The Criterion Collection

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Who is taking offense at the possibility? There is a definite distinction between those who might champion relatively obscure films because Ozu's filmography beyond Tokyo Story has long been yesterday's news to them and those who just like the way their bulls**t looks in writing.

We have both of those types on this forum.

As for me, I'd guess that most people here have more film knowledge than me. If I didn't accept that fact I wouldn't learn anything.

Compared to other film forums I've visited, the level of 'contrarianism' here is relatively low.

There is always going to be suspicion for more 'exclusive' or 'fringe' interests. Much of the interest in so called 'slow cinema' in the last 5-7 years has often been argued to be the result of 'contrarianism'. It has always been that way.

There is often a political agenda involved with some film viewers though. You have those 'materialist' types that preference the works of Ken Loach and the Dardennes over Tarkovsky and Lynch, for example, because they represent 'reality' in a more authentic way that is relevant to our day-to-day lives etc. Then you have those egalitarian types who try to convince you---mostly unsuccessfully in my view--that Spielberg is just as much of a film artist as Godard or Antonioni; and that's just scratching the surface.

There are many different ways to tackle film.

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Patricia Neal is also terrific in it. Another similarly themed film that would make a nice trilogy is The Sweet Smell of Success.

I always think that Giants and Toys would make a good double feature with A Face in the Crowd.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Thanks. I will be sure to. I'm trying to find the BD, but it sadly seems OOP. Any other films that come with a high recommendation? I've already seen A City of Sadness, Yi Yi, and King Hu's work.

Looks to still be available here (Which is where I got mine).

Sorry, this ended up being duplicate info. Jsdvd works best when you order 3 or so items, so make sure to consider this or this or this as well when making an order!

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

yes, I have had discussions that have kinda gone like this. but outside of citing Stage Fright or Easy Virture, the person would say The Wrong Man which is a neat little film in the film noir style.. probably underseen and underappreciated, but nowhere near his best.

for me, that fits the 'hipster' definition a bit more, but not important.. for the most part I think we are agreeing.

I had a few snobs in my film classes. One in particular would always try to one-up people in any discussion.

Me: Cinema Paradiso is a good film
Him: No....It's a great film

Another time a student was presenting the first several pages of his sci-fi screen play.
Snob: Oh ok, so it's kinda like Judge Dredd.
Student: .......

[Page14]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

He did the same when I saw him. I don't think anybody minded because it allows him to get more songs in.

Some artists will use their concerts to babble on about the song or even get their politics across (Here's looking at you, Bruce). Dylan is all about the music and I like that.

I'm spoilering the first part of this reply because it's more a reply to ShellOilJunior about my concert experience. I realize many people in here may have little interest.

[Show spoiler]I'm not sure what the concert that you saw was like, but I have never seen security against picture taking enforced more strictly ... ever! I attached a couple pics that I took before the show started (which was allowed ... just no picture taking during the show). I know they're not the best pics, but even in one of these, it seems like one of the security guys is glaring at me. Oh, and then when the show started, somebody right behind me snapped a flash picture. Immediately there was a security guy shining a flashlight in my face from the aisle, thinking I was the culprit. (Probably the same guy that was glaring at me. lol) That was a little annoying.

[Show spoiler]3146NoCameras.jpg

3149StageBeforeShow2.jpg

*****

To keep this post Criterion-related, here is a comparison of the special features between the already existing Docurama Films release and the upcoming Criterion release. I'm not sure, but it looks like the new Criterion release will include all of the special features from the Docurama release, and then some (although it isn't clear if Criterion's version of 65 Revisited will have an audio-commentary track). I highlighted the Criterion supplements in red that I think might be the same as Docurama's, but again, I'm not sure about that.

***

Docurama special features:

(Taken from the review which can be found here: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bob-D.../18802/#Review)

Don't be misled by thinking you're only getting a DVD version of Don't Look Back included with this Blu-ray. As discussed below, there's actually an entirely different bonus feature on the DVD.

