Very funny… and also a true path for many intellectually attuned people. Discernment is the key, not merely snobbery. People such as these are never content with the range or depth of their artistic experiences up to the present, and constantly redefine their tastes. Its just the way things go if you have a brain.
There is a lot of garbage in the Criterion catalogue. But I think any film lover would kill for about 10% of what they have released. Some fluff, sure, but they are a godsend if you know how to sort your way through the over 450 titles.
The ending of this film has special meanings far outside the scope of a mere satire on military. I mean come on, you can pick that up during the opening credits…the film evolves or it wouldn’t have been that interesting. I have my theories, but don’t want to ruin the film’s magic by trying to fully explain everything.
No, I don’t ration fine movies or any other form of art. Here’s why…Tastes will evolve and you’ll discover more and more stuff as time goes by. Enjoy the greats now, when you feel passionately, and use them as a point of departure in the future. Who says that a particular piece will mean more to you at a later age? Maybe, maybe not.
There is plenty of stuff out there! I could spend every waking moment for the rest of my life just examining the works of Bach, for instance. Let it be a journey, not a dead set of ‘greats’ that you have a lifetime to discover.
I have only seen Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire. I can’t imagine two more contrasting pieces of art by the same creator. Inland Empire was just ugly on every level, with the exception of a scene here and there, while Mulholland Drive was stunningly beautiful. So, which of his other works are more like MD, and farthest from IE? I’d like to check out more, but I’ve been very skeptical.
I have been wanting to see The Battle of Algiers based on all the positive reviews and Morricone’s score. However, I do NOT like films that take sides politically…regardless of whose side it is. I can appreciate thought-provoking films that display the positives and negatives of all parties involved, but please, no pandering. If there’s one thing that ruins a film, it is a pompous director who tries to inflict his views upon me. So which is it? Does this film leave room for the audience to decide, or does it try to shove pro-Islamic fundamentalist, anti-imperialist fodder down our throats?
Nothing offends me in a movie if it is true to the setting of the film, or if the characters are believable. Now, if you just had Joe Schmoe ranting the entire film, with no connection to the plot I suppose it might offend me……but moreover the film would suck.
I just finished the 5 hour version, and to those who are intimidated by its length….don’t be. It was a spellbinding experience and the episodes just flew by. I have never seen such a portrayal of a family on film before….the only thing close would be The Godfather, except with the richness of a classic novel. For instance, I felt several references to Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov while watching this, intended or not. Some of the characters even looked like I had imagined them in TBK…..I recommend you read it if you enjoyed this film.
Spoilers…
The part that freaked me out the most that I still cannot figure out was the Ismael part. I guess he (she?) was supposed to be a sort of sick, puppet-master type God, who did nothing while the family was suffering. ‘God hears the truth but waits’ is something I thought of during the fire/bishop’s killing sequence. Too late? I was left with a very uneasy feeling about Ismael and the theme of power and influence over others. Did Ismael use the whole ‘we are one’ schtick as a means to sexually abuse Alexander? What was the significance of taking off his clothes? That REALLY bothered me.
I guess I’m just tired of over-stylized drivel. Everyone tried to imitate Tarantino following his first couple films…but none of these directors are as good as QT, plain and simple….most of them flat out suck. I’m tired of the brute force cinematography we experience in films today. Nothing visual is left up to the imagination because the directors smack you in the face with their own vision TIMES 1000. Stylistic elements are just overdone to the point that they lose all effect on an audience.
I wish there was something I could do to help make Barry Lyndon on Blu-ray a reality. Its so hard to just sit back and wait months…years to be able to enjoy a film that I love so much. I would give up half of my movie collection! The DVD is absulutely worthless. I feel like I’m watching some schlocky bootleg. Please WB, do it!!!!
Most of mine – about 30 – are blind buys. About one fifth were just not to my taste at all and I sold them….but often I keep thinking about the films, reading about them, etc, and wind up re-buying them! Lesson learned: keep your Criterions.
Bias blind spot – the tendency not to compensate for one’s own cognitive biases
so you have an identity, personal taste? shocking
Recency effect – the tendency to weigh recent events more than earlier events
corrects itself over time, naturally
Projection bias– the tendency to unconsciously assume that others (or one’s future selves) share one’s current emotional states, thoughts and values.
projection is a fascinating defense mechanism to study, but I don’t see how it would apply to biases and films. Especially since I usually watch movies alone, and have no one else to project towards. In theatres, maybe.
