The Criterion Collection

[Ben-hur]

Originally Posted by bstv69

Awesome thank you, Yea I have Bad Lands and Days of Heaven, both of which I am still unsure of what I think, I liked the former more than the latter but I don't know what to think of the completely detached female narrators in them, it kind of bothers me. But there is no denying they are both visually stunning. And I love war films, so i figured his cinematography in a war film will be great even if there is a detached female narrating. And that is what I seemed to get from revanche, which is what drew me to it, I love dark films that stick with you and make you think about the dark world out there

I highly suggest Rosemary's Baby, if you don't have it already.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

1. Three Colors trilogy
2. The Thin Red Line
3. Revanche
4. The Killing
5. Sweet Smell of Success
6. Night of the Hunter

Three Colors is a must. It's an incredibly audacious piece that should resonate with anyone - and it's pretty accessible. Thin Red Line is a must, but I'd recommend seeing Malick's first two films in order to get on his wavelength and notice his progression in style. Revanche is a slow burn, but it will stick with you for days to come.

Honestly, the first four are musts. Night is the only one that doesn't do that much for me. I love Mitchum and the cinematography is wonderful, but.. man oh man, does that kid's performance ruin it for me.

If you mean the little girl...yes! Not enough to ruin but it's bad. The thing that pulls me out of the film is a couple of almost cartoonish scenes that folks who've seen it will probably know the ones I'm referring to. Once again, they don't come close to ruining the film but they are jarring to the tone IMO.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

If you mean the little girl...yes! Not enough to ruin but it's bad. The thing that pulls me out of the film is a couple of almost cartoonish scenes that folks who've seen it will probably know the ones I'm referring to. Once again, they don't come close to ruining the film but they are jarring to the tone IMO.

I actually meant the little boy. You're right, though. There's enough good in there for it to not be ruined. I'd just like the film so much more had the child actors been cast differently.

[bstv69]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Top 5:
-Three Colors Trilogy
-Revanche
-The 400 Blows
-John Cassavetes: Five Films
-The Night Of The Hunter

You can't go wrong with any of them, to be honest,, but these have the highest replay value, in my opinion.

Thank you. I was potentially thinking about just watching Cassavetes on Hulu Plus but it seems like everyone says that it is a must, do you know if that is because of significantly better PQ, or is it for the extras, because I am not much of an extras guy.

[bstv69]

Originally Posted by Ben-hur

I highly suggest Rosemary's Baby, if you don't have it already.

I watched it on netflix and thought the directing was great but unfortunately I found Mia Farrow to be incredibly annoying and just not my taste. But his directing made me want to check out Repulsion but I cannot justify buying a horror movie

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bstv69

Thank you. I was potentially thinking about just watching Cassavetes on Hulu Plus but it seems like everyone says that it is a must, do you know if that is because of significantly better PQ, or is it for the extras, because I am not much of an extras guy.

I don't watch the extras either. I just thought all five films were fabulous.

I had a feeling I was going to like it, just not to the extent.

[bstv69]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I don't watch the extras either. I just thought all five films were fabulous.

I had a feeling I was going to like it, just not to the extent.

Awesome, thank you, you have now convinced me I need to try to fit that set in to my purchase.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bstv69

Awesome, thank you, you have now convinced me I need to try to fit that set in to my purchase.

Not a problem.

[ultlife2013]

Has there ever been any thought about creating a criterion movie review thread? I wouldn't mind subscribing to that kind of thread. So there won't be any criterion deal talk and people can just discuss their thoughts about certain criterions they just watched.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Has there ever been any thought about creating a criterion movie review thread? I wouldn't mind subscribing to that kind of thread. So there won't be any criterion deal talk and people can just discuss their thoughts about certain criterions they just watched.

I made a "Criterion of the Week" thread about a year ago. The goal was to watch a certain Criterion film each week and post reviews and opinions on the film, so that everyone can grasp the bigger picture and hidden messages.

It didn't work out.

[brandon_260]

It's crazy to me that there are people who will pay the price for a Criterion release without much interest in the supplements. I don't watch them all and have never listened to one commentary, but there are so many great features and interviews spread across the collection that give so much insight. There are some film makers/critics that if I see they have contributed something, I'm more prone to buy it (Scorsese, Soderbergh, Kent Jones).

