The Criterion Collection

[mja345]

Originally Posted by jdw89

So I already have Seventh Seal, what would be 2-3 more films to purchase to have a good sampling of his work?

"Persona", "Wild Strawberries" and "Fanny and Alexander" IMO.

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by jdw89

So I already have Seventh Seal, what would be 2-3 more films to purchase to have a good sampling of his work?

They're pretty different from Seventh Seal, so you won't get a redux, but Persona, Cries and Whsipers and Fanny and Alexander do provide a good sampling of his work. My personal favorite is Autumn Sonata. If you're interested in his comedic side, get Smiles of a Summer Night. Among his earlier dramas, Summer Interlude and/or Summer with Monika are essential.

I'd strongly recommend his trilogy, but that's not on Blu-ray yet.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by jlk5844

That is true. I neglected to mention that I myself have been drawn to movies here and there because of a beautiful actress. It's not like no one does that. But don't you think it's a bit offensive if an actor gives a great performance and a critic (or whoever) only mentions their looks? That should come secondary to commentary on the acting, at least.

Well, it depends on the film and the role. I think it was Owl who earlier mentioned Lifeforce. Well, come on. And as good as Bardot was in Contempt, let's face it: if she hadn't been Bardot -- both culturally and in the way she looked -- she wouldn't have been in that movie (which would have been a terrible shame, actually).

But sure, if you're talking about Eyes Wide Shut and all you have to say is that Nicole Kidman looks great naked, then yeah, you've definitely missed the point.

So again, it depends on the film and the role.

Originally Posted by ticktock60

Tampopo!!!!

Ahh, right. Another film I've been meaning to get around to for literally years.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by orbital

Thanks for some actual respones to my original post. Otherwise my key takeaway from this would have been "I posted an issue on the Criterion thread (of all places) and all I got was a lousy snowflake picture".

mja345, the whole reason why I finally posted this issue was not "cherry-picking" but rather the opposite. There are a lot of examples and like I said reading the review of L'ECLISSE was the last straw. If my examples did not convince you fair enough. But then there may not be much to discuss between us.
(I also have no bone to pick whatsoever with Atanasov. He may have one to pick with me now.)


I totally agree. My point is: Atanasov's vocabulary is somewhat limited in (more often than not) limiting female characters/actresses to their outer appearance. If this wasn't annoying enough (i.e. for me & my SO) it is becoming ridiculous (or unacceptable actually) when he re-frames those female characters to fit in his clichés of women. See my example of L'ECLISSE:

[Show spoiler]"Vittoria wants pure romance and an assurance that their relationship has a future; Piero wants an uncomplicated yet intense relationship and the freedom to walk away from it when it no longer suits his needs."

The opposite is true. The characters actually say so in the film. And I say Atanasov has some issues.

I think the problem is your assertion that "Atasanov has some issues". That's fairly presumptuous and somewhat hurtful.

Perhaps he does focus too much on the outward appearance of female actors / characters. I'll actually have to take your word for it because it's not something I've really noticed myself. As I said in my earlier post, if he was being crass in his descriptions then that would be a problem but if all he's doing is saying they are beautiful or elegant then perhaps he is just a bit tone-deaf, being taken out of context, or perhaps it's generational or cultural because to many people saying such a thing about women is still meant to be taken as complimentary.

As for your example of L'Eclisse, as I have not seen the film myself, is it possible it's just a situation where he has interpreted the film incorrectly without it having to be about his "cliches of women" and that your growing frustration is just fueling your sense that he has "issues"?

I mean don't get me wrong, I don't know Svet from Adam and he may be the biggest misogynist on the planet but it could very well be that you are just misreading or misinterpreting the intent of his words and you have to be careful because saying that someone has "problems with women" can cause very real problems for people in the real world particularly if they are actually completely off-base.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jdw89

What makes Bergman so good?

The female characters in his movies are all smoking hot beautiful.


(The Great Owl runs from the Criterion thread as fast as he can, laughing all the while.)

[mja345]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The female characters in his movies are all smoking hot beautiful.


(The Great Owl runs from the Criterion thread as fast as he can, laughing all the while.)

Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann were a couple of smoke shows and they're together in a remote cottage, with one playing nurse. Doesn't get any hotter than that. That's my thoughts on "Persona".

[Abdrewes]

After reading bits and pieces of the last few pages I went back and read the reviews for Gilda and Red Desert. I too have been slightly annoyed by Svet's loving adjectives to various film beauties, but I was surprised to find there was none in his Red Desert review, yet as expected, there was one in Gilda.

Obviously there are other examples to quiet my point, but commenting on Rita's beauty in Gilda makes sense, and not commenting on Monica's in Red Desert also makes sense (to me). So based off this very, very small sample size, it comes out in Svet's favor. But, to echo other commenters posts, that's only if you're critical of his loving adjectives and/or opposed to a reviewer bringing in his or her "gaze" into a review.

Maybe I'm more forgiving on this front since my "gaze" often defines a bunch of my purchases, but I'm not writing stuff thousands of people will read. So It very well may be a problem, but only a minor one that at very worse calls for some people opting simply not to read reviews by Svet. Maybe my feelings would be much stronger if I was a writer but as a bluray collector, I'm really more interested in the AV and extras descriptions of said release anyway.


