The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

I think there's a strong possibility they have Ran, considering they have worked out a deal with Studiocanal for a number of films, and have posted a few images of the film with no apparent context on their social media.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Both, of course! But if I could only have one, it would be the Lean set without hesitation.

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

If my house was ever in the path of Godzilla and I had to flee the area, I would be taking the Josef von Sternberg set along with Fassbinder's BRD trilogy with me.

That settles it. I'm buying both. I don't really need to eat. Great films shall sustain me.

Actually, I can afford both. And, I'm not in any danger of missing a meal. For a time, I just feel guilty about spending a good chunk of change when I have so much yet to watch.

Then I get my box of Criterions. Or Twilight Times. Kinos or Warner Archives. Or my latest couple of imports from Amazon UK. I open them, and in my mind, in that brief moment, I'm gleefully bouncing about the room contemplating my next two-hour-in-the-dark vacation. Maybe I'll be high up in the Himalayas with a bunch of nuns, or standing roadside hoping to catch a ride as Claudette Colbert sticks out one of her lovely gams. Or, I'm slowly ascending a darkened staircase carrying a curiously luminous glass of milk to Joan Fontaine. Even if I don't watch the movies I get in right away, they represent all kinds of possibilities, because that's what movies really are. A chance to visit another time and place, real or imagined, for just a little while. Places that existed long ago, or in a galaxy far far away. And ultimately, I think that's why I have so many movies. Each disc represents the artistic vision of one man or woman, looking through their little camera lens, creating movie magic that I get to share in. These wonderful collaborative efforts, hundreds or thousands of people putting their talents to use to create a dream world that captures our imagination, that scare the hell out of us, make us laugh, make us cry.

The great thing about being a cinephile is that there's really no wrong way to love movies. We all have different backgrounds. We all punch our own version of the time clock. All have to battle traffic. But when we pop in a blu-ray, or log into Netflix, for just a little while, that world outside, and all its demands, goes away, and we get to enjoy ourselves. Sometimes we're alone. Other times, we're with friends. Or, it might be curled up on the sofa with the one we love. And all over the country, and the world, there are people watching these same films, and we get to come here and discuss them with other dreamers. Those experiences then become shared experiences, and we meet new dreamers. Movies connect us, and make our lives better.

I just got home from watching Bohemian Rhapsody in the theater. I've been an absolutely huge Queen fan since I was 12 years old. I remember the day Freddie Mercury (and Eric Carr of KISS) died. It was, for me, the day that the music died. That was over 27 years ago. More than a quarter century since Freddie lost his battle with AIDS. For two hours this afternoon, Rami Malek channeled the spirit of rock's greatest front man. For two hours, Freddie Mercury was alive again. I was transported back to 1985, watching Live Aid on my television in Waukesha, Wisconsin. All of a sudden, I was 13 years old again. Only, this time, I felt as if I were one of the 100,000 music lovers in the crowd at Wembley Stadium watching Freddie, Brian, Roger and John making history. It was cold outside the theater, and it has been raining all day. It's been generally miserable. But from the comfort of my chair, my heart raced; I felt warm, alive, and I mouthed the words to Bohemian Rhapsody, Hammer to Fall, Radio Ga Ga and We Are the Champions as if I were watching Freddie singing them. I was transported to another time and place. And once I own it, I can relive that moment whenever I want.

That is the power of movies. And that is why I collect them.

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I don't really need to eat.

Eating is overrated. I recommend Grandpa's hooch...and buying both.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

"So, do I buy Dietrich & von Sternberg in Hollywood, or David Lean Directs Noël Coward?"

Eh, why not buy 'em both? You only live once, right??

If you're familiar with both, then get both, certainly.

If they're blind-buys, then that's your call. I did blind-buy the David Lean set some years ago, given that I love his more epic films of the 60s. Watched all the Noel Coward adaptations, but unfortunately, I was decidedly not a fan.

Given the choice, I'd lean heavier on the Dietrich/Von Sternberg set--from the ones I've seen, I'm more smitten by the cinematography, acting, and stories of those films. It's also a really nice box, whereas I found the Lean set a little flimsy (my set was quite beat-up before I parted with it).

That's just me though.

