The Criterion Collection

[CoolRanch]

Does criterion.com still have February flash sales? Or is that not an annual thing?

[BobbyMcGee]

Originally Posted by CoolRanch

Does criterion.com still have February flash sales? Or is that not an annual thing?

Checking my order history with Criterion.com the past four years around this time period:

10 March 2015
25 Feb 2014
26 Feb 2013
15 Feb 2012

[ckt]

For TV, lately, I've really enjoyed The Knick.

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Come on folks seriously it's......

Point Break > Top Gun

Greatest action movie ever!!

Under Siege, man.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by ckt

Under Siege, man.

All of the early Seagal action movies up until "On Deadly Ground" are pretty quality. "Under Siege" is great, but I think "Out for Justice" may be my favorite. William Forsythe plays such a degenerate piece of shit so well in that. I think my favorite action movies, in no particular order are...

Robocop
Die Hard
Commando
First Blood
Out for Justice
Hard Boiled
Death Wish 3
The Last Boy Scout
Stone Cold
Avenging Force
Point Break
Extreme Prejudice

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Purplenoon

I'd have to agree with you guys on The Master & Phoenix. He should have gotten the Oscar that year: a very physical performance. It was all in the way he moved. Leo's performance in The Revenant was just as physical, though with not nearly the same amount of dialogue. I also loved B. Nights & Magnolia (esp. that frog downpour), but the Phoenix acting job outshone most of the others in PTA's movies. Might have an argument with DDL in TWBB though.

I went to see Magnolia with one of my best friends, in a semi-packed theater. When the frog scene appeared, we were both just dying with laughter. It seemingly came out of nowhere, and I was nearly hyperventilating. It was so completely absurd. Now, nothing PTA does surprises me. I still walk around randomly spouting off to complete strangers, "I drank your milkshake!"

Well, not really.

Ok, just once in a while.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Daniel Day Lewis is phenomenal in TWBB, but I honestly can't think of the last time that an actor really made me believe that he WAS the character the way that Joachim Pheonix made me believe he was Freddie Quell.

Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln. I wasn't around in 1863, so I can't quite tell if he pulled off the little nuances, of course, but his performance as old Abe was so good, I completely forgot it was Lewis under the beard.

Other performances where I felt the actor achieved a sort of harmonic convergence with the character: Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles (he definitely deserved Best Actor), and Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Truman Capote was uncanny. He channeled Capote.

I literally wept when I'd heard Philip Seymour Hoffman had died. Every time I see him on screen, I am saddened. We have been robbed of his remarkable gifts.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Daniel Day Lewis is phenomenal in TWBB, but I honestly can't think of the last time that an actor really made me believe that he WAS the character the way that Joachim Pheonix made me believe he was Freddie Quell.

For me, it would be Bruno Ganz as Hitler in Downfall. Whenever he's onscreen it's more like watching documentary footage rather than a dramatization. Brilliant performance and film.

[mja345]

Interesting discussion re actors completely disappearing into their parts. It doesn't happen that often. Here's a list off the top of my head, strictly male actors. I'd have to make another list for actresses.

Gary Oldman in "Sid and Nancy"
Oldman in "True Romance"
Robert De Niro in "Taxi Driver"
De Niro in "Raging Bull"
De Niro in "King of Comedy"
Al Pacino in "Dog Day Afternoon"
Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront"
Brando in "The Godfather"
Jack Nicholson in "The Shining"
Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces"
Paul Newman in "The Hustler"
Roy Scheider in "All That Jazz"
Burt Lancaster in "Sweet Smell of Success"
Harvey Keitel in "Bad Lieutenant"
James Caan in "Thief"
Dustin Hoffman in "Midnight Cowboy"
Johnny Depp in "Fear and Loathing"
Benicio Del Toro in "Fear and Loathing"
Christian Bale in "American Psycho"
Bale in "The Machinist"
Peter Sellers in "Being There"
Sellers in "Dr. Strangelove"
James Spader in "Crash" (incredibly underrated performance)
Spader in "Sex, lies and videotape"

Also, DDL in pretty much everything he's in. Dude is so method, it's absurd haha. Phoenix is on the same level as DDL at this point. He's an incredible actor. Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender are both capable of reaching those levels. As much as I like DiCaprio as an actor, he's never reached the level of completely disappearing into a part IMO. Ganz is a great call in "Downfall". Incredible performance.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2247

Does anyone know when Barnes and Noble's next Criterion sale will be or when Best Buy will sell them for 50% off?