Self-fulfilling prophecy (also called “behavioral confirmation effect”) – the tendency to engage in behaviors that elicit results which will (consciously or not) confirm existing attitudes.
studies have shown that physical behaviours (smiling, frowning, etc) lead to emotional states that we associate with each.
I would just like to note that a lot of these biases are analogous to the placebo effect. Whether a film is the right ‘medicine’ or not, if our brain is sufficiently tricked, there will be NO discernable difference in our personal experience/opinion. If that happens through bias, so be it….art’s significance lies in the personal realm only, I would argue. People are basically all nutcases anyway when you get right down to it. Why should I care what some other psychotics think? The whole construct of group, team, social opinion is flawed. You’re born alone and you die alone, at the end of the day its you dragging a sled across the ice, surviving like your ancestors. If a piece of art can lift your spirits, maybe you’ll last a bit longer.
Just watched it for the first time, and Ben Gazarra was absolutely incredible! I had only seen him in three small roles previously (Big Lebowski, Dogville, Road House), but this solidifies him in my mind as a dynamic, powerful on-screen force.
I definitely need to rewatch the film, but just from an aesthetic perspective it rocked my socks. It so captured the essence of what a club-owner’s life must be like…no sleep, day fades to night fades to day, gotta keep yourself and all the workers psyched up like its the first time, etc. Seeing the car flying by packed with drunk kids blaring music, giving Gazzara’s character the jump-start into party mode.
As another poster mentioned, this movie felt like realtime cinema (watched the full ’76 version). It is rich thematically also, which is why I know it will take me several viewings….but man oh man right now I am just in awe. For at least the last hour of the film my jaw was hanging down.
“Cassavetes wrote “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” as a script for Scorsese to direct. (Marty was A.D. on “Minne and Moskowitz”)
Bt Marty told him “This is relly you. You should direct it yourself.”
Interesting, because I thought of Mean Streets a lot while watching this….but this may be a far better film.
Army of Shadows – Criterion Collection
The Rules of the Game – Criterion Collection
The Sword of Doom – Criterion Collection
Bicycle Thieves (Criterion Collection)
The Battle of Algiers – Criterion Collection
Le Samourai – Criterion Collection
John Cassavetes – Five Films
Sawdust and Tinsel – Criterion Collection
Army of Shadows – Criterion Collection
Grand Illusion – Criterion Collection
The Killers – Criterion Collection
The Complete Mr. Arkadin (aka Confidential Report) – Criterion Collection
A Woman is a Woman
Berlin Alexanderplatz
That clears our my “to buy” list for now, but I’m sure I could find 10-15 more if another 50% sale comes along.
7Sk, what paper stock do you use at Kinkos? I tried this once before with a cover for the 1927 french film Napoleon, and I ended up with a material that was too thin and glossy. Most of the card stocks seemed too heavy though, so I’m curious.
Why would you try to be affected…who are you trying to impress/whose expectations are you worried about? Its often best with highly-touted works to take a more passive approach, and let the film wash over you. Either something grabs you or it doesn’t….but don’t be so quick to judge either. Some of the greats take time to appreciate.
Probably doubtful of that happening anytime soon. Bergman’s Trilogy films, while among his most powerful, are some of his most visually simplistic/direct…I think several of his other films will receive Blu-ray treatment before these. DVD is adequate for the trilogy in my opinion.
When this sale hits I’m going to clean out my queue with these ten titles:
400 Blows
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Last Year At Marienbad
Woman Is A Woman
Jules and Jim
Ivan’s Childhood
Double Life Of Veronique
Vampyr
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
The Diary of a Country Priest
I lose interest in Scorcese after Raging Bull, but
Mean Streets
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
are masterpieces. In hindsight it was stupid to think he could keep up that pace. I still see all of his films, and enjoy most of them…but there are plenty of other contemporaries I prefer.
I would reconsider The Man Who Fell to Earth, unless you’ve seen it and know its good. I saw it because David Bowie + Criterion just HAD to be great… The film really dragged, seeming needlessly obscure much of the time with bad dialogue. There were some great scenes too, but honestly I don’t think I’ll ever want to revisit it. 400 Blows, Vivre Sa Vie, The Third Man – all of these are more essential.
I wound up with the 1992 revision of Scott Montcrief’s translation. Now I know, after reading some excerpts in the original French, that Lydia’s translation is FAR more accurate…but I’m 1/4th of the way through and Montcrief’s has a fine flow to it.
