I can second a lot of these recommendations and definitely have to pick up a few others! For any Bergman fan I’d highly recommend The Ingmar Bergman Archives. A bit pricey but massive, beautiful and packed with info. Just finished Iron Man. The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto by Tom Mes, which I’d also recommend for those into his work..
I’m all about Blu-ray. Upconverting a quality DVD is indeed nice, but Blu-Ray definitely outshines and I’m pretty excited to start the collection… but, in my case it might help that I was too broke during the DVD era to amass much of a collection I have to feel raw about replacing. Nothing wrong with being selective in the upgrades if one is happy with they currently have.. but bring on the Blu-ray! Of course, I’m sure I’ll feel the pain when they inevitably start double dipping with Blu-ray releases..
A bit steep and I’m waiting for HD BUT I borrowed the mystery disc from a friend and it’s great! An hour and a half segment of deleted Wild at Heart scenes..a bunch of unseen and definitely interesting old 16mm experiments.. Rabbits.. a couple of Out Yonder episodes.. Scissors.. some other stuff..
Yeah, it’s an absolute shame ‘Face to Face’ isn’t readily available. Even ‘The Touch’ deserves a release, although it’s not nearly as good. I don’t know if I can do this list.. I’d end up putting half his filmography on there. I’m actually doing a bit of a revisit marathon right now..
Great piece of writing Marc-David! Stardust Memories has always been one of my favorite Allen films, and you’ve inspired me to seek out Sunday Bloody Sunday.
..and Sharon Stone.. I did think she was great in Casino.
Some favorites:
Kobo Abe (Secret Rendezvous, Woman in the Dunes)
J. G. Ballard (Crash, Atrocity Exhibition)
Georges Bataille (Story of the Eye)
Samuel Beckett (Novels)
Andre Breton (Nadja)
Charles Bukowski
William S. Burroughs
Raymond Chandler
Philip K. Dick
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Marguerite Duras
Dashiel Hammet
Hermann Hesse (Narcissus and Goldmund)
Cormac McCarthy
Yukio Mishima
Vladimir Nabokov
Chuck Palahniuk (Choke, Survivor)
Tom Robbins (Jitterbug Perfume)
Marquis de Sade
Mickey Spillane
Neal Stephenson
Hunter S. Thompson
Kurt Vonnegut
I agree Campbell. If it doesn’t inspire some kind of feeling I’m not sure what the point is.. otherwise I could have just stared at the wall for two hours.
As for strong emotion, I seem to be having stronger emotional reactions to films in general lately.. I don’t know if I’m watching too many good movies or I’m hitting an early mid-life crisis ;)
10:
John Zorn’s Bar Kokba – Lucifer: The Book of Angels Vol. 10
Earth – The Bee Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
Fred Frith – To Sail, To Sail
John Zorn – The Dreamers
Bohren & Der Club of Gore – Dolores
Secret Chiefs 3 – Xaphan: The Book of Angels Vol. 9
Portishead – Third
Bobby Previte & The New Bump – Set the Alarm for Monday
Sunn O))) – Dømkirke
Bill Frisell – History, Mystery
Runners up:
Berangere Maximin – Tant Que Les Heures Passent
Morton Feldman – The Viola in My Life
Medeski, Martin & Wood – Radiolarians 1 & Zaebos
Broken Arm Trio – Broken Arm Trio
ASVA – What You Don’t Know Is Frontier
Teiji Ito – The Shamanic Principles
Daniel Menche – Glass Forest
the magic I.D. – til my breath gives out
Vandermark 5 – Beat Reader
Fire Room – Broken Music
Mary Halvorson Trio – Dragon’s Head
Swami Lateplate – Doom Jazz
Squarepusher – Just a Souvenir
Lustmord – Other
Original Silence – The Second Original Silence
Grails – Take Refuge In Clean Living
Conifer – Crown Fire
Beta Popes – Live Hate
Fave rockers:
Boris – Smile
Melvins – Nude with Boots
Fave improv record:
Anthony Braxton, William Parker & Milford Graves – Beyond Quantum
Reissues:
DNA – DNA on DNA…plus 2xLP
Faith No More – Angel Dust 180g, 2xLP
Carcass – All
Melvins – A Senile Animal 4xLP
Sun Ra – Secrets of the Sun
John Zorn, George Lewis & Bill Frisell – News for Lulu (Remaster)
(ECM reissues at discount prices)
Music DVDs:
Daniel Kraus – Musician (on Ken Vandermark)
Khlyst – Chaos Live
Ai Aso – The Chamomile Pool Show
Clutch – Full Fathom Five
Iannis Xenakis – Kraanerg
I’ve been wholeheartedly recommending it. I’m very pleased so far, and can’t wait for more Criterion releases, especially Walkabout! I get a lot of negative vibes on the issue, mostly from those who have invested a lot in their DVD collection and haven’t really bothered to sit down and experience a few films on Blu-ray. Oh well.. I’m all for it. I can second what Robby says on the Kubrick.. 2001 and The Shining are definitely worth upgrading, Clockwork and EWS are relatively minimal upgrades but at least I got them for really cheap.
