The Criterion Collection

[tallrichard]

Originally Posted by oildude

OK, I love film noir, but I have to confess that prior to Criterion's announcement of Ride the Pink Horse I had never heard of it. Shame on me. As of last night, that mistake has been remedied. There is a line of dialogue early on where the moll of a New Mexican gangster, referring to the anti-hero lead character played by Robert Montgomery, says "I'm afraid that Mr. Gagin cannot be seduced". I can attest that the same assessment does not apply to this film. Ride the Pink Horse seduces, wraps itself around you, pulls you in, and does not let you go. Welcome to film noir done Southwestern style, and I am here to tell you, amigos, this dark little tale of money, murder, and mayhem, as well as a haunted man accidentally rediscovering his humanity, is muy muy bueno.

We know we are in for a different noir experience right from the opening credits, when we see a bus approaching the camera along a panoramic New Mexican highway to the uplifting strains of Latin-infused orchestral music. Robert Montgomery does double duty here as star and director, and he handles both roles superbly. Prior to this film, I only knew Montgomery as the father of Elizabeth Montgomery, future star of classic 1960’s sitcom Bewitched. Here, Montgomery plays a disillusioned tough-as-nails WWII vet named Gagin on a mission to find a New Mexico ganglord named Frank Hugo. What that mission is doesn’t become clear until later in the film. The bus deposits Gagin in a city named San Pablo (a fictional name representing most likely Santa Fe). The air surrounding him is electric, filled with music and laughter as hordes of tourists flock the streets to celebrate the annual Fiesta, all of which appears lost on Gagin.

Gagin comes out of nowhere and remains a mystery, what we see is what we get…..a lot of anger and rude behavior with little indication of his background, where he came from or where he is going. All we know is that he had a war buddy best friend who is now dead, and that somehow Hugo is involved. As the film proceeds, he comes into contact with the local New Mexican culture and his softer side begins to appear. He is befriended by Pancho, the poor operator of an antique carousel, played outstandingly by Thomas Gomez whose performance in this role earned him the first ever Oscar nomination for a Hispanic American. Another local who crosses paths with Gagin and proves integral to the story is a girl named Pila (an 18-year old Wanda Hendrix, future wife of Audie Murphy), a Native American from a pueblo many miles away who has recently moved to San Pablo and is experiencing the big city for the first time. As it turns out, this dichotomy of Gagin’s character - one foot in the world of the Anglos where gangsters, dreams of money as the ticket to the good life, and the increasing threat of violence are ever present, and the easy-going culture of New Mexican Hispanics and Native Americans where, as movingly explained by Pancho, friendship is more important than money and that as long as a man has his pride and strong back there is no shame in being poor – becomes one of the central themes of the film.

What makes Ride the Pink Horse so watchable is how it doesn’t play to expectations. Just when we think we understand what is about to happen, the film goes in unexpected directions. There is a lot of symbolism in the story, represented most obviously by the fairy tale world of Pancho’s old carousel going round and round with its assortment of multi-colored horses (or so we are told; it is a black and white film after all), one of which is pink. There is a key scene when, after a night of drinking in a local saloon, Gagin convinces Pancho to open his carousel after-hours so that Pila can experience a childhood thrill for the first time in her life. The meaning of this small kindness represents something deeper that only becomes clear later. Gagin is experiencing new things too; we learn that he suffers from post-traumatic stress from years spent fighting in the steaming jungles of the South Pacific, that he still carries the war in him and is doing battle with himself as much as with the outside world, and that cervezas and tequilas with friendly locals can lead an angry man down paths he never thought for himself to travel.

The viewer is never sure where things will go and therefore the story creates the suspense that anything can happen at any moment. We get the distinct feeling a part of Gagin died in those jungles of his past. He is damn tough, as events will reveal, but is that enough? Is Gagin in over his head? Is he a walking corpse and just doesn’t know it? Is the FBI agent hanging out on the periphery of events more than just a kindly older fella watching everyone else? What is the meaning of a check Gagin places in a bus station locker at the beginning of the film? What is Hugo's angle, an oddity of a mob boss with a gift for smooth talk and a hearing aid? Is Hugo’s moll Marjorie a kept woman looking for a way out, and what does it mean for Pila, who attaches herself to Gagin like a lost puppy and in one of the film’s eerie moments gives him a talisman to protect him because she has had a vision of his pale dead face?

