...

Bealehood - YouTube

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Iamspartacus

I'm on a frankenheimer kick. Can anyone recommend Seconds as a blind buy?

I don't know so much about replay value but it is definitely a very interesting quasi-SF movie with a strong lead from Rock Hudson and fantastic cinematography. If you like the Hiroshi Teshigahara films Criterion released in their set, you should definitely find this up your alley - in fact it's a great companion piece to The Face of Another.

[spargs]

Originally Posted by Iamspartacus

I'm on a frankenheimer kick. Can anyone recommend Seconds as a blind buy?

Enthusiastically! A great film! That run of films Frankenheimer directed in the '60s (from Birdman of Alcatraz through Grand Prix) is one of my personal favorites... if only we could get a Blu release of Seven Days in May!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

This is coming out of left field, but I asked a Kino Lorber representative in another thread if they had It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1961), and I was told that another studio has that film right now.

It's been a while since Criterion has unleashed a glorious old-school sci-fi movie, and It! The Terror from Beyond Space would be a fine candidate. The movie was a precursor of sorts to Planet of the Vampires (1965) and Alien (1979).

I doubt that Criterion is the studio in question, but it's fun at least to enjoy the thought for a little while.

When I saw Rob's post, I was hoping it might be Twilight Time. I have a feeling it'll probably be Shout/Scream Factory.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Yes indeed Owl! [It! The Terror from Beyond Space]'s a terrific little film. I love my Midnight Movies DVD of it.
Another title from that series I'd like in the Collection would be The Man From Planet X. A very atmospheric early Sci-Fi title directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and co-starring Sally Field's mother Margaret! Ulmer had a next to nothing budget but did wonders with what little he had including using leftover sets from Joan of Arc.

Funny thing, the only two MGM Midnight Movies DVDs I have are the above two titles.

I'm not as into the low-budget sf/horror films as a lot of folks are, but Ulmer's films are among the exceptions. He's one of those filmmakers whose creativity seems to be energized by a low budget rather than hobbled by it.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by mande2013

But more importantly, let's discuss why the "film school" favorites never actually seem to win Best Picture, films like Goodfellas, There Will Be Blood, Apocalypse Now, A Clockwork Orange, Taxi Driver, Citizen Kane, Chinatown(although this one lost to The Godfather Part II), Sunset Blvd, The Pianist, Raging Bull, and so on. Are these films just too vulgar for AMPAS?

Well, there was at the time some negativity toward A Clockwork Orange because of what was perceived to be a glorification of violence. (Personally, I think anyone who thinks that the film glorifies violence isn't paying attention.)

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by Iamspartacus

I'm on a frankenheimer kick. Can anyone recommend Seconds as a blind buy?

I'd describe is as a very well done, extended Twilight Zone episode, and I mean that as a big compliment. It's eerie and creepy all the way through. Great cinematrography from James Wong Howe. It's also one of Rock Hudson's best performances, and Murray Hamilton and Will Geer are great too. Salome Jens, not so much, but it doesn't hurt anything. I saw it and liked it immensely.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by obscurelabel

I'd describe is as a very well done, extended Twilight Zone episode, and I mean that as a big compliment. It's eerie and creepy all the way through. Great cinematrography from James Wong Howe. It's also one of Rock Hudson's best performances, and Murray Hamilton and Will Geer are great too. Salome Jens, not so much, but it doesn't hurt anything. I saw it and liked it immensely.

I've said this before, but if you like Seconds, try and scare up a copy of another film by the same screenwriter, Lewis John Carlino: Resurrection (1980). It's been pretty much thrown to the curb by its studio, Universal, and only released on VHS and an MOD DVD-R. But it's an excellent film, one of my favorite supernatural/fantasy films.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Well, there was at the time some negativity toward A Clockwork Orange because of what was perceived to be a glorification of violence. (Personally, I think anyone who thinks that the film glorifies violence isn't paying attention.)

I suppose when the author of your source material says so, and thinks you ruined the symbolic structure of his work by adapting the edited version, then Yea, people will most likely think the film glorified violence.

[bstv69]

So with the rumored flash sale happening today, what's everyone picking up?

[yoyokid8]

Originally Posted by bstv69

So with the rumored flash sale happening today, what's everyone picking up?

My Winnipeg, Walkabout, and Hausu! So excited! I can only afford three though.

[yoyokid8]

Does anyone know when it starts??

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by yoyokid8

Does anyone know when it starts??

Previously they have started at noon, but I'm starting to think maybe Thursday is more likely. Someone who pays more attention to this stuff can correct me but isn't there usually some outages on the site by now while they are prepping the site if it was going to happen today?