The Criterion Collection

[nondiatonic]

I was second guessing my blind buy of In The Mood for Love, so I decided to watch Fallen Angels on Prime Instant before opening it.

In The Mood for Love will be getting returned for something else on my wish list.

[GasmaskAvenger]

Finally added Hausu to my collection, years after an internet friend introduced me to it.

Yeah, I had a DVD-R copy ripped from a library DVD, but I knew that once I bought it, it would be on good ol' blu-ray.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

I was second guessing my blind buy of In The Mood for Love, so I decided to watch Fallen Angels on Prime Instant before opening it.

In The Mood for Love will be getting returned for something else on my wish list.

In the Mood For Love is fantastic. I haven't seen and can't compare it to Fallen Angels though.

[Snicket]

On a side note, I am watching Cul de Sac and am so so bored.

[nondiatonic]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

In the Mood For Love is fantastic. I haven't seen and can't compare it to Fallen Angels though.

Based on Fallen Angels I fear In The Mood for Love will fall prey to the "style over substance" virus that seems so prevalent in modern Asian cinema. I can't take the risk when there are so many other movies I'd like to try.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

Based on Fallen Angels I fear In The Mood for Love will fall prey to the "style over substance" virus that seems so prevalent in modern Asian cinema. I can't take the risk when there are so many other movies I'd like to try.

In The Mood for Love is certainly a stylish film, but I've never heard anyone say it lacked substance. I'm not trying to convince you to keep your copy, but it is a wonderful film. Give it a try if you can.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Snicket

In addition to throne of blood, are any more titles getting a one disc release that were once dual format?

Foreign Correspondent and Tess are the only two I have seen in store at B&N.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Snicket

On a side note, I am watching Cul de Sac and am so so bored.

"Cul de Sac" is a weird little film. The first time I watched it, I was a bit underwhelmed and didn't know what to make of it. I was expecting a taut thriller I think. But, on a second viewing, I enjoyed it a great deal. The dynamic between the emasculated husband, the boorish gangster and the young wife is quite hilarious to me. Donald Pleasance's portrayal of a guy whose manhood is essentially being ripped away in every sense possible is brilliant. IMO, this film must be viewed as a black comedy. On a second viewing, I knew what to expect and found it very funny in a lot of ways. This daft guy (Pleasance) marries a beautiful young woman and moves out to a remote castle, essentially trying to shut off the rest of the world. Then, this complete brute comes in and completely throws off the tenuous balance. A film, like I said, that is hard to know what to make of on first viewing though.

[popcorntreect]

Originally Posted by nondiatonic

Based on Fallen Angels I fear In The Mood for Love will fall prey to the "style over substance" virus that seems so prevalent in modern Asian cinema. I can't take the risk when there are so many other movies I'd like to try.

Have you seen Chungking Express? I think it's Wong Kar-Wai's most accessible film. I'm not a huge fan of Fallen Angels but In the Mood for Love is a modern masterpiece.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by mja345

"Cul de Sac" is a weird little film. The first time I watched it, I was a bit underwhelmed and didn't know what to make of it. I was expecting a taut thriller I think. But, on a second viewing, I enjoyed it a great deal. The dynamic between the emasculated husband, the boorish gangster and the young wife is quite hilarious to me. Donald Pleasance's portrayal of a guy whose manhood is essentially being ripped away in every sense possible is brilliant. IMO, this film must be viewed as a black comedy. On a second viewing, I knew what to expect and found it very funny in a lot of ways. This daft guy (Pleasance) marries a beautiful young woman and moves out to a remote castle, essentially trying to shut off the rest of the world. Then, this complete brute comes in and completely throws off the tenuous balance. A film, like I said, that is hard to know what to make of on first viewing though.

I keep thinking back to Lord of the Flies while watching, as it's also a film that's too obvious for my liking. For me the dynamic was set in the first scene and really was just repetitive for the remainder of the film, which didn't help me feeling exhausted with it well before the obvious conclusion. I am laughing in some spots, so the dark comedy angle is hitting the hardest, it's just turning out to be a lesser Polanski for me.

