The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Oh, didn't know the original is coming from Fox too.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Before I return to my movie, let me say how much I adore, and admire Sissy Spacek. She is unquestionably one of our greatest living actresses.

I wonder if Criterion would ever consider adding JFK to the Collection? It’s out of print in the U.S. Spacek’s performance as Jim Garrison’s wife is quite good, though her screen time is limited. But talk about a great cast, and one that could make for some fascinating Criterion exclusive interviews or commentaries-besides Sissy Spacek, there’s Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Gary Oldman, Jack Lemon, Walter Matthau, Kevin Bacon, Sally Kirkland, John Candy, Ed Asner, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lolita Davidovich, and Wayne Knight. Then there’s Donald Sutherland’s riveting monologue as Mister X.

I think this is a movie people still feel very strongly about; they either love it, as I do, or they hate it. The same can be said about Oliver Stone. It has to be one of the most polarizing films of the 90s, and would be a big earner for Criterion.

I remember being in Dealey Plaza when the film was being shot, and how eerie it felt. They had to restore the Texas School Book Depository to look as it did in 1963. I moved to Texas in 1989, but being in downtown Dallas that day, I felt like I’d stepped back in time. Though I’ve been to the Sixth Floor Museum several times, I don’t think the power of that area of the downtown will ever diminish, for me. The sense of history, and tragedy, just looms like a fog that never dissipates. To talk to people who were born and raised in Dallas, it’s evident that the city still feels shame nearly 56 years later.

I don't know if you've ever seen it, but one of my favorite Spacek performances is Verna: USO Girl. It's a made-for-tv film I saw many years ago on PBS and she's wonderful in it.

I was 13 when the Kennedy assassination took place and that whole "I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news." adage is true.

[DandyDancing]

Anyone else think it might be synecdoche New York? Synagogue + Ducky?

[ilenewoodsfan99]

Originally Posted by belcherman

And also The Smiling Lieutenant and Trouble in Paradise on DVD. Would love for the either of those to get an upgrade.

I watched the Lubitsch movies in the Eclipse series recently, and I definitely agree that The Smiling Lieutenant (and the other three wonderful musicals) are more than deserving of Blu Rays. Hopkins is great in all three Lubitsch movies she's in, so the more the merrier!

On a side note, I definitely want to see the Jeanette MacDonald Lubitsch movies on Criterion.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by ilenewoodsfan99

I watched the Lubitsch movies in the Eclipse series recently, and I definitely agree that The Smiling Lieutenant (and the other three wonderful musicals) are more than deserving of Blu Rays. Hopkins is great in all three Lubitsch movies she's in, so the more the merrier!

On a side note, I definitely want to see the Jeanette MacDonald Lubitsch movies on Criterion.

Yes. The Pre-Code Jeanette MacDonald is so much different from the Nelson Eddy partner I was familiar with.

[afraidofsunlight]

Originally Posted by DandyDancing

Anyone else think it might be synecdoche New York? Synagogue + Ducky?

That’s definitely a reach — where would the “New York” bit come from, for one thing? Plus, the Sony Blu-Ray is still in-print, and perfectly fine at that.

“Temple” + “Drake” is much more obvious, much more Polan’s style, and in much more need of a Blu-Ray release.

[MifuneFan]

Temple + Drake huh? Criterion are releasing the Uncharted video game series

[DoorsOfPerception]

I'm 100% okay with Criterion releasing Uncharted.

[Al_The_Strange]

And here I was hoping for the DuckTales movie.

[Magikor]

Totally random question but, did the Criterion BD of Chungking Express get a standard packaging release that WASN'T a digipack?

I just noticed that only a digipack release is listed here and mine is in a standard case.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by belcherman

[Show spoiler]The Story of Temple Drake!