Just curious....

Bobby McGee just posted the recent late winter/early spring Criterion flash sale dates a few posts up from mine. I would start checking this thread daily, as it will hit out of nowhere, and be gone.

You might also start watching the Reddit Criterion board. This was posted by user Roderigo yesterday:

PSA: Next Criterion.com sale will be coming up somewhere between the last week of February and the first week of March

They do not cite anything directly for the time frame, but I've come to find that the information provided there is pretty accurate, so I've no reason to doubt the veracity of said post. I will be checking here, the Reddit board and Criterion's sit daily until I have placed my order. I'm taking no chances. Daddy needs his Criterion fix!

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

Any official word on Zaitochi? Is it out of print? Will it be re-released in a blu-ray only edition?

Bump, as this has not yet been addressed. I, too, am curious. The series, and collection (in its current form) both intrigue me greatly. Best case scenario, this is reissued as a Blu only release with the original box.

Originally Posted by oildude

January 2016 has been the month the music died. I can't remember any other quite like it for rock and roll. Excluding airplane crashes and such.

Well, taken as a whole, the month might not compete, but for me, November 24, 1991 was the day that music died. My all-time favorite rock vocalist, Freddie Mercury, and one of my favorite drummers, Eric Carr of Kiss, both passed on the same day. That day was a real gut punch.

Originally Posted by atlantajoseph

Cohen Media Group also has some good titles in Region A.

Also Kino and Raro Video.

Put me down as a new fan of Kino, too. They have some wonderful releases that I could very easily see within the Criterion Collection, including a pair of films from F.W. Murnau, Faust and Nosferatu, several silent film gems from Buster Keaton including The General and the two-film pairing ofSherlock Jr. and Three Ages, and Fritz Lang's science fiction masterpieceMetropolis. Kino Lorber also released Giorgio Morder's version for distribution; it does not include the newly-discovered scenes, and makes use of a modern score made up of popular artists from the early 1980s including Freddie Mercury, Loverboy, Bonnie Tyler. I have not seen this version, so I cannot comment as to a preference. Ultimately, I'm likely to own both. Other selections that I am eager to add to my collection include Witness to Murder, starring Barbaba Stanwyck and George Sanders, and the 1955 Academy Award winner for Best Picture winner, Marty, which also won Ernest Borgnine a Best Actor Oscar. Paddy Chayefsky wrote the screenplays for both Marty and Network, and after seeing Network for the first time on Friday night, Marty has now jumped way up on my want list.

Originally Posted by jw007

Greetings people...

Question. Does anyone else besides me go through Criterion phases?

For instance, I'm currently not watching any films at all (for the past few weeks), and instead have been totally absorbed with LOST, the legendary TV series that I've finally gotten around to watching. During which time, I stopped watching all films on my blu-ray player completely and spend a few hours every night watching 2 or 3 episodes of LOST

Originally Posted by mja345

Oh for sure. I have what my girlfriend refers to as high-brow/low-brow phases. I've been watching a bunch of Criterions and Twilight Times (high-brow) and newer releases the last couple weeks, so she's been watching some of them with me. But in October/November, for example, I was trying to make big dents in my Scream Factory and other cult labels collection, so I was watching a bunch of horror and exploitation movies, which my girlfriend isn't too keen to watch. Kind of the ebb and flow of things I guess.

I definitely get into binge watching TV shows too. Recently, I've watched most of "The Wire" after getting the box set for Christmas. And I also watched most of the "Larry Sanders Show" over the last couple months. "The Larry Sanders Show" is so damn hilarious, right up there with "Arrested Development" for me.

