The Criterion Collection

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by octagon

Just out of curiousity, what were you expecting?

i didn't know anything about the story lol i knew it was slow and long, which is fine with me, but the story of a man reconnecting with his wife and son just made my eyes glaze over. i hate stories like that, mainly because i'm a cold and heartless bastard and don't connect with such things.

so, it was very much my fault i didn't look into it more before purchasing, but that's how i like blind buy (or, LIKED blind buying) - by REALLY blind buying. lol last few times have really bitten me in the ass though.

sadly, i still have to watch Che which is a blind buy, but i really enjoy things like history and documentaries so i should be good on that one

[blurebel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

)

Can you give the rating for all the criterion movies you watched ? And which ones do you recommend. Helps with blind buying for newbies.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i didn't know anything about the story lol i knew it was slow and long, which is fine with me, but the story of a man reconnecting with his wife and son just made my eyes glaze over. i hate stories like that, mainly because i'm a cold and heartless bastard and don't connect with such things.

so, it was very much my fault i didn't look into it more before purchasing, but that's how i like blind buy (or, LIKED blind buying) - by REALLY blind buying. lol last few times have really bitten me in the ass though.

sadly, i still have to watch Che which is a blind buy, but i really enjoy things like history and documentaries so i should be good on that one

That's what I wondering. I bought it blind too (and wound up liking it overall) but I never really felt like I didn't know ahead of time what I was getting myself into.

[easyblu]

Just watched my one blind buy for the sale, The Double Life of Veronique. It was my first Krzysztof Kieslowski film. I loved it, everything about it really. And once the credits began to roll, everything clicked, and since then, I've been thinking about the movie constantly, relating it to moments in my life. I can't believe it, but I already want to rewatch it.

Unfortunately, only Red is up on Hulu Plus now for Kieslowski films, so I shouldn't watch that before the other movies in the trilogy, right? I

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by blurebel

Can you give the rating for all the criterion movies you watched ? And which ones do you recommend. Helps with blind buying for newbies.

I'm not the poster you're refering to, but I'll post mine again for the benefit of newbies, especially with the sale going on:

Head - 10/10 - total bias
Black Narcissus - 10/10
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - 10/10
Charade - 10/10
The Leopard - 9.5/10
Bigger Than Life - 9.5/10
Five Easy Pieces - 9.5/10
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival - 9.5/10 (Should have had more Buffalo Springfield)
The King of Marvin Gardens - 9/10
Sweet Smell of Success - 9/10
Paths of Glory - 9/10
Senso - 8.5/10
Au revoir les enfants - 8.5/10
Diabolique - 8.5/10
Topsy-Turvy - 8/10
Howards End - 8/10
The Last Picture Show - 8/10
Easy Rider -7.5/10
Broadcast News - 7/10
Drive, He Said - 6.5/10
A Safe Place - 5.5/10
Night of the Hunter - 8/10*

*Watched it before I bought the Blu-Ray on TCM millions of times. My mother tells me it was money well spent as she thought it looked fantastic. She currently is in possession of my copy. I also broke out the BBS set into individual films, but kept Monterey as one.

I'll let people know the following titles once I get them and watch them:
Zazie Dans Le Metro
Gimme Shelter
Pierrot Le Fou
Seven Samurai
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Repulsion
Naked
Lola Montes
Something Wild
8 1/2

[blurebel]

@BohemianGraham

Thanks!

[Sukuri]

Originally Posted by georgec

Anybody have the By Brakhage anthology? How is it? I'm uninitiated but it seems really interesting from a philosophical/metaphysical/abstract/contemplative point of view.

I actually put vol 1 on again a couple of days ago and was going through some of the short films. It's kinda like taking a metal detector to a beach and for several hours finding a lot of beer caps, safety pins, etc. but occasionally coming across silver dollars.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by blurebel

Can you give the rating for all the criterion movies you watched ? And which ones do you recommend. Helps with blind buying for newbies.

sure. in alphabetical order. not a lot of them mind you...

