The Criterion Collection

[Oscar Rothman]

Sundays and Cybele, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion and La vérité are coming. Confirmed by Peter Becker.

http://vimeo.com/69581129

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Oscar Rothman

Sundays and Cybele, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion and La vérité are coming. Confirmed by Peter Becker.

http://vimeo.com/69581129

Interesting. I am not familiar with either of the two, but after reading their descriptions I am excited to see them. Thanks for sharing!

[Oscar Rothman]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Interesting. I am not familiar with either of the two, but after reading their descriptions I am excited to see them. Thanks for sharing!

You mean three? You're welcome btw

[The Great Owl]

A few words about last night's Criterion viewing...



The world can be a scary place, whether you're a child afraid of being abducted, a criminal afraid of being captured, or just a normal everyday person who is unnerved by the mob mentality of crowds and by the obtrusiveness of surveillance. Fritz Lang's 1931 movie, M, was created long before the threat of internet predators, before the ubiquitous presence of traffic cameras, and before insurance companies and employers started to screen people based on credit scores, but his claustrophobic vision of an early 20th century German city presented a world where people had no choice but to live as though they were being watched. Peter Lorre's Franz Becker, a serial killer who preys on children, lurks through narrow streets between stone buildings under the passing gazes of unsympathetic eyes, and the iconic shadow image of Becker in his top hat appearing before a child was surely an influence on Wes Craven's portrayal of Freddy Krueger in a hat stalking through dreamworld streets with his shadow climbing the walls in his wake. The difference is that the terrifyingly suffocating setting of Fritz Lang's German city was no dream world, and was, in fact, a mere premonition of a Nazi-controlled Germany where nobody was safe.

With its proper restoration on this Criterion Blu-ray, M looks quite amazing. The city streets, smoke-filled dives, and shadowy alleys generate more unease than ever before. The movie's most famous scenes, such as the shots of a forgotten toy ball rolling through grass and a discarded balloon floating up to power lines to symbolize a child's innocence long lost, the abrupt loss of self-control of a gathering crowd that forms a mob around an innocent old man seen talking to a child, the deer-in-headlights look of horror on Franz Becker's face as he sees the reflection of the chalk "M" marking on his shoulder, Becker's repeated attempts to flee down narrow streets where he is surrounded on all sides, and the multitude of angry faces issuing condemnations in a makeshift court, are rendered with sharp detail on this video presentation.

The audio presentation is impressive, considering the film's age, and this is an important asset to the Blu-ray, since M, Fritz Lang's first sound feature, makes ingenious use of the sound medium by way of subtle restraint. Since most of M is filmed almost as a silent movie and there is an absence of noise clutter, the chilling effect of a whistling tune or a mother's grief make their mark in the memory of the viewer.

M does not portray Peter Lorre's Franz Becker in a particularly sympathetic light, and the icky aspects of his character are in full view for scrutiny, but the movie's true unnerving nature comes from the fact that nobody else in the movie is treated with sympathy either. The faces are ugly, the gazes are harsh, and the crowds are smothering. The efficiency of police procedural in the movie is admirable, but it serves to give us a feel of walls closing in not only on the child murderer, but on the rest of the world as well. If you are looking for a double feature movie night that will bring out the worst in your paranoid tendencies in the big city, I'll gleefully recommend Fritz Lang's M followed by Philip Kaufman's 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Oscar Rothman

You mean three? You're welcome btw

Ah yes, I had heard of La vérité so I overlooked it

[Tin Drum]

Originally Posted by Oscar Rothman

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion...Confirmed by Peter Becker.

http://vimeo.com/69581129

Nice! I love this film.

[Scottie]

Amazon has La Notte as Oct. 22 instead of the 29th.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Amazon has La Notte as Oct. 22 instead of the 29th.

Correction. It'll be a grueling seven days wait for the B&N sale

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about last night's Criterion viewing...

[Show spoiler]The world can be a scary place, whether you're a child afraid of being abducted, a criminal afraid of being captured, or just a normal everyday person who is unnerved by the mob mentality of crowds and by the obtrusiveness of surveillance. Fritz Lang's 1931 movie, M, was created long before the threat of internet predators, before the ubiquitous presence of traffic cameras, and before insurance companies and employers started to screen people based on credit scores, but his claustrophobic vision of an early 20th century German city presented a world where people had no choice but to live as though they were being watched. Peter Lorre's Franz Becker, a serial killer who preys on children, lurks through narrow streets between stone buildings under the passing gazes of unsympathetic eyes, and the iconic shadow image of Becker in his top hat appearing before a child was surely an influence on Wes Craven's portrayal of Freddy Krueger in a hat stalking through dreamworld streets with his shadow climbing the walls in his wake. The difference is that the terrifyingly suffocating setting of Fritz Lang's German city was no dream world, and was, in fact, a mere premonition of a Nazi-controlled Germany where nobody was safe.

