The Criterion Collection

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Yeah, I highly recommend Aki Kaurismaki! I love him!

I just blind bought La Vie De Boheme a couple of days ago. Looks right up my alley.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by The Sovereign

I just blind bought La Vie De Boheme a couple of days ago. Looks right up my alley.

That ones good! The Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, & The Match Factory Girl trilogy are my favorites!

[Gacivory]

Went for round three in this sale and got, Police Story 1 & 2; Matewan and Ali: Fear Eats th3 Soul! Matewan was in a stack of a bunch of movies behind the counter, so I had to investigate for the movie. And Ali looked like a repackage and has no booklet.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I have no problem reading a book in close proximity to its movie adaptation(s). Sometimes reading the book can give you a bit of insight into certain aspects of a movie that aren't made clear. For example, I was as confused as hell when I first saw Inherent Vice but after reading the novel, the movie made a hell of a lot more sense. If I had read the book first, I think I would have enjoyed the film a lot more. I find it interesting to see how a filmmaker visualizes something and how it compared to what I saw in my own mind's eye when reading the book.

People just have to remember that they are different forms of media with their own advantages. A book can get really in-depth into small details thus can provide a more informative experience, however, film can do a better job of making something feel more immersive or real because it's so sensory based. I've had a lot more emotional connections to movies than I have to books.

I don't share the belief that the book is always better. There have been some great movies made from mediocre or terrible books, and vice versa. Most of the time I find them to be equal in quality when taking the respective limitations of either form of media into consideration.

Totally agree with your point about film and written narrative being two different media. Each with it's own strengths and limits.

I don't usually say the film or the novel/story is better. I do enjoy, though, thinking about why the movie makes the changes it does to the source. It's probably mental masturbation, but if I know both versions, I like wondering why some characters are added or subtracted and why some plot changes are made. That's part of the pleasure I get out of an adaptation.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Maybe it's ignorance, but I'm damn glad that my fondness for The Shining film isn't hindered by having read the book first. This really applies to most book to movie adaptations. Many people simply can't accept any major (or even minor) changes that happen during such format transitions. There's been instances where I've read the book before a film, and very rarely do they line up at a high percentage, even when the director is attempting to be faithful. Some times it sucks to not see your own "vision" up on the screen, but at the same time, I realize that a lot of things in books don't always translate well to screen, especially in a limited run time.

Fair enough. But as I said before, with me it's not the issue of fidelity per se. I only take issue with changes when I feel they don't work as well as the source material -- and in some cases don't work well at all. I realize that sometimes things as they happen in books don't always translate well to screen, but in the case of The Shining, I think the scenes I mentioned could easily have been translated to the screen, and made for a more effective horror story.

Also, as I said, I think the changes that Kubrick made to A Clockwork Orange were improvements over the book (and I read the book before seeing the film). I also think De Palma's Carrie was a vast improvement over the novel.

[amarster]

Finally got Blue Velvet and Barry Lyndon at the B&N sale!

[evilive]

Haven't made a trip to B&N yet. Most likely going to wait till near or after Black Friday since I know my local record shop is having a Black Friday sale on vinyl and used blurays. Hoping to get Haxan, Black Narcissus, and A Night To Remember. Probably even get the two Bette Davis releases and Betty Blue.

[BuraddoRun]

I picked up the Lone Wolf and Cub collection today at the B&N closest to my house. I may go hunting for Zatoichi and Yojimbo/Sanjuro tomorrow at different locations.

[ravenus]

I realized that the existing Criterion release of In the Mood for Love is the only Wong-Kar Wai film I own on blu-ray, so if they are going to do a WKW set next year based on 4K restorations supposed to be in the works, it would suit me nicely. Just make sure to include the theatrical cut of Ashes of Time and I wouldn't mind if they dropped The Grandmaster

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by BuraddoRun

I picked up the Lone Wolf and Cub collection today at the B&N closest to my house.

These films are incredible, one of my favorite CC sets for sure.

