The Criterion Collection

[Dumbhuman]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

The score is among my all time favorites. Somewhere in the top five, probably.

Glad to see some love. It'd probably rank somewhere in my top 20.

The main theme from The Conversation has actually been my ringtone since I first got a smartphone a few years ago. Partially because I love the stark simple piano, partially because I love the movie, but also partially because I like the idea of having The Conversation begin lots of my cell phone conversations especially given some people's paranoia concerning electronic surveillance by such devices.

It just works on a lot of levels. I even briefly used the track titled No More Questions as a separate ring tone for known telemarketer numbers, but then I decided it made a lot more sense just to send those straight to voice mail.

Fun facts: Gene Hackman actually played the sax for that soundtrack and Coppolla basically tricked David Shire in order to get that unadorned piano version (the latter wanted there to be a lot more polish to it).

If I had to pick a ringtone from Criterion Collection releases though, I'd probably go with some Nino Rota piece.

[BLOFELD]

If you haven't seen them go ahead and add from the 70's:

Mean Streets
Raging Bull
Dog Day Afternoon

to the list of films you should see.

They are spectacular in every regard.

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

These things happen. I have heard great things about Taxi Driver since I was a teenager, but nothing about the film ever really screamed out for me to see it. It's quite amusing, in retrospect, that I saw Straw Dogs, Deliverance, and The Deer Hunter while I was in high school during the 1980s, but never saw Taxi Driver at the time.

My subdued reaction to Martin Scorsese films over the years has been another deterrent to seeing the movie, but Taxi Driver goes above and beyond any of his other works, in my opinion.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Criterion does tend to announce when titles are about to go OOP. I don't think there have been any such announcements for several months. I think the last such announcement was when they lost the rights to the Merchant Ivory films.

There have been rumors about The 400 Blows and Breathless being OOP since criterionforum.org listed them both as being so, but there's been no indication from Criterion itself.

They're just going to get repackages, most likely in dual format like they did with The Battle Of Algiers.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I believe it's probably only the second or third movie I think I've ever posted anything negative about; I'm sorry if that goes against some type of unwritten rule against not unconditionally praising something that's either

A) Criterion
B) B&W
C) Foreign

I found the movie dreadfully boring and slow. The description/plot summary made it sound very interesting but it was pretty off base. I'm not a fan of these slow building (or in this case, almost no building) films.

Wasn't pointing finger specifically at you, just this website in general. Some of my favorite movies get 1s, either via formal or informal reviews. Didn't find Mafioso boring or slow in the least. And in the end it's my opinion that counts the most.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by fdm

Wasn't pointing finger specifically at you, just this website in general. Some of my favorite movies get 1s, either via formal or informal reviews. Didn't find Mafioso boring or slow in the least. And in the end it's my opinion that counts the most.

glad i'm not the only one who didn't find mafioso boring or slow...it was fast-paced in my opinion from the very beginning, with those first scenes in the industrial warehouse.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by jw007

glad i'm not the only one who didn't find mafioso boring or slow...it was fast-paced in my opinion from the very beginning, with those first scenes in the industrial warehouse.

That and Alberto Sordi cracks me up (at least in the few films I've seen him in). Kind of similar to the way Bill Murray does, some kind of beneath the surface thing going on there for me. Along with the more blatantly humorous stuff going on, of course.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by jw007

glad i'm not the only one who didn't find mafioso boring or slow...it was fast-paced in my opinion from the very beginning, with those first scenes in the industrial warehouse.

I don't understand how a movie that touts itself as a black comedy regarding a mafia man hiding his connections from his family can be considered fast paced when almost the entire movie is all family related dialog with almost none of the description taking place, where the only real type of movement in the whole movie takes place in the last 10-15 minutes.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by fdm

That and Alberto Sordi cracks me up (at least in the few films I've seen him in). Kind of similar to the way Bill Murray does, some kind of beneath the surface thing going on there for me. Along with the more blatantly humorous stuff going on, of course.

Originally Posted by smoss469

I don't understand how a movie that touts itself as a black comedy regarding a mafia man hiding his connections from his family can be considered fast paced when almost the entire movie is all family related dialog with almost none of the description taking place, where the only real type of movement in the whole movie takes place in the last 10-15 minutes.

i find an underlying tension in the way the story moves and builds... as one wonders who really is this mysterious guy and how is he going to get involved with people from his past...i find it all a bit suspenseful in that regard..finally, the film rewards the patient viewer with that payoff towards the end..its all really satisfying as a film i think.

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I don't understand how a movie that touts itself as a black comedy regarding a mafia man hiding his connections from his family can be considered fast paced when almost the entire movie is all family related dialog with almost none of the description taking place, where the only real type of movement in the whole movie takes place in the last 10-15 minutes.

Really? The pace is based on the writing. If the writing's good the movie will go by quickly. The pace of a film is not entirely dependent on how much action is present.

For one of many examples, The Secret of the Grain is about 2 1/2 long and is almost entirely spoken word with little to no action and it goes by at a hares pace. And it's mostly because of the splendid writing (and, of course, the direction plays a big part as well).

[JJJ225]

A movie going by quickly does not equal "fast-paced."

