The Criterion Collection

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

About that spoiler,

[Show spoiler]you mean Fletcher screwing the kid over or the kid going solo like he did?

The latter. The audience wouldn't have noticed the former, I don't think, so that was fine, just really silly. That guy who compared Whiplash to Black Swan and The Red Shoes was dead-on, I think. I loved both of those, probably partly because I didn't know anything about ballet, I didn't like this because I did know too much about jazz. :P

Tootsie now also got price-dropped by Amazon. Just need "Don't Look Now" and "Palm Beach Story" and I'll have bought everything I was going to get during the flash sale anyway :P

[Page14]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens, Salesman) passed away last night.

It's always sad to hear of somebody passing away who has ties to films that we like or maybe even that we're only aware of. I've always enjoyed documentaries and recently saw Gimme Shelter for the first time. I liked it very much. Kind of sad that this news is acting as a catalyst for me to finally buy Grey Gardens, which has been on my shortlist of Criterion titles to buy for a while now.

R.I.P. and peace to Mr. Maysles' family.

[tisdivine]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just bought Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence from Barnes and Noble for $10, because of a 20% off coupon and a $20 gift card.

I was compelled to buy this title at long last, because it is discussed in Nicholas Pegg's book, The Complete David Bowie, that I've been reading as I've been going through all of Bowie's albums in my collection and rediscovering them again for the first time in a few years.

This looks like a solid excellent war film, and I'm glad that I have it now.

Let me know what you think when you get the chance to watch it. I've been on the fence with that title for some time now. Big Bowie fan but def NOT a war movie fan.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Let me know what you think when you get the chance to watch it. I've been on the fence with that title for some time now. Big Bowie fan but def NOT a war movie fan.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is not a war movie in the traditional sense. It takes place in a Japanese prisoner of war camp for UK prisoners. The war is occurring off-screen. The only battles in the film are tests of will, whether against the sadistic guards or the internal struggles of helpless men against their own sense of worth and dignity. The character played by David Bowie enters this pit of Hell and transforms everyone he comes into contact with. He is an allegorical figure representing different things to both the British prisoners and to the Japanese and ultimately to us as the audience. The film is a good introduction to the often complex works of Nagisa Oshima.

[tisdivine]

Originally Posted by oildude

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is not a war movie in the traditional sense. It takes place in a Japanese prisoner of war camp for UK prisoners. The war is occurring off-screen. The only battles in the film are tests of will, whether against the sadistic guards or the internal struggles of helpless men against their own sense of worth and dignity. The character played by David Bowie enters this pit of Hell and transforms everyone he comes into contact with. He is an allegorical figure representing different things to both the British prisoners and to the Japanese. The film is a good introduction to the often complex works of Nagisa Oshima.

You made that film sound amazing. Just ordered at Amazon will be here Mon lol and I can't wait to watch it now. Sounds similar to Unbroken, a film I saw a little after Christmas. It delt with American POWs in Japanese camps. While I think some of its telling might have been over embellished (not familiar with Zamperini other than the movie so I apologize in advance if he really was Superman lol) but I still found that movie incredibly interesting just as a story so Im sure I will love Mr Lawrence as well.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

You made that film sound amazing. Just ordered at Amazon will be here Mon lol and I can't wait to watch it now. Sounds similar to Unbroken, a film I saw a little after Christmas. It delt with American POWs in Japanese camps. While I think some of its telling might have been over embellished (not familiar with Zamperini other than the movie so I apologize in advance if he really was Superman lol) but I still found that movie incredibly interesting just as a story so Im sure I will love Mr Lawrence as well.

Ditto for me as well, this title has gone completly on my radar. Now I just need to read what Owl thought...

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

You made that film sound amazing. Just ordered at Amazon will be here Mon lol and I can't wait to watch it now. Sounds similar to Unbroken, a film I saw a little after Christmas. It delt with American POWs in Japanese camps. While I think some of its telling might have been over embellished (not familiar with Zamperini other than the movie so I apologize in advance if he really was Superman lol) but I still found that movie incredibly interesting just as a story so Im sure I will love Mr Lawrence as well.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I read the book Unbroken, and I can assure you there's a reason it spent over four years on the New York Times bestseller list. Zamperini may not have been Superman, but he was a unique individual, and his story is both fascinating and compelling.

I was so hoping that Criterion might release the movie, which (from what I've read) doesn't cover everything that was in Laura Hillenbrand's biography; the subject matter cries out for the type of in-depth supplemental material that Criterion supplies.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by ChromeJob

What some people overlook from Labyrinth is the screenwriter, Terry Jones of Do Not Adjust Your Set and (of course) Monty Python's Flying Circus (series, and writer/director of the films). The man's a historian, and his series on the Crusades and the Middle Ages are remarkable.