Ride the Pink Horse is a multi-layered story as deadly as any classic noir, and yet has something uplifting in its fabric like the effigy of the god of bad luck burned at the climax of the Fiesta, a road to rebirth and redemption that isn’t clearly marked, either a ticket to hell or a way out that may be just beyond reach. As usual, Criterion has done a masterful job with the transfer of a black and white film that, for many years, was apparently not easy to find. The cinematography by Russell Metty is outstandingly stylish and evocative, with Gagin often shot over-the-shoulder and some scenes done in one long continuous take that accentuates the menace of the moment. In one chilling scene, a brutal beating is witnessed from the point of view of children riding the carousel; the viewer is therefore a trapped witness, circling repeatedly past the violence and unable to get off. If the name Russell Metty doesn’t ring any bells, then a partial sampling of his many other films will give you some idea of what to expect here, films like Touch of Evil, Magnificent Obsession, Written in the Wind, Arch of Triumph, Spartacus, and The Misfits. And what great noir would be complete without some chewy dialogue so important to driving the narrative. Ride the Pink Horse has lots of that. Gagin delivers a particularly juicy monologue on the evils of women wearing diamonds, who are man-traps and have “a dead fish where her heart ought to be”. I could watch this film over and over just to relish the well written screenplay and roll around in all that dialogue like a man on a bed full of money. Wearing a fedora, of course. As it should be.

Ride the Pink Horse was a first day buy for me...literally, ordered on the announcement day!

I too, am a Film Noir fan. I first saw it at the Film Forum in NYC maybe 25 years ago only for it to not be released on VHS or DVD.

This is one of my top three Film Noir...if only they would release Kiss of Death 1947 with Victor Mature on Blu-ray....

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by oildude

[Show spoiler]
OK, I love film noir, but I have to confess that prior to Criterion's announcement of Ride the Pink Horse I had never heard of it. Shame on me. As of last night, that mistake has been remedied. There is a line of dialogue early on where the moll of a New Mexican gangster, referring to the anti-hero lead character played by Robert Montgomery, says "I'm afraid that Mr. Gagin cannot be seduced". I can attest that the same assessment does not apply to this film. Ride the Pink Horse seduces, wraps itself around you, pulls you in, and does not let you go. Welcome to film noir done Southwestern style, and I am here to tell you, amigos, this dark little tale of money, murder, and mayhem, as well as a haunted man accidentally rediscovering his humanity, is muy muy bueno.

We know we are in for a different noir experience right from the opening credits, when we see a bus approaching the camera along a panoramic New Mexican highway to the uplifting strains of Latin-infused orchestral music. Robert Montgomery does double duty here as star and director, and he handles both roles superbly. Prior to this film, I only knew Montgomery as the father of Elizabeth Montgomery, future star of classic 1960’s sitcom Bewitched. Here, Montgomery plays a disillusioned tough-as-nails WWII vet named Gagin on a mission to find a New Mexico ganglord named Frank Hugo. What that mission is doesn’t become clear until later in the film. The bus deposits Gagin in a city named San Pablo (a fictional name representing most likely Santa Fe). The air surrounding him is electric, filled with music and laughter as hordes of tourists flock the streets to celebrate the annual Fiesta, all of which appears lost on Gagin.

Gagin comes out of nowhere and remains a mystery, what we see is what we get…..a lot of anger and rude behavior with little indication of his background, where he came from or where he is going. All we know is that he had a war buddy best friend who is now dead, and that somehow Hugo is involved. As the film proceeds, he comes into contact with the local New Mexican culture and his softer side begins to appear. He is befriended by Pancho, the poor operator of an antique carousel, played outstandingly by Thomas Gomez whose performance in this role earned him the first ever Oscar nomination for a Hispanic American. Another local who crosses paths with Gagin and proves integral to the story is a girl named Pila (an 18-year old Wanda Hendrix, future wife of Audie Murphy), a Native American from a pueblo many miles away who has recently moved to San Pablo and is experiencing the big city for the first time. As it turns out, this dichotomy of Gagin’s character - one foot in the world of the Anglos where gangsters, dreams of money as the ticket to the good life, and the increasing threat of violence are ever present, and the easy-going culture of New Mexican Hispanics and Native Americans where, as movingly explained by Pancho, friendship is more important than money and that as long as a man has his pride and strong back there is no shame in being poor – becomes one of the central themes of the film.

