The Criterion Collection

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Film Snob: He pretends to have seen everything under the sun and references all types of films- good and bad. Whenever someone mentions an obvious classic is a "good film" he'll counter with "no, it's a great film".

Jaded: Open to all types of films and willing to watch anything. He/She gets tired of classmates discussing drivel like dare devil.

On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that.

Finally watched the Phantom Carriage the other night. Gripping movie with a amazing musical score. Creepy. The alternate score is creepier using less then traditional sound effects. Hauntingly beautiful all the same. I love scores like these two that are more modern and don't feel like they have to be confined to musical instruments and generalized scores of the period. I understand when there are musical que sheets associated with a movie being as historically accurate as possible with the score, but its nice to have a additional modern score that IMO elevates the movie.

I get the feeling that because I go into a silent film not anticipating being so easily moved that it has a greater effect on me. Sunrise was the same way. Sometimes more gripping then most modern movies.

Highly recommended! and also contracy to what Bergman originally thought about Sjostrom's overacting, I found much of the acting well below par for that period and exceptional from Sjostrom.

[madmojo]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Jaded:[/B] Open to all types of films and willing to watch anything. He/She gets tired of classmates discussing drivel like dare devil.

Me!

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Banned User

On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that.

Yep, classics like, hmmmm... Seven Samurai?

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by Banned User

On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that.

Have never understood that kind of posture. The one where films like Casablanca and Citizen Kane are automatically "not deserving" of particular attention just because they are popular among mainstream groups. Personally, I will love anything I want to love but can differentiate between "loving" and "good". I really love The Lost World: Jurassic Park, but can admit to others (and to myself) that is not a good film. Likewise, I sometimes find "classic" films that are not of my liking (Not because of a general opinion or that "hating" is cool but because I sincerely think they are not that good). Films like The Shining come to my mind (Though, this is a horror classic and not a "classic" in the general and universal meaning of the word ).

[retablo]

Originally Posted by stobbart

I don't really agree with that at all. The first short that I made for college was completely different from a short that I am currently in post on and it will be done in about 2-3 weeks. And I just graduated last semester. And it was not for lack of movies I watched as I was digging through the Criterion Collection starting in high school.

Of course I felt my professors were exceptional and exposed me to some pretty obscure films, that I would guess most people on here have not even heard of. And I learned how my own specific tastes in film was reflected in the theory behind certain aspects. And it was only after learning that theory and exploring it that I was able to use those techniques in my current short film to a greater degree of understanding and effectiveness that would otherwise have been impossible for me to do had I just watched more movies.

Plus film school gives you connections and friends that really help you when you get out. Because the people I have working on my short: cinematographer, sound, etc are a lot better quality then had I just grabbed some people that I knew to make films.

I have been lucky since graduating to be working in "the business". But I feel that film school can take me even farther, which I why I am currently working on my grad school applications for Fall of 2012

Exactly. I doubt most will learn THEORY by just watching movies. Now, if they watched certain films AND read texts accompanying them, then perhaps you could gain insight. In addition, *most* short films don't get you anywhere... they don't convey to an agent, producer, etc that you can tell a full fledged story with consistency, or develop detailed characters over a normal runtime.

Film school isn't meant to teach you EVERYTHING. Heck, even law school doesn't teach you EVERY facet of the law. You choose what suits you best then you study that. It's perfectly acceptable for professors to shot the "popular" films, then let YOU decide whether or not to seek out more cinema in that same vein. It's not elementary school where everything has to be fed to you on a platter...there's enough resources nowadays that people have the ability without anyone holding their hands to grow their cinema knowledge.

[madmojo]

Originally Posted by rock, stone

I love Happiness, and I would recommend seeing Life During Wartime so you can appreciate it for the failed experiment that it is. It is probably TS's least successful film and I would definitely not recommend a blind buy based on how much you like Happiness.

Thanks, I guess I'll netflix it.

[Monty70]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Finally watched the Phantom Carriage the other night. Gripping movie with a amazing musical score. Creepy. The alternate score is creepier using less then traditional sound effects. Hauntingly beautiful all the same. I love scores like these two that are more modern and don't feel like they have to be confined to musical instruments and generalized scores of the period. I understand when there are musical que sheets associated with a movie being as historically accurate as possible with the score, but its nice to have a additional modern score that IMO elevates the movie.

I get the feeling that because I go into a silent film not anticipating being so easily moved that it has a greater effect on me. Sunrise was the same way. Sometimes more gripping then most modern movies.

Highly recommended! and also contracy to what Bergman originally thought about Sjostrom's overacting, I found much of the acting well below par for that period and exceptional from Sjostrom.

Agree 100%. The Phantom Carriage with the KTL score is something to behold in HD.

I just received The Four Feathers and Kuroneko in the mail today.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by retablo

Yep, classics like, hmmmm... Seven Samurai?

So because one dislikes Seven Samurai, they put down every "known" film? I know I don't. But nice jab for no reason.

[laennitsud]

I just ordered my first three:

Amarcord
Paths of Glory
Still Walking

Walmart.com
$62.66

[retablo]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

So because one dislikes Seven Samurai, they put down every "known" film? I know I don't. But nice jab for no reason.

