The Criterion Collection

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

Hey guys, wanna help me out on something? I just watched Repo Man for the first time last night...and...what?! I guess I just don't "get it". It was probably the worst acting, across the board, that I've ever seen in a film. And I've seen The Room plenty of times. There was almost no story whatsoever, just chasing down a weird car with something (aliens) in the trunk? Then all of a sudden it turns into a Scooby Doo episode on the final moments. There was like, no redeeming factors to this film, yet it's very highly regarded and so many people love it. What am I missing?

You may not have missed anything, it may just not be for you. Nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't worry about what everyone else says and just go with your natural reaction. A lot of people including me love this film, but that doesn't mean everyone will, thank goodness. I like the deadpan humor and the hommage to Kiss Me Deadly, and find lots of the quotes funny, but if you didn't, you aren't wrong. And yes I love Walker too.

[StingingVelvet]

I love Repo Man. I wish Criterion would release more 60's-80's movies like it, because I love Criterion's style and features but rarely want to own the movies they release. Not saying they release bad movies, they're just usually not movies I want to own and watch over and over again. They're usually movies I rent.

It was really cool to see Repo Man, Scanners and Thief come out from Criterion. I hope we get more stuff like that in the future. Looking forward to the rumored The Brood disc.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Adding to the Werner Herzog discussion, how bad is it that I've only seen Rescue Dawn?

If you enjoyed it, be sure to watch his earlier documentary on the real person "Little Dieter Needs to Fly". Great companion pieces as well as singular films.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've seen all of the films in The Werner Herzog Collection DVD box set and the Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski DVD box set, as well as about a half dozen subsequent movies.

I like Stroszek and I even think that it's wonderful in many ways, but, my God, it's a depressing flick. Incidentally, it was reportedly the film that Ian Curtis of Joy Division watched shortly before committing suicide. If you're already having a bad go of things, then it's the sort of film that could push you over the edge in a big hurry.

Herzog's documentaries are cool, but I'm really not a huge documentary person.

Ok I think I understand! For me, this is why Herzog is one of the best to ever do it. He goes straight for the gut and nearly never misses. His documentaries basically shattered the mold for me when I was first getting into cinema. Stroszek would make my shortlist for best films I've ever seen. While I agree it can be a paralyzingly depressing film it's also full of life, truth and comedy.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

Hey guys, wanna help me out on something? I just watched Repo Man for the first time last night...and...what?! I guess I just don't "get it". It was probably the worst acting, across the board, that I've ever seen in a film. And I've seen The Room plenty of times. There was almost no story whatsoever, just chasing down a weird car with something (aliens) in the trunk? Then all of a sudden it turns into a Scooby Doo episode on the final moments. There was like, no redeeming factors to this film, yet it's very highly regarded and so many people love it. What am I missing?

It's a cult classic... but its a film you just cannot and should not take seriously whatsoever.

I actually had a harder time with Eating Raoul than Repo Man.

[CriterionBlues]

Since we're getting a Melville Resistance flick tomorrow, I went ahead and published an essay about Melville's Resistance Films. He was always a mysterious figure, both politically and cinematically, but his experiences in the resistance shaped his film career.

All three of his resistance films are solid, but Army of Shadows is my favorite Melville film. It has the style and structure that he perfected with his gangster films and it also had a lot of personal experience and emotion.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Since we're getting a Melville Resistance flick tomorrow, I went ahead and published an essay about Melville's Resistance Films. He was always a mysterious figure, both politically and cinematically, but his experiences in the resistance shaped his film career.

All three of his resistance films are solid, but Army of Shadows is my favorite Melville film. It has the style and structure that he perfected with his gangster films and it also had a lot of personal experience and emotion.

Well done!

Army of Shadows is my favorite Criterion Blu-ray to date. (Le Samouraï is my favorite Criterion title overall, but it is not yet been upgraded from DVD by Criterion.)

In a way, Army of Shadows is the most patriotic film that I have ever seen, and, perhaps more so than Casablanca or many other films set in World War II, it conveys the willingness that people of that time had to surrendering their lives as mere cogs in a wheel in a fight against evil. The characters in Army of Shadows are based on real figures of the French Resistance who realized that their individual existences were doomed, but that any efforts, however small or futile, to hinder the Nazi threat were worth the risk. I get the impression that such Resistance fighters in real life sensed that a war that is seemingly impossible to win is still worth fighting. The film is bleak, but the bleakness is assuaged somewhat by the luxury of hindsight that we the viewers have decades after World War II ended.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Well done!

