The Criterion Collection

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

See it immediately. As much as I love Personal Shopper (my favorite movie of last year/year before depending on where/when it was released, Sils Mari, Carlos, and his many others, I really believe Hours is his best. It’s such a brilliant meditation on what happens to ones family, in concerns the things both physical and personal left they behind, immediately following their deaths.

Will watch it soon. Sounds right in my wheelhouse, Thanks.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by koberulz

How is Night and Fog full-price? It's barely half an hour long...

The blu-ray includes a 100min documentary on the film, I guess you could count that as part of the value.

[javy]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

See it immediately. As much as I love Personal Shopper (my favorite movie of last year/year before depending on where/when it was released, Sils Mari, Carlos, and his many others, I really believe Hours is his best. It’s such a brilliant meditation on what happens to ones family, in concerns the things both physical and personal left they behind, immediately following their deaths.

Personal Shopper was great. I loved everything about it, and I'm always down for an excellent ghost story. One thing about that too is the apparition in that film reminded me of the one in Lewis Allen's 1944 film The Uninvited.

Personal Shopper wasn't my favorite of last year, that honorable spot goes to mother!, but it was one of the years best for sure.

Sils Maria and Summer Hours are next on my list. They both sound like excellent films and I'll watch anything with Juliette Binoche. I've come to be in love with her.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

This makes me want to sell all my Bergman’s in anticipation of these new restorations. I am weirdly excited.

Well Summer With Monika and Smiles of a Summer Night didn't get restorations, so no need to sell those.

Sadly, The Virgin Spring was another that didn't get a restoration.

[javy]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Well Summer With Monika and Smiles of a Summer Night didn't get restorations, so no need to sell those.

Sadly, The Virgin Spring was another that didn't get a restoration.

Persona, The Seventh Seal, Autumn Sonata, Cries and Whispers, Wild Strawberries, and The Magician all look excellent as well. I don't know how they could look any better, unless they were UHD's I suppose.

[theater dreamer]

Ditto. One of my favorite actresses. Ingrid Bergman, Barbara Stanwyck, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Deborah Kerr, Juliette, Bette Davis, Kate Hepburn, among others--I'll watch pretty much anything they do, and I know that their performances, at the very least, are going to be exceptional.

Originally Posted by javy

I'll watch anything with Juliette Binoche. I've come to be in love with her.

[javy]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Ditto. One of my favorite actresses. Ingrid Bergman, Barbara Stanwyck, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Deborah Kerr, Juliette, Bette Davis, Kate Hepburn, among others--I'll watch pretty much anything they do, and I know that their performances, at the very least, are going to be exceptional.

Cate Blanchett, yes. I first became mesmerized by her through her character Galadriel in LOTR. I found her very enchanting. And then seeing her in Scorsese's The Aviator was all I needed to pay attention to her for the rest of my life.

I would kill and rob for Barbara Stanwyck. I know she could talk me into it.

[theater dreamer]

For me, it was Cate's turns in Elizabeth that absolutely floored me. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is also quite good. The first entrant is a better film, overall, but she's so damned good in both of them, I'm willing to forgive some minor stumbles in the second movie. Brilliant casting decisions in both: the fantastic John Gielgud, Vincent Cassel, Richard Attenborough, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes and Daniel Craig in the first, Rush, Clive Owen, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Morton, Jordi Molla, Tom Hollander in the second. But make no mistake, they're all supporting roles to Blanchett. If you haven't seen them, you have to check them out, especially the first.

After that, I, too, saw her in The Aviator, and it was off to the races for me. She channeled Kate Hep, didn't she?

And my DVR is filled to the brim with anything TCM shows with Barbara Stanwyck or Ingrid Bergman. I bet right now at least half of my used storage is one of their movies.

If a gun were held to my head, and I were forced to pick between Ingrid and Barbara as my favorite actress, I'd demure, and just tell them to pull the trigger.

Originally Posted by javy

Cate Blanchett, yes. I first became mesmerized by her through her character Galadriel in LOTR. I found her very enchanting. And then seeing her in Scorsese's The Aviator was all I needed to pay attention to her for the rest of my life.

I would kill and rob for Barbara Stanwyck. I know she could talk me into it.

[javy]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

For me, it was Cate's turns in Elizabeth that absolutely floored me. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is also quite good. The first entrant is a better film, overall, but she's so damned good in both of them, I'm willing to forgive some minor stumbles in the second movie. Brilliant casting decisions in both: the fantastic John Gielgud, Vincent Cassel, Richard Attenborough, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes and Daniel Craig in the first, Rush, Clive Owen, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Morton, Jordi Molla, Tom Hollander in the second. But make no mistake, they're all supporting roles to Blanchett. If you haven't seen them, you have to check them out, especially the first.

After that, I, too, saw her in The Aviator, and it was off to the races for me. She channeled Kate Hep, didn't she?

And my DVR is filled to the brim with anything TCM shows with Barbara Stanwyck or Ingrid Bergman. I bet right now at least half of my used storage is one of their movies.

If a gun were held to my head, and I were forced to pick between Ingrid and Barbara as my favorite actress, I'd demure, and just tell them to pull the trigger.

I haven't seen Elizabeth. Will definitely check it out. I've been meaning to, just haven't yet.

Blanchett was Hepburn, yes.

