The Criterion Collection

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

Sure, but not a single one of them should be Meet the Parents.

Are you trashing a movie you haven't seen or are you trashing some other guy for watching the same 'bad' movie you've watched?

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

It really chaps me to agree with Bosley Crowther and Bob Kramer in the same post.

Ah, a company man to the bitter end! Pathetic.

Which brings me back to Ikuru. The film's length is not only excessive and redundant, but it completely eliminates what little sympathy or liking I may have had for the character. I already held him in contempt for his dedication to his job (yes, I understand that's a particularly Japanese trait) and his simpering naivete, but by the end I WANTED him to die a prolonged, miserable death. This is not a Kafka-esque sufferer, or Pekar-esque working class hero, this is a fool, beginning to end. He has admirable qualities, but basically he's a fool. Compare how gracefully Ozu handles the same issues of family, duty, loss, etc.

[StonesEGF]

Thanks, Ray and Russ.

Ray- hard to believe that you're trying to unload Eddie Coyle. It's one of my absolute favorites!

[jw007]

I just watched the youtube video of the Greek guy with 15,000 movie titles...wow...If he's only watched 200 or so of the 15,000 films in his collection, I'm wondering if he collects these films for keepsake purposes such as like a "film bank" (as there are seed banks), so if society collapses he won't worry about ever missing a film he wanted to watch.

Like him I also organize my collection in alphabetical order (by film title), but I do have 1 cabinet dedicated only to Criterion films unlike that man (I'm up to like 240 Criterion films now here I believe).

I really think its a certain kind of mental disorder to want to own so many movies and build such a vast collection...I probably suffer from the same thing he does but to a much lesser extent! Hey, I'm just being honest and not afraid to admit it!

[jmclick]

For those who are interested in checking out The Apu Trilogy before purchasing it, Turner Classic Movies will be screening all three films on the evening of November 30, 2015, beginning at 7:00PM CT. Immediately following will be a documentary on director Satyajit Ray (1982), and after that, TCM will present his film The Music Room, which is also available from Criterion.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

Sure, but not a single one of them should be Meet the Parents.

Well people have different tastes. Something you don't like could be something the other person does like. There are more then a few films that are considered classics that I just don't like. And there is nothing wrong with Meet the Parents.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by StonesEGF

Thanks, Ray and Russ.

Ray- hard to believe that you're trying to unload Eddie Coyle. It's one of my absolute favorites!

It's a good movie but like Ray I also got rid of my copy. Just not something I know I'll wanna see more then once.

[Blu Titan]

I revisited The Samurai Trilogy over the weekend and Three Outlaw Samurai tonight. Wife is not too happy about it ...my passion for samurai/Japanese cinema does not rub off on her.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

I revisited The Samurai Trilogy over the weekend and Three Outlaw Samurai tonight. Wife is not too happy about it ...my passion for samurai/Japanese cinema does not rub off on her.

My wife is Japanese, so fortunately she's not too bothered about those kinds of things

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

I revisited The Samurai Trilogy over the weekend and Three Outlaw Samurai tonight. Wife is not too happy about it ...my passion for samurai/Japanese cinema does not rub off on her.

Samurai Trilogy blu is sublime. That old DVD release, not so much, and I think a lot of people that rate it poorly have not seen the best print. It is apples and oranges.

I was mixed on Three Outlaw Samurai. Nothing wrong with it, just not much special about it either.

[joie]

If someone had to watch 15000 movies it would take about 15 years, working at as though it were a fulltime job. At an average of two hours each, a person could watch 1000 a year to put in 2000 hours, which is about the number of hours one works in a year -- 40 hours/week X 50 weeks = 2000 hours, which allows for two weeks vacation.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by StonesEGF

Thanks, Ray and Russ.

Ray- hard to believe that you're trying to unload Eddie Coyle. It's one of my absolute favorites!

It's a good movie and I like it.

Classic performance by Mitchum.

I just spent too much on blind buys this sale and I'm having a lot of buyer's remorse.

And now with the announcements for October/November I'll probably have to take out a second mortgage on my house.

...so I need the revenue.

I'm discarding any blind buys that didn't absolutely blow me away.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

It's a good movie but like Ray I also got rid of my copy. Just not something I know I'll wanna see more then once.

You seem to be having more success than I am at selling these Criterions off.

...it vexes me.

[Edward J Grug III]

So, I did it. I saw a beutiful print of 2001: A Space Odyssey, in a cinema.

It was a great experience, and I appreciate the movie a lot more... But I still don't really like it.

Loved Lawrence of Arabia, which I also saw for the first time - Maybe the best cinematic experience of my life! And I Know Where I am Going, though the print was pretty rough, as well as revisiting The Red Shoes, The Third Man and The 39 Steps.

Kind Hearts and Coronets I found to be just OK. It was a little over long and felt like it kept covering the same ground. Like Arsenic and Old Lace, except not able to keep up the pace.

