The Criterion Collection

[oildude]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

There seem to be a lot of people posting in this thread (including myself) who admit to not having seen any movies by [insert highly regarded/influential/otherwise important director].

Please join me in listing 5 directors in the collection that you love along with the movies you think are the best introductions into their bodies of work (not necessarily their best film--or even one in the collection--but one that embodies their style and is easy to get into for a newcomer).


Robert Altman: The Player
Yasujiro Ozu: Tokyo Twilight
John Huston: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Jim Jarmusch: Down By Law
Roman Polanski: The Pianist


Honorable mention:
Abbas Kiarostami: Taste of Cherry (Honorable mention because I have only seen a very small percentage of his work)

Gotta disagree on one of those (otherwise, good choices)

John Huston: The Maltese Falcon

Nothing against TTOTSM (an excellent film). But The Maltese Falcon is, in my opinion, the essential Huston and the best entry to his work. In fact, to me The Maltese Falcon is an essential entry to cinema.

[Eufi721]

Anyone notice marie antoinette converse?

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by Tom Monahan

Anyone know how the UK release of The Man Who Fell to Earth compares to the Criterion release in regards to the transfer? I want to add the film to my library but not at the Criterion price.

Thanks,
Tom

I remember several reviews where reviewers said that they actually prefer the UK release in terms of PQ.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Mikio Naruse: Floating Clouds
Yasujiro Ozu: Tokyo Story
Satyajit Ray: Pather Panchali
Hiroshi Teshigahara: The Woman in the Dunes
Kenji Mizoguchi: Ugetsu Monogatari

Honorable Mention:
Ingmar Bergman: Wild Strawberries

This is what I was hoping for with this request. I haven't seen a Naruse or a Teshigahara. I was actually thinking of starting with When A Woman Ascends The Stairs, but I have no reasoning behind that choice. I'll check these suggestions out.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Tom Monahan

Anyone know how the UK release of The Man Who Fell to Earth compares to the Criterion release in regards to the transfer? I want to add the film to my library but not at the Criterion price.

Thanks,
Tom

It might be worth waiting and seeing what Potemkine do with it later this year. Their big project this summer revolves around Roeg's work and they're definitely releasing The Man Who Fell To Earth on Blu-ray.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

So the Pickup at South Street restoration looked fantastic, just unbelievably good. It was my first time seeing it and I had only seen The Naked Kiss beforehand, so was surprised by how engaging and fast paced it was, yet still super stylized. My guess is this restoration will land on Criterion either towards the end of the year or early 2016.

I can't wait to see the resto, glad to hear such praise. I'll be picking up the Masters Of Cinema disc in August. Speaking of Fuller, MoC are releasing his Forty Guns this month.

[Polaroid]

I know I know this isn't Criterion related but oh my gosh th new Macbeth film looks incredible!

Ok It does link with Criterion because we have two versions in the collection :P

MACBETH - OFFICIAL TEASER TRAILER - YouTube

This guy is very talented, I loved Snowtown.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I know I know this isn't Criterion related but oh my gosh th new Macbeth film looks incredible!

Ok It does link with Criterion because we have two versions in the collection

[Show spoiler]MACBETH - OFFICIAL TEASER TRAILER - YouTube

Good Lord, how many versions of Macbeth am I going to have to own?

I've got the visually spectacular Orson Welles version, which is available by way of Olive Films, along with the Roman Polanski version and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Each version is essential in its own unique way, and each version brings something cool to the table.

The trailer for this new one looks impressive.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Good Lord, how many version of Macbeth am I going to have to own?

I've got the visually spectacular Orson Welles version, which is available by way of Olive Films, along with the Roman Polanski version and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Each version is essential in its own unique way, and each version brings something cool to the table.

The trailer for this new one looks impressive.

I didn't know Orson Welles did an adaptation I adore Polanski's Macbeth, still need to watch Throne of Blood!

This is my favourite Shakespeare, the BBC in UK did some adaptation for TV of a lot of his plays and they were very well made, Macbeth was really modernised but worked so well, James Mcavoy was excellent.

But yeah this director is so great, only problem with Snowtown was it was a bit hard to follow if you didn't know about th original murders but its a phenomenal piece of cinema!

Snowtown (2011) - Official Trailer - YouTube

Gosh look at me derailing the Criterion thread :P

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I can't wait to see the resto, glad to hear such praise. I'll be picking up the Masters Of Cinema disc in August. Speaking of Fuller, MoC are releasing his Forty Guns this month.