I watched Magnificent Obsession for the first time last night. Pretty fun, lots of melodrama and great production values. Glad to finally have this one, though I liked All That Heaven Allows more. Would like to get more Sirk from Criterion.

[AaronJ]

Oh, man. You could put together one HELL of a 5 or 6 disc set with Wong.

Imagine:

In the Mood For Love
Fallen Angels
Happy Together
Chungking Express
My Blueberry Nights
As Tears Go By

Oh, I would buy that in less than a heartbeat.

[drownsoda]

Stopped by B&N again yesterday at the mall after getting out from seeing The Lighthouse. Couldn't stop myself. So far from this sale, I've picked up Blue Velvet, Cat People, Ride with the Devil, 3 Women, and Straw Dogs—all of those, save Ride with the Devil, are upgrades from DVD versions. I have a few I'd still like to grab during the sale, but we'll see.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

Oh, man. You could put together one HELL of a 5 or 6 disc set with Wong.

Imagine:

In the Mood For Love
Fallen Angels
Happy Together
Chungking Express
My Blueberry Nights
As Tears Go By

Oh, I would buy that in less than a heartbeat.

No 2046 in there? I'm really itching for that one in HD.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by SuperFlyHighGuy

No 2046 in there? I'm really itching for that one in HD.

Absolutely.

God, it would be pretty impossible to limit it. I saw 2046 in the theater, actually. Damn, was that an experience.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I don't share the belief that the book is always better. There have been some great movies made from mediocre or terrible books, and vice versa. Most of the time I find them to be equal in quality when taking the respective limitations of either form of media into consideration.

GOLDFINGER, THE GODFATHER and even WATCHMEN (due to its changed ending) are three movies that I feel improve upon the original novels.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by BuraddoRun

I picked up the Lone Wolf and Cub collection today at the B&N closest to my house. I may go hunting for Zatoichi and Yojimbo/Sanjuro tomorrow at different locations.

I'm not a fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. Don't get me wrong, the films are well done, and I'm always amazed at how acrobatic Tomisaburo Wakayama is considering his size. BTW, Tomisaburo Wakayama is the older brother of Shintaro Katsu, who played Zatoichi.

The reason I'm not a fan is that the films are devoid of any joy. There's no happiness. And the plight of the young child, Daigoro, is truly saddening.

Zatoichi on the other hand is wonderful. I also love Yojimbo/Sanjuro. I'd strongly recommend The Samurai Trilogy and, of course, Seven Samurai. Seven Samurai, IMO, is the best film ever made.

[Mister_Kidd]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I'm not a fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. Don't get me wrong, the films are well done, and I'm always amazed at how acrobatic Tomisaburo Wakayama is considering his size. BTW, Tomisaburo Wakayama is the older brother of Shintaro Katsu, who played Zatoichi.

The reason I'm not a fan is that the films are devoid of any joy. There's no happiness. And the plight of the young child, Daigoro, is truly saddening.

Zatoichi on the other hand is wonderful. I also love Yojimbo/Sanjuro. I'd strongly recommend The Samurai Trilogy and, of course, Seven Samurai. Seven Samurai, IMO, is the best film ever made.

I love Lone Wolf and Cub for pretty much the same reason you don’t like it. I’m guessing your not a fan of Sword of Doom either?

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Mister_Kidd

I love Lone Wolf and Cub for pretty much the same reason you don’t like it. I’m guessing your not a fan of Sword of Doom either?

Sword of Doom is wonderful.

I love Lone Wolf, so I’m sure I’d love Zatoichi as well.

But 25 films seems like a little too much.

The Lone Wolf set is just right.

...I’m watching Touch of Zen for the first time tonight.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by Mister_Kidd

I love Lone Wolf and Cub for pretty much the same reason you don’t like it. I’m guessing your not a fan of Sword of Doom either?

You are correct. I'm not a fan of Sword of Doom either.

I'm not saying these are bad films. It's just that for my tastes, they're lacking. But I certainly have no objection to others enjoying them.

[BamaDullard]

I went ahead and picked up these two:



They both have kind of stuck in my mind for a while. The latter is pretty easily my favorite Polanski film.