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by JJJ225

A movie going by quickly does not equal "fast-paced."

To you, maybe.

[The Great Owl]

I have still not upgraded my old Criterion DVD of Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête). I have the utmost admiration for the film, and it features some of the best makeup work that I have ever seen in cinema. I also love how this incarnation of the fairy tale ultimately plays out. For some reason, though, other titles have taken precedence when upgrading my old DVDs to Blu-ray, and I'm still not in a huge hurry to rush out and grab this one. My enthusiasm will come back in force for this movie at some point, I'm sure.

I was reminded of all this when I saw Pro-B's review of the new French release of the film. The transfer of this new French Blu-ray looks to be superb, and the release is Region Free. No English subtitles, though, so I'm going with Criterion when I do decide to upgrade the movie.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by BLOFELD

If you haven't seen them go ahead and add from the 70's:

Mean Streets
Raging Bull
Dog Day Afternoon

to the list of films you should see.

They are spectacular in every regard.

I've seen all three, but it's been...uhhhh...20 or 25 years since I saw them. I rented all of them on VHS back in the day.

These are superb movies, especially Raging Bull, but I really need to revisit them with a fresh eye, since my recollection is shaky and since I would do myself a favor to see them in high definition.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'll see Chinatown at some point soon, because I've always heard that it's a strong neo-noir, but Taxi Driver and The Conversation have priority. I appreciate your take on the movie.

On the subject of Criterions, I did give the Rosselini/Ingrid Bergman box set a good look in the store today, but it will have to wait for the November sale.

I would actually list Chinatown above the two films mentioned above, it's a film that got me into watching film seriously and not just for entertainment. I would definitely put it the list of your priorities with The Conversation and Tax Driver, such a great 70s classic.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've seen all three, but it's been...uhhhh...20 or 25 years since I saw them. I rented all of them on VHS back in the day.

These are superb movies, especially Raging Bull, but I really need to revisit them with a fresh eye, since my recollection is shaky and since I would do myself a favor to see them in high definition.

Please do. Often, if you are going on the memory of seeing it ten plus years ago alone, you'll be describing of the film you think you saw, not the one you actually saw. Your bias starts creeping in. Speaking of which, I desperately need to revisit Brazil. It feels like it was a lifetime ago when I last saw it.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Please do. Often, if you are going on the memory of seeing it ten plus years ago alone, you'll be describing of the film you think you saw, not the one you actually saw. Your bias starts creeping in. Speaking of which, I desperately need to revisit Brazil. It feels like it was a lifetime ago when I last saw it.

I saw Brazil on a big theater screen campus showing during my freshman year of college in 1990-1991. I do not remember much about the movie, except that my friends and I were all underwhelmed. It was one of those movies that started off excitingly well, but got really old really fast.

Terry Gilliam's movies have never really reverberated with me, because the ones that I've seen all have that same distinct Monty Python residue aesthetic to them, and the final result has an alienating effect. I can understand why he has a huge following, though.

That said, I should give movies like Time Bandits, Brazil, The Fisher King, and 12 Monkeys another chance, since I'm older now.

Sometimes, I just need to let some years go by to see how my sensibilities change with certain works of cinema. As I've become more familiar with classic film noir, for example, I "get" a lot of the Coen Brothers movies more than I used to. They still do not blow me out of the water, but I understand what the Coens were aiming for.

[Abdrewes]

Why isn't Fear & Loathing on that list, Owl? I've been meaning to give that one another shot.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by Tin Drum

Really? The pace is based on the writing. If the writing's good the movie will go by quickly. The pace of a film is not entirely dependent on how much action is present.

For one of many examples, The Secret of the Grain is about 2 1/2 long and is almost entirely spoken word with little to no action and it goes by at a hares pace. And it's mostly because of the splendid writing (and, of course, the direction plays a big part as well).

I never said it was supposed to be an action movie. However the bulk of the movie seems like a home movie of people on vacation. There is almost no tension until the end and even then it's sudden because the main character doesn't even know it's going on. The viewer isn't even blindsided by it.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I saw Brazil on a big theater screen campus showing during my freshman year of college in 1990-1991. I do not remember much about the movie, except that my friends and I were all underwhelmed. It was one of those movies that started off excitingly well, but got really old really fast.

Terry Gilliam's movies have never really reverberated with me, because the ones that I've seen all have that same distinct Monty Python residue aesthetic to them, and the final result has an alienating effect. I can understand why he has a huge following, though.

That said, I should give movies like Time Bandits, Brazil, The Fisher King, and 12 Monkeys another chance, since I'm older now.

Sometimes, I just need to let some years go by to see how my sensibilities change with certain works of cinema. As I've become more familiar with classic film noir, for example, I "get" a lot of the Coen Brothers movies more than I used to. They still do not blow me out of the water, but I understand what the Coens were aiming for.

The only Terry Gilliam film that I genuinely enjoy is 12 Monkeys.

Brazil was very underwhelming, as you put it. It seemed neat at first, but it ended up becoming very...dumb. The same with Fear and Loathing. It's honestly one of the worst films that I have ever seen.

[Abdrewes]

I would love to read why you thought Brazil was "dumb". Brazil is many things, but "dumb" isn't one of them.