The Criterion Collection

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by Lutz

But actually Alien 3 captures an extremely specific 90s aesthetic of industrial landscapes. This was everywhere at the time in music and interior design and it is a little 90s time capsule that captures the zeitgeist.

Sure, but but that aesthetic also started sometime in the 80's, but the lighting is definitely characteristic of that time, I'll give you that. I just don't feel it's definitive enough to stand as an example of anything. Each to their own.

Originally Posted by Lutz

With acting I think you are not giving enough credit or allowing for different definitions of acting outside 100% realism. When you say "but hilarious so he gets away with it" you are acknowledging that Paxton actually gave a great performance and further you are acknowledging that even if he may be a limited actor Cameron has actually cast him, written, directed, him in a way that suits the strengths of his abilities.

Not really. Paxton has been better in other films, and I like many different types of acting, that's why I prefer most of the classic Euro directors to almost any Hollywood director in the past or the present.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by callahan09

I still want to have a conversation about the fact that Criterion's official website contains no references or evidence of the existence of their laserdisc catalog. I found that to be very odd, and I have no idea why it is. It leads me to a follow-up line of thinking: if their own website doesn't acknowledge the laserdisc catalog, then are those films & directors really in the collection? Is Pink Flamingos a Criterion movie if it was only ever Criterion on laserdisc and their own website does not acknowledge that fact?

I imagine that given that LDs are "old technology", aren't being pressed and sold anymore, while DVDs (and BDs) still are, and they no longer have licenses for the vast bulk of titles they released on LD, they just do see the point in maintaining a list and discussion of them.

For the record, you can find captured LD pages from an earlier iteration of their website at the Internet Archive.

As for your final question, I'd say that "those films & directors [aren't] really in the collection" anymore. They used to be, but aren't now. I think there's value in pointing out titles that were released on LD that are long out of the Collection, but I can understand why Criterion doesn't bother anymore.

Doesn't mean I like it. Because I first got into Criterion early in their LD days, and collected their LD releases up until roundabout 10-12 years ago, I would love to see them maintain an historical section on their current site that catalogs their LDs. But again, I can understand why they might not want to bother.

[MeMynonsense]

Saw Clouzot’s terrific, early noir-procedural Quai des Orfevres.

Jenny Lamour (Suzy Delair) is an ambitious nightclub singer who’ll do practically anything to further her career prospects, from the occasional philandering with her loyal, lascivious club patrons to the odd promiscuous night-out with shady producers. She however is under constant patrol of her frumpy-looking, seemingly mild-mannered, possessive husband, Maurice (Bernard Blier) - who also happens to be the piano-accompanist.
A murder is committed and we subsequently witness both Jenny & Maurice grappling with guilt and betrayal while establishing alibis with the help of their mutual friend Dora (Simone Renant).

Unfortunately for them (and luckily for us), the investigation is presided over by the gruffy, irritable, veteran Detective-Lieutenant Antoine (Louis Jouvet), who’s repeatedly deprived a meal with his vacationing teenage son.
He’s a relentless inquisitor and has some of the best lines in the movie, like when he closes a round a questioning with a suspect by “Shake my left hand, it is nearer to my heart."

Clouzot’s follow-up to the infamous Le Corbeau is yet another gorgeous B+W tour de force featuring breathtaking chiaroscuro photography, which in addition to its snappy dialogue, cynical tone, misanthropic detectives and diabolical dames, only bolsters its noir footing.
The post-war Parisian atmospherics seamlessly complement the grim premise. Fuelled with rampant morbidity, where basic necessities like coal are hard to come by and where the townsfolk desperately seek escapism at the local music halls and theatres.

But it’s Clouzot’s dextrous handling of the subject matter that elevates it from basic genre affair. Some might crave a bleaker denouement or a pure whodunnit story but he is more interested in atmosphere and exploring these vulnerable characters in the face of moral dilemmas and challenging circumstances.

We need more Clouzot! We need more Clouzot! So, StudioCanal either upgrade or get off the pot!

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by callahan09

Why doesn't the criterion website seem to acknowledge the existence of their laserdisc catalog?

https://www.criterion.com/about_us

OUR MISSION

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Over the years, as we moved from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray disc, and online streaming, we’ve seen a lot of things change, but one thing has remained constant: our commitment to publishing the defining moments of cinema for a wider and wider audience. The foundation of the collection is the work of such masters of cinema as Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Buñuel, Powell and Pressburger. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. Every time we start work on a film, we track down the best available film elements in the world, use state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, then take time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Whenever possible, we work with directors and cinematographers to ensure that the look of our releases does justice to their intentions. Our supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director’s cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. To date, more than 150 filmmakers have made our library of Director Approved DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and laserdiscs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.

12. Will Criterion rerelease its laserdisc collection, or any older titles that have gone out of print, on DVD or Blu-ray?

We would love to be able to rerelease all our laserdisc titles; however, it isn’t always possible due to rights issues. We are continuously working on acquiring rights to films we want to include in the collection, including renewing rights for films we previously released on laserdisc, or for DVD titles that have gone out of print. Whether or not we can acquire those rights again, however, depends a lot on the rights holder, and each film is a different case.

https://www.criterion.com/help

[callahan09]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

https://www.criterion.com/about_us




https://www.criterion.com/help

Well really what I meant is that they don't actually have the catalog of laserdisc releases anywhere on the website. If you search "Pink Flamingos", you get no results. If you'd like details on any of their laserdisc releases, including something as rudimentary as whether one even existed, you can't find that info on their website.

