The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Coen

You, sir, just made my Thursday!

Mike Figgis tweeted several months ago that he was talking to Criterion about a possible re-release for the 20th anniversary.

[Talal86]

is there a thread here about starting a criterion collection? like must haves, and good starters, etc..

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by AlexIlDottore

Dude, you keep asking questions that have just been answered. You just have to read over the last few of pages for the answers. It's easy.
Here's the Criterion link for the 2014 hints : http://criterioncast.com/art/wacky/w...-2014-line-up/

Originally Posted by demonknight

Could be Sisters. Woman holding bloody knife after her hair goes down.

Oh, no, the comments at the time said it was going to be Ringu!

(Notice it's also a picnic on a hanging rock, with a prisoner from Cell Block 11...And THREE HINTS for The Big Chill! )

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Talal86

is there a thread here about starting a criterion collection? like must haves, and good starters, etc..

This whole thread, pretty much. Seriously, the answer would depend on where your interests lie. Look at Criterion's website. They have lists and categories. If you look at one movie that interests you, there will be links to other similar movies either by genre, director or theme. One thing I would suggest is investing $8 a month in a Hulu Plus subscription. They have about 800 Criterions in their library, mostly older classics, so you can get a feel for what you like.

[Talal86]

Originally Posted by belcherman

This whole thread, pretty much. Seriously, the answer would depend on where your interests lie. Look at Criterion's website. They have lists and categories. If you look at one movie that interests you, there will be links to other similar movies either by genre, director or theme. One thing I would suggest is investing $8 a month in a Hulu Plus subscription. They have about 800 Criterions in their library, mostly older classics, so you can get a feel for what you like.

thank you! will do

[oildude]

I was looking at those objects in the southeast corner of that blanket wondering what they could be. Those look like Tootsie rolls. If that has already been mentioned I must have missed it.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by Talal86

is there a thread here about starting a criterion collection? like must haves, and good starters, etc..

Seven Samurai, 8 1/2, The 400 Blows, Rashomon are some "essentials" that you should check out.

[ParticleDan]

Originally Posted by oildude

I was looking at those objects in the southeast corner of that blanket wondering what they could be. Those look like Tootsie rolls. If that has already been mentioned I must have missed it.

It was mentioned back when the drawing first appeared. It seems to confirm rumours elsewhere that Criterion will be releasing Tootsie this year.

[jw007]

Last night I watched The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp for the very first time. The first part bored me a bit but then the second part was stupendous. There were a few moments that really touched me in all honesty. I really find this film fascinating because it was made right in the middle of the second world war and nobody knew what the outcome of that war would be. There is a sense of uncertainty on the actors' faces when they talk about the Nazis and Nazism, like they thought perhaps they might take over the world and be a threat to their very existence (in real life too).

For this reason alone, I prefer a film such as The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp over Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not To Be, because this film treats serious matters with utter seriousness rather than making them into screwball comedy like the latter film does. I can see why many think this is the greatest British film ever made, because it revolves around a single character (Colonel Blimp aka Sugar Candy) who experiences 3 different wars throughout his life (the Boer War, first world war and second world war) and the various people that come in an out of his life during those 40 years.

This is a film that may grow on me upon a second viewing, and the dazzling Technicolor cinematography sure is a wonderment for its time.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

Last night I watched The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp for the very first time. The first part bored me a bit but then the second part was stupendous. There were a few moments that really touched me in all honesty. I really find this film fascinating because it was made right in the middle of the second world war and nobody knew what the outcome of that war would be. There is a sense of uncertainty on the actors' faces when they talk about the Nazis and Nazism, like they thought perhaps they might take over the world and be a threat to their very existence (in real life too).

For this reason alone, I prefer a film such as The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp over Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not To Be, because this film treats serious matters with utter seriousness rather than making them into screwball comedy like the latter film does. I can see why many think this is the greatest British film ever made, because it revolves around a single character (Colonel Blimp aka Sugar Candy) who experiences 3 different wars throughout his life (the Boer War, first world war and second world war) and the various people that come in an out of his life during those 40 years.

This is a film that may grow on me upon a second viewing, and the dazzling Technicolor cinematography sure is a wonderment for its time.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is my favorite Powell/Pressburger film, although I hold the other two that I've seen in high esteem as well. It's a beautiful film with some emotional gut punches, and the Criterion Blu-ray is perhaps the finest Technicolor transfer ever in the format.

