The Criterion Collection

[WonderWeasel]

Kim Ki-duk, though not in the Criterion Collection, is an art house director that deserves mention with regard to animal cruelty.

I am a fan of his, but scenes in several of his films create an impasse that won't allow me to enjoy them as much as I probably should. I can't even watch Address Unknown, and the fish mutilation scene in The Isle is just gross and unnecessary. There's also a particular scene in Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring that's an important part of the story, but is animal cruelty all the same.

I'm glad Kim chose filmmaking, because he might have turned out to be a serial killer otherwise.

[pedromvu]

I remember some has asked for Zhang Yimou titles by Criterion and as much as I would like to see his older films too, I know they are not that likely because I haven't seen blu releases on other countries which might mean they might need some restoration work done first.

As much as I hate to double dip what I would love to see is a release of one of his more well known work Hero (2002).

The Miramax release is pretty poor in terms of supplements specially, but it also has the original audio in DD only instead of loss-less, and since this movie is so beautifully shot I refuse to admit that this transfer is as good as it can look, not sure how good is the subtitle translation though.

[mja345]

The most bizarre, disturbing film I've seen involving animals is a Belgian film from the 70s called "Vase de Noces". It's about a man who has, shall we say, a very intimate relationship with his pig. I can't think of a film I've seen that I'd want to rewatch less.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by mja345

The most bizarre, disturbing film I've seen involving animals is a Belgian film from the 70s called "Vase de Noces". It's about a man who has, shall we say, a very intimate relationship with his pig. I can't think of a film I've seen that I'd want to rewatch less.

I just read the plot summary on wikipedia and then did a google image search.

...I will never forgive you for this.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I just read the plot summary on wikipedia and then did a google image search.

...I will never forgive you for this.

Haha my bad. I have a buddy who seeks out weird, disturbing films and he acquired a bootleg of it. I watched it at his place a year or two ago and it was brutal to sit through. I have a strong stomach, but it was awful. I found it much more unpleasant than something like "Cannibal Holocaust", although the turtle scene in that movie is simply horrific.

[monorail91]

Originally Posted by mja345

Haha my bad. I have a buddy who seeks out weird, disturbing films and he acquired a bootleg of it. I watched it at his place a year or two ago and it was brutal to sit through. I have a strong stomach, but it was awful. I found it much more unpleasant than something like "Cannibal Holocaust", although the turtle scene in that movie is simply horrific.

Cannibal Holocaust was probably the closest I've come to getting physically sick watching a movie... not even the turtle scene (as terrible as it was), but just the sheer sense of dread and horror that builds up through the climax. Good film-making, I guess?...

[mja345]

Originally Posted by monorail91

Cannibal Holocaust was probably the closest I've come to getting physically sick watching a movie... not even the turtle scene (as terrible as it was), but just the sheer sense of dread and horror that builds up through the climax. Good film-making, I guess?...

I think what makes films like "Cannibal Holocaust" and "Salo" so disturbing is that they're well-made films. A lot of exploitation or shock cinema is pretty shoddily made, so it doesn't have a real visceral effect. "Cannibal Holocaust" is a hugely unpleasant viewing experience and, as you said, that conclusion is filled with such palpable dread.

[The Great Owl]

I watched my Criterion Blu-ray of Gilda last night.

Since I've revisited Gilda a few times over the past year, by way of the region free Italian Blu-ray, I went straight to the audio commentary track by film critic Richard Schickel on this Criterion disc. Schickel delves into some informative anecdotes and such about the background of the film, while also going through somewhat of a play-by-play analysis. I've personally never interpreted any homoerotic subtexts in the relationship between Johnny (Glenn Ford) and Ballin (George Macready) when I've watched the film in the past, and this particular undercurrent was reportedly not the intent of the director or the actors during the filming, but I still find that particular post-release analysis interesting.

