The Criterion Collection

[ShellOilJunior]

Dr. Strangelove
Koker Trilogy
Lone Wolf and Cub
Tales of Hoffman
The New World

This could be a sign:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BC8Kwe7S...rioncollection

[The Great Owl]

Last night, I watched two more films from the Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman set...

Samaritan Zatoichi

After being tricked into killing a man for a yakuza money debt, Zatoichi is tasked with protecting the man's sister from the clan boss. (One lesson that I've learned from the Zatoichi films is that clan bosses suck...every damn one of them.) This particular film in the series breaks a few rules, the least of which being that the title doesn't begin with the word, "Zatoichi." The title character is shown cheating with loaded dice, he is blatantly introduced as a yakuza gang member, and he gets hurt more than usual. The ending comes around quite nicely, though, with a rather astounding sword battle with the final foe.

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo

Toshiro Mifune plays a similar, but not identical, role to the ones that he played in Yojimbo and Sanjuro, as a samurai bodyguard who is secretly playing two gang sides against each other. Zatoichi crosses paths with Mifune's character, Sassa, when he revisits a pleasant village from his past only to discover that wars between an elderly clan boss and the boss's son have turned the community upside down. I loved the interactions between Katsu's humbly reserved Zatoichi and Mifune's loudly boisterous Sassa, but the downside is that these scenes are fewer and far between than they should be in what turns out to the the longest film of the series to date, at 116 minutes and change. All in all, though, this is one of the most fun Zatoichi films (and they're all fun in their own ways), and the higher budget of this movie is apparent early on. Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo has a few curveballs up its sleeve, some of which come into play when a third samurai, who uncannily reminded me of Neil Gaiman's Sandman, enters the scene. The movie plays out like a slightly more elaborate version of Kurosawa's Yojimbo, and I appreciated how it keeps us guessing until the end about whether the title characters are friends or foes.

I meant to watch yet another film, Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival, late last night, but the sleep monster got me a few minutes in, so I turned off the disc so that I can return to it this evening.

[Nuck Horris]

Looks like Criterion owns Ronin Gai: http://www.hulu.com/watch/449565

The old DVD is oop. I wonder what else they'll release from Home Vision....

[ShellOilJunior]

Looks like Criterion has updated the bonus features on The Player:

old:

New interviews with Tolkin and production designer Stephen Altman

new:

New interviews with Tolkin, actor Tim Robbins, associate producer David Levy, and production designer Stephen Altman

[The Great Owl]

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the album, KISS - Destroyer.

I'm oddly compelled to shake the dust off of my Criterion Blu-ray of Dazed and Confused. The Destroyer songs are not featured prominently on the soundtrack, but I know that, on the last day of school in 1976, they were all listening to it.

[InTheMood]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the album, KISS - Destroyer.

I'm oddly compelled to shake the dust off of my Criterion Blu-ray of Dazed and Confused. The Destroyer songs are not featured prominently on the soundtrack, but I know that, on the last day of school in 1976, they were all listening to it.

A classic.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

As to what I'm hoping for tomorrow, any one of these would make me grin like Danny DeVito in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest:

Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
Andrei Rublev
The Human Condition
Ran
The Virgin Spring
Hamlet
The Asphalt Jungle
Vampyr, or Ordet

if Criterion were to release Greenaway's Prospero's Books my head would explode.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the album, KISS - Destroyer.

I'm oddly compelled to shake the dust off of my Criterion Blu-ray of Dazed and Confused. The Destroyer songs are not featured prominently on the soundtrack, but I know that, on the last day of school in 1976, they were all listening to it.

I can personally confirm this to be true. KISS Destroyer was joined in regular video arcade, teen hangout, and radio play in the summer of 76 by Heart's Dreamboat Annie, Aerosmith's Rocks, Doobie Brothers' Takin' It to the Streets, and since this was deep in the heart of Texas, Waylon Jennings had a very good year also. This is only a sampling.....1976 saw a lot of great music come out in rock and soul and outlaw country.

But the biggest album sensation that year was Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive. Hits from that album played in the background for every teen like multiple theme songs to a perfect Bicentennial summer. Frampton Comes Alive 40th was in January. I recall a couple of years ago when Criterion announced a Frampton release I was doing backflips until I learned it was for Hollis and not Peter.

Thanks for reviving some awesome memories....and for making me feel old.

[RickDee]

Originally Posted by oildude

I can personally confirm this to be true. KISS Destroyer was joined in regular video arcade, teen hangout, and radio play in the summer of 76 by Heart's Dreamboat Annie, Aerosmith's Rocks, Doobie Brothers' Takin' It to the Streets, and since this was deep in the heart of Texas, Waylon Jennings had a very good year also. This is only a sampling.....1976 saw a lot of great music come out in rock and soul and outlaw country.

But the biggest album sensation that year was Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive. Hits from that album played in the background for every teen like multiple theme songs to a perfect Bicentennial summer. Frampton Comes Alive 40th was in January. I recall a couple of years ago when Criterion announced a Frampton release I was doing backflips until I learned it was for Hollis and not Peter.

