The Criterion Collection

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I was at Barnes and Noble today and I almost bought Pickpocket...on DVD.

It's a film that I really like, but don't necessarily feel compelled to own.

But the dvd is only $25 and only $12.50 with the sale.

...decided to take a day or two to think about it.

I'd recommend it. I genuinely consider it to be the best film of all time. It's a great edition too, with the standalone film The Models Of Pickpocket by Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman DoP Babette Mangolte amongst the great extras.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by GentleGiant

I rewatched it this past weekend and was once again stunned by how perfect that film is. Nary a misplaced frame in the entire thing. To me, it's a work of cinematic art - no less!

I complete agree about the artistry of 2001. Every time I watch it, I enjoy it. And I enjoy it differently each time. It's a hugely compelling and engaging work of art in my book. (er....but as for the frames, I think we could loose a few in the ending section and be none the worse for it)

I don't think I'd go for this and Lawrence in the same evening. I have a feeling that, given the incredible power of each individually, they'd reduce each other in my mind.

But that's also not a choice I'd want to have to make either.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I love Jules and Jim. Here's an excerpt from my User Review of the Blu-ray that I wrote for this site shortly after the release...

I've never understood the rough ride Jules et Jim gets in this thread. It's like the Twilight Zone in here, I've never seen anyone question its brilliance anywhere else!

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

I'd recommend it. I genuinely consider it to be the best film of all time. It's a great edition too, with the standalone film The Models Of Pickpocket by Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman DoP Babette Mangolte amongst the great extras.

I've seen it before.

Just not sure if I want to own a dvd version.

...and blu-ray is more than I'd want to spend on it.

Any opinions on the dvd transfer?

[ijustblumyself]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I think many people are turned off by Jules and Jim because it is quite difficult to keep up with the amount of detail provided in the opening voice over narration. Since we start the movie with nothing vested in the characters, it makes it difficult to maintain focus, as well. Having to read subtitles just exacerbates the issue. I absolutely adore this movie and had a first time viewing experience very similar to others who have posted here – I thought Jeanne Moreau’s character was an insufferable (insert not nice word here.) My original thoughts from late 2013 are in the post quoted above. (SPOILER ALERT - don't read if you haven't seen it.)

I have to say, too, that there is nothing OVER stylized about that opening or about the film in general. Saying it is over stylized implies that Truffaut was trying to be too slick. That might be your opinion, but I don’t catch that vibe at all. Fun note, too: Martin Scorsese has acknowledged borrowing from that opening scene saying that “the first two minutes of Jules and Jim were the most liberating of them all.”

To me though, the style simply gets in the way of character; we're never given a chance to breathe, and while on the surface this can feel exhilarating, it kept me at a disconnect from the three central characters. I appreciate the joy Truffaut brings to his cinema, but sometimes it can get in the way of his storytelling (I have the same problem with Stolen Kisses). And don't get me started on the ending..

I prefer Truffaut when he's more restrained; The 400 Blows, Shoot the Piano Player, Bed and Board, they're all some of my favourites. The Soft Skin is also fantastic.

[Ray Jackson]

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by repulsed

I see people mentioning Harakiri as essential in the collection. I would like to hear what people think of Sansho the Bailiff in relation to Harakiri as I just watched Sansho and loved it but didn't get to Harakiri yet.
Probably this week after a couple other Asian movies I'm going to watch before I get to it.

Harakiri is my second favorite samurai film after Seven Samurai. Kobayashi is a master. I liked Sansho well enough, but not as much as Harakiri.

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

It's on the same artistic level, with many of the same crew (writer, composer, cinematographer, actress) working on both. Can't go wrong with either, so you really should just get both.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

I've seen Double Life and Blue and Red.
I think I like Double Life much more than the other 2.
Although I haven't watched them for ages (and I only watched them once), so I need to re-evaluate.

[Will G]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

Certainly, I may even prefer it. I don't necessarily think it's a better film than Blue, but I find myself craving a rewatch much more frequently. It's probably my favorite Kieslowski film.

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

They're all on Hulu. If your not sure about them, I'd watch them there first.

[myka22]

I have been watching an assortment of Criterion's from my local library lately, such as Island of Lost Souls, The Uninvited, Kiss Me Deadly, Thief, and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. I enjoyed all of them but none of them really stuck out as something I really loved.

Then I watched Sweet Smell of Success last night and was blown away. I love dark, cynical films like this. The entire script is sharp and bitter. The picture quality is also astounding. It has great dialogue like this:

"I'd hate to take a bite of you. You're like a cookie made of arsenic."