I do this, too. I bounce back and forth between film and television, and, between high-brow and low-brow. A few weeks ago, I watched Tokyo Story, Persona and Kieslowski's Blue in succession. Over the next three days, I blew through the five film Dirty Harry collection. For the last two weeks, I've been mostly binge watching television shows. I finished Better Call Saul season one, went into watching the first three episodes of Billions, and started watching Homeland for the first time (hello again, Damian Lewis..).

It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one that exhibits this kind of viewing behavior. I have a lot of free time, and my moods change rapidly. So, what I watch one night may vary drastically from the previous evening. For instance, I'm watching Naomi Watts spin around in King Kong's hand right now.

But, that's the luxury of having choices. Going back to an earlier point about having large collections, I love the freedom that comes with having so many elements to choose from. Between what I own, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, the possibilities are almost limitless. They say that variety is the spice of life.

Originally Posted by mja345

Torn is brilliant on that show. Jeffrey Tambor is also tremendous as "Hey Now" Hank Kingsley.

Jeffrey Tambor is like a cockroach. You just can't kill him. I remember watching him in Three's Company as a child.

Originally Posted by hariseldon

More importantly why people insist on telling people that they know haven't seen it about how they were bitterly disappointed in the direction the show went/was wriitten/horrible plot development after X- episode/season -- and most especially in a non-<Insert Series thread of choice> (Lost, BSG, Soparanos, Dexter, etc. etc). Why can't people just wait until the person watching the series finishes it and then discuss in in the appropriate thread.

So many of the S x/y/z are horrible or nothing after Season K is worth watching, or the ending was terrible aren't my opinion of the series anyway. So many of those endings felt spot on target for that series and I thoroughly was happy with the series and the conclusion.

Well said! Nothing like being a Debbie Downer when somebody involved in the conversation is watching one of the shows mentioned. It's inherently difficult to keep long-running shows fresh, especially when a show runner leaves in mid series, as was the case with Dexter. Once I'm invested in a show, I'm in it for the long haul. I need closure. So, even if a series slips as far as quality of writing may be concerned, I find reasons to keep chugging along. As far as I'm concerned, Michael C. Hall could read snickerdoodle recipes for 50 minutes as Dexter Morgan, and I'd probably still find a reason to enjoy that time. Very few shows maintain a level of greatness all the way through, or, even improve upon it (ie Breaking Bad). I think part of the issue is that, after a time, certain viewers create unrealistic expectations in their minds. They see a story arc following a certain path, and should that arc diverge from what they expected/hoped for, they view it negatively. It's impossible for writers to satisfy everyone.

Originally Posted by jw007

I'm wondering, as Criterion collectors, what sort of TV do you all watch?

Recently, I've watched the entire Breaking Bad series, and then upon completion, I blew through the first season of Better Call Saul. I have a group of series that I've just started: Mad Men, Homeland, and Billions. Every six months to a year, I'll re-watch either The Sopranos, or Dexter, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. I'm a big fan of Game of Thrones and Ray Donovan, too. Those can't get back on the air soon enough.

After I get caught up on Homeland and finish Mad Men, The Wire is probably next on my list.

Originally Posted by Wooden Lens

It's an insanely enticing review! And further reason why when Criterion makes announcements for smaller off the radar titles that not many of us were anticipating followed by a loud visual grown in the message boards, I instead prick up my ears and get excited for whatever special film Criterion might be delivering to us fans.

As much as we can get excited about the usual classics and modern masters that Criterion as spoiled us with, it's always a fun little personal revelation when CC releases something great that none of us were really anticipating.

Hear, hear!

Originally Posted by jw007

AaronJ, pedromvu, octagon...

Thanks for your responses...

I should add that when I "binge watch" TV shows like Lost, I treat the experience as if I'm watching a film, so I never eat dinner while watching or a big meal where I have to take my eyes off the screen for more than a second at a time. And I always watch it on my big brown couch, as opposed to my IKEA chair.

