I have almost 400 titles. Not sure how many are Criterion. I no longer rent movies as I have found that if I am patient many titles will show up at the flea market for a few bucks. Not a lot of Criterion discs but we do run across one occasionally – my son got the Criterion edition of Grand Illusion for $1. Used CD/DVD stores and half.com are also excellent sources. There is one used disc store that even has a separate Criterion section. Occasionally I’ll splurge and pay real money for a “must have it now” title or an “I give up and I’ll never find it for cheap” release. I usually try and wait for birthday/Christmas and get these discs as gifts. It is possible to build a decent collection without breaking the bank.
I use MediaMan to keep track of my collection, Adam and, I agree, it’s useful. Once you have more than a small collection, it’s not easy to remember what you actually have and what you are are pretty sure you have. At least for me it’s hard to remember. I’ve seldom bought a dvd with no idea what it’s about but most of my collection was bought before ever having seen the movie. I read this board and others like it and conduct internet research and get good ideas and suggestions about which films I might enjoy. Every film anyone ever watched had to be viewed once without ever having seen the film before. Just so happens that many of my first viewings happen to be of dvd’s I purchased. The majority of these dvd’s were purchased used and cost from $1 to $5. I have found several Criterion titles for $5 or less. If I buy a movie and don’t like it, I can trade it to my used dvd vendor. My collection is large enough that I don’t have to visit Blockbuster and I always have a good movie to watch.
Slapshot – The Hanson Brothers
Oceans Eleven – Virgil and Turk Malloy
Trading Places – Randolph and Mortimer Duke
A River Runs Through It – Paul and Norman Maclean
Really enjoyed him in Leon and True Romance. He is at his absolute best as the Devil in the BMW short Film “Beat the Devil”. Though James Brown steals the show (in one of his final film performances).
The “curb stomp” scene in American History X is beyond disturbing.
Session 9 was shot in an abandoned insane asylum and the movie is filled with dread almost from the start. One of my favorite “haunted house” stories.
How about a Lugosi/Karloff box set / Dracula and Frankenstein.
Session 9 is a seldom seen but excellent “haunted house” flick which was shot in an abandoned insane asylum.
I always have trouble with the “Sci-Fi” category of movies. Which movies are Sci-Fi? Which are fantasy? Which are Sci-Fi/fantasy? I’ve read a number of different online attempts to define these genres but there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus. Anyway, I browsed my collection and have listed those films which I could easily classify as Sci-Fi.
12 Monkeys
2001: A Space Odyssey
Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, The
Alien
Aliens
Altered States
Barb Wire
Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy
Blade Runner
Brazil
Clockwork Orange, A
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Dark City
Death Race 2000 (1975)
E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial
Escape from New York
Gattaca
Hellboy
Independence Day
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Johnny Mnemonic
Lawnmower Man, The
Logan’s Run
Mad Max
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Matrix, The
Men in Black
Minority Report
Plan 9 from Outer Space
Road Warrior, The
Robocop
Rollerball (1975)
Running Man, The
Sleeper
Soylent Green
Star Wars Trilogy
Starship Troopers
Terminator, The
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3 – Rise of the Machines
THX 1138
Total Recall
Tron
Shaun of the Dead: Don’t Stop Me Now"" Shaun/Ed Zombie Beat Down
Long Kiss Goodnight: “She’s Not There” Samantha—>Charly switcharoo
Almost Famous/Untitled: “Tiny Dancer” sing-along
High Fidelity: Jack Black sings “Let’s Get It On”
Reservoir Dogs: “Stuck in the Middle With You” torture dance
The Breakfast Club: “Don’t You Forget About Me” big finish
Lost In Translation: “Brass In Pocket” Scarlett Johansson karaoke
I was watching the “Dirty Dozen” (1967) a few nights ago and noticed the Last Supper tableau again. It’s fun having little surprises like this in a film and having Telly Savalas’ character (Maggott, the traitor to the mission) placed in the “Judas position” makes this scene even better. There are several instances of this tableau in the movies:
One of the most famous (infamous) is the scene in Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana” which I’ve never seen
The obvious examples ~ “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973) and “History of the World, Part 1” (1981)
Then there’s my personal favorite favorite ~ M*A*S*H (1971)
What are your favorite instances of this work of art (or some other) appearing in film?
Mmoore ~ I have “Viridiana” on my list of “need to watch it” films but I just haven’t gotten around to it. So many films…
Good call, Dave. I’ve got that Criterion dvd so I’m not sure how I forgot that scene.
