The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by iScottie

You can't purchase Taipei Story separately FYI.

Oh oops.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Not sure if brought up before but weird WCP is Dual Format....

I assume they feel the set will not sell enough to justify separate DVD and Blu-ray editions.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Not sure if brought up before but weird WCP is Dual Format....

Hadn't noticed, that is weird, but I guess it is consistent with last release, maybe they don't plan selling a ton of those or for some reason it makes financial sense.

Also first time I see 3K restoration mentioned.

[Fabs]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

I had a feeling that Taipei Story was not going to be released as a standalone. The reality is that Yang just isn't popular enough, and A Brighter Summer's Day probably wasn't a great seller for Criterion.

Having said that, the versions of Tapei Story I found on the internet years ago were completely terrible, so fans should be grateful that whatever we end up getting will be a substantial improvement.

Amazing month. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was going to get more than one title. But this is the only thing that dampens the announcements. I was at least hoping the Yang would be an individual release.

And you are most likely right on the whole Yang issue. Sad if true. This might be the last time we see a Yang film. It brings back memories of a certain Japanese director who was last seen on DVD 6 years ago and never heard from again.

[qw0aszx]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Also first time I see 3K restoration mentioned.

Mysterious Object at Noon was scanned and restored in 3K, they used the best surviving 35mm internegative which was blown up from the original 16mm film because the original 16mm negative is no longer exists.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Amazing month. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was going to get more than one title. But this is the only thing that dampens the announcements. I was at least hoping the Yang would be an individual release.

And you are most likely right on the whole Yang issue. Sad if true. This might be the last time we see a Yang film. It brings back memories of a certain Japanese director who was last seen on DVD 6 years ago and never heard from again.

Sadly I've long ago accepted that I'll need to depend on less than legit sources to collect the work of that particular Japanese director.

[milo bloom]

Originally Posted by Fabs

Amazing month. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was going to get more than one title. But this is the only thing that dampens the announcements. I was at least hoping the Yang would be an individual release.

And you are most likely right on the whole Yang issue. Sad if true. This might be the last time we see a Yang film. It brings back memories of a certain Japanese director who was last seen on DVD 6 years ago and never heard from again.

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Sadly I've long ago accepted that I'll need to depend on less than legit sources to collect the work of that particular Japanese director.

Are ya'll not allowed to say who that Japanese director is? I'd like to see if it's something I need to be looking for.


----------------

As for the new titles, looks like Othello and Good Morning for me.

[MifuneFan]

I'd guess Naruse.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I'd guess Naruse.

Speaking of, a buddy of mine wrote a pretty comprehensive series of notes on Naruse films, many he told me were very very very difficult to come across.

https://mikionaruse.wordpress.com

[omgkitty]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I'd guess Naruse.

The only film that fits the criteria of the hint is Jigoku. DVD was released in 2010 with no other films released from the director. Not really sure why all the secrecy. If your complaint is the lack of interest in a directors work, the last thing I would do is keep the name to myself.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by omgkitty

The only film that fits the criteria of the hint is Jigoku. DVD was released in 2010 with no other films released from the director. Not really sure why all the secrecy. If your complaint is the lack of interest in a directors work, the last thing I would do is keep the name to myself.

I said Naruse because he's a director that's fairly well known among fans of Japanese cinema, but still under the radar in general, and many people (including myself) wish more of his films would get released. The last release from Criterion was an eclipse set called "Silent Naruse" from 2011, which fits the 6 years part of The Debts statement.

[omgkitty]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I said Naruse because he's a director that's fairly well known among fans of Japanese cinema, but still under the radar in general, and many people (including myself) wish more of his films would get released. The last release from Criterion was an eclipse set called "Silent Naruse" from 2011, which fits the 6 years part of The Debts statement.

Ah I didn't even think of Eclipse, and yes, Naruse makes more sense, especially given his status overall. Still doesn't make sense why they wouldn't just say who they were referencing.

[shadedpain4]

Sorry, yes, Naruse. I wasn't being intentionally secretive, I just knew exactly who Fabs was referring to.

Aside From Criterion's output (one dvd and one eclipse set) and the BFI/MOC sets (both oop), there are no other officially released English friendly Naruse films out there.

[Scottie]

Wasn't there a rumor circulating about a Blu-ray release of Floating Clouds?

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Wasn't there a rumor circulating about a Blu-ray release of Floating Clouds?

That might of just been my hopes and dreams manifesting themselves in the real world.

Or maybe it's happening. I dunno.

[bwdowiak]

can anyone describe what it is they like about Jeanne Dielman? It is a film I have heard of, but never really looked into what it is about until today. so this morning, I read just enough today to get an idea...

so, it's like Gus Van Sant's Elephant stylistically? I found that and a couple other GVS films he did around the same time were worth a look.

I find it interesting, though, that a film well over 2 hours documenting a woman at home doing nothing of consequence has garnered such excitement from some.

again, I haven't seen it.. and I think I'd like to, so don't take my question as passing an opinion on something that I know little about. I'm just curious.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

can anyone describe what it is they like about Jeanne Dielman? It is a film I have heard of, but never really looked into what it is about until today. so this morning, I read just enough today to get an idea...

so, it's like Gus Van Sant's Elephant stylistically? I found that and a couple other GVS films he did around the same time were worth a look.

