The Criterion Collection

[deepseababy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Thus, after hemming and hawing over whether to pop in Quadrophenia or La Haine or Gomorrah, I wound up picking Breaking the Waves again.

I watched Breaking the Waves again today for the first time in a number of years. I had been meaning to give it a re-watch for almost a year. I could not remember much about it, considering it's probably been close to a decade since I last saw it. All that I could recall was the camera work, the setting and had a vague recollection of the plight Emily Watson's character went through. So it felt like a new experience for me. It packed such a punch and I don't remember it being quite so powerful... I was devastated by that finale. I'm glad I bought it (Criterion's artwork and packaging is sublime) and I can't wait to revisit it, although it probably won't be anytime soon.

[pedromvu]

I watched Death in Venice today, and for some reason the whole time I was sure it already had a Criterion release in dvd, being one of the highly regarded films of Visconti, so I was quite surprised seeing that it didn't, and that it doesn't even have a blu-ray anywhere.

This really needs to be in the collection, it has to be one of the most beautiful films I have seen, very little dialogue, and very little in the way of plot, yet the images and the music profoundly resonated with me from start to finish, maybe I was in the perfect mood, but suddenly I kept thinking this is what the recent Malick films (To The Wonder, Knight of Cups) should do, and for some reason didn't for me.

It's themes are somewhat elusive to me not knowing anything about Visconti or the book is based on, but I didn't care, that would be a good excuse to revisit sometime.

I thought it was better than Senso and The Leopard, but I plan to rewatch the later in the near future.

Anybody know if this movie was already restored recently? seems there was going to be a french release that was never released.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by deepseababy

I watched Breaking the Waves again today for the first time in a number of years. I had been meaning to give it a re-watch for almost a year. I could not remember much about it, considering it's probably been close to a decade since I last saw it. All that I could recall was the camera work, the setting and had a vague recollection of the plight Emily Watson's character went through. So it felt like a new experience for me. It packed such a punch and I don't remember it being quite so powerful... I was devastated by that finale. I'm glad I bought it (Criterion's artwork and packaging is sublime) and I can't wait to revisit it, although it probably won't be anytime soon.

I wish Lars Von Trier cut the end though it would have had a better final if he cut it

[Show spoiler]when they all hear the bells chiming at sea and looking up - would have left a more symbolic ending for me personally, and I felt the actual seeing of th bells to be a bit tacky and silly? By not showing the bells it would ave left us wondering more I think.

Super film though - incredible performance and a stunning transfer from Criterion!

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I wish Lars Von Trier cut the end though it would have had a better final if he cut it

[Show spoiler]when they all hear the bells chiming at sea and looking up - would have left a more symbolic ending for me personally, and I felt the actual seeing of th bells to be a bit tacky and silly? By not showing the bells it would ave left us wondering more I think.

Super film though - incredible performance and a stunning transfer from Criterion!

Yeah,

[Show spoiler]I could take or leave those bells. Really, the best moment is when everybody comes up and looks up at the sound of the bells - cutting the last shot out would have probably had a better impact.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Yeah,

[Show spoiler]I could take or leave those bells. Really, the best moment is when everybody comes up and looks up at the sound of the bells - cutting the last shot out would have probably had a better impact.

It felt a little like he was spoon feeding audience tbh lol I think we could have sussed out the meaning without seeing them! But oh well lol

[Sifox211]

I watched Ivan's Childhood this weekend - what an amazing film, especially for a first effort. The structure and story telling were so assured, and as others have mentioned here, the cinematography is breathtaking. The only other film I can think of that marries the horrors of war with such beauty is Come and See (although that film is much more intense and is much less subtle).

[Show spoiler]The opening scene is breathtakingly beautiful, and the sudden change in tone is shocking. The way that Tarkovsky teases out the back story, with the flashback/dream sequences, was amazing - I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.

The ending and final reveal were both beautiful and horrifying.

I can't wait to get into the supplements and this certainly whets my appetite for the forthcoming AE releases over here

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I thought it was better than Senso and The Leopard, but I plan to rewatch the later in the near future.

yes, I also thought the same.
Do you by any chance have seen Rocco and his brothers too? How it compares to that?
I haven't seen it.

By the way, there is a digital HD version:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/de...71/id327862651
I have seen screenshots of this.
It looks good but I am not sure if it's from a 4K restoration or an older HD one.
Probably the latter.

