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My personal Criterion collection, with justifications... 8 1/2 (blu-ray, bought during this sale to test my new blu-ray player and because everyone in my movie-geek circle of friends loves it to death) Army of Shadows (got swept up in the tide of positive criticism for its dvd release, plus "2 for 1" barnes and noble sale) Eyes Without a Face (old-school horror) The Fallen Idol (wanted more Carol Reed after The Third Man) Fists in the Pocket (gave the impression of badassness; impressed in other ways upon viewing) Hiroshima Mon Amour (had to watch more Alain Resnais to know he wasn't just a good Holocaust documentarian) In the Mood for Love (I love Wong Kar-Wai) Kicking and Screaming (I love Noah Baumbach and post-grad nostalgia (and redundancy)) The Life Aquatic (I love quirky and funny Wes Anderson) Man Bites Dog (humor & murder & my film club needed a copy for screening) Night and Fog (originally watched in a French Lit class, was shocked so deeply I want to revisit that feeling every couple years) The Royal Tenenbaums (I love quirky Wes Anderson) Rushmore (I love funny Wes Anderson (notice the lack of Bottle Rocket and Darjeeling Limited)) The Seventh Seal (found on sale, starting Bergman collection from the top) The Third Man (self-justified) Some of those (Fists, Eyes, Shadows) were blind bets, but I enjoyed them. All of the above I would rate at least 4/5, whatever that says about my tastes. I am currently on the fence about the blu-ray of Yojimbo/Sanjuro. Is it safe to say I would enjoy it if I love other respected samurai films (Seven Samurai, the Musashi Miyamoto Samurai trilogy, Lone Wolf and Cub)? $35 for a Kurosawa double-classic seems too good to pass up. Sneeze and I'll fall off the fence into blu-tinged depravity. Space Fish fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Jul 21, 2010 |
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Jul 21, 2010 03:13
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caiman posted:So here's what I ended up picking up with this sale: Le Samourai is going to ruin a lot of gangster/crime movies for you. "This would've been better if it were more like Le Samourai" you will think, mentally inserting Jef Costello into other movies, desperately hoping for some sort of semi-sequel or crossover. But it'll never come. Night and Fog will suck your soul out through your eyes, a unique enough sensation that you might enjoy it every couple years like I do.  
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Jul 30, 2010 05:08
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Having recently finished the "Samurai" trilogy about Musashi Miyamoto, I would love to see what Criterion could do with a blu-ray rerelease. On the dvd case, I see the "package design and summary" are copyright 1998. The disc artwork is copyright 2004, with the 4-page booklet not giving any of the usual lip service to Criterion's exhaustive restoration processes or dual-layer transfer, instead crediting "authoring and compression." The lack of picture purification is apparent in the video quality: bright scenes are kinda fuzzy and there are constant spots and scratches. The trilogy was nonetheless wonderful, and a high-def restoration would be a godsend to the samurai genre. Criterion ought to revisit this series, including finding better essays than Bruce Eder's plot summarizing.
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Aug 3, 2010 06:24
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Night of the Hunter, Slacker and Modern Times will be hanging out at my place. I'm on the fence about a few others, like Jigoku and the Louis Malle box set. Good thing Netflix and my local library cast a wide net on Criterions to prevent too many blind buys! As much as I love beautiful cinematography and unconventional setups, Down By Law and Paris, Texas bored the bejeezus out of me.
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Nov 3, 2010 04:07
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Went back for Dazed & Confused (love of Linklater) and Short Cuts (love of Raymond Carver), that should be the end of my whoring to Criterion... for this sale. I was on the fence about Sisters until I saw this trailer, watched it on Instant Play, and was sold hook, line, and sinker. Hot drat, body horror isn't allowed to be that fun beginning to end! And Margot Kidder is ridiculously hot as a deranged French-Canadian model.
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Nov 6, 2010 19:59
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My final, final Criterion splurges are in. There are four titles missing from this photo, Eyes Without A Face out on loan and three from the B&N online sale that don't even ship until 11/22. They won't get here until the end of the month despite being pre-orders, what the hell B&N? Here's the pride and joy of my (comparatively) meager movie rack, finally grouped together in its own space: Magic Hate Ball posted:That's not the order Criterions go in.
