The Criterion Collection

[Polaroid]

Pink Flamingos would be an AMAZING release! Criterion needs more of these sort of films ;D also an upgrade to Sweet Movie would be.. well, Sweeeeeet!

[ThisKid]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Does every store website have to implement some kind of system where it prohibits certain titles to be shipped to certain countries? seems a bit extreme.

No, not that I know of. I can still buy this, but you can never be too sure- If you are caught possessing a copy of the French film Baise-Moi, you may be fined $275,000, or can even face up to 10 years of imprisonment!

Here's the story with Pink Flamingos and the Australian Censorship Board. The film was initially banned back in 1976, and never went back to the Board until early 1984, when the X18+ rating was introduced. Back then, the X rating was virtually unlimited on terms of what can be shown, so films like this went back to the Board and received the X rating. It was released on VHS in 1985 with the X rating, complete and uncut. However, the following year, the X rating was then revised, and violence of any sort was now no longer permitted. This meant the Pink Flamingos was once again, banned. Cut to 1997, when the film was brought back to cinemas for its 25th Anniversary. When the film was brought back again, you guessed it, banned AGAIN! This time, Roadshow (who distributed the re-release over here), cut at least three scenes out

[Show spoiler](The masturbation scene, The Chicken's death during the sex scene, and The Fellatio Scene with the son)

, and then the film was then passed with an R18+ rating for Adult Themes; Sexual References. Ever since then, Pink Flamingos had never seen a home video release in Australia, aside from an uncut bootleg tape released back in 2000. Pink Flamingos has also been shown on Pay-Per-View three times back in 2014, when SBS (a local TV station), aired at as part of a Films that shocked the World series, and it has been reported to be uncut. Does this mean Pink Flamingos might finally be released on home video, complete and uncut for Aussie viewers? I hope so.

[tisdivine]

Pink Flamingos would be great but honestly anything with Divine would be day one for me. Kind of the reason for my username. I didn't choose it because I am saint lol

I agree 100% Purple Rain would be an amazing Criterion as well. The current blu isn't terrible but could be a whole lot better. Prince was defiantly the coolest person in the room.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by ThisKid

No, not that I know of. I can still buy this, but you can never be too sure- If you are caught possessing a copy of the French film Baise-Moi, you may be fined $275,000, or can even face up to 10 years of imprisonment!

Here's the story with Pink Flamingos and the Australian Censorship Board. The film was initially banned back in 1976, and never went back to the Board until early 1984, when the X18+ rating was introduced. Back then, the X rating was virtually unlimited on terms of what can be shown, so films like this went back to the Board and received the X rating. It was released on VHS in 1985 with the X rating, complete and uncut. However, the following year, the X rating was then revised, and violence of any sort was now no longer permitted. This meant the Pink Flamingos was once again, banned. Cut to 1997, when the film was brought back to cinemas for its 25th Anniversary. When the film was brought back again, you guessed it, banned AGAIN! This time, Roadshow (who distributed the re-release over here), cut at least three scenes out

[Show spoiler](The masturbation scene, The Chicken's death during the sex scene, and The Fellatio Scene with the son)

, and then the film was then passed with an R18+ rating for Adult Themes; Sexual References. Ever since then, Pink Flamingos had never seen a home video release in Australia, aside from an uncut bootleg tape released back in 2000. Pink Flamingos has also been shown on Pay-Per-View three times back in 2014, when SBS (a local TV station), aired at as part of a Films that shocked the World series, and it has been reported to be uncut. Does this mean Pink Flamingos might finally be released on home video, complete and uncut for Aussie viewers? I hope so.

Sounds like the days when Waters was fighting the Maryland Censorship Board to get the film shown. Back then you had to go into D.C. to see the film. Midnight showings!+Georgetown in the '70s!=Good times.

[JulesAndJim]

My Desert Island Top 10:

La Dolce Vita
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
The Seventh Seal
Last Year at Marienbad
Marketa Lazarova
A Safe Place
Charulata
Rashomon
Days of Heaven
Sweet Smell of Success

[Sifox211]

My Criterion Top Ten, a mix of DVDs and BDs since I can't leave out my #1 film - first in the list, the rest in no particular order:

1. A Canterbury Tale
2. Koyanisqatsi
3. 8½
4. Contempt
5. Three Colours: Red
6. Wild Strawberries (or would it be Fanny & Alexander?)
7. Il Sorpasso
8. Playtime
9. Life Aquatic
10. Claire's Knee
11. Life of Brian

Oops - eleven titles, sorry. Can't get it any shorter than that without leaving off a favourite director!