What makes Ride the Pink Horse so watchable is how it doesn’t play to expectations. Just when we think we understand what is about to happen, the film goes in unexpected directions. There is a lot of symbolism in the story, represented most obviously by the fairy tale world of Pancho’s old carousel going round and round with its assortment of multi-colored horses (or so we are told; it is a black and white film after all), one of which is pink. There is a key scene when, after a night of drinking in a local saloon, Gagin convinces Pancho to open his carousel after-hours so that Pila can experience a childhood thrill for the first time in her life. The meaning of this small kindness represents something deeper that only becomes clear later. Gagin is experiencing new things too; we learn that he suffers from post-traumatic stress from years spent fighting in the steaming jungles of the South Pacific, that he still carries the war in him and is doing battle with himself as much as with the outside world, and that cervezas and tequilas with friendly locals can lead an angry man down paths he never thought for himself to travel.

The viewer is never sure where things will go and therefore the story creates the suspense that anything can happen at any moment. We get the distinct feeling a part of Gagin died in those jungles of his past. He is damn tough, as events will reveal, but is that enough? Is Gagin in over his head? Is he a walking corpse and just doesn’t know it? Is the FBI agent hanging out on the periphery of events more than just a kindly older fella watching everyone else? What is the meaning of a check Gagin places in a bus station locker at the beginning of the film? What is Hugo's angle, an oddity of a mob boss with a gift for smooth talk and a hearing aid? Is Hugo’s moll Marjorie a kept woman looking for a way out, and what does it mean for Pila, who attaches herself to Gagin like a lost puppy and in one of the film’s eerie moments gives him a talisman to protect him because she has had a vision of his pale dead face?

Ride the Pink Horse is a multi-layered story as deadly as any classic noir, and yet has something uplifting in its fabric like the effigy of the god of bad luck burned at the climax of the Fiesta, a road to rebirth and redemption that isn’t clearly marked, either a ticket to hell or a way out that may be just beyond reach. As usual, Criterion has done a masterful job with the transfer of a black and white film that, for many years, was apparently not easy to find. The cinematography by Russell Metty is outstandingly stylish and evocative, with Gagin often shot over-the-shoulder and some scenes done in one long continuous take that accentuates the menace of the moment. In one chilling scene, a brutal beating is witnessed from the point of view of children riding the carousel; the viewer is therefore a trapped witness, circling repeatedly past the violence and unable to get off. If the name Russell Metty doesn’t ring any bells, then a partial sampling of his many other films will give you some idea of what to expect here, films like Touch of Evil, Magnificent Obsession, Written in the Wind, Arch of Triumph, Spartacus, and The Misfits. And what great noir would be complete without some chewy dialogue so important to driving the narrative. Ride the Pink Horse has lots of that. Gagin delivers a particularly juicy monologue on the evils of women wearing diamonds, who are man-traps and have “a dead fish where her heart ought to be”. I could watch this film over and over just to relish the well written screenplay and roll around in all that dialogue like a man on a bed full of money. Wearing a fedora, of course. As it should be.

Thanks for writing such a thorough review of this title (so that I don't have to later on...haha). I'll probably be watching Ride the Pink Horse sometime during the week, although it might have to wait until next weekend.

Originally Posted by jw007

Not a bad face to visualize when you're on your 24th or 25th mile of a marathon. he he he.

Congrats for completing an amazing race. Was 5 hours/10 min. your best for a marathon yet?

Nope. My best is four hours and 20 minutes. This one was not my worst, though. (I've finished 47 marathons/ultramarathons.)

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by thecalm_7

While on the topic of The Third Man, I was on ebay yesterday and noticed a few sealed copies of Third Man Blu-ray in the Clear case and not the cardboard case. I know they released plastic replacement cases, but are these legit, being sealed and whatnot?

My plastic case version is still sealed, ever since I bought it at Barnes and Noble. Been wanting to sell it.

[Scottie]

I watched The River tonight and I can easily say that it is one of the greatest films that I have ever seen. I am totally speechless. "The day ends. The end begins."

