The Criterion Collection

[Nuck Horris]

Predictions:

The Puppetmaster (1993)
Private Parts (1972)
A Pure Formality (1994)
Mephisto (1981)
The Mikogami Trilogy (1972-1973)
Sexmission (1984)
Arizona Dream (1993)

[ckt]

Originally Posted by Nuck Horris

Predictions:

The Puppetmaster (1993)
Private Parts (1972)
A Pure Formality (1994)
Mephisto (1981)
The Mikogami Trilogy (1972-1973)
Sexmission (1984)
Arizona Dream (1993)

I just looked up each of those unfamiliar-to-me movies. What?

[madmojo]

I keep hoping for Mamet's House of Games. I never bought the DVD and keep putting it off, sure that when I do buy it, they'll announce an upgrade. Alas, Criterion is doing the right thing and focusing on building the collection, not doing massive amounts of upgrades every month. Maybe waiting for a new restoration to be done?

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by poppunklovebaby

I think the DVD boxset of this trilogy is perfect. An upgrade is never needed.

Yeah, who cares about HD visuals, lossless audio and higher fidelity to the theatrical experience?

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by Nuck Horris

Predictions:

Private Parts (1972)

This could be cool. I wasn't completely taken by this film but I have a pretty rough copy of it on DVD. Definitely upper-tier 70s-trashy though and some weird stuff, would be nice to have a shiny blu-ray of it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Nuck Horris

Predictions:
Sexmission (1984)

Sir, the Vinegar Syndrome office is down the hall, second door from the left.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Sir, the Vinegar Syndrome office is down the hall, second door from the left.

The film "Sexmission" doesn't seem to involve any actual sex. I'll bet there's another movie called "Sex Mission" out there somewhere on VS's radar or maybe Code Red's.

[Jobla]

Well, Criterion did release Paul Bartel's EATING RAOUL, so perhaps PRIVATE PARTS (1972) is a possibility. That title (PP) is at the top of my want-list for Blu-ray.

[theater dreamer]

I was looking through Hitchcock's filmography about a week ago (before ordering Rope, Shadow of a Doubt, and Lifeboat), and saw that Criterion had The Lodger. I flipped, thinking that a blu-ray release had to be forthcoming. It's one of the films I most want. One of his best silent films, and it's from his British period. I wholeheartedly support Criterion's adding this, and more Hitchcock films, in general, to their blu-ray catalog. I have 12 of his movies on blu, and will be up to 18 when the Warner Archive and Criterion Flash sales hit.

You really never truly see the scale of the man's genius until you've immersed yourself in his work, and read the book he did with Truffaut. The man was a visionary, and it blows my mind that the "old guard" looked at Hitchcock as a lightweight early on; not the titan of film history he has always been. Reading the interview Mr. Truffaut did with him is one of the most enlightening things I've ever encountered. I see film differently. I catch things that I would have never seen. I'd cut off my left foot to get a hold of a first edition of it. And, then I'd buy a second, later printing, just to have out as a reference. I love my Kindle Paperwhite, but it's not good for looking at pictures, and Hitchcock/Truffaut is a veritable encyclopedia of scene analyzation. I now understand why Roger Ebert delighted in breaking down scenes in classic films (like Casablanca) one frame at a time. Two hours can go by so fast, and when you break down a scene, and think about the logistics of what's happening--the camera direction, the lighting, the acting and dialogue, the props, the music...watching a great Hitchcock film, like Rear Window, is like watching a hummingbird, and trying to truly appreciate its beauty. Criterion should get their hands on every Hitchcock film they can--anything that has not been released on blu-ray domestically...I would buy all of 'em.

