The Criterion Collection

[JLant19]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Same here. Best WWII film of 1998.

Debatable but I agree!

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Here's the two highest grossing "films" at the box office this weekend.

1. The Expendables $16.5M
2. Vampires Suck $12.2M

Does that answer your question?

The Expendables was pretty good as a tongue-in-cheek homage (although sometimes it was a bit too clunky), but then I have a big soft spot for '80s action films...I'm just happy it beat that revolting-looking Vampires Suck.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

The Expendables was pretty good as a tongue-in-cheek homage (although sometimes it was a bit too clunky), but then I have a big soft spot for '80s action films...

Agreed. The Expendables was just entertaining and fun. You know, what going to the movies is all about.

Vampires Suck on the other hand....

Criterion just hasn't released anything that's interested me so far. That will change when I get The Thin Red Line, Antichrist, and the Chaplin films.

[ChadFL]

Well I finally decided to watch The Last Picture Show for the first time. Ya, believe it or not I'd never seen it. Amazing film. Outside of Easy Rider it's now probably the film I'm looking forward to most in the BBS set. And not only because of a 20'ish Cybill Sheperd baring her boobs. There was quite a bit of nudity in the movie for it being an early 70's film.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Well I finally decided to watch The Last Picture Show for the first time. Ya, believe it or not I'd never seen it. Amazing film. Outside of Easy Rider it's now probably the film I'm looking forward to most in the BBS set. And not only because of a 20'ish Cybill Sheperd baring her boobs. There was quite a bit of nudity in the movie for it being an early 70's film.

Chad, what movies have you seen from the BBS set?

Outside of me being a homer for Hopper's films and the fact that you can see Easy Rider on blu already, the movie (that I have seen, so take out the ones I haven't) that I am looking forward to the most in HD is Five Easy Pieces. Prob my fav of the set (again without Easy Rider).

Can't wait to get my hands on this set though.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

Chad, what movies have you seen from the BBS set?

Outside of me being a homer for Hopper's films and the fact that you can see Easy Rider on blu already, the movie (that I have seen, so take out the ones I haven't) that I am looking forward to the most in HD is Five Easy Pieces. Prob my fav of the set (again without Easy Rider).

Can't wait to get my hands on this set though.

Of the seven films I've seen Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, King of Marvin Gardens and Five Easy Pieces. Though it's been a long time since I saw those last two and can barely remember them.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by Ceaucescu

Wishlist?

Barry Lyndon!

Yeah, me too, but apparently Warner is working on this one and Lolita, so the "no"s from Criterion had a reason behind them.

[ShellOilJunior]

With Criterion releasing films like Ace in the Hole, Night of the Hunter, New Hollywood, Paths of Glory, The Killing (it's coming),Modern Times (and rest of Chaplin to come) and the rumors of Some Like it Hot and 12 Angry Men--- I have a point of discussion I'd like to hear some feedback on:

Does anyone else feel like Criterion is back in the laser disc days when studios were willing to license MAJOR films they'd never consider giving up in the DVD-era?

I think there is great opportunity for Criterion to snag some treasures from studios reluctant to issue Blu-rays. I don't think it'll be as major like in the LD days (Annie Hall, Citizen Kane, Wonderful Life LD's) but there's great opportunity.

[Jwilly019]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

With Criterion releasing films like Ace in the Hole, Night of the Hunter, New Hollywood, Paths of Glory, The Killing (it's coming),Modern Times (and rest of Chaplin to come) and the rumors of Some Like it Hot and 12 Angry Men--- I have a point of discussion I'd like to hear some feedback on:

Does anyone else feel like Criterion is back in the laser disc days when studios were willing to license MAJOR films they'd never consider giving up in the DVD-era?

I think there is great opportunity for Criterion to snag some treasures from studios reluctant to issue Blu-rays. I don't think it'll be as major like in the LD days (Annie Hall, Citizen Kane, Wonderful Life LD's) but there's great opportunity.

I certainly believe so. Especially with Studio Canal taking back some of their titles. Criterion has to fill the gaps somehow.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Well I finally decided to watch The Last Picture Show for the first time. Ya, believe it or not I'd never seen it. Amazing film. Outside of Easy Rider it's now probably the film I'm looking forward to most in the BBS set. And not only because of a 20'ish Cybill Sheperd baring her boobs. There was quite a bit of nudity in the movie for it being an early 70's film.

Some people don't quite understand how important and influential Citizen Kane was--- it's influence is all over The Last Picture Show.

Can't wait for the Blu!

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Some people don't quite understand how important and influential Citizen Kane was--- it's influence is all over The Last Picture Show.

Can't wait for the Blu!

What are you talking about?

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

What are you talking about?