I think that Gilda is the sexiest film ever made, and it's so much more so because it gives just enough on the screen to inspire our imaginations to do the rest. It's not just that no other actress has looked quite like Rita Hayworth's Gilda. No other actress has ever moved quite like Rita Hayworth's Gilda.

While I was watching the film by way of the audio commentary track last night, I followed the dialogue by way of subtitles (although I've practically memorized several scenes from the movie by now). With each subsequent viewing, the brilliance of the snappy dialogue is more evident. Gilda's verbal barbs at Johnny early in the film have such a sting to them.

I cannot imagine any scenarios in 2016 that would lead to Gilda not being one of my top five Criterion releases by year's end. This is a truly truly wonderful movie across the board.

I'll be going through the other extras on this disc later tonight.

[Sifox211]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I finally remembered the film in the Criterion Collection that I had to turn off without seeing it through to the end. It was the documentary short, Blood of the Beasts (1949), by Georges Franju, and it's one of the supplements on the Eyes Without a Face disc.

[Show spoiler]I had heard it was disturbing, but I thought, "I can handle this. It wouldn't have been included on the disc unless it had some merit."

Well, meritorious or not, I just couldn't stomach it. It was filmed at a slaughterhouse in Paris, and about one or two minutes into the film, a man walked up to a horse to drive an implement into its head, and I had a visceral reaction that made my whole body weak. I've had a lot of experience with death and dying, via hospice work and veterinary euthanasia, but I can't handle murder, killing, torture or wholesale slaughter. And I don't apologize to anyone for knowing my own limits.

The existence of slaughterhouses is one of those things I find myself not wanting to think about and this is hypocritical of me since I am a meat eater. The first chapter of Hrabal's novelette The little town where time stood still is a detailed account of the slaughter of a pig which is, perhaps oddly, but very much in keeping, poetical. Which brings me to: last night I watched Spend it all on the Les Blank set, which includes a scene of a pig being slaughtered for a BBQ. You hear but don't see the killing and then there are lots of shots of carcass in various stages of cooking or eating. Quite hard to take but also totally ordinary. The film is magical to watch, outside of that.

There's a similar thing in Barbet Schroeder's The Valley which is more graphic - it was a HVe DVD release, so vaguely Criterion.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I watched my Criterion Blu-ray of Gilda last night.

Since I've revisited Gilda a few times over the past year, by way of the region free Italian Blu-ray, I went straight to the audio commentary track by film critic Richard Schickel on this Criterion disc. Schickel delves into some informative anecdotes and such about the background of the film, while also going through somewhat of a play-by-play analysis. I've personally never interpreted any homoerotic subtexts in the relationship between Johnny (Glenn Ford) and Ballin (George Macready) when I've watched the film in the past, and this particular undercurrent was reportedly not the intent of the director or the actors during the filming, but I still find that particular post-release analysis interesting.

I think that Gilda is the sexiest film ever made, and it's so much more so because it gives just enough on the screen to inspire our imaginations to do the rest. It's not just that no other actress has looked quite like Rita Hayworth's Gilda. No other actress has ever moved quite like Rita Hayworth's Gilda.

While I was watching the film by way of the audio commentary track last night, I followed the dialogue by way of subtitles (although I've practically memorized several scenes from the movie by now). With each subsequent viewing, the brilliance of the snappy dialogue is more evident. Gilda's verbal barbs at Johnny early in the film have such a sting to them.

I cannot imagine any scenarios in 2016 that would lead to Gilda not being one of my top five Criterion releases by year's end. This is a truly truly wonderful movie across the board.

I'll be going through the other extras on this disc later tonight.

With any other distributor, I'd agree with you in a New York Minute. But based on how this year has started off, with Gilda, The Graduate, The Manchurian Candidate, and Bicycle Thieves already out/confirmed, I just don't feel confident making a statement like that, especially considering some of the films that Criterion has released in the past, and may upgrade. There's nothing at all wrong with your statement. It's just that Criterion has the capability of "going yard" at any moment.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by kylec123

I'm assuming preorder items aren't eligible for half price sales right?

