The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Perhaps an upgrade for the 25th anniversary next year?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by GenPion

I didn't think that Love Streams was very good. Certainly not on par with the other Cassavettes films in the 5-Film set from Criterion. It's story isn't very good, for one, and it's sort of all over the place. I agree it has an odd pace.

yeah, I'm afraid to say (not in a literal sense, Roninblues - just teasing, of course) that I put it back on last night and got tired... I've only got 15 to 20 minutes or so left and I don't feel inclined to finish it. it is nearly two and a half hours of a very thin story line. the characterizations are strong, but they don't really go anywhere. Gena Rowlands asking several times throughout the film, "is love a stream?" "do you believe love is a stream?", blah blah... it kinda comes across as awkward dialogue. didn't hate it, but didn't like it either.

[pedromvu]

While i didn't enjoy Love Streams as much as of others in the Cassavetes set, i still liked it and think it's worth it because of the extensive extras, and i feel like i could probably benefit from a second viewing.

@bwdowiak: had you already seen his other works? i think Love Streams would be a terrible start on his filmography.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've spent the past two nights revisiting Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas by way of the brilliant new Warner Bros. 25th Anniversary Blu-ray.

François Truffaut's Jules and Jim was reportedly a big influence on Scorsese when he was filming Goodfellas, and one can see the influence in the many freeze frame shots, the abrupt cuts, and the voice-over narration.

I'll have to watch the two films back-to-back one day. That sounds like a fun double-feature anyway.

I'm anxious to re-visit Goodfellas after ripping through 6 seasons of The Sopranos the past couple months. There are several references to Goodfellas and of course a few actors that appeared in both.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

@bwdowiak: had you already seen his other works?

no.

Originally Posted by pedromvu

i think Love Streams would be a terrible start on his filmography.

for me Cassavetes has been my film-making equivalent to The Velvet Underground. before I had actively sought out their music, I knew that people held them in very high regard (rightfully so, IMO) and yet I had heard NOTHING from them because they weren't mainstream enough to really have any radio play or well-known enough for any of my group of friends to be listening to them. I can't remember which album I tried first, but not soon after, I was hooked.

back to Cassavetes and Love Streams... I think I can see a few qualities that made him a good (or at very least, an interesting) filmmaker, so I will definitely not count him out. Love Streams has been reviewed pretty well around the web. I just saw Gena Rowlands in Jarmusch's Night on Earth recently and idk... figured I'd start with this one.

do you think it isn't representative of his work and style? or do you just have the opinion that the film isn't great?

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Criterion just teased a release of My Own Private Idaho on their Instagram.

Oh, great!
I have seen it only once but I don't remember anything except

[Show spoiler]a house crashing at the crucial moment and some talking magazine covers

but i think I would buy it for nostalgia reasons because it reminds me of my teens and the first gay films I had seen.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by Snicket

Criterion just teased a release of My Own Private Idaho on their Instagram.

I bought the Criterion DVD several years ago because I had read all these great reviews praising the film and the performances of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves ... but I didn't get it. At all.

Assuming the fault must be mine, I waited a couple of years and watched it again. But I still didn't get it. At all.

If Criterion is going to upgrade it to blu-ray, I'll be very pleased for those who embrace it. But I'll definitely pass on it myself.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I bought the Criterion DVD several years ago because I had read all these great reviews praising the film and the performances of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves ... but I didn't get it. At all.

Assuming the fault must be mine, I waited a couple of years and watched it again. But I still didn't get it. At all.

If Criterion is going to upgrade it to blu-ray, I'll be very pleased for those who embrace it. But I'll definitely pass on it myself.

I had the EXACT same experience with it... I love River Phoenix, too, so I was hoping to love this film. however, it has been ages since I've seen it, so I might be tempted to buy it and just unload it if the same holds true.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

do you think it isn't representative of his work and style? or do you just have the opinion that the film isn't great?

It is very representative of his style, but i think his style evolved in a way that each of his movies became increasingly complex, his characters seem to get crazier and hard to understand, it could be maddening to the audience, they are not always what one would call "entertaining to watch" but in a way i think all of that mixed ends up being part of the strengths of his movies.

check out Ebert review on Love Streams: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/love-streams-1984

I think starting with his films in order would prepare you better in understanding the next.

So while i think it is representative of his style what i am trying to say is that i think it could only completely please one who is already a hardcore fan of Cassavetes.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

I wonder whether UHD will be as niche as laserdisc was, and what that will mean for the prices.

I mean, look at all the constant *****ing and moaning about prices in threads about limited edition releases from small labels. I suspect we will much more of this with UHD and possible with even higher prices.

That said, Criterion have never really been strong early adopters, so I wouldn't expect them to do UHD the first couple of years.

Yeah, this.

If UBD survives it will be as a higher priced niche film collectors medium, like laserdisc. If UBD fails then BD will get more and more niche as the years go on, eventually getting to the same place. Either way a laserdisc style niche is the future of movies on a disc.