Anyway I enjoyed it and would recommend people check it out.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Giving serious consideration to getting Three Colors as a blind buy.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether The Double Life of Veronique would be a better way to go?

...it would certainly be cheaper.

Is Double Life on the same artistic level as Three Colors?

I like all four of these films pretty much equally.

1. I'm challenged by some thought-provoking stories.
2. I'm able to spend a few hours looking at beautiful actresses.

Everybody wins.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by RojD

I complete agree about the artistry of 2001. Every time I watch it, I enjoy it. And I enjoy it differently each time. It's a hugely compelling and engaging work of art in my book. (er....but as for the frames, I think we could loose a few in the ending section and be none the worse for it)

I don't think I'd go for this and Lawrence in the same evening. I have a feeling that, given the incredible power of each individually, they'd reduce each other in my mind.

But that's also not a choice I'd want to have to make either.

Originally Posted by jayembee

It really is a toss-up. Both are films where no matter how technically accomplished a home video release might be, they really need to be seen at least once on a big screen to see just how astonishing they are.

Lawrence only gets the nod because I've never seen it at all.

Full disclosure: 2001 is playing a second time, but I could only do it if I take a day off work, which I might do, but was planning on seeing some of the other films from the festival, so, I don't know just yet. I really need to start sorting out the schedule actually.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just moved my movie collection to my new home.

[Show spoiler]

Thanks for the picture. It reminded me to upgrade The Wages of Fear.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

I haven't seen anyone bring it up, but is anyone excited about the upgrades of Night and the City and The Honeymoon Killers?

You must not read my posts. I've been raving on and on and on about Night and the City ... so much so that several forum members have threatened to strangle me on sight if I don't stop talking about it. Well, that's not exactly true ... everyone's actually been very gracious in putting up with my overly effusive enthusiasm ... but even I think I ought to give it a rest ... at least until it street dates and I get to see it!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jw007

I don't think this is a universal film though as the masses or at least most of the general viewing public wouldn't have the patience or appreciation to sit through this. Try asking a younger person between the ages of 18-35 if they ever saw this movie and likely they'll be clueless about it. Those who have seen it will probably tell you either "I fell asleep trying to watch it" or "This was the most boring film ever". I also feel this movie appeals more to the male gender than female gender as 9 out of 10 women I've talked to never include 2001: A Space Odyssey on their top Kubrick films lists.

Back in the 80s, I had problems convincing people about how amazing this film was. At that point, a lot of these people had seen it on TV or on videotape. Essentially, pan-&-scanned on a small screen. No wonder they didn't think much of it.

On the other hand, I've known people that admitted that they first saw the film that way, and didn't much like it, but saw it years later in its proper aspect ratio on LD or DVD or even in an art theater, and their opinion changed quite a bit.

[Blu Titan]

Parade...I understand how the film was shot and about certain limitations of elements . Bottomline, does not even look like film but like a very old TV show. The movie itself is weak...by far Tati' s worst. Not funny nor amusing. JT made one film too many.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Will G

Certainly, I may even prefer it. I don't necessarily think it's a better film than Blue, but I find myself craving a rewatch much more frequently. It's probably my favorite Kieslowski film.

That's interesting.

So as a Kieslowski blind buy starter, you think Double Life is the better choice?

[RojD]

Did anyone else check out the restorations showing in Venice? In addition to Red Beard, I was interested to see:

Aleksandr Nevskij
The Boys from Feng-kuei (Hou Hsiao-hsien, apparently partly sponsored by World Cinema Project)
Heaven Can Wait
A Matter of Life and Death
To Sleep with Anger

For you who know the industry better, to what extent would the existence of a restoration imply a Criterion release? Does Criterion always do its own restoration or does it sometimes license one? (I'm recalling the unhappiness with Criterion's Children of Paradise release.) Some of these restorations are done by national cinema offices and some by studios. I would love to see every one of these on Criterion.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by RojD

Did anyone else check out the restorations showing in Venice? In addition to Red Beard, I was interested to see:

Aleksandr Nevskij
The Boys from Feng-kuei (Hou Hsiao-hsien, apparently partly sponsored by World Cinema Project)
Heaven Can Wait
A Matter of Life and Death
To Sleep with Anger

For you who know the industry better, to what extent would the existence of a restoration imply a Criterion release? Does Criterion always do its own restoration or does it sometimes license one? (I'm recalling the unhappiness with Criterion's Children of Paradise release.) Some of these restorations are done by national cinema offices and some by studios. I would love to see every one of these on Criterion.

Restorations are indeed a good indication for a future BD release...depends who owns the NA rights. Red Beard is a def BD release .