The Criterion Collection

[GasmaskAvenger]

Yay, i'm getting my last B&N Criterion sale title tonight!

[joy-division]

got Buena Vista Social Club today. Wasn't supposed to arrive for another week so Woman of the Year should be here in a day or two.

Yojimbo/Sanjuro was shipped today also

[joy-division]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

[Show spoiler]Last night, I watched my Criterion Blu-ray of Straw Dogs.



Dustin Hoffman plays David, a pacifist mathematician who moves to remote village of Cornwall in the UK to live with his beautiful wife, Amy, played by Susan George (Venom, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry). All is not as it seems in this seemingly peaceful village, though, and, after the wife is brutalized by local residents and after both of them are antagonized by these same villagers, the mathematician's reaction is equally disturbing and violent.

Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs is one of the most disturbing movies that I have ever seen in my life, but it's also a film that I keep returning to on occasion because I'm drawn in by its dark storytelling power and tensely masterful performances. Straw Dogs was greeted by controversy upon its release at the tail end of the Vietnam era, because its presentation of the notion that war can follow humans everywhere struck audiences as an endorsement and approval of violence. Even today, it's an unpleasant experience in so many ways because it makes us wonder about our own capacities for violence under the wrong circumstances.

It's one of this movie's dark charms that Peckinpah does not give us any protagonists with which to relate. Dustin Hoffman's David is an outright prick whose smugness makes itself apparent to all around him. Seemingly innocuous scenes, like an exchange between David and Amy about an air conditioner, make it clear that David is constantly placing his own comfort above that of his wife. His behavior around the working-class residents of the village come across as wrong and ill-timed at every turn, down to his insistence for paying for his own cigarettes at a bar and his insistence to argue with a local minister. Amy, in turn, is constantly throwing well-timed barbs at her husband. A scene where she alters one of his math equations on a chalkboard, is wonderfully irritating.

The disturbing centerpiece of Straw Dogs, the prolonged scene where Amy is raped by two of the villagers, one of which was a former boyfriend from her youth, has earned the ire of a great many feminists and such, because it's so oddly depicted and because, at one point, Amy appears to be actually enjoying the experience. In truth, though, it's a classic example of how 1970s cinema was able to convey multilayered emotions that we do not often see in contemporary films. The way that this scene simultaneously blends Amy's terror and helplessness with her conflicted attachment and attraction for her old flame makes it unlike anything ever seen in cinema before or since. One of the many failures of the disappointing 2011 remake of this film was its inability to convey the right nuances of this story element.

I probably speak for most people when I say that I try my best to avoid confrontation and, especially, violence, because I would rather go about my life depending on society's laws and governing rules to keep me safe. As such, Straw Dogs touches a nerve because it makes me wonder how I would behave in a situation where the laws of society did not protect me. On a more personal note, the movie also conjures my own memories of being bullied in grade school because of my lazy eye and my overweight appearance. Sometimes I merely cowered and, other times, I responded with violence and ferocity that surprised myself and everyone around me. Neither of those outcomes are ones that I look back on with pleasant nostalgia, but the film brings those memories to the surface in an uncomfortable way. I guess that the undeniable power of this film lies in the fact that Peckinpah probably intended for every male (and female, for that matter) to have their mind probed by the story in the same way.

In a lesser film, one might cheer for Dustin Hoffman's David when he finally does respond with deadly force after the villagers trap him and his wife in their beautiful cottage. In Straw Dogs, however, there is no emotional catharsis that leads us to a happy ending, and the resolution simply makes us feel more lost inside ourselves. This is a great film, but it's one of the most difficult films that you'll ever see.

This Criterion Blu-ray sports a beautiful transfer of an ugly film, and the picture quality is miles above any previous home video release that I've ever seen. Even the already-impressive MGM Blu-ray pales in comparison to this presentation.

This Blu-ray also gives us a wealth of extras that go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to explaining Sam Peckinpah's intentions. None of the extras make the film any easier to swallow, but that just speaks volumes about its radical filmmaking that still stands heads above anything out there today.

so just to be clear, you watched Straw dogs?

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by drb124

I think the law differs from state to state in the US, but I think the model penal code in the US (which has no legal effect as it is just drawn up by legal scholars) allows for a proportional use of force. Ie, unarmed vs unarmed, etc. So I imagine in some places, you might have an issue with shooting unarmed intruders. I know people have been successfully civilly sued for injuries sustained by burglars during the commission of their crimes, though most of those suits have been under the duty owed by the homeowners to persons on their property.

I would be curious to see the aftermath of the shooting in the film though.