Criterion will surely wait and see on UBD, but if it takes off as a niche collector format I am sure they will eventually dive in, and probably get more mainstream movies when they do.

[the sordid sentinel]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I bought the Criterion DVD several years ago because I had read all these great reviews praising the film and the performances of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves ... but I didn't get it. At all.

Assuming the fault must be mine, I waited a couple of years and watched it again. But I still didn't get it. At all.

If Criterion is going to upgrade it to blu-ray, I'll be very pleased for those who embrace it. But I'll definitely pass on it myself.

I've seen it twice and very much agree. Great performances and nice cinematography but the movie itself is forgettable (IMO). Like you, happy for those that enjoy it.

[bwdowiak]

The River Phoenix movie I'd like to see released by Criterion (anyone really) would be Sidney Lumet's Running on Empty. It had a solid effect on me when I saw it years ago. I'd like to see it again.

It is a Warner Brothers title, so I guess that means it will be released by no one.

[Namuhana]

My Own Private Idaho is one of my favorites in the Collection, so I would gladly buy a Blu-ray release of it.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I just saw Gena Rowlands in Jarmusch's Night on Earth recently and idk... figured I'd start with this one.

Thanks for the reminder re: Night on Earth. Great film. Big Jarmush fan, though have only seen this film once. This is the "anthology"-type film that focuses on numerous sequences involving taxi drivers all over the world.

In a way, NOE was a pre-cursor to Jarmush's other excellent anthology film, Coffee & Cigarettes- which IMHO also deserves a Criterion Blu release...

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

The River Phoenix movie I'd like to see released by Criterion (anyone really) would be Sidney Lumet's Running on Empty.

Mosquito Coast for me.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

[...] back to Cassavetes and Love Streams... I think I can see a few qualities that made him a good (or at very least, an interesting) filmmaker, so I will definitely not count him out. Love Streams has been reviewed pretty well around the web. I just saw Gena Rowlands in Jarmusch's Night on Earth recently and idk... figured I'd start with this one.[...]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

[...] So while i think it is representative of his style what i am trying to say is that i think it could only completely please one who is already a hardcore fan of Cassavetes.

Cassavetes has had his share of duds in my eyes. Woman Under the Influence did nothing for me (blasphemy!!), didn't know what to think of Shadows (maybe a second viewing will clear this up for me?), and was very bored watching the extended version of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (the shorter version is much better).

However, I absolutely love Minnie and Moskowitz (great starting point into his films, IMO), and I was extremely moved and entranced by Love Streams. I'm looking forward to watching Love Streams again, because I felt there is a lot to get from a second go 'round. There were definitely times where I feared the plot (or a specific scene) was about to plummet into unintelligible chaos, but it never went over the cliff. As a whole, it felt like Cassavetes's homage to Ozu.

Definitely one of his best.

[Roninblues]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've spent the past two nights revisiting Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas by way of the brilliant new Warner Bros. 25th Anniversary Blu-ray.

A worthwhile upgrade over the previous Blu-ray.

[mikesncc1701]

Hey guys. Don't get to frequent this thread as much as I'd like but I had to drop by and say I spent all day watching Carlos. What a great release from Criterion. Blind bought it years ago but just now got around to it and man I've been missing out. The first two episodes had me on the edge of my seat, especially the opening hour of the second. The third slowed down a bit to let us take in more of the character for the finale but it still was heart pounding. This is my first Assayas' film and though I like some of his techniques (the color filtering looked great), he really knows how keep things moving without jeopardizing development and that's something few can do. Didn't delve into the features yet but what a great slice of storytelling on display here.

[CriterionBlues]

This probably means no Clouds of Sils Maria on Criterion, at least not for awhile.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...c-films-798371

I'm thinking the star power of Kristen Stewart made the film higher in demand for Paramount.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I bought the Criterion DVD several years ago because I had read all these great reviews praising the film and the performances of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves ... but I didn't get it. At all.

Assuming the fault must be mine, I waited a couple of years and watched it again. But I still didn't get it. At all.

If Criterion is going to upgrade it to blu-ray, I'll be very pleased for those who embrace it. But I'll definitely pass on it myself.

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I had the EXACT same experience with it... I love River Phoenix, too, so I was hoping to love this film. however, it has been ages since I've seen it, so I might be tempted to buy it and just unload it if the same holds true.

Originally Posted by the sordid sentinel

I've seen it twice and very much agree. Great performances and nice cinematography but the movie itself is forgettable (IMO). Like you, happy for those that enjoy it.

It's been ages since I've seen My Own Private Idaho, but from what I recall, Gus Van Sant based this film loosely around Henry IV. Knowing this going in, it is easier to figure out the story and follow it in multiple viewings. But being that I'm not a big Shakespeare scholar/person, the film was indeed frustrating to enjoy at times. I did love the directing though...and the acting. The story though of course was ponderous from what I remember. I need to dust off my Criterion DVD here and watch it again sometime I think.