With its proper restoration on this Criterion Blu-ray, M looks quite amazing. The city streets, smoke-filled dives, and shadowy alleys generate more unease than ever before. The movie's most famous scenes, such as the shots of a forgotten toy ball rolling through grass and a discarded balloon floating up to power lines to symbolize a child's innocence long lost, the abrupt loss of self-control of a gathering crowd that forms a mob around an innocent old man seen talking to a child, the deer-in-headlights look of horror on Franz Becker's face as he sees the reflection of the chalk "M" marking on his shoulder, Becker's repeated attempts to flee down narrow streets where he is surrounded on all sides, and the multitude of angry faces issuing condemnations in a makeshift court, are rendered with sharp detail on this video presentation.

The audio presentation is impressive, considering the film's age, and this is an important asset to the Blu-ray, since M, Fritz Lang's first sound feature, makes ingenious use of the sound medium by way of subtle restraint. Since most of M is filmed almost as a silent movie and there is an absence of noise clutter, the chilling effect of a whistling tune or a mother's grief make their mark in the memory of the viewer.

M does not portray Peter Lorre's Franz Becker in a particularly sympathetic light, and the icky aspects of his character are in full view for scrutiny, but the movie's true unnerving nature comes from the fact that nobody else in the movie is treated with sympathy either. The faces are ugly, the gazes are harsh, and the crowds are smothering. The efficiency of police procedural in the movie is admirable, but it serves to give us a feel of walls closing in not only on the child murderer, but on the rest of the world as well. If you are looking for a double feature movie night that will bring out the worst in your paranoid tendencies in the big city, I'll gleefully recommend Fritz Lang's M followed by Philip Kaufman's 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

This was what I watched yesterday as well. A truly incredible film. Did you watch Claude Chabrol's short film remake of M that's in the supplements?

[*PREACHER*]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Seconds Blu-ray REVIEW

Thank you so much for your review Pro-B, as I am really looking forward to owning this film.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by *PREACHER*

Thank you so much for your review Pro-B, as I am really looking forward to owning this film.

Can't wait to have the Being John Malkovich/Seconds double feature.

[santasangria]

friend knows i like criterion but unware of barnes and noble sale got me a criterion.com gift certificate, anyone know the aprox timeframe of the next criterion.com sale? isnt it twice a yearish?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

This was what I watched yesterday as well. A truly incredible film. Did you watch Claude Chabrol's short film remake of M that's in the supplements?

Not last night. I only watched the movie before calling it a night. I watched Chabrol's short a couple years back when I had the 2-disc DVD edition of the movie, though. I don't remember a lot, except that it is an interesting homage that condenses the story while keeping the vibe intact.

I need to go through all of the extras again. The documentary that discusses the restoration is pretty good.

[*PREACHER*]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Can't wait to have the Being John Malkovich/Seconds double feature.

Not a bad mix...if I do say so myself.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

This was what I watched yesterday as well. A truly incredible film. Did you watch Claude Chabrol's short film remake of M that's in the supplements?

By the way, I just noticed that you reviewed The Hunt in your Top movies of 2013 list. I've been wanting to see that one for a while, and the premise leads me to believe that it might make an interesting double feature with M.

[The Great Owl]

I'm feeling a La Jetée/Sans Soleil night tonight. Of my recent purchases, I've got four more Criterions in the stack to watch: La Jetée/Sans Soleil, Island of Lost Souls, Black Narcissus, and Lord of the Flies. I've seen all of them before except for Black Narcissus, which was my only blind buy of this lot.

I've got three Olive Films purchases in the stack as well that I might work in between or save until later (The Quiet Man, The Enforcer, Sands of the Kalahari), and then I'll get into the Hitchcock collection.

Most of this weekend will be devoted to movies, except for Sunday night, when I'll be going to a New Order concert with some friends. I should be able to rock out a few flicks tomorrow.

[colinrgeorge]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

By the way, I just noticed that you reviewed The Hunt in your Top movies of 2013 list. I've been wanting to see that one for a while, and the premise leads me to believe that it might make an interesting double feature with M.

