Blind buy on Cassevetes Box set is a slam dunk as far as I’m concerned.
“here’s an idea: take a shopping cart and just dump em all in.”
Spoken like a true Barnes and Nobel employee. haha
Box sets seem to be the best way to maximize the deal in terms of # of films in relation to money spent. I’m thinking about getting 3 eclipse series for under 100 bucks.
Michael, Cassavetes Box Set is my riskiest and most rewarding blind buy. I had only heard that Scorsese was a fan and absolutely loved the packaging and thought what the hell. I highly suggest it.
Thanks for the advice guys. I very rarely blind buy on anything but this seems like the right thing to do.
Yeah, everyone and their mother should own the Cassavetes box set. Even if you hate movies or are deaf/dumb/blind/decompossing corpse, you should own this set.
I just made a trip to Barnes and Noble this evening to check their stock and see about ordering films. I searched through everything and found most all I was hoping to find. I then asked the employee about The Seventh Seal and about ordering it. He proceeded to look it up and couldn’t find it in the server. He asked who the director was and I had to help him through the spelling of Bergman and Ingmar. He couldn’t find anything and asked me when his latest album was released. I told the employee it was a film director, to which he replied, “oh, I was searching under rock bands.”
He then led me back to the original location of the Criterions and pulled out a box underneath the shelf/slanted rack. Underneath was a box labeled “Criterion -F.” Inside was roughly 10 films, of which five had a large, red “50% off” sticker on the front side (with "memebers save an extra 10% underneath). Strangely though the films on sale included: The Third Man, F for Fake, Pandora’s Box, Kicking and Screaming and three others I can’t recall. So this incident makes me wonder whether that was a test run or merely the entire sale. Not all movies in the box were on sale and the box was rather hidden (it was more of a mini shelf than a box). Any employee care to explain? Maybe I’m just too paranoid. There was a rather similar sale the other month at Borders that I found by accident: a most epic film haul.
“He proceeded to look it up and couldn’t find it in the server. He asked who the director was and I had to help him through the spelling of Bergman and Ingmar. He couldn’t find anything and asked me when his latest album was released.”
hahahahaha.
First of all, Minkin… the sale shouldn’t have started until next week (the 14th) and it will, in fact, be ALL criterions. That employee (and possibly the entire BN) was clearly just impaired.
Cries and Whispers was a great fuckin album. Totally metal.
if you don’t have the cassavetes box then that is the first one you should buy. get to the store when it opens, put it on hold, whatever, buy it. the best investment i have ever made. seriously. i have learned so much about film, film making, and, believe it or not, film watching from that set its not even funny.
also, i’d recommend Spirit of the Beehive. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: it is the most beautiful film i own. absolutely stunning.
Battle for Algiers that’s another one that that should be required.
fun ones: Dazed and Confused and Kicking and Screaming.
but seriously, get the Cassavetes set first and foremost.
I almost committed suicide after trying to watch Kicking and Screaming. After The Squid and the Whale, I thought “Noah Baumbach? Who is this guy – I want to see all of his movies! Oooh, Criterion released his debut?!” Then I rented it and couldn’t get 20 minutes in. Talking talking talking, blah blah blah. Typical dated 90s film where everyone sits around and pontificates for two hours, all to the delight of the writer. No thank you, I’ll pass on that, thank you very much.
As far as I’m concerned, Baumbach’s debut was Squid and the Whale. Everything before it looks awful and silly.
I’m sorry – I just had to get that off my chest. I’ve never vented my dislike for Kicking and Screaming before. I’ll try not to do it again.
Criterions are my crack…
50% off is like…like…I can’t even describe it.
My apologies if anyone’s posted this already, but I’m pretty sure this will last only two weeks, so get ‘em while the gettin’s good.
3 weeks
I’m looking at
Fanny and Alexander
The Seventh Seal
Ali: Fear Eats Soul
at the moment but the Cassavetes boxset is receiving too much praise ignore. I haven’t seen any Cassavetes so I really can’t say whether or not it’s a good risk to take.
Law, I will settle your decision. If it is Cassavetes instead of F&A than no don’t buy it. Otherwise it is a very good risk to take.
@Law – I actually think that for Cassavetes, you should see at least one of his films just to get an idea of the kinds of films he makes. He’s not for everyone and a lot of people are turned off by him. So you might not want to risk spending whatever it cost and then end up hating it. That’s my two cents.
Fredo, His favorite director is Bergman so we know the depressing nature of Cassavetes will not turn him off. Due to this I feel he should just go for it.
Ok, I suppose you’re probably right. But if his favorite director is Bergman, he definitely should own F&A.
Am I actually arguing that someone should buy Fanny & Alexander over the Cassavetes box set? I think I might be losing it.
I agree completely, but if he has the money, he should buy both.
I hope I have the money. Once again, this is just after my birthday, so I hope my relatives are feeling excessively generous amidst the economic downturn. I will try to find a Cassavetes film to watch before 14 July.
What is a good entry point for Cassavetes?
Faces or Woman Under the Influence. You can really get a sense of Cassavetes’ “style”. And see if it’s right for you.
What about priority Eclipse sets? Early Bergman?
Casey, I will try to locate them as hastily as possible. Incidentally, I was planning on asking about Eclipse sets too. I am eyeing the Aki Kaurismaki set.
Law, I got the Kaurismaki last week before I knew about the sale. Doh!
Law, I’d definitely say A Woman Under the Influence.
anybody else here worried that BN is reducing the price to remove the inventory and then not restock the items? I know you can always go online but there’s just something about going into a store and picking up the newest release and holding it in your hands.
Chris, That is my biggest fear.
loofrin
here’s an idea: take a shopping cart and just dump em all in. lol