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Thread: Criterion Collection

  1. #1
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    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...
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  2. #2
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    I've got quite a few...

    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)

    Last edited by SinjinSB; 05-09-2003 at 03:15 AM.

  3. #3
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    Cripes, man. Do you have an unlimited income?
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  4. #4
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    Originally posted by Johann
    Cripes, man. Do you have an unlimited income?
    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

  5. #5
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    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...
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  6. #6
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    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

  7. #7
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    Brief Consumer Report

    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.

  8. #8
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    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......
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  9. #9
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    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....
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  10. #10
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    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.

  11. #11
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    A Taste of Cherry

    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.
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  12. #12
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    Resnais

    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.
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  13. #13
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    MAN BITES DOG

    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.
    Last edited by Johann; 04-16-2003 at 06:54 PM.
    "Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

  14. #14
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    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.

  15. #15
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    Re: A Taste of Cherry

    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.
    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.

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