For all other TV programs such as reality shows and documentaries on the History Channel or National Geographic Channel in particular, I try to watch it all "on demand" so I don't have to deal with commercials. I tend to watch something for 50 minutes while I'm eating a meal (if anyone is a fan of Ancient Aliens also, let me know!). I'm not embarrassed to say I watch a lot of silly documentaries like that, but that show in particular is so damn interesting. Other reality shows I get into are Alaskan Bush People (a guilty pleasure), Pawn Stars (a fun 25 min. show if I'm eating a small dinner), The Curse of Oak Island (one of my favorite reality shows today), Gold Rush (a show I can't believe I actually watch), Shark Tank (another popular show), Restaurant or Hotel Impossible (or any other related Restaurant or Hotel makeover show) and many others. There, I'm going to go hide in a corner now out of pure embarrassment.

My eating habits, while viewing, depends on the material, I guess. If it's lighter fare, like a documentary I'm watching (and nobody loves a good documentary more than I), I'll usually munch on some chips and salsa, or some popcorn. Maybe a slice of cold pizza from the night before. But, if it's a serious film, especially one requiring my undivided attention, my eyes are glued to the screen.

Speaking of documentaries, what are some of your favorites, gang? I happen to love Ken Burns' works, especially Baseball, and The Civil War. I've only seen two from Criterion thus far, A Brief History of Time and The Thin Blue Line-and I loved them both. I'm an absolutely huge fan of Stephen Hawking. I also love the 30 for 30 series ESPN has produced. Very well done.

BTW, Jonathan, I'm sending you a PM about one of the shows you mentioned.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

For me, it would be Bruno Ganz as Hitler in Downfall. Whenever he's onscreen it's more like watching documentary footage rather than a dramatization. Brilliant performance and film.

Absolutely! Funny you mentioned that, I just got Downfall in the mail the day before yesterday. I've held off on buying it under the assumption that it was region B locked. I spied it on Ebay listed as region free, and jumped all over it.

It's been about seven years since I've seen it, but I'm going to watch it tomorrow night. The plan is to watch that, and then chase it with The Dictator. That should add some necessary levity to the end of my night!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I like me some British TV, too. Crime shows like Broadchurch, Luther, and Shetland to costume dramas like Downton Abbey. And Sherlock (though, quite frankly, I think Elementary is better).

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Wait, which one is the one with Lucy Liu? I just started watching a few of those recently, and they are pretty good.

Yep, that's the one. I love the pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Sherlock, and think a lot of the ways that they adapt Sherlock into the present day are clever. But in general, the show feels like a fan-wank. Elementary actually feels truer to the spirit of the Holmes canon, even though it rarely embraces the details, and the crime plots are often clever enough to be worthy of Sherlock. And Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are in their way, as good as Cumberbatch and Freeman.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Jeffrey Tambor is like a cockroach. You just can't kill him. I remember watching him in Three's Company as a child.

If Tambor becomes the next celebrity death, it's going to be YOUR fault!

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Yep, that's the one. I love the pairing of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Sherlock, and think a lot of the ways that they adapt Sherlock into the present day are clever. But in general, the show feels like a fan-wank. Elementary actually feels truer to the spirit of the Holmes canon, even though it rarely embraces the details, and the crime plots are often clever enough to be worthy of Sherlock. And Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are in their way, as good as Cumberbatch and Freeman.

I do like both series (and my God, is Lucy Liu sexy!), but prefer the BBC's interpretation. I thought "The Abominable Bride" was quite good, but now I'm even more frustrated that season 4 won't be out until 2017. I realize that Misters Cumberbatch and Freeman are in high demand, and very busy, but it's hard waiting.

The BBC is on a real nice run with Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Peaky Blinders and Luther. I'm not real far into those last two, but Cilian Murphy and Idris Elba are both outstanding in their roles. Some day, I may delve into the madness that is Dr. Who, as well.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

For me, it would be Bruno Ganz as Hitler in Downfall. Whenever he's onscreen it's more like watching documentary footage rather than a dramatization. Brilliant performance and film.

