The Criterion Collection

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

With regards to Breathless, I think there's a lot more to sink one's teeth into with Pierrot Le Fou, Vivre Sa Vie and Masculine Feminine.

I could watch Pierrot Le Fou a hundred times and pick up something new on each viewing.

Is this line of thinking not contradicted somewhat by the fact that countless books have been written, and are being written on Breathless? That isn't to take anything away from the other films, but folk are clearly and undeniably finding plenty to sink their teeth in to with that film. My own recent piece for example, was concerned not with the film's stylistic angle, but rather the manner with which the film had been "changed" by the different contexts that it had lived through since release, and the film's relationship with cinephilia.

[Bluyoda]

Watched High and Low by Akira Kurosawa the other day, and absolutely loved it!
What a great film.
The PQ started off a bit shaky with this pulsating contrast flicker, but it got much better pretty soon thereafter, so I was left quite satisfied with the presentation.
The 4.0 surround sound is quite dated, but rather nice nevertheless.
The best part are the characters, the cinematography, the editing, the story.

It only dragged a bit during

[Show spoiler]the bars scene, as it felt like they shot it in real time without any editing to tighten it up,

but overall it's such a phenomenal film. I couldn't be happier I bought it.

Film: 4,5/5
PQ: 3,75/5 (Some flicker early on, and some minor damage)
AQ: 3,75/5 (Dated sound, but in surround)
Extras: 4/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

Watched High and Low by Akira Kurosawa the other day, and absolutely loved it!
What a great film.

It only dragged a bit during

[Show spoiler]the bars scene, as it felt like they shot it in real time without any editing to tighten it up,

but overall it's such a phenomenal film. I couldn't be happier I bought it.

That is one of my favorites.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Is this line of thinking not contradicted somewhat by the fact that countless books have been written, and are being written on Breathless? That isn't to take anything away from the other films, but folk are clearly and undeniably finding plenty to sink their teeth in to with that film. My own recent piece for example, was concerned not with the film's stylistic angle, but rather the manner with which the film had been "changed" by the different contexts that it had lived through since release, and the film's relationship with cinephilia.

Have you written anything on the final scene, specifically the different translations and meanings from that last line of dialogue?

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Have you written anything on the final scene, specifically the different translations and meanings from that last line of dialogue?

Yeah, that's actually what the Sight & Sound article is precisely on! 750 words dedicated to it! A new issue has just come out but it was the one prior to that, with The Revanant on the cover.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Yeah, that's actually what the Sight & Sound article is precisely on! 750 words dedicated to it! A new issue has just come out but it was the one prior to that, with The Revanant on the cover.

That is awesome. I'd love to check it out.

On a slightly related noted, I'm finishing up my journalism studies this year and my ideal career is film reviewing and analysis. I've always wanted to do it since elementary school and I'll always want to do it.

[AaronJ]

Out 1 just arrived on my doorstep.

It's quite intimidating, of course. I'm not even sure when I'll begin. Right now, I'm just enjoying looking at the packaging. Heh.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by iScottie

That is awesome. I'd love to check it out.

On a slightly related noted, I'm finishing up my journalism studies this year and my ideal career is film reviewing and analysis. I've always wanted to do it since elementary school and I'll always want to do it.

Best of luck with it. It's a tough thing to crack but it's certainly worth it. Do you have a website/blog? The best piece of advice I could give would be to make a space for yourself online, and get heavily involved in film circles on social media. Most of my early gigs came via Twitter contacts, it really is a great platform for meeting likeminded folk.

The Sight & Sound piece isn't online, but you can pick up a digital edition of the mag. I'd recommend devouring that and Film Comment every month.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Best of luck with it. It's a tough thing to crack but it's certainly worth it. Do you have a website/blog? The best piece of advice I could give would be to make a space for yourself online, and get heavily involved in film circles on social media. Most of my early gigs came via Twitter contacts, it really is a great platform for meeting likeminded folk.

The Sight & Sound piece isn't online, but you can pick up a digital edition of the mag. I'd recommend devouring that and Film Comment every month.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I don't have a website yet, but I've dabbled around with WordPress and have told myself that I will be setting up a blog over the past few weeks, but I clearly haven't dedicated enough time to it yet. Ideally I'll get something going before the end of the month.

I also plan on picking up some books on film history and theory so that I can get be as well-rounded as I can.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Out 1 just arrived on my doorstep.

