The Criterion Channel

[Animatic33]

Has anyone received their Charter Membership card? Just wondering if they had been sent out or not?

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by Animatic33

Has anyone received their Charter Membership card? Just wondering if they had been sent out or not?

I haven't gotten mine.

[DaBargainHunta]

Me neither.

[dwk]

From Twitter earlier today
Tweet of a GIF of the card and an update:

The first Criterion Channel Charter Subscriber membership card arrived in our offices this week! Now we're busy etching all the rest. Charter Subscribers who signed up for a card should start checking their mailboxes in late October.

[DaBargainHunta]

This thread is rarely used, so I'm going to highlight a couple of movies expiring tonight on The Criterion Channel.

Harold and Maude

Day One

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?

I have a feeling I'm supposed to be "charmed" by these "unique" people, and, well...I'm not.

I'll finish it up tonight and see if my feelings improve.

Day Two

I finished up Harold and Maude last night. I think having a 24-hour break (unintended) helped a bit. I went back into the movie with a clearer expectation of what to expect. I was subsequently able to adjust to the artifice more. For example, the scene with the bike cop was absurdly amusing.

It also helps that Harold dropped his guard and got real with Maude in her apartment, in what was a very touching and poignant exchange. There is also another quiet moment later in the movie where Maude's

[Show spoiler]Holocaust number tattoo is revealed.

I don't believe that was mentioned before or after. It wasn't even acknowledged as it was happening. No words were spoken. The moment was just allowed to breathe. Because of those two scenes, we understand these characters and their actions throughout the film. Otherwise, the movie would've just been a series of quirky events with odd people and no soul.

I think my initial issue with it is that I went in expecting something more like Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. Well, Harold and Maude definitely isn't that.

Ultimately, I still can't say I loved the movie. But I appreciate it more now after watching all of it. I can smile at some of the absurdist moments and think back on what ended up being a quietly powerful relationship between two odd couple characters. This is definitely not a safe blind buy though, so it's worth watching on The Criterion Channel before it expires in a couple of days.

I was surprised to see that Roger Ebert gave the movie a shockingly negative review. While I can't say I really disagree with most of what he wrote, I probably came away with somewhat of a warmer feeling toward Harold and Maude than he did.

(BTW, how old was Bud Cort's character supposed to be? Sometimes he looked 15 and other times he looked 25. I went into the movie assuming he was still a school-aged child, so the scenes of him being set up with working career women was a bit jarring to me at first.)

Bad Education

I watched Bad Education on The Criterion Channel before it expires. (Tonight!)

Man, what a WILD RIDE!

The Criterion Channel's description of the film conveniently leaves out all of its gay, transgender, and cross-dressing themes.

Originally Posted by The Criterion Channel

In Pedro Almodóvar’s BAD EDUCATION, two boys, Ignacio and Enrique, discover love, cinema, and fear in a Franco-era religious school in the early 1960s. In 1980 Madrid, young director Enrique Goded (Fele Martínez) is looking for a story for his fourth film when he has a visitor: an attractive young man (Gael García Bernal) who says he is his old school friend, Ignacio. Ignacio has brought a short story he has written, which piques Enrique’s interest when he realizes that the story was inspired by their childhood. Enrique’s film, and the events that transpire during its shooting, tell a story within a story whose real and imagined characters try to make sense of themselves, their world, and their past.

I guess they assume everyone is homophobic?

I bring this up because it took me by surprise - not a bad way, of course - but I wasn't expecting it because Criterion didn't include it in its description.

In any case, I was hooked from the very beginning. It is beautifully shot and the opening scene immediately grabs your attention, as an aspiring actor (played by Gael García Bernal) comes into a studio and introduces himself as the old school friend of a film director (Fele Martínez). From there, the director reads the script and we get flashbacks upon flashbacks of earlier times. To say more than that would be to spoil the movie...