Don’t have the Dreyer Box or HT Box, but of the other three, the Fanny And Alexander set would be my choice. I can’t imagine how they cut it for the theatrical version….it is of consistent quality for the entire 5 hours+. There is so much to take from it. If Marcel Proust made a film…
Okay Bruce but lets face it… If you are a cinephile, chances are you’ll love many of the films in the Criterion collection. And they offer definitive versions of most of these films…so why not buy them? We all know that the quality of a source can greatly affect our response to a film, a piece of music, etc. As for collecting them, people collect all sorts of stuff, a lot of which serves no practical use whatsoever. Maybe some just want to appear to be cultured but considering the lack of culture in our society you shouldn’t be so critical. Look around and see what passes for art these days. Even if customers have false motives, they are supporting Criterion and keeping great films commercially relevant. It beats the hell out of scrounging for 10th generation bootlegs.
the rocky road to becoming a cinephile over 2 years ago
Very funny… and also a true path for many intellectually attuned people. Discernment is the key, not merely snobbery. People such as these are never content with the range or depth of their artistic experiences up to the present, and constantly redefine their tastes. Its just the way things go if you have a brain.
Go to Comment
Criterion-a bunch of people saying 'Hey! I heard that was good!' over 2 years ago
There is a lot of garbage in the Criterion catalogue. But I think any film lover would kill for about 10% of what they have released. Some fluff, sure, but they are a godsend if you know how to sort your way through the over 450 titles.
Go to Comment
Dr Strangelove ending.. discuss over 2 years ago
The ending of this film has special meanings far outside the scope of a mere satire on military. I mean come on, you can pick that up during the opening credits…the film evolves or it wouldn’t have been that interesting. I have my theories, but don’t want to ruin the film’s magic by trying to fully explain everything.
Go to Comment
do you ration yourself? over 2 years ago
No, I don’t ration fine movies or any other form of art. Here’s why…Tastes will evolve and you’ll discover more and more stuff as time goes by. Enjoy the greats now, when you feel passionately, and use them as a point of departure in the future. Who says that a particular piece will mean more to you at a later age? Maybe, maybe not.
There is plenty of stuff out there! I could spend every waking moment for the rest of my life just examining the works of Bach, for instance. Let it be a journey, not a dead set of ‘greats’ that you have a lifetime to discover.
Go to Comment
The Works of David Lynch, Best to Worst over 2 years ago
I have only seen Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire. I can’t imagine two more contrasting pieces of art by the same creator. Inland Empire was just ugly on every level, with the exception of a scene here and there, while Mulholland Drive was stunningly beautiful. So, which of his other works are more like MD, and farthest from IE? I’d like to check out more, but I’ve been very skeptical.
Go to Comment
Is this film biased? over 2 years ago
I have been wanting to see The Battle of Algiers based on all the positive reviews and Morricone’s score. However, I do NOT like films that take sides politically…regardless of whose side it is. I can appreciate thought-provoking films that display the positives and negatives of all parties involved, but please, no pandering. If there’s one thing that ruins a film, it is a pompous director who tries to inflict his views upon me. So which is it? Does this film leave room for the audience to decide, or does it try to shove pro-Islamic fundamentalist, anti-imperialist fodder down our throats?
Go to Comment
Political correctness: do you tend to rate a film lower if it offends you or is against your values and beliefs? over 2 years ago
Nothing offends me in a movie if it is true to the setting of the film, or if the characters are believable. Now, if you just had Joe Schmoe ranting the entire film, with no connection to the plot I suppose it might offend me……but moreover the film would suck.
Go to Comment
Fanny & Alexander over 2 years ago
I just finished the 5 hour version, and to those who are intimidated by its length….don’t be. It was a spellbinding experience and the episodes just flew by. I have never seen such a portrayal of a family on film before….the only thing close would be The Godfather, except with the richness of a classic novel. For instance, I felt several references to Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov while watching this, intended or not. Some of the characters even looked like I had imagined them in TBK…..I recommend you read it if you enjoyed this film.
Spoilers…
The part that freaked me out the most that I still cannot figure out was the Ismael part. I guess he (she?) was supposed to be a sort of sick, puppet-master type God, who did nothing while the family was suffering. ‘God hears the truth but waits’ is something I thought of during the fire/bishop’s killing sequence. Too late? I was left with a very uneasy feeling about Ismael and the theme of power and influence over others. Did Ismael use the whole ‘we are one’ schtick as a means to sexually abuse Alexander? What was the significance of taking off his clothes? That REALLY bothered me.