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Nov 21, 2010 04:32
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I loved Le Samourai and Army of Shadows, but Le Cercle Rouge just did not have the same impact on me. Compared to the other two, Rouge doesn't have the same amount of payoff for all the setup. But it is very much a Melvillian heist movie, down to the elaborate pacing and noir coolness.
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Jan 15, 2011 02:03
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De Palma didn't win any hype from me until I saw Sisters, holy cow what an effective Hitchcockian movie. I would trade Scarface and Carlito's Way for another movie like Sisters -- sexy, suspenseful, freaky, and uses a few visual tricks to liven up the spectacle. And it's even on Netflix instant play! Get some.
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Jan 16, 2011 19:01
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Magic Hate Ball posted:If you haven't read it, the Criterion Contraption post on it is really good. I make a point of reading the Contraption's take on a Criterion movie soon after watching one. I'm sure nobody in this thread will begrudge me a love of intellectualizing every subtlety a movie can offer. At the same time, I take issue with how that linked post characterizes Sisters as "tawdry" and "blunt," though at least it acknowledges the "fun!" But I also love The Untouchables, so maybe I'm just a softie for blunt-force storytelling. Does this mean I should celebrate the coming release of Blow Out? The trailer makes me think of The Conversation with a lot more emphasis on action (guns, cars). I saw the first several minutes in a freshman film course and liked the setup. What say you?
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Jan 17, 2011 00:06
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I'm in America and my copy of Slacker ordered from B&N back in November just arrived this past Monday. Side note, I was unaware that it would be one of those double-thick cases and I am feeling some cinephile love for all the extras packed into this set.
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Jan 20, 2011 04:00
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Fat Girl was once described to me by a relative as a movie so horrifying that she wished to scrub her brain of the whole experience. However, my library AND Netflix copies were too scratched to play, and it fell off my radar. Now? Hooray! Time to subject myself to traumatic cinema in HD!
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Feb 15, 2011 00:37
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I just received Criterion editions of Robocop, Hard Boiled, and Dead Ringers for under $20 each "Like New" through Amazon, and the discs were spotless. I know used sellers are always about and can be risky, but I just wanted to share that some OOP Criterions have reasonable prices, in case anyone had written them off. (I felt compelled to look up those movies after skipping the recent one-day sale because everything I knew I wanted was either a pre-order or OOP.)
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Feb 27, 2011 04:14
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I'm on the fence about the legitimacy of this Robocopy...the seller has a 97% positive rating and distributes via Fulfillment through Amazon (meaning Prime shipping available), for what it's worth. The DVD case is clearly a replacement, what with the "recyclable" symbol inside and resale sticker on the outside, but everything else appears legit, with inset type on the disc and the rear cover showing the correct ISBN and tech details. I think the definitive proof would be the serial number on the disc, which in my case is L810 7918 ROBOVER21 T81226-12 Z. Googling didn't turn up a definite answer; can any goons compare serials with mine? The movie looks and sounds good by 1998 DVD standards, but I don't want to make any sort of habit out of bootlegging.
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Feb 27, 2011 07:47
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If I absolutely fell for "Elevator To The Gallows," would I like Louis Malle's other films? The coming B&N sale plus Criterion's increasing catalog of his work is tempting me to make a collection out of Malle.
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Jun 14, 2011 21:42
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My haul for the sale, barring some sudden appreciation/fascination toward an obscure director: Sisters Schizopolis Black Moon House If Black Moon is weird in a way I like, I may buy more of Malle's stuff. House is fun & bizarre. Schizopolis is overdue for me since Soderbergh's a favorite. Sisters is gold.
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Jul 13, 2011 04:29
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I know, and I want that variety. I love Elevator To The Gallows, so I know Malle can do noir, but thought My Dinner With Andre was godawfully boring, so he's currently batting .500 with me. Black Moon being "his good Weird movie" would tip the average into his favor and add another genre he delivered, giving me confidence enough to explore his other movies.
