The Criterion Collection

[oildude]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

I feel this way about so many movies...that I should re-watch them to see if I like them any better the second time around. There are many films I did not like the first time I watched them but on second, third viewing turned out to really love them. Does anyone else feel that certain movies you really have to be in the right mood to fully enjoy them??? I remember watching His Girl Friday and not really caring all that much for it the first time around and now it is one of my favorite films, The 400 blows I didn't get into all that much the first time around but on second viewing it drew me in a lot more, same goes for Bande A Part, the list goes on and on but those are a few that just popped into my head first.

I felt that way about Night of the Hunter (yeah, I know....blasphemy!!). First time I watched it, I was underwhelmed. What was the fuss about? I thought parts of it were just silly. Rewatched it again six months later and had a different view, now I really like the film.

Or there are films that I delayed watching for a long time because I thought I had to be in a certain mood to watch them, like Still Walking, Sweetie, and Topsy-Turvy, only to discover when I did watch them that they are three of the best films in the collection. Still Walking has had more influence on me than any film Criterion has released - because of it, I decide to explore Japanese cinema beyond just Godzilla movies and Kurosawa. Now I have joined the ranks of fans of Suzuki, Mizoguchi, Oshima, Ozu, Ichikawa, etc.

[runnersdialzero]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

Hell yes, bring on "Paper Moon". I like getting all types of films from Criterion, but I have to admit that the Classic Hollywood and the New Hollywood films excite me the most.

Also, now that we've gotten "On The Waterfront", I hope it bodes well for "It Happened One Night" and "From Here To Eternity".

Finally, I hope like hell, Criterion can rescue "The Last Detail" from Echo Bridge.

Paper moon is so criminally underrated, despite the Oscar nominations. Not nearly talked about enough.

[Abdrewes]

Just finished watching Dog Star Man. What an incredible experience. I had to stop the film several times to joy down ideas I thought Brakhage was trying to convey. Bring on some more experimental cinema Criterion!

Also, does anyone have an opinion on playing music along with Brakhage? Maybe Sigur Ros or Captain Beefheart?

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Just finished watching Dog Star Man. What an incredible experience. I had to stop the film several times to joy down ideas I thought Brakhage was trying to convey. Bring on some more experimental cinema Criterion!

Also, does anyone have an opinion on playing music along with Brakhage? Maybe Sigur Ros or Captain Beefheart?

I've purchased all the experimental Criterion blus, but I've yet to delve into them. They always seem a little daunting to me particularly when they are silent.

[deepbreathsanddeath]

Originally Posted by joie

I didn't care for either of those, but Wong Kar-Wai's "Fallen Angels" is available, from Kino.

Add: "Happy Together" is also available from Kino. Kino also has a 2-movie set with "Fallen Angels" and "Happy Together."

If you consider getting Fallen Angels, take into account that Artificial Eye released it also and theirs is identical to Kino's and has different special features. Kino has more special features than AE's mere 1 noteworthy extra, but that extra is a 24 minute long interview with Cinematographer Christopher Doyle. The extra's on Kino's release, excluding the stills and trailers, amounts to just under 22 minutes. I don't own the Kino release but I own AE's release and I recommend it. I own Kino's Happy Together though and was extremely happy with it as a whole

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

I've purchased all the experimental Criterion blus, but I've yet to delve into them. They always seem a little daunting to me particularly when they are silent.

You should definitely start with the Brakhage ASAP. I was enraptured watching Dog Star Man (with noise canceling headphones) fully engaged with what Brakhage was trying to convey about our place in the universe, perspective, the fluidity and fragility of space....it helps that it's silent because your head is brimming with thought throughout. It would have been sensory overload having a soundtrack.

The Frampton set can be a bit tougher to binge on. Due to his tight mathematical orderings and static shots it can be a bit dry and obvious at times.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by deepbreathsanddeath

If you consider getting Fallen Angels, take into account that Artificial Eye released it also and theirs is identical to Kino's and has different special features. Kino has more special features than AE's mere 1 noteworthy extra, but that extra is a 24 minute long interview with Cinematographer Christopher Doyle. The extra's on Kino's release, excluding the stills and trailers, amounts to just under 22 minutes. I don't own the Kino release but I own AE's release and I recommend it. I own Kino's Happy Together though and was extremely happy with it as a whole

+1. Those two Kinos are essential.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by oildude

I felt that way about Night of the Hunter (yeah, I know....blasphemy!!). First time I watched it, I was underwhelmed. What was the fuss about? I thought parts of it were just silly. Rewatched it again six months later and had a different view, now I really like the film.

