The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Oh why make a choice? Why not just have a Coen Bros. Box Set?

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Whenever I watch Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona or The Big Lebowski, I get the feeling that I'm watching a movie that could only have been directed by the Coen brothers. It's like listening to the opening notes of a Jimi Hendrix song you've never heard before.

...you know immediately who it is.

I don't get that same feeling with Blood Simple.

I don't necessarily agree with you, but I get what you're saying. Blood Simple is a much rawer movie and doesn't have all the quirks and tics that scream "Coen Brothers". But it still has a lot of the little touches that pop up throughout their filmography. For example, the scene at the side of the road where he's struggling with the body as the headlights from a distant vehicle slowly approach is very reminiscent of a similar scene in Fargo.

[mrjohnnyb]

Gene Wilder has died.
83 years old.
A great actor.
R.I.P.

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/mel-bro...210200798.html

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Gene Wilder has died.
83 years old.
A great actor.
R.I.P.

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/mel-bro...210200798.html

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men."

Rest in peace, Gene Wilder.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by MeMynonsense

Watched LVT's Europa last night!

It begins with a hypnotic Max Von Sydow voice-over during which he eerily draws us into its surrealistic depths.
It tells the story of a naive, passive american who gets employed as a sleeper-car conductor in Kafkaesque, post-WWII Germany, and unsuspectingly becomes a pawn in the sordid schemes of industrial-sabotage, espionage and war-terrorism between the Allies, a group of Nazi sympathisers known as “werewolves” and the shady Zentropa Corporation - his employers.

Uber-stylistically lensed and incessantly nightmarish, Europa is a visual marvel. Extremely self-aware of its noirish- war-weary- Lynchian undertones and golden-hollywood influences LVT has loads of fun with rear projections, bizarre-transitions, super-imposed shots, gimmicky snow-falls and seamless switching of dialogues between german and english or of the mood between colour & luminous B+W.

The pessimistic off-kiltered tone was reminiscent of Alphaville and the appearance of Eddie Constantine as the unscrupulous Colonel Harris only confirmed my suspicions (but it however proved to be infinitely more satisfying than the Godard film).

Despite suffering from some murky noir-plotting and an overlong claustrophobic finale, Europa is a virtuoso demonstration of Von Trier’s technical wizardry, and has enough visual dynamism to separate it from conventional war-time thrillers.

It is a good film, but Von Trier didn't really come into his own until he left the 'cinephilic' stuff behind in the mid 90s.

[jw007]

In honor of Gene Wilder, I am posting this clip of him from The Frisco Kid, an incredibly entertaining film that was one of my favorites growing up as a kid. Here, you can see Gene showing so much emotion without speaking a word! He was one of the greatest comedic actors of our era, and his films with Richard Pryor will remain legendary too.

Enjoy!

The Frisco Kid (1979) - YouTube

[jedidarrick]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Oh why make a choice? Why not just have a Coen Bros. Box Set?

I second this!

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

It is a good film, but Von Trier didn't really come into his own until he left the 'cinephilic' stuff behind in the mid 90s.

Speaking of Von Trier ...

I'm assuming some of these are rights issues. Not that I would know, but that's what I'm assuming. But I would really like to see these Lars titles in the collection:

Manderlay -- As far as I know, there is no release for this in any region.

Dogville -- I adore this movie, and it has the same problem as above.

Dancer in the Dark -- Talk about powerful. And I don't think there's a release for this one either.

Melancholia -- This one isn't that important really, as the present Magnolia Pictures release is about as solid as it could be.

A collection of the first three, however, in a box would be sorta neat. But as I said, I have no idea what the issues are.

[theater dreamer]

Damn. I can't believe I just saw this an hour ago.

Gene Wilder was classy, graceful and possessed inimitable comedic genius. It goes without saying that he's provided me countless hours of joy, and laughter. The first film I ever saw of his, and loved as a kid, was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Later, when I grew up, and could appreciate Mel Brooks' biting humor, it was Blazing Saddles, and, my favorite, Young Frankenstein. I long ago lost track of how many times I've watched those two films.

He will be sorely missed. The only solace I can find in this moment is that he's with his beloved Gilda again. And, I can't help but think that right now, at that great comedy club in the sky, Gene, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn and Peter Boyle and knocking them over with laughter. Standing room only, I'm sure. As it should be.

God's speed, Gene. Or, should I say, "Good day, sir!" Oh, and "Blucher!!"

Quite possibly the most I have ever laughed watching a movie...happened during this scene.
I still guffaw when watching it. Boyle + Wilder were comedy gold. This one's for you, Gene.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMvAtmdanUQ

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Gene Wilder has died.
83 years old.
A great actor.
R.I.P.

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/mel-bro...210200798.html

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Speaking of Von Trier ...

