The Criterion Collection

[dynel]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Sometimes you just gotta make your own mind up over a certain movie, because only you know what you're into. Watch trailers, read reviews and form your own opinion on certain blind buys. Sometimes other people's biases will play into their recommendations and in the end your likes will not gel with them in the same manner.

Of course that doesn't mean to not ask opinions because someone like me has amazing taste in movies.

You are right, but I respect all your opinions here and the recommendations are fun to read.. Without you guys I would never have known the joys of night of the hunter & wages of fear. And yes you all have good taste

[dynel]

Originally Posted by octagon

Ah, okay. If you're looking for an awesome ride that's easy to follow then Rififi is right up your alley. Or street. Or canal or whatever

Thanks! Street is the right word here

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Of course I recommend Rififi, if that was what you meant. It's a great French heist film from Jules Dassin, who helmed several brilliant film noirs on these shores before he was blacklisted. The heist sequence is one of the most riveting scenes in the entire Criterion Collection, and the whole movie plays out beautifully.

I have a much longer User Review that I've posted on the movie's dedicated page here on this site.

Sadly, I cannot compare it to Judex just yet, since Judex is on my still-unwatched stack here on the shelf.

Thanks, i'll be sure to check it out (the review)!

[Rich Pure Doom]

Originally Posted by WalterNeff

I meant it was like Thief, in that it dosen't get much attention.

Thief got LOTS of attention around here when it was first released. It's a worthy addition to any collection while not exactly being top tier Mann.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

Thief got LOTS of attention around here when it was first released. It's a worthy addition to any collection while not exactly being top tier Mann.

I think Thief is as top-tier Mann as you can get. Sure, it isn't as grand as Heat or as textured as Miami Vice, but Thief (for me at least) represents a master director at the height of his powers.

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by octagon

Ah, okay. If you're looking for an awesome ride that's easy to follow then Rififi is right up your alley. Or street. Or canal or whatever

If I didn't make the mistake of watching Rififi's trailer @ youtube (it was not impressive), I should have it in my collection by now. I just bumped it up again...

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've been known to watch them from time to time.



Later tonight, though, I'll be watching The Legend of Billie Jean. Hurray for the 1980s!

That should have been released by Criterion.

Originally Posted by iScottie

Asking The Great Owl if he is a fan of film-noirs is like asking if The Pope is Catholic.

That goes without saying. However speaking of film noirs, I would've really liked if Criterion got Out Of The Past but seeing that Warner owns it I'm not surprised it's coming out by them instead. But it would have been a lovely package if released by Criterion, akin to The Night Of The Hunter or Kiss Me Deadly.

Originally Posted by dynel

You are right, but I respect all your opinions here and the recommendations are fun to read.. Without you guys I would never have known the joys of night of the hunter & wages of fear. And yes you all have good taste

And knowing is half the battle!

[aes3728]

Just finished watching Broadcast News and what a fantastic film. I feel like this is one of the most under-appreciated titles in the entire collection. I rarely see people recommend it, but wow what a ride. One of the best screenplays that I've seen acted out. Just a great ride.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by aes3728

Just finished watching Broadcast News and what a fantastic film. I feel like this is one of the most under-appreciated titles in the entire collection. I rarely see people recommend it, but wow what a ride. One of the best screenplays that I've seen acted out. Just a great ride.

I think it's a great movie, but takes a lot of abuse in the word of mouth department because it's a mainstream American 1980s film. I am getting the same feeling lately on The Big Chill too.

[Jakamarak]

Originally Posted by ngower

Any impressions of The Long Day Closes? I'm just now discovering it but it sounds RIGHT up my alley. Want to know more of what to expect, though, given the comments on Davies' stream-of-consciousness style of directing. Could he be likened to Malick in that regard? Just trying to understand what people mean by that...?

There was a recent conversation here about that film. You can do a search, but basically, someone didn't care for it and someone else seconded that, saying it's an acquired taste -- although I loved it instantly. If that's acquired, it happened very fast!

Davies has his own way of making films that I find exhilarating. I was riveted from beginning to end. Because it's a pretty singular achievement, however, I don't recommend this as a blind buy. But it will be one of the most frequently watched films in my collection.

[Jakamarak]

Originally Posted by bluesilo

Watched my first picture from the new Jacques Demy set. While I've seen Young Girls at Rochefort early this year, I decided I'd go in order and start with Lola. I was not the biggest fan of the film. It was fine sure, but the available print is really blurry at some points and the story doesn't resonate with me all that well.

Anyone watch it and really feel blown away? Just looking for general thoughts.

I've seen Lola three times now. I was slow to warm to it, but I kept coming back because I love some of Demy's other films and people seems to be rapturous about this one. I will say I genuinely enjoyed it and "got it" the last time I watched it -- but it took a while to get there.

I get that the restoration in the Demy box is lousy, but I wonder how good this film every looked. I saw it at Film Forum in the late 90's I think and I remember lots of blown out highlights and shadows with no detail. Digital corrections aside, this, to me, seems like it has always been a problem.

