The Criterion Collection

[theater dreamer]

This. Leaving Spacey in dooms the film at the box office.

Look, everybody. As one that is hoping to review films professionally in the not too distant future, it's nearly impossible to look at a work of entertainment, be it a film directed by Polanski, or, a stand up performance by Louis C.K., and not be reminded of what has transpired beyond the carefully constructed narrative. We're all human beings, and I would hope most of us would condemn the behavior of the persons accused of wrongdoing, if they are ultimately deemed guilty. I would like to think that we are all moral people.

But where does the line get drawn? If we only watched films penned and directed by those we deem to be morally acceptable, all of us would have to jettison a great number of works we enjoy. Works of historical significance. Then, the net gets cast further. We'd have to re-examine great works of literature, music, hell, as an avid sports fan, the NFL, NBA and, Major League Baseball would be in big trouble.

In my position as a writer, here's how I would approach a review. I would consider only what I saw and heard on the screen. A great film is a living entity, produced not by one man or woman, but by hundreds of people working together. What about all those men and women not named Polanski (just an example)? Should Chinatown, The Pianist or Rosemary's Baby be forever relegated to the taboo list because their director is a predator? Should I put the Beatles' Let It Be album away forever because producer Phil Spector is a murderer? What about my childhood memories of Charlie Hustle, Pete Rose? Should the thrill I got watching him sliding head first into home plate somehow be diminished because it came out that he bet on the game? Do I have to stop watching House of Cards because of what Kevin Spacey has done? Is the show, itself, any less brilliant?

Perspective is needed.

Originally Posted by llj

I suspect Scott is reshooting those Spacey parts less out of moral concern and more because of how much is invested in the film in terms of money and awards. There is a lot riding on it.

[jw007]

My thoughts on male directors and/or male actors who in real life commit acts of gender atrocity (rape, incest, sexual molestation, etc.) are as follows:

The legal system in this country can and should do whatever it must do in terms of seeking justice against a man who preys on women. But to me, what matters most doesn't have to do with the immoral/damaged person in front or behind the lens, its the feeling I receive from watching a film.

If a film creates an emotional reaction in me that literally puts me in another realm or transports me to another universe, I'm not going to force myself to "unlike" the feeling I experienced, because I simply cannot.

A great movie and a great performance can inspire me to make a movie myself based on those movies I was moved by. Who's to say Noah Baumbach wasn't inspired by Woody Allen (even though he raped a child) or Michael Haneke wasn't inspired by Roman Polanski (even though he raped a child) and if they were indeed inspired by these directors (which they probably were), then is it wrong to like the work that they've done (even though they were inspired by rapists?). Where does it begin and where does it end?

If we find out that in 10 years a director such as David Lynch was accused and guilty of child molestation, even though David Lynch made some of my favorite all time movies, should I force myself to hate his work or distance myself from liking his movies now?

To me, like many others have said, its not just about one man, but an army of human beings, an army of humans who come together to create a work of art. The director is just the conductor taking all of those moving parts and making it look, feel and sound good. An actor is one of those moving parts making a character come to life. If the next actor to be accused and guilty of rape turns out to be someone like Robert DeNiro, then am I going to boycott every film he's in? Since I'm a lover of cinema, I won't, because to me I'm watching a CHARACTER as opposed to an actor in a movie.

[nitin]

There is also the issue of broad brush pigeon holing; just because someone is guilty of (or alleged to have done) a particular thing does not mean that everything they have produced or will ever produce is summarily and solely going to only concern the particular thing.

Actions should have consequences and all that (and if that means you are no longer employable as part of the consequences so be it) but knee jerk reactions that everything that person has ever produced can only be viewed through the lens of the transgression/crime in question is in and of itself a regressive way of thinking.

I can however understand the more nuanced viewpoint that someone struggles to disassociate the person on screen with the person they have heard/read about/know in real life and that means the movie or tv show no longer works from them because they are taken out of it. But that is different to the moral high ground approach that seems to be more commonly adopted.

[Gacivory]

So how about that Criterion Collection?

[mja345]

Nitin, you hit it on the head. When a rejection of a film is to simply fit into the politically correct zeitgeist that we are currently experiencing, then I cannot accept or respect it on those grounds.

Current thinking, on both ends of the spectrum, is extraordinarily black and white. It's what has lead has to the place where we are in the US where there is a stunning rejection of intellectualism and nuanced conversation. I can't speak about other countries as much, but it's very sad what is happening in America in terms of meaningful dialogue about most topics. In order to have a meaningful conversation, you have to be able to accept the concept of nuance.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by prkchopexpress

I would stand by every criterion release I own....

but in the realm of the senses is one of the worst things I've ever seen in my life. I wish I could sell my copy to someone, but I don't know anyone I could even convince to watch it.

Oh I think it's a great movie, brilliantly directed and amazing performances. I'm not crazy about some of the more outre gags in it, like with

[Show spoiler]the old woman servant and the egg

, but it's a great portrayal of uncontrollably intense desire.

[The Great Owl]

As an addendum to my above post, I will admit that I struggled to separate the real-life antics of a movie director from one of the director's films during my recent viewing of The Creeping Terror.

