The Criterion Collection

[bwdowiak]

I really like Bresson. I can recall the first time I saw Pickpocket... I read an analysis (actually it was probably Ebert's review) and was dumbfounded as to how he (or anyone else) could have picked so much out of what seemed like a dry emotive-less film. Then I revisited it when Criterion put out their Blu-ray release and I not only "got" it, I loved it! I agree with mja345 when he says that A Man Escaped might be the film that is most complementary to Bresson's style. I loved that one, too.

I thought Diary of a Country Priest and Au Hasard Balthazar were very heavy films and I'm hoping to get more out of them during a second watch.

L'argent, his last, is a very affecting film. It is a candidate for a Blu-ray release, I'd suspect, because it is available on Hulu through the Criterion channel. I think people will really like that one.

I'd rank them...
A Man Escaped
Pickpocket (very close second)
L'argent
Au Hasard Balthazar
Diary of a Country Priest

[Scottie]

So I'm listening to the My Blueberry Nights soundtrack because of how much I love Norah Jones' "The Story" and I decide to look her up and what do I read?! Her father is Ravi Shankar, George Harrison's friend and the composer of The Apu Trilogy!

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by iScottie

So I'm listening to the My Blueberry Nights soundtrack because of how much I love Norah Jones' "The Story" and I decide to look her up and what do I read?! Her father is Ravi Shankar, George Harrison's friend and the composer of The Apu Trilogy!

and you did not know that?

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

I thought Diary of a Country Priest and Au Hasard Balthazar were very heavy films and I'm hoping to get more out of them during a second watch.

I tried to read some analysis on Balthazar last night and I agreed with someone on one of the message boards. There are a lot of people saying it is a masterpiece, yet provide little evidence of understanding exactly what the film means. Then, there are many saying they hate it without citing reasons.

I didn't hate it, but 6/10 it is one of the lowest ratings I have ever given a Criterion. I appreciate the imagery and recognize Bresson was doing something that had not been done (any maybe not since) in cinema. Style-wise it just didn't connect with me.

Now onto Jellyfish Eyes...

[filmmusic]

I'm sorry, I just realised that Yi Yi is the ONLY chinese film that Criterion has released!
Is this right?
I would hope it could release some older films too, eg. 40s,50s,60s..

edit: I guess I was mistaken. It is a Taiwanese film, isn't it?
So, this means that Criterion hasn't released a single Chinese film?

[jayfaxva]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I'm sorry, I just realised that Yi Yi is the ONLY chinese film that Criterion has released!
Is this right?
I would hope it could release some older films too, eg. 40s,50s,60s..

edit: I gues I was mistkaen. It is a Taiwanese film?
So, this means that Criterion hasn't released a single Chinese film?

Chunking Express
In the Mood for Love

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by jayfaxva

Chunking Express
In the Mood for Love

Oh, thanks.
I searched with only "Mandarin" in the language search bar.
Still, I would hope for older ones.

[YouGotMeFeelingBlu]

Originally Posted by jayfaxva

Chunking Express
In the Mood for Love

Just watched this for the first time in my film class. Loved it. Ordered it from Best Buy just a couple of days ago!

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by YouGotMeFeelingBlu

Just watched this for the first time in my film class. Loved it. Ordered it from Best Buy just a couple of days ago!

I should watch it for a second time some time.
I don't know, the first time it felt too much style over substance.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by KillaCam

I was going to look through your collection until I saw that you haven't categorized it at all. It's very difficult to see what genre and types of films someone enjoys when they don't have them listed by genre. You have a massive collection and I'm sure it would take awhile to categorize but it would be helpful to those who want to see your taste. Just my nitpick though.


Anyway I just started my Criterion collection and I usually read up a bit on the film before I purchase it but I also blind buy if it's by a director I know that I like. Also samurai films I'll purchase just because samurai are badass!

I keep my collection alphabetized because my tastes run to every extreme (and in between) and because, as you pointed out, it is so large. I've entered all my blu-rays onto the site, but I'm still busy adding DVD releases to the blu-ray.com database, and then adding them to the "My Collection" once my submissions have been approved by the moderators.

