The Criterion Collection

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I have a feeling it will sneak up with my all-time favorites once I watch a (hopefully) better transfer.

I only have two more Tarkovsky's to watch: Andrei Rublev (saving the best for last? we'll see) and The Sacrifice (own it on Blu).

I'm trying to track down a few of his works on DVD, but I'm not willing to pay the price point on most. I've only seen Stalker, Solaris, and Ivan's Childhood. I've got the DVD of Andrei Rublev and have The Sacrifice coming soon enough. I was going to get the AE DVD boxset, even though I only need three of the films in it, but amazon.co.uk has not stock.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by thebard

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=82901

Sweet!

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Hypnosifl

What about the distinction between "hard science fiction" and other types? That distinction has been popular with writers and critics since the 1960s (see here for example).

"Hard science fiction" is a perfectly legitimate sub-classification. My point isn't that sub-classifications are unnecessary or problematic, or should be eliminated, but that they are just sub-classifications of the same thing, and that "hard science fiction" isn't "truer" science fiction than "space opera". It's all science fiction.

One can legitimately have preferences for the kind of SF one likes. I myself, feel that SF is at its best when it presumes an advance in technology and uses that to talk about the human condition. That's why my favorite SF films include 2001, Blade Runner, Metropolis, and Death Watch. And why my favorite SF TV show is Max Headroom. I just won't go the extra step of suggesting that Star Wars (which, truth be told, I find I can't watch anymore) or Star Trek aren't just as legitimate examples of SF. Different kinds, yes, but still just as much SF.

One more anecdote from an SF writer, just to provide another point of perspective, and then I'm done with this particular discussion. The bulk of Richard M. McKenna's writing career was spent writing short stories for the SF magazines during the 1950s and 1960s, and a few non-sf stories to mainstream magazines like The Saturday Evening Post. However, what he is best known for is his single completed novel, The Sand Pebbles. He had said that he considered The Sand Pebbles science fiction: the science in question was sociology. Now, I'm not sure that I buy that, but I won't say it's not a valid point of view.

Me, I tend to go along with the definition that SF author and critic Damon Knight came up with: "Science fiction is whatever I point to and say, 'That's science fiction'".

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Are you going to frame it, Owl? I can't tell you how obsessed I was with all things Hedren back when I was a Senior in High School/Freshman in college, so it goes without saying that I would.

I really wish I could have attended the Psycho screening two years ago. She supposedly gave a small talk beforehand.

Oh yes. In fact, my sister-in-law offered to frame it nicely for me as a Christmas gift.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

While I agree with this now, back when I first saw this film, around age 15-16, I was bored watching it for the first time. To be honest, I was just getting into movies and was trying to find my niche, so to speak, and 2001 just wasn't what I thought it was going to be.

Similar circumstance, different result. I was 14½ when I saw 2001 (twice) during its initial release in 1968. It completely changed the way I looked at movies. Up to that point, movies were just stories to me. 2001 was transcendental[/i]. For the first time, I saw movies as an art form, revealing itself through imagery as much as through plot, dialogue, and character.

[andyk69]

All this talking about 2001 is wetting my pants, I haven't buy it on bluray, is Criterio up to something?
I understand the bluray a available is very good, do you think I can wait or should I pug the plug?

I saw 2001 when I was maybe 16-17 and even tough as lordmorpheus said I was too still finding about my movies taste, I was blown away, I remember i thought "this is something else" apart from the movies I was watching at the time. Then I revisited some years later and and funny thing happened, I found the movie more disturbing, scary at sometimes. And them some years later I watched again and I was blown away by the depth of it, is a brilliant film.

I have only five Criterions which I adore deeply my next ones should be fellini's 8 1/2 and The Lady vanishes.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by andyk69

All this talking about 2001 is wetting my pants, I haven't buy it on bluray, is Criterio up to something?
I understand the bluray a available is very good, do you think I can wait or should I pug the plug?

I'm guilty as charged of starting a 2001: A Space Odyssey discussion as of recent, but it stemmed from a Kubrick discussion last week. We sometimes go off on tangents.

The existing Warner Bros Blu-ray of 2001: A Space Odyssey received a five-star rating here back in 2007, when the Blu-ray was released, and you'll find some mixed opinions about whether or not that review is still valid. In my opinion, the Blu-ray looks phenomenal, but I'm hardly the best judge of video presentations in strict technical jargon terms here. I just know that it looks considerably better than it ever has in any home video presentation before.
In fact, I think that the existing Blu-rays of both 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining knock it out of the park.