I picked this up during the last B&N sale. I was hesitant to buy it thinking I might have that same sort of underwhelming feeling that you described. But I see so many rave reviews about it as if it's a "must-own" title, so I went for it. Plus I know there are some really good special features included, so that made me feel like the special features might be worth buying as much as for the film itself.

Or there are films that I delayed watching for a long time because I thought I had to be in a certain mood to watch them, like Still Walking, Sweetie, and Topsy-Turvy, only to discover when I did watch them that they are three of the best films in the collection. Still Walking has had more influence on me than any film Criterion has released - because of it, I decide to explore Japanese cinema beyond just Godzilla movies and Kurosawa. Now I have joined the ranks of fans of Suzuki, Mizoguchi, Oshima, Ozu, Ichikawa, etc.

I'm very happy to see/read your thoughts on Still Walking. That's one that I searched out in the local B&N stores during this latest sale, but couldn't find. I really liked the reviews I've read about it, but was a little hesitant to go after it because I haven't seen much talk of it in here. So I'm really glad to see your glowing opinion of it!!! FWIW, Topsy-Turvy is another that I've wondered about, so it's good to hear a positive take on that one too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

Does anyone else feel that certain movies you really have to be in the right mood to fully enjoy them???

Absolutely. One of the biggest advantages to owning films is that you can watch them you're ready to give them your full attention. I started World on a Wire twice (maybe three times) and within ten minutes I knew I wasn't really engaged. Instead of forcing my way through it I just put it back on the shelf and when I finally did watch it I was completely engrossed. The same thing happened with Despair too, now that I think about it. Full Metal Jacket sat in the plastic for almost two years but when I finally did break it out it was the perfect choice for that night.

It's a slightly less efficient approach to rentals though...I don't even want to think about how long the little red envelopes with Fish Tank and Still Walking have been sitting on my desk

[Lordy]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

Hell yes, bring on "Paper Moon". I like getting all types of films from Criterion, but I have to admit that the Classic Hollywood and the New Hollywood films excite me the most.

Also, now that we've gotten "On The Waterfront", I hope it bodes well for "It Happened One Night" and "From Here To Eternity".

Finally, I hope like hell, Criterion can rescue "The Last Detail" from Echo Bridge.

A Criterion issue of the Last Detail would be so excellent! Nicholson is terrific in that film.

[runnersdialzero]

It Happened One night and Last Detail would make my year.

I'm a big silent movie fan, anybody have thoughts on Lonesome?

Also, I blind bought Design for living. I love 30s era films as well but I have to be honest, that movie didn't do a lot for me.

[Lordy]

Originally Posted by drbikeshorts

I'm a fan of both versions, but I prefer Soderbergh's. Tarkovsky's takes far too long to get started and seems to meander quite a bit before getting to the space station.
I'd definitely like to see Criterion or Fox upgrade this to blu-ray.

I find it bewildering that FOX hasn't upgraded Soderbergh's Solaris to Blu yet. You'd think it would have happened by now, right?

It would be a great coup if Criterion could get their hands on it though.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

Finally, I hope like hell, Criterion can rescue "The Last Detail" from Echo Bridge.

I hope like hell it doesn't need rescuing. If the transfer is up to Sony's usual standards and Mill Creek can competently distribute it at a reasonable (or even bargain) price I'd have a hard time chalking that up as anything but a Good Thing.

[jw007]

Greetings,

Another member named "TheHighRoller" referred me to this forum as I was partaking in the "B&N Criterion sale 10/30-11/26" thread for the past few weeks.

If anybody wants to see, I just added my 100th Criterion movie title to my Criterion page and that does not include multiple copies of BD and DVD. I am quite happy to be addicted to The Criterion Collection! http://www.criterion.com/my_criterion/62662-jonathanw

It's hard to stop collecting when they keep announcing half a dozen or so new titles every month.

As I see that this thread now spans nearly 3,000 pages, I don't believe I'm going to look back and read every single page, but I'll probably try and get a bit caught up in this ongoing discussion!

My newest favorite Criterion would have to be Satyajit Ray's The Music Room though that I picked up for around $16 during the B&N 50% off sale.

Who else wants to see more of Satyajit Ray's films released on Criterion?

