The Criterion Collection

[RojD]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Earrings is still sitting on the shelf for me, but knowing the film, I think it is probably still worth picking up. Sort of like Children of Paradise and its transfer issues, but it is still a gem of a movie in the best media format. I forgot about the transfer and just enjoyed the film after awhile.

Lola Montes is a good film, not the best Ophuls, but I would still recommend the Blu-Ray. Like all good Criterions, it tells a story about the film and specifically how it was taken away from Ophuls and cut incorrectly.

I love Children of Paradise so much that I don't even mind the mushy transfer. I half think Carne would've aimed for something like that if it had been technologically feasible at the time.

I'll confess I have trouble with Lola Montes though, and it's not the transfer. I see Ophuls' great camera, and I know PT Anderson loves and learns from him, but this particular film has rubbed me the wrong way every time I've watched it. It always seems cliched and trite with its main trope and the fairly predictable way the film unspools around it. I've tried, but I can't get invested in what happens in the movie. I'm sure I must have some personality conflict with it, but it's among my least favorite in the collection.

[tisdivine]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I own House of Bamboo on DVD. It's a loose remake of The Street With No Name and both versions were released as titles in the Fox Film Noir series. I reviewed the complete series of DVDs for Scarlet Street magazine and had this to say about the two titles in question:

The Street With No Name is one of the best of the docu-noirs that Fox excelled in making during the late forties. The title is taken from a quote by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover about organized crime, which was then seeping into smaller American cities. Fox contract player Mark Stevens, a handsome and capable leading man whose career never really took off, heads the cast as Gene Cordell, the FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate a gang headed by Alec Stiles (Richard Widmark, who commits a little burglary of his own by stealing the film). Beautifully directed by William Keighley, the film is a fast-paced crime yarn lifted out of the ordinary by the interplay between Stevens and Widmark, whose performances indicate a subtextual sexual interest between their two characters. (Cordell's undercover name is Manly!) This tension ratchets up the suspense as the two men alternate between being the pursuer and the pursued.

The gay subtext is even more pronounced in House of Bamboo, writer/director Samuel Fuller's reworking of House of Bamboo, with Robert Ryan and Robert Stack standing in for Widmark and Stevens. Filmed in CinemaScope and De Luxe color, and reset in Japan, the film is arguably more an international crime story than a genuine film noir. Missing are many of the stylistic trademarks typically associated with the genre. Most scenes take place in bright sunlight to take advantage of the colorful Japanese locations and to fill the wide screen; the sense of claustrophobia that characterizes so many noirs simply isn't present. Cult director Fuller isn't able to coax much of a performance from the wooden Stack; the acting honors go to Ryan. As Sandy Dawson, the smoothly diabolical crime lord who violates his own heartless standards of conduct when handling protege Eddie Kenner (Stack), Ryan imbues his character with delicious ambiguity: does Dawson fully realize the implications of his feelings toward Kenner? Although the original is a much more interesting and satisfying example of noir, it's fun -- and instructive -- to watch both films as a double feature and compare their stylistic and thematic differences.

Thank you for this. Sounds like a pretty decent movie I'll prob pick it up next month when TT releases it. Ill have to try and find The Street With No Name as well. That does sound like an interesting double feature and I love comparing/contrasting remakes.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by D.I.T.C.

Is Earrings of Madame De... worth picking up despite the transfer issues?

Would Lola Montes be a better choice for my first Ophuls?

Another good option for a first Ophuls, by the way, is Letter From an Unknown Woman. Assuming it doesn't have to be a Criterion release. I'd get that over Lola Montes, TBH.

[Will G]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Another good option for a first Ophuls, by the way, is Letter From an Unknown Woman. Assuming it doesn't have to be a Criterion release. I'd get that over Lola Montes, TBH.

The Earrings Of Madame De... & Letter From An Unknown Woman are both outstanding films. However, I recently watched Le Plaisir & I have to admit, with an exception of the tracking shots, I was not a big fan. As much as I love the other two films, I was rather let down. I'm now hesitant to watch Lola Montes.