Army of Shadows is my favorite Criterion Blu-ray to date. (Le Samouraï is my favorite Criterion title overall, but it is not yet been upgraded from DVD by Criterion.)

In a way, Army of Shadows is the most patriotic film that I have ever seen, and, perhaps more so than Casablanca or many other films set in World War II, it conveys the willingness that people of that time had to surrendering their lives as mere cogs in a wheel in a fight against evil. The characters in Army of Shadows are based on real figures of the French Resistance who realized that their individual existences were doomed, but that any efforts, however small or futile, to hinder the Nazi threat were worth the risk. I get the impression that such Resistance fighters in real life sensed that a war that is seemingly impossible to win is still worth fighting. The film is bleak, but the bleakness is assuaged somewhat by the luxury of hindsight that we the viewers have decades after World War II ended.

Thank you, Owl! I am with you on Le Samouraï and expect we'll see an upgrade sooner rather than later. I'm also a big fan of Le Deuxieme Souffle, which is fortunately also not a Studio Canal title and should get upgraded, although probably later. Souffle has a lot in common with Army of Shadows, beginning with Lino Ventura's performance, but also the story of a gangster rebel is not dissimilar to that of a resistance fighter. Of course Ventura and Melville had a major falling out and wouldn't work together again.

Le silence de la mer is underseen for Melville and not as sexy as his later films, but it's what put him on the map and is well worth checking out.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Thank you, Owl! I am with you on Le Samouraï and expect we'll see an upgrade sooner rather than later. I'm also a big fan of Le Deuxieme Souffle, which is fortunately also not a Studio Canal title and should get upgraded, although probably later. Souffle has a lot in common with Army of Shadows, beginning with Lino Ventura's performance, but also the story of a gangster rebel is not dissimilar to that of a resistance fighter. Of course Ventura and Melville had a major falling out and wouldn't work together again.

Le silence de la mer is underseen for Melville and not as sexy as his later films, but it's what put him on the map and is well worth checking out.

I'm really quite content with my region-free MoC Blu-ray of Le Silence de la Mer, but I might have to pick up the Criterion disc during a later sale on general principle. It's a beautifully understated film.

If you have not already done so, then I recommend that you check out the Cohen Media disc of Melville's Two Men in Manhattan, which is his love letter to New York City and to American film noir. It's a beautiful-looking movie that makes a great double feature with Sweet Smell of Success.

I'd love for Criterion to upgrade Le Deuxieme Souffle as well.

Le Doulos is film noir beauty across the board, as is Bob Le Flambeur.

Melville's final film, Un Flic, gets docked a few points for the train heist scene, which features Thunderbirds-esque special effects, but I think that it's a marvelous film in all other respects. I wish that Criterion would release it.

Les Enfants Terribles is my least favorite Melville, but it has some interesting nuances, and I'd gladly upgrade my Criterion DVD if given the chance.

[Scottie]

Adding to the Melville discussion, I adore Le Cercle Rouge and Army of Shadows.

I've also seen Léon Morin, Priest and Le silence de la mer, but these two films didn't quite keep my interest as the others did. They both have redeeming qualities, but they lack the power that the other two do, in my opinion.

I have Two Men in Manhattan on Blu-ray and Le Deuxième Souffle and Le Doulos on DVD, but I have not seen them. Likewise, I have Les Enfants Terribles on my DVR, where it continues to be unwatched.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm really quite content with my region-free MoC Blu-ray of Le Silence de la Mer, but I might have to pick up the Criterion disc during a later sale on general principle. It's a beautifully understated film.

The Criterion version has the 2008 documentary about Melville's time in the resistance, which I don't believe in the MoC version. That said, it's probably not much of an upgrade beyond that. I remember the MoC version being quite comprehensive.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

If you have not already done so, then I recommend that you check out the Cohen Media disc of Melville's Two Men in Manhattan, which is his love letter to New York City and to American film noir. It's a beautiful-looking movie that makes a great double feature with Sweet Smell of Success.

