The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

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

It's insanely corny and makes absolutely no sense.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

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

I've never seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas before, because I've simply never had an urge to check it out. I could be missing out on something amazing, for all I know, but I've got bigger fish to fry.

Originally Posted by iScottie

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

12 Monkeys is my favorite of the Terry Gilliam movies that I've seen, but it has some annoying quirks that I could do without.
After I saw Chris Marker's La Jetée for the first time, I forgot all about 12 Monkeys and I never looked back.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

12 Monkeys is my favorite of the Terry Gilliam movies that I've seen, but it has some annoying quirks that I could do without.
After I saw Chris Marker's La Jetée for the first time, I forgot all about 12 Monkeys and I never looked back.

I'm with you on that. La Jetée is great.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm with you on that. La Jetée is great.

Excellent film *and* bar. The book is good too!

[bwdowiak]

This La Jetee sounds interesting. Well reviewed on RT. ...and 28 minutes.

I can watch it on my lunch break... twice!! Another film to add to my list.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

12 Monkeys is my favorite of the Terry Gilliam movies that I've seen, but it has some annoying quirks that I could do without.
After I saw Chris Marker's La Jetée for the first time, I forgot all about 12 Monkeys and I never looked back.

Originally Posted by iScottie

I'm with you on that. La Jetée is great.

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Excellent film *and* bar. The book is good too!

Me four. 12 Monkeys is actually my second least favorite Gilliam film, right below -- or should it be "above" -- The Brothers Grimm.

[CraigThom]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've never seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas before, because I've simply never had an urge to check it out. I could be missing out on something amazing, for all I know, but I've got bigger fish to fry.

It's better than the Brothers Grimm. I haven't seen any of his since that, although The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is sitting on my Tivo.

I was disappointed by Baron Munchausen, although I know people who love it, and I haven't seen Jabberwocky. Everything else I've seen I've liked a lot, with Brazil at the top followed by 12 Monkeys.

[Ctzalman]

so i just got back from barnes and noble and the sales clerk confirmed that the 50% off sale will begin on November 5th.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

This La Jetee sounds interesting. Well reviewed on RT. ...and 28 minutes.

I can watch it on my lunch break... twice!! Another film to add to my list.

Since you are a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, the Criterion Blu-ray of La Jetée has "win" written all over it for you. I would love to read your thoughts about the film.


Unrelated to anything, but this was quite fun for me to write just now. Criterion should have picked this one up just so we would have a decent transfer.

[Ausjdm]

Any thoughts on Killing of A Chinese Bookie? Just watched the trailer looks awesome. By the title I wasn't expecting a gangster flick.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

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.

More accurately, a "Monty Python: Season Four" vibe to them--
Where, after John Cleese left, and Gilliam had a little more input room into the sketches, the "satire" started casting old-fashioned giggle-humor aside and proclaiming "We're SATIRE!", becoming pointless, morose, non-sequitir brick-handed jibes at Parliament, the BBC, etc., and anyone else they thought they would "shock" 1974 Britons with saying on television.
Nobody was silly-walking anymore, now all they had was their one lone guitar and the truth...
(Well, okay, some of it was probably Graham Chapman, too, now that he wasn't working with Cleese, but the "satirical" Gilliam-toons started losing their focus and taking over the show.)

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

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

I'm assuming "Overbearing" is included in the "many", along with "Pat", "Overstated" and "Easy-targeted"?

Originally Posted by iScottie

It's insanely corny

(Charlie Brown: ) ...THAT'S IT!!!!!!

[SammyJankis]

I see Claire Denis' Bastards - a possible Criterion release - is going up On Demand tomorrow. Anyone interested in this one?

[Thebunk]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

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

Brazil was absolutely my worst Criterion blind buy to date. I honstly think it is the most overrated 80's auteur type film of all time. Horrible.

Fear and Loathing however is an absolute classic through and through in my eyes.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by iScottie

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.

I cannot say that Fear and Loathing is one of the worst films I've ever seen...especially being that it was my very first Criterion movie I ever bought on DVD. I think the acting is hillarious even though the story is absurd and crazy. I get a kick out of watching Benicio del Toro playing Gonzo and try to imagine what the real Gonzo acted like with Mr. Thompson. It's an utterly entertaining movie in my opinion.

12 Monkeys is brilliant. Probably my favorite Gilliam movie right next to The Fisher King and Fear and Loathing.

[jw007]

My question for today (if anyone wants to answer):

If you are a "double dipper" (like me), then how many Criterion DVD releases do you still have yet or wish to upgrade to Blu-ray?

For me, there is only movie left and that is Bigger Than Life. I'm just not sure I liked the movie so much and am on the ropes about upgrading it.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Since you are a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, the Criterion Blu-ray of La Jetée has "win" written all over it for you. I would love to read your thoughts about the film.

Awesome! I will pick it up after I return Blow Out (will view that one soon and maybe post tomorrow afternoon) and post my thoughts on this thread.

[jw007]

Last night I watched Crumb for the very first time after I tore the shrinkwrap off the blu-ray case. I am not here to review this film, but I have to say that this was an EXTREMELY fascinating documentary and I think Terry Zwigoff did an amazing job being able to access Robert Crumb's life (as well as his brothers). I think the Crumb family was severely abused growing up and were physically and psychologically traumatized in which resulted in a terribly dysfunctional (but otherwise brilliant) family. I think Mr. Crumb is an incredibly perverted man, but this is what makes his art so brilliant too. It really is a fascinating story and I kind of wonder what the last 20 years have been like for Robert Crumb since Zwigoff's film was released in 1994. The man is just a few months younger than my own dad by the way (he's 70 now).

Anyone else have any thoughts on this brilliant documentary film?

[Ctzalman]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Any thoughts on Killing of A Chinese Bookie? Just watched the trailer looks awesome. By the title I wasn't expecting a gangster flick.

It's my favorite cassavetes film (with a woman under the influence as a close second). Ben Gazzara gives a fantastic performance in Cass' rumination on masculinity. I'd recommend the shorter version, as it seems to have better pacing, but either version is well worth checking out. If you don't have the Five Films box, well, what are you waiting for? It's one of the most important sets in the collection in regards to American independent filmmaking.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

If you are a "double dipper" (like me), then how many Criterion DVD releases do you still have yet or wish to upgrade to Blu-ray?

The vast majority of my Criterion Blu-rays are upgrades of Criterion DVDs that I used to own. I sold off most of my DVDs earlier this year with the intent of upgrading my favorites, and I made some pretty good coin by selling the Criterion DVDs.

I have pretty much upgraded all of the Criterions that I loved enough to upgrade, when considering the ones that are available on Blu-ray. There are a few stragglers that I have yet to upgrade (The 400 Blows , Rashomon, Samurai Trilogy, Beauty and the Beast, The Four Feathers, Au Revoir Les Enfants), but I'm not in an urgent hurry to buy these Blu-rays right now. I'll grab them at sales as I can conveniently do so.

All of the Criterion DVDs that are in my DVD collection (listed below my avatar) will be upgraded the split second that they are released on Blu-ray.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I see Claire Denis' Bastards - a possible Criterion release - is going up On Demand tomorrow. Anyone interested in this one?

Absolutely. It started playing in Toronto a couple weeks ago with a Denis retrospective, another reason I miss the city. I've only seen White Material and 35 rhums, but both are excellent. I'm hoping Bastards is available on demand in Canada when it goes up tomorrow.