For the price of the existing Blu-ray, I'd encourage anybody who wants to own the film to pull the trigger, because you can find it for less than $10 on a few sites.

[lordmorpheus72]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm guilty as charged of starting a 2001: A Space Odyssey discussion as of recent, but it stemmed from a Kubrick discussion last week. We sometimes go off on tangents.

The existing Warner Bros Blu-ray of 2001: A Space Odyssey received a five-star rating here back in 2007, when the Blu-ray was released, and you'll find some mixed opinions about whether or not that review is still valid. In my opinion, the Blu-ray looks phenomenal, but I'm hardly the best judge of video presentations in strict technical jargon terms here. I just know that it looks considerably better than it ever has in any home video presentation before.
In fact, I think that the existing Blu-rays of both 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining knock it out of the park.

For the price of the existing Blu-ray, I'd encourage anybody who wants to own the film to pull the trigger, because you can find it for less than $10 on a few sites.

Agreed, well worth the price of admission. I think the current blu looks great, and it's the best presentation i've ever seen. Go for it!

[Ausjdm]

Still pretty new on the forum. (Been here amonth or so)
So I don't know if this CC film has been talked about a lot before? I Just saw Kiss Me Deadly. My fast review of it: F'n awesome noir flick man!!!! From the style to the writing to that ending! Great movie. Definitly buy it if you haven't. Side note Maxine Cooper was a real looker in that one wowza.

J.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Still pretty new on the forum. (Been here amonth or so)
So I don't know if this CC film has been talked about a lot before? I Just saw Kiss Me Deadly. My fast review of it: F'n awesome noir flick man!!!! From the style to the writing to that ending! Great movie. Definitly buy it if you haven't. Side note Maxine Cooper was a real looker in that one wowza.

Kiss Me Deadly is a wonderful film noir, and I still need to upgrade my old DVD. It's such a oddity, and the conclusion really caught me off guard, but the storyline choices reverberate in movies like Pulp Fiction.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Still pretty new on the forum. (Been here amonth or so)
So I don't know if this CC film has been talked about a lot before? I Just saw Kiss Me Deadly. My fast review of it: F'n awesome noir flick man!!!! From the style to the writing to that ending! Great movie. Definitly buy it if you haven't. Side note Maxine Cooper was a real looker in that one wowza.

J.

It was the last Criterion BD I picked up, great movie. (Well 3rd from most recent, picked up Darjeeling Limited from an Amazon deal and should have Breathless in a few days). I should say last I watched. I love Film Noirs and B&W Thrillers/Mystery releases. The first few I bought were 39 Steps, Ministry of Fear and The Man Who Knew Too Much, all great!

[brandon_260]

I finally satisfied my Bergman craving tonight with Summer Interlude. It's a shame Criterion couldn't procure any supplements for it, because of all the Bergman films they've got available on blu, this falls in line with Summer With Monika as my second favorite Bergman. Now I've got the AE set coming to me from the UK to help build up my Bergman collection, and I'm also looking at a four film DVD set they've got over there. Very much looking forward to Autumn Sonata once it is released (and I get home in December to get my hands on it).

Since Criterion seems to be upgrading Bergman's catalog at a decent pace, what do you think we will see next? Personally, I want the Faith Trilogy, if only to see The Silence in HD, but I've heard nothing but great things about Cries and Whispers, so I wouldn't mind seeing that.

How is The Magician and the films in the Eclipse set?

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

How is The Magician and the films in the Eclipse set?

I quite enjoyed The Magician, but I found it slow to start. There was a certain scene that tipped the movie over for me.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Still pretty new on the forum. (Been here amonth or so)
So I don't know if this CC film has been talked about a lot before? I Just saw Kiss Me Deadly. My fast review of it: F'n awesome noir flick man!!!! From the style to the writing to that ending! Great movie. Definitly buy it if you haven't. Side note Maxine Cooper was a real looker in that one wowza.

J.

Too bad Maxine didn't do more films and, other than some TV work, (including Twilight Zone, Owl) she retired from acting.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by lordmorpheus72

Agreed, well worth the price of admission. I think the current blu looks great, and it's the best presentation i've ever seen. Go for it!

