Criterion Collection

The esteemed company known as "The Criterion Collection" is a savior to film buffs like me.
They clean up original negatives & sound, (usually with director approval), add some killer features depending on title, and package them just like I would if I ran the co. I'm sure some people on these boards are aware of this wonderful institution and probably even have some titles at home. They can be pricy-especially here in Canada with our dollar worth 60 cents to the US greenback, but some DVD's you MUST own. Mine:

...And God Created Woman
Andrei Rublev
Grand Illusion
Eisenstein:The Sound Years
Spartacus
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Seventh Seal
Wild Strawberries
The Last Temptation of Christ
The 39 Steps
Amarcord
The Naked Kiss
Rashomon
Kurosawa "samurai" box set (just bought)
Solaris (just bought)
Monterey Pop (just bought)

and there are about 15 others I am dying to buy...

My List of Criterion DVDs
Grand Illusion
Seven Samurai, The
Lady Vanishes, The
Amarcord
Beauty and the Beast
Night to Remember, A
Walkabout
Seventh Seal, The
Silence of the Lambs The
Shock Corridor
Sid and Nancy
Dead Ringers
Summertime
RoboCop
High and Low
Alphaville
Long Good Friday, The
Picnic at Hanging Rock
M
Great Expectations
Nanook of the North
Andrei Rublev
Diabolique
Wages of Fear, The
Time Bandits
Branded to Kill
Tokyo Drifter
Armageddon
Fishing with John
Lord of the Flies
Most Dangerous Game, The
Insomnia
Black Orpheus
Nights of Cabiria
And the Ship Sails on
Brazil
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
For All Mankind
Unbearable Lightness of Being, The
39 Steps, The
Charade
Peeping Tom
Life of Brian
Passion of Joan of Arc, The
Carnival of Souls
Third Man, The
Rushmore
Last Temptation of Christ, The
Vagabond
Chasing Amy
Bank Dick, The
WC Fields; Six Short Films
The Harder They Come
Good Morning
SistersDo the Right Thing
Gimme Shelter
Beastie Boys Anthology
Lady Eve, The
Double Suicide
Spartacus
Mona Lisa
Rock, The
My Man Godfrey
Rififi
Hidden Fortress, The
Le Trou
TheVanishing
Haxan
Rebecca
Spellbound
Notorious
Wild Strawberries
The Last WaveTraffic
George Washington
Hearts and Minds
The Royal Tenenbaums
Solaris
Down by Law
Monterey Pop (Box)
Monterey Pop
Jimi Plays Monterey & Otis at Monterey
The Killers
I Am Curious Box Set
I Am Curious - Yellow
I Am Curious - Blue
Straw Dogs

Sold on Ebay: The Killer, Hard-Boiled, This is Spinal Tap
Rented from Netflix: The Naked Kiss, The Element of Crime

I have about 10 laserdiscs too (Blade Runner, Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society, A Night at the Opera, Sabotage, The Secret Agent, etc)

Cripes, man. Do you have an unlimited income?

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Originally posted by Johann
Cripes, man. Do you have an unlimited income?

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I wish...you do notice that I have less than half of the titles that Criterion has released...haha. Been collecting since the early days of DVD and back when you could get REALLY good deals online...like $20 off coupons at reel.com.

If you want to check out my dvd page:
Andrew's DVD Page

I just had a look at your DVD collection photo.

I'm impressed dude- In fact I envy you. How can you see them all? That's a heavy rotation for a video collection. I wish I could build a "library" like that.
Anyway, back to Criterion. (Glad you also have a link, btw)
THE 400 BLOWS is finally getting re-released. Thank God. And I also notice new releases including Kurosawa's Throne of Blood & a Brakhage 2-disc set. I can't believe he died less than a fortnight ago here in Canada.

God bless ya, Stan. Lord knows I loved your films...

Well...my DVD collection is nearing the ludicrous mark. I've seen most of them, but probably have about 50 I haven't seen at any given time.

Thanks for the updates on the Criterions. I've always wanted to see 400 Blows, so this will be a good excuse.

