The Criterion Collection

[oildude]

Originally Posted by senseabove

Thoroughly seconding The Breaking Point (and To Have and Have Not as well, available from the Warner Archive Collection)! The Breaking Point is the remake, though—To Have and Have Not was 1944, with Bacall's screen debut. The Breaking Point was 1950. I'd say The Breaking Point is certainly the more resonant these days, partly due to its devastating if glancing treatment of race, but also just the general desperation on display. To Have and Have Not relies much more on Bogart's nobility and honor under pressure, whereas Garfield is just flat-out cornered. It's a very dark, bitter film, with performances of surprising naturalness for their time, excellent across the board.

Dangit... I had skipped it since I saw it so recently, but I may go back in the morning for it and Mildred Pierce and something else. I didn't get a blind buy this time, and I normally like to throw one blind buy in during a flash sale.

If I do, which blind-buy should I spring for:
Woman of the Year
The Philadelphia Story
Only Angels Have Wings
It Happened One Night
His Girl Friday

I'm leaning toward one of the Hawkses...

You are correct. Brain cramp on my part. I have corrected my post. Thanks.

As for your blind buy....those are all worthwhile and enjoyable, but for me it would be It Happened One Night. No debate at all. One of the greatest of all screwball comedies and a standout film in the Critierion Collection. It is also one of those films that I would say just about everyone would find hugely enjoyable. Anyone who disses old movies....pop this in and show them the error of their thinking.

But I like His Girl Friday too. I have never seen The Philadelphia Story, but have read a lot of enthusiastic responses to it over the years. However, it isn't on sale yet so I'd hold off a few weeks for the B&N sale.

[senseabove]

Originally Posted by Martin_31

I ordered Barry Lyndon, Yi Yi, and Paris, Texas; all blind buys. Excited to watch them especially Kubrick's film. I'm not sure if I should order Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. Any suggestions? I've heard of the director, but I've never seen any of her works. I'm thinking of ordering Ikiru and either The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant or World on a Wire, however, I am trying to--as my lit professors say, "a comprehensive survey"--expand my knowledge and taste in film. I've seen Seven Samurai and Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, which I loved, so it's a must to watch more of their films. Oh, I'm considering Dekalog, as well.

Jeanne Dielman is amazing and a film I don't hesitate to recommend to anyone with a taste for formally challenging cinema. But it is a formalist movie, working primarily with repetition and rigorous, controlled technique, and it isn't for the faint of heart. If you're looking to expand your knowledge and taste, it will definitely do that, or it will show you a direction you're not interested in pursuing. But if you're one of those folks who, like me, finds it absolutely riveting, you'll have opened a door into a whole new wing of film history.

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

If you are region-free, the UK release of Dekalog is at 25 fps, which should be the correct frame rate for a project that was shot for PAL tv. The Criterion release is 24, but has some great exclusive bonus features.

[theater dreamer]

I would second oildude's selection of It Happened One Night. If you haven't had any experience with screwball comedies, this is a great choice for your entry point. Clarke Gable is, as always, outstanding. But it's really Claudette Colbert's film. She's playing the part of the pampered daughter of privilege, but she's fearless. Great chemistry between the two leads.

Originally Posted by oildude

You are correct. Brain cramp on my part. I have corrected my post. Thanks.

As for your blind buy....those are all worthwhile and enjoyable, but for me it would be It Happened One Night. No debate at all. One of the greatest of all screwball comedies and a standout film in the Critierion Collection. It is also one of those films that I would say just about everyone would find hugely enjoyable. Anyone who disses old movies....pop this in and show them the error of their thinking.

But I like His Girl Friday too. I have never seen The Philadelphia Story, but have read a lot of enthusiastic responses to it over the years. However, it isn't on sale yet so I'd hold off a few weeks for the B&N sale.

[Martin_31]

I third (if that's how it should be phrased) It Happened One Night. I saw it about 4 or 5 years ago, and though I was hesitant about a comedy from 1934, it is truly funny.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by senseabove

If I do, which blind-buy should I spring for:
Woman of the Year
The Philadelphia Story
Only Angels Have Wings
It Happened One Night
His Girl Friday

I'm leaning toward one of the Hawkses...

My first pick would be The Philadelphia Story but as already noted, it's a preorder and not eligible for this sale. My second pick - and by a pretty good margin - would be His Girl Friday. WotY and IHON both left me kind of cold and I haven't even been able to finish OAHW but I really enjoyed HGF.

And it's not on your list so I don't know if it would be a blind buy or not but I absolutely loved Here Comes Mr. Jordan. I expected it to be a reasonably entertaining bit of Kapra-esque schmaltz but I was really floored by how great it was. It might not be 'best of the best' totally perfect but it's awfully close.

For whatever that's worth.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

It's weird, Filmstruck is the only app that has ever done this. And it's only like 25 percent of the films I've tried playing.

Maybe the Roku Express is just junk.

That sucks. Wish I could help.

Originally Posted by Knaldskalle

Three years of binge-drinking. Am I supposed to remember anything?