Another film I am ecstatic to pick up in April along with Odd Man Out, Sullivan's Travels, and the Eclipse Series 42.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

Agree on both. Children of Men, in particular, is one of my favorites. Not completely sold on all his work, but those 2 you mention are rock solid.

Huge fan of Children of Men. And I am one of the (apparently) few who thought that Gravity was the best film of 2013. And in my opinion, Captain Philips was a close second. I also thought that Rush was vastly underated. Still think that 12 Years a Slave is a great film though.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Why do some people want to flat out buy Criterion Blu-rays for nearly MSRP? I've found quite a lot on eBay for around $20 which is what I'd rather pay for the majority of the titles I'm interested in.

Mostly to upset you.

[demonknight]

Well, in my Lynch Quest, I finally watched the long rumored Mulholland Dr. and...



I really liked it. That said, I feel that I would adore the pilot, as everything up until the 90 minute mark was pure gold to me. It took a pretty large dip after a certain point, but I cannot quite place where. I certainly hope it's one that I think about for a few days and wind up loving it, like Lost Highway, but I feel that I am liking it less and less the more I consider its implications.

Taking a short break from Lynch after binging season 2 of Twin Peaks and watching Elephant Man, Fire Walk With Me, Lost Highway, and this.

Must continue my Linklater binge now (after last week's viewings of Fast Food Nation, Waking Life, Me and Orson Welles, Bad News Bears, A Scanner Darkly, and Before Sunrise).

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Been meaning to buy both Criterion and Universals release, differing extras and encode, for Dazed and Confused though. Glad I have the first release of A Scanner Darkly, have yet to watch the Before Trilogy and been meaning to watch Waking Life.

Don't make my mistake. Watch Before Sunrise, then Waking Life. Jesse and Celine's scene in Waking Life is a direct reference to the initial film.

Next month, I will be revisiting Linklater and Lynch for my 2nd Annual Criterion Month, wherein everything I will watch for the first time outside of theaters will be a Criterion film, with Slacker and Eraserhead. I also plan to have first time viewings of The King of Marvin Gardens, Broadcast News, Benjamin Button, and Walker.
I will also finish watching The Fisher King, which I started over a year ago. I got bummed out and stopped.

[mrjohnnyb]

I finally decided to "bite the bullet" and purchased the following imports from cd Japan:

The Elephant Man (Lynch, 1980)
The Straight Story (Lynch, 1999)
The Trial (Welles, 1962)

Each title was listed for 1379 yen (in the current conversion rate, a yen is slightly less than a penny.) Each title is Region A and, according to blu-ray.com, both Lynch films include optional English subtitles. In addition, when you register on the site, the company gives you a 300 yen discount that you can immediately apply to your first order. My final total for all three titles including shipping was $37.57.

For those of you who might be interested, here is the direct link to the site's blu-ray titles:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/products?te....shop=movie-tv

[bwdowiak]

For some reason, I was nearly regretting my blind buy of Picnic at Hanging Rock before even giving it a spin on my Blu-ray player. Knowing what I already knew about the film, I wondered how a nearly 2 hour film was going to sustain my interest without being insufferably ponderous. Happy to report that, that

[Show spoiler]while the film does end in a manner in which I had previously come to know

, I really enjoyed this one. I’d say that the cinematography rivals Barry Lyndon. Music was nice… and it is always welcome when the sub-woofer gets some action - unexpected for a 40 year old movie. Anne Lambert is gorgeous, too. Certainly well cast.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

For some reason, I was nearly regretting my blind buy of Picnic at Hanging Rock before even giving it a spin on my Blu-ray player. Knowing what I already knew about the film, I wondered how a nearly 2 hour film was going to sustain my interest without being insufferably ponderous. Happy to report that, that

[Show spoiler]while the film does end in a manner in which I had previously come to know

, I really enjoyed this one. I’d say that the cinematography rivals Barry Lyndon. Music was nice… and it is always welcome when the sub-woofer gets some action - unexpected for a 40 year old movie. Anne Lambert is gorgeous, too. Certainly well cast.

