The Criterion Collection

[RockyIII]

Originally Posted by willtopower

Worth asking: which blu-ray did you watch for C&W? stand-alone or bergman set?

I watched the stand-alone and it was truly magnificent.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Have you seen Autumn Sonata? I felt it had more punch than Cries & Whispers.

I felt very strongly the opposite, Autumn Sonata really dragged for me and grated while Cries & Whispers was nearly, to quote Ebert, an out-of-body experience. C&W is so bludgeoning and felt more universal to me, somehow. Autumn Sonata felt kind of like the watered-down version with the edges sanded off and characters removed. I'm sure this is complete BS and has zero basis in reality, but it felt almost like he had a chance to work with Ingrid Bergman and the movie was hastily written to take advantage of that.

Hey, I'm just an idiot, though. I've only seen a handful of Bergman movies so far (7th Seal, Wild Strawberries, Virgin Spring, these two, Scenes from a Marriage, Saraband). I should probably get that set.

[WillieMLF]

Originally Posted by RockyIII

I watched the stand-alone and it was truly magnificent.

I've been considering the new Bergman box for the book. I have most of the original blus and think most look quite good. Thanks for the clarification.

[willtopower]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

I felt very strongly the opposite, Autumn Sonata really dragged for me and grated while Cries & Whispers was nearly, to quote Ebert, an out-of-body experience. C&W is so bludgeoning and felt more universal to me, somehow. Autumn Sonata felt kind of like the watered-down version with the edges sanded off and characters removed. I'm sure this is complete BS and has zero basis in reality, but it felt almost like he had a chance to work with Ingrid Bergman and the movie was hastily written to take advantage of that.

Hey, I'm just an idiot, though. I've only seen a handful of Bergman movies so far (7th Seal, Wild Strawberries, Virgin Spring, these two, Scenes from a Marriage, Saraband). I should probably get that set.

I totally disagree, respectfully just to be clear. I think C&W is great as it taps into something deep within and even primordial like the womb. But for me Autumn Sonata was lacerating. The dialogue was so scathing, I felt like I was the wounded AND the assaulter! Much like Persona's power is derived from the ability and obfuscation of identity, for me, AS allowed me to experience both at the same time. So not only was I feeling this verbal scathing from both ends, but it added a sense of emotional whiplash. I was really left numb after that film.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by WillieMLF

I've been considering the new Bergman box for the book. I have most of the original blus and think most look quite good. Thanks for the clarification.

Isn't the book basically just all the booklets collected together?

[RedHarvest]

Does Criterion have Klute? Or is that just a rumor?

[KJones77]

Originally Posted by BrianJoynt

Does Criterion have Klute? Or is that just a rumor?

They haven't said either way, but consider it a rumor with some backing.

It was part of a group of WB titles that went OOP on DVD on the same day. Every other title has since been announced as a Criterion release (A Face in the Crowd being the most recent) with Klute being the only one left.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by KJones77

They haven't said either way, but consider it a rumor with some backing.

It was part of a group of WB titles that went OOP on DVD on the same day. Every other title has since been announced as a Criterion release (A Face in the Crowd being the most recent) with Klute being the only one left.

Yeah, it's a credible rumor.

And if it's not with Criterion it's gotta be on WAC's 2019 to-do list so we should be okay either way.

[RedHarvest]

Originally Posted by KJones77

They haven't said either way, but consider it a rumor with some backing.

It was part of a group of WB titles that went OOP on DVD on the same day. Every other title has since been announced as a Criterion release (A Face in the Crowd being the most recent) with Klute being the only one left.

Originally Posted by octagon

Yeah, it's a credible rumor.

And if it's not with Criterion it's gotta be on WAC's 2019 to-do list so we should be okay either way.

Would love to see it from Criterion or WAC. Both lines have a lot of integrity, so Klute would be at home.