8 1/2 3/5
Antichrist 4.5/5 [recommended] - but look into it first. it is a bit graphic for some
Armageddon 4.5/5 * not on CRITERION blu-ray recommended]
Army of Shadows 1.5/5
Bicycle Thieves 3.5/5 * not on blu-ray
Black Moon 2/5
Blow Out 3.5/5
Bottle Rocket 3.5/5
Brazil 4.5/5 * not on blu-ray [recommended]
Closely Watched Trains 4.5/5 * not on blu-ray [recommended]
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2/5
The Darjeeling Limited 4/5
Dazed and Confused 3/5 * not on blu-ray
The Double Life of Veronique 2.5/5
Everlasting Moments 4/5
Last Year at Marienbad 4.5/5 [recommended]
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 3/5 * not on blu-ray
Paris, Texas 2.5/5
Paths of Glory 3/5
Repulsion 4/5 [recommended]
Revanche 4.5/5 recommended]
The Rock 3.5/5 * not on CRITERION blu-ray
The Royal Tenenbaums 4.5/5 * not on blu-ray [recommended]
Seven Samurai 2.5/5
The Seventh Seal 4/5 [recommended]
Summer Hours 4/5
Solaris 5/5 [recommended]
The Thin Red Line 4.5/5 recommended
Videodrome 4/5
Walkabout 3/5

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by blurebel

@BohemianGraham

Thanks!

No problem. My tastes in film are quite ecclectic though. As you can see, I rank a Monkees movie to be better than The Last Picture Show, the film that most people seem to want out of the BBS set. I buy Criterions based on whether or not I think the plot sounds interesting, and not because of some sort of prestige and critical acclaim it has, and I have yet to be burned. A Safe Place doesn't count, as it's in the BBS set, and the set is more than worth it. Believe it or not, out of the 37 titles I have, only 7 haven't been blind buys.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

sure. in alphabetical order. not a lot of them mind you...

Brazil 4.5/5 * not on blu-ray
Dazed and Confused 3/5 * not on blu-ray
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 3/5 * not on blu-ray
Paths of Glory 3/5

Which version of the Brazil DVD do you have? I have the single disc version that I bought used for 10 bucks at Rogers Video in London Ontario. I would kill for the BD upgrade. Ditto for Steve Zissou.

Dazed and Confused is coming out in October folks, if you missed the announcements last week.

I respectfully disagree with you on Paths of Glory. But then, I'm a fan of Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick. Also, Timothy Carey is freaking awesome. He's in another Criterion release, Head.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i didn't know anything about the story lol i knew it was slow and long, which is fine with me, but the story of a man reconnecting with his wife and son just made my eyes glaze over. i hate stories like that, mainly because i'm a cold and heartless bastard and don't connect with such things.

so, it was very much my fault i didn't look into it more before purchasing, but that's how i like blind buy (or, LIKED blind buying) - by REALLY blind buying. lol last few times have really bitten me in the ass though.

sadly, i still have to watch Che which is a blind buy, but i really enjoy things like history and documentaries so i should be good on that one

I'm sorry that you didn't like it...it was one of the first five Criterion BDs that I ever bought and I really enjoyed it. Great performances by Harry Dean, Dean Stockwell and Natashia...

It's what got me introduced to Wim Wenders...

Bring on "The American Friend"!

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Just out of curiosity, do you have a soul?

no, i traded that in for an amazon gift card years ago

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Which version of the Brazil DVD do you have? I have the single disc version that I bought used for 10 bucks at Rogers Video in London Ontario. I would kill for the BD upgrade. Ditto for Steve Zissou.

Dazed and Confused is coming out in October folks, if you missed the announcements last week.

I respectfully disagree with you on Paths of Glory. But then, I'm a fan of Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick. Also, Timothy Carey is freaking awesome. He's in another Criterion release, Head.

i don't own Brazil on any format. watched it for the first time last year. waiting for the Criterion blu. although i don't know if i'd buy it.

i know Dazed is coming, but just marked it as not out yet for the time being

yeah, lots love Paths of Glory. not me however. Kubrick is hit or miss with me. err, actually one hit (2001) and many misses (Eyes Wide Shut, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory...)

Originally Posted by rkish

I'm sorry that you didn't like it...it was one of the first five Criterion BDs that I ever bought and I really enjoyed it. Great performances by Harry Dean, Dean Stockwell and Natashia...

It's what got me introduced to Wim Wenders...

Bring on "The American Friend"!

seems like a love it or hate it film. i don't hate it, but i guess if i had to choose i'd lean more that way than loving it.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I respectfully disagree with you on Paths of Glory. But then, I'm a fan of Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kubrick. Also, Timothy Carey is freaking awesome. He's in another Criterion release, Head.