Chungking Express was one of the major film experiences for me – saw it without hardly a blink at 4am when I was 13 and going through the shift from viewing movies as great entertainment to recognizing film as an art form. The following week I saw Vivre sa vie and fell in love with Anna Karina.. oh, those were days :P
I agree, Sacredchao, I’ve spent only a couple of dollars more than DVD prices for most of my Blu-ray collection thus far. The sales are out there and Amazon has been pretty decent. I can understand some of the reasons for waiting or choosing not to upgrade, but the comments disregarding the format altogether (Alison :P) I find rather interesting coming from film fans…
Well, there have been a few cases where it was negligible – it didn’t really enhance the experience enough to warrant investing more. Actually, those two Kubrick films are probably the biggest examples I have. But I’d say 85% of the titles I’ve compared have been more than enough of an improvement for me to want to upgrade. Of course the source plays a big role, and I’m sure we’ll see more examples of minimal upgrades to come. Some newer DVD titles look pretty snazzy upconverted, but of course then you put the Blu-ray in..
I agree, I love a few of Kim Ki-Duk’s films.. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.. and Spring is especially gorgeous (and thoughtful). Have you seen Dream yet Mark? I’m rather conflicted on this one.. not really sure at all how I feel about it..
I do hunt for the deals and either way certainly find them worth it. I have to admit I absorbed the majority of the collection through the library system. The couch change I was living on only went so far. Now that I have a bit more, I plan to go broke on their Blu-ray releases and continue to use the couch change for food.
The Road Warrior
After Hours (no I’m not joking, I was fascinated with this movie)
Back to the Future (series)
The James Bond series
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Batman (’89)
High Plains Drifter (I stayed up late watching this with my grandma one night and it had a pretty big impact on me..snuck it onto a Beta tape next time it was on..)
And a lot of other usual stuff really..
I have pretty strong memories of seeing Blue Velvet at 8.. might have left some damage.. thanks Dad!
Yeah.. I couldn’t help but notice it follows in the same tread marks. Well crafted film, but I felt it missed the mark it was aiming for. The theme of aging backwards was as much of a weakness as a strength. It inspired me to feel and to think at various points, but not exactly in alignment with the film.. or rather, not in the direction the film was tugging.
I spent my most obsessive film watching years raiding the library, online, borrowing, netflix, etc. and never amassed that large of a DVD collection due to finances. I now add those that most left an impression and I plan to revisit. However, that is going to be one hell of a lot..
Good post NEH. I tend to agree. I come up against this attitude a lot, not just in film but any art form, especially music. Just because I enjoy a lot of bands considered ‘noise’ by my friends, they are even more likely to raise their eyebrows when I put in some ‘over-rated mainstream’ band like Radiohead. How many times have I heard one of them remark after seeing a film that’s garnering a lot of critical praise. ‘Well, it wasn’t THAT good’. As if they really expected it to be the best thing since sliced bread because the masses they obviously love to go against are so positive on the subject. Always focusing on any negative points they can find, however minor, to prove their superior taste. We should feel how we feel about something without considering it’s relation to popular acceptance. Who cares if something is ‘over-rated’? It is what it is.
