The Criterion Collection

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

On a similar note, I've watched the first half of In the Realm of Senses on Hulu. Aaron/CriterionBlues sat in on the WrongReel podcast and I started watching last night.
Serious question...is there an artistic difference between this and porn that justifies a Criterion release?
I'm only half way through so maybe it will all come together in the end.

*adds In the Realm of the Senses to blind buy list*

[Polaroid]

So they ban Antichrist... Yet films like Martyrs, In My Skin, I Stand Alone, Irreversible, Possession are left untouched haha.

[Polaroid]

Porn is made to get you off.

In In the Realm of the Senses isn't aiming to do that.

That is the difference between porn and erotic cinema (in my opinion).

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by WonderWeasel

I can't believe I forgot to mention Wenders's excellent doc about Salgado. He's my favorite photographer, and Wenders delivered a great cinematic portrait of him.

I don't find a lot of docs to be very rewatchable, but I can watch this one over and over.

[pro-bassoonist]

ORIGINAL TRAILER

I Knew Her Well

I KNEW HER WELL - Trailer - YouTube

Pro-B

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Serious question...is there an artistic difference between this and porn that justifies a Criterion release?

Yes. But you've already heard my answer so anything I say here is redundant. The would be just with fewer 4-letter words.

And I have to give credit to Ray for recommending the The Two Escobars. Solid documentary that is probably taken less seriously than it should be due to the ESPN moniker.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Watched my German Knight of Cups disc this week. Not my favorite Malick, but nice to have it on blu before it even hits North American theatres. Some decent suppliments as well, mostly discussions with Bale and Portman about their characters and working with Malick.

I'm guessing German version of this blu Ray is region A blocked?

[Arawn]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

On a similar note, I've watched the first half of In the Realm of Senses on Hulu. Aaron/CriterionBlues sat in on the WrongReel podcast and I started watching last night.
Serious question...is there an artistic difference between this and porn that justifies a Criterion release?
I'm only half way through so maybe it will all come together in the end.

Antichrist certainly walks right up to the line separating porn and legitimate film and then sort of renders it nonexistent.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Porn is made to get you off.

In In the Realm of the Senses isn't aiming to do that.

That is the difference between porn and erotic cinema (in my opinion).

Erotic cinema is porn with artistic merit, or at least artistic pretensions. Both make my blood relocate to different parts of my body, but the former is more satisfying. Not everything that is sexually explicit is erotic, however. Nymphomaniac, for example, had no effect on me body-wise, while In the Realm of the Senses caused parts of my body to turtle.

[colbyw]

I'm not a fan of Von Trier and will probably never watch a post 1970 Pasolini film, but none compare to the trash that is Caligula in my opinion. That's where art definitely crosses the boundary into late night Cinemax. Such a shame, exceptional cast!

[jw007]

Is there a certain subculture or term that applies to people who are attracted to the most graphically explicit films (whether its violence or sex) and end up buying and collecting those types of films? Perhaps a few examples in the Criterion Collection would be Salò (rape, scat and torture), In the Realm of the Senses (graphic sex scenes), The Tin Drum (child pornography), Island of Lost Souls (animal cruelty), Flesh for Frankenstein (perversity/depravity), I Am Curious - Yellow (explicit sexuality), Hunger (torture), Fat Girl (depravity), Straw Dogs (rape), Gimme Shelter (murder caught on film), Sweet Movie (scatological orgies), Antichrist (sexual violence) and Night and Fog (real-life atrocities).

Of the 13 films mentioned above, I own 4 of them (Island of Lost Souls, Hunger, Gimme Shelter and In the Realm of the Senses). I'm guessing some people fall into a special class of collectors that seek out movies like those mentioned above, but thankfully I'm not one of those.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by jw007

Is there a certain subculture or term that applies to people who are attracted to the most graphically explicit films (whether its violence or sex) and end up buying and collecting those types of films? Perhaps a few examples in the Criterion Collection would be Salò (rape, scat and torture), In the Realm of the Senses (graphic sex scenes), The Tin Drum (child pornography), Island of Lost Souls (animal cruelty), Flesh for Frankenstein (perversity/depravity), I Am Curious - Yellow (explicit sexuality), Hunger (torture), Fat Girl (depravity), Straw Dogs (rape), Gimme Shelter (murder caught on film), Sweet Movie (scatological orgies), Antichrist (sexual violence) and Night and Fog (real-life atrocities).

Of the 13 films mentioned above, I own 4 of them (Island of Lost Souls, Hunger, Gimme Shelter and In the Realm of the Senses). I'm guessing some people fall into a special class of collectors that seek out movies like those mentioned above, but thankfully I'm not one of those.

Nice list, I only own 2, but I wouldn't consider Island of Lost Souls as having animal cruelty, so only Antichrist for me.

[darkness2918]

So, Fat Girl or The Following. Which is the better blind buy? Both sound interesting, ive seen almost everything Nolan has done except The Following.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

So, Fat Girl or The Following. Which is the better blind buy? Both sound interesting, ive seen almost everything Nolan has done except The Following.

Both are great - and they are so different!

The Following is the the one I would go with, but if you can get both! TF is one of Nolans best films imo, I wish he started making more films like his early ones.

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by colbyw

I'm not a fan of Von Trier and will probably never watch a post 1970 Pasolini film, but none compare to the trash that is Caligula in my opinion. That's where art definitely crosses the boundary into late night Cinemax. Such a shame, exceptional cast!

Even Welles turned it down, this, in an era when he'd star in almost anything if it paid.

And he was offered a king's ransom.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

So, Fat Girl or The Following. Which is the better blind buy? Both sound interesting, ive seen almost everything Nolan has done except The Following.

Fat girl is pretty divisive, Following is not in the same league of Nolan next films but I think both are good.

If you already like Nolan work Following is the safest.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by colbyw

I'm not a fan of Von Trier and will probably never watch a post 1970 Pasolini film, but none compare to the trash that is Caligula in my opinion. That's where art definitely crosses the boundary into late night Cinemax. Such a shame, exceptional cast!

I love Caligula! I do love the controversy behind making the film too lol

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

I'm guessing German version of this blu Ray is region A blocked?

I didn't test it, but I believe it's locked to Region B.

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Both are great - and they are so different!

The Following is the the one I would go with, but if you can get both! TF is one of Nolans best films imo, I wish he started making more films like his early ones.

Not seen TF but I agree, would like to see Nolan go back to something a bit bare bones like Memento.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

So, Fat Girl or The Following. Which is the better blind buy? Both sound interesting, ive seen almost everything Nolan has done except The Following.

Both good Criterion discs.

Following is definitely safer, and if you really like Memento (doesn't everyone?) then you will probably like this.

Fat Girl is far more "our there", but a great film that will surely stay in your mind for days after you view it.