Seems more rigid in the UK--there are similar cases where burglary victims are sentenced to jail time for using what the courts determine is unreasonable force (making it a criminal offense, not just civil lawsuits). The current guidelines stipulate that the only tool a person can use in self defense is a rape whistle--anything else used to cause harm is considered an offensive weapon and would be considered illegal.

On top of that, guns are totally illegal there. If I read it right, at the time Straw Dogs was made shotguns were heavily restricted and the guy would have had to have a certificate or license to own it. The gun laws would have only become stricter since.

In a realistic scenario, the guy would probably be facing some jail time for defending his home. Unreasonable as it may seem, he did

[Show spoiler]bludgeon one guy to death well after he was incapacitated

, and the use of the gun, bear trap, scalding water, would probably be seen as excessive by English courts.

All that being said, there's really only a dozen or so cases where burglary victims have been sentenced that way (between 1990 and 2005). I imagine in the US, juries would probably be more sympathetic.

[swansong]

I have noticed that Hitchcock's Notorious from 1946 has gone out of print on Blu Ray. Since many Hitchcock films have come out on Criterion including Rebeca which is due out soon that perhaps Notorious may follow soon. I missed it when it came out and really don't want to spend the $50 to $100 being asked.

Anyone know if this movie may be released on Criterion???

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by swansong

I have noticed that Hitchcock's Notorious from 1946 has gone out of print on Blu Ray. Since many Hitchcock films have come out on Criterion including Rebeca which is due out soon that perhaps Notorious may follow soon. I missed it when it came out and really don't want to spend the $50 to $100 being asked.

Anyone know if this movie may be released on Criterion???

Here is a website where you can ask questions to the Magic 8 Ball.

I asked the Magic 8 Ball if Notorious will be released on Criterion Blu-ray, and the answer was...




I've never used an online Magic 8 Ball before, but the physical Magic 8 Balls from my childhood were always spot-on accurate.

[drb124]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Seems more rigid in the UK--there are similar cases where burglary victims are sentenced to jail time for using what the courts determine is unreasonable force (making it a criminal offense, not just civil lawsuits). The current guidelines stipulate that the only tool a person can use in self defense is a rape whistle--anything else used to cause harm is considered an offensive weapon and would be considered illegal.

On top of that, guns are totally illegal there. If I read it right, at the time Straw Dogs was made shotguns were heavily restricted and the guy would have had to have a certificate or license to own it. The gun laws would have only become stricter since.

In a realistic scenario, the guy would probably be facing some jail time for defending his home. Unreasonable as it may seem, he did

[Show spoiler]bludgeon one guy to death well after he was incapacitated

, and the use of the gun, bear trap, scalding water, would probably be seen as excessive by English courts.

All that being said, there's really only a dozen or so cases where burglary victims have been sentenced that way (between 1990 and 2005). I imagine in the US, juries would probably be more sympathetic.

I did not realize that. Interesting.

[PBateman87]

I just finished my little shopping spree for the B&N sale - picked up Two-Lane Blacktop, Straw Dogs, Naked, and finished it off with Stalker. I'm so pumped to watch these!

[KCota15]

Originally Posted by captainron_howdy

I pissed all over this month, dnt know if you saw. Just like I've been pissing all over SF this whole year. Personal Shopper is the only release worth it IMO. Criterion pulled a shout factory this month, & shout factory's re-releases are not supposed re-releases. That's what they are, re-releases.

The FWWM blu in the set is perfectly fine. It also has the missing pieces, & I can't see myself buying Barry Lyndon for the third time. No matter how great of a disc it is, or FWWM for the 4th time. The Lure???? WTF is that?

But I will be picking up Stalker & Spotlight on a Murderer today.

Oh boo hoo. Oh yeah, it's so bad that Criterion is re-releasing a few films on blu-ray that'll help fund more releases for them.. I mean, it's not like we got BlowUp, The Before Trilogy, Meantime, Multiple Maniacs, Tampopo, Othello, Ghost World, Mildred Pierce, Women on a Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, His Girl Friday, Roma, The Breaking Point, Hopscotch, Vampyr, Good Morning, L'Argent, The Piano Teacher etc etc this year.

But yes, it's so bad of them to have a few re-releases

[anthonyls]

Stopped by B&N today to pick up Moonrise Kingdom, The Immortal Story, Stalker, and The Marseille Trilogy... for only $82.21.

The cashier let me use 3 coupons:
$5 off $10
$5 off $50
%15 off one.