[ShellOilJunior]

Had the chance to view Ikiru on blu-ray. I think Criterion did the best they could considering the original negative no longer exists. The film is sharp when the source materials allow for it.

I've always marveled at how Shimura (at age 47) can play an old man then in two years play the lead Samurai in Seven Samurai. His character's introduction in the latter:

[Show spoiler]rescuing the baby from the thief

is unforgettable.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I've always marveled at how Shimura (at age 47) can play an old man then in two years play the lead Samurai in Seven Samurai. His character's introduction in the latter:

[Show spoiler]rescuing the baby from the thief

is unforgettable.

I've always heard that the above scene in Seven Samurai was the first example of the trend of introducing action characters in early scenes that are unrelated to the main storylines. Subsequent "character establishment" examples include the first ""Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?" scene in Dirty Harry and the Christmas tree lot scene with Mel Gibson at the beginning of Lethal Weapon.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I wish Lars Von Trier cut the end though it would have had a better final if he cut it

[Show spoiler]when they all hear the bells chiming at sea and looking up - would have left a more symbolic ending for me personally, and I felt the actual seeing of th bells to be a bit tacky and silly? By not showing the bells it would ave left us wondering more I think.

Super film though - incredible performance and a stunning transfer from Criterion!

I think

[Show spoiler] the visual at the end is super important. With just the sound you can explain away what you hear (a helicopter and a boom box?), but the visual of the bells defies any easy explanation.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I think

[Show spoiler] the visual at the end is super important. With just the sound you can explain away what you hear (a helicopter and a boom box?), but the visual of the bells defies any easy explanation.

But if they cut before its left to your own interpretation of the end and can make it more personal as you can decide what's happening

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

But if they cut before its left to your own interpretation of the end and can make it more personal as you can decide what's happening

You don't find that visual open to personal interpretation?

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

yes, I also thought the same.
Do you by any chance have seen Rocco and his brothers too? How it compares to that?
I haven't seen it.

By the way, there is a digital HD version:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/de...71/id327862651
I have seen screenshots of this.
It looks good but I am not sure if it's from a 4K restoration or an older HD one.
Probably the latter.

Haven't seen Rocco and his Brothers only the three I mention, too bad we know it will not be released by Criterion, although I am not sure how Milestone releases are (apparently quite good based on the few reviews here), but it probably will still be cheaper to get the MoC at some point.

I saw it via Amazon instant, not sure if it is the same, it was in HD but the transfer looked quite dated with a lot of scratches, I would say it is not up to Criterion standards by any means.

[ajburke]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

[Show spoiler]You know you have a favorite movie on your hands when you find yourself thinking about it, gravitating towards it when you see it on the shelf, and inevitably popping it in the player.

Thus, after hemming and hawing over whether to pop in Quadrophenia or La Haine or Gomorrah, I wound up picking Breaking the Waves again. This would be my third or maybe even my fourth time seeing it, and this would probably make it my most-watched Criterion movie right now (which is sad considering how much I love Seven Samurai and The Third Man, but never get a chance to sit down and watch 'em).

At first glance, BTW is not a movie I should love - it's long, the plot is subtle, and the film itself (with the faux-Dogme-95 thing going for it) is purposefully rough around the edges. And yet, the premise elicits controversy and deep thought alone. Something about the acting, filming style/editing, and pacing makes this a pretty easy-going drama. It also manages to stick with me long after watching.

A few specific things I find myself loving more and more would be Emily Watson's performance, which is great - you take one look at that character and can't help but to love her right away. I also love the old man who breaks a glass with his bare hands - that scene is awesome, it's like classic villainy, and it's all a good "show don't tell" moment. The settings and the culture are very interesting (I love Scotland as it is). Of course, the film has its ugly parts as it goes on, but it never comes off as wholly distasteful to me personally (especially when compared to Antichrist or Nymphomaniac).

Ultimately, the sum of the parts add up to a very intriguing, thoughtful, and stylish experience. I think it sticks with me the most for its characterizations, and for presenting themes that demand critical analysis. I don't remember if this was a blind-buy for me or not, but it's definitely money well spent at this point.

As it is, I still favor Antichrist a little more for its imagery, Nymphomaniac for its fusion of style and substance, and Dancer in the Dark for all its gut-wrenching character payoff. Despite being my fourth-favorite Trier film, BTW might be the one that incites me the most for some odd reason. Heck, I even love the digipak cover and booklet. I hope Criterion gets their hands on more of Trier's films sooner or later.