Thank you! This is a Melville I haven't seen and was not aware of the release, but Amazon had one copy left. Sold. Looking forward to it.

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by jw007

It's a cult classic... but its a film you just cannot and should not take seriously whatsoever.

I actually had a harder time with Eating Raoul than Repo Man.

I love Eating Raoul but had a hard time comprehending/liking Repo Man.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

The Criterion version has the 2008 documentary about Melville's time in the resistance, which I don't believe in the MoC version. That said, it's probably not much of an upgrade beyond that. I remember the MoC version being quite comprehensive.

The Criterion disc also has the Melville short film, 24 Hours in the Life of a Clown. The premise of that short film doesn't quicken my pulse all that much, but I've become a Melville completist of sorts.

I think that the Code Name: Melville documentary that you're referring to will be the main draw for me as well.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Adding to the Melville discussion, I adore Le Cercle Rouge and Army of Shadows.

I've also seen Léon Morin, Priest and Le silence de la mer, but these two films didn't quite keep my interest as the others did. They both have redeeming qualities, but they lack the power that the other two do, in my opinion.

I have Two Men in Manhattan on Blu-ray and Le Deuxième Souffle and Le Doulos on DVD, but I have not seen them. Likewise, I have Les Enfants Terribles on my DVR, where it continues to be unwatched.

Le Cercle Rouge is my least favorite of the Melville films I've seen and Le Samourai is the best.

I just don't find the story of Le Cercle Rouge to be worthy of repeated viewings, which is why I finally decided to trade in my Criterion dvd copy a few months ago. In terms of writing, acting, plot and especially music...Melville has made much better films imo.

...still worth a look to anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

[pedromvu]

Does anyone know any web sources to keep track of which films are currently being restored or have recent restorations? or the only way is based on news when they are going to be playing on theaters?

I see a lot of restorations are done by L'Immagine Ritrovata, but i didn't found anything regarding what they are currently working on, they probably just do the work for other companies.

The Janus page seems to be a good indicator but it has very few updates, seems like they tour only a small fraction of Criterion output.

Edit: http://www.indiewire.com/article/is-...ation-20150311, an interesting article about 4k restorations, check out Terrence Malick part about days of heaven color.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

If you have not already done so, then I recommend that you check out the Cohen Media disc of Melville's Two Men in Manhattan, which is his love letter to New York City and to American film noir. It's a beautiful-looking movie that makes a great double feature with Sweet Smell of Success.

Watched Two Men in Manhattan last night - actually our first Melville film. We super enjoyed it, and from what I hear it's one of his least loved films, so looking forward to checking out more of his work!

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

A lot of Herzog belongs in the Collection. It won't happen anytime soon, but it's weird that it hasn't happened before since he has participated in releases and of course the excellent Les Blank documentary Burden of Dreams is all about him.

Also, coincidentally, we are on a Herzog kick. Just watched Fitzcarraldo for the first time, followed by Burden of Dreams. Incredible! We watched Grizzly Man before that, and also Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe.

Gonna check out Nosferatu next I think.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

The article I read said that Melanie Griffith quit the production midway through because she didn't want to come out of it with "half a face", only to rejoin the production and get mauled.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...fiths-bed.html

[StLouisRibs]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Does anyone know any web sources to keep track of which films are currently being restored or have recent restorations? or the only way is based on news when they are going to be playing on theaters?

I see a lot of restorations are done by L'Immagine Ritrovata, but i didn't found anything regarding what they are currently working on, they probably just do the work for other companies.

The Janus page seems to be a good indicator but it has very few updates, seems like they tour only a small fraction of Criterion output.

Edit: http://www.indiewire.com/article/is-...ation-20150311, an interesting article about 4k restorations, check out Terrence Malick part about days of heaven color.

Several film publications, namely Film comment, have sections dedicated to what's beginning/undergoing a treatment and usually mentions the parties involved.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Also, coincidentally, we are on a Herzog kick. Just watched Fitzcarraldo for the first time, followed by Burden of Dreams. Incredible! We watched Grizzly Man before that, and also Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe.

Gonna check out Nosferatu next I think.

Love his docs like Grizzly Man. His 1970s output are his finest fiction films (aside from a couple duds). You should enjoy Nosferatu.