I don't understand why people are having a problem using coupons. You have to sweet-talk and flatter the cashiers when checking out. The cashier told me as soon as I showed her my coupons that they weren't valid with the Criterion sale. I then told her what beautiful eyes she had and that I love the people that work at B&N because they are all so nice. She then told me that she could try scanning the coupons but doubted they would work. Sure enough, she got the rejection ding from the cash register, and they wouldn't work. I noticed she was wearing some sort of tennis neckless around her neck and asked her if she played tennis and watched Wimbledon this year. We then started talking about Roger Federer until finally she said she would just over-ride the coupon rejections and push them through. Awesome! So I got some savings and made a new friend. Win-Win-Win. That is how you do it people!

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by anthonyls

Stopped by B&N today to pick up Moonrise Kingdom, The Immortal Story, Stalker, and The Marseille Trilogy... for only $82.21.

The cashier let me use 3 coupons:
$5 off $10
$5 off $50
%15 off one.

I don't understand why people are having a problem using coupons. You have to sweet-talk and flatter the cashiers when checking out. The cashier told me as soon as I showed her my coupons that they weren't valid with the Criterion sale. I then told her what beautiful eyes she had and that I love the people that work at B&N because they are all so nice. She then told me that she could try scanning the coupons but doubted they would work. Sure enough, she got the rejection ding from the cash register, and they wouldn't work. I noticed she was wearing some sort of tennis neckless around her neck and asked her if she played tennis and watched Wimbledon this year. We then started talking about Roger Federer until finally she said she would just over-ride the coupon rejections and push them through. Awesome! So I got some savings and made a new friend. Win-Win-Win. That is how you do it people!

I tried doing that the last time I was in a brick and mortar store. For some reason the guy didn't seem receptive...

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Knaldskalle

I tried doing that the last time I was in a brick and mortar store. For some reason the guy didn't seem receptive...

Hey big boy, are these coupons in my pocket or am I just happy to see you?

[Namuhana]

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm definitely interested in The Lure and Personal Shopper, and maybe Othello.

[jshaide]

Going back and forth on the War Trilogy set. Can anyone sway me in either direction?

[nitin]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Here is a website where you can ask questions to the Magic 8 Ball.

I asked the Magic 8 Ball if Notorious will be released on Criterion Blu-ray, and the answer was...




I've never used an online Magic 8 Ball before, but the physical Magic 8 Balls from my childhood were always spot-on accurate.

Notorious and Spellbound are both pretty much confirmed to be upcoming.

[goingunderground]

I have a similar question: How does the Criterion upgrade of the War Trilogy compare to the BFI version, which is the one I own?

[Al_The_Strange]

Just for kicks, I asked the 8-ball about a possible Criterion release for Big T*ts Zombie. The answer...



YES!!!

[Knaldskalle]

Originally Posted by jshaide

Going back and forth on the War Trilogy set. Can anyone sway me in either direction?

If it weren't for a limited budget and my specific focus on certain genres and a handful of directors, I would be all over it, it's essential material for a cinephile. This trilogy along with Visconti's La Terra Trema and de Sica's trilogy (Bicycle Thieves, Shoeshine and Umberto D.) make up the essential Italian Neo-realism, imo.

However, if Italian Neo-realism isn't your thing, you shouldn't waste your time or money on this. If you're not familiar with Italian Neo-realism, start with something less expensive than this box set, like Bicycle Thieves.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by nitin

Notorious and Spellbound are both pretty much confirmed to be upcoming.

Translation: nintin visited the Magic 8 Ball website and asked about these titles.

Admit it. There is no shame here in this thread.

[llj]

I bought Two Lane Blacktop on the weekend.

Excellent movie, and I've no doubt it is one of the best American films of the 70s for sure. Yes, I'm biased because I love road movies of all types, but objectively I really do think this is a beautifully crafted movie.

Warren Oates is hilarious here, and sadly relatable (for me, anyway) on some level too, even though many may consider his character an object of pity. He may be ostensibly the "antagonist" but he's also the beating heart of the film. Pure Oates!

My only complaint is that at 102 minutes or so, I almost wish it were longer! Apparently the original cut was around 3 hours, then chopped to 2 hours, then 102 minutes. Don't get me wrong, it's a fairly leisurely paced movie as it is (on the commentary track, it is mentioned that many people at the time dubbed this "Slowest Racing Movie Ever" ) but I could have spent another hour watching these untalkative, yet mesmerizing characters.

I already really liked Monte Hellman's The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind, but finally watching this cements me as a Monte Hellman fan now. Criterion has to get Cockfighter!