The Criterion Collection

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by DaveyJoe

It's definitely one of the better remakes I've ever seen.

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Nolan's Insomnia is just fine by itself, no need for comparisons.

I agree completely, great movie and great remake. Nolan is a fantastic director.

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Im only making comparisons as its a remake which is pretty fair.

I found Nolans really weak and really forgettable - whereas this one has stuck with me and the transfer is superb (I did worry as the intro was so low quality but realized it was intentional lol!)

I have no idea how you could say that Nolan's was forgettable, especially since (correct me if I'm wrong) that you saw it before the original.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

I agree completely, great movie and great remake. Nolan is a fantastic director.


I have no idea how you could say that Nolan's was forgettable, especially since (correct me if I'm wrong) that you saw it before the original.

I just didn't like it, the cast didn't do it for me - I love a lot of Nolans work, Following, The Prestige, Memento even his Batman films and Inception. But yeah His take on Insomnia did nothing for me and I did try it a few times - I dunno

Don't get me wrong they are great actors and I love Robin Williams in darker roles (One Hour Photo is one of my favorites from him) - but yeah :/

[jw007]

I remember liking the remake of Insomnia mainly because of Al Pacino's more humanistic performance, who I actually preferred over Stellan Skarsgard's more muted performance. The story and cinematography are of course better in the original Insomnia, by Eric Skjoldbjærg though. Chris Nolan did do a good job and made it his own though.

So acting-wise, the remake is better, but story-wise, the original is better.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by jw007

I remember liking the remake of Insomnia mainly because of Al Pacino's more humanistic performance, who I actually preferred over Stellan Skarsgard's more muted performance. The story and cinematography are of course better in the original Insomnia, by Eric Skjoldbjærg though. Chris Nolan did do a good job and made it his own though.

So acting-wise, the remake is better, but story-wise, the original is better.

I found Stellean better! You could see the emotion in his eyes and the slow torment of the insomnia creeping over him - he was subtle and I felt that was more powerful, his character is a well respected in his work and he had to hide those weaknesses - which he did, but it was there in his eyes.

That or I am really biased as I think he's a superb actor :P I genuinely think acting was better in original, but then again I haven't seen Nolans for a long time so maybe I will revisit I dunno...

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I found Stellean better! You could see the emotion in his eyes and the slow torment of the insomnia creeping over him - he was subtle and I felt that was more powerful, his character is a well respected in his work and he had to hide those weaknesses - which he did, but it was there in his eyes.

That or I am really biased as I think he's a superb actor :P I genuinely think acting was better in original, but then again I haven't seen Nolans for a long time so maybe I will revisit I dunno...

I'm meaning to check out the Nolan version again too. Might even buy it on blu-ray for $9 as that is the going rate for it now.

Let's not forget that Robin Williams was pretty amazing also in the remake...far better than the villain in the original movie!

[Al_The_Strange]

Stellan was good in his own way, but I think his character was a lot more unlikable and more devious than in the remake. I found Pacino more likable and less devious for some reason (a big part of it may have been

[Show spoiler]that Pacino wasn't stalking or acting all creepy around the young girls the way Stellan's character did...at least not that I remember

).

And yeah, Robin Williams was great.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Stellan was good in his own way, but I think his character was a lot more unlikable and more devious than in the remake. I found Pacino more likable and less devious for some reason (a big part of it may have been

[Show spoiler]that Pacino wasn't stalking or acting all creepy around the young girls the way Stellan's character did...at least not that I remember

).

And yeah, Robin Williams was great.

I thin it added to the character - it shows even people we trust and look up to to do the right thing are troubled, weak and have flaws.

No one is perfect and I think the fact its a crime film based around a killer and they show us the person who is there to solve it is also flawed just adds to it, it makes us question his motives - is he there to help or is looking for something else?

Just adds so many layers to character for me which I find exciting to watch.

Sorry if I make no sense lol

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I thin it added to the character - it shows even people we trust and look up to to do the right thing are troubled, weak and have flaws.

No one is perfect and I think the fact its a crime film based around a killer and they show us the person who is there to solve it is also flawed just adds to it, it makes us question his motives - is he there to help or is looking for something else?

Just adds so many layers to character for me which I find exciting to watch.

Sorry if I make no sense lol

No that makes sense, and it's interesting to think about. I may be a little too harsh in saying that Stellan's character in unlikable; flawed is probably the better term. It is an interesting portrayal that makes the original film stand out in its own way, whereas the remake has merits of its own. That's what makes them both good.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

No that makes sense, and it's interesting to think about. I may be a little too harsh in saying that Stellan's character in unlikable; flawed is probably the better term. It is an interesting portrayal that makes the original film stand out in its own way, whereas the remake has merits of its own. That's what makes them both good.

I think I need to revisit Nolan's it was a while ago I saw it, maybe seeing the original will change my view on remake.

As I said I do love a lot of Nolan's films so would be a shame to write this one off completely.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

I love Robin Williams in darker roles (One Hour Photo is one of my favorites from him)

Agree with you 100%, Robin Williams is awesome in dark roles.

And One Hour Photo, one of my favorites as well. Great movie, very underrated. The blu ray is fantastic as well. One of my favorites in my collection.