I'm assuming some of these are rights issues. Not that I would know, but that's what I'm assuming. But I would really like to see these Lars titles in the collection:

Manderlay -- As far as I know, there is no release for this in any region.

Dogville -- I adore this movie, and it has the same problem as above.

Dancer in the Dark -- Talk about powerful. And I don't think there's a release for this one either.

Melancholia -- This one isn't that important really, as the present Magnolia Pictures release is about as solid as it could be.

A collection of the first three, however, in a box would be sorta neat. But as I said, I have no idea what the issues are.

And no release of Medea.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

And no release of Medea.

True. But I've never seen that one -- which come to think of it, should make me want a release even more. It's one of those holes in my Von Trier adventure that I really need to fill.

PS: Some quick research -- since I wasn't really familiar with the film -- says that it's based on a screenplay by Dreyer. And apparently, Lars filmed it largely, or at least in part, in the style of Dreyer. Now I REALLY need to see this!

[malakaheso]

^^Don't get your hopes up. Dreyer struggled to secure funding for Medea. Like Bresson, he was a director's director, especially during the last phase of his career.. His films didn't really make money.

[repulsed]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Speaking of Von Trier ...

I'm assuming some of these are rights issues. Not that I would know, but that's what I'm assuming. But I would really like to see these Lars titles in the collection:

Manderlay -- As far as I know, there is no release for this in any region.

Dogville -- I adore this movie, and it has the same problem as above.

Dancer in the Dark -- Talk about powerful. And I don't think there's a release for this one either.

Melancholia -- This one isn't that important really, as the present Magnolia Pictures release is about as solid as it could be.

A collection of the first three, however, in a box would be sorta neat. But as I said, I have no idea what the issues are.

i want Dancer in the Dark in the collection so bad. I'd welcome Dogville also. I've seen Melancholia but need to revisit and need to see the rest of those as well as Europa. almost bought it a couple of the last sales but I'm trying to buy as few of the dvds as I can.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

True. But I've never seen that one -- which come to think of it, should make me want a release even more. It's one of those holes in my Von Trier adventure that I really need to fill.

PS: Some quick research -- since I wasn't really familiar with the film -- says that it's based on a screenplay by Dreyer. And apparently, Lars filmed it largely, or at least in part, in the style of Dreyer. Now I REALLY need to see this!

Scenes from MEDEA by Lars von Trier (1988) - YouTube

It has some stunning imagery - can reeealllllly tell he loves Tarkovsky's films lol

I guess this could be released as a second film on a main release, like with Dancer or Dogville?

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

^^Don't get your hopes up. Dreyer struggled to secure funding for Medea. Like Bresson, he was a director's director, especially during the last phase of his career.. His films didn't really make money.

OTOH, Malick's films don't make money either. And I love them.

[Polaroid]

Lars is pretty smart tbh - he just gets funding from his disruption company, doesn't have to worry then, can just make what he wants.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

[Show spoiler]Scenes from MEDEA by Lars von Trier (1988) - YouTube

It has some stunning imagery - can reeealllllly tell he loves Tarkovsky's films lol

I guess this could be released as a second film on a main release, like with Dancer or Dogville?

Yeah, you can definitely see the Tarkovsky influence in there.

After watching that, and after reading up some more on it tonight I definitely want to see it. It looks and sounds fascinating. Now, who the heck knows what the final product is really like? But I definitely want to find out for myself.

[theater dreamer]

Maria Falconett's transcendent performance in The Passion of Joan of Arc left me utterly speechless.

"Dialogue should simply be a sound among other sounds, just something that comes out of the mouths of people whose eyes tell the story in visual terms."

--Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock/Truffaut

Succinctly put, Carl Theodore Dreyer's magnificent The Passion of Joan of Arc made for one of the most powerful cinematic presentations I've ever witnessed. I've seen my fair share of silent films over the years, to my recollection, all of them with an accompanying musical score. This was something entirely different. As I was watching Criterion's DVD release stream via Hulu, the entire film was seemingly cloaked in reverential silence, and I cannot, in retrospect, imagine how the experience could be improved upon. Without a single spoken word, or audible cue, you are left utterly alone with your thoughts, contemplating the morality, or lack thereof, of those empowered by the church to be spiritual leaders, all while simultaneously marveling at the courageous piety displayed by this young woman.

There are two salient points I've come away with upon completion of this work: one, Dreyer, as a director, was clearly ahead of his time. And Maria Falconetti's otherworldly turn in the titular role, widely regarded as one of, if not the finest performances in film history, is richly-deserved. In her second, and final, film appearance, she has left a veritable blueprint for future generations of dramatic actors to study, and draw inspiration from. By the end of the film, as she was being carried to the stake where her body would be consumed by fire, I was in tears. So much of this film echoes the Passion of Christ: English-sympathizing French soldiers openly mocking her as she provides her testimony before her judges. The crown upon her head. Threats of torture in order to procure her "confession". Though the script is derived from the actual account of her trial and execution, these parallels to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ are clearly stylistic choices. And they're utterly effective. Once again, the viewer is reminded of the atrocities that have been committed throughout history, in the name of God.