I have one question though: Is the aspect ratio screwed up on the Criterion Channel version? I know the film has two different ARs, but the flashbacks on Criterion Channel have bars on all four sides, which doesn't seem right to me. Thankfully, the movie was riveting enough that I was able to overlook this possible technical snafu.

I was surprised to find out that Bad Education received the dreaded NC-17 rating. After watching it, I have no idea why. It's a PG-13 to me at most. Maybe I don't shock easily?

If I have time tonight, I'll try to watch either Akira Kurosawa's Dreams or The Man Who Fell to Earth (both also expiring). Not sure I'll be able to get to either of them though. Definitely won't be able to fit in both.

[dwk]

Ken Russell's The Devils is going to be on the Criterion Channel in October.

[DaBargainHunta]

Upstream Color, which is on The Criterion Channel, is showing up at Dollar Tree for $1 on Blu-ray.

[mfitzwah]

Disappointed that the Pre-Code Stanwyck collection is leaving at the end of October, going to try to finish it up before the month is over. Really making me wish that Criterion would release them as a box set like they did with the Dietrich and von Sternberg films. Or, if that were even possible, would that be more likely as a Warner Archive release?

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by Animatic33

Has anyone received their Charter Membership card? Just wondering if they had been sent out or not?

Received mine today.

Don't know what to do with it tbh.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by mfitzwah

Disappointed that the Pre-Code Stanwyck collection is leaving at the end of October, going to try to finish it up before the month is over. Really making me wish that Criterion would release them as a box set like they did with the Dietrich and von Sternberg films. Or, if that were even possible, would that be more likely as a Warner Archive release?

I'd say chances are slim to none they'd be released by WA, since they are Columbia titles...

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by Hoke Moseley

Received mine today.

Don't know what to do with it tbh.

Came here to post the same thing. Dunno what the metal loop is for or what we're expected to do with it. I guess we can just throw the card itself it in a wallet.

[DaBargainHunta]

I got my Criterion card (or whatever it is) yesterday, but I haven't had time to open the envelope yet.

Originally Posted by mfitzwah

Disappointed that the Pre-Code Stanwyck collection is leaving at the end of October, going to try to finish it up before the month is over. Really making me wish that Criterion would release them as a box set like they did with the Dietrich and von Sternberg films. Or, if that were even possible, would that be more likely as a Warner Archive release?

This threw me for a loop. Either these weren't listed as expiring at the beginning of the month or I completely missed them on the list.

I've only watched two Stanwycks so far, and I definitely won't have time to get to the rest. I, too, would love a box set from either Criterion or Warner.

Expiring Barbara Stanwyick Movies I've Watched

Baby Face: This is a wild pre-code film about a woman climbing the corporate ladder by any means necessary. Stanwyck is incredible in it, and John Wayne shows up in a very early supporting role. (I actually watched this a few months ago. It expired, came back, and is now expiring again. I hope the other Stanwycks return in similar fashion.)

Night Nurse: Stanwyck plays a nurse who eventually has to care for two very sick children. On the job, she has deal with shifty characters, including a menacing limo driver played by Clark Gable a few years before Gone With the Wind. This is a lot of fun, and it begins with a very striking camera sequence of an ambulance racing through the street, filmed from the perspective of being behind the wheel.

Other Expiring Movies I've Watched

Daddy Longlegs: Wow, this is a seriously weird film. It's basically a slice of life cinema verite type of movie with a shaky camera. It feels almost like a documentary as it depicts two weeks in the life of an irresponsible dad badly raising two sons. It's a testament to the actor that the character still manages to remain somewhat likable in spite of everything that happens. Definitely something you have to be in the mood for, but this is the kind of thing that's cool to discover on The Criterion Channel.

No Greater Glory: I assume this is was the original inspiration for War of the Buttons and all of those types of movies. It's about two sets of rival "military" gangs - younger boys vs. older boys - who fight for the right to occupy a vacant lot in the neighborhood. For a film made in 1934, the restoration looks remarkable. The actor who plays the main boy Nemecsek does a superb job.

