The Criterion Collection

[James78]

For members who want to upgrade their Criterion DVD of David Lean's Summertime, it is available on a Paramount Blu-ray from Amazon Japan today:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Summe...Blu-ray/40413/

[BohemianGraham]

Egads, I must be turning into a hipster or something, as I just watched and enjoyed The Darjeeling Limited. It's made it's way to number 3 on the Anderson films I can tolerate and like list. I think the soundtrack sealed the deal, since he uses stuff from The Music Room, Bombay Talkie (hated that film, but Typewriter Tip Tip Tip was totally awesome), and The Kinks.

I also thought Wilson, Schwartzman, and Brody worked well together.

Now onto A Night to Remember. Let's see if Darjeeling replaces it on my wish list.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Must be otherwise I can't phantom why they would be doing it

Hope you get Yellow Submarine soon, very fun to wacth it last night and it had been years for me too. The only thing is that this time around the fact it was not the Beatles voice was very noticable, so it did feel a bit weird. It's really too bad they never put their voices to the movie

It's looking like Monday for me. And I find it amusing that Paul was actually voiced by the guy who played Onslow on Keeping Up Appearances.

[bdmartin134]

Being a B&N member, just received some 20% off coupons in the mail, so might have to jump on the Buy 2 get 1 Free deal. If B&N is charging avg. $40 each title I want, the math ends up around $60 for 3 titles with the 20% and the additional 10% off for members.. Finally!! Not sure exactly what I want, but def. been waiting for High and Low, Charade, Belle de Jour, La Haine, Being John Malkovich, and ugh too many others..
I also want to check out Battle of Algiers, but netflix has the blu version.

[SpiderBaby]

Just thought I would say this since I have gave opinions in the past about the slow shipping: I love DeepDiscount. They shipped ici et ailleurs and numero deux already (release date June 26th, makes up for my last purchase from them years ago that took close to a month and a half) and got them both for about $15 each (saved about $14 not ordering from Amazon).

Can't believe they shipped them out 3 months before release date.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

It's looking like Monday for me. And I find it amusing that Paul was actually voiced by the guy who played Onslow on Keeping Up Appearances.

WOW! I never made that connection before. I had a look o Wiki, that he too funny. He was so great as Onslow my favorite in the entire show.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

WOW! I never made that connection before. I had a look o Wiki, that he too funny. He was so great as Onslow my favorite in the entire show.

I made the connection when my friend made me watch the show on our Brit Com night back in second year of undergrad. I recognised the name, IMDBed him, and had my mind blown. the guy who voiced John was in a clockwork orange as well, if I'm not mistaken.

A Night to Remember is better than Titanic, but I'm just not interested in owning it. I guess I'm just not that interested in the Titanic.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

A Night to Remember is better than Titanic, but I'm just not interested in owning it. I guess I'm just not that interested in the Titanic.

It's probably a mistake (like I did with The Third Man) but will just keep my DVD of it and not upgrade to the Blu-ray, as for Titanic 97 well I went to see it with my wife just a few months back on it's re-release and that was my first time seeing it. I have no wish to see it again.

[jeloid]

Originally Posted by bdmartin134

Being a B&N member, just received some 20% off coupons in the mail, so might have to jump on the Buy 2 get 1 Free deal. If B&N is charging avg. $40 each title I want, the math ends up around $60 for 3 titles with the 20% and the additional 10% off for members.. Finally!! Not sure exactly what I want, but def. been waiting for High and Low, Charade, Belle de Jour, La Haine, Being John Malkovich, and ugh too many others..
I also want to check out Battle of Algiers, but netflix has the blu version.

i received these coupons yesterday and took the plunge for Paris, Texas, Certified Copy and La Haine. 61.06 w/tax.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

I plan on watching YS tonight or tomorrow as a double feature with Harold and Maude, two of my favorite quirky films.

It'll help me feel better after learning most of what I've posted on this site was within the seven week period of lost data. (Not bothered by any data entry, but I made many posts that were deeply thought or felt; such is life).

I just finished watching it...I feel badly for anyone that didn't jump on this on Amazon for $16.99 or Best Buy for $17.99

Simply Wonderful! Three of the main reasons I was impressed by this release:

1.) DTS-HD 5.1 mix: To Die For! I really can't say much more than that. The music really benefits from the mix and that only makes me hope that Apple/The Beatles/whomever gets around to eventually releasing The Beatles catalogue as multi-track mixes on blu-ray.