As for other suggestions for the 15th:

The usual suspects, including The Asphalt Jungle, Libeled Lady (God, how I adore this movie, and Jean Harlow's performance), The Lady Eve (thank you, Michael, for the recommendation! Barbara has blown my socks off. The Bitter Tea of General Yen is next up!), The Little Foxes, The Philadelphia Story, Paper Moon, Gaslight, plus several films that need upgrading, like Le Samourai, Jeanne Dielman, Andrei Rublev, Hamlet...I could go on. The Magnificent Ambersons would be a great addition to the Criterion lineup, and give one of Orson Welles' greatest films a much needed upgrade. And, how about Anthony Harvey's masterpiece, The Lion in Winter? One of the silver screen's all-time greatest pairings. Kate Hepburn and Peter O'Toole are electric. How about some more Cary Grant? In addition to The Philadelphia Story, how about Bringing Up Baby, and Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday? How about some Clara Bow? Surely, some of her later films survive. Her legacy deserves some love in the high def age. Wings ain't enough.

I'd really like to see Criterion get more into the classic Hollywood list. Lots of Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Ingrid Bergman, and Greta Garbo just waiting to be grabbed up. One movie that intrigues me greatly is Hell's Angels, the $4 million (in 1929!) extravaganza starring Miss Harlow. To my knowledge, it has never received a blu-ray release, and I think it would attract a lot of buyers. So many people have no idea how good Jean Harlow really was. How about Red Dust? Harlow and Gable. That would be a feather in their cap.



Oh, and put me down for Bergman's The Faith Trilogy. Yes, please!

I'm not asking for too much, am I?

Originally Posted by MeMynonsense

Since we’re all letting our wishfulness run amok, I’d love some more Hitchcock. I might be clutching at straws here but 3/4 criterion Hitch blus have had winter releases and it’s been over 2 years since The Lodger became available via iTunes.

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by mja345

The film "Sexmission" doesn't seem to involve any actual sex. I'll bet there's another movie called "Sex Mission" out there somewhere on VS's radar or maybe Code Red's.

It's sex as in the "male sex" and the "female sex". I've seen it. It has a reputation as a good Polish comedy, but I thought it was painfully dated in its (gender) politics and generally nowhere near as funny as I was led to believe it would be. It has a couple of moments, but that's all. Part of me hopes that a lot was lost in translation.

I would be shocked if either VS or CC released this on blu.

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

saw that Criterion had The Lodger. I flipped, thinking that a blu-ray release had to be forthcoming. It's one of the films I most want. One of his best silent films, and it's from his British period.

I share your love for The Lodger (by far his best silent movie, imo) and was foolish enough to post that Hitch's original was better than the remake when Kino announced the release of John Brahms' 1944 version a few months ago.

But I have to say that "one of his best silent films, and it's from his British period" is a bit redundant; all his silent movies are from his British period.

[Meek12345]

If I could only have one new spine/title announced for this week, it would be A Matter of Life and Death by The Archers(Powell and Pressburger). It seems that most people here are expecting Tales of Hoffmann to be upgraded first because of the recent restoration though.

Also, maybe a miracle will happen and Studio Canal will sell the rights to Bob le Flambeur and Ran back to Criterion. I would also love for His Girl Friday or Ugetsu to be announced. I haven't seen The Before Trilogy yet, but so many members here love it that I hope it is a December title as well.

Also, I hope that Warner Archive or Criterion will release The Philadelphia Story soon. A lot of Bogart titles have been released this year. Hopefully, a bunch of Blu upgrades for Cary Grant films are around the corner.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by KubrickKurasawa

Finished Watching Chapters 14-20 ...In my opinion.....There will never be a greater war film than Ugetsu. It has the most powerful ending in Cinema....amazing classic Japanese soundtrack too! Inception, La Notte and 2001 ASO come amazingly close though as far as powerful endings....but this is....


My all time favorite film forever!! But still not on Blu-Ray or 4k BR LOL!! Unbelievable!! Just like this film!

Ok I'll let you guys ponder David Finch some more....

Mizoguchi is cinema's Shakespeare...

I'm counting the days til we get a Criterion Blu. Hopefully sometime soon as there is a new restoration that was made recently.

Also, out of all the directors whose work I've watched, you're right in that Mizoguchi is the most poetic. His floating camera and the classical Japanese music make his films feel like poetry where others don't.