[Edward J Grug III]

Nertz - Just noticed the 15th is a Sunday this month. We'll have to wait a whole extra day for the announcement!

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's crazy to me that there are people who will pay the price for a Criterion release without much interest in the supplements. I don't watch them all and have never listened to one commentary, but there are so many great features and interviews spread across the collection that give so much insight. There are some film makers/critics that if I see they have contributed something, I'm more prone to buy it (Scorsese, Soderbergh, Kent Jones).

I usually only check out the extra films included with the releases.

I applaud Criterion for being one of the nicest, most thorough studios out there, but I'm honestly not a big fan of all of the commentaries and making-ofs. I could never get into them.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's crazy to me that there are people who will pay the price for a Criterion release without much interest in the supplements. I don't watch them all and have never listened to one commentary, but there are so many great features and interviews spread across the collection that give so much insight. There are some film makers/critics that if I see they have contributed something, I'm more prone to buy it (Scorsese, Soderbergh, Kent Jones).

It depends on what you mean by pay the price.

I can think of several transfers that could themselves justify a price around twenty bucks (and obviously I didn't pick that number at random).

That said, I don't listen to commentaries either but I too love a lot of their features. In some cases (the David Lean set, for instance) the features really push a release over the top.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by octagon

It depends on what you mean by pay the price.

I can think of several transfers that could themselves justify a price around twenty bucks (and obviously I didn't pick that number at random).

That said, I don't listen to commentaries either but I too love a lot of their features. In some cases (the David Lean set, for instance) the features really push a release over the top.

Surely there are some packages where the film itself is worth that $20 (I would have paid more for Persona even if it were bare bones). And lack of supplements has not ever deterred me from buying a Criterion title, though I have been disappointed with what little has been put into some releases from the last year. But for me, it's always been a selling point. For example, I had watched On the Waterfront a month before Criterion were set to release it, but knowing there was a conversation between Kent Jones and Scorsese discussing the film, I was compelled to purchase it even though I wouldn't watch the main feature for a while longer.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Top 5:
-Three Colors Trilogy
-Revanche
-The 400 Blows
-John Cassavetes: Five Films
-The Night Of The Hunter

You can't go wrong with any of them, to be honest,, but these have the highest replay value, in my opinion.

I've seen a lot of people rave about the Three Colors Trilogy but I've never seen them; they don't seem like something I'd normally be drawn too but I believe someone said TCM (I think) was showing them soon?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by smoss469

I've seen a lot of people rave about the Three Colors Trilogy but I've never seen them; they don't seem like something I'd normally be drawn too but I believe someone said TCM (I think) was showing them soon?

Yes, TCM will be showing them beginning 2 A.M. EST on June 23.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's crazy to me that there are people who will pay the price for a Criterion release without much interest in the supplements. I don't watch them all and have never listened to one commentary, but there are so many great features and interviews spread across the collection that give so much insight. There are some film makers/critics that if I see they have contributed something, I'm more prone to buy it (Scorsese, Soderbergh, Kent Jones).

I've fallen into the habit of watching the movie itself with undivided attention, and then playing it again with the commentary track while I sit on sofa surfing the web from my laptop. I'm doing this right now, in fact. After watching the re-release Blu-ray of The Lady from Shanghai earlier tonight, I'm now listening to the Peter Bogdanovich commentary track while I post.

I usually go through all of the extras on a Blu-ray after my first viewing. I'll usually surf my laptop while the commonplace back-slapping making-of featurettes are playing on the disc, but I usually watch the Criterion supplements with undivided attention.

I generally love the Criterion extras, except that I sometimes skip through the foreign talk-show intereviews with actors or directors.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

It's crazy to me that there are people who will pay the price for a Criterion release without much interest in the supplements.

I own over 100 Criterion Blu Rays and I don't think I've ever watched a single special feature (which I guess even surprises me). A high quality transfer of a great film is all I need to justify the price. I would happily do so if they were all barebones releases.

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Yes, TCM will be showing them beginning 2 A.M. EST on June 23.

TiVo has been set.