Nice post! I think Breaking the Waves is marvelous too. It's the only one of LVT's earlier films I've seen. Haven't seen anything else prior to Antichrist, though I hope to catch up on all of them eventually. Of his films, BTW is likely my favorite so far.

As for the ending,

[Show spoiler]I thought it was pretty much perfect, though I appreciate the idea of cutting the bells out. I can't argue that it wouldn't have been every bit as provocative. This particular discussion reminds me of the last shot in Birdman. Emma Stone's character looks out the window, looks down in horror, then up in amazement. Good stuff, and I think removing the bells from BTW would have had a similar effect.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

It's themes are somewhat elusive to me not knowing anything about Visconti or the book is based on, but I didn't care, that would be a good excuse to revisit sometime.

It's about death and desire bro. No mystery there!

Supposedly Peter Greenaway wants to remake it, or has already remade it. Either way, sounds like a bad idea to me.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

It's about death and desire bro. No mystery there!

Supposedly Peter Greenaway wants to remake it, or has already remade it. Either way, sounds like a bad idea to me.

Yeah also about art and morality, but I was referring to this discussion: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067445/...read/199871090

I see how it can be argued for both sides, but I agree more with the first posters, I guess what I didn't came out knowing in the end is how it all relates in the influence of his art, I am sure it all has to come together, but there were some scenes that left me a bit clueless.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

yes, I also thought the same.
Do you by any chance have seen Rocco and his brothers too? How it compares to that?
I haven't seen it.

By the way, there is a digital HD version:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/de...71/id327862651
I have seen screenshots of this.
It looks good but I am not sure if it's from a 4K restoration or an older HD one.
Probably the latter.

I didn't read the earlier part of the discussion you're having, but re: Rocco and His Brothers... it is straight up soap opera. (in a good way) very watchable. knowing what I know about your likes and dislikes, I think you'd definitely like it.

[the sordid sentinel]

Watched Paris, Texas this weekend. Never gets old and remains one of the top 10 titles in my entire collection. The ending is the very embodiment of bittersweet. Stanton and Kinski in that final meeting and dialogue never cease to get me.

It always intrigues me how a foreign director and crew can come to the States and make it look so amazing and unique on camera. Many of the road scenes in this movie are absolutely gorgeous. It takes a gift to make a frame of a small, cheap hotel at sunset look like something you wish was hanging on your wall to marvel at.

By coincidence I had U2's Joshua Tree album out last week giving it a couple of listens (still great). I remembered reading quotes from Bono somewhere saying this movie had an impact during the making of that record. A few of the songs sound like they could easily be laid right over the film's soundtrack.

[bwdowiak]

Was a nice weekend for movie watching for me…

Breathless – was the third time that I’ve seen it… holds up well. great film, no doubt. I haven’t read any of it, but the booklet that comes with the release is beautiful.

Aparajito – finally had a chance to see the 2nd film. this is one that really stays with you. very haunting – I find myself thinking about scenes a couple days later here. I only wish that they would have been able to do more with the restoration during a crucial scene late in the film.. I suppose the darkness lends itself to the image quality, so it’s inherent in that sense, but it unfortunately comes across a bit rough.

Ride The Pink Horse – a very easy, light watch. I thought the ending (last 20 minutes or so) was great. by the time the film dots its I’s and crosses its T’s, it really sets itself apart from other noir films and that’s what I really liked about it. the supplemental interview w/ Imogen Sara Smith is fantastic. informational, fun, and she provides a great analysis of the film.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I didn't read the earlier part of the discussion you're having, but re: Rocco and His Brothers... it is straight up soap opera. (in a good way) very watchable. knowing what I know about your likes and dislikes, I think you'd definitely like it.

Thanks, I hope so too. I love soap oper-y films!
I didn't like very much The Leopard that's why I was wondering.
But from what I remember it had much political background too, so maybe that's why I didn't like it. In any case, I should see it again this summer.

Also, just to be sure, I think I'll see Rocco too before purchasing the Eureka release.

By the way, I'm about to watch now Angelopoulos' Eternity and a Day(1998) which won the Palme D'Or. (it will be the 3rd Angelopoulos films I'll watch). Although I didn't get crazy about the other 2, their atmosphere was very appealing to me.
Let's see now.

I have said it many times, hope Criterion brings at least one Angelopoulos film in the collection, to represent Greece too.
At this point, with the Criterion releases I see, it seems to me a bit embarassing that it hasn't yet.