Andrew

I want to let members know about my good experience so far with Criterion DVDs released in Hong Kong and Brasil. I have purchased import-edition Criterions identical in every respect to North American editions, except for the addition of some foreign language lettering on the cover. I have purchased Criterions of masterpieces such as Abbas Kiarostami's THE TASTE OF CHERRY, Powell's PEEPING TOM and the great comedies of Jacques Tati at a fraction of their cost. The best deal on North American editions is offered at deepdiscountdvd: $28 for the $40 list DVDs, which includes shipping.

Thanks again for the info oscar-I was not aware of foreign Criterion titles. btw, Peeping Tom is a film for film lovers, huh?

In other DVD news, Frida is being released soon in a two disc set soon! Yee-haw! There's even a Brothers Quay special effects feature! I'm in heaven......
And June 2, BITTER MOON finally makes it's appearance.It's gonna be a great summer at Johann's house......

I just dropped in (to see what condition my condition was in) to the Criterion site, and noticed that they have some INCREDIBLE releases coming soon:

Truffaut's "Antoine Doinel" saga
2 Resnais films
and Ozu's Floating Weeds- with Roger Ebert commentary!!!

My poor bank account....

Johann you made my ah week! I loved the bad print of FLOATING WEEDS I saw 20 yrs. ago. and Mr. Resnais is one of my favorite directors. I never got a chance to see SMOKING/NOT SMOKING which got raves. Or are we getting restored masterpieces like HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR or LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD? I don't need to know specifically right now. I feel lucky to have more great films available than I have money or time to see them. I just received used-but-mint Criterions: SANJURO and HIDDEN FORTRESS and have an import copy of Resnais' STAVINSKY sitting pretty on the shelf, just waiting for me. Floating Weeds would get seen as soon as I tear off the wrapper.

I would like to exchange opinions about TASTE OF CHERRY(particularly the controversial ending) and the classic PEEPING TOM but I want to watch the films again before I do so. Cheers.

This movie surprised me. It wasn't what I was expecting-totally unconventional. I think it won at Cannes because of it's all-encompassing originality.
And the ending? My reaction was one of anger- like my reaction to the ending of Penn's The Pledge & Polanski's Death and the Maiden- but, as always, I stew afterwards and ultimately say: BRILLIANT. I was shouting at the TV on each of these films: "DON'T GO OUT LIKE THAT, YOU BASTARDS!" :)
Taste of Cherry is one thought-provoking film. Absolute must-see.

The 2 Resnais films: I wish it was "Last Year", but no. They are releasing "NIGHT AND FOG" & "Hiroshima". I've never seen the former.
And Floating Weeds is being released with Ozu's 1934 silent film "The Story of Floating Weeds"-another film I haven't seen! I'm guessing it's gonna be a two-disc set.

I saw this Criterion flick on the shelf and I was debating buying it. I've heard about this movie but it's never been available for rent here. Anyone see it/recommend?
I just don't want to fork over $75 can. and be disappointed that I bought it- like I did for Rushmore. (Which I quickly sold to a friend who loved it)

I only wish Criterion would do a Greenaway film, more Renoir or JUST ONE Strohiem. btw, oscar- I just read "Renoir on Renoir" a series of interviews conducted by Truffaut & Rivette for Cahiers in the late 50's. Did you know that Jean calls Stroheim "my master"? Apparently he watched Foolish Wives 10 times in a row....They were both extremely nervous when they met each other-Stroheim said he was shaking (!) They could barely communicate! Erich knew little french, and Renoir knew little english. They found a middle ground by speaking german.

I enjoyed learning about Renoir and Stroheim and other comments, Johann. In my opinion, MAN BITES DOG is worth watching but not memorable. Of course, you could pay $21.56 at deepdis... and resell it on ebay at same price if you don't want to keep it. I await NIGHT AND FOG with excitement, still waiting for a chance to see Resnais' Smoking/No Smoking, which I found on vhs but without english subs (boo hoo). I plan to watch BITTER MOON again but there are many films in front (FLOATING freaking WEEDS on Criterion!!!). I will respond soon re:Kiarostami and The Taste of Cherry.