I was just using an example of "Film Snob." Although you were quick to rush to judgment that I was talking about you for some reason.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by laennitsud

I just ordered my first three:

Amarcord
Paths of Glory
Still Walking

Walmart.com
$62.66

Great choices. Paths of Glory and Still Walking are two of my favorite films. In fact, Paths of Glory was my first Criterion blu-ray, replacing a cheap, low quality DVD.

Welcome to the addiction.......

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by laennitsud

I just ordered my first three:

Amarcord
Paths of Glory
Still Walking

Walmart.com
$62.66

Don't own any of them but, to me, it looks like an excellent start ! My first Criterion film was Red Desert by Antonioni. I still remember how I was introduced to the brand for the first time. I was looking up for some films when I saw a link that took me to Criterion's main site. I started looking through every film in the Collection and it was like love at first sight (This is coming from someone who lives in a country where certain films are really hard to come by, for example, we have almost every Kurosawa film but there isn't a single release of anything from Ozu or Mizoguchi). It was a holiday trip and I entered one Best Buy which was my last "shopping" for the trip. I looked at some titles but decided to go with the Antonioni. Saw the film when I came back home and was blown away by the pristine presentation, the great booklet (I still see the Red Desert's booklet as one of the best I have from CC) and an intriguing cover art. From there I got 8 1/2, Days of Heaven and Seven Samurai and, well, you can see where it brought me .

[capnnarcolepsy]

My blu-ray reviewing gig finally paid off as i received my first Criterion to review yesterday, "Island of Lost Souls". Watched it last night and it's quite excellent. As many have discussed, there is some obvious issues with the materials and the overall picture, especially in daylight scenes, is very soft. That said, there's some impressive moments. All of the supplements are incredibly informative and entertaining as well. The Devo short film is awesome/bizarre. Overall, it's an excellent release, for sure.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by retablo

I was just using an example of "Film Snob." Although you were quick to rush to judgment that I was talking about you for some reason.

Disliking Seven Samurai doesn't make you a "film snob", so bad example. And "quick to rush to judgment", I never said you singled out anyone. I just said "I know I don't". Curious to know why you said disliking Seven Samurai as the example of being a film snob though. So many to choose from.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Banned User

On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that.

I based my definition on some dude in a screenwriting class I took. It was his mission to one-up everyone in any kind of discussion (Think Paul in Midnight in Paris). Be it needlessly correcting someone when they say a film is good ("no, not good, it's a great film"), making up words ("arteur" is not a word) and poo-pooing films ("naw, 400 Blows did nothing for me, sorry").

Although, I'm inclined to believe the definition of a film snob as one who goes out of his/her way to consistently downplay the very best works of a director in favor of elevating obscure works high above them.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Although, I'm inclined to believe the definition of a film snob as one who goes out of his/her way to consistently downplay the very best works of a director in favor of elevating obscure works high above them.

People have different tastes. Someone who likes Transformers can be attacked by a "snob" who likes Seven Samurai. Then that Seven Samurai guy will be attacked by a "snob" who likes something more "obscure" (I don't like how the word "obscure" seems to make it mean a bad movie for some reason).

So in short, isn't everybody a "snob" to someone? It's all bullcrap to me, especially when we have guys on here who could be called "slipcover snobs" and others who just collects movies should be "collector snobs".

And some people just likes to go hardcore in their hobby or passion. Comic book nerds have levels of education about comics. They prob get bored with Batman, so they like something more "obscure". Should we not get bored with things and branch out? People can't explore more than another without being called a "snob"?

[retablo]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Disliking Seven Samurai doesn't make you a "film snob", so bad example. And "quick to rush to judgment", I never said you singled out anyone. I just said "I know I don't". Curious to know why you said disliking Seven Samurai as the example of being a film snob though. So many to choose from.

Why so defensive? I picked it because I wanted to. Do you have a problem with that like you do everything else now?

If you actually READ the posts, I was commenting on: "On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that."

Seven Samurai is an obvious classic films. As it should be.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by retablo

Why so defensive? I picked it because I wanted to. Do you have a problem with that like you do everything else now?

If you actually READ the posts, I was commenting on: "On the contrary most Film Snobs I know go out of there way to condemn obvious classic films then recommend lesser known films. As if a film is too well known so therefore its cool not to like it. Or something like that."

Seven Samurai is an obvious classic films. As it should be.

Bro, I'm calm. Not defensive.

So my question is, do you like Avatar? Inception? Twilight? (just examples. You might.) They are well known and make more money than anything we have talked about in this forum. They are "rated" highly with people. If you dislike those, well, shouldn't you be a snob? At what level does "snob" start?

[Beta Man]

The "E-Peen" contest is off-topic, and unnecessary/counter-productive.

I FINALLY got around to watching "Life During Wartime" a couple of days ago..... other than the fact that it was completely devoid of David Byrne, it was quite good

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

The "E-Peen" contest is off-topic, and unnecessary/counter-productive.

I FINALLY got around to watching "Life During Wartime" a couple of days ago..... other than the fact that it was completely devoid of David Byrne, it was quite good

#1) I disagree. It is very productive, like Ipecac.

#2) No David Byrne, what's up with that?