That would be long overdue, it's a film I'm really worried that we are going to miss out on BluRay so hopefully Criterion can release it.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I’m all for films of the pre-code era, and should anybody from Criterion see this post, I’d pay a handsomely to add them to my library. Seeing the early films of Barbara Stanwyck, Una Merkel, Mae West, Joan Blondell, Joan Crawford, Myrna Loy, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Carole Lombard et all is fascinating. I’ve a real soft spot, especially, for Stanwyck’s films from that period; Baby Face is high on my most wanted films list. The first time I saw it, even after reading about the lax censorship of the era, the overt sexuality of her character caught me by surprise. The period is infinitely fascinating to me with so many strong, well-written female characters.

I get depressed when there is no Mae West on BluRay. A Criterion Mae West boxset is high on my list of films I want on BluRay.

[DaBargainHunta]

Originally Posted by Magikor

Totally random question but, did the Criterion BD of Chungking Express get a standard packaging release that WASN'T a digipack?

I just noticed that only a digipack release is listed here and mine is in a standard case.

Mine is a standard case too. I ordered what must've been the very last one from Barnes & Noble right as it went OOP.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Magikor

Totally random question but, did the Criterion BD of Chungking Express get a standard packaging release that WASN'T a digipack?

I just noticed that only a digipack release is listed here and mine is in a standard case.

The original release was in a cardboard DigiPack with Slipcover, as were the releases of The 400 Blows, Bottle Rocket, The Last Emperor, The Last Metro, Last Year at Marienbad, The Man Who Fell to Earth, El Norte, and The Third Man.

Criterion began to repackage them in plastic cases and offer replacement cases on their website after a brief period of time.

[StarDestroyer52]

Saw this tidbit over at Indiewire.

The COLCOA Classics series will pay tribute to late director/writer Agnès Varda with a special Rialto Pictures presentation of her 1962 must-see “Cleo From 5 to 7,” plus Janus Films restorations of Jean Renoir’s 1932 “Toni” and Jacques Becker’s “Touchez Pas Au Grisbi.[Janus is not releasing this as its been released by Kino]”

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by StarDestroyer52

I get depressed when there is no Mae West on BluRay. A Criterion Mae West boxset is high on my list of films I want on BluRay.

A Criterion Mae West box set would be a dream come true! Especially if it had all of these....

[Show spoiler]

[DaBargainHunta]

I started watching Harold and Maude on The Criterion Channel because it’s expiring at the end of the month. I was about 45 minutes into it when my internet went down. While I like the main characters, neither of them feel like real people – nobody does – and none of the situations feel realistic either. I get that it’s probably supposed to be a quirky black comedy but it isn’t working for me so far. Does the movie get any better?

(No spoilers, please. I probably won’t be able to finish it until tomorrow night. But situations like this are why physical media remains king!)

[scraptor]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I'd be all over any blu-ray release, from Criterion or otherwise, that contains the original theatrical cut of JFK.

Amazing film. Even if you disagree with Stone's politics or the conspiracy theory, it's an absolutely gripping movie, the first 3 hour film I ever saw that seemed to fly by in an hour.

And yes, Sissy Spacek is a fantastic actress. I recently saw her in The Old Man & The Gun... great little flick.

I started watching it the other day and the direction seemed so dated. Amazing cast though.

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by scraptor

I started watching it the other day and the direction seemed so dated.

Interesting. Dated in what regard?

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

I started watching Harold and Maude on The Criterion Channel because it’s expiring at the end of the month. I was about 45 minutes into it when my internet went down. While I like the main characters, neither of them feel like real people – nobody does – and none of the situations feel realistic either. I get that it’s probably supposed to be a quirky black comedy but it isn’t working for me so far. Does the movie get any better?

(No spoilers, please. I probably won’t be able to finish it until tomorrow night. But situations like this are why physical media remains king!)

Any better? Well, it's good from beginning to end as far as I'm concerned, but to address what you're asking... if you don't like it so far, you probably won't like the rest of it either.

Originally Posted by scraptor

I started watching it the other day and the direction seemed so dated. Amazing cast though.

Yeah, you're going to have to elaborate on what you mean by the "direction seemed so dated".