I'd like to pick up Phoenix.

Nope. That's why I wish Criterion would run the 20% sale (off regular reduced price) a few times a year. Back in November I was able to pre-order up thru this months releases. I'd rather pre-order the $40 titles for around $25 each than scramble to make a mass purchase during the 50% off flash sale.

I only need two more DVD box sets to have all the Criterion sets and higher priced titles (other than 4 more OOP dvds). I'll get Pigs, Pimps and Prostitutes and Three Films by Pedro Costa during the flash sale. I have a $50 loyalty gift certificate coming so that will help. Then, from here on out it is picking up regular priced DVDs during the B&N sale and staying current on blu-rays. My goal is to be DVD and blu complete by June 2017.

[theater dreamer]

Does anybody have an archived link to Sight & Sound's complete critics top 250 films of all-time list from 2012?

This is the link I've been using forever to BFI's site. It used to show the top 100, and then at the bottom, there was a link you could take to see the 250 films listed, in order. Now it's gone.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Does anybody have an archived link to Sight & Sound's complete critics top 250 films of all-time list from 2012?

This is the link I've been using forever to BFI's site. It used to show the top 100, and then at the bottom, there was a link you could take to see the 250 films listed, in order. Now it's gone.

I have it on an excel spreadsheet if that helps. PM me if needed.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I have it on an excel spreadsheet if that helps. PM me if needed.

Thank you. I've found the list elsewhere, I just don't understand why they changed it to only show the top 100.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Thank you. I've found the list elsewhere, I just don't understand why they changed it to only show the top 100.

Glad to hear it! Someday I hope to have seen all 250, but as it stands now I'm not even half way there.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Thank you. I've found the list elsewhere, I just don't understand why they changed it to only show the top 100.

Clicks and page views. My city's newspaper runs a good portion of articles in slideshow format. Readers hate it.

[Wooden Lens]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Talking about big lists, here is the updated 2016 TSPDT top 1000 sortable list:

http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1...ilms_table.php

And the list of changes from previous year:

http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1000.htm

This is great! thanks!

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Talking about big lists, here is the updated 2016 TSPDT top 1000 sortable list:

http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1...ilms_table.php

And the list of changes from previous year:

http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1000.htm

Looking at that list these are my 3 biggest cinema sins

18-The Man with a Movie Camera
36-Ordet
56-Shoah

Hopefully I can watch them this year, but scrolling down there are more and more movies I haven't seen.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Looking at that list these are my 3 biggest cinema sins

18-The Man with a Movie Camera
36-Ordet
56-Shoah

Hopefully I can watch them this year, but scrolling down there are more and more movies I haven't seen.

Ordet is one of the most glorious cinematic experiences ever.
Dreyers best next to Joan of Arc.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by jmclick

I finally remembered the film in the Criterion Collection that I had to turn off without seeing it through to the end. It was the documentary short, Blood of the Beasts (1949), by Georges Franju, and it's one of the supplements on the Eyes Without a Face disc. I had heard it was disturbing, but I thought, "I can handle this. It wouldn't have been included on the disc unless it had some merit."

Well, meritorious or not, I just couldn't stomach it. It was filmed at a slaughterhouse in Paris, and about one or two minutes into the film, a man walked up to a horse to drive an implement into its head, and I had a visceral reaction that made my whole body weak. I've had a lot of experience with death and dying, via hospice work and veterinary euthanasia, but I can't handle murder, killing, torture or wholesale slaughter. And I don't apologize to anyone for knowing my own limits.

Ugh Thank god I didn't watch that sub for Eyes without a face. I can't handle animal cruelty. Speaking of how about the hottest director on earth movie, Amores Perros? The dog fighting seemed so real the damn DVD had behind the scenes sub just showing this isn't real folks.