These mostly contemptible men are wonderfully rendered by Dreyer and cinematographer Rudolph Maté; they are disturbing to look at, almost feral in appearance; their faces, twisted by time, their gross imperfections further exaggerated by the harshest of lighting, variations in camera angle, and a complete lack of makeup. Their effrontery is all the more appalling because they are the visual embodiment of self-righteous evil in the guise of pious men. When Joan refuses to acquiesce to their demands, they set about tricking her, falsifying a document from France's King Charles. When probed about the genesis of her actions, she answers that she was born to drive all the English from France, and her mission comes directly from God.

"The silent pictures were the purest form of cinema."
--Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock/Truffaut

The rules of cinematography that we've come to expect from modern film making are largely absent; there is no real spatial frame of reference; these men, as they rise up in objection to Joan's words, shot from below to loom with an air of intimidation, appear to confront the terrified girl nearly face to face. They spit on her, poke and prod her, and ultimately, wear her down. Conversely, Jeanne d'Arc is shot with soft light. While Falconetti's face is also entirely lacking makeup, it is her eyes that provide the narrative's emotional anchor, and her physical performance is nothing short of riveting. Dreyer discovered Maria Falconetti working in amateur theater; he was not immediately impressed with her first performance. But, instinct compelled him to see her again, and, in Falconetti, he found his muse. Often shot from above, the lighting seemed to illuminate a deep reservoir of feeling within the actress; her eyes convey terror, sadness, and yet, and an intractable resolve that is easily understandable, regardless of the viewer's native tongue. Title cards are, at times, completely unnecessary. The viewer need not know what is being asked of her; Falconetti's emotional response speaks to the core of the interrogation, and seeing her float effortlessly between one extreme to another makes for a joyful viewing experience. I was absolutely transfixed.

Watching Joan's ordeal is, of course, uncomfortable. As I have opined so many times in the past, film is often at its most compelling as a medium when it makes the viewer recoil, and yet think. We know the inevitable outcome of these proceedings before the first frame of film illuminates the screen. The providence afforded to The Maid of Orléans is known to people around the world, her legend spreading well beyond the borders of her native France. When Joan is brought to the torture room, she is still. Quiet. Falconetti is almost ethereal in appearance, while her accusers are wildly animated, seemingly overflowing with some form of blood lust. Then, there is this wonderful quickening of tempo, as the camera switches from Joan's face to the spinning torture wheel. As the wheel accelerates, Joan's increased terror is palpable. And, though it seems as if the whole exercise was mere theater for the public, her ultimate fate preordained, even with knowledge that Joan cannot escape, there is a moment of fleeting hope where she signs her confession, momentarily escaping death. But as she faces the realization of what, exactly, she has done, she compels the man charged with preparing her for imprisonment to bring the judges back to her. She recants her confession, and is immediately accused of being an instrument of Satan. Yet, there is a wild twist. Though she has been recently subjected to a bloodletting, Joan regains her strength, reaffirms her love for God, and accuses her judges as being the true instruments of evil, tormentors there for the sole purpose of testing her faith. This seals her fate.

This film immediately jumps to the top of my "must upgrade" list for Criterion. Eureka commissioned a second restoration of the film for their blu-ray release, so it's just a matter of Criterion acquiring the master for distribution. As for those of you who have not yet seen this film, there's still time to watch it on Hulu. I assume that it will remain as part of the streaming catalog available on FilmStruck starting here in the fall, but I do not know if it will be a permanent fixture, or one of the films that floats in and out of availability. While the DVD version does exhibit some residual damage from the nitrate print found in 1981, it's still a massive improvement over the previously-known examples. It's a beautiful film to watch. Do not delay in seeing this. The Passion of Joan of Arc represents the pinnacle of film making.

[mzupeman]

Anyone pick up the Chimes at Midnight release yet?

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Maria Falconett's transcendent performance in The Passion of Joan of Arc left me utterly speechless.



Succinctly put, Carl Theodore Dreyer's magnificent The Passion of Joan of Arc made for one of the most powerful cinematic presentations I've ever witnessed. I've seen my fair share of silent films over the years, to my recollection, all of them with an accompanying musical score. This was something entirely different. As I was watching Criterion's DVD release stream via Hulu, the entire film was seemingly cloaked in reverential silence, and I cannot, in retrospect, imagine how the experience could be improved upon. Without a single spoken word, or audible cue, you are left utterly alone with your thoughts, contemplating the morality, or lack thereof, of those empowered by the church to be spiritual leaders, all while simultaneously marveling at the courageous piety displayed by this young woman.