Tellingly, I have more than another 5,000 films on DVD-R. I have everything cataloged in a Word document that is currently 64 pages long, 2 columns to a page, 8 point type. In that document, I have everything listed in three broad categories by format: blu-ray, DVD, and homemade DVD-R; further categorization would be more than my little mind can handle!

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by KillaCam

I was going to look through your collection until I saw that you haven't categorized it at all. It's very difficult to see what genre and types of films someone enjoys when they don't have them listed by genre.

KillaCam it's not that difficult.
Just check his/her statistics!

https://www.blu-ray.com/community/co...ion=statistics
You can see statistics about genre and decades that would help.

[KillaCam]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

KillaCam it's not that difficult.
Just check his/her statistics!

https://www.blu-ray.com/community/co...ion=statistics
You can see statistics about genre and decades that would help.

Ah, very cool. I wasnt aware that you could do this. Thanks

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

and you did not know that?

Nope. Fail.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I couldn't even imagine trying to categorize by genre. Too many films muddy the lines between different genres for me to be comfortable doing that.

Exactly. Take the film, It's a Wonderful Life ... it's a romantic comedy that veers into drama and contains some film noir sequences and fantasy elements, along with a holiday theme. So many of my favorites ... including The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Thin Man (and its lesser known cousin, Remember Last Night?), and many, many others ... also defy genre conventions.

[KillaCam]

Originally Posted by jmclick

Exactly. Take the film, It's a Wonderful Life ... it's a romantic comedy with that veers into drama and contains some film noir sequences and fantasy elements, along with a holiday theme. So many of my favorites ... including The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Thin Man (and its lesser known cousin, Remember Last Night?), and many, many others ... also defy genre conventions.

I put Its a Wonderful Life in my drama section. For now with the current size of my collection this is working. I do see the problem for larger collections though and once I hit 1000 I'll probably just put them all in alphabetical order as it seems most others do.

[Martin_31]

New Tale of Zatoichi is pretty awesome. The colors! I'm guessing that everything was shot in a studio, right? It's the second time watching it. A second viewing definitely helps with understanding the story a bit. Loved the final fight scene.

[YouGotMeFeelingBlu]

As Kurosawa is becoming one of my favorite directors, I'm hoping we get some more of his films released by Criterion next year. So far I have The Hidden Fortress, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Throne of Blood, Seven Samurai, High and Low, Ikiru, and Kagemusha. Ikiru, The Hidden Fortress and High and Low are probably my favorites, with Rashomon not far behind.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by CPinheiro

I think Faraway, So close is not as good as Wings of Desire (and thats ok since wings of desire is one of my all time favorites) but still I'd love if criterion released it. In fact I would be quite happy if they released every single Wenders' movie.

On the plus side, Faraway, So Close is at least (much) better than City of Angels, the Americanized remake of Wings of Desire with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

I'm sorry, I just realised that Yi Yi is the ONLY chinese film that Criterion has released!
Is this right?
I would hope it could release some older films too, eg. 40s,50s,60s..

edit: I guess I was mistaken. It is a Taiwanese film, isn't it?
So, this means that Criterion hasn't released a single Chinese film?

Only if you're specifically referring to films made by the People's Republic of China. Aside from Yi Yi, which, yes, is a Taiwanese film, Criterion has released these Hong Kong films:

Supercop (LD)
The Killer (LD & DVD)
Hard Boiled (LD & DVD)
Chungking Express (LD & DVD & BD)
In the Mood for Love (DVD & BD)

But as far as PRC films go, yes, it's a serious gap in their catalog.

By the way, if you go to criterion.com and search by country, they have one title listed under "China": The Last Emperor. It was an international co-production, of which China was part, but I don't think that anyone other than Criterion seriously thinks of it as a Chinese film.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by jayembee

City of Angels, the Americanized remake of Wings of Desire with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan.

Which gave us a less excellent U2 song.