The Criterion Collection

[Polaroid]

I need B&N sale... did a shopping list for titles I really need in my collection and came to $1000 and wasn't even that many titles :-(((

[jw007]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Jonhathan Demme passed away at 73.



RIP.

Looks like I'm watching Something Wild tonight.

For those that have yet to watch Something Wild (I'm talking to you, Great Owl!), then there's no better time than tonight to watch this really fun 1980s gem.

Sometimes after a big director or actor dies, we start seeing more of his/her films coming out on blu-ray, and I'm hoping that's the case with Jonathan Demme too. I know Silence of the Lambs will never see a Criterion upgrade, but it would be cool to see Neil Young: Heart of Gold, Beloved and Melvin and Howard getting blu-ray releases.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

For those that have yet to watch Something Wild (I'm talking to you, Great Owl!), then there's no better time than tonight to watch this really fun 1980s gem.

Watched it.
Loved it.
Reviewed it.

A couple of years ago or so...

It's a quintessential 1980s flick.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by jw007

I know Silence of the Lambs will never see a Criterion upgrade.

Not according to a few rumors being bandied about.

[The Great Owl]

I doubt that I will ever be enthralled with The Silence of the Lambs in the same way that I was when I first saw it in 1991.

It's a wonderful film in so so many ways, but its effectiveness has also been diluted by pop culture awareness and by hundreds of copycat movies (even...drumroll, please...a movie actually titled, Copycat).

I can wait another decade or so for a good Blu-ray release of this film. Even right now, almost 30 years after the fact, it still seems "too soon."

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

If i see the word "teal" in a post that's my signal to stop reading and skip to the next post.

Nobody who hasn't calibrated their television (one could do it his/her self) should ever complain about these types of disc transfer issues. I say that because so many never make an attempt to maximize the PQ on their own monitors. I wonder what that Venn diagram would look like: those who complain AND those with or without calibrated sets.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I doubt that I will ever be enthralled with The Silence of the Lambs in the same way that I was when I first saw it in 1991.

It's a wonderful film in so so many ways, but its effectiveness has also been diluted by pop culture awareness and by hundreds of copycat movies (even...drumroll, please...a movie actually titled, Copycat).

I can wait another decade or so for a good Blu-ray release of this film. Even right now, almost 30 years after the fact, it still seems "too soon."

I think Copycat is the best serial killer thriller ever made. Such an underrated gem that I know a lot of people thought it wanted to be Silence of the Lambs and does have some similarities but its very much its own film. It's suspense and creepiness is literally nonstop for its entire 2 hour runtime. The performances from everyone are outstanding and its a brilliant script.

I do love Silence of the Lambs but I think Red Dragon is even better.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I do love Silence of the Lambs but I think Red Dragon is even better.

Oof. This is at the bottom of the series for me (I haven't seen Rising and I'm keeping it that way). The direction in Lambs still feels close to immaculate, while Dragon feels like Ratner is trying to put on his big boy shoes that simply do not fit.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

I think Copycat is the best serial killer thriller ever made. Such an underrated gem that I know a lot of people thought it wanted to be Silence of the Lambs and does have some similarities but its very much its own film. It's suspense and creepiness is literally nonstop for its entire 2 hour runtime. The performances from everyone are outstanding and its a brilliant script.

I do love Silence of the Lambs but I think Red Dragon is even better.

It's been a while since I've seen any of the Anthony Hopkins Lecter films. I remember really enjoying Silence of the Lambs. Red Dragon was good and Hannibal was a misfire that had its moments.

The Hannibal television series is much fresher in my mind. Mads Mikkelsen is a terrific Lecter.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Oof. This is at the bottom of the series for me (I haven't seen Rising and I'm keeping it that way). The direction in Lambs still feels close to immaculate, while Dragon feels like Ratner is trying to put on his big boy shoes that simply do not fit.

I don't know. I think he did an excellent job and I think if it had come out first it would be better regarded. I definitely thought it outdid Manhunter. William Petersen's performance is mainly why I enjoy Manhunter though. I loved it the first time I saw it but it hasn't fared well with me with repeat viewings for some reason. I know Ratner has done some flops but Red Dragon was solid IMHO.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

It's been a while since I've seen any of the Anthony Hopkins Lecter films. I remember really enjoying Silence of the Lambs. Red Dragon was good and Hannibal was a misfire that had its moments.

The Hannibal television series is much fresher in my mind. Mads Mikkelsen is a terrific Lecter.

Yeah I thought Hannibal was awful but had some moments as well. I haven't watched the series but I might have to check it out

[willieconway]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Nobody who hasn't calibrated their television (one could do it his/her self) should ever complain about these types of disc transfer issues. I say that because so many never make an attempt to maximize the PQ on their own monitors. I wonder what that Venn diagram would look like: those who complain AND those with or without calibrated sets.