NEH, I wouldn’t consider Radiohead mediocre either -) Just an example of the attitudes I’ve run across, where it seems something so universally loved can’t be anything but..
I’ve come across those who have taken me as an elitist at first because I’m so passionate about so many things which seem ‘obscure’. Kinda sucks :)
Jerome – You must be the first person I’ve run into who shares my feeling towards the Brown Bunny. While I don’t consider it great, I certainly find it underrated and misunderstood. The ending kicked me right in the gut, but it also related in a way to a personal experience I was having at that time..
Books about film. over 3 years ago
I can second a lot of these recommendations and definitely have to pick up a few others! For any Bergman fan I’d highly recommend The Ingmar Bergman Archives. A bit pricey but massive, beautiful and packed with info. Just finished Iron Man. The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto by Tom Mes, which I’d also recommend for those into his work..
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As it must to all DVD, Double Dip came to Criterion... over 3 years ago
Sometimes I buy the CD and then the vinyl :)
I’m all about Blu-ray. Upconverting a quality DVD is indeed nice, but Blu-Ray definitely outshines and I’m pretty excited to start the collection… but, in my case it might help that I was too broke during the DVD era to amass much of a collection I have to feel raw about replacing. Nothing wrong with being selective in the upgrades if one is happy with they currently have.. but bring on the Blu-ray! Of course, I’m sure I’ll feel the pain when they inevitably start double dipping with Blu-ray releases..
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David Lynch's Lime Green Box Set? Anyone? Anyone? over 3 years ago
((Mystery Disc Spoiler))
A bit steep and I’m waiting for HD BUT I borrowed the mystery disc from a friend and it’s great! An hour and a half segment of deleted Wild at Heart scenes..a bunch of unseen and definitely interesting old 16mm experiments.. Rabbits.. a couple of Out Yonder episodes.. Scissors.. some other stuff..
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TOP BERGMAN over 3 years ago
Yeah, it’s an absolute shame ‘Face to Face’ isn’t readily available. Even ‘The Touch’ deserves a release, although it’s not nearly as good. I don’t know if I can do this list.. I’d end up putting half his filmography on there. I’m actually doing a bit of a revisit marathon right now..
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On why Woody Allen's Stardust Memories and John Schlesinger's Sunday Bloody Sunday are the best films — in brief. over 3 years ago
Great piece of writing Marc-David! Stardust Memories has always been one of my favorite Allen films, and you’ve inspired me to seek out Sunday Bloody Sunday.
..and Sharon Stone.. I did think she was great in Casino.
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Who do you read? over 3 years ago
Ah, goodreads.. I should log back into that..
Some favorites:
Kobo Abe (Secret Rendezvous, Woman in the Dunes)
J. G. Ballard (Crash, Atrocity Exhibition)
Georges Bataille (Story of the Eye)
Samuel Beckett (Novels)
Andre Breton (Nadja)
Charles Bukowski
William S. Burroughs
Raymond Chandler
Philip K. Dick
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Marguerite Duras
Dashiel Hammet
Hermann Hesse (Narcissus and Goldmund)
Cormac McCarthy
Yukio Mishima
Vladimir Nabokov
Chuck Palahniuk (Choke, Survivor)
Tom Robbins (Jitterbug Perfume)
Marquis de Sade
Mickey Spillane
Neal Stephenson
Hunter S. Thompson
Kurt Vonnegut
Lately it’s been a lot of books on film -)
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Unexpected over 3 years ago
I agree Campbell. If it doesn’t inspire some kind of feeling I’m not sure what the point is.. otherwise I could have just stared at the wall for two hours.