Hunky Dory is my favorite David Bowie by David Bowie. My favorite David Bowie by someone else is Seu Jorge singing acoustic Bowie covers in Portugese on the Life Aquatic soundtrack.
The Replacement Killers – Antoine Fuqua
Great soundtrack, great action, great lines
Smile, and say “Flight from prosecution”.
Payback – Brian Helgeland
Get ready to root for the bad guy…
GSW: that’s what the hospitals call it: gunshot wound. Doctor has to report it to the police. That makes it hard for guys in my line to get what I call, quality health care.
Escape From New York – John Carpenter
Kurt Russel in an eye patch, Adrienne Barbeau in a whatever that was she was wearing and two guys fighting with SPIKED BASEBALL BATS and GARBAGE CAN LIDS… can it get any better?
Watch it with the commentary on. Russell and Carpenter are a riot. Call me Snake!
Kiss of the Dragon – Chris Nahon
Nobody kicks ass like Jet Li.
Point Break – Kathryn Bigelow
Surfing, skydiving, bank robbing, Swayze and Busey.
I would imagine that “Song of the South” might take on any number of new meanings viewed while in a chemically altered state. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, indeed!
Alphabetical by title – Criterions and Non-Criterions mixed. Beverly Hills Cop and Bicycle Thieves living peacefully next door to one another. Last Year at Marienbad right next to The Lawnmower Man. Mystery Men and Naked Lunch side by side. Rules of the Game shoulder to shoulder with The Running Man. I catalog them on my computer with MediMan and keep up with them online at bigwatermelon.com.
Great thread! Many old favorites listed here. Many new favorites probably also listed. For a series of shorts that are big fun, see BMW Films – The Hire. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hire)
@Zeke – Thanks X 2:
1. Thanks for the heads up on Ran being officially out of print. My local B&N has a copy so I’ll try and pick it up today before the sale ends.
2. Thanks for buying so many Criterion dvd’s during this sale. I was feeling a little guilty about the number of dvd’s I bought and the additional dvd’s my wife bought for future presents (I’ll be getting Criterion dvd’s for the next year or so – Christmas, Birthday, Father’s Day, etc). After seeing your list of purchases, I don’t feel quite so guilty.
I thought that the madness had ended. No more 50% Off Criterions Sale. I could return without fear of another Criterion Spending Spree. NOT SO! Many titles in the store are now 40% off. Several Non-Criterion titles on my list were included in this sale: Once Upon a Time in America, Blow-Up, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Stagecoach, Mean Streets. Curse you B&N!
How Big Is Your DVD Collection? over 3 years ago
I have almost 400 titles. Not sure how many are Criterion. I no longer rent movies as I have found that if I am patient many titles will show up at the flea market for a few bucks. Not a lot of Criterion discs but we do run across one occasionally – my son got the Criterion edition of Grand Illusion for $1. Used CD/DVD stores and half.com are also excellent sources. There is one used disc store that even has a separate Criterion section. Occasionally I’ll splurge and pay real money for a “must have it now” title or an “I give up and I’ll never find it for cheap” release. I usually try and wait for birthday/Christmas and get these discs as gifts. It is possible to build a decent collection without breaking the bank.
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Other movies in situations similar to Brazil over 3 years ago
Blade Runner is a classic example. At least seven versions exist.
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Any Cool Xmas Presents? over 3 years ago
John Cassavetes Criterion Box Set and Ray Harryhausen “Legendary Monster Series” Box Set.
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How Big Is Your DVD Collection? over 3 years ago
I use MediaMan to keep track of my collection, Adam and, I agree, it’s useful. Once you have more than a small collection, it’s not easy to remember what you actually have and what you are are pretty sure you have. At least for me it’s hard to remember. I’ve seldom bought a dvd with no idea what it’s about but most of my collection was bought before ever having seen the movie. I read this board and others like it and conduct internet research and get good ideas and suggestions about which films I might enjoy. Every film anyone ever watched had to be viewed once without ever having seen the film before. Just so happens that many of my first viewings happen to be of dvd’s I purchased. The majority of these dvd’s were purchased used and cost from $1 to $5. I have found several Criterion titles for $5 or less. If I buy a movie and don’t like it, I can trade it to my used dvd vendor. My collection is large enough that I don’t have to visit Blockbuster and I always have a good movie to watch.