Go to Comment
CLICHES over 2 years ago
I guess I’m just tired of over-stylized drivel. Everyone tried to imitate Tarantino following his first couple films…but none of these directors are as good as QT, plain and simple….most of them flat out suck. I’m tired of the brute force cinematography we experience in films today. Nothing visual is left up to the imagination because the directors smack you in the face with their own vision TIMES 1000. Stylistic elements are just overdone to the point that they lose all effect on an audience.
Go to Comment
Moderated
An update on a possible DVD release of "Barry Lyndon". about 2 years ago
I wish there was something I could do to help make Barry Lyndon on Blu-ray a reality. Its so hard to just sit back and wait months…years to be able to enjoy a film that I love so much. I would give up half of my movie collection! The DVD is absulutely worthless. I feel like I’m watching some schlocky bootleg. Please WB, do it!!!!
Go to Comment
The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers about 2 years ago
Does anyone know what font is used on the spines for “THE CRITERION COLLECTION”. Much thanks.
Go to Comment
Long Static Shots! Hate or Love? over 1 year ago
Depending on what you mean by long static shots (freeze frame or stationary camera?)…
Fanny & Alexander – jew reading to boy
I also think of Kubrick a lot…although he would typically do very slow zooms, they had a similar effect to a long static shot.
Go to Comment
Blind Buys over 1 year ago
Most of mine – about 30 – are blind buys. About one fifth were just not to my taste at all and I sold them….but often I keep thinking about the films, reading about them, etc, and wind up re-buying them! Lesson learned: keep your Criterions.
Go to Comment
Voting Biases over 1 year ago
Bias blind spot – the tendency not to compensate for one’s own cognitive biases
so you have an identity, personal taste? shocking
Recency effect – the tendency to weigh recent events more than earlier events
corrects itself over time, naturally
Projection bias– the tendency to unconsciously assume that others (or one’s future selves) share one’s current emotional states, thoughts and values.
projection is a fascinating defense mechanism to study, but I don’t see how it would apply to biases and films. Especially since I usually watch movies alone, and have no one else to project towards. In theatres, maybe.
Self-fulfilling prophecy (also called “behavioral confirmation effect”) – the tendency to engage in behaviors that elicit results which will (consciously or not) confirm existing attitudes.
studies have shown that physical behaviours (smiling, frowning, etc) lead to emotional states that we associate with each.
I would just like to note that a lot of these biases are analogous to the placebo effect. Whether a film is the right ‘medicine’ or not, if our brain is sufficiently tricked, there will be NO discernable difference in our personal experience/opinion. If that happens through bias, so be it….art’s significance lies in the personal realm only, I would argue. People are basically all nutcases anyway when you get right down to it. Why should I care what some other psychotics think? The whole construct of group, team, social opinion is flawed. You’re born alone and you die alone, at the end of the day its you dragging a sled across the ice, surviving like your ancestors. If a piece of art can lift your spirits, maybe you’ll last a bit longer.
Go to Comment
Killing of a Chinese Bookie over 1 year ago
Just watched it for the first time, and Ben Gazarra was absolutely incredible! I had only seen him in three small roles previously (Big Lebowski, Dogville, Road House), but this solidifies him in my mind as a dynamic, powerful on-screen force.
I definitely need to rewatch the film, but just from an aesthetic perspective it rocked my socks. It so captured the essence of what a club-owner’s life must be like…no sleep, day fades to night fades to day, gotta keep yourself and all the workers psyched up like its the first time, etc. Seeing the car flying by packed with drunk kids blaring music, giving Gazzara’s character the jump-start into party mode.
As another poster mentioned, this movie felt like realtime cinema (watched the full ’76 version). It is rich thematically also, which is why I know it will take me several viewings….but man oh man right now I am just in awe. For at least the last hour of the film my jaw was hanging down.
Go to Comment
Killing of a Chinese Bookie over 1 year ago
“Cassavetes wrote “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie” as a script for Scorsese to direct. (Marty was A.D. on “Minne and Moskowitz”)
Bt Marty told him “This is relly you. You should direct it yourself.”
Interesting, because I thought of Mean Streets a lot while watching this….but this may be a far better film.