My review goes into more detail, but I made the mistake of watching the accompanying documentary film, The Creep Behind the Camera, which detailed the making of The Creeping Terror. According to that documentary film and to interviews with several of the associated figures, the director, Art "A.J." Nelson (Vic Savage) was a remorseless con-artist who routinely brutalized his wife and kept her in his possessive clutches while scamming investors to pay for this monster movie project, taking sexual advantage of wannabe actresses so that they could have the “privilege” of appearing in his movie as monster food, and even using funds for his movie for his drug habits and for the alleged filming of child pornography.

The Creeping Terror is a godawful movie on its own terms, of course. It's one of the worst movies ever made from a technical and storytelling standpoint, and it would only merit one or two stars from me even under normal circumstances.
I do, however, have a soft spot and even an admitted affinity for “bad” drive-in movies that are created with limited financial means by people who have a sincere love for the horror genre or monster movies, because the joy of watching these films lies in seeing how that love of the genre manifests itself. For this reason, I've returned to The Creeping Terror a couple of times in past decades just to laugh at it and to celebrate the goofiness of the whole setup. Now that I know that the movie was not created out of a love for its genre, however, and that the whole endeavor was basically a front for nefarious activities, it's a tougher film to swallow on its own terms, even from a “I love bad drive-in movies.” standpoint.

To steer this ship back into Criterion waters, I will say that I've always adored the movie, Equinox, which is available on Criterion DVD, because, although it's an amateurish enterprise that is noticeably rough around the edges, it was created out of a genuine love for monster movies, horror movies, and sci-fi/fantasy, and that love shows during the film itself.
Despite the obvious limitations of the source material, I would really love to see Equinox released on Blu-ray someday.

[cropduster]

My first Criterion dvd was either



or



My first Criterion bluray was:

[malakaheso]

First dvd: Robocop (1999)

First blu: 8 1/2 (2010)

[mande2013]

Originally Posted by mande2013

The first Criterion blu-ray I owned was Red Desert. Pierrot Le Fou was the second I think. Beyond that it's a bit of a blur.

To add to this, my first two Criterion DVDs I think were Contempt and Pierrot Le Fou, and I want to say L'Eclisse was the third.

[I KEEL YOU]

My first Criterion BD:



I got this even though I wasn't region free and couldn't watch it at the time, just so I could watch it as soon as I got a region free player.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by mja345

Nitin, you hit it on the head. When a rejection of a film is to simply fit into the politically correct zeitgeist that we are currently experiencing, then I cannot accept or respect it on those grounds.

Current thinking, on both ends of the spectrum, is extraordinarily black and white. It's what has lead has to the place where we are in the US where there is a stunning rejection of intellectualism and nuanced conversation. I can't speak about other countries as much, but it's very sad what is happening in America in terms of meaningful dialogue about most topics. In order to have a meaningful conversation, you have to be able to accept the concept of nuance.

We havent elected a Trump equivalent (yet) but the quality of any debate or conversation in Australia is also largely now very black and white (not to mention immediate) with not much room for any nuance or deliberation.

[scottpcusa]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Greta Gerwig's Ladybird was reviewed on this site and scored a 10/10. It also has 155 critics contributing to its unanimously positive score on Rotten Tomatoes. It's pretty darn hard to get 155 people to agree on anything, so the "RT tomato-meter is B.S" retort (something I don't understand in the first place as it is an aggregate score of many critics) isn't really going to hold water.

"Haters gonna hate."

As for me, I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.

I saw Lady Bird on Tuesday and really enjoyed it. Terry Gross interviewed Greta Gerwig on Fresh Air about the film. It’s worth a listen:

https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-a...ate=2017-11-16

[Abdrewes]

Heads up: Jabberwocky can be had for under $20 after the 15% coupon at deep discount

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by nitin

We havent elected a Trump equivalent (yet) but the quality of any debate or conversation in Australia is also largely now very black and white (not to mention immediate) with not much room for any nuance or deliberation.

You're an Aussie? Sorry to hear it! Things have really gone full retard here lately.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

You're an Aussie? Sorry to hear it! Things have really gone full retard here lately.

Melbournian too actually

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by scottpcusa

I saw Lady Bird on Tuesday and really enjoyed it. Terry Gross interviewed Greta Gerwig on Fresh Air about the film. It’s worth a listen:

https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-a...ate=2017-11-16

I really disliked that interview for the way Gross brought forth a certain topic around the midway point - and I'm a huge fan of hers. Gerwig handled it as best as she could, especially when she flipped it back towards Gross, but it still came off as shoddy work.

[UncleBuckWild]

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

... hope you guys have a wonderful time with your loved ones.

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

So how about that Criterion Collection?

I just found out that is has been CONFIRMED that Criterion is going to release one of my favorite films of all time and my #1 most wanted blu ray. War of the Gargantuas ! I LOVE when that happens !!

http://www.godzilla-movies.com/news/...lms-dvdblu-ray

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Rzzzz

I just found out that is has been CONFIRMED that Criterion is going to release one of my favorite films of all time and my #1 most wanted blu ray. War of the Gargantuas ! I LOVE when that happens !!

http://www.godzilla-movies.com/news/...lms-dvdblu-ray

This is so boss. I might even shell out for this box set before a B&N sale happens.