The Criterion Collection

[warrian]

Spread over two orders I got:

A Room With a View
The Last Temptation of Christ
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Fisher King
Time Bandits
Blow Out
Dressed to Kill
Traffic
Days of Heaven
Badlands

Will be pouncing on Solaris next time. But overall, for just under two-hundred bucks (with no extra coupons or certificates), I think I made out well. Only Days of Heaven is a blind buy.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Also, I finally watched The Honeymoon Killers on Hulu last night. It was much better than I expected considering the low budget and inexperienced director. The acting, writing and the direction were all top shelf, the only real rough spot being the sound, which was a little "boxy", for lack of a better word. A tough, gritty little masterpiece, but I'm not yet sure that I need to own it. Maybe I'll change my mind by the next B&N sale

I watched this last night as well. I thought it was ok, but I was actually expecting more than what I saw. It wasn't so much the low budget or that it sounded like it was recorded in a closet, but it was how little the director did with one of the most fascinating and unnerving stories I've ever heard.

I was surprised, but I've never seen any crime documentaries/shows on Ray and Martha. IMO, the supplement with the 20 minute summary of the story was more interesting than the film.

I think I was watching to learn more about what happened rather than to be entertained. I still gave it a relatively solid 7/10, but a little flat overall.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Halloween mask suggestions

http://moviemorlocks.com/2014/10/31/...for-halloween/

Only see two Criterion titles in there. Speaking of Criterion halloween titles would love to see Blood For Dracula get a Blu upgrade. That movie cracks me up.

Thanks for this! Some awesome looking make on there, very eery! Need to get some of these films

[jmclick]

I placed a second order last night ... the promise of a second free baggu proved to be too much for me. That brought my haul for this flash sale to 13 titles:

Dressed to Kill
Eraserhead
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Gate of Hell
Gimme Shelter
Identification of a Woman
Monsoon Wedding
My Own Private Idaho
The Organizer
Pickpocket
Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom
The Secret of the Grain
Summer Interlude

I feel kind of creepy about ordering Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom. At one point, I had sworn that I would never watch it, much less own it. My resistance was based on what I've read about the film, and on my own sensibilities: I was repulsed by Antichrist, for example, and I loathed Natural Born Killers and The Passion of the Christ. But, on the other hand, I did actually watch those films and then formed my own critical opinion afterwards ... I didn't reject them out of hand without seeing them first. So ... I'll give this one a shot as well.

[Ray Jackson]

I watched The Killers last night on TCM.

Good little film noir.

...didn't exactly blow me away.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I feel kind of creepy about ordering Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom. At one point, I had sworn that I would never watch it, much less own it. My resistance was based on what I've read about the film, and on my own sensibilities: I was repulsed by Antichrist, for example, and I loathed Natural Born Killers and The Passion of the Christ. But, on the other hand, I did actually watch those films and then formed my own critical opinion afterwards ... I didn't reject them out of hand without seeing them first. So ... I'll give this one a shot as well.

I'm the same way about some films. Have never seen Salo and don't expect I will. As far as Antichrist I have seen it and technically it is amazing. Unlike any other directors, but it just wasn't my thing. There are so many other movies I have never seen that missing one or two won't kill me.

Barring any heart failure or mental collapse during viewing I would love to hear your impressions.



On a side note imagine how expensive our hobby would be in the early 20th century. Did Criterion release nitrate prints?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/102163...7632334837606/

[DeyoreW]

Antichrist was boring, graphic and I will never revisit it much less recommend it to anyone.

Salo is like a slower 1970's foreign version of Antichrist. Different plot of course, but boring, graphic and I will never revisit.

Howard the Duck is 10 times more likely to be watched again compared to these two...lol

Some pretty sick people if you ask me. Far from art. I know they have their admirers though.

I completely see the political and social commentary, I just think they were poorly executed and excessive.


I picked up the latest few months of Criterion blu's since B&N sale. Gets me current, now have all the Criterion blu's.

[pedromvu]

I decided to get Ace in the Hole in this sale, is one of the last Dual format releases I was missing, does anyone know if this still comes in its original Digipak packaging?

[Scottie]

I watched A Special Day on Amazon Instant Video and I can easily say that it is truly one of the greatest restorations of all time. I am left speechless.

In terms of the story, it's an excellent film about human connection.

[rdandura]

I just bought L'Avventura, La Notte, and L'Eclisse in yesterday's flash sale. Just three titles, but ones I've been eying for a while.

[dcforsyth]

Are you guys getting 50% off SRP (suggested retail price) or the Criterion Store price?

I ask because my discount was on the SRP price ?

Thanks in advance.

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I decided to get Ace in the Hole in this sale, is one of the last Dual format releases I was missing, does anyone know if this still comes in its original Digipak packaging?

Yes, it comes in digipak packaging...

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by dcforsyth

are you guys getting 50% off srp (suggested retail price) or the criterion store price?

I ask because my discount was on the srp price ?

Thanks in advance.

srp...

[Feiereisel]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I decided to get Ace in the Hole in this sale, is one of the last Dual format releases I was missing, does anyone know if this still comes in its original Digipak packaging?

Originally Posted by diskspinner

Yes, it comes in digipak packaging...

Further reassurance: There's no record of a keepcase reissue on this site, and the availability on Criterion's site hasn't changed. (Temporary unavailability would suggest either repackaging or a split into separate BD and DVD editions, something that would have been picked up on by members of this and other discussion forums.)

It seems unlikely that it will ever make it to the three-disc plastic case given the demise of dual-format.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

100% blind buys. I'm working my way through the collection, but had maybe seen 3-4 of the Criterion titles before I started collecting. Up until two years ago I was very much in the habit of watching terrible mainstream film. Fortunately, my cinematic world has gotten much better.

It sounds like we were in the same boat. Though there have always been some films from the Golden Age of Hollywood that I really liked, I just wasn't that adventurous when it came to my movie selections. A few years back, I decided to take a chance, and see what else was out there. I'm so glad I did.

I hope you enjoy all of your newest additions. Let us know what you think.

[popcorntreect]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Then we've also got Spartacus, You Can't Take it With You, and others that I'm sure I am forgetting about... A GREAT 3 month stretch of releases LEAD by Criterion. That's nonsense about other distributors outdoing them.

Agreed. There's very few great catalog titles left to be released and they aren't coming out from any of the smaller distributors.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I watched Eureka/MoC release of Onibaba last night. Man, this film is insane from start to finish! Criterion needs to release their version soon. I have The Naked Island as well to watch later.

My wife and I just watched it for the first time too. Might pick up the MoC release.

[ravenus]

The lure of the bag bit me as well, so despite originally intending to get just 3-4 titles I ended up with almost twice the number.

An Autumn Afternoon
Three Outlaw Samurai
Here is Your Life
Breaker Morant
The Lady Vanishes
Don't Look Now
It Happened One Night

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I watched The Killers last night on TCM.

Good little film noir.

...didn't exactly blow me away.

I take it you mean the 1946 version. It didn't blow me away either, although I liked it more on a rewatch. The flashbacks were well done and even somewhat groundbreaking, but I prefer the more linear format of the later film. Also we don't get as much Lancaster as I would like. However, the opening scene is terrific.

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

My wife and I just watched it for the first time too. Might pick up the MoC release.

The Naked Island was amazing, almost like a silent film. Very poetic, parts of it uplifting and heartbreaking. Criterion needs to release more fllms by Kaneto Shindo.