2.) The colours were heavily over saturated on the DVD. The colour looks a lot more natural on this release...distinct and sharp...but not pushed to over saturation. I saw this in a US theater, the year it came out. This is how I remember seeing it...it looked like a film...as it is supposed to.

3.) What really blew me away is the black levels they achieved. Inky black...and the main character outlines really stand out...I was really impressed.

Enjoy the film my friend. Hang in there Jess...this will be worth the wait!

[Darkcritic]

I don't commonly do such questions but I am in a hurry and in trouble with this one. Family is in the US right now and can get me one film. Which of the next ones is the best: Makavejev's WR: Mysteries of the Organism, Akerman's Jeanne Dielman or Ray's The Music Room? I LOVED the Makavejev Eclipse, have not seen something from Ray and loved Dielman. So, what should I get?

[oildude]

I googled and found a cached post with my impressions of Leon Morin, Priest from a few weeks ago that was among the posts wiped out in the site crash. I thought I would repost it, since this is a fantastic film that doesn't get much notice.


I would just like to put in a big thumbs up for Leon Morin, Priest. I finally got to this one after it sat on my shelf for seven months. I waited way too long.

It is one of the best in the collection, in my opinion. Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, Leon Morin, Priest is primarily dialogue driven and is extremely well written. That may not make it a choice for everyone, I suppose, but I thoroughly enjoyed its atmosphere and its intelligence.

The story takes place in a Vichy village during the Nazi occupation of France, and focuses on the relationship between a widow who is a commited communist and atheist, and a young priest who becomes her guide down a spiritual road she did not know she wanted to travel. The film is a marvel of exploration into what it means to have faith and to seek that which is the best in ourselves. At the same time, there is a strong sub-theme revolving around smouldering sexuality, as the woman finds herself becoming attracted to the priest. The way this relationship is handled in the film is one of its highlights, restrained and realistic, with no weepy melodrama. The viewer is drawn into understanding the longings and the denials of both characters, and what it means to be truly commited to something larger than ourselves, with the sacrifices that entails.

Jean-Paul Belmondo as the priest does a fantastic job, as does Emmanuelle Riva as the widowed communist. And in a supporting role as the woman's young daughter, the movie also features Patricia Gozzi, about four years before she starred in one of my favorite films Rapture. I had no idea Gozzi was in the film until I saw her name in the opening credits.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

I don't commonly do such questions but I am in a hurry and in trouble with this one. Family is in the US right now and can get me one film. Which of the next ones is the best: Makavejev's WR: Mysteries of the Organism, Akerman's Jeanne Dielman or Ray's The Music Room? I LOVED the Makavejev Eclipse, have not seen something from Ray and loved Dielman. So, what should I get?

• Eclipse Series 19: Chantal Akerman in the Seventies
• The Music Room
• Sweet Movie

Either one of these will do you good.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by oildude

I googled and found a cached post with my impressions of Leon Morin, Priest from a few weeks ago that was among the posts wiped out in the site crash. I thought I would repost it, since this is a fantastic film that doesn't get much notice.

Well, that was awful nice of you.

By the way, to answer your question in another thread... don't be a Twilight Time completist. Rent Steel Magnolias if you really want to see it, which you already admitted having no desire to do. Don't be a completist just because.

[SlickDamian]

Originally Posted by rkish

I just finished watching it...I feel badly for anyone that didn't jump on this on Amazon for $16.99 or Best Buy for $17.99

Simply Wonderful! Three of the main reasons I was impressed by this release:

1.) DTS-HD 5.1 mix: To Die For! I really can't say much more than that. The music really benefits from the mix and that only makes me hope that Apple/The Beatles/whomever gets around to eventually releasing The Beatles catalogue as multi-track mixes on blu-ray.

2.) The colours were heavily over saturated on the DVD. The colour looks a lot more natural on this release...distinct and sharp...but not pushed to over saturation. I saw this in a US theater, the year it came out. This is how I remember seeing it...it looked like a film...as it is supposed to.

3.) What really blew me away is the black levels they achieved. Inky black...and the main character outlines really stand out...I was really impressed.

Enjoy the film my friend. Hang in there Jess...this will be worth the wait!

Ok, this probably sounds dumb, but what movie are you talking about?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Ok, this probably sounds dumb, but what movie are you talking about?