I also love Lubitsch's To Be or Not to Be, but in a completely different way. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at evil. The film had some great adventure moments to back the comedy.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is my favorite Powell/Pressburger film, although I hold the other two that I've seen in high esteem as well. It's a beautiful film with some emotional gut punches, and the Criterion Blu-ray is perhaps the finest Technicolor transfer ever in the format.

I also love Lubitsch's To Be or Not to Be, but in a completely different way. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at evil. The film had some great adventure moments to back the comedy.

I didn't realize The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was possibly the finest Technicolor film ever made! Or the finest Technicolor film currently available on Blu-ray. Superb.

I guess I need to revisit To Be or Not To Be again. So many famous directors, including Wes Anderson, were heavily influenced by that film. I could see a lot of Ernst Lubitsch and Carol Reed (Night Train to Munich) in his latest, Grand Budapest Hotel.

[blu-bry]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I also love Lubitsch's To Be or Not to Be, but in a completely different way. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at evil. The film had some great adventure moments to back the comedy.

I really enjoy Lubitsch's films. One of my favorites is The Shop Around The Corner. I also have the Lubitsch Musicals Eclipse set, but I have to say that To Be or Not to Be is not in my top few of his films. I do enjoy it, but not as much as the previously mentioned films or Trouble in Paradise (which I have on Criterion DVD).

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

I didn't realize The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was possibly the finest Technicolor film ever made! Or the finest Technicolor film currently available on Blu-ray. Superb.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp would not win my vote for the best Technicolor film ever made across the board, but it's one of the best, if not the best, Blu-ray transfers of a Technicolor film.

Of course, I hold the Blu-ray transfer of Niagara in high esteem as well. That film looks downright gorgeous.

[Gusto-Guus]

Originally Posted by starman15317

Seven Samurai, 8 1/2, The 400 Blows, Rashomon are some "essentials" that you should check out.

Good point, but I recommend looking for movies you've seen before and loved just so you get the idea of what to expect from CC especially the very old films.

[Spire]

Originally Posted by Hintermann

How do you compare Alphaville with World On A Wire? I know that they are different themes but there is also an odd similarity in the ethos.

I havent seen Alphaville, but now it will be on my to-do list.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp would not win my vote for the best Technicolor film ever made across the board, but it's one of the best, if not the best, Blu-ray transfers of a Technicolor film.

Of course, I hold the Blu-ray transfer of Niagara in high esteem as well. That film looks downright gorgeous.

In addition the the usual suspects, (not the movie ) I'll give a shout out for This Happy Breed as having a wonderful technicolor transfer. It was also a film that surprised me a bit. I had low expectations for it and it saved me from trying to unload the David Lean set.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by Gusto-Guus

Good point, but I recommend looking for movies you've seen before and loved just so you get the idea of what to expect from CC especially the very old films.

Yeah, that's a good idea. Then you can better understand the diversity that Criterion offers.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

In addition the the usual suspects, (not the movie ) I'll give a shout out for This Happy Breed as having a wonderful technicolor transfer. It was also a film that surprised me a bit. I had low expectations for it and it saved me from trying to unload the David Lean set.

I had a very similar reaction to This Happy Breed. I wouldn't say my expectations were low exactly but I didn't really think I would love it as much as I did.

Fair warning to folks who haven't seen it though. The transfer is excellent and the movie itself looks very, very good but the colors are intentionally quite a bit more muted than one would normally expect when one sees 'Technicolor'.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp would not win my vote for the best Technicolor film ever made across the board, but it's one of the best, if not the best, Blu-ray transfers of a Technicolor film.

Of course, I hold the Blu-ray transfer of Niagara in high esteem as well. That film looks downright gorgeous.

And what do you think would be the finest and most famous Technicolor film ever made? All I can think of at the moment is The Wizard of Oz. I'm sure people were stunned when they first saw that film in 1939.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by jw007

And what do you think would be the finest and most famous Technicolor film ever made? All I can think of at the moment is The Wizard of Oz. I'm sure people were stunned when they first saw that film in 1939.

Actually, some press critics at the time complained that they "cringed" at the "garish" use of Technicolor, which, back then, wasn't always in the hands of the director to establish.