The Criterion Collection

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few months ago, I started a "Movie of the Week" theme on Facebook by changing my cover background photo to a different screenshot. These usually kick off some fun conversations.

Here are my "Movie of the Week" cover photos so far, with a handful of good Criterion picks...

[Show spoiler]

(I had to use Spoiler caps as not to inundate the thread with multiple large images.)

I expected to see tumbleweeds go by in response to the most recent one, but it turns out that a couple of FB friends are familiar with The Vanishing after all.

These are great!

[jw007]

I watched Charles Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux last night and thought it was an incredibly controversial and paradoxical film! I couldn't believe how sociopathic and unlikeable Chaplin's character/s were. This was a BRILLIANT film. Chaplin was being accused of being a Communist sympathizer at the time and this film came out just when everyone in America seemed to be against him. But the film is almost ahead of its time as there are scenes in the movie that could correspond with today's society, especially after the 2008 economic crisis and large banks/institutions going belly up after all the corruption happening (and in the movie there is a 1 or 2 second sequence of a guy holding a gun to his head and a guy about to jump out a window). The sheer sociopathic nature of the main character in Monsieur Verdoux is incredibly realistic... I could see an update of this film today with a guy flying all around the world as a frequent flyer, coming off charismatic and manipulating all the people he meets to believe his words (as opposed to taking a train, as seen in the film, it would be a private jet plane in today's world).

Wow, this is such a black comedy and such a powerful morality tale, I can't help but recommend this film to anyone who's interested in watching a despicable character onscreen. This is blind-buy material.

[momaw]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Uncut version.

That goes without saying.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by jw007

I watched Charles Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux last night and thought it was an incredibly controversial and paradoxical film! I couldn't believe how sociopathic and unlikeable Chaplin's character/s were. This was a BRILLIANT film. Chaplin was being accused of being a Communist sympathizer at the time and this film came out just when everyone in America seemed to be against him. But the film is almost ahead of its time as there are scenes in the movie that could correspond with today's society, especially after the 2008 economic crisis and large banks/institutions going belly up after all the corruption happening (and in the movie there is a 1 or 2 second sequence of a guy holding a gun to his head and a guy about to jump out a window). The sheer sociopathic nature of the main character in Monsieur Verdoux is incredibly realistic... I could see an update of this film today with a guy flying all around the world as a frequent flyer, coming off charismatic and manipulating all the people he meets to believe his words (as opposed to taking a train, as seen in the film, it would be a private jet plane in today's world).

Wow, this is such a black comedy and such a powerful morality tale, I can't help but recommend this film to anyone who's interested in watching a despicable character onscreen. This is blind-buy material.

Nice review! I'm not so sure it's blind-buy material, since most would expect the usual Chaplin but def a good film!

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by jw007

I watched Charles Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux last night and thought it was an incredibly controversial and paradoxical film! I couldn't believe how sociopathic and unlikeable Chaplin's character/s were. This was a BRILLIANT film. Chaplin was being accused of being a Communist sympathizer at the time and this film came out just when everyone in America seemed to be against him. But the film is almost ahead of its time as there are scenes in the movie that could correspond with today's society, especially after the 2008 economic crisis and large banks/institutions going belly up after all the corruption happening (and in the movie there is a 1 or 2 second sequence of a guy holding a gun to his head and a guy about to jump out a window). The sheer sociopathic nature of the main character in Monsieur Verdoux is incredibly realistic... I could see an update of this film today with a guy flying all around the world as a frequent flyer, coming off charismatic and manipulating all the people he meets to believe his words (as opposed to taking a train, as seen in the film, it would be a private jet plane in today's world).

Wow, this is such a black comedy and such a powerful morality tale, I can't help but recommend this film to anyone who's interested in watching a despicable character onscreen. This is blind-buy material.

I still need to watch a couple of my Chaplins, but this one has been my personal favorite of his.

Also,

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone!

[rshanti]

I agree

[The Great Owl]

I really enjoyed Charles Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux when I watched it last year. I've been wanting to revisit it lately, so the above review compels me all the more.