Oh crap, I may have to region-free if that happens.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

This is what I was hoping for with this request. I haven't seen a Naruse or a Teshigahara. I was actually thinking of starting with When A Woman Ascends The Stairs, but I have no reasoning behind that choice. I'll check these suggestions out.

When a Woman... is a great place to start, but I think his masterpiece is Floating Clouds because I think it contains Hideko Takamine's best performance and some of his most beautiful photography and uses of his trademarks, not to mention a wonderful story.

Teshigahara is one of the very few directors that I would say creates art on film.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I can't wait to see the resto, glad to hear such praise. I'll be picking up the Masters Of Cinema disc in August. Speaking of Fuller, MoC are releasing his Forty Guns this month.

That's too funny. While some people lie in bed and count sheep to make themselves fall asleep, I lie in bed and try to think of films I would like to see included in the Criterion Collection. Last night one of my picks was Forty Guns. What an audaciously perverse and perverted film it is! Fuller set out to break the conventional rules of the Western genre and succeeded admirably. So many great scenes, and Stanwyck is terrific in it; she did her own stunt work which is especially notable since she was 50 years old when it was filmed. (At one point, Marilyn Monroe wanted to star, but I find it hard to imagine her in the role.)

I would love to see Criterion give it the deluxe treatment it deserves!

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Good Lord, how many versions of Macbeth am I going to have to own?

I've got the visually spectacular Orson Welles version, which is available by way of Olive Films, along with the Roman Polanski version and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Each version is essential in its own unique way, and each version brings something cool to the table.

The trailer for this new one looks impressive.

You might also want to consider Maqbool, an Indian adaptation of the play that sets it in a contemporary gangsters and cops world. I really like the depiction of the relationship between M and Lady M in this one, different from other versions. There is a blu-ray of it, but that's supposed to be just an upscale of the DVD, so I guess you can go for whatever's easier to get.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by oildude

Gotta disagree on one of those (otherwise, good choices)

John Huston: The Maltese Falcon

Nothing against TTOTSM (an excellent film). But The Maltese Falcon is, in my opinion, the essential Huston and the best entry to his work. In fact, to me The Maltese Falcon is an essential entry to cinema.

I can't argue anything you posted. I considered saying The Maltese Falcon. Both movies are essential viewing. Both movies are entertaining and easy to get sucked into. Both movies are classics and influential. Both movies are easier to digest that some of Huston's other works.

So, all things being equal, it came down to which movie I like the better. And I like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre much more than The Maltese Falcon.

I don't think I could choose the essential Huston (only a good entry point). In my eyes he has multiple masterpieces.

[gates70]

Anybody see The Leopard ? I love Burt Lancaster movies but this goes against his typical roles.

[CriterionBlues]

Some of you may appreciate this, which was like a film geek shrine to me.



We're seeing Panther Panchali on Saturday before heading out.

The Third Man is coming in a couple weeks and I confirmed that it's the same 4k restoration that is used on the UK release. Probably little to no chance that it comes back to Criterion (or back in print), but if there is a SC USA release, then that might drop the outrageous reseller prices.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by gates70

Anybody see The Leopard ? I love Burt Lancaster movies but this goes against his typical roles.

I was very underwhelmed by it to say the least. Luckily I'm going to give it another chance before I ultimately make up my mind on the film.

For the most part, though, I can appreciate the themes explored in the film, such as the decline of a family's status and prestige. However, I found the execution to be a bit of a chore to sit through for a good portion of the duration.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I was very underwhelmed by it to say the least. Luckily I'm going to give it another chance before I ultimately make up my mind on the film.

For the most part, though, I can appreciate the themes explored in the film, such as the decline of a family's status and prestige. However, I found the execution to be a bit of a chore to sit through for a good portion of the duration.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated !!!

[mdawg1972]

Would love to see Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder get a Criterion release!

[jayputter]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Good Lord, how many versions of Macbeth am I going to have to own?

I've got the visually spectacular Orson Welles version, which is available by way of Olive Films, along with the Roman Polanski version and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Each version is essential in its own unique way, and each version brings something cool to the table.

The trailer for this new one looks impressive.

Don't forget about the Scorcese/Branagh collaboration that's been rumored, though that may be more of a documentary of Branagh's recent staging of the play. (Which I would still be unable to resist!)