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Jul 13, 2011 05:15
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Zazie tempted me until I watched its trailer, which is full of precocious slapstick. Zazie hits a man on the head with a frying pan! A car's frame breaks apart, leaving a platform with wheels! Can anyone attest to something funnier in the movie?
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Jul 13, 2011 05:55
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Despite a couple of bland stretches, Black Moon won me over with its oddities and beautiful lead. Now I'll test out Malle's coming-of-age dramatic chops with his 3-movie set of Au Revoir Les Enfants, Murmur of the Heart, and Lacombe, Lucien. May not be blu, but still a terrific deal. If my wallet and interest are still kicking after that box, then the Eclipse documentaries & Zazie will flock in like vultures and peck away my remaining cash, especially with goon endorsements 
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Jul 13, 2011 17:04
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Was about to order the Orpheus blu, but Orphic Trilogy is in stock!  Not liking that Elevator to the Gallows is treated as full-price. Why have a Criterion sale that excludes a few other Criterions? Has anyone noticed the shrinking window of opportunity for discount codes? I have been using them to counteract the cost of express shipping. One of the codes has expired, another cannot be used twice; my third and last code has been deployed on Orphic Trilogy and Simon of the Desert (love 'em). Past sales have soured me to B&N's free shipping that takes over two weeks to get here.
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Jul 16, 2011 19:32
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Rushmore coming to blu hell yeah Still my favorite Wes Anderson flick.
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Aug 13, 2011 22:42
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Barnes & Noble doing a 40% off Criterion sale
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Aug 31, 2011 04:24
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You will receive the option of FREE SHIPPING in the US if your order exceeds $50. I pulled the trigger on Au Revoir Les Enfants, The Battle of Algiers, and The Sweet Smell of Success. I've only seen Au Revoir before and loved it, the other two have been praised to high heaven by every cinephile I've asked and the trailers were sharp, so they seem like good bets. Noting the US shipping just in case someone skims through and thinks Americans aren't entitled to free shipping 
Space Fish fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Sep 9, 2011 |
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Sep 9, 2011 00:16
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I just had a great experience with Criterion's customer support this past week, and feel like it is worth sharing with you. *Preaches to the choir* I ordered three movies from Criterion's site during their celebratory sale of reaching 75,000 followers on Facebook. Two movies arrived in the mail, and I waited a couple more business days to see if the third movie was just in a separate package. I checked the USPS tracking number and the entire package was considered "Delivered." I e-mailed their Orders address with my order information to inform them that I had not received the third movie. ONLY to inform them, mind you - it could have been stolen at my house, stolen in transit, bungled by Criterion, I didn't know. I got an e-mail back from a Criterion representative letting me know they'd just express-shipped me a copy of the missing movie directly from their New York office. Criterion didn't have to do that, but they did. Companies who do right by their customers deserve good word of mouth.
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Sep 30, 2011 21:28
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A listing of Criterion blus on sale at Amazon, courtesy of dvdbeaver.
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Oct 21, 2011 19:02
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Seconding kaujot, Night of the Hunter is essential. The coupon code from GrandpaPants is solid. As far as blu-rays go, I can definitely attest to the following: Look into House if you want kooky Japanese horror. Look into Army of Shadows if you want WW2-era French spy tension. Look into Yojimbo/Sanjuro if you want one of the best samurai movies and its sequel (one of the best sequels). Look into For All Mankind if you even like the moon/NASA. All of the above have my seal of approval.
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Nov 2, 2011 03:18
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I have two different non-member accounts with Barnes & Noble and they got the same coupon code, so I think it is non-exclusive. Use "E9A4D3D" until 11/6 for 15% off one item. I'll use the code to snag the Rebel Samurai - Sixties Swordplay Classics box set. I'd buy the Samurai Trilogy, except the dvd transfer is piss poor and in dire need of Criterion's breath of blu life. I also took the plunge on just about every remaining Louis Malle film I have not seen, including the documentary set. My library has some Luis Bunuel, so no need to blind buy there. I am running out of directors to follow and need to pick up some new pet artistes.
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Nov 4, 2011 02:43
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Le Samourai is one of the only proper uses of a fedora in cinema I know (the other being Indiana Jones). To paraphrase Blue Velvet, "he's so loving SUAVE!" Army of Shadows is not as suave, but is extremely effective as a tense spy tale. I liked it enough to upgrade to the blu after I bought it on DVD (and waited two years before actually watching it... Criterion punished my movie sloth).
