The Criterion Collection

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Nice! Some of those domestic Hou Hsiao-Hsien releases can be hard to find/expensive these days.

I've managed to acquire English friendly copies of all of his films except the first 3 (Cute Girl, Cheerful Wind, and The Green Green Grass of Home) and his 1987 film Daughter of the Nile. The search continues...

He really does feel like a no brainer for Criterion. I know they like him, I wonder if they have been unable to get the rights for the one(s) they want?

My weekend is set. He'll be lending me A Time to Live, A Time to Die on blu The Puppetmaster in due time. I've seen the former, but I'm stoked to actually see it in good quality.

From my understanding, most of his 80s/90s output are in an absolute mess when it comes to rights. Hopefully one of his films will be making the C debut soon. You'd think it would have happened by now with something like Millennium Mambo or Three Times.

EDIT: Just noticed your blog post on The Assassin. It goes down a lot easier with a second viewing. The dynamics of the characters are mostly understood.

[Namuhana]

I watched Cléo from 5 to 7 today, my first Varda film, and I really enjoyed it. She has a great and distinctive voice, and Cléo certainly elbows herself in and makes herself known in the New Wave. There was some cool camerawork and editing (especially the opening scene), too. And it was fun to see some fellow New Wavers during the short.

[Bluyoda]

Unbelievable!

I got my first order of "The Great Beauty" digibook in damaged condition, so amazon.com sent me a replacement order in a bubblewrap, and it's even more damaged.
Will they ever learn?

Does B&N have better packaging? I don't recall getting any damaged items from them, but I have never ordered anything in Digibook. Maybe Seven Samurai.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Namuhana

I watched Cléo from 5 to 7 today, my first Varda film, and I really enjoyed it. She has a great and distinctive voice, and Cléo certainly elbows herself in and makes herself known in the New Wave. There was some cool camerawork and editing (especially the opening scene), too. And it was fun to see some fellow New Wavers during the short.

I'm pretty sure it's my favorite New Wave film.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

My weekend is set. He'll be lending me A Time to Live, A Time to Die on blu The Puppetmaster in due time. I've seen the former, but I'm stoked to actually see it in good quality.

From my understanding, most of his 80s/90s output are in an absolute mess when it comes to rights. Hopefully one of his films will be making the C debut soon. You'd think it would have happened by now with something like Millennium Mambo or Three Times.

EDIT: Just noticed your blog post on The Assassin. It goes down a lot easier with a second viewing. The dynamics of the characters are mostly understood.

Crap! I have a blog?

I might have to do a Hou weekend as well sometime soon, especially since The Assassin blu is due out in only a few days.

[Show spoiler]

[AaronJ]

I have never seen a movie by Hou. I'm not sure that I've ever had the opportunity to see one, to be honest. I've obviously read a great deal about his work.

I'm going to half-blind buy The Assassin. I might get a chance to see it this Sunday, but I'm not sure if it will work out or not. But from everything I've read about it, this sounds like a film that will fall directly into my wheelhouse.

Jeez. Once this Australian Open is over, I can actually start watching movies again!

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Crap! I have a blog?

I might have to do a Hou weekend as well sometime soon, especially since The Assassin blu is due out in only a few days.

[Show spoiler]

Never have I been filled with more jealousy on this site.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Never have I been filled with more jealousy on this site.

I think that 98-01 dvd set is still available to purchase, PM me if you want more info on where to find it. The 83-86 set is harder to find.

[Scottie]

For anyone in or near Rochester, NY, there will be an Agnès Varda marathon held.

Next week, the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, will kick off Agnès Varda: (Self)-Portraits, Facts and Fiction, a monthlong series celebrating the pioneering French director’s body of work. On Wednesday, the theater will screen Varda’s 1956 feature debut, La Pointe Courte. This groundbreaking precursor to the French New Wave was shot on a shoestring budget and edited by the late, great filmmaker Alain Resnais. The film, which unfolds the story of a relationship between a husband and wife in a Mediterranean village, combines stylized drama with a documentary-like portrait of the small fishing town in which it’s set. After catching this influential film on the 27th, come back the following Sunday for Cléo from 5 to 7, Varda's day-in-the-life portrait of one Parisian woman. And in the meantime, enjoy a clip from La Pointe Courte above.

https://www.criterion.com/current/po...a-in-rochester

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

One of my all-time favorite quotes is, "If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, then we'd grab ours back."


In Criterion news, I received my Blu-rays of Bitter Rice and The American Friend in the mail yesterday.

I just watched both fo those in the last couple of weeks and both are excellent!

And I enjoyed Bitter Rice so much, we watched il Sorpasso again last night.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Nice! Some of those domestic Hou Hsiao-Hsien releases can be hard to find/expensive these days.

I've managed to acquire English friendly copies of all of his films except the first 3 (Cute Girl, Cheerful Wind, and The Green Green Grass of Home) and his 1987 film Daughter of the Nile. The search continues...

He really does feel like a no brainer for Criterion. I know they like him, I wonder if they have been unable to get the rights for the one(s) they want?

May I ask where you got Daughter of the Nile? That's the next Hou I want to see!

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Fabs

May I ask where you got Daughter of the Nile? That's the next Hou I want to see!

Sadly that's one of the ones I've yet to find.

[SkyAntoine]

8-16" of snow on its way so we called off work for tomorrow. I should be able to knock out at least 8 Criterions this weekend. Yes!!

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Sadly that's one of the ones I've yet to find.

Oops. I misread that as you had one. Sorry. I really need to get that one as its plot really reminds me of Dust in the Wind.

In regards to Daughter though, there was a restoration of it done. So we may see a Blu someday...

EDIT: Here is the link

[ThatOneGuy]

I think I might pause on buying normal blu-rays and start focusing on removing Criterion films out of my damn wishlist and into my collection. Some of them have been in my wishlist for over 3 years now...

[Scottie]

How similar is Hou Hsiao-Hsien to Wong Kar-wai? I get the feeling that there are some similarities, and if so, count me in for checking out his films.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by iScottie

How similar is Hou Hsiao-Hsien to Wong Kar-wai? I get the feeling that there are some similarities, and if so, count me in for checking out his films.

I'd say if you like In the Mood For Love, you should like Hou. That movie has the most similarities to Hou's works. Though I'd say that overall, Hou has more in common with Ozu than WKW.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Fabs

I'd say if you like In the Mood For Love, you should like Hou. That movie has the most similarities to Hou's works. Though I'd say that overall, Hou has more in common with Ozu than WKW.

Here's the question, though: Where do we find Hou's films?

As to Bitter Rice, you guys think it's worth getting?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Here's the question, though: Where do we find Hou's films?

On blu, The Assassin is out next week domestically, and Dust in The Wind/A Time To Live, A Time To Die are available as Region A imports.

On DVD, Three Times, Cafe Lumiere, and Flight Of The Red Balloon are all still in print domestically. This region free dvd set is also able to be imported.

There are also some out of print North America dvd releases out there at varying prices.

An ebay search also yields a bunch of moderately priced dvds emanating from South Korea, and most seem to be region free and English friendly.

[SkyAntoine]

Saw Purple Noon last night for the first time. It has been years since I watched The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I don't recall enjoying it like this version.
Very solid film and Delon plays Ripley to a T. I've read some comments where people did not like the ending, but I thought if fit well.
I watched it in my bedroom on a smaller TV so that may explain why the transfer seemed a little lackluster to me. There were some gorgeous locations used in the movie, but the PQ didn't pop for me. I also wish there were more supplements on the book series. The interviews with Patricia Highsmith and Alain Delon were short.
Overall 8/10.

I'm following up with The American Friend this morning.