I think that Monsieur Verdoux is one of the most elegantly subversive movies in the Collection. The fishing boat sequence is a trip, and it makes me think of the scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho where we find ourselves pulling for Norman Bates while he is watching the car sink in the marsh.

Along the lines of comedians from the silent era, I finally finished The Buster Keaton Collection box set tonight. The Lost Keaton short films close out the set on a less-than-stellar note, but even these oft-maligned shorts have a few jewels among the stones. "Grand Slam Opera" is my favorite of the Lost Keaton works, and it could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the earlier comedy shorts in the set.

[Scottie]

Add me to the list of people who love Monsieur Verdoux. It's probably Chaplin's most overlooked film, but his brilliance is nonetheless present throughout.

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

That's why I'm rewatching all my films in spine order, and including all supplements with the exception of trailers, alternate cuts/dubbed versions, and commentaries. Some of the supplements are almost better than the films themselves. The Autumn Sonata making of documentary is like double the length of the film, and it's actually very interesting to see Ingrid and Ingmar argue with each other. Also, the stuff in the Algiers set I think I might have slightly enjoyed more than Algiers itself. That is a pretty amazing set. I admit, I'm loving the titles coming out in January, yet I'm slightly critical of them because they seem to be heavily lacking in supplements, compared to some of the films I own presently. I know a few people have mentioned Sword of Doom is priced too high for just having a commentary, but Criterion did the same thing with Charade.

I may go back and watch the commentaries and alternate cuts at some point, but most of the alternate versions of the films are horrible. The Leopard, for example, is a completely different film and isn't nearly as enjoyable in English with 20 minutes, give or take, hacked out of it. Hell, in most of the other supplements on The Leopard, everyone says the American, English dub is crap, including the people who actually re-edited the film for that release.

That seems like a pretty good system for watching / rewatching the films. I myself have attempted to watch them in alphabetical order about two or three times now, but I have always given up by the time that I got to the early Bs.

I also agree in terms of some of the special features being as good or better than the main feature. While I think Abbas Kiarostami's Close-Up, for example, is one of the best films to ever be made, The Traveler, which is included with the release, is pretty darn good as well.

[Edward J Grug III]

I haven't been able to pull the trigger on Monsieur Verdoux. I love Chaplain's silent films, but found The Great Dictator to be a bit too... real? to enjoy. (Well, I would enjoy parts and then find my stomach turning in others).

Not that I think Monsieur Verdoux will effect me in the same way, but it caused me to move it further down my wishlist.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by hoytereden

If a movie grabs you, running times become meaningless and like you say, often you wish they were longer. For instance, one of my favorites is Downfall which flew by for me and I wanted more. Btw-I would love to see it in the Collection.

Terrific film. In case you're interested, the German Blu-ray is region free, and has English subtitles (unfortunately, the massive amount of extras do not). I don't know what Amazon.DE is asking for it at the moment, but a few months ago I paid €9.66 (about $12.50 at the time) for it, not including shipping.

On edit: Looks like the current price is €7.97 ($10 and change).

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Downfall is an extraordinary film. I've consistently ranked Bruno Ganz's performance as one of the top 3 I've ever seen. To me, it's astonishing, even though it's become such a popular youtube spoof.

Yeah, but the youtube clip of Ganz as Hitler going bat-shit crazy over Ned Stark's beheading in Game of Thrones was priceless.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Yes, I've watched both versions. I've owned the set for almost two years. I haven't watched all of the supplements until recently, however.

I can't imagine watching the shorter version at this point. I loved it too much.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

I haven't been able to pull the trigger on Monsieur Verdoux. I love Chaplain's silent films, but found The Great Dictator to be a bit too... real? to enjoy. (Well, I would enjoy parts and then find my stomach turning in others).

Not that I think Monsieur Verdoux will effect me in the same way, but it caused me to move it further down my wishlist.

That is the beauty of Chaplin's films. He was a master of comedy, using it in such tasteful manner to examine the problems of the world.