That said..

Can Supervixens be the next Russ Meyer CC release and can we pleeeease get an awesome fold out poster like this:

[AaronJ]

Yeah, funny enough when this discussion began I immediately thought of Gilda, and about how someone could write a review of the film without commenting on Rita's beauty and sexiness.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Yeah, funny enough when this discussion began I immediately thought of Gilda, and about how someone could write a review of the film without commenting on Rita's beauty and sexiness.

Yup makes sense and nothing wrong with it. Svets reviews are the most interesting and well written on the site. Really dont need to bring identity politic self-flagellation and homogeneous outrage into every social arena.

[diskspinner]

B&N Haul July Sale

First 38 days - 12 movies (12 titles)
Last Day - 8 movies (2 titles)

Total B&N haul - 20 movies (14 titles)

Covered all the Decades (considering criterion blu-ray format)

1920s

[Show spoiler]

1930s

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1940s

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1950s

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1960s

[Show spoiler]

1970s

[Show spoiler]

1980s

[Show spoiler]

1990s

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2000s

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2010s

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+ Got these 3 during the sale from other places

[javy]

I received my Dietrich and Von Sternberg In Hollywood set in the mail today.

That cover shot on the booklet is stunning. These two beautiful people just look to cool for school.

[Show spoiler]20180806_212416.jpg

[castor]

Originally Posted by willtopower

Last night I watched Hiroshima Mon Amour and I can safely say I am enraptured by Resnais' style. I watched Last Year at Marienbad a few weeks ago and was enthralled. I like the latter a bit more, but they are both excellent films for me. Both films have such a hypnotic way about them.
The rest of his films are my new priority for the next Criterion sales.

I hadn't planned my viewing to coincide with the anniversary today, but it makes it feel all the more resonant.

Marienbad has been one of my top favorites for years. I highly recommend Muriel, or The Time of Return. It's very different from Marienbad, but after watching it a few times, I've become convinced that I like it just as much or maybe even more.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by castor

Marienbad has been one of my top favorites for years. I highly recommend Muriel, or The Time of Return. It's very different from Marienbad, but after watching it a few times, I've become convinced that I like it just as much or maybe even more.

Resnais is a genius.

I think it's that simple, really.

[Ray Jackson]

Jesus god almighty.

This sale is over for me now.

I didn't think there was a snowball's chance in hell that I would buy more than five titles...at the absolute most. I didn't really truly need to have anything this time around. I've made all the risky blind buys I thought I could possibly make. Never before have I spent more than $200 during a B&N sale.

Almost $500 and 24 titles later, I can honestly say that I've hit rock bottom.

I came THIS close to buying Antichrist and Jellyfish Eyes.

...that's how bad it got.

Only the thought that I somehow managed to avoid putting Salo in my shopping cart keeps me from pulling the trigger.

Who am I?

I'm a thumbprint on the window of a skyscraper.

I'm a smudge of excrement on a tissue, surging out to sea with a million tons of raw sewage.

...nothing makes sense anymore.

[Show spoiler]

[AaronJ]

Missing out on Antichrist is a horrible mistake. Then again, I love von Trier. Lars rocks. Granted, that movie might not be everyone's speed, but damn, is it good!

Are you happy with your choices, that's the end question? I know that I am with mine.

I hope you live OK without Antichrist/

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by mja345

Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann were a couple of smoke shows and they're together in a remote cottage, with one playing nurse. Doesn't get any hotter than that. That's my thoughts on "Persona".

Every time I watch PERSONA I see something new and different in it.

The casting helps, of course.

I used to obsess over this film.

[JackLordsHair]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Jesus god almighty.

This sale is over for me now.

I didn't think there was a snowball's chance in hell that I would buy more than five titles...at the absolute most. I didn't really truly need to have anything this time around. I've made all the risky blind buys I thought I could possibly make. Never before have I spent more than $200 during a B&N sale.

Almost $500 and 24 titles later, I can honestly say that I've hit rock bottom.

I feel dirty as well, like a junkie looking to score smack that's what it sort of felt like in a romanticized way (and no I am not romanticizing heroin use nor am I making fun of it either). I was laboring under the incorrect premise that Friday the 3rd was the final day of the sale and to that point had bought 7 titles by then, but when I got back from a trip to TN this past week I realized today was the last day... I tried desperately not to drive by my local B&N today but it sucked me into it's dark vortex and I finally wrapped up my bout of insanity this month by grabbing Night of the Hunter, Don't Look Now, and Easy Rider. Thankfully my local B&N didn't have a copy of Dr Strangelove or that would have also made the cut... So only 10 titles in my first ever Criterion sale ... Not leaving my house the entire month of November (not even for work, just going to lock myself in my bedroom end of story !!!)

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by captainron_howdy

Certified Copy is Crap. Haneke is Gold.

Certified Copy is hardly crap.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by ticktock60

Wonder if we’ll get a BluRay only version of the BBS Story set?

?

My BBS Story set is only blu-rays.

[Bronson13]

Bought 3 more. So final tally is 69 Criterions!

Wow I really am an idiot.