As for strong emotion, I seem to be having stronger emotional reactions to films in general lately.. I don’t know if I’m watching too many good movies or I’m hitting an early mid-life crisis ;)
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Top Albums of the Year (aka What rocks your ipod) 2008 over 3 years ago
10:
John Zorn’s Bar Kokba – Lucifer: The Book of Angels Vol. 10
Earth – The Bee Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
Fred Frith – To Sail, To Sail
John Zorn – The Dreamers
Bohren & Der Club of Gore – Dolores
Secret Chiefs 3 – Xaphan: The Book of Angels Vol. 9
Portishead – Third
Bobby Previte & The New Bump – Set the Alarm for Monday
Sunn O))) – Dømkirke
Bill Frisell – History, Mystery
Runners up:
Berangere Maximin – Tant Que Les Heures Passent
Morton Feldman – The Viola in My Life
Medeski, Martin & Wood – Radiolarians 1 & Zaebos
Broken Arm Trio – Broken Arm Trio
ASVA – What You Don’t Know Is Frontier
Teiji Ito – The Shamanic Principles
Daniel Menche – Glass Forest
the magic I.D. – til my breath gives out
Vandermark 5 – Beat Reader
Fire Room – Broken Music
Mary Halvorson Trio – Dragon’s Head
Swami Lateplate – Doom Jazz
Squarepusher – Just a Souvenir
Lustmord – Other
Original Silence – The Second Original Silence
Grails – Take Refuge In Clean Living
Conifer – Crown Fire
Beta Popes – Live Hate
Fave rockers:
Boris – Smile
Melvins – Nude with Boots
Fave improv record:
Anthony Braxton, William Parker & Milford Graves – Beyond Quantum
Reissues:
DNA – DNA on DNA…plus 2xLP
Faith No More – Angel Dust 180g, 2xLP
Carcass – All
Melvins – A Senile Animal 4xLP
Sun Ra – Secrets of the Sun
John Zorn, George Lewis & Bill Frisell – News for Lulu (Remaster)
(ECM reissues at discount prices)
Music DVDs:
Daniel Kraus – Musician (on Ken Vandermark)
Khlyst – Chaos Live
Ai Aso – The Chamomile Pool Show
Clutch – Full Fathom Five
Iannis Xenakis – Kraanerg
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WHICH DIRECTORS...NOT...CURRENTLY REPRESENTED IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION DO YOU WANT TO SEE INCLUDED? over 3 years ago
Most definitely Peter Greenaway. What’s with all the shoddy transfers?
Bela Tarr.. Herzog..
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to blu or not to blu over 3 years ago
I’ve been wholeheartedly recommending it. I’m very pleased so far, and can’t wait for more Criterion releases, especially Walkabout! I get a lot of negative vibes on the issue, mostly from those who have invested a lot in their DVD collection and haven’t really bothered to sit down and experience a few films on Blu-ray. Oh well.. I’m all for it. I can second what Robby says on the Kubrick.. 2001 and The Shining are definitely worth upgrading, Clockwork and EWS are relatively minimal upgrades but at least I got them for really cheap.
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Opinions on Wong Kar-Wai over 3 years ago
Chungking Express was one of the major film experiences for me – saw it without hardly a blink at 4am when I was 13 and going through the shift from viewing movies as great entertainment to recognizing film as an art form. The following week I saw Vivre sa vie and fell in love with Anna Karina.. oh, those were days :P
Go to Comment
Criterion's lame blu-ray debut over 3 years ago
I agree, Sacredchao, I’ve spent only a couple of dollars more than DVD prices for most of my Blu-ray collection thus far. The sales are out there and Amazon has been pretty decent. I can understand some of the reasons for waiting or choosing not to upgrade, but the comments disregarding the format altogether (Alison :P) I find rather interesting coming from film fans…
Go to Comment
to blu or not to blu over 3 years ago
Well, there have been a few cases where it was negligible – it didn’t really enhance the experience enough to warrant investing more. Actually, those two Kubrick films are probably the biggest examples I have. But I’d say 85% of the titles I’ve compared have been more than enough of an improvement for me to want to upgrade. Of course the source plays a big role, and I’m sure we’ll see more examples of minimal upgrades to come. Some newer DVD titles look pretty snazzy upconverted, but of course then you put the Blu-ray in..
Go to Comment
WHICH DIRECTORS...NOT...CURRENTLY REPRESENTED IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION DO YOU WANT TO SEE INCLUDED? over 3 years ago
I agree, I love a few of Kim Ki-Duk’s films.. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.. and Spring is especially gorgeous (and thoughtful). Have you seen Dream yet Mark? I’m rather conflicted on this one.. not really sure at all how I feel about it..