Go to Comment
SO, WHEN THAT CRITERION B&N SALE ROLLS AROUND.... over 1 year ago
Just in the past few days I bought:
Army of Shadows – Criterion Collection
The Rules of the Game – Criterion Collection
The Sword of Doom – Criterion Collection
Bicycle Thieves (Criterion Collection)
The Battle of Algiers – Criterion Collection
Le Samourai – Criterion Collection
John Cassavetes – Five Films
Sawdust and Tinsel – Criterion Collection
Army of Shadows – Criterion Collection
Grand Illusion – Criterion Collection
The Killers – Criterion Collection
The Complete Mr. Arkadin (aka Confidential Report) – Criterion Collection
A Woman is a Woman
Berlin Alexanderplatz
That clears our my “to buy” list for now, but I’m sure I could find 10-15 more if another 50% sale comes along.
Go to Comment
The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers over 1 year ago
7Sk, what paper stock do you use at Kinkos? I tried this once before with a cover for the 1927 french film Napoleon, and I ended up with a material that was too thin and glossy. Most of the card stocks seemed too heavy though, so I’m curious.
Go to Comment
Trying to be affected by a film over 1 year ago
Why would you try to be affected…who are you trying to impress/whose expectations are you worried about? Its often best with highly-touted works to take a more passive approach, and let the film wash over you. Either something grabs you or it doesn’t….but don’t be so quick to judge either. Some of the greats take time to appreciate.
Go to Comment
Heads up!!!! 50% off Criterions over 1 year ago
Probably doubtful of that happening anytime soon. Bergman’s Trilogy films, while among his most powerful, are some of his most visually simplistic/direct…I think several of his other films will receive Blu-ray treatment before these. DVD is adequate for the trilogy in my opinion.
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The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers over 1 year ago
I really stink at these, but I tried.
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The Auteurs' Fake Criterion Covers over 1 year ago
Thanks! I came up with many different ideas for this. Some looked better but I just couldn’t finish them off.
Still fixing some things-I accidentally left your watermark
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Scorsese Kubrick mash-up over 1 year ago
Someone obviously put a fair amount of work into it, but this is absurd. Major headache!
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Heads up!!!! 50% off Criterions over 1 year ago
When this sale hits I’m going to clean out my queue with these ten titles:
400 Blows
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Last Year At Marienbad
Woman Is A Woman
Jules and Jim
Ivan’s Childhood
Double Life Of Veronique
Vampyr
Three Films by Hiroshi Teshigahara
The Diary of a Country Priest
Go to Comment
MAYBE A DANGEROUS NOTION: IS MARTIN SCORSESE OVERRATED? over 1 year ago
I lose interest in Scorcese after Raging Bull, but
Mean Streets
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
are masterpieces. In hindsight it was stupid to think he could keep up that pace. I still see all of his films, and enjoy most of them…but there are plenty of other contemporaries I prefer.
Go to Comment
Heads up!!!! 50% off Criterions over 1 year ago
I would reconsider The Man Who Fell to Earth, unless you’ve seen it and know its good. I saw it because David Bowie + Criterion just HAD to be great… The film really dragged, seeming needlessly obscure much of the time with bad dialogue. There were some great scenes too, but honestly I don’t think I’ll ever want to revisit it. 400 Blows, Vivre Sa Vie, The Third Man – all of these are more essential.
Go to Comment
OT: What are you reading? over 1 year ago
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust
I wound up with the 1992 revision of Scott Montcrief’s translation. Now I know, after reading some excerpts in the original French, that Lydia’s translation is FAR more accurate…but I’m 1/4th of the way through and Montcrief’s has a fine flow to it.
Go to Comment
Heads up!!!! 50% off Criterions over 1 year ago
Don’t have the Dreyer Box or HT Box, but of the other three, the Fanny And Alexander set would be my choice. I can’t imagine how they cut it for the theatrical version….it is of consistent quality for the entire 5 hours+. There is so much to take from it. If Marcel Proust made a film…
Go to Comment
Best Movies For Someone Just Starting Out In Criterion over 1 year ago
Okay Bruce but lets face it… If you are a cinephile, chances are you’ll love many of the films in the Criterion collection. And they offer definitive versions of most of these films…so why not buy them? We all know that the quality of a source can greatly affect our response to a film, a piece of music, etc. As for collecting them, people collect all sorts of stuff, a lot of which serves no practical use whatsoever. Maybe some just want to appear to be cultured but considering the lack of culture in our society you shouldn’t be so critical. Look around and see what passes for art these days. Even if customers have false motives, they are supporting Criterion and keeping great films commercially relevant. It beats the hell out of scrounging for 10th generation bootlegs.
Go to Comment