Recommended 'sight unseen' Criterion discs? (1 Viewer)

[Brian PB]

I recently posted a list of Criterion releases I consider "essential". Without knowing your taste in films (and even then ...), it's impossible to suggest blind buys that you're guaranteed to enjoy.

As for the three discs you mentioned (all of which appear on my list), they are among my favorites. The Passion of Joan of Arc is profoundly moving and a revelation. The commentary on Children of Paradise (especially Brian Stonehill's on disc 1) is brilliant. 8½ receives the royal 2-disc treatment it deserves (although I find the film on disc 2, Fellini: A Director's Notebook to be self-indulgent & pretty worthless).

 

[WillardK]

Quote:
(although I find the film on disc 2, Fellini: A Director's Notebook to be self-indulgent & pretty worthless).

I try to avoid posting to these types of threads. There's a wide variety of Criterions. Everybody has their favorites and some packages are done up better than others. Research the films for content and read disc reviews... even more economically, rent or borrow titles (libraries do stock them) before you buy.

I have to strongly disagree with the above quoted comment. The 8 1/2 set in general is one of the altogether best in my collection, very much including the Notebook documentary (which would fascinate anyone truly interested in Fellini). Fellini was self-indulgent?.... well, duh! The other Criterion Fellini I have is Juliet of the Spirits, which is widely regarded as a spectacular transfer and an 'essential' if you enjoy that film.

So... if you like Fellini, I'd definitely consider 8 1/2 as an essential package. If you like Bunuel, Discreet Charm is similarly essential. If you like Fassbinder, the BRD Trilogy is essential. If you like Brakhage, By Brakhage is essential... but it gets sticky: some would say that if you like Truffaut, the Doniel Set is essential but I'm not one of them. And though I have a copy, I don't think the Hitchcock set is essential (two or three mediocre commentaries and one very mediocre film). You have to do your own research and follow your own interests.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I only have 8 1/2, Notorious, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Passion of Joan of Arc...

I'd have to say that all 4 are worth buying sight unseen. Passion could actually use a remaster since there is a ton of macroblocking, though.

 

[Haggai]

Quote:
So... if you like Fellini, I'd definitely consider 8 1/2 as an essential package. If you like Bunuel, Discreet Charm is similarly essential.

I enjoyed Discreet Charm very much when I saw it in a theatrical re-release a few years ago. However, I read in a couple of places that the subtitles on the DVD are not very well done, with a lot of simple spelling mistakes that are distracting, among other things. I don't remember anything odd at all about the subtitles when I saw it in the theater, so could anyone who has this disc chime in on this point?

 

[Bill J]

The Traffic Criterion disc has amazing extras.

Lots of good choices mentioned here. I'll second:

The Third Man
The Seventh Seal
For All Mankind
8 1/2

 

[WillardK]

Haggai...
I couldn't say whether or not there are discrepencies in the translation, but I don't remember anything especially odd in the subtitles. In any case, it's one of the few sets I've seen that is worth it for the extras alone. If you're a fan of Bunuel and don't have some other access to the main documentary included, then you're missing out. Transfer-wise it's also not to be missed and is a very different experience from viewing the worn prints I've seen in theaters. If you like this film or Bunuel in general, learn French if you have to but get this set.

 

[Marc Colella]

The subtitles on Discreet Charm definitely has a good amount of spelling mistakes. Don't know how this was missed before the DVD went out.

 

[Haggai]

Hmmm, ok. I suppose I'll try to rent it, especially since the doc comes with a recommendation. Criterion is normally pretty good with their subtitles, but a particular instance I remember where they flubbed it was Big Deal on Madonna Street. The movie was very entertaining, but the subtitles would sometimes be on screen for only a brief fraction of a second. I read subtitles quickly, and having them go by too fast is almost never a problem for me, but it definitely was for that particular DVD.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

It depends on your tastes, so I don't really know how to answer this. At the least, I would say try to at least rent any Criterion disc you can - they do select films carefully, and the films they choose are usually worth seeing, though perhaps not worth owning.