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Originally posted by Johann
This movie surprised me. It wasn't what I was expecting-totally unconventional. I think it won at Cannes because of it's all-encompassing originality.

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Kiarostami aim is to redefine cinema, to confound distinctions between fiction and documentary, to make what he has called "unfinished" films requiring completion by the viewer. There is no wrong interpretation of a Kiarostami film. In TASTE OF CHERRY we are never told why the protagonist wants to attempt suicide or wether he succeeds. THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES becomes a film about two actors during a shoot, whose class differences may be an obstacle to romance. The final scene involves a long shot that obliterates any clear resolution.

Mr. Kiarostami enjoys polemic and controversy:
I don't like films that provoke the viewer. I prefer films that put the audience to sleep. It is kind of a film to allow you to take a nice nap.

First of all, I must say that the list by SinjinSB looks like the list of the greatest movies of all time. That they have them all on DVD is impressive, most impressive. You'd have to be very proud of a collection like that. I only wish I had the funds to buy everything on my wish list. Gradually, I hope to include many of those titles.

The very first Criterion release was "King Kong" on Laserdisc in a boxed set, somewhere around 1983 or 1984 I believe. It was too expensive for me to purchase back then, so I passed on it. Criterion releases was the main reason I bought laserdisc. The first Criterion disc I purchased was "Citizen Kane". I only wish the laserdisc format had been more stable. Unfortunately, the glues which hold the two large plastic discs together are not stable, and most of the early discs are no longer viewable. Despite the improvements, laserdisc ultimately gave way to lighter, smaller, cheaper, faster. There is nothing wrong with that as long as picture quality and sound do not suffer. Fortunately for us all, they have not. In fact, the picture is vastly improved.

I am so grateful to the people at Criterion who have recognized quality in their choices for preservation versus popularity. I only wish they were not so expensive, but I understand why they are so costly, with all the work that is put into each disc.

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Mr. Kiarostami enjoys polemic and controversy:
[i] I don't like films that provoke the viewer. I prefer films that put the audience to sleep. It is kind of a film to allow you to take a nice nap.

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I remember that this was a slow-starter. Cabbie cabbie, more cabbie... I paid it no mind, as I was aware of it's awards. Twyker's "Heaven" is kinda like that...

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Originally posted by cinemabon
First of all, I must say that the list by SinjinSB looks like the list of the greatest movies of all time. That they have them all on DVD is impressive, most impressive. You'd have to be very proud of a collection like that. I only wish I had the funds to buy everything on my wish list. Gradually, I hope to include many of those titles.

The very first Criterion release was "King Kong" on Laserdisc in a boxed set, somewhere around 1983 or 1984 I believe. It was too expensive for me to purchase back then, so I passed on it. Criterion releases was the main reason I bought laserdisc. The first Criterion disc I purchased was "Citizen Kane". I only wish the laserdisc format had been more stable. Unfortunately, the glues which hold the two large plastic discs together are not stable, and most of the early discs are no longer viewable. Despite the improvements, laserdisc ultimately gave way to lighter, smaller, cheaper, faster. There is nothing wrong with that as long as picture quality and sound do not suffer. Fortunately for us all, they have not. In fact, the picture is vastly improved.

I am so grateful to the people at Criterion who have recognized quality in their choices for preservation versus popularity. I only wish they were not so expensive, but I understand why they are so costly, with all the work that is put into each disc.

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I definitely enjoy some of my Criterion Laserdisc:
Blade Runner - Original Theatrical Version not on DVD
Boyz N the Hood - Commentary and other features not on DVD
Menace II Society - Commentaries and other stuff not on DVD
A Night at the Opera - Not on DVD at all
Sabotage & The Secret Agent - Far superior quality compared to their DVD countrparts.

Laserdiscs were almost before my time ( they came out when I was in my teens-correction- I was first AWARE of them in my teens), and certainly beyond my budget-I longed to buy that beautiful beige box of Natural Born Killers even tho I had no LD player...
I saw the huge Dr. Strangelove & Killing boxes for sale in a video store I used to go to. I also heard that the famous missing pie-throwing scene is on that Criterion LD release.