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Page14

FWIW, Topsy-Turvy is another that I've wondered about, so it's good to hear a positive take on that one too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Thanks, Page14. I wrote some thoughts on Topsy-Turvy back in the summer. It is an impressive film. Here is what I wrote:

Topsy-Turvy is one of my most pleasant discoveries in the Criterion Collection. I am surprised it gets so little mention here. I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew that it is directed by Mike Leigh, and told the story of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s struggles to recover from a disappointing run of their latest collaboration, Princess Ida, by coming up with something different that could not be said to be a repeat of themes they had done before. That creation was The Mikado.

I found Topsy-Turvy to be among the most enjoyable and accessible films in the Criterion Collection. It is just plain fun to watch. Mike Leigh wrote the screenplay as well as directing the film, and the dialogue is brilliant. The sets are marvels of late-Victorian Britain, recreating the atmosphere of upper class London homes, restaurants, and theaters with painstaking detail. It was only after watching the film that I realized very little of it (if any) takes place outdoors. The interiors and costuming are rich, the dialogue is clever and filled with wit and humor, the characters from Gilbert and Sullivan to the actors in the D’oyl Carte Operatic Company are all superbly brought to life.

While showing us a depiction of the workings of a Victorian theater, Topsy-Turvy gives us a tour of life, politics, sexuality, and class in the Victorian era. Historic events of the time are included at the periphery, to give a global texture to the events portrayed. At one point in the film, news arrives of the loss of General Gordon at Khartoum to the Mahdi forces, and we see how this impacts the characters. Another references Jenny Churchill, who has a young gangly son named Winston (having read William Manchester’s book, The Last Lion, I appreciated this one). Marvels of modern technology are introduced, including a scene involving an early telephone in which characters must literally shout to be heard at the other end, to which Gilbert’s elderly father, who is suspicious of telephones as instruments destined to degrade the written word, observes that “you might as well open the window and yell whatever you have to say”.

Topsy-Turvy is such a pleasure to watch that its 2-1/2 hr run time races by. Using biographical portrayal and grand stage imagery, it casts a wry look at British society of another era, much as Naked did with the late 1990s. I watched Naked a few months ago, and while I thought the film was quite good and I could see how it gets praised, and I understood the themes being explored, it was not among my favorites. Naked was my first Mike Leigh film. Adding Topsy-Turvy as the second now makes me want to explore his other films. Taken together, the two films have given me an appreciation for how brilliant the man is as a writer and director.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by oildude

Thanks, Page14. I wrote some thoughts on Topsy-Turvy back in the summer. It is an impressive film. Here is what I wrote:

[Show spoiler]Topsy-Turvy is one of my most pleasant discoveries in the Criterion Collection. I am surprised it gets so little mention here. I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew that it is directed by Mike Leigh, and told the story of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s struggles to recover from a disappointing run of their latest collaboration, Princess Ida, by coming up with something different that could not be said to be a repeat of themes they had done before. That creation was The Mikado.

I found Topsy-Turvy to be among the most enjoyable and accessible films in the Criterion Collection. It is just plain fun to watch. Mike Leigh wrote the screenplay as well as directing the film, and the dialogue is brilliant. The sets are marvels of late-Victorian Britain, recreating the atmosphere of upper class London homes, restaurants, and theaters with painstaking detail. It was only after watching the film that I realized very little of it (if any) takes place outdoors. The interiors and costuming are rich, the dialogue is clever and filled with wit and humor, the characters from Gilbert and Sullivan to the actors in the D’oyl Carte Operatic Company are all superbly brought to life.

While showing us a depiction of the workings of a Victorian theater, Topsy-Turvy gives us a tour of life, politics, sexuality, and class in the Victorian era. Historic events of the time are included at the periphery, to give a global texture to the events portrayed. At one point in the film, news arrives of the loss of General Gordon at Khartoum to the Mahdi forces, and we see how this impacts the characters. Another references Jenny Churchill, who has a young gangly son named Winston (having read William Manchester’s book, The Last Lion, I appreciated this one). Marvels of modern technology are introduced, including a scene involving an early telephone in which characters must literally shout to be heard at the other end, to which Gilbert’s elderly father, who is suspicious of telephones as instruments destined to degrade the written word, observes that “you might as well open the window and yell whatever you have to say”.

Topsy-Turvy is such a pleasure to watch that its 2-1/2 hr run time races by. Using biographical portrayal and grand stage imagery, it casts a wry look at British society of another era, much as Naked did with the late 1990s. I watched Naked a few months ago, and while I thought the film was quite good and I could see how it gets praised, and I understood the themes being explored, it was not among my favorites. Naked was my first Mike Leigh film. Adding Topsy-Turvy as the second now makes me want to explore his other films. Taken together, the two films have given me an appreciation for how brilliant the man is as a writer and director.

