criterion collection

al j · April-29th-2004, 07:31 PM

this DVD label has been broached many times over here so perhaps it needs its own thread. The films they choose are consistently interesting, the artwork is amazing, the transfers even better, and Criterion gives me a reason to give a shit about bonus material.

Anxiously awaiting these to arrive in the mail:

Sergio Zamora · April-29th-2004, 07:39 PM

'Picnic at Hanging Rock' is the shizzle.

What's that middle one? Is that 'Coup de Torchon'? I've been meaning to watch it, since I love Thompson's 'Pop 1280' so much.

al j · April-29th-2004, 07:44 PM

yep, Coup de torchon. What do you recommend, OZ?

Sergio Zamora · April-29th-2004, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Christmas

yep, Coup de torchon. What do you recommend, OZ?

Too many to mention. Top'o my head, Antonioni's 'L'Avventura' is super-cool. Bunuel's 'Discreet Charm..' and 'Obscure Object...' are favorites. Fassbinder's 'Ali' - oh, and of course Dreyer's 'Joan of Arc' - incredibly powerful.

john williams · April-29th-2004, 08:13 PM

I only have 2 criterions, as they cost about $AU70+ each in australia. I wish I could afford more.

Andrei Rublev
The Seventh Seal

-both are magnificent films and transfers with generous and worthwhile extras.

I agree with Joe about the higher quality of Criterion's extras as compared to the mainstream film releases, which are usually pretty awful. I really hate the silly docos on mainstream DVDs where actors blah on about how "I just loved working with such a fine director as Alan Smithee" and "have a look at how we did this special effect, aren't we good?"

jake gittes · April-29th-2004, 09:23 PM

It's not very easy to find those DVD's in France.

Some of theme can be found in very specialised shops.

I bought "Carnival of Souls". It's litteraly tremendous and has nothing to see with the dirty TV broadcast that I first saw.

Witch is remarquable is that, for example, the copy of "Les enfants du paradis" of Marcel Carné, is better than those witch have been released by the french labels! And here, bonus is bonus.

Criterion is definitly one of the best reference in artistry - because those folks are doing much more than business.

Brian Olewnick · April-29th-2004, 09:25 PM

"Picnic at Hanging Rock" is one of my wife's all time most hated movies, only because of the non-resolution at the end. She still brings it up from time to time. I think it's a classic.

And yes, of course, get "Andrei Rublev" as soon as possible.

Sergio Zamora · April-29th-2004, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Olewnick

"Picnic at Hanging Rock" is one of my wife's all time most hated movies, only because of the non-resolution at the end.

You should take her to a Papa Joe concert.

jake gittes · April-29th-2004, 09:40 PM

I got a story of "non-resolution at the end". 10 years ago, there was a little and very uncomfortable cinéma in the center of Paris in witch I afford to go when I was a rock bottom student. Ther I saw Tarkovsky's Solaris for the first time. It was an unbelievable journey into fear and loneliness, but at the end, the copy broke up. So, a old fellow went on the stage and told us the end of the story, but, as it was a very intricated story, the man fell into a real mambo-jumbo...

I had to wait for the time I bought the DVD to definitly know the end.

Derek Taylor · April-29th-2004, 10:01 PM

Al, nice choices on HANGING ROCK and COUP. Definitely add Clouzot’s WAGES OF FEAR and Renoir’s THE RULES OF THE GAME to your list. What did you think of KNIFE IN THE WATER?

Sergio Zamora · April-29th-2004, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jake gittes

...Ther I saw Tarkovsky's Solaris for the first time. It was an unbelievable journey into fear and loneliness, but at the end, the copy broke up. So, a old fellow went on the stage and told us the end of the story, but, as it was a very intricated story, the man fell into a real mambo-jumbo...

That's some fucked up shit, but at least it all worked out at the end.

chuckyd4 · April-29th-2004, 10:25 PM

Coup de Torchon is a flipping incredible film, IMHO, though I haven't ever read the Thompson book. I actually got into a long fight/discussion with someone over that movie that said it was one of the worst he'd ever seen (after noticing the copy in my collection). He thought the filmmaking was fine, but his basic argument was that it focused entirely on the point of view of the moral ambiguities of the coloniser, instead of getting into some kind of a dialogue with those actually colonized. His words were something to the effect that it would have been a brave movie if it would have been made 30 years earlier, but was utter garbage considering the time it was made.

I told him I thought he was really missing the point, but WTFDIK?

SinginSumo · April-29th-2004, 10:56 PM

Why has no one yet mentioned The Seven Samurai, Ikiru (To Live) or Spartacus? All of these Criterion releases, incidentally, have fantastic commentaries and/or bonus material.

al j · April-29th-2004, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Taylor

Al, nice choices on HANGING ROCK and COUP. Definitely add Clouzot’s WAGES OF FEAR and Renoir’s THE RULES OF THE GAME to your list. What did you think of KNIFE IN THE WATER?

D-Tay, believe it or not I bought Knife In the Water more for the 7 or 8 short films included on the bonus disc. "Break Up the Dance" is a hoot, I tell you. A hoot! But of course I want to see Knife too! I got into it a couple weeks ago and something came up. In fact, we were going to watch it tonight but Mrs Christmas protested, having no interest in "reading a movie" this evening.

I'll add those to the list, but first will be Andrei Rublev based on the recommendations here. I remember Schaumann ejaculating over Tarkovsky at one point or another anyway, so I guess it's time to see what the man's about.