Indeed. The vast majority of people aren't seeing what's on the disc. Instead they're seeing a distorted version of it.

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

It's a wonderful film in so so many ways, but its effectiveness has also been diluted by pop culture awareness and by hundreds of copycat movies (even...drumroll, please...a movie actually titled, Copycat).

It is kind of amazing to me that "Silence of the Lambs" essentially launched the serial killer genre. I know that there was serial killer fiction prior to that, and it's obviously not even the first Lecter movie, but it went from a geek curiousity sub-sub-genre of horror to its own separate thing that accounts for multiple prime time network TV shows in any given week. That's some swing, and it seems entirely down to "Silence".

[javy]

I Just watched L'Avventura. I loved the ending. No reconciliation and even more emotional distress. This guy basically forgets about his fiancee and starts a romantic relationship with her best friend, who herself is conflicted about the relationship, and then messes around on her. The look in Monica Vitti's eyes at the end, it's as if she almost understands his choices. Excellent film, though I like Red Desert more.

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

It is kind of amazing to me that "Silence of the Lambs" essentially launched the serial killer genre. I know that there was serial killer fiction prior to that, and it's obviously not even the first Lecter movie, but it went from a geek curiousity sub-sub-genre of horror to its own separate thing that accounts for multiple prime time network TV shows in any given week. That's some swing, and it seems entirely down to "Silence".

Shhhhhh... Val Lewton, Alfred Hitchcock, and Michael Powell are right there.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

It is kind of amazing to me that "Silence of the Lambs" essentially launched the serial killer genre. I know that there was serial killer fiction prior to that, and it's obviously not even the first Lecter movie, but it went from a geek curiousity sub-sub-genre of horror to its own separate thing that accounts for multiple prime time network TV shows in any given week. That's some swing, and it seems entirely down to "Silence".

One thing that bothers me about The Silence of the Lambs is that, in a way, it killed the slasher horror genre, at least for a while.

The slasher movies were critically dismissed, rightfully so on many occasions, but there was a real spirit of fun to most of them, and I loved how these movies were made on the fly by directors who knew their audiences and who knew how to give the audiences what they wanted.

After The Silence of the Lambs, however, studios tried to make the slasher horror genre respectable. People ceased making horror, and they started making "psychological thrillers."

*sob*

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Copycat, Raising Cain, Single White Female, etc.

If any of these movies had been made in the early 1980s, with buckets of fake blood and lots of nudity, like the other films of that era, then they all could have been fun endeavors with decades of popcorn rental potential for fans. Instead, they ended up being watered-down big-name-studio-compromise titles that tried to be disturbing, but ended up lacking the exploitative fun that had existed in the genre all through the 1980s. Instead of saying, "Ewwww", and then laughing with the audience and going home happy, audiences simply said, "Ewwww", and went home with a blank expression.

I love The Silence of the Lambs. I really do.
It's just that I consider it to be the cinematic equivalent of Nirvana's Nevermind, in that it was an indisputable game-changer that sadly led to years and years of inferior imitation.

Besides, Michael Mann's film, Manhunter, is still, by far, the greatest cinematic adaptation of a Thomas Harris novel. By a long mile.


(Of course, if I told you that I wouldn't buy a new Criterion restoration of The Silence of the Lambs on day one if it came out tomorrow, then I'd be lying.)

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

blank expression.

I love The Silence of the Lambs. I really do.
It's just that I consider it to be the cinematic equivalent of Nirvana's Nevermind, in that it was an indisputable game-changer that sadly led to years and years of inferior imitation.

Ah, yes, but then what is the In Utero?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Ah, yes, but then what is the In Utero?

Se7en, perhaps?

That was one of the better drab psycho movies that followed in the wake of The Silence of the Lambs, and it was quite original in its own right.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Se7en, perhaps?

That was one of the better drab psycho movies that followed in the wake of The Silence of the Lambs, and it was quite original in its own right.

Huh. That's a good answer. I was thinking Henry due to it being more rough around the edges and messy by design, but that came before. Forgot that Se7en was one of the gems to follow the unfulfilling movement.

[The Great Owl]

I've started a Roger Corman on Blu-ray thread in the main forum, where I am attempting to list all of Corman's directorial efforts, productions, and such.

This is Criterion-related, because Corman was an uncredited producer for The Shooting and Ride the Whirlwind.

In the documentary, Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, Jack Nicholson breaks down in tears when discussing his gratitude for Corman's influence on his career. It's really something else to see.

I keep wishing that Criterion would release Roger Corman's The Intruder. That film seems right up Criterion's alley, and it could be quite a release.