Thanks for reviving some awesome memories....and for making me feel old.

Was in 6th grade that year...what a great year! Elton John at Dodger stadium was priceless.

Edit* Oh wait that was late 75...oh well the years run together when you get this old. Only songs bigger than Frampton that year were Don't Go Breaking My Heart and Silly Love Songs/Let Em In.

[Akijama]

The phantom pages for Antonioni's Le Amiche are up.

[Polaroid]

Ahhh I better start refreshing now for a few hours and then get disappointed and depressed when they get moved to next week or something. Gotta love Criterion announcements, makes you feel at least all of the following: Joy, Anxiety, Grief, Depression, Misery, Excitement, Disappointment, Regret, Happiness, Euphoria.

-

No New World phantom pages yet :'(

[Page14]

Originally Posted by oildude

[Show spoiler]I can personally confirm this to be true. KISS Destroyer was joined in regular video arcade, teen hangout, and radio play in the summer of 76 by Heart's Dreamboat Annie, Aerosmith's Rocks, Doobie Brothers' Takin' It to the Streets, and since this was deep in the heart of Texas, Waylon Jennings had a very good year also. This is only a sampling.....1976 saw a lot of great music come out in rock and soul and outlaw country.

But the biggest album sensation that year was Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive. Hits from that album played in the background for every teen like multiple theme songs to a perfect Bicentennial summer. Frampton Comes Alive 40th was in January. I recall a couple of years ago when Criterion announced a Frampton release I was doing backflips until I learned it was for Hollis and not Peter.

Thanks for reviving some awesome memories....and for making me feel old.

... and I'd like to add, thanks for making me feel "young". I was 21 at the time, and fondly remember those days and that music. (You couldn't get away from Frampton at that time, at least not where I lived).

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by oildude

I can personally confirm this to be true. KISS Destroyer was joined in regular video arcade, teen hangout, and radio play in the summer of 76 by Heart's Dreamboat Annie, Aerosmith's Rocks, Doobie Brothers' Takin' It to the Streets, and since this was deep in the heart of Texas, Waylon Jennings had a very good year also. This is only a sampling.....1976 saw a lot of great music come out in rock and soul and outlaw country.

But the biggest album sensation that year was Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive. Hits from that album played in the background for every teen like multiple theme songs to a perfect Bicentennial summer. Frampton Comes Alive 40th was in January. I recall a couple of years ago when Criterion announced a Frampton release I was doing backflips until I learned it was for Hollis and not Peter.

Thanks for reviving some awesome memories....and for making me feel old.

Originally Posted by Page14

... and I'd like to add, thanks for making me feel "young". I was 21 at the time, and fondly remember those days and that music. (You couldn't get away from Frampton at that time, at least not where I lived).

Frampton Comes Alive was the highest selling album (multi million seller) up to that point and almost single handedly made the music industry what it is today. People realized you could make money in the industry because of the album.

[Meek12345]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Last night, I watched two more films from the Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman set...

I meant to watch yet another film, Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival, late last night, but the sleep monster got me a few minutes in, so I turned off the disc so that I can return to it this evening.

You are in for a real treat with Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival. I think it is probably my favorite film in this box set. The main antagonist is blind, so he provides an interesting foil for Zatoichi. Tatsuya Nakadai has a supporting role similar to his character in The Sword of Doom. Peter, the jester in Kurosawa's Ran, has an interesting supporting role as well. The fight scenes are absolutely spectacular. Well, I have probably said enough. I hope you will enjoy the film and that the sleep monster doesn't come for you too soon tonight.

I look forward to another Zatoichi review from you soon. I would also be interested in knowing what your top 5 films in the box set are once you finish it. Mine are:

Zatoichi the Fugitive
Fight, Zatoichi, Fight
Zatoichi's Cane Sword
Zatoichi Challenged
Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival

[Akijama]

They also added the pages for Renoir's La Chienne.

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by Akijama

They also added the pages for Renoir's La Chienne.

Anything by Renoir is an automatic purchase from me, although I haven't seen this one.

[ShellOilJunior]

Looks like they're up already. Back door links.

#817 Le Amiche
#818 La Chienne
#819 The Wizard
#820 Suburban Commando
#821 Salute Your Shorts: The Complete Show

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Looks like they're up already. Back door links.

#817 Le Amiche
#818 La Chienne
#819 The Wizard
#820 Suburban Commando
#821 Salute Your Shorts: The Complete Show

I'd buy that last one. Serious.

[Akijama]

Oh, Fantastic Planet is coming, according to the phantom pages.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Looks like they're up already. Back door links.

#817 Le Amiche
#818 La Chienne
#819 The Wizard
#820 Suburban Commando
#821 Salute Your Shorts: The Complete Show

I'm hearing it's a Hogan box set. Suburban Commando/Mr. Nanny/No Holds Barred. Loaded with special features. New 4K remasters.