Yeah, I know how that goes.

Or, I would, if I could remember.

[KillDaWabbit]

Bummed I missed out on Paris, Texas. It went into back order a few hours before I was able to pull the trigger on my order. Probably a bit of extra interest in that title due to HDS passing recently, no? Guess I will have to wait until the B&N sale when I pick up le Samourai anyway. I've never seen it and it was my number one want.

Oh well. Ended up with the following, all blind buys:
Barry Lyndon
The Leopard
The Four Feathers
The Last Temptation of Christ
Ivan's Childhood
The Last Emperor
Purple Noon

[starman15317]

Just ordered the following:

Barry Lyndon (I was one of the last people to snag it before it sold out!)
David Lynch: The Art Life
Ghost World

Was very tempted to order Twin Peaks: FWWM, but I'm going to ask for that for Christmas, along with the Third Season if it's out by then.

[tisdivine]

Just picked up

Barry Lyndon
Sullivan’s Travels
La Poison
Certain Women
Vampyr
Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Might get another 2-3 in a second order.

I have Twin Peaks The Complete Mystery someone tell me why I need Fire Walk With Me in my life? Whats different about CC’s version?

[Mothravka]

2017 is coming to an end and Criterion are still not shipping to Europe or all over the world from their official site. Strange. They should fix that.

Well, at least I have bought some 20+ titles from other places in the last months, which felt good.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by senseabove

Thoroughly seconding The Breaking Point (and To Have and Have Not as well, available from the Warner Archive Collection)! The Breaking Point is the remake, though—To Have and Have Not was 1944, with Bacall's screen debut. The Breaking Point was 1950. I'd say The Breaking Point is certainly the more resonant these days, partly due to its devastating if glancing treatment of race, but also just the general desperation on display. To Have and Have Not relies much more on Bogart's nobility and honor under pressure, whereas Garfield is just flat-out cornered. It's a very dark, bitter film, with performances of surprising naturalness for their time, excellent across the board.

Dangit... I had skipped it since I saw it so recently, but I may go back in the morning for it and Mildred Pierce and something else. I didn't get a blind buy this time, and I normally like to throw one blind buy in during a flash sale.

If I do, which blind-buy should I spring for:
Woman of the Year
The Philadelphia Story
Only Angels Have Wings
It Happened One Night
His Girl Friday

I'm leaning toward one of the Hawkses...

IMHO Only Angels Have Wings is Hawks' best film. Second pick would be It Happened One Night.

[easydreamer]

Originally Posted by javy

Should I hold my breath and wait for a blu ray of Godard's 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her, or should I just get the dvd?

21 of his films were/will be released on blu in Japan in September & October, and this one is one of them.

Not sure if Criterion decides to upgrade this one, but the HD master exists, so there is a chance, I guess.

[Namuhana]

Just three for me this go around: Barry Lyndon, Fanny and Alexander, and L'eclisse.

I had the Marseille Trilogy in my cart, but I decided to wait until B&N's November sale to get it.

[kwisatzhaderach]

Originally Posted by Namuhana

Just three for me this go around: Barry Lyndon, Fanny and Alexander, and L'eclisse.

I had the Marseille Trilogy in my cart, but I decided to wait until B&N's November sale to get it.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without Fanny and Alexander.

[themp3000]

Originally Posted by Mothravka

2017 is coming to an end and Criterion are still not shipping to Europe or all over the world from their official site. Strange. They should fix that.

Well, at least I have bought some 20+ titles from other places in the last months, which felt good.

Because they don't have the rights to these films directly in other parts of the world so they can't sell them to other parts of the world because that would be a breach of contract which opens a Pandora's Box of legal issues that do bankrupt companies.

[sawdustandtinsel]

Decided to go with zero blind buys this time: City Lights, The Great Dictator, Harakiri, Tess, and Five Easy Pieces for me.

[BAKA]

Originally Posted by oildude

A couple of recommendations for the Flash Sale. I watched both of these in the past month and came away very impressed.

Cheers for the recommendation! I'm heartbroken to have missed Rebecca, but I picked up The Breaking Point in its place. It sounds very much like something I'd enjoy. I also picked up They Live By Night, which I was intending to get anyway, along with Vampyr and Ghost World.

[cropduster]

Originally Posted by CQD84

I just ordered a few blu-rays and DVDs:

Masculin Feminin
L'eclisse
L'argent
Pickpocket
A Man Escaped
Au Hasard Balthazar
Mouchette

These are all blind buys. I hope I made good decisions.

Robert Bresson's films are amazing! Ditto the other 2 films. You made good decisions and are in for a treat

[bwdowiak]

Breaking Point has received unanimous praise only equal to the likes of the praise heaped upon Harakiri (completely warranted, btw..) some time ago. I couldn't pass it up and am looking forward to it.

I got:

Breaking Point
His Girl Friday
Barry Lyndon
Jubal
3:10 to Yuma
The Asphalt Jungle

[cherbert]

I really wish they would pick up Gosford Park for a decent release.