I'm not sure what else I'm going to watch: So Big (another Stanwyck), Illicit (ditto), The Fallen Idol, and Time Bandits are on my list, but I definitely won't be able to get to them all. I really hope the Stanwycks come back in a few months.

[format916]

signed up over the weekend and enjoyed binging the herschell gordon lewis collection.

[regeyer]

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I just found out about this thread, which is separate from the regular Criterion thread. I am hoping that someone can help me out. I was wondering if there is a way to identify the titles that have been released by Criterion as opposed to other films that are simply available on the Criterion Channel. There seems to be a definite difference in PQ for some films, especially those that have not been given the Criterion workup. I am hoping there is a quick way to differentiate between Criterion Releases and Non-Criterion Releases. I could always just check the website for any title, but if I could avoid that step it would be helpful.

Thanks.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I just found out about this thread, which is separate from the regular Criterion thread. I am hoping that someone can help me out. I was wondering if there is a way to identify the titles that have been released by Criterion as opposed to other films that are simply available on the Criterion Channel. There seems to be a definite difference in PQ for some films, especially those that have not been given the Criterion workup. I am hoping there is a quick way to differentiate between Criterion Releases and Non-Criterion Releases. I could always just check the website for any title, but if I could avoid that step it would be helpful.

Thanks.

I don't think there is a way, and that is one of the improvements I'd like to see. It would be great to see where the film was licensed from (Janus/Criterion, StudioCanal, Warner, etc.) Also, I'd like to see some indication of the video quality (HD, SD, etc.). I can't tell whether poor PQ is the result of a low-res source or network issues. Also, when deciding between two films to watch, I'm more likely to choose the one with HD source.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I don't think there is a way, and that is one of the improvements I'd like to see. It would be great to see where the film was licensed from (Janus/Criterion, StudioCanal, Warner, etc.) Also, I'd like to see some indication of the video quality (HD, SD, etc.). I can't tell whether poor PQ is the result of a low-res source or network issues. Also, when deciding between two films to watch, I'm more likely to choose the one with HD source.

Thanks for your response. And great points.

[DaBargainHunta]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I just found out about this thread, which is separate from the regular Criterion thread. I am hoping that someone can help me out. I was wondering if there is a way to identify the titles that have been released by Criterion as opposed to other films that are simply available on the Criterion Channel.

The easiest way is to add a movie by "Collection" (even if it's only one movie) to your Watchlist.

For example:

12 Angry Men ("Collection")

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives ("Collection")

Add those to your Watchlist. Then go to your Watchlist.

As you can see, the "Collection" for 12 Angry Men has Criterion artwork for its thumbnail, but the "Collection" for Uncle Boonmee does not. That's usually a quick and easy way to tell the difference.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

The easiest way is to add a movie by "Collection" (even if it's only one movie) to your Watchlist.

For example:

12 Angry Men ("Collection")

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives ("Collection")

Add those to your Watchlist. Then go to your Watchlist.

As you can see, the "Collection" for 12 Angry Men has Criterion artwork for its thumbnail, but the "Collection" for Uncle Boonmee does not. That's usually a quick and easy way to tell the difference.

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

[steel_breeze]

Criterion Channel rulez. It's the ONLY streaming subscription I keep 24/7/365. This week alone, I’ve been able to catch up on movies I’d heard about but would’ve never otherwise seen (Argentina’ s LA CIENAGA, and UPSTREAM COLOR from the U.S.), a movie I never would’ve heard about (Thailand’s UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIES), and a flick I’d never seen from my own favorite era of film history, 1967-1982: SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY, John Schlesinger’s 1971 follow-up to MIDNIGHT COWBOY. I heart cinema.

[Streetlight]

How come some movies that were released by Criterion recently like The American Friend (1977) and 1984(1984) are not available on the Criterion Channel?