Can anyone confirm?

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Originally posted by Johann
And the ending? My reaction was one of anger-but, as always, I stew afterwards and ultimately say: BRILLIANT. Taste of Cherry is one thought-provoking film.

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Kiarostami avoids at all costs bailing out the viewer by providing interpretations or readings of his films. He has explained there are no wrong answers, but I found this quote from a Film Comment interview:

The scene at the end, where you see cherry blossoms and beautiful things after he's died, means that he has opened the door to heaven. It wasn't a hellish thing he did, it was a heavenly transition

I propose that Kiarostami's opinion may be aligned with Mr. Badii's, when he tells the seminarian that unhappy people make those around them suffer, which may be more immoral than ending your life. In Kiarostami's "metacinema", there are meanings implied at different levels. For example, Badii's passage: the lenghty fade to black after he lies down in his ditch, recalls the darkening of a theatre prior to a screening as moviegoers close our eyes to one world (a type of death) and open them onto another. So TASTE OF CHERRY is not only a polemic about suicide and the moral choices faced by Badii's three potential accomplices. It is also about the relationship between artist and audience amongs other things.
There is plenty to say about Kiarostami's novel use of sound, perhaps more significantly in his next film:THE WIND WILL CARRY US. But let me mention the significance of using Louis Armstrong's St. James Infirmary, a New Orleans funeral song, at the end of Taste. In typical New Orleans jazz fashion, the tone goes from mournful to joyful. A heavenly transition indeed.

Once again, you're insight into film is refreshing and accurate, oscar. You know how to put into words what people should acknowledge....

I'm beginning to think Mr. Kiarostami is as much an innovator as our beloved Stanley Kubrick. I plan to view The Wind will Carry Us again. I hope you indulge me with your attention again when I post.

Yes, he's always been lurking in the back of my mind as a force to be reckoned with.
And aside from film buffs, who really knows who the hell he is?
I'm amazed how many people still don't know who Trier or even Gus van Sant are.. I'm doing what I can to spread the word.

I recently had the opportunity to watch the Criterion release of one of my favorite film-noir movies: Carol Reed's The Third Man. Director Peter Bogdanovich refers to it as the greatest non-auteur film ever made. Along with Casablanca, the film is considered the pinnacle of "collaborative" cinema. Both films are brilliant beyond what anybody can expect from their good-but-not-visionary directors Reed and Curtiz.
The Third Man is based on a screenplay by Graham Greene about a poor pulp-fiction writer(Joseph Cotten) who is offered a job in post-WW II Vienna by a close friend(Orson Welles). Cotten arrives in the bombed-out city and finds his friend dead under mysterious circumstances. Cotten stays to investigate and meets his friend's girlfriend (Alida Valli), a czech national hiding from the Russians, and some of his associates. Just like Bogart in Casablanca, the protagonist is soon faced with a moral and ethical dilemma.
The Third Man features Greene's most moving mystery, an addictive musical theme played on an instrument called the zither, jaw-dropping b&w cinematography(Krasker), wonderful performances, and Welles' own film-noirs for inspiration and guidance. But perhaps its greatest asset is the Grand Dame of Central Europe.

I love that theme to The Third Man. And anyone who says Orson doesn't have presence doesn't know shit.

Case in point: "The cuckoo clock".

Harry Lime(Welles) to Holly(Cotten):

Don't look so gloomy, old boy. It's not that awful. In Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. But they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance.

In Switzerland, they had brotherly love. They had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

I just recently saw Kiss Me Deadly with Ralph Meeker. It all was so wonderful and captivating until there's talk of a radioactive box that was stolen from the commies or something. This spiraled it all down to something out of an Ed Wood movie.

Oscar, that was brilliant. You should have put that in the film quotes section. It's been so long since I've seen "The Third Man", I went back today and gave it another look. Thanks for reminding us all how great Carol Reed was... I also like "Oliver!", another Carol Reed film.