Yellow Submarine...recently released on blu-ray. The Beatles and Apple should have tipped you off.

[rkish]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

Well, that was awful nice of you.

By the way, to answer your question in another thread... don't be a Twilight Time completist. Rent Steel Magnolias if you really want to see it, which you already admitted having no desire to do. Don't be a completist just because.

I now remember the last post I made, before the lights went out. It was a reference link to the AE Bergman collection. The next time I tried to check in...I couldn't.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

I don't commonly do such questions but I am in a hurry and in trouble with this one. Family is in the US right now and can get me one film. Which of the next ones is the best: Makavejev's WR: Mysteries of the Organism, Akerman's Jeanne Dielman or Ray's The Music Room? I LOVED the Makavejev Eclipse, have not seen something from Ray and loved Dielman. So, what should I get?

Darkcritic, my vote goes to The Music Room.

And here is why: I was a initially a big skeptic about getting this film. It was last year and all I knew about it was what I could find on youtube. There you can view three clips from the film, all focused on the three performances that take place in the music room. The singing on display in two of these performances was damned dreadful to me.

But there was enough praise for the film here, especially from SpiderBaby and another member whose name I cannot recall, that I decided to take a chance. I had never seen a Satyajit Ray movie. However, after buying it at a B&N sale, it sat on my shelf unwatched for months, until last weekend when I finally put it on.

It is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of the Criterion Collection. Not only is its restoration a marvel to behold, the story is compelling and the acting superb. It is a tale of sacrifice and self-destruction, with little hope of redemption; about how a vain, proud Bengali zamindar (land holding aristocratic landlord/prince) remains willfully oblivious while the source of his wealth, his land, falls into decay. His income is shrinking and yet he "fiddles while Rome burns" and maintains his haughty airs, especially toward an upstart commoner who is a business man living nearby. Blood triumphs above all, in the aristocrat's world view. The business man is not shy about using his new riches to celebrate in a princely style. The difference between them is that the commoner is more judicious about his wealth. He is a bit of an uncouth slob, but he is shrewd and works extremely hard. The reward is that the business man’s wealth is growing and his world looks to the future, while the aristocrat's world is a relic of the past that is no longer sustainable.

There are many memorable scenes in this film. One of the most poignant is that the uncultured and mostly illiterate peasants and town folk do not value the new self-made status of the business man, who is closer to them in social origin, as much as they value the old traditions of homage to the princes. This, too, must pass away for India to fulfill her destiny.

As for my take on the music in the film itself, the soundtrack outside of the set piece music room performances is outstanding. There are passages where the music adds a real emotional and powerful element to the visuals on the screen. My views toward the singing in the first two performances in the music room have not changed. I cannot stand it. Especially the second performer, the old man with the enormous beard, who at one point sounds like a cat being strangled. I am sure there are others who disagree with this opinion, but so be it. However, I find the third performance, that of the energetic kathar dancer, to be mesmerizing.

It is a testament to the power and brilliance of this film that I can overlook a relatively small element that I greatly dislike, to write glowing praises about what Ray created. The Music Room is great stuff, and not to be missed.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

By the way, to answer your question in another thread... don't be a Twilight Time completist. Rent Steel Magnolias if you really want to see it, which you already admitted having no desire to do. Don't be a completist just because.

After I posted that, it occurred to me that my girlfriend has a different opinion on the value of Steel Magnolias. There is a strong chance I will get it whether I want it or not.

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Has anyone else completley lost their previous post searching section of their profile? Everything else is working on my profile, but I can't search my posts, and I have made some new ones since the crash.

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Egads, I must be turning into a hipster or something, as I just watched and enjoyed The Darjeeling Limited. It's made it's way to number 3 on the Anderson films I can tolerate and like list. I think the soundtrack sealed the deal, since he uses stuff from The Music Room, Bombay Talkie (hated that film, but Typewriter Tip Tip Tip was totally awesome), and The Kinks.

I also thought Wilson, Schwartzman, and Brody worked well together.

Number 3, how long is your list? Considering he has only made about 6 live action films, I would say you mostly like his work then...no need for the list. I like most of them. I love the quirkiness of his films, even if it can get hammy at times. He definitely has is own style, which I appreciate. Out of curiosity, what is the film(s) you can't tolerate?

p.s. I thought Brody had the best performance in the film of the three