[Kyle15]

Klute

[theater dreamer]

I'm watching the blu-ray of Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. The transfer looks absolutely gorgeous.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I'm watching the blu-ray of Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. The transfer looks absolutely gorgeous.

For anyone wary of blind buying this, it's airing on TCM next week, December 10th.

[koberulz]

That's one of those ones I would never, ever consider buying but I'm kinda curious to watch.

EDIT: Semi-ninja'd by Rochester. Unfortunately not in a country that has TCM.

[rollinwith26s]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Have you seen Autumn Sonata? I felt it had more punch than Cries & Whispers.

I saw it a few years ago, but from what I remember I enjoyed Cries and Whispers more. Autumn Sonata was still great though.

[rollinwith26s]

Originally Posted by willtopower

Worth asking: which blu-ray did you watch for C&W? stand-alone or bergman set?

Stand alone.

[bwdowiak]

It is also available to stream for free on YouTube. I'm also somewhat curious. I watched like 7 or 8 minutes and wasn't turned off. I think it's something that you have to psyche yourself up for, though. Like when I'd tell myself I'm going to listen to all 17 minutes of Sister Ray by The Velvet Underground.

[moviebuff2]

As a seasoned movie watcher, I feel like I've not been watching enough 30's to 50's movies lately. I own a ton of Criterions that I've never watched so I decided to put in The Earrings of Madame De..... Holy shit! What an amazing amazing movie!! I'm still trying to process what I just watched. First of all the camera work in it was so inventive and ahead of it's time. That opening scene of her rummaging through her belongings to find something she could live without. The camera just following her as she goes through her jewelry, then through her closet and back again. I was immediately sucked in. The plot was fantastic. How the earrings represented different things to different people at different times and then changing hands again and representing something totally different. I seriously thought it was going to play out like some sort of morality tale but then turned into a serious love story with consequences. After watching I just stared at the screen for a bit. I watched all the extras. Went online and read a couple of reviews from some sites that I respect and got a deeper understanding of the experience.
I'm actually quite surprised this hasn't been remade in some sort of way (I might be wrong on this). I feel like if someone did, they would miss the point and turn it into some kind of cheap emotional movie with a message that would beat you over the head. Every thing that this movie isn't.
Again, what a fantastic movie that I urge anyone to watch who hasn't yet.

[javy]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I'm watching the blu-ray of Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. The transfer looks absolutely gorgeous.

I want to have this movie in my life, and I feel confident in blind buying it one of these days.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

For anyone wary of blind buying this, it's airing on TCM next week, December 10th.

I bought the Criterion blu the day it came out, having already seen it when they were still streaming on Hulu. I liked it quite a lot, in part because it was clearly unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Ackerman creates a voyeristic effect; I likened her approach to that of Ozu’s the first time I saw Tokyo’s Story. The shot is framed, and the view is completely static, even when the scene dictates the character leave the camera’s watchful eye. The viewer feels as if they are viewing through a peep hole, in a way.

I saw it showing on TCM, taped it yesterday, and started watching from my DVR before switching to the blu. Ben Mankiewicz related that some critics lamented it’s “almost glacial pacing.” I find that’s one of the reasons why the film is so riveting. Without giving away anything about the denouement, Dielman is very much a product of her world, a world with long periods of solitude. It’s fascinating to watch her go through her daily routine. The film shows that she exists to care for her son, and absent his presence, she is left utterly alone, save for the brief interactions watching a neighbor’s baby, or interacting with one of her gentlemen callers. But even these interactions appear somewhat antiseptic.

It’s a film I think everybody should see at least once, but I would caution against a blind buy simply because it will not be everybody’s cup of tea. It’s one of those films that will either grab you, or it won’t.

[bruce holecheck]

We knew it was coming, but Nancy Allen confirmed Criterion have Robert Zemeckis' I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND (1978) on the way this March.

Wonderful experience today filming special features interview for The Criterion Collection’s upcoming release of “I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND.” I was joined by Marc McClure. The release is scheduled for March 2019.