The man's a genius. When I saw it on release, and saw his name, I ignored any qualms and just sat back and enjoyed the wit. Which is plentiful. Though Jennifer Lawrence was a treat for the eyes too (also plentiful), if you can overlook how young she was. I still felt a little awkward gaping at her in The Rocketeer and Dark City, and she was older....

Ah...that was Jennifer Connelly, not Jennifer Lawrence.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by pEgLeG

I just bought my first Criterion today, The Qatsi Trilogy. It won't arrive for another week or so though.

That was my first Criterion :-) great set to start with! :-)

[pEgLeG]

Originally Posted by polaroid

that was my first criterion :-) great set to start with! :-)

I've heard great things about it.

[Spanish Scott]

As a short term lurker and even shorter term poster, I don't really see the problem with occasional discussions on films like Whiplash or Marvel Studios' output.

You're more likely to get a substantive discussion about Whiplash here, along with some tangential ties to Criterion films like Red Shoes, than you are in the dedicated Whiplash thread. One thing I've found to be true more often than not here is that most of the threads discuss every part of the home-video release except the movie itself. Half the time I feel like people are more interested in slip covers or steel cases or OCD-level nitpicking about aspect ratio than the actual content of the film. This thread is, save for digipack discussions, mercifully free from almost all of that.

Well, that and my observation that this is probably the most sensitive board I've ever seen, heh. A lot of people here would probably benefit from stepping away and chilling out, and I don't mean Polaroid.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Spanish Scott

As a short term lurker and even shorter term poster, I don't really see the problem with occasional discussions on films like Whiplash or Marvel Studios' output.

You're more likely to get a substantive discussion about Whiplash here, along with some tangential ties to Criterion films like Red Shoes, than you are in the dedicated Whiplash thread. One thing I've found to be true more often than not here is that most of the threads discuss every part of the home-video release except the movie itself. Half the time I feel like people are more interested in slip covers or steel cases or OCD-level nitpicking about aspect ratio than the actual content of the film. This thread is, save for digipack discussions, mercifully free from almost all of that.

Well, that and my observation that this is probably the most sensitive board I've ever seen, heh. A lot of people here would probably benefit from stepping away and chilling out, and I don't mean Polaroid.

Junior Member Spanish Scott: You are anything but junior. You are a wise individual for what you just wrote. I'd like to add that Whiplash also reminded me of All that Jazz in the vein that a teacher was pushing his students, in this case, dancers, to work to their max potential. All that Jazz, which is one of my all-time favorite CRITERION titles, is one amazing piece of work. So I'd like to add, that film to Black Swan and The Red Shoes as films that use a similar motif of the teacher/student paradigm. Although, it was less about the teacher and more about the student/s in those 2 latter films I just mentioned.

On a side note, maybe we can create an alternative "General Chat for Criterion Enthusiasts" thread? It won't be a revenge thread or for people who want to "take back" whatever they're trying to take back (ummm, this thread?), but rather a thread for people who want to discuss general things, cinema, music, whatever, WITH the members who post here. Polaroid, what do you think? I think we need this.

[jw007]

Hey, just wanted to post this.. found it really funny.

I was sitting on the bus earlier on this Friday evening going home from a local art crawl and noticed this gentleman sitting next to me with a "Criterion Security" badge on. I immediately thought: "well, I bet the people here in this thread would get a kick out of this", so I took this picture on my smartphone!

Maybe the universe is trying to tell me/us something. Do we need security for our Criterion collections??? Or maybe for the sensitive people on the forum that get mad when the talk gets "God forbid off topic", now you don't have to wish there was Criterion Collection police, because there is! You know who to call! *BAM!

It's really come at a perfect time!

[Polaroid]

Didn't realise Criterion had 'Miss Julie' in collection - Just watched the newer version by Liv Ullman and my god its phenomenal, Jessica Chastain gave one of the best performance I have seen in 2014 and can't believe it got ignored!

Seriously, she beast all the oscar nominee's. Not seen any of Liv Ullmans other directory works, but I really enjoyed this film and will definitely be checking her other stuff out!

I would say she managed to get Jessica Chastains performance to be on parr with her performance in Autumn Sonata which was flawless. - Also adored Samantha Morton in this film.

Anyone seen the 1951 version thats in collection? Shame its just DVD but means it will be cheaper to buy if its worth getting!

Find it amusing the Bergman was involved in Alf Sjöberg's other film in collection 'Torment' and Liv Ullman did 'Miss Julie' as well, who has been involved in a lot of Bergman's work, just funny little connections haha.

[GC Riot]

Has there been any word on when we can expect the special edition of Blue is the Warmest Color yet?

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

Has there been any word on when we can expect the special edition of Blue is the Warmest Color yet?

Nothing yet :-( hopefully sometime this year - dying to get it!

