The Criterion Collection

[atlantajoseph]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

What do you love about it, besides the visuals? Not saying those aren't important by any means - they're the most important aspect of cinema - but I'm just trying to get an idea of the film's appeal, especially since I've never seen anything by Antonini.

It's a meditation on loneliness, with a particular emphasis on alienation in the modern, urbanized landscape. You have to have an interest in existential sort of films and a certain amount of patience and appreciation for the manner in which these sorts of themes unfold. For me it is the "real deal" artistically, but YMMV depending on what draws you to film.

[tallrichard]

I'm thinking I need to watch Billy Elliott again...

[atlantajoseph]

Originally Posted by tallrichard

I'm thinking I need to watch Billy Elliott again...

So glad I did not make the connection until after I had seen Nymphomaniac. LOL

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Alain Delon is probably the handsomest man in cinema so I'm interested in seeing some more of his movies. Unfortunately, Le cercle rouge is out of print. But there's still:

L'eclisse (Is it possible to enjoy this without having seen the other films in the "trilogy" or indeed any of Antonini's cinema?)

&

The Leopard

Remember, I'm primarily interested in them because of Delon.

(For those wondering, I'm still looking through the collection. Probably gonna blind buy Investigation, though.)

I'm comfortable enough in my masculinity to say that I believe that Alain Delon is the best-looking guy in the history of cinema.

You can watch L'Eclisse without having seen the other Antonioni films, but I think that you would really get a kick out of watching the Vincent Price movie, The Last Man on Earth, immediately after you finish watching the closing scenes of L'Eclisse. Just trust me on this.

The Leopard is a marvelous film as well, and it has some of the most strikingly beautiful scenery of any film in the Collection.

I've written User Reviews of both movies that can be found on their respective pages.

[Infernal King]

Well, The Leopard is sold out so nevermind about that one.

[shadedpain4]

All this Alain Delon talk is making me want to break out my blu of Red Sun.

I won't however. I'm in the middle of Waking Life.

Hm. I wonder which of those two films is more likely to end up in the collection?

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Well, The Leopard is sold out so nevermind about that one.

That real-time dashboard is cool, even though it's clearly designed to goose sales by stoking sell-out paranoia.

I've been in and out all day--did anyone get any non-movie stuff?

I got a mug along with my blus--(Don't Look Now, Sword of Doom, Tootsie, Tati, Petra von Kant, and The Freshman; spaced on some other stuff, though)--I'm absurdly excited.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Alain Delon is probably the handsomest man in cinema so I'm interested in seeing some more of his movies.

I wonder if there's been a poll of best looking male and female stars in the Collection? Off the top of my head I'd say:
Female-Ava Gardner The Killers
Male-Jean Marais Beauty and the Beast, Orpeus
Starring Couple-Marpessa Dawn and Breno Mello Black Orpheus

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

Yep, Delon is yummy. He is looking great in L'eclisse... which by the way also happens to be a wonderful film.

It's really too bad the Criterion Le Cercle Rouge is out of print because it is a gorgeous film as well as a captivating caper flick.

Edited to add: L'eclisse is part of a thematic "trilogy", not a narrative one. So no need to see the others first.

And I feel like the luckiest man alive today!

After exercising restraint and caution when I placed my Flash sale order this afternoon, I just now lucked into a copy of Le Cercle Rouge at a very, very reasonable price, and was able to combine that purchase along with several others (including a cheap copy of Ken Burns' The War) to make up an order that qualified for six months financing with zero percent interest!

[Scottie]

Infernal, you can enjoy Antonioni's films without seeing all of his trilogy. His three films form an unofficial trilogy that doesn't require prior viewings.

[atlantajoseph]

Originally Posted by jmclick

And I feel like the luckiest man alive today!

After exercising restraint and caution when I placed my Flash sale order this afternoon, I just now lucked into a copy of Le Cercle Rouge at a very, very reasonable price, and was able to combine that purchase along with several others (including a cheap copy of Ken Burns' The War) to make up an order that qualified for six months financing with zero percent interest!

Many congratulations!

[atlantajoseph]

Not sure if this has been brought up before, but any fans of Italian cinema (especially Fellini) really really REALLY need to check out the Great Performances episode linked below:

La Dolce Vita - The Music of Italian Cinema performed by the New York Philharmonic. Amazing stuff.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/la-dol...-episode/3864/

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

Not sure if this has been brought up before, but any fans of Italian cinema (especially Fellini) really really REALLY need to check out the Great Performances episode linked below:

La Dolce Vita - The Music of Italian Cinema performed by the New York Philharmonic. Amazing stuff.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/la-dol...-episode/3864/

Seems to be region restricted, have to check out with Hola when i get home.

[atlantajoseph]

Hope you are able to find it.

Heads-up to Roku users, it is also available streaming on the PBS channel (at least here in the US).

[Infernal King]

Okay, unless anyone else has something to say about Fellini Satyricon, I have one more film I'm interested in before making my final selections:

Summer Interlude (Ingmar Bergman)

Thoughts?

[polterclown]

got myself :
- brazil
- all that jazz
- days of heaven
- cronos
- Rosemary's baby

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

L'eclisse (Is it possible to enjoy this without having seen the other films in the "trilogy" or indeed any of Antonini's cinema?)

&

I've never seen any Antonioni movie other than L'Eclisse, and I really liked it a lot. Based on my experience you definitely don't need to have seen the other two movies to enjoy it. This reminds me, I need to get around to watching L'Avventura sometime.

[Martin_31]

After a couple of hours of thinking, I decided to buy some Criterion Collection DVD's and Blu-Ray's. I bought:
Eclipse Series 11: Larisa Shepitko
Eclipse Series 17: Nikkatsu Noir
Eyes Without a Face
The Killing
On the Waterfront

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

As for the sex topic, there is a line where it's pornographic. Using violence as an example, in some films they omit blood, sometimes they don't show a headshot with a gun, etc. I thought both Nymphomaniac and Blue is the warmest color crossed that line into porno. Go watch any porn and watch those particular scenes and there isn't much difference in the two.

Umm, there's a GIGANTIC difference with Blue is the Warmest Color and "any porn." I think the sex scenes are wayyyy too "clean" (as in, the bodies of the two women are way too good and all fluids, skin blemishes, pubic hair, etc is removed) to be realistic and thus undermine the movie severely, which is somewhat like high budget professional porn, but they're still a million times more tasteful than any porn you're going to see other than the classiest soft-core.

[Andrew13]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Okay, unless anyone else has something to say about Fellini Satyricon, I have one more film I'm interested in before making my final selections:

Summer Interlude (Ingmar Bergman)

Thoughts?

A fantastic early Bergman that I'd highly recommend, especially at the $15 price tag. I'd strongly consider picking up Summer with Monika while you're at it, for me those are the first two "essential" Bergman pictures.