[Edward J Grug III]

Oh, and other contender for best cinematic experience of my life happened while seeing 2001.

Not the movie, but the guy sitting behind me who, during the overture asked, 'What the hell is going on?'

And then, after the logos came up and then the planets started aligning, asked again, 'what the hell is going on?!'

And then, before the title had even come up declared 'stuff this!' And stormed out!

[Marlow27]

Like Edward, I recently saw Lawrence of Arabia for the first time on the big screen. Amazing experience, and a beautiful film. It's perfect for the cinema and the sound and the visual images were incredible. The way Lean handles such an epic story and such a multi-faceted character is so expertly done, and O'Toole's performance is incredibly nuanced and thoughtful.


Also saw 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was already in my top 5 favourite films, but this was the first time seeing it in a theatre, and it's even more awe-inspiring in that context. It's beautiful and astonishing, and I still find myself thinking "How did they shoot that? How did Kubrick do that?" even after having seen it many times. It still looks better than just about every film made these days as well. Also, you get an even bigger appreciation for the sound and the beautiful use of music.


One downside about seeing classic films in the theatre is the total lottery you get audience wise. I've had some fantastic audiences with a clear appreciation for what they're seeing, but I've had some total shockers too, and some flat-out rude, disrespectful people who just chit-chat and make noise throughout the entire thing.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by Marlow27

Like Edward, I recently saw Lawrence of Arabia for the first time on the big screen. Amazing experience, and a beautiful film. It's perfect for the cinema and the sound and the visual images were incredible. The way Lean handles such an epic story and such a multi-faceted character is so expertly done, and O'Toole's performance is incredibly nuanced and thoughtful.


Also saw 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was already in my top 5 favourite films, but this was the first time seeing it in a theatre, and it's even more awe-inspiring in that context. It's beautiful and astonishing, and I still find myself thinking "How did they shoot that? How did Kubrick do that?" even after having seen it many times. It still looks better than just about every film made these days as well. Also, you get an even bigger appreciation for the sound and the beautiful use of music.


One downside about seeing classic films in the theatre is the total lottery you get audience wise. I've had some fantastic audiences with a clear appreciation for what they're seeing, but I've had some total shockers too, and some flat-out rude, disrespectful people who just chit-chat and make noise throughout the entire thing.

Are you in Australia? Was this part of the Retro British Film Festival?

From the sounds of the audiences, you were in Perth, seeing them in the Windsor as well! :P

I was also blown away by 2001's special effects. With the crisp print and seamless effects, I could have believed it was top of the line CG.

[darkness2918]

Originally Posted by Marlow27

Like Edward, I recently saw Lawrence of Arabia for the first time on the big screen. Amazing experience, and a beautiful film. It's perfect for the cinema and the sound and the visual images were incredible. The way Lean handles such an epic story and such a multi-faceted character is so expertly done, and O'Toole's performance is incredibly nuanced and thoughtful.


Also saw 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was already in my top 5 favourite films, but this was the first time seeing it in a theatre, and it's even more awe-inspiring in that context. It's beautiful and astonishing, and I still find myself thinking "How did they shoot that? How did Kubrick do that?" even after having seen it many times. It still looks better than just about every film made these days as well. Also, you get an even bigger appreciation for the sound and the beautiful use of music.


One downside about seeing classic films in the theatre is the total lottery you get audience wise. I've had some fantastic audiences with a clear appreciation for what they're seeing, but I've had some total shockers too, and some flat-out rude, disrespectful people who just chit-chat and make noise throughout the entire thing.

I just got Lawrence of Arabia in the mail. Looking forward to seeing it for the 1st time.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jw007

I really think its a certain kind of mental disorder to want to own so many movies and build such a vast collection...

Sure, that's not completely unreasonable. OTOH, I dearly wish I could go back and give myself the foresight, maturity and means to hold onto much of the media that's passed through my hands over the years.

Completely setting aside what comic books and magazines and the like might be worth today, it would be really freaking cool to still have them.

Originally Posted by joie

If someone had to watch 15000 movies it would take about 15 years, working at as though it were a fulltime job.

It's probably been at least 15 years since I thought 15 years sounded like a long time.

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

And Meet the Parents is garbage.

So you've seen it then?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

I revisited The Samurai Trilogy over the weekend and Three Outlaw Samurai tonight. Wife is not too happy about it ...my passion for samurai/Japanese cinema does not rub off on her.

I really, really want to like The Samurai Trilogy more than I do but after two viewings it still hasn't completely grabbed me. Oddly enough, Three Outlaw Samurai kind of did. And right out of the gate too.

Maybe lower expectations came into play but I really enjoyed it.

On a related note, I picked up The Sword of Doom during the recent B&N sale and was absolutely loved it. I think Dr. Svet was more than understating things when he said it was 'rather disappointing' that the full trilogy never materialized.