Spartacus is a great set - a commentary track with cast and crew (minus Kubrick), and also a track where screenwriter Dalton Trumbo's scene specific notes are read alongside the film. HTF's own Robert Harris is one of the contributors to the commentary, having done the work to restore the film in the first place.

I'm also a big fan of the Traffic DVD that Criterion put out. The movie looks great, and the extras are fantastic. It seems like everyone involved in the film was entirely cooporative with Criterion in putting the DVD together, resulting in top-notch supplements.

 

[Keith M.]

How is The Beauty & The Beast Criterion version??

And what is Straw Dogs all about??


Thanks in advance...

 

[Matt Czyz]

Armageddon!

 

[JonZ]

Criterions I have and would recommend:

Seven Samurai
Throne Of Blood
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Hidden Fotress
Robocop
Silence Of The Lambs
Sid & Nancy
Last Temptation Of Christ
Samurai Trilogy

I have to pick up their Do The Right Thing

 

[Jacob McCraw]

"Naked Lunch" and "Schizopolis" are both wonderful.

 

[Thomas T]

If it's on Criterion and you're any kind of film buff at all, then they're all titles are worth checking out. Some of them may not be to your taste but where else can you get a free film education like this? The cream of international giants like Kurosawa, Bergman, Dreyer, Cocteau, Godard and a generous sample of classic American cinema like Hitchcock, Sturges and Sirk?

 

[Nathan V]

Keith,

Straw Dogs is about violence, in both mental and physical form. Dustin Hoffman and his wife move to a Cornish Village, and the villagers don't like him, he doesn't understand his wife, etc etc. What makes the movie important, aside from the fact that it was banned in the UK for over 30 years, is that Sam Peckinpah directed it. He made the Wild Bunch. His stamp reeks from every frame, especially the last reel, where he treats us to his trademark slow motion violence and uber-badass editing. Stephen Prince's commentary is GREAT; the 80 minutes documentray on Peckinpah on disc 2 is also very good. It's very controversial though. It can easily be misinterpreted as glorifying violence, esp. towards women. If you like cinema that demands your full attention and comprehension, challenging films which you won't grasp fully until the next day, or month, this is for you.
Buy it now regardless, as it goes out of print on the 31st, at which point it will begin a long and prosperous life on Ebay, selling for hundreds.

 

[george kaplan]

Or, alternatively, do what I did. Rent it quickly. I heard this was going out of print, and so I rented it asap. Didn't like it and glad I didn't buy it, but I wasn't going to take a chance on letting it go OOP and then finding out I liked it. Definitely one to check out quickly, but hardly one I would recommend 'sight unseen'.

 

[Dane Marvin]

I currently own ZERO Criterion releases. These are the releases I'm most interested in and seriously considering beginning my collection with. Are there any strong recommendations for the following Criterion discs?

-Carnival of Souls
-Rushmore
-Lord of the Flies
-A Night to Remember
-Amarcord
-Hopscotch
-Straw Dogs
-The Blob
-Picnic at Hanging Rock
-The Rock

Of these, I have only actually seen Rushmore, A Night to Remember, The Rock and Amarcord. And none of them were the Criterion versions. The others would be blind buys.

 

[JonSpice]

"A Night To Remember" and "Hopscotch"

 

[Brian PB]

Are there any strong recommendations for the following Criterion discs?

-Carnival of Souls
-Rushmore
-Lord of the Flies
-A Night to Remember
-Amarcord
-Hopscotch
-Straw Dogs
-The Blob
-Picnic at Hanging Rock
-The Rock


Of that list, I would highly recommend Straw Dogs (though officially OOP, there are still some copies out there--but don't wait too long!) and Rushmore. Many people are big fans of the excellent Carnival of Souls boxset, but the film didn't do much for me.

 

[george kaplan]

I don't know your taste, but if you tend to like comedies, then Hopscotch would be a good choice off that list.