[tatterdemalion]

If you had to pare your collection down to 20 titles, which 20 would you pick?

Rule: you can only keep five box sets and none that contain more than five titles.

No Bergman set, no Zatoichi, no World Cinema Project.

...all the rest have to be individual titles.

Like others I'll assume it's CC titles only. If I could go back to the days of laserdisc then 2001: A Space Odyssey and Citizen Kane would be on the list. I made a rule for myself: only one film, or boxed set since I had to do one cheat, per director. Anyway, here goes.

1)Sansho the Bailiff
2)Andrei Rublev
3)A Matter of Life and Death
4)Dr. Strangelove
5)Ikiru
6)The Passion of Joan of Arc
7)Wild Strawberries
8)Stagecoach
9)The Complete Jacques Tati. (Like another poster mentioned, Parade is like a supplement. A fun film where we get to see Tati doing his Pantomime for prosperity.)
10)Still Walking
11)The New World
12)Brazil
13)L'Avventura
14)The Night of the Hunter
15)McCabe and Mrs. Miller
16)8 1/2
17)M
18)The 400 Blows
19)Au Revoir Les Enfants
20)The Wages of Fear

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

"So, do I buy Dietrich & von Sternberg in Hollywood, or David Lean Directs Noël Coward?"

Neither, if you don't have the The Marseille Trilogy first.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by bonehica

Stray Dog and The Bad Sleep Well are holdouts as well. And, I thought I read somewhere they have reacquired the rights to Ran...or do I need to lay off of Grandpa's hooch?

I say its likely they have Ran since they posted numerous cryptic Tweets and they've worked a deal out with Studiocanal. Though, I got tired of waiting and went ahead and ordered the UK 4K remastered edition from 2016 which speaking of I should get next Wednesday.

[Burt Lancaster]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

I say its likely they have Ran since they posted numerous cryptic Tweets and they've worked a deal out with Studiocanal. Though, I got tired of waiting and went ahead and ordered the UK 4K remastered edition from 2016 which speaking of I should get next Wednesday.

I ordered the 4K remaster of Ran a few days ago actually. Do you have any of the Tweet links?

Off topic, but am I wrong in saying there are only 4 Truffaut movies not on Blu-ray (5 if you count Fahrnheit 451 whose Blu-ray looks like a DVD).

Dying to see The Wild Child from him get a release. I've seen nearly every film by Truffaut. The only ones I haven't seen are the 4 not on Blu-ray, which I don't plan on buying their DVDs.

[Burt Lancaster]

The only Francois Truffaut films not on Blu-ray:


The Wild Child (1970)
Small Change (1976)
The Man Who Loved Women (1977)
The Green Room (1978)

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) -- on Blu-ray but looks no better than a DVD.

Did I miss anything?

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by Burt Lancaster

The only Francois Truffaut films not on Blu-ray:


The Wild Child (1970)
Small Change (1976)
The Man Who Loved Women (1977)
The Green Room (1978)

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) -- on Blu-ray but looks no better than a DVD.

Did I miss anything?

I sure wish Criterion would release Two English Girls.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Last night I watched a double-feature of Suzuki's Take Aim at the Police Van and Koreyoshi Kurahara's Intimidation. I know some here don't watch DVDs anymore but I thought I'd give my recommendation for these if anyone cares.

I'm a sucker for anything by Seijun Suzuki so I'm not the most objective critic, but if you're a noir fan "Take Aim.." is lots of fun. It comes at the very end of the noir-cycle so it feels more like an homage, especially with its Marlowe-esque lead, but it's a real treat seeing a noir-thick film with a Japanese cast and setting. And it has a few of Suzuki's humorous touches. Black-and-white Nikkatsu-scope or whatever it was called, looks decent for DVD.

I hate to say it but "Intimidation" was even better, at least from a plot and narrative sense. Only 65 minutes long but it starts right in and is tight, tense, interesting, and very cynical. It's the first Kurahara film I've seen (and the first in the Eclipse set), and I'm impressed. More camera movements and close-ups than the Suzuki film, just one difference I noticed. I'm excited to see his other films in this set.

Anyway, check em out! Not much beats Japanese films from the 50s-70s.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by Burt Lancaster

I ordered the 4K remaster of Ran a few days ago actually. Do you have any of the Tweet links?