[jw007]

Just have to add real quickly that the "grey-ness" of Skarsgard's character was extremely effective. At times you might think he was playing the bad guy when you thought he was the good guy, but then you realize the character had a ton of problems and issues (

[Show spoiler]flirting with young girls and drinking alcohol were just some of them

). So it did add a multi-dimensional facet to his character in the original version of Insomnia that was totally realistic.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Agree with you 100%, Robin Williams is awesome in dark roles.

And One Hour Photo, one of my favorites as well. Great movie, very underrated. The blu ray is fantastic as well. One of my favorites in my collection.

I can't stand him in comical roles, it feels so false and wrong. But I know that who he is, I read off camera and during takes on OHP he used to make jokes and it through the cast off when it came to their scenes.

But no, he blew em away in One Hour Photo, he was transformed, he was genuinely scary but I still felt sorry for him and felt for him - he got the mix of creepy and sad just right (also the film has an incredible soundtrack)!

That reminds me, I need to watch 'What Dreams May Come' again cause I remember him being great in that too and was a very unique film and very visual, but not seen in yeeeaaaaaars so not sure how dated it will be lol

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Pretty slow last 24 hours, it appears, on this thread…

I have an excuse-experienced my first Hurricane/Tropical Storm yesterday. Pretty intense night. Anyway, moving on.

The Cranes Are Flying – This is a very accessible film in which its only real fault is in the incessant close-up shots of the main actress Tatiana Yevgenyevna Samoilova who plays Veronika.

[Show spoiler]During the first 15 minutes or so, I thought, “oh, cute actress!” but then to see her mope and pout for the last ¾ of the movie was enough to make me puke. (Ok, Slight exaggeration).

Her pet nickname given to her by her boyfriend in the film is “squirrel.” Maybe that sounds cute in Russian… ?! idk. I don’t have to explain to anyone how much that can potentially grate after a while. The film features some nifty camerawork and some clever shots to convey some crucial moments during the lives of the characters. This one, however, is miles behind Ivan’s Childhood.

I had no problem with the close-ups. No matter what expression, she was gorgeous. I found her nickname a lot less annoying than Cary Grant's nickname Joan Fontaine in Suspicion-"monkey face" which he says ad nauseam. Letter Never Sent also features Samoilova and is a great film. My main beef with both her films in the Collection are that they're bare bones.

[octagon]

Describing Nolan's Insomnia as forgettable might be a little strong but ordinary might be pretty fair. It definitely wasn't bad and in a lot of ways it was pretty good but it was a fairly standard, paint-by-numbers Hollywood thriller.

Although it did have one really cool, standout scene:

[Show spoiler]Pacino complains about bright his room is, we see a fairly bright room only to see the room get *really* bright when the hotel employees turns the lights on. That was a remarkably effective scene (which is how I tend to describe any and all cinematic tricks I fall for hook, line and sinker). In fact, I actually managed to retroactively insert that scene in the original. I had seen the original first but was still surprised when that scene didn't appear while rewatching the original a few weeks ago. It's amazing the tricks the memory can play.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by octagon

Describing Nolan's Insomnia as forgettable might be a little strong but ordinary might be pretty fair. It definitely wasn't bad and in a lot of ways it was pretty good but it was a fairly standard, paint-by-numbers Hollywood thriller.

Although it did have one really cool, standout scene:

[Show spoiler]Pacino complains about bright his room is, we see a fairly bright room only to see the room get *really* bright when the hotel employees turns the lights on. That was a remarkably effective scene (which is how I tend to describe any and all cinematic tricks I fall for hook, line and sinker). In fact, I actually managed to retroactively insert that scene in the original. I had seen the original first but was still surprised when that scene didn't appear while rewatching the original a few weeks ago. It's amazing the tricks the memory can play.

When I said forgettable I am just saying I watched it a few times and it hasn't stayed with me, I've forgotten the performances, the cinematography etc etc wheres other films would stick with me and I would remember all the details

Its just my opinion but will probably revisit having seen original now

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

When I said forgettable I am just saying I watched it a few times and it hasn't stayed with me, I've forgotten the performances, the cinematography etc etc wheres other films would stick with me and I would remember all the details

Its just my opinion but will probably revisit having seen original now

Yeah, I could see that. With relatively few exceptions (and not all of them positive) I wouldn't say it's particularly memorable either.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by octagon

Yeah, I could see that. With relatively few exceptions (and not all of them positive) I wouldn't say it's particularly memorable either.

Also when you compare it to his other films like Memento, Following and the Prestige for me, it is very forgettable lol cause those three films are brilliant

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by aes3728

Guess if this was taken actually today we wont be getting Hellman's Westerns for a little while longer.

Interesting, Hellman suggested that they were going to be announced for November. I guess we'll find out this time next week...

[Polaroid]

Still think we need a Dogme boxset over a western set :P

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Still think we need a Dogme boxset over a western set :P

Given that many of those films were shot on consumer DV cameras I'm not sure they'd really make the most of the Blu-ray format, AV-wise at least. I'd much rather Criterion put their efforts in to these Hellman flicks, which I'd never dared dream would be on the receiving end of such lavish treatment.