I wasn't referring to you, ChadFL. I was speaking in general terms about how some view Kane.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I wasn't referring to you, ChadFL. I was speaking in general terms about how some view Kane.

Ahh ok. Ya, I see why Citizen Kane is so influential. Don't think it should be atop so many "greatest films of all-time" lists but I see it's influence in countless films.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Of the seven films I've seen Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, King of Marvin Gardens and Five Easy Pieces. Though it's been a long time since I saw those last two and can barely remember them.

I haven't seen ALL of Easy Rider (only the brave or historically-curious can get all the way through Hopper's 60's-film-school "acid trip" scene, let alone without giggling )--

Of the list, I've seen "Head", and, umm...:
If you're seeing it as a Rafelson late-60's-protest fan, which is the general idea of the set, then have at it--But if you're seeing it as a Monkees fan, you'll probably end up hating it as much as the fans at the time did, of Rafelson's other self-loathing attempts to "satirize" the group's manufactured image and try to pass it off as angry 60's anti-commercialism. (Hey, Bob?--Bite us, WE LIKED THE SONGS.)
If they'd gotten Jim Frawley from the TV show, we'd have a more imaginative and involved mix--But Bob's pokes at his job were compulsively snide without being funny, the "trippy" attempt at non-linear psychedelic counterculture (get the title, get it?) range from brick-subtle to bewilderingly non-written, and only two of the songs end up making the soundtrack listenable. Like the saying goes, when you bite the hand that feeds you, the other hand is going to slap you hard.
If the Monkees thought they were the "imitation Beatles", Head was the imitation Magical Mystery Tour.

[ShellOilJunior]

I just sent an email to Mulvaney asking about Some Like it Hot.

Let's hope Criterion keeps mining MGM

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by EricJ

I haven't seen ALL of Easy Rider (only the brave or historically-curious can get all the way through Hopper's 60's-film-school "acid trip" scene, let alone without giggling )--

I wouldn't consider myself 'brave' nor 'historically curious'

Originally Posted by EricJ

Of the list, I've seen "Head", and, umm...:
If you're seeing it as a Rafelson late-60's-protest fan, which is the general idea of the set, then have at it--But if you're seeing it as a Monkees fan, you'll probably end up hating it as much as the fans at the time did, of Rafelson's other self-loathing attempts to "satirize" the group's manufactured image and try to pass it off as angry 60's anti-commercialism. (Hey, Bob?--Bite us, WE LIKED THE SONGS.)
If they'd gotten Jim Frawley from the TV show, we'd have a more imaginative and involved mix--But Bob's pokes at his job were compulsively snide without being funny, the "trippy" attempt at non-linear psychedelic counterculture (get the title, get it?) range from brick-subtle to bewilderingly non-written, and only two of the songs end up making the soundtrack listenable. Like the saying goes, when you bite the hand that feeds you, the other hand is going to slap you hard.
If the Monkees thought they were the "imitation Beatles", Head was the imitation Magical Mystery Tour.

I will take my enjoyment of this film as a sign of a misspent youth.

[SpiderBaby]

I wouldn't call it film school either. Actually I would of liked the whole movie filmed that way. If you listened to Hopper's commentary on the dvd/blu, he was going for what he said "the first American Arthouse film" with back cuts and "New Wave" style cuts throughout the film. Saying film school to me means bashing it for being crap, and not novice. Novice sometimes can be a good thing.

And what part of the acid-trip scene makes you giggle? The fact that Hopper had Fonda think about his mother who committed suicide while crying to that statue that suppose to resemble the Statue of Liberty? Or the fact that they were on acid? The scene to me is one of the best in the film.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

And what part of the acid-trip scene makes you giggle? The fact that Hopper had Fonda think about his mother who committed suicide while crying to that statue that suppose to resemble the Statue of Liberty? Or the fact that they were on acid? The scene to me is one of the best in the film.

Just the general contemporary post-Watergate smugness to look back and say "Oooo, shocking patriotic and religious imagery!....Lots of dubbing and overexposed editing!..."
There was a certain naivety to late-60's protest culture that you had to have been there not to consider campy cliche'.

[AnimeOnBlu]

Not sure if this was mentioned in the last few pages, but Amazon now lists the release date of "Seven Samurai" as October 19. The price has also jumped to $44.99.

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by Bruce Morrison

The only Wilder film on Criterion DVD now is Ace In The Hole (licensed from Paramount). Of course they did release Some Like It Hot on laserdisc back in the day.

Since making that list, I've also remembered two later Wilder masterpieces that might be candidates for Criterion:

The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes (owned by MGM)
Fedora (no idea who currently owns the rights to this)

A Criterion set containing Sunset Boulevard, Ace In The Hole, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment and these two titles would be something to swoon over!

The Major and the Minor!!