Off topic, but am I wrong in saying there are only 4 Truffaut movies not on Blu-ray (5 if you count Fahrnheit 451 whose Blu-ray looks like a DVD).

Dying to see The Wild Child from him get a release. I've seen nearly every film by Truffaut. The only ones I haven't seen are the 4 not on Blu-ray, which I don't plan on buying their DVDs.

Janus had a cryptic Tweet in November:

https://twitter.com/janusfilms/statu...48037070807040

In the US: Shoot the Piano Player is the big Truffaut film that is MIA on BluRay. Mississippi Mermaid and The Story of Adèle H. were released by Twilight Time and both are OOP.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by SuperFlyHighGuy

Last night I watched a double-feature of Suzuki's Take Aim at the Police Van and Koreyoshi Kurahara's Intimidation. I know some here don't watch DVDs anymore but I thought I'd give my recommendation for these if anyone cares.

I'm a sucker for anything by Seijun Suzuki so I'm not the most objective critic, but if you're a noir fan "Take Aim.." is lots of fun. It comes at the very end of the noir-cycle so it feels more like an homage, especially with its Marlowe-esque lead, but it's a real treat seeing a noir-thick film with a Japanese cast and setting. And it has a few of Suzuki's humorous touches. Black-and-white Nikkatsu-scope or whatever it was called, looks decent for DVD.

I hate to say it but "Intimidation" was even better, at least from a plot and narrative sense. Only 65 minutes long but it starts right in and is tight, tense, interesting, and very cynical. It's the first Kurahara film I've seen (and the first in the Eclipse set), and I'm impressed. More camera movements and close-ups than the Suzuki film, just one difference I noticed. I'm excited to see his other films in this set.

Anyway, check em out! Not much beats Japanese films from the 50s-70s.

I loved the two on the Nikkatsu Noir set I've caught on TV(Cruel Gun Story and A Colt is My Passport). I've been meaning to get the set.

[Firefly2193]

My ‘top 20’:
(Including non-criterions)

Criterion’s:

1) Mulholland Drive
2) Eraserhead
3) The Before Trilogy
4) Three Colours trilogy
5) Punch Drunk Love
6) The Graduate
7) Army of Shadows
8) 12 Angry Men
9) On The Waterfront
10) Blow Out
11) Rumble Fish

Non Criterion:


12) Cure (Masters of Cinema)
13) The Apartment (Arrow LE)
14) Carrie (Arrow LE)
15) The Dekalog (Arrow LE)
16) Videodrome (Arrow LE)
17) The Endless (Arrow LE - signed by the directors)
18) The Godfather trilogy
19) Apolcalypse Now (set inc. Hearts of Darkness)
20) Heat (LE steelbook)

[yoloswegmaster420]

It's weird how Criterion hasn't released a Kurosawa film since 2016, especially since Red Beard and Dersu Uzala were restored years ago. Hell, it's shocking that Janus hasn't been touring the new 4K restoration of Seven Samurai like they've done with Wings of Desire.

[kwisatzhaderach]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

I say its likely they have Ran since they posted numerous cryptic Tweets and they've worked a deal out with Studiocanal.

Oh please let this be true. My Criterion DVD badly needs retiring!

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by fdm

fwiw, I recall finding it a bit slow/dull, definitely not among my favorite Kurosawas. So obv another watch some day is in order for me, but I wouldn't be so worked up about it. Just keep on waiting for that blu-ray is probably the best plan.

I wouldn't say I'm worked up, but I do enjoy a great blind buy. Still, I may consider watching it now if it comes along before a Criterion upgrade.

[R o d]

Just wanted to give a strong recommendation to To Sleep With Anger, Criterion’s movie of the week (with supplements) for charter subscribers and an upcoming release on disc. A review was posted today. Don’t miss this!

Hopefully we’ll get more Charles Burnett including Killer of Sheep sometime soon.

[Abdrewes]

For those interested, I just put the finishing touches on the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die - on Blu-ray list. Unsurprisingly, many Criterions were on the list.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

Let the speculation begin.

Types of clouds: Stratus, Cirrus, Cumulus

Going by those rules, what would a star cloud be called?

How about....Starticus?

*drops mic*