Brilliant desicion on the Bergman - Stanwyck dilemma

[theater dreamer]

Changing direction momentarily, quick question going back to the subject of books on film, as a prerequisite for critical assessment and writing. I've tracked down several books that I'm going to read based on the recommendations you've all made. Thank you guys again! The ones that are available to put on my Kindle will be downloaded, and I'll just order the rest in paperback or hard cover as I near completion on whatever I'm reading at a given time. Most of these will deal with prior works of critical assessment from the likes of Manny Farber, Andrew Sarris, Pauline Kael, etc. I'll also delve into the history of film, including the studio system. I've got some wonderful documentaries on the individual studios included with Gone With the Wind, and the Casablanca box set, to get me started on MGM and Warner Bros; these will whet my appetite.

What I'd really like to start out with, however, is a singular book about the technical aspects of how films are shot. I'm not referring to script writing, film production and editing, etc, but the actual bread-and-butter of how the camera is used to shoot movies. Something that will explain to a neophyte like me the difference between a tracking shot and a dolly shot, various techniques used in lighting, even delving into the minutia of how cameras capture picture and sound, both the old behemoths and the digital cameras. I'd also like to learn about film preservation and restoration.

If I'm ever going to write about the films I see, I feel that, in order to do so intelligently, I need a firm base of knowledge about how movies are made. It's one thing to appreciate a movie purely as a work of art. But it's something different, altogether, to see what is appearing on the screen, and understand how a scene was shot. Critics like Roger Ebert would spend hours breaking down a single scene in a classic film. I want the vocabulary necessary to speak about the medium. Does that make sense?

[AaronJ]

Continuing along the book subject, a couple of points/inquiries.

First, I was looking for something in my bedroom (where I rarely go as I sleep on the couch and fall asleep to the TV every night) and came across a Praeger Hilm Library book on Ingmar Bergman. I remember getting it about 25 or so years ago, but I never read it. I thought to myself that given it's the 100th anniversary. of his birth, what a beautiful coincidence.

Second, I would love a book about cinematography. If it's aimed at people with little knowledge, it would be perfect.

[Nightman04]

Anyone happen to have any idea when we can expect the criterion.com 24 hour sale in February?

[latehong]

Originally Posted by Nightman04

Anyone happen to have any idea when we can expect the criterion.com 24 hour sale in February?

Below are all the dates of Criterion 24-hour flash sale for the last 7 years :

　2011　　　02 24 Thu　　　09 08 Thu
　2012　　　02 14 Tue　　　09 24 Mon
　2013　　　02 24 Tue　　　10 01 Tue
　2014　　　02 25 Tue　　　10 09 Thu
　2015　　　03 10 Tue　　　10 06 Tue
　2016　　　02 23 Tue　　　10 18 Tue
　2017　　　02 28 Tue　　　10 17 Tue

So it's almost definitely Tuesday, and most likely the end of February. 20th or 27th?

[AaronJ]

I'll probably go a little nuts during that Feb sale.


Worried.

[Dragon Ranger]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Oh look more releases for one of my favorite directors Clouzot Region B only

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=22677

I hope Criterion is actively trying to wrestle these titles back. Makes no sense why SC would rather make no money at all on titles they own rights to in Region A. Love to give StudioCanal a piece of my mind. /endrant

Sorry just had to vent some frustration.

Just buy a region free player and your problem is solved.

[wcrouse]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

Just watched Summer Hours. Such an incredible film. The ending is absolutely beautiful. I wish more people would see it. Most audiences today, unfortunately, would be bored to tears. Sad. Hopefully Criterion releases more Assayas films. He is one of the best filmmakers working today.

Just pulled this off the shelf last week to re-watch, and noticed it was bronzing along the outer edge. Sure enough, it froze just beyond the 50 minute mark. Mailed it in to Mulvaney in hopes the disc replacement program is still in place. I bought this some years ago but hadn't watched it since. It must have come from that bad batch back in 2009-10. I've now gone through and checked my other discs from that period, but thankfully they seem okay.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Dragon Ranger

Just buy a region free player and your problem is solved.

I always find it funny that people want/expect a whole bunch of studios to "wrestle" with license holders and release titles for their region-locked player, when the much simpler solution is for them to get an all-region player and not be limited by the market.

[Dragon Ranger]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I always find it funny that people want/expect a whole bunch of studios to "wrestle" with license holders and release titles for their region-locked player, when the much simpler solution is for them to get an all-region player and not be limited by the market.

I bought a region free player over a year ago and my first purchases were from Criterion (they have only released a few titles in Region B land so far), Godzilla and The Man who Fell to Earth. Since going region free I have imported a lot of Region A titles and am so glad to have the freedom to watch titles from all round the world. It really does open up so many more viewing experiences.

[koberulz]

Really opens up your wallet, too.

Originally Posted by AaronJ

It's one of the greatest films ever made, I don't care how long it is.

The downside of course is that it is very difficult to watch more than once or twice.

All the more reason it should be a cheapie.

I don't care how good it is, it's hard to justify $60 for a half-hour film. I'm used to paying $10-12 for two-hour films. Even feature-length Criterions are quite the mental adjustment.

It's also the only Criterion I can recall ever seeing on Amazon at MSRP.

[Dragon Ranger]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Really opens up your wallet, too.

That's true!