The Blu-ray supplements include:

• Commentary with D.A. Pennebaker and Bob Neuwirth, is one of the best all around commentaries you're likely to hear on this or any film. Neuwirth was Dylan's road manager for the UK tour, and he appears throughout Don't Look Now. Pennebaker and Neuwirth discuss a host of really interesting information, helping to fill in some informational gaps the film never really makes clear, and providing a wealth of background on what was going on in front of and behind the cameras.

• Greil Marcus interview with D.A. Pennebaker (1080i; 17:48) is a really interesting chat between the critic, whom Pennebaker obviously respects immensely, and the filmmaker. Marcus is perhaps a bit too deferential about Dylan, but they go into a lot of interesting anecdotes about Don't Look Back and that entire era of Dylan's life.

• Subterranean Homesick Blues Alternate Take (SD; 2:20) finds Dylan in a park this time, an unable to keep up with discarding the cue cards in time.

• Audio Only Tracks (28:35), in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, offers recordings of "To Ramona," "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," "Love Minus Zero/No Limit," "It Ain't Me, Babe," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," recorded over a few days in May 1965 at various performances. Listen to Dylan slightly freak out when he discovers his guitar is out of tune before he launches into "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."

The DVD included with this Combo Pak features 65 Revisited, the "companion piece" of sorts which Pennebaker assembled from putative outtakes from Don't Look Back. This is fascinating tangential material and provides yet more insight into Dylan's mindset at the time, as he was just beginning what Neuwirth describes as the transitional phase from his acoustic to his electric period. We get longer shots of several sequences found in edited versions in Don't Look Back, as well as segments that Don't Look Back never really gets into. Dylan has some nice interactions with Baez here, and seems somehow a bit kinder and gentler than his often brusque demeanor in Don't Look Back. The DVD comes with another really excellent Commentary by Pennebaker and Neuwirth, which actually goes into some of the nuts and bolts of the technical aspects of the filming.

***

Criterion special features:

DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITION:

New, restored 4K digital transfer, approved by director D. A. Pennebaker, with newly restored monaural sound from the original quarter-inch magnetic masters, presented uncompressed on the Blu-ray

Audio commentary from 1999 featuring Pennebaker and tour manager Bob Neuwirth

65 Revisited, a 2006 documentary directed by Pennebaker and edited by Walker Lamond

Audio excerpt from an interview with Bob Dylan in the 2005 documentary No Direction Home, cut to previously unseen outtakes from Dont Look Back

New documentary about the evolution of Pennebaker’s filming style, from his 1950s avant-garde work to his ’60s musical documentaries, including an excerpt from the filmmaker’s footage of Dylan performing “Ballad of a Thin Man” during his 1966 electric tour

Daybreak Express (1953), Baby (1954), and Lambert & Co. (1964), three short films by Pennebaker

New conversation between Pennebaker and Neuwirth about their work together, from Dont Look Back through Monterey Pop (1967) and beyond

Snapshots from the Tour, a new piece featuring outtakes from Dont Look Back

New interview with musician Patti Smith about Dylan and the influence of Dont Look Back in her life

Conversation between music critic Greil Marcus and Pennebaker from 2010

Alternate version of the film’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” cue card sequence

Five uncut audio tracks of Dylan songs from the film

Trailer

PLUS: An essay by critic and poet Robert Polito

[Donnie D]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I had a few snobs in my film classes. One in particular would always try to one-up people in any discussion.

Me: Cinema Paradiso is a good film
Him: No....It's a great film

Another time a student was presenting the first several pages of his sci-fi screen play.
Snob: Oh ok, so it's kinda like Judge Dredd.
Student: .......

I've had conversation with someone who just like on genre, crime drama, and doesn't care about any other type of films but will try to talk about it.

Went something like this:

Limited Taste - So did you see the new Star Trek?
ME - Yes.
Limited Taste - I went to see it because my husband wanted to see it but I was kinda curious too. Did you like it?
ME - I thought was such a great reboot. Did you enjoy it?
Limited Taste - Well, my husband loved it. I...ee...eee..liked it. It was good but a too star trekky....

I didn't want to waste my time by even telling her that the movie is call Star TREK.

[aes3728]

Originally Posted by Norbie

My position as well.

About the Apu Trilogy....

They say the negatives were burned in a fire (as opposed in a snow storm ), so what are they using for this Criterion release?