[repulsed]

Originally Posted by Jobla

Well, Criterion did release Paul Bartel's EATING RAOUL, so perhaps PRIVATE PARTS (1972) is a possibility. That title (PP) is at the top of my want-list for Blu-ray.

Private Parts is good stuff!

[bwdowiak]

I picked up Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy yesterday. It’s quite strange that I haven’t seen these films before considering 1) I am of the opinion that Dekalog is jaw-droppingly good and 2) my wife warms up to modern art-house films more easily than she does with the French New Wave, for example.

I’ve told this story before here, but here goes again… I’m 100% Polish and had a friend who is like 150 % Polish. He was all about European art – house cinema and I was all about the boom in Spanish language cinema at around the turn of the century. I have actually sat through Blue, but I don’t remember a thing about it as my ignorance and friendly rivalry that I had w/ my old buddy ended up with me dismissing the film as insufferably depressing after one crucial, very early development in the film. If you’ve seen it, it should be obvious which one that is. So, I don’t remember a thing about the film beyond that.

So, after seeing some more of the Dekalog recently, my interest in seeing more Kieslowski piqued. I’d imagine that most of you can say the same things about your respective nationalities and your spouses, but I told my wife that it is pretty cool that hers (Indian) and my nationalities are represented by two directors who’d be in most people’s top 20 directors… maybe even top 10.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I picked up Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy yesterday. It’s quite strange that I haven’t seen these films before considering 1) I am of the opinion that Dekalog is jaw-droppingly good and 2) my wife warms up to modern art-house films more easily than she does with the French New Wave, for example.

I’ve told this story before here, but here goes again… I’m 100% Polish and had a friend who is like 150 % Polish. He was all about European art – house cinema and I was all about the boom in Spanish language cinema at around the turn of the century. I have actually sat through Blue, but I don’t remember a thing about it as my ignorance and friendly rivalry that I had w/ my old buddy ended up with me dismissing the film as insufferably depressing after one crucial, very early development in the film. If you’ve seen it, it should be obvious which one that is. So, I don’t remember a thing about the film beyond that.

So, after seeing some more of the Dekalog recently, my interest in seeing more Kieslowski piqued. I’d imagine that most of you can say the same things about your respective nationalities and your spouses, but I told my wife that it is pretty cool that hers (Indian) and my nationalities are represented by two directors who’d be in most people’s top 20 directors… maybe even top 10.

Is Blue the only film in the trilogy you've seen?
I'm interested to hear your take on White given your background. It may translate better to you than it did to me and my Kentucky roots. Nonetheless I enjoyed it...just not as much as Blue or Red.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Is Blue the only film in the trilogy you've seen?
I'm interested to hear your take on White given your background. It may translate better to you than it did to me and my Kentucky roots. Nonetheless I enjoyed it...just not as much as Blue or Red.

Yes, I've only seen Blue and I may as well say that I haven't seen it because I sat on the couch like a slug and just made sarcastic remarks throughout the film. ...and this was SO MANY years ago.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

How about Red Dust? Harlow and Gable. That would be a feather in their cap.

Would love to see this, but given the last MOD release the elements of the film probably require some restoration work.

I could see Tales of Hoffman coming. The UK Bluray looks wonderful.

Still keeping my fingers crossed for Red Beard an Ugetsu. Haven't seen anything on Le Samourai. I assumed we would have seen it back when Criterion was releasing more Melville.

I've been expecting The Lodger Criterion Blu since the restoration and UK release. Would be nice to see more Hitchcock releases.

[Scottie]

Janus Films
Page Liked · 52 mins ·

New restorations of Eric Rohmer's six moral tales come to Film Society of Lincoln Center this Friday! Tickets & info available here: http://bit.ly/2cOpR9J

[Brad1963]

https://www.criterion.com/films/2859...f-wooden-clogs

Not sure if it has been mentioned already, but The Tree of Wooden Clogs has been pushed back into Feb 2017.