I was lucky to buy the Kubrick Collection for $62.99 back in November 2011. Now I believe this entire set is out of print. But it was a good deal having 9 Kubrick films all on Blu-ray (on 10 discs). 2001 is the crowning jewel of that collection for sure.

[jw007]

Just wanted to say I watched Sweetie last night on my Criterion BD. I had rented this film in the library earlier this year and marked it down to buy later on. Having seen it now a second time, I have to say its a very bizarre but beautiful movie. Australian films have always fascinated me, because the culture there is so different from American culture yet also similar in certain ways (such as the cowboy scenes in this film, set against the backdrop of the Outback). The leading female characters in the film are tragic and realistic, but its Jane Campion's joy for filmmaking that is really the main attraction here. I still regard The Piano as her greatest achievement. Wish that could have been a Criterion release.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by jw007

Australian films have always fascinated me, because the culture there is so different from American culture yet also similar in certain ways (such as the cowboy scenes in this film, set against the backdrop of the Outback).

Check out Jindabyne and Noise is you're able to track them down. Two recent-ish Australian films I enjoyed.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

Check out Jindabyne and Noise is you're able to track them down. Two recent-ish Australian films I enjoyed.

I have seen Jindabyne...the other one I might check out.

There is an interesting documentary I once saw called Cunnamulla (2000): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0270902/

[oildude]

I am a huge fan of Australian cinema, having grown up in the late 1970s and early 1980s watching many of the Australian New Wave films that made it to the U.S. Some of those films are my most wanted on blu-ray, including Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously. I also love the U.S. films new wave pioneers like Weir and Beresford made after they relocated to Hollywood.

Sweetie is another in my long list of Australian cinema favorites. I find it to be a strange and touching film, part black comedy, part horror movie in a sort of house of mirrors, carnival creep show kind of way. There is a growing sense of absurdity and dread that builds as the story plays out and the black comedy gets progressively darker. It has a style to it that reminds me of a David Lynch film, peopled with disturbing and odd characters moving through a slightly off-kilter world that the rest of us are unable to see or experience. Campion never lets the horror elements take over, however. There is a pathos to the characters and events that makes Sweetie a profoundly moving film. The father, in particular, is a kind of sad clown trying to hold the family together while it spins apart under the cumulative weight of years of Sweetie's destructive influences. She is still his little girl, and he cannot bear to have her put away.

I was especially impressed with the ending. Not what I expected, but I thought it was perfect. It is also is a gorgeous film, the cinematography is expansive and vibrant with glowing color.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by oildude

I am a huge fan of Australian cinema, having grown up in the late 1970s and early 1980s watching many of the Australian New Wave films that made it to the U.S. Some of those films are my most wanted on blu-ray, including Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously. I also love the U.S. films new wave pioneers like Weir and Beresford made after they relocated to Hollywood.

Sweetie is another in my long list of Australian cinema favorites. I find it to be a strange and touching film, part black comedy, part horror movie in a sort of house of mirrors, carnival creep show kind of way. There is a growing sense of absurdity and dread that builds as the story plays out and the black comedy gets progressively darker. It has a style to it that reminds me of a David Lynch film, peopled with disturbing and odd characters moving through a slightly off-kilter world that the rest of us are unable to see or experience. Campion never lets the horror elements take over, however. There is a pathos to the characters and events that makes Sweetie a profoundly moving film. The father, in particular, is a kind of sad clown trying to hold the family together while it spins apart under the cumulative weight of years of Sweetie's destructive influences. She is still his little girl, and he cannot bear to have her put away.

I was especially impressed with the ending. Not what I expected, but I thought it was perfect. It is also is a gorgeous film, the cinematography is expansive and vibrant with glowing color.

Yes, I felt Sweetie also reminded me a bit of a David Lynch film! There is definitely black comedy in this one. At times it is disturbing, and it almost is a bit of a horror film (with a twist of Nicholas Roeg and Peter Jackson influence in there - although I do realize that Jackson is from New Zealand). I wish there more Australian films available on Blu-ray, especially those from Peter Weir. I feel that a lot of people instantly think of Mad Max or The Road Warrior when referring to Australian cinema, but that should not be the case.

Have you seen this excellent Australian film called The Dish? It got about 96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. I saw this film in a local theater when it came out in 2001. It was a nice and light comedy.