I would like to buy it too, but although I'd like to buy the Criterion one to increase my Criterion collection (and I also love the cover more), it seems the UK release is better in terms of extras.
At least it has the deleted scenes I would be most interested in.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I would like to buy it too, but although I'd like to buy the Criterion one to increase my Criterion collection (and I also love the cover more), it seems the UK release is better in terms of extras.
At least it has the deleted scenes I would be most interested in.

the packaging and booklet for the CC edition are gorgeous. I won't read the book now that I've seen the film, but there's that, too. very happy with it all around.

[WonderWeasel]

If anyone is interested, TCM is showing three documentaries by the Maysles brothers that have received the Criterion treatment tonight: 'Grey Gardens' is on at 7 CDT, 'Salesman' at 9, and 'Gimme Shelter' at 10:45.

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

For some reason, I was nearly regretting my blind buy of Picnic at Hanging Rock before even giving it a spin on my Blu-ray player. Knowing what I already knew about the film, I wondered how a nearly 2 hour film was going to sustain my interest without being insufferably ponderous. Happy to report that, that

[Show spoiler]while the film does end in a manner in which I had previously come to know

, I really enjoyed this one. I’d say that the cinematography rivals Barry Lyndon. Music was nice… and it is always welcome when the sub-woofer gets some action - unexpected for a 40 year old movie. Anne Lambert is gorgeous, too. Certainly well cast.

'Barry Lyndon' is my favorite Kubrick film because of the cinematography. You have picqued my interest in the film ☺

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

'Barry Lyndon' is my favorite Kubrick film because of the cinematography. You have picqued my interest in the film ☺

it happens to be my favorite Kubrick, too, so yeah.. I'd bet that you'd like this one.

[DfndroftheFaith]

I'd like to thank all the people on this forum who passionately recommended Il Sorpasso. I had known nothing about this film, and it was near the bottom of my very long list of Criterion titles I wanted to buy. After I saw several glowing reviews here, it became one of the first titles I added to my cart during the last flash sale. I watched it this past weekend and loved it. Between all the gritty film noir and serious art house fare I've been watching recently, it's easy to forget how much fun movies can be. I'm looking forward to more releases or upgrades for more Italian comedies.

[pro-bassoonist]

OFFICIAL CANNES 2015 POSTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO INGRID BERGMAN

Animation de l'affiche du 68e Festival de Cannes - YouTube

Pro-B

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by DfndroftheFaith

I'd like to thank all the people on this forum who passionately recommended Il Sorpasso. I had known nothing about this film, and it was near the bottom of my very long list of Criterion titles I wanted to buy. After I saw several glowing reviews here, it became one of the first titles I added to my cart during the last flash sale. I watched it this past weekend and loved it. Between all the gritty film noir and serious art house fare I've been watching recently, it's easy to forget how much fun movies can be. I'm looking forward to more releases or upgrades for more Italian comedies.

Be sure to check out The Organizer and outside Criterion there is a very good one called Marriage Italian Style, both with Marcello Mastroianni.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by DfndroftheFaith

I'd like to thank all the people on this forum who passionately recommended Il Sorpasso. I had known nothing about this film, and it was near the bottom of my very long list of Criterion titles I wanted to buy. After I saw several glowing reviews here, it became one of the first titles I added to my cart during the last flash sale. I watched it this past weekend and loved it. Between all the gritty film noir and serious art house fare I've been watching recently, it's easy to forget how much fun movies can be. I'm looking forward to more releases or upgrades for more Italian comedies.

Gritty film noir is not fun? *sob*

Seriously, I'm glad that you enjoyed Il Sorpasso! It was one of my favorite 2014 releases, and it was one of the most pleasant blind buy surprises of my movie-collecting life. I cannot add anything that I have not already said in my User Review, but the movie has my highest recommendation.


On another note, my Blu-rays of Ride the Pink Horse and The Soft Skin arrived today. This coming weekend is going to be great.

[Yami]

Just noticed that Sullivan's Travels has a conversation with Bill Forsyth as an extra. It would be a darn shame if that continues to be his only appearance in the collection for much longer. Local Hero and Housekeeping are both outstanding films and personal favourites. I had the pleasure of speaking to him a few months ago at a talk about the latter and he was a delight. He signed my Blu-Ray of That Sinking Feeling - which is region free so I do encourage everyone reading this thread to pick it up: