The Criterion Collection

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by mja345

Just create a section for your Criterion titles on this site. It's basically the equivalent of the 'My Criterion' section. Criterion's new website is one of the few I haven't warmed up to given a few months. I thought, "I'll like this after a few months of using it" initially, but it's just atrocious. The only reason I'll ever go there is due to a flash sale, to be honest.

You're absolutely right. I can keep track of "my" Criterion titles in other ways. But what a shame. The old site was functional, aesthetically pleasing, and had a huge range of content that was easily navigable. Now, it's a joke. Like you, I'll be visiting only twice a year, at Flash Sale time.

[dancerslegs]

Originally Posted by Martin_31

Does anyone know if Killer of Sheep is available on FilmStruck? Or anywhere else?

It's not currently on FilmStruck. Although they had Burnett's My Brother's Wedding awhile back.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by KubrickKurasawa

Does anyone know if there is a list of ONLY 4k Mastered Criterion releases? Currently.

I have Insomnia, La Notte and Ugetsu. That I am sure of. I really enjoy film on my 4k tv more so since upgrading to the 4k standard. Any help is appreciated.

Criterion doesn't sell 4K UHDs, so It really doesn't matter how they are mastered since they are all 1080p blu-rays.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by koberulz

I'm not saying, nor did I ever say, that they were going to - or even likely to - make announcements yesterday. Merely that the evidence presented didn't argue convincingly one way or the other. Clarifications were then made, and better evidence presented, and we all moved on.

Bates then jumped in and attempted to claim I was wrong in my initial finding of insufficient evidence, which I wasn't.

I didn't "jump in," I was replying to your post with correct information. Don't act like a victim.

[812crew]

Valerie and her Week of Wonders is such a great Criterion. Blind bought it and instantly watched it twice (2nd time with the alternate score). The alternate score is one of the best features I've enjoyed in a while. It's not something re-incorporated into the film -- they just layer it on the visuals and strip out all of the dialogue / diegetic sound. I know it's kind of blasphemous to the original vision, but I think I enjoyed the alternate score even more. It turns the movie into this really creepy silent movie, at times more evocative than the original. Definitely worth the money if you're cool with movies that focus on visuals more than narrative.

[812crew]

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by 812crew

Valerie and her Week of Wonders is such a great Criterion. Blind bought it and instantly watched it twice (2nd time with the alternate score). The alternate score is one of the best features I've enjoyed in a while. It's not something re-incorporated into the film -- they just layer it on the visuals and strip out all of the dialogue / diegetic sound. I know it's kind of blasphemous to the original vision, but I think I enjoyed the alternate score even more. It turns the movie into this really creepy silent movie, at times more evocative than the original. Definitely worth the money if you're cool with movies that focus on visuals more than narrative.

Yep, the Valerie Project score is amazing. I installed the atrocious iTunes software on my computer purely so I could buy the score. When I received my copy of the blu-ray I was originally intending to sync the score while playing the movie, when I realized that it was already incorporated. I wish I could have been at the screenings where they played that score live.

As to your other post, pretty much every director of some vintage in the collection will be a giant to one or the other member here, and Criterion *mostly* represents the more marketable "stars" of the arthouse. If you want to explore brilliant but less talked about filmmakers especially in the East European side (Czech, Polish, Hungarian), you really can't do without exploring the wonderful line of films from UK label Second Run. The SR collection was where I first discovered Valerie, and amazing films of Karel Zeman (Fabulous Baron Munchausen, Jester's Tale), Zoltan Huszarik (Szindbad), Dusan Hanak (Pictures of the Old World), Vera Chytilova (Fruit of Paradise, Daisies), Jerzy Kawalerowicz (Night Train, Mother Joan of the Angels), Eduard Grecner (Dragon's Return), Jindrich Polak (Ikarie XB-1), Jan Nemec (Diamonds of the Night), Juraj Herz (The Cremator) and others. Many are only on DVD since they jumped onto the blu-ray bandwagon very late (they're a very small operation and have to consider costs very strictly) but that should not stop a real cinephile from exploring them. And if it matters...they have uniform packaging and spine numbers as well

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by KJones77

The one on Amazon with high prices that is out of stock is the 2016 blu ray only version, regardless, which is the one he asked about. It is not OOP nor is it about to be any OOP. It's just a stock issue on Amazon.

Has Criterion commented on the Amazon stock issues? Lots of Criterions are not in stock at Amazon. I'm assuming they're fighting, like Amazon is with Disney.

[nitin]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

On blu:

Woman in the Dunes
Beyond the Hills
Summer Hours
The Naked Island
Sweet Smell of Success
La Haine
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
The Emigrants/The New Land

On DVD:

The Larisa Shepitko Eclipse Double is two of the best films in the whole collection
The Spirit Of The Beehive
The Cranes are Flying
Ballad of a Soldier
The Browning Version
This Sporting Life
Death of A Cyclist
Divorce Italian Style
The Insect Woman
Onibaba
Twenty Four Eyes

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Man Bites Dog
My Winnipeg
Repo Man
True Stories

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by mja345

Just create a section for your Criterion titles on this site. It's basically the equivalent of the 'My Criterion' section. Criterion's new website is one of the few I haven't warmed up to given a few months. I thought, "I'll like this after a few months of using it" initially, but it's just atrocious. The only reason I'll ever go there is due to a flash sale, to be honest.

Sadly, I have to agree with you, mja. I don't plan on going back to the site again, as it currently exists, unless I'm buying during a Flash sale, or occasionally purchasing a new release on day one at full price. And that's a real shame, too, because the Criterion site was a near daily destination. I'd look at some spotlighted top ten lists, watch trailers for films I was considering buying, do research about said films, read featured articles, etc. I also loved looking at the collections members of our little Criterion board here linked in their signatures. I could literally spend 2-3 hours doing just that. I can still do that in a way by bringing up a member's collection on blu-ray.com, and filtering by studio. But, I loved the way information was organized on the Criterion site. I knew where everything was. I loved Criterion site member comments; I found humor, wisdom, and inspiration in those little blurbs.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

The Long Good Friday - John Mckenzie
Mona Lisa - Neil Jordan
The Hit - Stephen Frears

(DVD only. The first two are OOP. All have Region B BD releases).

Eclipse 25: Basil Dearden's London Underground - Basil Dearden

(Again, DVD only. Two of the films in the set have standalone Region B BD releases).

Picnic at Hanging Rock - Peter Weir
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold - Martin Ritt
The Innocents - Jack Clayton
Il Sorpasso - Dino Risi
Purple Noon - René Clément

[mja345]

Some of my top Criterions directed by directors who aren't that well-known:

"The Ruling Class"-Peter Medak-Underrated director whose credits include the great "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" and the horror classic "The Changeling". This is a truly scathing black comedy with a brilliant performance by Peter O'Toole.

"Blast of Silence"-Allen Baron-Baron's only directorial effort. It has to be one of the greatest one-offs in film history.

"Clean, Shaven"-Lodge Kerrigan-Brutally harsh film about the day in the life of a schizophrenic man.

"The Color of Pomegranates"-Sergei Parajanov-Wonderful, absolute trip of a film.

"Dillinger is Dead"-Marco Ferreri-One of those films that is seemingly about nothing, but is really about everything you can imagine. Also, check out Ferreri's brilliant "La Grande Bouffe".

"Eating Raoul"-Paul Bartel-One of my favorite black comedies of all-time.

"Hearts and Minds"-Peter Davis-No matter your political views, this documentary will compel you to think deeply. You can't watch this film and be apathetic.

"Medium Cool"-Haskell Wexler-One of the great epitaphs of the late 60s. Wexler's only directorial feature, although he was a legendary cinematographer. Probably one of my top 20 Criterion films.

"Quadrophenia"-Franc Roddam-Roddam went on to direct the underrated "The Lords of Discipline", but he never matched the fever-pitch intensity of his directorial debut, "Quadrophenia". Great film supplemented by an incredible soundtrack.

"Woman in the Dunes"-Hiroshi Teshegahara-Ultimate mindf**k of a movie. Just an incredible experience. Don't want to give too much away about this one, but it's one of my favorites.

"Fists in the Pocket"-Marco Bellocchio-One of my most wanted upgrades. Incredible film.

