The Criterion Collection

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Bill Murray film that needs to be on Criterion BluRay? Broken Flowers.

The Razor's Edge would make for an interesting Criterion. That movie fell off the face of the Earth.

[KRW1]

Originally Posted by jw007

Nice... I am not familiar at all with the director's work. I am actually amazed that I never had seen any of his films before, especially since I was a Film Studies major in college. I guess this isn't the most accessible film from Bela Tarr's canon, but seeing his last film can't be the worst move I'll ever make in life. I did the same thing with Tarkovsky. The first movie I ever saw of his was the last movie he ever made (The Sacrifice).

I think it probably is the most accessible. It's certainly the most successful in terms of distribution, so I wouldn't feel bad about missing his stuff. It's been terribly treated on DVD. It's definitely an acquired taste, I can quite understand how some people might find it boring to watch, say, 20 minutes of some cows walking around a field but I love it.

I lent a friend Man From London which is actually a thriller compared to some of his films but he couldn't get to grips with it, and my wife actually begged me to turn off Damnation about half way through as she just couldn't take any more of it. It's divisive stuff I do find the Werckmeister Harmonies terribly emotional and sad, and I can't put my finger on why. Terrific score, wonderful atmosphere, just the trailer does it for me, I'd commit dreadful acts for a decent, bare bones blu of it.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Bill Murray film that needs to be on Criterion BluRay? Broken Flowers.

I don't care if it's already out, but we need another release of Lost In Translation.

[JJJ225]

I find 2001 to be an emotional, almost spiritual experience. My favorite Kubrick's...

1. 2001
2. The Shining
3. Eyes Wide Shut

But really, ranking Kubrick films is like picking a favorite child.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I don't care if it's already out, but we need another release of Lost In Translation.

Correct answer. The transfer could be a little better.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by 14728

It's Playing on TCM tonight at 8:00. I'm definitely gonna watch it tonight

I checked it out for a few minutes. Odd that they broadcast it in 4:3.

[Illy Scorsese]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

It is the Bergman film that has moved me the most.

Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks "Winter Light" is his best.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by Illy Scorsese

Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks "Winter Light" is his best.

It's my favorite after Persona. VERY underrated.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

People are talking about Kubrick, so I'll throw in my favorite movie of his, The Shining.

In fact, The Shining is my favorite Kubrick movie by a long mile. I'm hard-pressed to imagine a better Blu-ray transfer than the current one, but I'd love to see Criterion release the movie with bountiful extras.

I love how Kubrick uses brightly lit settings to maximize the horror, because so few horror movie directors have used that technique.

I have a lot of childhood nostalgia tied to The Shining, especially because of one incident where a friend and I visited another friend's house to watch the movie on HBO when we were 11 years old, and then walked a mile through the woods after dark on a trail back to our street. We were both scared out of our wits during that walk through the dark woods. Kubrick's fault.

Right now, I'm re-reading the Stephen King novel for the first time in a couple of decades, in anticipation of King's upcoming book, Doctor Sleep, which features the adult Danny Torrance many years after the events in The Shining.

Have you seen the recent documentary on The Shining called Room 237? I saw this documentary in a local arthouse theater a few months ago and was rather blown away. There were many ideas I had never thought of while watching this movie. I am amazed at how many conspiracy theories there are surrounding this film.

The Shining may be in my top 3 favorite Kubrick films in terms of re-watchability. There is no question about that. It is so re-watchable! Heck, its probably in my top 20 films of all time in terms of re-watchability.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by KRW1

I think it probably is the most accessible. It's certainly the most successful in terms of distribution, so I wouldn't feel bad about missing his stuff. It's been terribly treated on DVD. It's definitely an acquired taste, I can quite understand how some people might find it boring to watch, say, 20 minutes of some cows walking around a field but I love it.

Thanks for letting me know about that... I might find watching 20 minutes of cows to be rather meditative.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I don't care if it's already out, but we need another release of Lost In Translation.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Correct answer. The transfer could be a little better.

Oh yes, oh yes!
Well, I just had to chime in here since my avatar is from Lost in Translation. That movie is a total escape from reality to me.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by JJJ225

I find 2001 to be an emotional, almost spiritual experience. My favorite Kubrick's...

1. 2001
2. The Shining
3. Eyes Wide Shut

But really, ranking Kubrick films is like picking a favorite child.