It's quite intimidating, of course. I'm not even sure when I'll begin. Right now, I'm just enjoying looking at the packaging. Heh.

Which version, US or UK?

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Which version, US or UK?

The US version.

Is there a significant difference?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

The US version.

Is there a significant difference?

I think the UK set has two additional films. Also the artwork is much more colorful.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

Is this line of thinking not contradicted somewhat by the fact that countless books have been written, and are being written on Breathless? That isn't to take anything away from the other films, but folk are clearly and undeniably finding plenty to sink their teeth in to with that film. My own recent piece for example, was concerned not with the film's stylistic angle, but rather the manner with which the film had been "changed" by the different contexts that it had lived through since release, and the film's relationship with cinephilia.

You may be right.

But I would submit that much of the attention Breathless has received, in terms of books/articles, stems from it's historical importance as one of, if not thee film that kicked open the door for the French New Wave. Anything that's first is usually going to be elevated in status.

...I just think there were better Godard films that came afterwards.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

Watched High and Low by Akira Kurosawa the other day, and absolutely loved it!
What a great film.
The PQ started off a bit shaky with this pulsating contrast flicker, but it got much better pretty soon thereafter, so I was left quite satisfied with the presentation.
The 4.0 surround sound is quite dated, but rather nice nevertheless.
The best part are the characters, the cinematography, the editing, the story.

It only dragged a bit during

[Show spoiler]the bars scene, as it felt like they shot it in real time without any editing to tighten it up,

but overall it's such a phenomenal film. I couldn't be happier I bought it.

Film: 4,5/5
PQ: 3,75/5 (Some flicker early on, and some minor damage)
AQ: 3,75/5 (Dated sound, but in surround)
Extras: 4/5

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

That is one of my favorites.

Arguably the most powerful closing shot in movie history imo.

...certainly one of them.

[joie]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Contempt is great, but the ending makes me want to jump off a bridge. [...]

But the (Greek) gods had to intervene!

[Show spoiler]The director and producer have had a discussion and disagreement about the sanctity of Homer's story, which the film within Contempt is adapting. Just before the ending, the director, Lang, announces something about the scene about to be shot, but the assistant director (Godard) shoots something at odds with what Lang has just described. Lang, true to the book, says that Ulysses is within sight of Ithaca, but the camera pans over the horizon from Ulysses' point of view and no island is visible.

During the discussion/disagreement over the adaptation, Virgil's story (Inferno) is cited. Virgil's Ulysses didn't go back to Ithaca.

oops! The Inferno is Dante's story. Virgil is its tour guide.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I think the UK set has two additional films. Also the artwork is much more colorful.

Ahh, OK. Well, while I plan to get a region-free player it's one of those things I haven't yet gotten around to. So ... my choice was limited anyways.

[Ray Jackson]

The ending of Pierrot Le Fou is so twisted that I actually laughed out loud the first time I saw it.

That scene just kills me.

...I don't know what that says about me.

[The Great Owl]

I just finished watching Fight, Zatoichi, Fight.

This eight film in the Zatoichi series is both the silliest entry yet and the most sincerely heartfelt entry yet. The storyline, where the title character plays "Mr. Mom" for a baby after the death of the mother, has quite a few comedic moments and one really awesome display of swordsmanship at a gambling table, but it's also an unexpected tearjerker at the end.

I'm not even halfway through the episodes, but they already run together somewhat, in that I cannot quite remember where various scenes occur in various movies, but I will likely have no trouble distinguishing the events of Fight, Zatoichi, Fight from the other films.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I don't have a website yet, but I've dabbled around with WordPress and have told myself that I will be setting up a blog over the past few weeks, but I clearly haven't dedicated enough time to it yet. Ideally I'll get something going before the end of the month.

I also plan on picking up some books on film history and theory so that I can get be as well-rounded as I can.

Good plan. Reading others is just about the best advice I can give. You can't go wrong with Bordwell for a rounded intro to theory btw.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

You may be right.

But I would submit that much of the attention Breathless has received, in terms of books/articles, stems from it's historical importance as one of, if not thee film that kicked open the door for the French New Wave. Anything that's first is usually going to be elevated in status.

...I just think there were better Godard films that came afterwards.

I agree with your final point (it was nowhere to be seen on my own top five just a few posts ago), but for me that doesn't make Breathless a less interesting movie than it is. While much of what is written of it will be concerned with it being amongst the first its not in my experience that that is solely the case.