I decided to put the quote here because Johann referred to it in the previous post. So glad you enjoyed it. Graham Greene was indeed brilliant. He also wrote the screenplay for Reed's The Fallen Idol. Another must-see is Odd Man Out with James Mason, now available on dvd. As a kid, I didn't quite fall for The Sound of Music. Reed's Oliver! was the first musical I loved.

James Mason has left a great film legacy. It's too bad he doesn't get a lot recognition. A total pro.

I would recommend The Blue Max and Kubrick's Lolita as prime examples of Mason's ability to play great characters .

Glad to learn that both Johann and Sinjin own The Seventh Seal on Criterion dvd. There are three audio tracks: Swedish, English(dubbed) and commentary from a Bergman specialist. The dvd illustrates the importance of subtitling. I just saw it 3 times. There were clear discrepancies and omissions in the english subs compared to the English language track. It is a dilemma because if everything is subtitled the viewer has scarce time to observe the images. Obviously this is not an issue for Jacques Tati's almost wordless creations. But consider watching All about Eve or His Girl Friday as a non-english speaker. Frustrating. Likewise, it is practically impossible for the non-francophone -given the copious dialogue- to appreciate the genius of Renoir's The Rules of the Game in one viewing. I am curious about the audio tracks of the criterion edition which I plan to buy or rent. Anyone?

The Seventh Seal, inspired by medieval frescos Igmar saw in the country churches where his chaplain father preached and biblical passages regarding the apocalypse, contains one of the grimest scenes in all cinema:
A procession of flagellants approaches the plaza: a line of half-naked men lashing one another; monks struggling under the weight of huge crosses or holding skulls over their bowed heads, blood-stained faces of children who wear crowns of thorns; the ecstasy of masochism; eight soldiers taking a caged gal to the stake. The procession interrupts the skit of a traveling troupe and halts. A priest scolds, mocks and belittles those present. Glutted with hate, he joyfully proclaims the wrath of God, while throughout Sweden a third of the population meets the horrible death that was the "Black Plague".

What I had forgotten was how Mr. Bergman managed to incorporate some humor and tender moments into an exploration of man's search for meaning. This is sublime cinema.

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Originally posted by oscar jubis
Glad to learn that both Johann and Sinjin own The Seventh Seal on Criterion dvd.

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The Seventh Seal was my first Bergman film and I'm anxious to see more. I picked up Wild Strawberries that was highly recommended by a friend, but haven't watched it yet.

Here's what I wrote about The Seventh Seal after watching it:

The Seventh Seal (Det Sjunde inseglet) (1957) - ***1/2 (Out of 4)
An excellent Swedish film, directed by Ingmar Bergman. A knight and his squire return from home the crusades to Sweden which is being swept by the plague. He is approached by Death who's come for him and the knight challenges Death to a game of chess to spare his life. Not knowing, I expected this movie to be focused on the game of chess, when it's really more telling the story of how people dealt with the tumultuous times dealing with the black death that is killing off the people. I'm glad this was the case as it is what really drew me into the story. So many interesting elements. Seeing how the religious officials were blaming people for their sins and telling them it was punishment from God. The most telling scene in the movie was when they were talking to the girl who was about burned alive for being involved with the devil. There was one scene that amused me, probably more than intended...when Death was cutting down the tree with a saw. I really enjoyed the lighter scenes that contrasted the serious ones in the movie. Ultimately I believe it was never the knight's intention to really try and beat Death, but to try to prolong life as long as possible in hopes of accomplishing something positive...in this case helping the couple and their child. This is my first Bergman movie, but it makes me anxious to explore more of his work. While watching, it was easy to spot many parts that have been borrowed/parodied in future films...it was good to finally see the source.
Rank: #3 in 1957

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SinjinSB
So many interesting elements. Seeing how the religious officials were blaming people for their sins and telling them it was punishment from God.
Clearly Bergman's position is anti-clerical. Notice how the same seminarist who talked the knight into joining the Crusades is a rapist and a thief.