Seems off we've heard nothing about it yet :/

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Spanish Scott

As a short term lurker and even shorter term poster, I don't really see the problem with occasional discussions on films like Whiplash or Marvel Studios' output.

You're more likely to get a substantive discussion about Whiplash here, along with some tangential ties to Criterion films like Red Shoes, than you are in the dedicated Whiplash thread. One thing I've found to be true more often than not here is that most of the threads discuss every part of the home-video release except the movie itself. Half the time I feel like people are more interested in slip covers or steel cases or OCD-level nitpicking about aspect ratio than the actual content of the film. This thread is, save for digipack discussions, mercifully free from almost all of that.

Well, that and my observation that this is probably the most sensitive board I've ever seen, heh. A lot of people here would probably benefit from stepping away and chilling out, and I don't mean Polaroid.

Right on to all of this. Threads about recent movies are just dire if you want to talk about the movie. Big Hero 6 in particular is mindboggling, there are hundreds and hundreds of posts about lenticular slipcovers and buying 4 copies of it from different countries etc and maybe 5% of the posts (if that) even mention the movie, and they instantly get buried by the slipcover discussion.

And yeah, my impression of this board often is that you have a lot of OCD collector types that have to have everything in its right place or they freak out, and they apply the same principle to thread content. WHAT?! A POST THAT ISN'T EXACTLY ON SUBJECT?! *brain short circuits*

For the on-topic section of my post, I started to watch Breaking the Waves last night and was overcome with violent hatred for it. I only made it an hour in. The entire look of it was absolutely sickening (everything's a hideous brassy color and the camera is constantly shifting around like an Office episode, and worst of all it's bookended by these chapter screens where they blare wildly inappropriate rock music) and watching the pieces start to come into alignment was unbearable since I liked Emily Watson too much.

I was watching it immediately after "Happy-Go-Lucky," which is one of my favorite movies ever and is like the absolute polar opposite in style, so that was probably a mistake. But yeah, I'm dreading trying to get through the next hour and a half of the movie, having read Ebert's review and thus knowing most of what's going to happen.

EDIT: And I DID make it through Antichrist no problem, so I am not just a Von Trier wimp!

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

For the on-topic section of my post, I started to watch Breaking the Waves last night and was overcome with violent hatred for it. I only made it an hour in. The entire look of it was absolutely sickening (everything's a hideous brassy color and the camera is constantly shifting around like an Office episode, and worst of all it's bookended by these chapter screens where they blare wildly inappropriate rock music) and watching the pieces start to come into alignment was unbearable since I liked Emily Watson too much.

The Chapter sequences were incredible and worked perfectly for me! Not sure I have actually seen anyone fault the film on the chapter section haha!

Also the transfer is the best it has ever been (not sure about the new UK edition) - try watching the DVD and you will be horrified haha. Although the original didn't have that bronze colour, it was recently added to the new transfers. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-r...es_blu-ray.htm I didn't like the new colour at first but I grew to love it

Emily Watson was heartbreaking to watch and I have never been a fan or like her, but she just stole my heart in this film, I just wanted to cuddle her and tell her everything will be ok!

Did you check out the supplements? I think there is Emily Watson's audition tap eon there and if you like her it may be worth watching.

Any chance you will revisit and try in future?

I think if you understood Lars Von Triers filmmaking techniques an philosophies in more depth the film makes more sense, he did the Dogme 95 Manifesto and this film is heavily influence by that manifesto (although every Dogme 95 film seems to break the rules a little).

I think the easiest Von trier film to start off with is Melancholia, although a lot of people complain about first half and don't have the patience..

I am gutted you didn't like it though, I think it's such a powerful film that triggers all you emotions. But don't worry, I know its a lot of people struggle or dislike the film and it isn't for everyone Most my comments are my own option obviously and I et its not for everyone, just a shame you didn't like. I guess it is a hard film to watch, I sometime forget how extreme Breaking the Waves can get.

-

Oh also, I did love Happy Go Lucky - its a charming little film complete opposite of Breaking the Waves though!

[cakefactory]

I just hit stop on the disc, I plan on leaving it in and forcing myself to watch the rest before I can watch anything else. I just might put off doing that for a while.

I know the movie looks how it's supposed to and the disc's picture quality is nearly flawless, I just hate the visual style of it.

I never watch extras before I finish the movie, so maybe afterwards!

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I just hit stop on the disc, I plan on leaving it in and forcing myself to watch the rest before I can watch anything else. I just might put off doing that for a while.

I know the movie looks how it's supposed to and the disc's picture quality is nearly flawless, I just hate the visual style of it.

I never watch extras before I finish the movie, so maybe afterwards!

Ah fair enough!

It's one of those film you need to be in mood to watch though, bit like Hanake's films I suppose!

-

Omg! I didn't know Criterion did Breaking the Waves on laserdisc