Well, I might as well list my favorite Kubrick films while I'm at it, so here they are in order to me:

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. A Clockwork Orange
3. The Shining
4. Eyes Wide Shut
5. Paths of Glory
6. Dr. Strangelove
7. Full Metal Jacket
8. Barry Lyndon
9. The Killing
10. Lolita
11. Killer's Kiss

And I know Kubrick made a bunch of other films in the 1950s, but I haven't seen them all, including Fear and Desire.

[Scottie]

My Kubrick ranking (from what I've seen).

01. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
02. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
03. The Shining (1980)
04. The Killing (1956)
05. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
06. Paths Of Glory (1957)
07. Fear And Desire (1953)

Originally Posted by jw007

Oh yes, oh yes!
Well, I just had to chime in here since my avatar is from Lost in Translation. That movie is a total escape from reality to me.

I love that still of her in the film. So beautiful.

[SammyJankis]

Did you watch 2001 again, Scottie? I thought you hated it.

[brandon_260]

I've got the UK Kubrick set that I just haven't had the time to devote myself to yet. For me, Kubrick's films (from what I've seen) would go something like:
2001
Paths of Glory
The Shining
Dr Strangelove
A Clockwork Orange

I saw 2001 in 70 mm this past winter and it was far and away the most transcendent cinematic experience I've had. I can't wait to watch Barry Lyndon, based on all the praises I've read for the film.

[Abdrewes]

I'm going to write something more extensive tomorrow, but for now, here's what I posted in the 2013 movies thread on Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster.

There are traces of greatness, and ideas that almost cohere to a satisfying whole, but the cynical hand of Harvey Weinstein is felt in this truncated version. I'm sure the original cut which contains an additional 22 minutes all without the clunky voice-over and pandering title cards is a much better film. The good was so good that I will seek out the Chinese cut as soon as possible. I pray we get the right version on BluRay here in the US.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jw007

Well, I might as well list my favorite Kubrick films while I'm at it, so here they are in order to me:

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. A Clockwork Orange
3. The Shining
4. Eyes Wide Shut
5. Paths of Glory
6. Dr. Strangelove
7. Full Metal Jacket
8. Barry Lyndon
9. The Killing
10. Lolita
11. Killer's Kiss

And I know Kubrick made a bunch of other films in the 1950s, but I haven't seen them all, including Fear and Desire.

Actually, the only two films of his that you're missing are Fear and Desire and Spartacus.

As long as we're posting Kubrick rankings, here's mine:

1. A Clockwork Orange
2. The Killing
3. Paths of Glory
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey
5. Spartacus
6. Barry Lyndon
7. Full Metal Jacket
8. Dr. Strangelove
9. Eyes Wide Shut
10. The Shining
11. Killer's Kiss
12. Lolita

I still haven't seen Fear and Desire.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by jw007

Well, I might as well list my favorite Kubrick films while I'm at it, so here they are in order to me:

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. A Clockwork Orange
3. The Shining
4. Eyes Wide Shut
5. Paths of Glory
6. Dr. Strangelove
7. Full Metal Jacket
8. Barry Lyndon
9. The Killing
10. Lolita
11. Killer's Kiss

And I know Kubrick made a bunch of other films in the 1950s, but I haven't seen them all, including Fear and Desire.

Loving the Kubrick talk on here. He's one of the finest directors ever! My list:


1. Dr. Strangelove (Where's the love y'all? This is one of the best dark comedies/satires I've ever seen)
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. The Shining
4. A Clockwork Orange
5. Full Metal Jacket
6. Paths of Glory
7. The Killing
8. Eyes wide Shut
9. Spartacus

I still gotta see Barry Lyndon and Lolita. I still wander how AI would of been in Kubrick's vision...

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I saw 2001 in 70 mm this past winter and it was far and away the most transcendent cinematic experience I've had.

I felt exactly the same way when I saw it in Boston's Cinerama Theater back in 1968 (twice -- each time, the bus trip to Boston and back, the movie ticket, and refreshments cost me a week's paper-route wages). It completely changed the way I looked at movies.

Because of that, I feel a bit silly rating it 4th among his films, but for all the admiration I have for what 2001 accomplished, and the impact it had on my movie-going life, I still think A Clockwork Orange, The Killing, and Paths of Glory are better films.

[Abdrewes]

Re Kubrick:

The two I will never tire of watching are 2001 & Barry Lyndon. They define cinematic perfection. I had to stop myself just now from actually typing something about Kubrick. I mean, come on, so, so much has been written about his films already, what is there left to say? I am now content in just experiencing them.