This will more succinctly answer your question than I could.

https://vimeo.com/126427207

[Ray Jackson]

Watched Hiroshima Mon Amour again last night and it hit me even harder the second time.

Kicked me in the gut actually.

...it's so beautiful.

...and yet so sad.

[Halation]

Wouldn't most of the people on a film forum be the snob in a film class? I've found far fewer snobs on campuses than people who only watch Studio Ghibli stuff or who call The Usual Suspects and Forrest Gump "classics."

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Halation

Wouldn't most of the people on a film forum be the snob in a film class? I've found far fewer snobs on campuses than people who only watch Studio Ghibli stuff or who call The Usual Suspects and Forrest Gump "classics."

There was an episode of The Office where everybody was commenting on/complaining about the fact that Oscar had a habit of constantly correcting people with 'well, actually...' as his most common opener.

That stuck in my head as a perfect - and very funny - characterization of self-styled experts on any subject.

Do people that frequent film forums tend to have a broader knowledge of film than the general public? Yeah, probably. But one can have a broader knowledge of a topic without being - not to put too fine a point on it - a dick about it.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Page14

[SPOILER]I'm not sure what the concert that you saw was like, but I have never seen security against picture taking enforced more strictly ... ever! I attached a couple pics that I took before the show started (which was allowed ... just no picture taking during the show). I know they're not the best pics, but even in one of these, it seems like one of the security guys is glaring at me. Oh, and then when the show started, somebody right behind me snapped a flash picture. Immediately there was a security guy shining a flashlight in my face from the aisle, thinking I was the culprit. (Probably the same guy that was glaring at me. lol) That was a little annoying.

[SPOILER]

[Show spoiler]The same happened at my show. Some people tried to sneak in a few pictures and security stopped it.

To keep on topic and relate this to Dylan/Dont Look Back: Favorite Bob Dylan album? I know some here may not be familiar with him.

My favorite is probably Highway 61 Revisited. I could listen to Tombstone Blues every day until I die. Desolation Row is unbelievable, too. My buddy at work who's much older than me calls the album "the Great Wall of China".

I recall Martin Sheen on the Badlands features saying he'll never forget the day he was offered the role in the film because he was listening to Desolation Row before he got the news.

[Martin_31]

Okay, what would be considered a film snob or hipster? I'm curious to know. Maybe I am one without knowing, or maybe I've met one without even realizing! Real life examples where you've met one like in a class, campus, theater, etc. would be nice to hear.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by Martin_31

Okay, what would be considered a film snob or hipster? I'm curious to know. Maybe I am one without knowing, or maybe I've met one without even realizing! Real life examples where you've met one like in a class, campus, theater, etc. would be nice to hear.

Im going to be a complete dick here, but go up to the search forum bar and type in "Bob Kramer"

An example of one I met: I was at a show with some friends of mine a couple years ago and overheard this guy talking to his friends about I Spit On Your Grave and how he needed to see it, so I decided to tell him about how ot was pretty good and not too hard to watch due to some of the technical incompetencies taking some of the sting away.
Dont remember how it lead to it but he got into this name dropping cinematic dick waving thing and I told him I thought Salo was a pretty well made film he responded really snidely "Thats the most POMPOUS movie ever"
Also:

Him: yeah well blah blah Night Of the Hunter. Have you seen that?
Me: Not yet but its been on my list.
Him: How can you even say anything if you havent seen Night Of the Hunter? (In a snide douchebag kind of way)

Future conversations continued with the most douchey punchable look on his face

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Halation

Wouldn't most of the people on a film forum be the snob in a film class? I've found far fewer snobs on campuses than people who only watch Studio Ghibli stuff or who call The Usual Suspects and Forrest Gump "classics."

The Usual Suspects is a classic.

[Halation]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Favorite Bob Dylan album?

[Show spoiler]01. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
02. Blood on the Tracks
03. "Love and Theft"
04. Highway 61 Revisited
05. The Times They Are a-Changin'
06. Blonde on Blonde
07. John Wesley Harding
08. Another Side of Bob Dylan
09. Bringing It All Back Home
10. The Basement Tapes

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

The Usual Suspects is a classic.

oh

[jayputter]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

To keep on topic and relate this to Dylan/Dont Look Back: Favorite Bob Dylan album? I know some here may not be familiar with him.