He's also in another Kubrick BD coming soon from Criterion - The Killing

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Assuming you are a student, and considering you've documented the exorbitant shipping charges you pay to ship to Canada, that really surprises me. But I'm glad it's working out for you.

I haven't been a student since 2008. That's when I graduated from UWO with my MLIS. I work full time. I'm just a wannabe film buff. However, when I was a student, I spent tons of money on DVDs. That's why I still have over 500 of them. The shipping charges really aren't that ridiculous compared to the price of things in a Canadian store to be honest. 12 bucks for 4 movies isn't too bad.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

no, i traded that in for an amazon gift card years ago



i don't own Brazil on any format. watched it for the first time last year. waiting for the Criterion blu. although i don't know if i'd buy it.

i know Dazed is coming, but just marked it as not out yet for the time being

yeah, lots love Paths of Glory. not me however. Kubrick is hit or miss with me. err, actually one hit (2001) and many misses (Eyes Wide Shut, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory...)



seems like a love it or hate it film. i don't hate it, but i guess if i had to choose i'd lean more that way than loving it.

Agree with Eyese Wide Shut. Cruise ruined that film. ACO is good, but the book is so, so, so, so, so, SO much better. Kubrick cut out the last chapter and ultimately destroyed a lot of the symbolism Burgess was going for. Wasn't quite his fault, as you Americans cut out the last chapter when you published the book.

The novel was initially set up to be in 3 parts with 7 chapters each. 7x3=21, which happens to be the age in which a lot of societies see one as a mature/fully functioning adult. That last chapter was about how Alex was now 21, and came to realise that he needed to grow up and be a real man, and that although the cycle of violence will continue, he need not be apart of it, although any potential kids he will havem as he now wants kids, could end up being like him.

Edit: don't mean to sound like a jerk there, but The American publishers were the only ones who cut out that chapter in ACO. Also, I haven't seen The Killing or Killer's Kiss (only Kubricks I haven't seen/own) and I have pre-ordered the crap out of them.

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by easyblu

Unfortunately, only Red is up on Hulu Plus now for Kieslowski films, so I shouldn't watch that before the other movies in the trilogy, right? I

The films on the Three Colors Trilogy are only thematically related. Some of the characters make cameos in the other movies, and Red seems like a conclusion in some ways but it doesn't necessarily demand to be watched last. It doesn't really spoil anything. In fact, I believe I saw it first.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Ah...OK. I wasn't sure, so that's why I said "assuming." Makes more sense now. I spend most of my disposable cash on entertainment, so no judgment here.

No worries. I usually buy a lot of my films, DVD and BD, on impulse. I love scrounging around bargin bins, and have found quite a few good deals that way. 90% of my DVDs come from the 5 dollar bin, including gems like the Some Like It Hot Collector's Edition, and the Raging Bull Collector's Edition. I also try to get the best deal possible, so I can afford to buy 12 Criterions in a span of 2 weeks. I'm back to not buying films until the end of August (when Amazon ships my pre-orders for The Killing/Killer's Kiss & If... (again more blind buys, as I really want to see them, and have for years)) and September though.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by easyblu

Just watched my one blind buy for the sale, The Double Life of Veronique. It was my first Krzysztof Kieslowski film. I loved it, everything about it really. And once the credits began to roll, everything clicked, and since then, I've been thinking about the movie constantly, relating it to moments in my life. I can't believe it, but I already want to rewatch it.

Unfortunately, only Red is up on Hulu Plus now for Kieslowski films, so I shouldn't watch that before the other movies in the trilogy, right? I

You can watch the Three Colors films out of order. They don't really connect except for very loosely... but you might as well wait and watch them in order if you are getting the Criterion set. RED is one of the best films I've ever seen (hence my avatar).

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

The final scene in Red is spoilerish to a small degree. See them in order if you can, as the director intended, but seeing Red first won't really ruin anything.

I don't know how spoilerish it is. It's rather ambiguous and you'd still need to draw a lot of your own conclusions about the characters, etc.

[greekak229]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

watched Paris, Texas earlier today. eesh, another reason to never blind buy Criterions are very much not compatible with me. i found Paris, Texas to be completely uninteresting and disconnected from me. someone could have walked into any room with these characters and violently killed them all and i wouldn't have blinked twice or cared for a moment.

2.5/5

[ShellOilJunior]

Gotta chance to viddy The Music Room. Will definitely watch it again soon and post my thoughts. I'm off to Onibaba...