I personally think his silent films pack a harder punch than his talkies as they are more concentrated on the everyday issues of the world. Furthermore, they require more inferences due to the lack of dialogue. That being said, I have always admired The Great Dictator since I first saw it a few years ago. It is easily my favorite of his talkies, with the closing speech being one of the realest things to ever be spoken on film.

[Fellini912]

Originally Posted by Edward J Grug III

I can't imagine watching the shorter version at this point. I loved it too much.

The quality of the uncut version suffers because of the fact of cramming 320 mins into one blu-ray. This is one of the few releases I was disappointed by the quality. I would of preferred to pay more for more discs than a drop in quality. It is one Bergman's best films and considered his favorite cut. Oh well...

[TJS_Blu]

Begging the CC thread's indulgence, I don't usually mark the passing of creative artists, and I don't lobby for specific films to be part of the CC, but dammit Elizabeth Pena passed the other day and I so want Lone Star to be given it's proper due.

Lone Star Siskel and Ebert

I'll admit I love this film beyond its' considerable merits. Make it happen CC!

[demonknight]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but does anybody else think that Jabberwocky could be a bonus feature film on the upcoming release of The Fisher King? Both are Terry Gilliam films released through Sony, and one will sell more than the other, simply for the fantastic lead performances by Bridges and Williams (RIP).

[bwdowiak]

need your help...

which is the "essential" or preferred version of The Complete Mr. Arkadin that I should watch? I know next to nothing about this film other than that it is Orson Welles and that I can recall a few people around here buzzing about it.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

need your help...

which is the "essential" or preferred version of The Complete Mr. Arkadin that I should watch? I know next to nothing about this film other than that it is Orson Welles and that I can recall a few people around here buzzing about it.

I watched the comprehensive version and one of the other two but I can't swear to which now. And it's funny, I couldn't tell you how they were different and I really couldn't even tell you much about the movie (except that I didn't really have any strong feelings one way or another) but I absolutely love that release and I would love to upgrade it.

That was the release that made me realize that Criterion wasn't just snazzy PQ and that supplements were more than deleted scenes and gag reels.

[The Great Owl]

I just finished revisiting my Criterion Blu-ray of The Blob.

I've loved this movie since childhood, and it's still just as fun with each viewing. It's tough these days to watch it without thinking about Ebola, since the concept of a phenomenon that becomes larger as it claims more victims is certainly relevant in that regard. Still, the sheer joy of this B-movie cannot be denied, and it's best just to take it on its own terms as an innovative monster flick.

It's also a great-looking movie. This is one of the best Criterion transfers of a Technicolor film, and I was once again blown away by the vivid images.

I decided on this original version of The Blob tonight, because I recently got the shipping notice for my copy of the new Twilight Time Blu-ray of the 1988 remake, which I enjoyed quite a bit when I saw it back in high school. I still prefer the original, but the two movies will work wonderfully well together.

[Roninblues]

Originally Posted by thecalm_7

Is it available anywhere? My understanding was 182.47 version is not presentable. Elements were too degraded or lost.

Not to my knowledge but hope springs eternal. I'd even opt to pick up a DVD of the long version. I will certainly take a good Criterion blu-ray upgrade.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Terrific film. In case you're interested, the German Blu-ray is region free, and has English subtitles (unfortunately, the massive amount of extras do not). I don't know what Amazon.DE is asking for it at the moment, but a few months ago I paid €9.66 (about $12.50 at the time) for it, not including shipping.

On edit: Looks like the current price is €7.97 ($10 and change).

I picked up the UK Blu-ray some time ago but it only has Dolby Digital audio which isn't a huge loss given that it's mostly a dialogue driven film. Still, those times when the scenes shift to outside the Bunker.....hmmmmm An ideal release for me would be both the theatrical and extended cut with a bunch of extras and, of course, a lossless audio track.
I still wonder why there hasn't been a U.S. Blu-Ray release?

Yeah, but the youtube clip of Ganz as Hitler going bat-shit crazy over Ned Stark's beheading in Game of Thrones was priceless.

I haven't seen that one only the one where he's ranting about gaming consoles which is also hilarious!