Salò, though quite disturbing, inhabits its own region of film history: it is something that should be seen and analyzed, though the act of watching it turns many away from it. To those who have ventured into its territory, it still can void many from it. The film, however, is a masterpiece, and only in Pasolini’s true irreverence could it become such a towering acheivement. Some of the film’s most harrowing moments come from the ideas it presents (and subsequently, the recognition of these ideas and themes in our own society), rather than purely from the gruesome imagery of the picture.
It may not be suited for weekly viewing, and it is difficult to name it “a favorite” of any sort (given the justifications that seem to follow that tag), indeed Salò is something that ought to be seen; as a masked experience of reward, there can be no greater.
Scorsese comes from the roots of filmmakers who have actually learned from the films of, say, Buñuel, Godard, Fellini, Kurosawa, etc. (the legends) to become an undeniable legend himself. He is a definite gem. I think something like The Last Temptation of Christ, a film I greatly respect and admire, came as sort of a wake up call to many being such a sudden break from the “gangster” genre he is often tied to, though he had strayed from it before. He has such definite sides, but as he’s developed, these styles, which draw from different influences, have come to kind of converge in each other: his films more and more are starting to combine elements from all his many sides into one film. Gangs of New York, for example, was a gangster film yet also a period piece, of sorts. There are traces of so many of his influences crafted in new and exciting ways with each film he releases, and it was definitely time that he won an Oscar (though with all the exceptions surrounding the award, it seems it doesn’t quite mean what it may once have).
I remember two occasions: his essay in the Criterion release of Godard’s Contempt, and his interview on the release of Pietro Germi’s comic masterpiece Divorce Italian Style. I think his genuine love for film, which shines through whenever he takes time to discuss it, is something that sets him apart, and which he works into his films.
Of course, combining elements into features is hardly Scorsese’s end; he wouldn’t be who he is without his blazing originality and strong cinematic voice. He has single-handedly provided the world a modern tweak on neo-realist cinema.
I don’t think I can really choose a favourite. Of course, I like 2.35:1 with all its vast grandeur, but I’d never want to change the aspect ratio away from the desire of the director. A reason I’ve really come to appreciate the Criterion Collection.
I definitely think his films are a worthy aspect to study. They represent a distinct side of him, so for anyone wanting a mastery of understanding Warhol, his films are essential. And he’s important enough to warrant study.
I just thought I’d take time to praise the scores of David Byrne and their excellence. He is someone who crafts his work around the motion pictures he scores, rather than simply submitting unrelated musical texts, as has become far too common these days. His score for Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor is a vital element and adds great lengths to the picture.
Definitely. Brian Eno is also someone who can really enhance mood with music. He hasn’t done too much major soundtrack work, sadly, even though with his ambient series, he is arguably best fit for the position.
Uwe Boll, definitely. But with someone like Michael Bay, who claims to be an artist, his being an awful director seems strengthened by the fact that he’s stated this. Sadly, he even has two Criterions to back himself up.
I love Wes Anderson. Rushmore, and, even even more so, The Royal Tenenbaums stand as two of the finest films released in the past decade. Very strong acheivements. He shows great promise.
The forever-chasing question; on one hand, the films of, for exapmle, Truffaut or Fellini are hard to consider anything but art, but then if you consider cinema art, then every teen sex comedy or mindless action flick released ought also then be art. It’s certainly a tough choice. I tend to consider film an art form, and just because it’s bloated by many sometimes far lesser works, it still stands as a process of creation and should be judged as art form.
It looks as though the Criterion Collection has lost the rights to The Third Man and it’s now gone out of print. What’s going on?! Just last year they lost Contempt and Ran, and now this? This certainly isn’t the way I wanted to start the new decade. I’m glad I already own it.
I think it would be logical to bring one of the box sets, like the Antoine Doinel box, though it may be considered cheating (then again, who would police that?). Hypothetically, I’d be able to keep my sanity three or four times longer than the guy who only brought one film.
What about The Complete Mr. Arkadin? Where else but on a desert island would you be as grateful for having so many different versions of your only film.
OH NO! Only a few days ago was I thinking about how he was still alive, if not still making movies. The next viewing of the six moral tales will be a sad one indeed.