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Nov 5, 2011 16:47
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"If no one will name drop The Virgin Spring, then you are the person who must." That is just the pinnacle of murder-revenge movies. Unsurpassed.
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Dec 6, 2011 04:24
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Perhaps it is Charlie Chaplin as a giant chicken
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Dec 14, 2011 00:18
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FitFortDanga posted:All signs indicate that the Samurai Trilogy will be among today's announcements.  Throughout each of the three movies I thought, "These are great stories, if only the scratches, blurs, and colors could be corrected." Pre-ordering for sure the second it's available.
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Mar 15, 2012 22:27
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GrandpaPants posted:could use some opinions on The Samurai Trilogy I went to Barnes & Noble last week and placed an in-store hold on Samurai Trilogy just to make absolutely sure that I can purchase it on day one of the sale without waiting for delivery. My opinion of it is rather high.
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Jul 9, 2012 23:41
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The haul so far: High and Low, The War Room, The Samurai Trilogy, Three Outlaw Samurai, and Letter Never Sent. My Criterion trigger finger is sated for now, but The Human Condition still calls to me. High and Low was purchased on the strength of the hype from this thread, so if you were an outspoken Kurosawa fan here, take a bow! The Barnes & Noble clerk was very nice, but she had to admit a small hole in her upsell. She said if I liked Criterions so much, I might be interested in pre-ordering their bluray of Quadrophenia when it comes out this fall -- for the sale price, no less! And I could totally refund it if I don't like the product. I asked her, "You mean the unopened package, right?" and she copped to it. I can't tell if being a Criterion hound means people should expect me to be more or less willing to blind-buy movies. I love The Who's Tommy album, but haven't heard Quadrophenia yet, much less cared to view anything with/about it.
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Jul 16, 2012 06:21
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Barnes & Noble kicked off another Criterion sale: Buy 2 Get 1 Free on all Criterion blus in store and online through October 1st (a tad later online into Oct 2nd).
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Sep 10, 2012 20:00
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codyclarke posted:Ones I'm intrigued by and might get later: Le Notti Bianche, Spirit of the Beehive, La Promesse. Anyone have thoughts on any of those three?
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Nov 2, 2012 13:06
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PhunkMonkey posted:A quick search revealed that they did release Akira on Laserdisc in the 90s. Any hope of this getting a Bluray release someday? I'd really like an animated film in the collection and Akira would indeed be a fine addition.
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Nov 11, 2012 03:28
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SubG posted:A while back for a thread here in CineD I put together a list of my personal favourite films. The `top ten', a kind of categorisation I'm not particularly fond of, consisted of (in chronological order): City Lights only seems to leave the list; it always leaves a flower behind. (City Lights cannot come out soon enough)
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Mar 19, 2013 19:05
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The Barnes & Noble 40% off + 10% membership + 15% weekend coupon = Monsieur Verdoux and the Kubrick Blu box. Spartacus could use less DNR -is everyone wrapped in saran wrap?- but hey, the rest looks good to me. I'm completely new to Verdoux but cannot wait to imbibe some new Chaplin. Bonus trivia: It was Orson Welles's film first and he wanted to direct Chaplin, but Chaplin would only accept himself as director and bought the rights from Welles.
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May 25, 2013 22:41
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Big Mean Jerk posted:The Samurai trilogy has been so much fun, I really don't want to watch Samurai III and bring it all to an end. Samurai III doesn't want to end, either. The whole thing is a buildup to the gorgeous final duel. It, the rainstorm fight, and the final duel in Sanjuro are among my favorite cinema samurai fights.
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Jul 25, 2013 20:01
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Come to me Ingrid, in your Autumn Sonata blu upgrade and fresh trilogy. Shhhh, pay no mind to that infuriating Italian, he cannot have you anymore.
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Oct 2, 2013 01:56
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Hector Beerlioz posted:speaking of depalma, Sisters is great Margot Kidder let's GO!!
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Jun 29, 2018 00:04
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