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Criterion too pricey for you? over 3 years ago
I do hunt for the deals and either way certainly find them worth it. I have to admit I absorbed the majority of the collection through the library system. The couch change I was living on only went so far. Now that I have a bit more, I plan to go broke on their Blu-ray releases and continue to use the couch change for food.
Go to Comment
TOP 5 Childhood Films over 3 years ago
Before 10.. these poor tapes were worn thin..
The Road Warrior
After Hours (no I’m not joking, I was fascinated with this movie)
Back to the Future (series)
The James Bond series
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Batman (’89)
High Plains Drifter (I stayed up late watching this with my grandma one night and it had a pretty big impact on me..snuck it onto a Beta tape next time it was on..)
And a lot of other usual stuff really..
I have pretty strong memories of seeing Blue Velvet at 8.. might have left some damage.. thanks Dad!
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Criterion's lame blu-ray debut over 3 years ago
Well put Robby.
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Benjamin Gump over 3 years ago
Yeah.. I couldn’t help but notice it follows in the same tread marks. Well crafted film, but I felt it missed the mark it was aiming for. The theme of aging backwards was as much of a weakness as a strength. It inspired me to feel and to think at various points, but not exactly in alignment with the film.. or rather, not in the direction the film was tugging.
Go to Comment
How Big Is Your DVD Collection? over 3 years ago
I spent my most obsessive film watching years raiding the library, online, borrowing, netflix, etc. and never amassed that large of a DVD collection due to finances. I now add those that most left an impression and I plan to revisit. However, that is going to be one hell of a lot..
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WHAT MOVIE WILL YOU BE WATCHING THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE? over 3 years ago
Make sure to check out the underwater footage extra on “Encounters At The End Of The World”. Beautiful!
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Mediocrity (or, Pop Backlash Syndrome) over 3 years ago
Good post NEH. I tend to agree. I come up against this attitude a lot, not just in film but any art form, especially music. Just because I enjoy a lot of bands considered ‘noise’ by my friends, they are even more likely to raise their eyebrows when I put in some ‘over-rated mainstream’ band like Radiohead. How many times have I heard one of them remark after seeing a film that’s garnering a lot of critical praise. ‘Well, it wasn’t THAT good’. As if they really expected it to be the best thing since sliced bread because the masses they obviously love to go against are so positive on the subject. Always focusing on any negative points they can find, however minor, to prove their superior taste. We should feel how we feel about something without considering it’s relation to popular acceptance. Who cares if something is ‘over-rated’? It is what it is.
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Mediocrity (or, Pop Backlash Syndrome) over 3 years ago
Very good points JP Belmondo.
The word pretentious used in criticism.. does anyone else find that act itself to often be pretentious?
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Mediocrity (or, Pop Backlash Syndrome) over 3 years ago
NEH, I wouldn’t consider Radiohead mediocre either -) Just an example of the attitudes I’ve run across, where it seems something so universally loved can’t be anything but..
I’ve come across those who have taken me as an elitist at first because I’m so passionate about so many things which seem ‘obscure’. Kinda sucks :)
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Mediocrity (or, Pop Backlash Syndrome) over 3 years ago
That’s a bit rough Kevin. I’d like to think we could keep this from disintegrating into another personal attack thread so rampant on other forums.
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Underrated / overrated over 3 years ago
Jerome – You must be the first person I’ve run into who shares my feeling towards the Brown Bunny. While I don’t consider it great, I certainly find it underrated and misunderstood. The ending kicked me right in the gut, but it also related in a way to a personal experience I was having at that time..
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Favorite Gary Oldman Role!! over 3 years ago
Ah, I love Oldman. That’s tough.. thought he made a great Dracula. Really cracks me up as Drexl in True Romance. Meantime..
But, yeah, he’s great even in trash.
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Do you like Martin Scorsese's AFTER HOURS? over 3 years ago
I have a strong nostalgic feeling for this one.. used to watch it endlessly as a kid.
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Last movie you saw and rate it over 3 years ago
Accident: 7.5/10
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Last movie you saw and rate it over 3 years ago
Doubt: 8.5/10 .. and I walked through miles of snow to see it! Great performances all around.
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Last movie you saw and rate it over 3 years ago
Bob, the 1967 Accident is indeed what I was referring to.
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