I watched Bay of Angels for the first time last night. That movie blew me away. Great film. Fantastic performance from Moreau.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by diskspinner

If I didn't make the mistake of watching Rififi's trailer @ youtube (it was not impressive), I should have it in my collection by now. I just bumped it up again...

Rififi is a great heist film and has some great noir aspects. It is a popcorn flick in my opinion, but I agree with most here in that it is top form for its genre and has influenced quite a bit. Interesting to note, in my opinion, is that its director is an American who was blacklisted for being a communist, and rebooted his career in France with great help from this film. Thinking about how Dassin was from Connecticut makes his French films all the more interesting for me.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by ngower

Any impressions of The Long Day Closes? I'm just now discovering it but it sounds RIGHT up my alley. Want to know more of what to expect, though, given the comments on Davies' stream-of-consciousness style of directing. Could he be likened to Malick in that regard? Just trying to understand what people mean by that...?

It's a mood piece, a cinematic poem and like most poetry, it will either speak to you or not.

That said, it's not obscure or pretentious. It's a film about normal people and the poetry in normal lives. It does have a slight, linear narrative but it's all about the sound and image. Meditative, I'd say; and all film-lovers should see something of themselves in it.

[aes3728]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

I think it's a great movie, but takes a lot of abuse in the word of mouth department because it's a mainstream American 1980s film. I am getting the same feeling lately on The Big Chill too.

Exactly what I was starting to get the feeling for. Since it had success in its time from Oscar or the masses, it gets panned. Criterion doesnt release these films often, but when they do I would like to think it is with intent. This film has resonating power seen throughout the industry. Judd Apatow had to have gotten some influence from Brooks. Same with The Big Chiil, and even things like Mad x4 World.

[jlk5844]

Originally Posted by aes3728

Just finished watching Broadcast News and what a fantastic film. I feel like this is one of the most under-appreciated titles in the entire collection. I rarely see people recommend it, but wow what a ride. One of the best screenplays that I've seen acted out. Just a great ride.

It is a great movie, and I myself have thought the same. It never gets discussed here. It does feel a little odd to be a Criterion title, since it feels more mainstream, like the studio should have released it themselves.

[filmmusic]

Now that you mentioned Broadcast News, I wonder if another William Hurt "mainstream" movie, The accidental Tourist would be Criterion material (considering the release of the Big Chill too, which is by the same director)!

Won Oscar for Best supporting Actress, and was nominated for best picture, screenplay and music.

[flyry]

Originally Posted by bstv69

Thank you for your detailed response. My question with hulu mainly pertained to older black and white films like Rules of the Game and others where hulu looks like garbage but when looking at screenshots of the blu it doesn't look significantly better. And then some other black and whites that I have checked out and look pretty good on hulu I wasn't sure how much better they would look. Color films without a doubt I feel that there will be noticeable differences, I was just unsure about older films that receive less than 4.7 on picture quality on their review, if those movies did not necessarily look significantly better on blu. Once again thanks for the detailed response it was certainly helpful.

i've been watching a LOT of the older famous classics on hulu the past few months.. the only one that i can say was not a high res transfer was Jules and jim..everything else was.. and if you push up on your remote (or whatever you are using) to select the options just make sure its on 3mbs/s option to ensure you are getting the highest quality

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Now that you mentioned Broadcast News, I wonder if another William Hurt "mainstream" movie, The accidental Tourist would be Criterion material (considering the release of the Big Chill too, which is by the same director)!

Good thing there's that Warner logo in the corner.

(This was not only one of the movies that traumatized modern Hollywood into being afraid of bestsellers, it was one of the early indications that we weren't getting the 80's Lawrence Kasdan back again, now that he was turning philosophical and mushy.)

[flyry]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

The Wages of Fear

im hoping i can successfully use the $8/40 a third time to get this this weekend

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Later tonight, though, I'll be watching The Legend of Billie Jean. Hurray for the 1980s!

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

That should have been released by Criterion

I agree, although I quite liked paying only $5.99 for the Blu-ray at Movie Stop yesterday. The one-star audio quality rating here and the lossy audio take some of the luster away, but, for only $5.99, fair is fair.

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

However speaking of film noirs, I would've really liked if Criterion got Out Of The Past but seeing that Warner owns it I'm not surprised it's coming out by them instead. But it would have been a lovely package if released by Criterion, akin to The Night Of The Hunter or Kiss Me Deadly.

The news that Warner Archive is releasing a 50 GB Blu-ray of Out of the Past was the best news that I've heard this year, but I also have a faint sadness that the movie is not seeing a Criterion release or a comparable supplement-heavy presentation from Warner.

Ultimately, I'm just grateful that the resources are still available to bring a high definition transfer of Out of the Past into the world. Jacques Tourneur made some of the coolest films out there, and I hold him in the same league as Alfred Hitchcock, Akira Kurosawa, John Ford, and Fritz Lang.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Good thing there's that Warner logo in the corner.

(This was not only one of the movies that traumatized modern Hollywood into being afraid of bestsellers, it was one of the early indications that we weren't getting the 80's Lawrence Kasdan back again, now that he was turning philosophical and mushy.)

I didn't understand your reply much.
I think you don't like the movie?