[Gerby]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

Blu Rays

Babette's Feast
El Norte
If...
Ride The Pink Horse
Monsoon Wedding

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

My personal favorite "obscure stuff" or underrated from what I own...
Head
Phoenix
Seconds
Two-Lane Blacktop

[theater dreamer]

I'll chime in on the perhaps lesser known directors and gems in the collection:

The Bridge-I don't know how well Bernhard Wicki is known in the States (he was one of the directors of The Longest Day), but The Bridge is a fantastic, and heart wrenching film.

The Night of the Hunter-the great actor Charles Laughton's turn in the director's chair was deemed an unmitigated disaster (by him, and some critics) upon its release. So despondent was Laughton that he never directed another film. Now, it's a classic, yet, imho, it's still under-discussed. This needs to be in every collection. Robert Mitchum gives one of the great "truly evil" performances in cinematic history. By the end of the film, you'll be asking yourself, "is this a man, or some demon walking the Earth?"

Sweet Smell of Success-Alexander Mackendrick knocks it out of the park. This film is uncomfortable to watch, as the characters played by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis spiral downward into the abyss. But their performances are riveting. See my comments on the film profile.

Graduation (Bacalaureat)-I got this gem from Romanian director Cristian Mungiu during the last B&N sale. It's a great character drama that gives the viewer tremendous insights into the family dynamic in a country really just now starting to emerge from post Cold War Soviet Union. Generational differences are apparent, and a good man must wrestle with his conscience in order to assure his daughter has the chance he and his wife never truly did.

[FlexMentallo]

I first saw Night of the Hunter and Sweet Smell of Success on Criterion blu and absolutely loved both of them.

Cleanish prints of black and white classics on blu are usually such a revelation to watch. Something about the amount of captured detail of bygone eras across many countries.

As much as it was great finding classics on DVD, there is something about seeing a great print in 1080p and on a big screen TV, that while not the cinema experience, crossed some experiential threshold for me that stepped up my enjoyment of classics.

[DukeTogo84]

Has there been any rumors of Criterion giving us an upgrade to the Hit? Love that film.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by 812crew

To add on to my post above about "Valerie", what are some of your top Criterions that aren't directed by one of the giants of cinema? They have so much obscure stuff in the collection that I don't feel we talk about much here.

I'm assuming these are not from "the giants of cinema," but I found it kinda hard to review the films I like and ask myself if these are truly obscure or not. I think a lot of these have been influential and have a lot of cult love. I'm also not sure who qualifies as a "giant of cinema" (I mean, are Cronenberg, del Toro, and von Trier giants? Some might say yes, but I wasn't sure). I hope I didn't miss the mark on some of these.

1. Koyaanisqatsi
2. The Bridge
3. Touch of Zen
4. Seconds
5. Eating Raoul
6. Ivan the Terrible Part 1
7. The Housemaid
8. Fantastic Planet
9. El Norte
10. The Naked Island
11. Letter Never Sent
12. Watership Down
13. House
14. Lady Snowblood
15. Island of Lost Souls
16. Robinson Crusoe on Mars
17. Carnival of Souls
18. Repo Man
19. Things to Come
20. Safe

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

The Night of the Hunter-the great actor Charles Laughton's turn in the director's chair was deemed an unmitigated disaster (by him, and some critics) upon its release. So despondent was Laughton that he never directed another film. Now, it's a classic, yet, imho, it's still under-discussed. This needs to be in every collection. Robert Mitchum gives one of the great "truly evil" performances in cinematic history. By the end of the film, you'll be asking yourself, "is this a man, or some demon walking the Earth?"

Sweet Smell of Success-Alexander Mackendrick knocks it out of the park. This film is uncomfortable to watch, as the characters played by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis spiral downward into the abyss. But their performances are riveting. See my comments on the film profile.

Been wanting to revisit these to see how they hold up. Recently acquired the book for Night of the Hunter from a used book sale--I plan to read it then watch the movie to see how they compare. I remember it being a decent film.

[KJones77]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Has there been any rumors of Criterion giving us an upgrade to the Hit? Love that film.

To my knowledge, no. However, that means very little. Criterion upgrades tend to be random or unexpected (with some exceptions).