The most telling scene in the movie was when they were talking to the girl who was about burned alive for being involved with the devil.
The key scene for me was when Jof and Mia share a meal of wild strawberries and fresh milk with the knight, the blacksmith, the squire and the silent woman he saved from the seminarist. Bergman provides an alternative to the sacrament of the Eucharist. Bergman celebrates the natural world, the family, and the love for our fellow men. Then complicates readings by showing Jof having lovely visions of Mary and child(Jesus?) and excluding the pure "silent woman" from the procession led by Death in the famous final scene.

Ultimately I believe it was the knight's intention to try to prolong life as long as possible in hopes of accomplishing something positive...in this case helping the couple and their child.

Absolutely.

While the commentary by Peter Cowie is good, his voice aggravates me. Hence I've only seen the film with commentary once. (Cowie also does the commentary on Wild Strawberries-he knows his stuff, Peter does, but that voice...)
I love the "dance of death" scene.

Speaking of Bergman, Criterion is releasing a box set with
Through a Glass Darkly
The Silence
and
Winter Light

They just keep cranking 'em out...

Yet another Kurosawa film is getting the treatment. (Are they doing them all?)

THE LOWER DEPTHS

Mifune's performance in this one is one of my favorites.

Schizopolis (probably my favorite Steven Soderbergh film) is getting the Criterion treatment.
I learned this today while sipping my morning double shot espresso. Life is good.

It's even better today because I have the day off, it's payday and I'm going to make some studios a tiny bit richer by attempting 4 screenings in one day of the summer "bankers":

Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Carribean
and
The Italian Job

Better take my vitimins and sunglasses- the sun is blinding when you leave a matinee....

Well, things went completely awry today.

I didn't see the 4 films as planned due to running into someone from work. But I did get to 2 films in the afternoon that blindsided me:

I was "ordered" to see WINGED MIGRATION . I reluctantly agreed. The guy was very adamant that I would be blown away. And I was. This was one of the most incredible viewing experiences I've ever had. Holy Mary, what an achievement these filmmakers have on their hands. This is what the film medium is all about. It appears birds use every ounce of their being to just exist on this earth, and I have never felt so ashamed to be of the human species. Just get your ass to a theatre showing this work of sumptuous art. You will not regret it. I can see why it got an ovation at your festival, Oscar.
And I thought "KOYAANISQUATSI" was all about images of power! The outer space shot of earth with the geese flocking to the north pole was simply jaw-dropping. No recommendation or words can express this piece. See it and have your eyes opened WIDE>

Next, the eye-catching poster for Ozon's Swimming Pool told me to see that instead, and of course it was pitch-perfect. (I must confess that I correctly predicted the ending halfway through- hoping to be wrong , but no matter- it's damn good all the same).

Originally posted by Johann

I was "ordered" to see WINGED MIGRATION . I reluctantly agreed. This was one of the most incredible viewing experiences I've ever had. Holy Mary, what an achievement these filmmakers have on their hands. This is what the film medium is all about. Just get your ass to a theatre showing this work of sumptuous art. You will not regret it. I can see why it got an ovation at your festival, Oscar.
The outer space shot of earth with the geese flocking to the north pole was simply jaw-dropping. No recommendation or words can express this piece. See it and have your eyes opened WIDE>

...and I used to think my recommendation and a standing O from Miami's tough crowd would suffice. Glad ya saw it J. Do you think those who'll catch up with it at home will be able to soar like we did? I'd rather not watch it at all.

I hope those who can get to a theatre do so.

WM was the best documentary I've ever seen. It's even replaced "My Best Fiend" because MBF was sinister. Subtle power beats agressive power I always say.

This film had it all- tragedy, comedy, drama, terror, horror, etc etc.
How they captured flying with the birds with the sound of only the air, I'll never know. This was a powerful, powerful movie.

Criterion are setting the bar higher and fucking higher....


Fellini's La Strada- my favorite Fellini film.
Ozu's Tokyo Story
Cronenberg's Naked Lunch


and

Fassbinder's Bundesrepublik Deutschland trilogy (box set)


all before christmas! What's on your wish-list?

All of these flicks and Polanski's Knife in the Water are on mine...