[Roninblues]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

This would be the best Criterion news in a long time.

Kwaidan news wasn't THAT long ago.

[Vlad Draculi]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button seemed universally disliked in previous topics on here - must be the low price point?

The rest make perfect sense :P

I personally don't understand how that movie got a Criterion release when other movies that are actually good have not.

What determines how and when a movie gets a Criterion release? Why do some get them but others don't? For example, The Blob and Scanners were released, but why not Halloween and Reanimator? Why Seven Samurai but not The Magnificent Seven? Why not The Dark House, White Zombie, and The Raven?

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Vlad Draculi

I personally don't understand how that movie got a Criterion release when other movies that are actually good have not.

What determines how and when a movie gets a Criterion release? Why do some get them but others don't? For example, The Blob and Scanners were released, but why not Halloween and Reanimator? Why Seven Samurai but not The Magnificent Seven? Why not The Dark House, White Zombie, and The Raven?

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with rights issues (none of which I really understand, except that apparently Warner's is unlikely to ever license any of their important titles).

But when it all comes down to it, beyond those types of issues, it's probably some combination of a feeling that something was somehow culturally significant and a favorite of those who get to make these decisions.

That's just me guessing, btw.

And I will say this: I'm as big of a Fincher fan as it gets. I do think that Benjamin Button is a good film. But would I like to see a Criterion release of, say, Se7en? Sure. OTOH, there's no point in a release of something like The Social Network since Sony did a killer job as it is.

And Seven Samurai has a release and not The Magnificent Seven because Kurosawa's film is much better.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Another good option for a first Ophuls, by the way, is Letter From an Unknown Woman. Assuming it doesn't have to be a Criterion release. I'd get that over Lola Montes, TBH.

My favorite of the Ophuls films I've seen is a sadly neglected film noir which has become a cult movie of sorts, The Reckless Moment (1949), which starred Joan Bennett and James Mason. Unfortunately, it's never been available on home video in the United States, but Turner Classic Movies shows it every once in a blue moon. The Reckless Moment was successfully reworked and modernized in 2001 as The Deep End, starring Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic, but as good as the remake is, Ophuls' original is, for my money, clearly the superior film.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I just finished watching the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film of 2010, El Secreto de Sus Ojos, and was floored by how powerful it is, both as a romance and a mystery. How I wish Criterion had released this one instead of Sony Pictures Classics! I can only imagine the tantalizing extras that Criterion might have included ...

It will be interesting to see how the American remake, Secret in Their Eyes, will compares when it hits theatres later this year. Certainly the casting is promising, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, and Julia Roberts in the leading roles, and the trailer indicates that the story has been massaged in some unique and intriguing ways that hopefully will work on screen. The remake has big shoes to fill ... the original is fascinating.

I looked this up based on your description & ill be ordering it soon, thanks for bringing this to my attention

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Vlad Draculi

I personally don't understand how that movie got a Criterion release when other movies that are actually good have not.

What determines how and when a movie gets a Criterion release? Why do some get them but others don't? For example, The Blob and Scanners were released, but why not Halloween and Reanimator? Why Seven Samurai but not The Magnificent Seven? Why not The Dark House, White Zombie, and The Raven?

To put it as simple as possible, Paramount did all the work on the Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons Blu-ray and, sometime before they were to release it, they asked Criterion if they could use their logo. I'm not sure why Paramount felt the need to do it, but I clearly understand why Criterion agreed to let Paramount use their logo. Beyond being friendly with David Fincher, Criterion's initial deal with Paramount was for 13 titles and was DVD only and I think that they did it to keep on good terms and expand their deal with Paramount.