There are two salient points I've come away with upon completion of this work: one, Dreyer, as a director, was clearly ahead of his time. And Maria Falconetti's otherworldly turn in the titular role, widely regarded as one of, if not the finest performances in film history, is richly-deserved. In her second, and final, film appearance, she has left a veritable blueprint for future generations of dramatic actors to study, and draw inspiration from. By the end of the film, as she was being carried to the stake where her body would be consumed by fire, I was in tears. So much of this film echoes the Passion of Christ: English-sympathizing French soldiers openly mocking her as she provides her testimony before her judges. The crown upon her head. Threats of torture in order to procure her "confession". Though the script is derived from the actual account of her trial and execution, these parallels to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ are clearly stylistic choices. And they're utterly effective. Once again, the viewer is reminded of the atrocities that have been committed throughout history, in the name of God.

These mostly contemptible men are wonderfully rendered by Dreyer and cinematographer Rudolph Maté; they are disturbing to look at, almost feral in appearance; their faces, twisted by time, their gross imperfections further exaggerated by the harshest of lighting, variations in camera angle, and a complete lack of makeup. Their effrontery is all the more appalling because they are the visual embodiment of self-righteous evil in the guise of pious men. When Joan refuses to acquiesce to their demands, they set about tricking her, falsifying a document from France's King Charles. When probed about the genesis of her actions, she answers that she was born to drive all the English from France, and her mission comes directly from God.



The rules of cinematography that we've come to expect from modern film making are largely absent; there is no real spatial frame of reference; these men, as they rise up in objection to Joan's words, shot from below to loom with an air of intimidation, appear to confront the terrified girl nearly face to face. They spit on her, poke and prod her, and ultimately, wear her down. Conversely, Jeanne d'Arc is shot with soft light. While Falconetti's face is also entirely lacking makeup, it is her eyes that provide the narrative's emotional anchor, and her physical performance is nothing short of riveting. Dreyer discovered Maria Falconetti working in amateur theater; he was not immediately impressed with her first performance. But, instinct compelled him to see her again, and, in Falconetti, he found his muse. Often shot from above, the lighting seemed to illuminate a deep reservoir of feeling within the actress; her eyes convey terror, sadness, and yet, and an intractable resolve that is easily understandable, regardless of the viewer's native tongue. Title cards are, at times, completely unnecessary. The viewer need not know what is being asked of her; Falconetti's emotional response speaks to the core of the interrogation, and seeing her float effortlessly between one extreme to another makes for a joyful viewing experience. I was absolutely transfixed.

Watching Joan's ordeal is, of course, uncomfortable. As I have opined so many times in the past, film is often at its most compelling as a medium when it makes the viewer recoil, and yet think. We know the inevitable outcome of these proceedings before the first frame of film illuminates the screen. The providence afforded to The Maid of Orléans is known to people around the world, her legend spreading well beyond the borders of her native France. When Joan is brought to the torture room, she is still. Quiet. Falconetti is almost ethereal in appearance, while her accusers are wildly animated, seemingly overflowing with some form of blood lust. Then, there is this wonderful quickening of tempo, as the camera switches from Joan's face to the spinning torture wheel. As the wheel accelerates, Joan's increased terror is palpable. And, though it seems as if the whole exercise was mere theater for the public, her ultimate fate preordained, even with knowledge that Joan cannot escape, there is a moment of fleeting hope where she signs her confession, momentarily escaping death. But as she faces the realization of what, exactly, she has done, she compels the man charged with preparing her for imprisonment to bring the judges back to her. She recants her confession, and is immediately accused of being an instrument of Satan. Yet, there is a wild twist. Though she has been recently subjected to a bloodletting, Joan regains her strength, reaffirms her love for God, and accuses her judges as being the true instruments of evil, tormentors there for the sole purpose of testing her faith. This seals her fate.

This film immediately jumps to the top of my "must upgrade" list for Criterion. Eureka commissioned a second restoration of the film for their blu-ray release, so it's just a matter of Criterion acquiring the master for distribution. As for those of you who have not yet seen this film, there's still time to watch it on Hulu. I assume that it will remain as part of the streaming catalog available on FilmStruck starting here in the fall, but I do not know if it will be a permanent fixture, or one of the films that floats in and out of availability. While the DVD version does exhibit some residual damage from the nitrate print found in 1981, it's still a massive improvement over the previously-known examples. It's a beautiful film to watch. Do not delay in seeing this. The Passion of Joan of Arc represents the pinnacle of film making.

Couldn't agree more: great review. Unforgettable movie and performance by Falconetti, who never acted again, and died very young. Her life would make a great film as a matter of fact. All of Dreyer's films are unimpeachably excellent, but this might be his best.