I'd be curious to hear some other double feature ideas pairing Criterion flicks with interesting films outside the collection. For example, I watched The Edge last week and thought it would make a great double-bill with Letter Never Sent.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by colinrgeorge

I'd be curious to hear some other double feature ideas pairing Criterion flicks with interesting films outside the collection. For example, I watched The Edge last week and thought it would make a great double-bill with Letter Never Sent.

3 Women/Mulholland Drive
Red Desert/The Girlfriend Experience
Blow Out/The Conversation/Blow-Up
Seven Samurai/13 Assassins
Gomorrah/Public Enemies
If/A Clockwork Orange
The Music Room/Citizen Kane
Solaris/Deja Vu or La Jetee/Deja Vu.
Rashomon/A Separation
Le Samourai/The American
The Night Porter/The Black Book

[Joe Dalek]

Originally Posted by fdm

I would guess a box set of stuff new to the collection in November. And probably a good number of the ones you mentioned to finish out the year. Wenders' Road Trilogy would make a good box set, but I'm sure there are other box sets that would be just as nice (Dekalog).

The Wenders pictures are my most anticipated Criterion releases but for some reason I'm not optimistic we'll see them anytime soon. I have made peace with this; otherwise, every announcement day becomes a disappointment.

I noticed a bunch of Les Blank films up on Hulu, and Kim from Criterion mentioned at last fall's Wexner talk that they did have a lot of cool documentaries in store for release in 2013, so maybe there is a Les Blank Eclipse set or some Blu releases imminent.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about last night's Criterion viewing...



The world can be a scary place, whether you're a child afraid of being abducted, a criminal afraid of being captured, or just a normal everyday person who is unnerved by the mob mentality of crowds and by the obtrusiveness of surveillance. Fritz Lang's 1931 movie, M, was created long before the threat of internet predators, before the ubiquitous presence of traffic cameras, and before insurance companies and employers started to screen people based on credit scores, but his claustrophobic vision of an early 20th century German city presented a world where people had no choice but to live as though they were being watched. Peter Lorre's Franz Becker, a serial killer who preys on children, lurks through narrow streets between stone buildings under the passing gazes of unsympathetic eyes, and the iconic shadow image of Becker in his top hat appearing before a child was surely an influence on Wes Craven's portrayal of Freddy Krueger in a hat stalking through dreamworld streets with his shadow climbing the walls in his wake. The difference is that the terrifyingly suffocating setting of Fritz Lang's German city was no dream world, and was, in fact, a mere premonition of a Nazi-controlled Germany where nobody was safe.

With its proper restoration on this Criterion Blu-ray, M looks quite amazing. The city streets, smoke-filled dives, and shadowy alleys generate more unease than ever before. The movie's most famous scenes, such as the shots of a forgotten toy ball rolling through grass and a discarded balloon floating up to power lines to symbolize a child's innocence long lost, the abrupt loss of self-control of a gathering crowd that forms a mob around an innocent old man seen talking to a child, the deer-in-headlights look of horror on Franz Becker's face as he sees the reflection of the chalk "M" marking on his shoulder, Becker's repeated attempts to flee down narrow streets where he is surrounded on all sides, and the multitude of angry faces issuing condemnations in a makeshift court, are rendered with sharp detail on this video presentation.

The audio presentation is impressive, considering the film's age, and this is an important asset to the Blu-ray, since M, Fritz Lang's first sound feature, makes ingenious use of the sound medium by way of subtle restraint. Since most of M is filmed almost as a silent movie and there is an absence of noise clutter, the chilling effect of a whistling tune or a mother's grief make their mark in the memory of the viewer.

M does not portray Peter Lorre's Franz Becker in a particularly sympathetic light, and the icky aspects of his character are in full view for scrutiny, but the movie's true unnerving nature comes from the fact that nobody else in the movie is treated with sympathy either. The faces are ugly, the gazes are harsh, and the crowds are smothering. The efficiency of police procedural in the movie is admirable, but it serves to give us a feel of walls closing in not only on the child murderer, but on the rest of the world as well. If you are looking for a double feature movie night that will bring out the worst in your paranoid tendencies in the big city, I'll gleefully recommend Fritz Lang's M followed by Philip Kaufman's 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

M is one of my favorite films in the collection. The restoration really is marvelous, especially when compared to Criterion's laserdisc/early DVD. The special feature on the physical history of M is a great watch and the essays and reviews in the booklet are interesting (many people didn't think much good of the film at the time.) I still need to watch the rest of the features.