As for the second part of your post, it is mostly a rights issues (Criterion did release Halloweenon laserdisc.) (It is funny you mentioned so many horror films, since Criterion's Eclipse sub-label was going to be a horror/cult/sci-fi line, but one of the reasons that plan was abandoned was that they didn't have/couldn't get the rights to a number of classic cult/horror films.)

[filmmusic]

Something that may be of interest:

BBC Culture polled film critics from around the world to determine the best American movies ever made.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/201...american-films

[Show spoiler]100. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951)
99. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)
98. Heaven’s Gate (Michael Cimino, 1980)
97. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939)
96. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
95. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
94. 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002)
93. Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973)
92. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)
91. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
90. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
89. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)
88. West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961)
87. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
86. The Lion King (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 1994)
85. Night of the Living Dead (George A Romero, 1968)
84. Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)
83. Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)
82. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
81. Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991)
80. Meet Me in St Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944)
79. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
78. Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
77. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)
76. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)
75. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
74. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)
73. Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976)
72. The Shanghai Gesture (Josef von Sternberg, 1941)
71. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
70. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953)
69. Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio, 1982)
68. Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock, 1946)
67. Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin, 1936)
66. Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948)
65. The Right Stuff (Philip Kaufman, 1983)
64. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)
63. Love Streams (John Cassavetes, 1984)
62. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
61. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
60. Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
59. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Miloš Forman, 1975)
58. The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940)
57. Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen, 1989)
56. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
55. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)
54. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)
53. Grey Gardens (Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, 1975)
52. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)
51. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)
50. His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940)
49. Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)
48. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951)
47. Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964)
46. It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
45. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
44. Sherlock Jr (Buster Keaton, 1924)
43. Letter from an Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls, 1948)
42. Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
41. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959)
40. Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid, 1943)
39. The Birth of a Nation (DW Griffith, 1915)
38. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
37. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959)
36. Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
35. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
34. The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
33. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
32. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941)
31. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)
30. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
29. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
28. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
27. Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)
26. Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978)
25. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
24. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
23. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
22. Greed (Erich von Stroheim, 1924)
21. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
20. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)
19. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
18. City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931)
17. The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)
16. McCabe & Mrs Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)
15. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946)
14. Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975)
13. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
12. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
11. The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942)
10. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
9. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
8. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
7. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)
6. Sunrise (FW Murnau, 1927)
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
2. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
1. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)

Glad that The tree of Life is in there, and that E.T. (my most favourite film ever) is also there, since I was surprised to see that many here hate or are bored with the film or think that it's only for children!
weird that among animation films, only Lion King is in there, and not Snowwhite or Fantasia or anything else..

[darkness2918]

Am I the only one that would look forward to a Criterion release of Jellyfish Eyes? Doesn't seem like too many here like it.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

Am I the only one that would look forward to a Criterion release of Jellyfish Eyes? Doesn't seem like too many here like it.

oh, you have seen it and liked it?

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

Am I the only one that would look forward to a Criterion release of Jellyfish Eyes? Doesn't seem like too many here like it.

I was looking forward to it, and still am to an extent, but this CriterionCast review has kept my expectations in check:

http://criterioncast.com/reviews/the...atrical-review

It seems crazy and a change of pace for the Collection, but I'm still intrigued.

[AaronJ]

RE: The British list, sorry, but Mulholland Dr. should be MUCH higher. Like #1 or #2.

[malakaheso]

Are Criterion planning on releasing Fellini's Casanova? Anyone know?

[Fabs]

I would love to see Criterion release a blu ray of Funeral Parade of Roses one day.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Are Criterion planning on releasing Fellini's Casanova? Anyone know?

No, Mr. Bongo Films is releasing it August 7th.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

No, Mr. Bongo Films is releasing it August 7th.

Thanks, I keep forgetting that Mr.Bongo is an American company. Does that mean that Chimes At Midnight won't be on Criterion either? Because it has been rumoured.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

Thanks, I keep forgetting that Mr.Bongo is an American company. Does that mean that Chimes At Midnight won't be on Criterion either? Because it has been rumoured.

They're a British company, started in London, now based in Brighton.