The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

I am looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts about the Melville films over the next few weeks, since a lot of people pulled the trigger on the movies this weekend. Army of Shadows is the most treasured Blu-ray in my entire collection, and it'll be fun to share the love.

[ZooTv]

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

Just about to watch Leon Morin, Priest. I have yet to see a bad Melville film so here's hoping this one does not disappoint.

It's exceptionally good, and a film that catches many by surprise who had their doubts going in. Only a master like Melville could pull off casting Belmondo as a priest

[Blodiak]

I also ordered ''Le Cercle Rouge'' from Amazon.com today....

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Blodiak

I also ordered ''Le Cercle Rouge'' from Amazon.com today....

Totally off topic, but I am listening to The Smiths - "Accept Yourself" right now as I just scrolled down and saw your avatar. One of my all-time favorite bands, and I have been listening to them since I bought a cassette tape of Louder Than Bombs in 1987 when I was in tenth grade.
Great minds think alike.

Enjoy Le Cercle Rouge!

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I am looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts about the Melville films over the next few weeks, since a lot of people pulled the trigger on the movies this weekend. Army of Shadows is the most treasured Blu-ray in my entire collection, and it'll be fun to share the love.

I still find it strange that Criterion has held off on his best film, Le Samourai. Perhaps it's a rights issue. I guess it is a good thing, to get exposure to his other great films first.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

Just about to watch Leon Morin, Priest. I have yet to see a bad Melville film so here's hoping this one does not disappoint.

Melville, Belmondo, Riva... you can't go wrong.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I still find it strange that Criterion has held off on his best film, Le Samourai. Perhaps it's a rights issue. I guess it is a good thing, to get exposure to his other great films first.

I want Le Samouraï to be released on Blu-ray by Criterion more than anybody else, because it's my all-time favorite movie.

I am willing to wait until a proper restoration of the movie comes down the pipes, though. The French Blu-ray of Le Samouraï ruffled a lot of feathers, because it's reportedly a less-than-ideal picture with a lot of blurriness. If and when Criterion finally announces this one, and I am inclined to think that it's just a matter of time, here's hoping that it's a transfer that the film deserves.

[Dragun]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Seems to me as though Amazon would honor their commitment to ship it to you if there were copies in stock upon your order. They usually have a notice telling people to hurry, because there are only a few copies in stock. If that notice was not on the product screen, then you're probably golden.

It said "usually ships in 9 to 11 days," which made me wonder if they actually had any copies on-hand.

[ZooTv]

Originally Posted by Dragun

It said "usually ships in 9 to 11 days," which made me wonder if they actually had any copies on-hand.

I noticed a handful of other websites (DVDPlanet, ImportCDS) are also showing lengthier expected dispatch times for recently OOP Criterion titles.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

I still find it strange that Criterion has held off on his best film, Le Samourai. Perhaps it's a rights issue. I guess it is a good thing, to get exposure to his other great films first.

If they own the rights, which they still do, then the issue is either 1) timeliness or 2) having a proper master. Why did they release The Magician and Summer With Monika & Sumer Interlude before re-issuing better, more classic Bergman films? It just happens.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by KrugerIndustrial

Just about to watch Leon Morin, Priest. I have yet to see a bad Melville film so here's hoping this one does not disappoint.

It's a very intense film, it's my favourite out of the 4 BDs going out of print actually. I'm still kicking myself for putting off on getting it, as I was looking at it when it first came out, then decided against it, and finally, last summer, grabbed it.

[returnofthemack]

so i finally watched the third man that my library had and i dont get what the big deal. the movie was ok but i didnt think it was anything special. why is this a 200-300 blur ay again?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by returnofthemack

so i finally watched the third man that my library had and i dont get what the big deal. the movie was ok but i didnt think it was anything special. why is this a 200-300 blur ay again?

..just because it's in the Criterion Collection.

If it wasn't, most people would settle for the alternate release.

[SlickDamian]

Does anyone know if I order Marienbad from amazon, will it come in the digipak? Are the plastic cases still available from criterion's site?

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by retablo

If they own the rights, which they still do, then the issue is either 1) timeliness or 2) having a proper master. Why did they release The Magician and Summer With Monika & Sumer Interlude before re-issuing better, more classic Bergman films? It just happens.

True. I imagine there are a number of other reasons that factor into their choices as well. Army of Shadows and Black Moon for example were virtually inaccessible before their blu-ray release.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

..just because it's in the Criterion Collection.

If it wasn't, most people would settle for the alternate release.

For the price of $13 brand new from the third-party Amazon sellers, the StudioCanal version of The Third Man is probably more than sufficient, unless this happens to be your favorite movie of all time.

I think that The Third Man is a spectacular film, and it works well as a darker twin of Casablanca. It's not $300 spectacular, though, or even $100 spectacular.

I bought the Criterion DVD a couple years back when the restoration came through, and it's a beautiful transfer even in standard definition, and the same extras are there.

I'll probably fork out the $13 or so for the StudioCanal version sometime this year, just to have this fine movie on Blu-ray. There's no point whatsoever for me to pay more than that for the movie on Blu-ray, though.

I would actually like to have my Pierrot Le Fou DVD upgraded more than I want The Third Man upgraded. I'm not going to pay the seller prices for that Blu-ray on Criterion either, though.

[ZooTv]

Originally Posted by returnofthemack

so i finally watched the third man that my library had and i dont get what the big deal. the movie was ok but i didnt think it was anything special.

As a whole it's just a fantastic achievement which has had an incredible influence on western cinema... The casting, atmosphere, and score are all perfect i.m.o. Of all the classic noirs, I probably revisit this one the most.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I think that The Third Man is a spectacular film, and it works well as a darker twin of Casablanca. It's not $300 spectacular, though, or even $100 spectacular.

Right---and if it didn't have a Criterion logo on it, there's no way it would sell for that much or be this sought-after.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by SlickDamian

Does anyone know if I order Marienbad from amazon, will it come in the digipak? Are the plastic cases still available from criterion's site?

If yours comes in the digipak, then there will probably be some plastic cases left on Criterion for a short while at least. Don't hold me to that, though.

[shortmartin]

Amid all of this Melville madness . . . I'm going to pop in and revisit Army of Shadows tonight. His movies are uniformly amazing, but I especially love that one.