Sergio Zamora · April-29th-2004, 11:44 PM

Al, for another super-cool Criterion, go to my last post on the Spawn thread

Joe Milazzo · April-30th-2004, 09:31 AM

Start snapping up those Robert Bresson films...

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=183

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=222

And this one too...

Root Doctor · April-30th-2004, 09:43 AM

[QUOTE=Sergio Zamora] Antonioni's 'L'Avventura' is super-cool.QUOTE]

Absolutely. La Notte and L'Eclisse are nearly as good.

Monte Smith · April-30th-2004, 10:19 AM

What I can't wait for is Kurasawa's adaptation of Gorky's revolutionary novel THE LOWER DEPTHS. Release date is to be announced. I have most of the Kurasawa Criterions.

My favorite non-Kurasawa Criterions are probably the two Preston Struges (SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS and THE LADY EVE) or WC Field's THE BANK DICK. But there are so many good movies on this DVD label.

And some not so good. The inclusion of ARMAGEDDON DAY made by buddy Ted quip, "What exactly is the Criterion here?"

I also like the King Video DVD label, esp. for silent films or theater productions.

Root Doctor · April-30th-2004, 10:27 AM

"My favorite non-Kurasawa Criterions are probably the two Preston Struges (SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS and THE LADY EVE) or WC Field's THE BANK DICK."

These are some of my favorite movies, along with "The Palm Beach Story," "It's a Gift," and "The Man on the Flying Trapeze."

Chris D · April-30th-2004, 10:56 AM

Have any of Truffaut's films gotten the Criterion treatment? I'm dying to see the middle patch of Antoine Doinel movies, especially "Stolen Kisses" and "Love at 20."

Root Doctor · April-30th-2004, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris D

Have any of Truffaut's films gotten the Criterion treatment? I'm dying to see the middle patch of Antoine Doinel movies, especially "Stolen Kisses" and "Love at 20."

Chris: check this out:

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/boxed_set.asp?id=185

Chris D · April-30th-2004, 11:15 AM

Thanks, Root! Looks like all the box is missing is the Antoine part of "Love at 20," the series of vignettes that includes a Doinel story as well as entries from Marcel Ophüls, Renzo Rossellini and Andrzej Wajda. Unless it's hidden in there somewhere....
EDIT: It IS in there! As "Antoine and Colette." Guess I'd better save my shekels.

walto · April-30th-2004, 07:34 PM

Just thought I'd mention that I'm totally with Brian's wife. "Hanging Rock" is SNORESVILLE--and it would have just produced a big "Who cares?" from me if it did have any sort of resolution at the end. All powdery cache, that flick.

Jon Abbey · April-30th-2004, 08:31 PM

yeah, not a big fan of Hanging Rock either, but the earlier Australian movie, Walkabout, often grouped together on art-house double bills and also a Criterion, is one of my favorite movies ever.

my brother and I are pretty avid Criterion collectors, we probably have well over half of them between us. the Carl Dreyer box is amazing, especially Day of Wrath. I just finished watching Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage, which I liked a lot. Bergman's Through a Glass Darkly, part of the Faith box, is probably the best movie I've seen in the last six months.

there's a very hardcore discussion site for Criterion fans here:

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/

john williams · April-30th-2004, 10:40 PM

I've never seen Hanging Rock (the film, been to the place though), but agree about the film Walkabout. Gulpilil is one of our finest actors. I first saw Walkabout as a young fella and Ms. Agutter changed my life forever.

moneyp · May-1st-2004, 04:30 AM

I think Criterion does a great job, but I hate the collector mentality of their line, which has reached absurd porportions. The best thing you can do is get a multi-region player and investage Arte, Artificial Eye, Pathé, StudioCanal, BFI, etc. all of whom do fantastic jobs with a wide variety of great films.

walto · May-1st-2004, 07:20 AM

I love Dreyer too, Jon. I haven't seen "Day of Wrath," though.

Monte Smith · May-1st-2004, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

I think Criterion does a great job, but I hate the collector mentality of their line, which has reached absurd porportions. The best thing you can do is get a multi-region player and investage Arte, Artificial Eye, Pathé, StudioCanal, BFI, etc. all of whom do fantastic jobs with a wide variety of great films.

I have to do this.

al j · May-3rd-2004, 01:45 PM

Just watched this last night and it became an instant old-foreign-film-favorite. It was the first of Clouzot's that I've seen and won't be the last. In the few reviews and essays I've read about Le Corbeau, none of them really hit on the black humor that is all over the place in the film. I did my best to ignore all of the allusions to the German occupation and Camusesque nihilism that supposedly pervade the story, as I didn't want to be distracted by things I'd already heard. It's a dark story for sure, and decidedly nihilistic for its doomish context and ever-present paranoia, but it's a beautiful film nonetheless and does a superb job in putting the viewer among the small town residents.

jaka · May-3rd-2004, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mone peterson

I think Criterion does a great job, but I hate the collector mentality of their line, which has reached absurd porportions. The best thing you can do is get a multi-region player and investage Arte, Artificial Eye, Pathé, StudioCanal, BFI, etc. all of whom do fantastic jobs with a wide variety of great films.

Try MK2 and WildSide along with other french labels. They do a great job at releasing excellent and varied movies (MK2: Truffaut, Kieslowski, Chaplin, Chabrol, ... - Wildside: Kurosawa, Kitano, Polanski, Wenders, ...).

WildSide
MK2

And STAY AWAY from "Les Films de ma Vie". Their catalog is really interesting and they were a great publisher at the time of the VHS but are currently putting out the worst DVDs ever (some of them seem to be taken directly from a worn used tape). They're quite cheap though...

my 2 cents