I find it interesting, though, that a film well over 2 hours documenting a woman at home doing nothing of consequence has garnered such excitement from some.

again, I haven't seen it.. and I think I'd like to, so don't take my question as passing an opinion on something that I know little about. I'm just curious.

I know this is kind of a cop out, but it needs to be experienced. It's not the kind of film that is easy to convince others to watch on paper. "A woman does her daily routine for three consecutive days." The film almost puts you in a lull with its rhythm, and subsequently deconstructs that lull as the film progresses. It is one of the most memorizing experiences I've ever had in a theater - and I'm pretty sure dialogue isn't spoken until the 40 minute mark. It is not like Elephant, at least I don't think so (and I like that film.) The details in its duration are essential, and they're what make that duration so effective. It's one of the quickest 3+ hour films I've seen.

It's a feminist push, a marvelous display of form that pushes boundaries in film that almost all of its imitators fail at reaching, a center that holds a performance that makes you question what the off-screen dynamic was like for Akerman and Seyrig, and, most importantly, it's a voice from (unfortunately) one of the tragic directors that deserves to be heard by anyone interested in film.

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

can anyone describe what it is they like about Jeanne Dielman? It is a film I have heard of, but never really looked into what it is about until today. so this morning, I read just enough today to get an idea...

so, it's like Gus Van Sant's Elephant stylistically? I found that and a couple other GVS films he did around the same time were worth a look.

I find it interesting, though, that a film well over 2 hours documenting a woman at home doing nothing of consequence has garnered such excitement from some.

again, I haven't seen it.. and I think I'd like to, so don't take my question as passing an opinion on something that I know little about. I'm just curious.

Seyrig's performance and the film's composition are meticulous and fascinating, and those are the reason you should watch it, but be prepared to just settle in: the narrative is variational, not additive. It forces you to focus on the subtle variations in a daily routine which the main character has been forced into, the minor frustrations to that routine as they snowball, and the physical space in which that routine occurs. Akerman's use of framing, the way she builds the apartment and Jeanne's discomfort in it through obscured shots, slightly confused spatial relationships, and inferences from sound are brilliant contortions of film grammar, and she uses time and repetition to build the character of Jeanne not by direct action but almost exclusively by reaction. If you have an ounce of interest in formalism, it's worth seeing. If you have an actual love of films with formalist features, it's downright amazing.

I, personally, can't wait. I saw it in theaters a few months ago and have been eager to see it again, especially since the print I saw wasn't in the best of condition. A cleaned up scan will be nice to experience.

[Harakiri41]

Last night I watched Shindō's THE NAKED ISLAND. I am routinely blown away at how much can be expressed without dialogue, bringing to mind another Criterion that was first time viewing recently, THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE.

THE NAKED ISLAND's strength was its simplicity, which I think lends to its universal appeal. I was surprised to see Benicio del Toro's involvement in its restoration and really enjoyed the commentary by Shindō and the composer Hayashij. Also, Akira Mizuta Lippit's interview was helpful in understanding the context of the film in post-war Japanese cinema.

[Show spoiler]I was truly gutted by the scene when the mother climbs the island after her son's death and looks on as fireworks go off on the mainland. I wasn't surprised to hear Benicio also bring up this moment in his interview.

Another phenomenal film.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

can anyone describe what it is they like about Jeanne Dielman? It is a film I have heard of, but never really looked into what it is about until today. so this morning, I read just enough today to get an idea...

I'd seen the film last year at a cinema. My impressions:

At 200+ min, the majority of it devoted to scenes of a homemaker doing her chores almost in real-time, it's jumping off at the deep end as an introduction to a director, and based on reputation I was all prepared to pronounce it as pretentious and dull, but the film has a rhythm and a reason for its structure. Day 1 can be interpreted as the last of the woman's orderly if dull existence. We see her wholly a creature of routine, her life devoted to accomplishing a series of tasks, be it cooking dinner, polishing her son's shoes, babysitting a neighbor's infant or sleeping with a regular client for money, all with the same unemotional precision. Day 2, we see a repetition of those tasks but with slight instances of disorder, like a tiny crack on a window, creeping into her routine, suggesting a long gestating mental breakdown. Day 3 shows those cracks spidering ever so little more, until we reach an abrupt startling crescendo

[Show spoiler]where she stabs that day's client with a pair of scissors. Is it shown that she gets an orgasm during sex prior to that and is therefore disturbed by her emotional involvement? I felt so, but not sure

.

The rhythm is what defines the film, stick with the first half hour or so of the film and it will suck you in. The differences in Day 2 will further intrigue you as to where the build-up is leading to, and the film doesn't disappoint in its culmination. There are instances where the film tests your patience, with 5 min static shots of the protagonist staring into space, but even if indulgent they make sense within the context of the film's thrust. I would urge people to see this film.

I liked it a lot more than the other Akerman film I saw that day, Je Tu Il Elle, now that seemed a load of bollocks.