My favorite is probably Highway 61 Revisited. I could listen to Tombstone Blues every day until I die. Desolation Row is unbelievable, too. My buddy at work who's much older than me calls the album "the Great Wall of China".

I recall Martin Sheen on the Badlands features saying he'll never forget the day he was offered the role in the film because he was listening to Desolation Row before he got the news.

In no particular order:

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home
Highway 61
Blonde on Blonde
John Wesley Harding
Blood On The Tracks
Desire
Slow Train Coming
Saved (Yes, Really!)
Oh Mercy
Love and Theft
Time Out of Mind
Tell Tale Signs

If I had to choose just one, It'd be Blood On The Tracks, but it changes almost daily with me.

[jmclick]

You know, my degree is in film history (actually Radio-TV-Film with a specialty in film history), and I don't understand the tensions that exist between film critics, scholars, and fans, especially when those tensions erupt into silly games of one-ups-manship. Personally, my cinematic sensibilities are constantly in flux, or perhaps it would be more accurate for me to say, they are always expanding.

At this stage of my life, I am capable of appreciating a film, even if I don't like it, and I don't particularly feel the need to apologize for my opinions or personal tastes. A lot of the sacred cows of cinema simply aren't my cup of tea. I understand the importance and significance of such films as Birth of a Nation, Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Fellini Satyricon, Pulp Fiction, Antichrist, etc., and I respect them as pieces of art. But I don't like them, I don't enjoy them, and I don't think my opinion diminishes me ... any more than it diminishes the people on the other end of the spectrum who cherish and admire those titles. Similarly, I don't think the fact that I consider The Last Flight, Dodsworth, I Walked With a Zombie, Nashville, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Forrest Gump to be among the most significant and enjoyable films ever made, makes me somehow superior (or inferior) to others who don't share my viewpoint.

For now, give me Wellman over Welles; Lubitsch over Kubrick; Dreyer over Tarantino. It's no skin off your nose, or mine. Different strokes for different folks. But also keep in mind that I'm ever-evolving. Prior to coming across the Criterion Collection, I had never seen a film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot; now I'm a fervent admirer. I hope I never stop growing.

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Favorite Bob Dylan album?

I have a feeling I'm going to catch some flak for this, but Bob Dylan's voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. That being said, I did enjoy The Basement Tapes a lot, but mostly because The Band was all over it.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

I have a feeling I'm going to catch some flak for this, but Bob Dylan's voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Thank you!

I just spent the last twenty minutes typing and deleting and typing and deleting 'if I had to listen to that much Dylan it would be my blood on the tracks'

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jmclick

You know, my degree is in film history (actually Radio-TV-Film with a specialty in film history), and I don't understand the tensions that exist between film critics, scholars, and fans, especially when those tensions erupt into silly games of one-ups-manship. Personally, my cinematic sensibilities are constantly in flux, or perhaps it would be more accurate for me to say, they are always expanding.

At this stage of my life, I am capable of appreciating a film, even if I don't like it, and I don't particularly feel the need to apologize for my opinions or personal tastes. A lot of the sacred cows of cinema simply aren't my cup of tea. I understand the importance and significance of such films as Birth of a Nation, Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Fellini Satyricon, Pulp Fiction, Antichrist, etc., and I respect them as pieces of art. But I don't like them, I don't enjoy them, and I don't think my opinion diminishes me ... any more than it diminishes the people on the other end of the spectrum who cherish and admire those titles. Similarly, I don't think the fact that I consider The Last Flight, Dodsworth, I Walked With a Zombie, Nashville, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Forrest Gump to be among the most significant and enjoyable films ever made, makes me somehow superior (or inferior) to others who don't share my viewpoint.



For now, give me Wellman over Welles; Lubitsch over Kubrick; Dreyer over Tarantino. It's no skin off your nose, or mine. Different strokes for different folks. But also keep in mind that I'm ever-evolving. Prior to coming across the Criterion Collection, I had never seen a film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot; now I'm a fervent admirer. I hope I never stop growing.

The Last Flight is a real gem.