Very good! Thanks for taking the time to look this up and post it. It's appreciated.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Page14

I'm very happy to see/read your thoughts on Still Walking. That's one that I searched out in the local B&N stores during this latest sale, but couldn't find. I really liked the reviews I've read about it, but was a little hesitant to go after it because I haven't seen much talk of it in here. So I'm really glad to see your glowing opinion of it!!!

I cannot say enough good things about Still Walking. It is a quietly powerful and often touchingly humorous look at a family gathering on an anniversary of the oldest son's death. It really surprised me, because I had my doubts I would like it from reading the description and the reviews, not really what I would normally go for. The whole film has an intimacy to it that is very real. And although the dialogue is exceptionally well done, I especially liked how the director frequently used the camera to show detail and mood without dialogue.

It is one of my most re-watched Criterions. To me, what makes the film so incredible is that the director, Kore-ada, can take such a low-key approach to a slice of everyday life - showing us the gathering of an extended Japanese family, their interactions over several meals, interwoven with interpersonal tensions, quiet demons, and modern vs. traditional cultural themes - and make a totally compelling and identifiable story out of it for a non-Japanese audience.

[RedIsNotBlue]

Originally Posted by Cinemach

The Game is certainly one of Fincher's weakest pictures. While it is true that the cinematography and production design are frequently superb this film doesn't work for me because Fincher is too heavy with his direction. This is why he's excellent with material such as Zodiac, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, etc...a little lightness in this area - a la North by Northwest - punctuated with some humor would have made The Game a much better film.

Funny thing is even though I am not a huge fan of The Game it is still better than half of the garbage trying to pass itself off as psychological thrillers these days. I could say the same for Christopher Nolan...most people say Insomnia was his worst film (I love it) but even his weakest is better than a lot of other directors best efforts. So I'll probably still pick up The Game on Blu-ray...eventually...give it another shot since it has been a good while since I have seen it. My brother has never seen it so I need to watch it with him and see what he thinks.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by jw007

As I see that this thread now spans nearly 3,000 pages, I don't believe I'm going to look back and read every single page, but I'll probably try and get a bit caught up in this ongoing discussion!

Here you go...just mix, match and repeat. And repeat and repeat and repeat.

• We need more Wes Anderson.
• Good lord, not more Wes Anderson.
• More Kurosawa, please.
• Oh for the love of...more Kurosawa???
• Woohoo, Rashomon. But we still need more Kurosawa.
• Wooooooot, Rosemary's Godzilla Blob!!!
• TinyFurnitureblablahblah
• Announcement predictions
• WTF is talking the announcements so long
• This is best/worst month in years.
• These are the best/worst covers evrah
• Badlands!!!!
• TinyFurnitureblablahblah
• South America is part of the world, you know...a rather big part, actually
• B&N sale!!!
• B&N haul
• B&N haul
• B&N haul
• B&N haul
• When's the next B&N sale
• Is there going to be another B&N sale
• When's the next B&N sale
• WTF is up with Wild Strawberries and Y Tu Mama Tambien???
• TinyFurnitureblablahblah
• The Nez is the r0x0rz!!!
• Seriously, look at a map...it's there, I swear...just south of North America...you can't miss it
• Is this a good blind buy?
• Blind buys are stupid
• What a bunch of pretentious douchebags
• Pretentious? Moi?
• More Kurosawa!
• No, really, will there be another B&N sale?

[jw007]

Originally Posted by oildude

Topsy-Turvy is such a pleasure to watch that its 2-1/2 hr run time races by. Using biographical portrayal and grand stage imagery, it casts a wry look at British society of another era, much as Naked did with the late 1990s. I watched Naked a few months ago, and while I thought the film was quite good and I could see how it gets praised, and I understood the themes being explored, it was not among my favorites. Naked was my first Mike Leigh film. Adding Topsy-Turvy as the second now makes me want to explore his other films. Taken together, the two films have given me an appreciation for how brilliant the man is as a writer and director.

I have to say that I just recently viewed Topsy-Turvy for the very first time and it still has yet to grow on me. I absolutely find Naked to be a brilliant film and it is one of my all-time favorites (also notice that my avatar to the left is "Johnny" from the film). Topsy-Turvy is an A grade production but its an incredibly different film than Naked so I couldn't even begin to compare those two. I think Mike Leigh does an amazing job with his contemporary films though and I would love to see Secrets & Lies as well as All or Nothing and High Hopes brought to Criterion Blu-Ray.