I enjoyed the 3D as an experience, but I wonder if over the course of the next decades, when Hollywood refuses to fund a film that isn’t in 3D, Avatar will be viewed as less of an ‘achievement’. Cameron’s thought that everything should be in 3D to add a higher degree of “realism” to the picture–especially with Avatar making loads of money to back his claim–is troubling. I’m not swayed into believing the characters just because they seem more life-like and I can’t imagine seeing anything other than an action film in this format. I’m also guessing that this perceived realism will lead to a major slump in character development in the traditional sense.
Definitely an Oshima Eclipse set. Tomorrow’s Sun and The Sun’s Burial perhaps, which suggests an Early Oshima release. Maybe his first five films, as in the Early Bergman set. I’m excited for this. I’m guessing it will be revealed within the next few days, along with the latest crop of announcements. Hopefully on the 15th.
I’m sure someone at Criterion would enjoy hearing about Oshi Samurai…
I think they’ll definitely be releasing HOUSE but I’m guessing they’ll want to wait until Janus is finished touring it around the US. Maybe a late July/early August release.
I really like the cover they’re using for VIVRE SA VIE. I can’t wait to pick that up. I’d like to give SUMMER HOURS another viewing, since the first and only time I’ve seen it was at a film festival last year. As well as giving THE FUGITIVE KIND a first viewing.
I just noticed that Pontecorvo’s KAPÒ has been announced as part of the Essential Art House series. Does anyone know if Criterion has plans to release it as well?
With but a few days left until the May announcements, does anyone have an idea of what will be posted? I’m hoping they give Stagecoach a release date soon.
Fantastic announcements! Walkabout was in need of an update, especially to blu-ray. It gives me great joy to see all of the new titles (short of the Eclipse set, naturally) being released on blu-ray as well as DVD. The countdown to May could be a tough one to bear.
Given the Zwigoff mention in the introduction and the Fritz the Cat cartoon, I’d say it’s definitely suggesting a release for the wonderful Crumb.
I’m hoping for a Chaplin box set. I can picture it in my mind and it’s glorious. I’m not sure what they would put in such a set, but if they have indeed managed to snag from Warner Bros. the rights to his United Artists period (and whatever else WB was holding on to), I’m sure it will be a fantastic affair. I don’t imagine I’m the only one hoping for some unreleased material to be added to the collection.
What Criterion has previously done with films being toured by Rialto or Janus is to release the DVD after the theatrical run, so it could take some time before we see House on DVD. Though I’d love to get my hands on it sooner, it is comforting just to know that it’s on the way.
PS. @Ryan Estabrooks: Fritz the Cat was created by Robert Crumb.
His review reads like the response of a jilted fan trying to get one last stab at a conveniently deceased foe. And in a book review no less! I’m guessing I won’t be picking up Schickel’s Bette Davis book that was plugged at the end of the review any time soon.
While I would enthusiastically greet the release of certain out of print gems (especially The Devils) as mush as the next guy, I understand Criterion’s decision to pick up currently available films in an attempt to further the status and scope of its collection. Crumb and of course Stagecoach are both great films that deserve their place with the rest of the releases. I should point out that if Crumb truly is just a “commercial decision” I don’t think it was very well thought out when compared to the collection’s other commercial decisions: Armageddon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, et al. And the Stagecoach release features a lengthy restoration, let alone the fact that it is being released on blu-ray.
YOUR FAVOURITE "ROAD MOVIE" ? over 3 years ago
I’ve always been very fond of Two-Lane Blacktop and its existensialist narrative; it’s a rare breed of genius and entertainment.
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Disturbing Movies that You Love... over 3 years ago
Salò, though quite disturbing, inhabits its own region of film history: it is something that should be seen and analyzed, though the act of watching it turns many away from it. To those who have ventured into its territory, it still can void many from it. The film, however, is a masterpiece, and only in Pasolini’s true irreverence could it become such a towering acheivement. Some of the film’s most harrowing moments come from the ideas it presents (and subsequently, the recognition of these ideas and themes in our own society), rather than purely from the gruesome imagery of the picture.
Go to Comment
Disturbing Movies that You Love... over 3 years ago
It may not be suited for weekly viewing, and it is difficult to name it “a favorite” of any sort (given the justifications that seem to follow that tag), indeed Salò is something that ought to be seen; as a masked experience of reward, there can be no greater.