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Absolutely! Funny you mentioned that, I just got Downfall in the mail the day before yesterday. I've held off on buying it under the assumption that it was region B locked. I spied it on Ebay listed as region free, and jumped all over it.

It's been about seven years since I've seen it, but I'm going to watch it tomorrow night. The plan is to watch that, and then chase it with The Dictator. That should add some necessary levity to the end of my night!

Downfall is amazing, and Ganz is mesmerizing.

You should go to YouTube and do a search on "hitler game of thrones". There are some very funny videos using clips of Hitler's manic rants from Downfall as Der Führer expresses his dismay at some of the turns of events in Game of Thrones.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by jw007

Once I'm in something, I'm all in. I'm not watching anything else during that time until I'm done with the program (whether its a 4 hour film or a TV show that lasts 9 seasons).

I'm wondering, as Criterion collectors, what sort of TV do you all watch?

I've done the "all in" thing a couple of times. A few years ago, after my ex-wife and I separated, I had the "Summer of Magnum" and watched all 162 episodes of Magnum, P.I. in sequence - often five or six a night - which was a lot of fun. I'd seen quite a few episodes back in England in the 1980's, and enjoyed them, but was by no means a super-fan. Can't really recall why I decided this was the show to take my mind off things, but it was great experience. Sometime afterwards I did the same with all seven seasons of the original Mission: Impossible, which is one of my all-time favourite television shows.

Recently, I've enjoyed Person of Interest, and The Blacklist is my favourite show of the past few years - as if you couldn't tell from my username. Probably my favourite television show is The Persuaders, starring Tony Curtis and Roger Moore: Hugely entertaining, and a lifestyle I aspire to.

[The Great Owl]

For those of you here who are fans of 3:10 to Yuma and Jubal, both of which were directed by Delmer Daves and starred Glenn Ford...

I would like to herd all of you over to the Twilight Time forum today, because the 1958 Delmer Daves film, Cowboy, which also stars Glenn Ford, goes up for pre-order today.

I think that Jubal is one of the most underrated Criterion titles, and, of course, 3:10 to Yuma speaks for itself. I'm expecting great things out of Cowboy.

You just can't miss classic westerns like this.

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

For those of you here who are fans of 3:10 to Yuma and Jubal, both of which were directed by Delmer Daves and starred Glenn Ford...

I would like to herd all of you over to the Twilight Time forum today, because the 1958 Delmer Daves film, Cowboy, which also stars Glenn Ford, goes up for pre-order today.

I think that Jubal is one of the most underrated Criterion titles, and, of course, 3:10 to Yuma speaks for itself. I'm expecting great things out of Cowboy.

You just can't miss classic westerns like this.

Jubal is an excellent re-imagining of Othello with some stunning Technicolor photography. Plus, Rod Steiger's incarnation of Iago (Pinky). Great performance.

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I went to see Magnolia with one of my best friends, in a semi-packed theater. When the frog scene appeared, we were both just dying with laughter. It seemingly came out of nowhere, and I was nearly hyperventilating. It was so completely absurd. Now, nothing PTA does surprises me. I still walk around randomly spouting off to complete strangers, "I drank your milkshake!"

Well, not really.

Ok, just once in a while.

And as I've previously stated, the "frog downpour" actually happened when a typhoon swept up a zillion frogs off some South Pacific island and deposited them on LA. I think it was in the early 90s. I remember reading the story in the newspaper and thinking wtf. Ya gotta love that PTA.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by jayembee

If Tambor becomes the next celebrity death, it's going to be YOUR fault!

Oh God, I didn't think of that. I wonder if it is too late to redact my statement, or if fate has already set the wheels in motion.

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Downfall is amazing, and Ganz is mesmerizing.

You should go to YouTube and do a search on "hitler game of thrones". There are some very funny videos using clips of Hitler's manic rants from Downfall as Der Führer expresses his dismay at some of the turns of events in Game of Thrones.

I bought Downfall off eBay as well: incredibly absorbing, and well acted by all, especially Ganz. Not to be missed.