[ShellOilJunior]

I hope they release Pink Flamingos for the reason that another timely visit to BN will provide Ray with material for another riveting tale.

[The Great Owl]

I just placed an order on the Criterion website for In a Lonely Place and Bicycle Thieves.

I decided that In a Lonely Place is so important that I wanted to get it direct from Criterion to show them some love.

I added Bicycle Thieves to get in on the free shipping, since I'm not in a huge hurry to receive it.

[ThisKid]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

Sounds like the days when Waters was fighting the Maryland Censorship Board to get the film shown. Back then you had to go into D.C. to see the film. Midnight showings!+Georgetown in the '70s!=Good times.

Trust me, we have it MUCH worse than you guys! With the talking of the film Salò around here, I think I should show you the story of Salò and the Australian Censorship Board. In fact, it is so long that I'm going to share a link to a website called Refused Classification, who does a wonderfully detailed report of the process of getting Salò released here.
Here's Page 1-
http://www.refused-classification.co...om-1975-1.html
And Page 2!
http://www.refused-classification.co...om-1975-2.html
Trust me when I mean it, we have it MUCH worse than you guys!

[adamhopelies]

Waters' underrated later work would be my preferred Criterion pick-ups. Pecker seems long-forgotten now, but that film meant a great deal to me growing up. Cecil B. Demented is great too, and a fantastic film about film.

[bwdowiak]

Not exactly Criterion related, but small shout out and a heads up for those within reasonable proximity - The Ambler Theater in Ambler, PA, north of Philadelphia is a very cool classic movie theater. They program art house, classics, and foreign films.

I'm on business here, so I caught Mustang there last night. I don't think that eastern U.S. has a shortage of great places, but I was quite excited to find this place only 2 miles away from my hotel.

The film was pretty good, too!

[belcherman]

Pink Flamingos is the kind of movie everyone needs to see once. Just once. BTW, John Waters had a small role in Something Wild, so he's not new to the collection, even on blu.

[CriterionBlues]

I'm expecting Multiple Maniacs from Waters, but hopefully there's more on the way. I'd say bring it all. Old stuff, new stuff all fits.

Purple Rain would be an interesting title, but with the tabloid mess surrounding his passing, I imagine putting together new supplements would be troubling. Plus Prince was very private and didn't give access to a lot of people. If they were to do it, I think waiting a bit would be the best idea. That way they can give better context to his life and work.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Purple Rain would be an interesting title, but with the tabloid mess surrounding his passing,

Oh! I didn't know he died.
(i don't watch the news, and i don't have a TV, neither facebook currently where this should be something I could see mentioned there)

[bwdowiak]

Had the great pleasure of seeing Pickup on South Street via the MoC Blu-ray.

Great film! Thelma Ritter, who I wasn't even aware was in this film, really steals the show as the police informer - Heart breaking and entirely believable ...and I liked Widmark playing the "cannon" much more than I liked him in Night and the City as a low-life loser.

This was only my second Sam Fuller film (the other was House of Bamboo) and I really like his pulpy style. Will check out his CC Blu titles soon.

[The Great Owl]

RIP Guy Hamilton, director of Goldfinger.

Bond director Guy Hamilton dies aged 93

(Actually yesterday's news, just I just now found out.)

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

RIP Guy Hamilton, director of Goldfinger.

Bond director Guy Hamilton dies aged 93

Whoa, what?

[SlickDamian]

While none of these are Criterion titles, I have been on something of a film watching spree over the last couple of weeks. I have been determined to view all of the titles in my collection that I have not yet watched, particularly my film noirs. Over the course of this streak, I have watched the following Blu-ray discs:

The Maltese Falcon
Double Indemnity
Sunset Boulevard
Contact
A History of Violence
The Hateful Eight

A bit of an eclectic lineup, but it has been very enjoyable. Tonight I think I will watch Out of the Past, and tomorrow Ride the Pink Horse.

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by ThisKid

If you are caught possessing a copy of the French film Baise-Moi, you may be fined $275,000, or can even face up to 10 years of imprisonment!

Man, these liberal democracies are getting soft...

[ShellOilJunior]

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned that Polaroid now has 2 monthly announcements:

Around the 15th for US
Around the 25th for UK