And while this isn't an academic observation, the gangsters voice is like nails on a chalkboard. So there's that.

[fuzzymctiger]

Sorry to distract from a topic or anything, but I can't find a list for this anywhere.

Does anyone have a list of Criterion editions that come with Books?

I know Red River and Picnic at Hanging Rock do, do any others, DVD or Blu Ray?

[mja345]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

Sorry to distract from a topic or anything, but I can't find a list for this anywhere.

Does anyone have a list of Criterion editions that come with Books?

I know Red River and Picnic at Hanging Rock do, do any others, DVD or Blu Ray?

"Mr Arkadin". Not sure of any others though.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Snicket

I keep thinking back to Lord of the Flies while watching, as it's also a film that's too obvious for my liking. For me the dynamic was set in the first scene and really was just repetitive for the remainder of the film, which didn't help me feeling exhausted with it well before the obvious conclusion. I am laughing in some spots, so the dark comedy angle is hitting the hardest, it's just turning out to be a lesser Polanski for me.

And while this isn't an academic observation, the gangsters voice is like nails on a chalkboard. So there's that.

True, it doesn't really veer away from most of the initial dynamics that are set up between the main characters. As anything other than a black comedy, the film doesn't work at all. It certainly doesn't work as a thriller on any level.

And Lionel Stander, who plays the gangster, definitely isn't a pleasant dude to watch. Very unlikeable, annoying character and, according to the extras on the disc, was quite a prick on set.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Snicket

In addition to throne of blood, are any more titles getting a one disc release that were once dual format?

The Big Chill
Foreign Correspondent
Tess
Throne of Blood

The Leopard and Night of the Hunter have been re-released in plastic cases from the DigiPacks.

The 400 Blows and Breathless have been upgraded from standard BD to BD + DVD combo packs.

[Lordy]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

Sorry to distract from a topic or anything, but I can't find a list for this anywhere.

Does anyone have a list of Criterion editions that come with Books?

I know Red River and Picnic at Hanging Rock do, do any others, DVD or Blu Ray?

I don't have a list, but another that hasn't been mentioned is "The Furies" (DVD Edition). Not yet released on blu.

[GasmaskAvenger]

Originally Posted by fuzzymctiger

Sorry to distract from a topic or anything, but I can't find a list for this anywhere.

Does anyone have a list of Criterion editions that come with Books?

I know Red River and Picnic at Hanging Rock do, do any others, DVD or Blu Ray?

Eraserhead comes with a decent sized book IIRC. Need to double check.

[Vlad Draculi]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while but keep forgetting. Is there any significance to the numbers that are on the bottom of the spine on the Criterion discs? I'm curious since every movie seems to have a different number, but I can't figure out why. At first, I thought they were release order, but The Killers was just released and that number is smaller than Kiss Me Deadly and Godzilla.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Vlad Draculi

I've been meaning to ask this for a while but keep forgetting. Is there any significance to the numbers that are on the bottom of the spine on the Criterion discs? I'm curious since every movie seems to have a different number, but I can't figure out why. At first, I thought they were release order, but The Killers was just released and that number is smaller than Kiss Me Deadly and Godzilla.

Criterion keeps the numbers from the DVD releases.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by GasmaskAvenger

Eraserhead comes with a decent sized book IIRC. Need to double check.

They mean the novel the film is based on packaged with the disc.

[tisdivine]

Originally Posted by Vlad Draculi

I've been meaning to ask this for a while but keep forgetting. Is there any significance to the numbers that are on the bottom of the spine on the Criterion discs? I'm curious since every movie seems to have a different number, but I can't figure out why. At first, I thought they were release order, but The Killers was just released and that number is smaller than Kiss Me Deadly and Godzilla.

I think it is release order. The Killers was originally released on DVD way before Godzilla but its just now being released on bluray.