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Scorsese fans out there, it's time to unite! over 3 years ago
Scorsese comes from the roots of filmmakers who have actually learned from the films of, say, Buñuel, Godard, Fellini, Kurosawa, etc. (the legends) to become an undeniable legend himself. He is a definite gem. I think something like The Last Temptation of Christ, a film I greatly respect and admire, came as sort of a wake up call to many being such a sudden break from the “gangster” genre he is often tied to, though he had strayed from it before. He has such definite sides, but as he’s developed, these styles, which draw from different influences, have come to kind of converge in each other: his films more and more are starting to combine elements from all his many sides into one film. Gangs of New York, for example, was a gangster film yet also a period piece, of sorts. There are traces of so many of his influences crafted in new and exciting ways with each film he releases, and it was definitely time that he won an Oscar (though with all the exceptions surrounding the award, it seems it doesn’t quite mean what it may once have).
I remember two occasions: his essay in the Criterion release of Godard’s Contempt, and his interview on the release of Pietro Germi’s comic masterpiece Divorce Italian Style. I think his genuine love for film, which shines through whenever he takes time to discuss it, is something that sets him apart, and which he works into his films.
Of course, combining elements into features is hardly Scorsese’s end; he wouldn’t be who he is without his blazing originality and strong cinematic voice. He has single-handedly provided the world a modern tweak on neo-realist cinema.
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A History Of Violence over 3 years ago
Those are some very loose ties, but I applaud you for digging into all of them. Very admirable.
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WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT RATIO? over 3 years ago
I don’t think I can really choose a favourite. Of course, I like 2.35:1 with all its vast grandeur, but I’d never want to change the aspect ratio away from the desire of the director. A reason I’ve really come to appreciate the Criterion Collection.
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Whats your favourite actor,and what actor is so bad you cant look at him over 3 years ago
Is there anyone else who really doesn’t like Sean Penn? In things like All The King’s Men he just achingly overplays his role.
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David Lynch Overrated? over 3 years ago
Never. He is one of the great, uncompromising artists still at work. It’s a gift to have him creating.
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Andy Warhol over 3 years ago
I definitely think his films are a worthy aspect to study. They represent a distinct side of him, so for anyone wanting a mastery of understanding Warhol, his films are essential. And he’s important enough to warrant study.
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Favorite film composers over 3 years ago
David Byrne is someone who scores the few films he works on excellently: Last Emperor especially.
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David Byrne over 3 years ago
I just thought I’d take time to praise the scores of David Byrne and their excellence. He is someone who crafts his work around the motion pictures he scores, rather than simply submitting unrelated musical texts, as has become far too common these days. His score for Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor is a vital element and adds great lengths to the picture.
Go to Comment
David Byrne over 3 years ago
Definitely. Brian Eno is also someone who can really enhance mood with music. He hasn’t done too much major soundtrack work, sadly, even though with his ambient series, he is arguably best fit for the position.
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Directors that consistently make terrible films over 3 years ago
Uwe Boll, definitely. But with someone like Michael Bay, who claims to be an artist, his being an awful director seems strengthened by the fact that he’s stated this. Sadly, he even has two Criterions to back himself up.
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Do You Like Wes Anderson? over 3 years ago
I love Wes Anderson. Rushmore, and, even even more so, The Royal Tenenbaums stand as two of the finest films released in the past decade. Very strong acheivements. He shows great promise.
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Favorite plays turned into films over 3 years ago
Robert Altman’s rendition of Secret Honour
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Film: Is it art or entertainment? over 3 years ago
The forever-chasing question; on one hand, the films of, for exapmle, Truffaut or Fellini are hard to consider anything but art, but then if you consider cinema art, then every teen sex comedy or mindless action flick released ought also then be art. It’s certainly a tough choice. I tend to consider film an art form, and just because it’s bloated by many sometimes far lesser works, it still stands as a process of creation and should be judged as art form.
Go to Comment
Out of Print over 2 years ago
It looks as though the Criterion Collection has lost the rights to The Third Man and it’s now gone out of print. What’s going on?! Just last year they lost Contempt and Ran, and now this? This certainly isn’t the way I wanted to start the new decade. I’m glad I already own it.
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IF YOU WERE FORCED TO LIVE ON AN ISLAND AND YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE CRITERION FILM...WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? over 2 years ago
I think it would be logical to bring one of the box sets, like the Antoine Doinel box, though it may be considered cheating (then again, who would police that?). Hypothetically, I’d be able to keep my sanity three or four times longer than the guy who only brought one film.