They may acknowledge that there was a laserdisc catalog, but what I was saying is that there is no acknowledgement of the actual catalog (the details of it, the items in it, etc), not just simply that there was one but no mention of what it contained specifically.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by callahan09

Well really what I meant is that they don't actually have the catalog of laserdisc releases anywhere on the website. If you search "Pink Flamingos", you get no results. If you'd like details on any of their laserdisc releases, including something as rudimentary as whether one even existed, you can't find that info on their website.

They may acknowledge that there was a laserdisc catalog, but what I was saying is that there is no acknowledgement of the actual catalog (the details of it, the items in it, etc), not just simply that there was one but no mention of what it contained specifically.

I understood what you meant and agree. They should set up an archives section for their Laserdisc stuff.

[Polaroid]

Be nice if they acknowledged Criterion UK....

[joie]

There is a wikipedia entry with laserdisc titles.

Look for: List of Criterion Collection Laserdisc releases

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Be nice if they acknowledged Criterion UK....

http://criterioncollection.co.uk

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

http://criterioncollection.co.uk

[excalibunny]

A lot of whispering online about the Lana Del Rey set.
starting to feel more and more likely.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by excalibunny

A lot of whispering online about the Lana Del Rey set.
starting to feel more and more likely.

Why her though...? Yeah I adore her work but some better stuff out there, Massive Attack, Radiohead, anything from Chris Cunningham, Sia etc

[UltraMario9]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Why her though...? Yeah I adore her work but some better stuff out there, Massive Attack, Radiohead, anything from Chris Cunningham, Sia etc

A Radiohead collection would be fantastic, as well as a PTA music video collection. I know I'm in the minority here but I would personally love a Kanye West set

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm having similar thoughts as of recent. For me, though, it's not so much from an anti-consumerist attitude as much as it is due to the fact that I've got a rather daunting still-unwatched stack of Criterion Blu-rays at the moment. Every time I'm tempted to pull the trigger on blind-buy titles like Le Amiche, La Chienne, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, or The Immortal Story, I remember the still-untouched box sets of Jacques Demy, Jacques Tati, John Cassavetes, and David Lean films that are sitting in the next room.

I've also spread myself thin by becoming preoccupied with releases from Kino Lorber, Arrow, Code Red, Twilight Time, and others, so I've lately been limiting my Criterion attentions to familiar titles like Cat People and Blood Simple that I've seen before and that I know that I'll revisit on a frequent basis.

During this past Criterion sale at Barnes & Noble, I only picked up three titles.

I've been eyeing my collection recently and wondering about my propensity to hoard titles that intrigue me so that I'll have time to watch them in the event of my retirement, an unforeseen apocalypse, or something of the sort. That said, my initial promise to have an "all killer, no filler" Blu-ray collection has still not been broken, and I've quite enjoyed even my most risky blind buys.

I keep saying that I'm going to take a break for a few months and limit my purchases only to classic-era film noir titles while I catch up on still-unwatched stuff, but there's always some awesome announcement that compels me to forget about that resolution.
I have a feeling that more and more Blu-ray studios have sensed the mentality of folks like me, and that they are now releasing more and more limited edition titles to create buyer urgency due to the scarcity of the items, but I won't go down that rabbit hole any further in this discussion. After all, I'm the only one responsible for my purchase decisions.

Take a week of vacation, Owl, and watch those Demi, Tati, JC, and Lean sets. They are all excellent. Don't wait for retirement. You owe it to yourself.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

A Radiohead collection would be fantastic, as well as a PTA music video collection. I know I'm in the minority here but I would personally love a Kanye West set

I actually loved his Runaway video. But I am a sucker for dance. (not seen the full version only the music video)

[UltraMario9]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I actually loved his Runaway video. But I am a sucker for dance. (not seen the full version only the music video)

Glad you loved it. The full film is really great and incorporates the music from what I consider his best album, seamlessly.

It makes Lemonade look like sparkling water by comparison. Then again, I may be biased as I am unapologetically a huge fan of his work

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by UltraMario9

Glad you loved it. The full film is really great and incorporates the music from what I consider his best album, seamlessly.

It makes Lemonade look like sparkling water by comparison. Then again, I may be biased as I am unapologetically a huge fan of his work

I didn't like the song..... I liked the piano though!

[SammyJankis]

What a gem Only Angels Have Wings is. Carry Grant looking as suave as ever while displaying a kind of vulnerability that's rare for him, the stellar special effects (Mac's first landing in particular), and a set that manages to make sure light is peaking through every blind, always luminously backlighting Jean Arthur. Every character felt stuck in their rigid roles, both due to setting and the past, and were given the optional path to take in order to break free. Great stuff, and the final scene is a real pleasure.

Now I'm feel like going on a Jean Arthur binge.

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

What a gem Only Angels Have Wings is. Carry Grant looking as suave as ever while displaying a kind of vulnerability that's rare for him, the stellar special effects (Mac's first landing in particular), and a set that manages to make sure light is peaking through the shady blinds, always making sure Jean Arthur is luminously backlit. Every character felt stuck in their rigid roles, both due to setting and the past, and were given the optional path to take in order to break free. Great stuff, and the final scene is a real pleasure.

Now I'm feel like going on a Jean Arthur binge.

Agreed! The film was released in 1939 among all of the Gone With The Wind hoopla. Unfortunately, it got lost in the shuffle with many excellent films that came out that year.

[andyk69]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Why her though...? Yeah I adore her work but some better stuff out there, Massive Attack, Radiohead, anything from Chris Cunningham, Sia etc