What about The Complete Mr. Arkadin? Where else but on a desert island would you be as grateful for having so many different versions of your only film.
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 2 years ago
They really ought to gather all the early Hitchcock titles into an Eclipse set, seeing as most of them are in the public domain.
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Rohmer is dead! over 2 years ago
OH NO! Only a few days ago was I thinking about how he was still alive, if not still making movies. The next viewing of the six moral tales will be a sad one indeed.
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Avatar: To 3D or not to 3D? over 2 years ago
I enjoyed the 3D as an experience, but I wonder if over the course of the next decades, when Hollywood refuses to fund a film that isn’t in 3D, Avatar will be viewed as less of an ‘achievement’. Cameron’s thought that everything should be in 3D to add a higher degree of “realism” to the picture–especially with Avatar making loads of money to back his claim–is troubling. I’m not swayed into believing the characters just because they seem more life-like and I can’t imagine seeing anything other than an action film in this format. I’m also guessing that this perceived realism will lead to a major slump in character development in the traditional sense.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
Definitely an Oshima Eclipse set. Tomorrow’s Sun and The Sun’s Burial perhaps, which suggests an Early Oshima release. Maybe his first five films, as in the Early Bergman set. I’m excited for this. I’m guessing it will be revealed within the next few days, along with the latest crop of announcements. Hopefully on the 15th.
I’m sure someone at Criterion would enjoy hearing about Oshi Samurai…
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 2 years ago
The Mother and the Whore by Jean Eustache.
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Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
@Zachary
I think they’ll definitely be releasing HOUSE but I’m guessing they’ll want to wait until Janus is finished touring it around the US. Maybe a late July/early August release.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
I really like the cover they’re using for VIVRE SA VIE. I can’t wait to pick that up. I’d like to give SUMMER HOURS another viewing, since the first and only time I’ve seen it was at a film festival last year. As well as giving THE FUGITIVE KIND a first viewing.
I just noticed that Pontecorvo’s KAPÒ has been announced as part of the Essential Art House series. Does anyone know if Criterion has plans to release it as well?
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
With but a few days left until the May announcements, does anyone have an idea of what will be posted? I’m hoping they give Stagecoach a release date soon.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
Fantastic announcements! Walkabout was in need of an update, especially to blu-ray. It gives me great joy to see all of the new titles (short of the Eclipse set, naturally) being released on blu-ray as well as DVD. The countdown to May could be a tough one to bear.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
Given the Zwigoff mention in the introduction and the Fritz the Cat cartoon, I’d say it’s definitely suggesting a release for the wonderful Crumb.
I’m hoping for a Chaplin box set. I can picture it in my mind and it’s glorious. I’m not sure what they would put in such a set, but if they have indeed managed to snag from Warner Bros. the rights to his United Artists period (and whatever else WB was holding on to), I’m sure it will be a fantastic affair. I don’t imagine I’m the only one hoping for some unreleased material to be added to the collection.
What Criterion has previously done with films being toured by Rialto or Janus is to release the DVD after the theatrical run, so it could take some time before we see House on DVD. Though I’d love to get my hands on it sooner, it is comforting just to know that it’s on the way.
PS. @Ryan Estabrooks: Fritz the Cat was created by Robert Crumb.
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Wow! Check out Richard Schickel's scathing attack on Robert Altman.... over 2 years ago
His review reads like the response of a jilted fan trying to get one last stab at a conveniently deceased foe. And in a book review no less! I’m guessing I won’t be picking up Schickel’s Bette Davis book that was plugged at the end of the review any time soon.
Go to Comment
Criterion Coming Soon and Discussion Redux over 2 years ago
While I would enthusiastically greet the release of certain out of print gems (especially The Devils) as mush as the next guy, I understand Criterion’s decision to pick up currently available films in an attempt to further the status and scope of its collection. Crumb and of course Stagecoach are both great films that deserve their place with the rest of the releases. I should point out that if Crumb truly is just a “commercial decision” I don’t think it was very well thought out when compared to the collection’s other commercial decisions: Armageddon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, et al. And the Stagecoach release features a lengthy restoration, let alone the fact that it is being released on blu-ray.
Go to Comment