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Greatest samurai film of all time? over 3 years ago
Shogun Assassin and When the Last Sword is Drawn
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 3 years ago
Another vote for The Night of the Hunter
The Man Who Would Be King
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Films with brothers quarreling over 3 years ago
Slapshot – The Hanson Brothers
Oceans Eleven – Virgil and Turk Malloy
Trading Places – Randolph and Mortimer Duke
A River Runs Through It – Paul and Norman Maclean
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Favorite Gary Oldman Role!! over 3 years ago
Really enjoyed him in Leon and True Romance. He is at his absolute best as the Devil in the BMW short Film “Beat the Devil”. Though James Brown steals the show (in one of his final film performances).
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The scariest or most disturbing film you have EVER seen. over 3 years ago
The “curb stomp” scene in American History X is beyond disturbing.
Session 9 was shot in an abandoned insane asylum and the movie is filled with dread almost from the start. One of my favorite “haunted house” stories.
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Howzabout Some Horror on Criterion? over 3 years ago
How about a Lugosi/Karloff box set / Dracula and Frankenstein.
Session 9 is a seldom seen but excellent “haunted house” flick which was shot in an abandoned insane asylum.
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SCIENCE-FICTION AS A GENRE - WHICH ARE THE BEST FILMS AND WHY? over 3 years ago
I always have trouble with the “Sci-Fi” category of movies. Which movies are Sci-Fi? Which are fantasy? Which are Sci-Fi/fantasy? I’ve read a number of different online attempts to define these genres but there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus. Anyway, I browsed my collection and have listed those films which I could easily classify as Sci-Fi.
12 Monkeys
2001: A Space Odyssey
Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, The
Alien
Aliens
Altered States
Barb Wire
Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy
Blade Runner
Brazil
Clockwork Orange, A
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Dark City
Death Race 2000 (1975)
E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial
Escape from New York
Gattaca
Hellboy
Independence Day
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Johnny Mnemonic
Lawnmower Man, The
Logan’s Run
Mad Max
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Matrix, The
Men in Black
Minority Report
Plan 9 from Outer Space
Road Warrior, The
Robocop
Rollerball (1975)
Running Man, The
Sleeper
Soylent Green
Star Wars Trilogy
Starship Troopers
Terminator, The
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 3 – Rise of the Machines
THX 1138
Total Recall
Tron
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Favorite use of a song in a film. over 3 years ago
Shaun of the Dead: Don’t Stop Me Now"" Shaun/Ed Zombie Beat Down
Long Kiss Goodnight: “She’s Not There” Samantha—>Charly switcharoo
Almost Famous/Untitled: “Tiny Dancer” sing-along
High Fidelity: Jack Black sings “Let’s Get It On”
Reservoir Dogs: “Stuck in the Middle With You” torture dance
The Breakfast Club: “Don’t You Forget About Me” big finish
Lost In Translation: “Brass In Pocket” Scarlett Johansson karaoke
Go to Comment
Movies you love, but everyone else hates. over 3 years ago
Escape From New York…
Especially with the Kurt Russell / John Carpenter commentary
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The Last Supper Tableau in Film over 3 years ago
I was watching the “Dirty Dozen” (1967) a few nights ago and noticed the Last Supper tableau again. It’s fun having little surprises like this in a film and having Telly Savalas’ character (Maggott, the traitor to the mission) placed in the “Judas position” makes this scene even better. There are several instances of this tableau in the movies:
One of the most famous (infamous) is the scene in Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana” which I’ve never seen
The obvious examples ~ “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1973) and “History of the World, Part 1” (1981)
Then there’s my personal favorite favorite ~ M*A*S*H (1971)
What are your favorite instances of this work of art (or some other) appearing in film?
Go to Comment
The Last Supper Tableau in Film over 3 years ago
Mmoore ~ I have “Viridiana” on my list of “need to watch it” films but I just haven’t gotten around to it. So many films…
Good call, Dave. I’ve got that Criterion dvd so I’m not sure how I forgot that scene.
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Action movies that deserve to be in the Criterion Collection over 3 years ago
Road Warrior
Escape from New York
The Fifth Element
Kiss of the Dragon
Point Break
The Warriors
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Best Trilogy (NOT Star Wars) about 3 years ago
Road Warrior Trilogy:
Mad Max
The Road Warrior
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (Who Run Bartertown?)
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Favorite use of a song in a film. almost 3 years ago
Ithaka’s “Escape From the City of Angels” in The Replacement Killers
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When do you listen to your favorite film scores? almost 3 years ago
XM Radio has a channel devoted to movie soundtracks. I listen at work sometimes.
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The most ridiculous death scenes almost 3 years ago
Paul Reubens in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
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THE TEN BEST BOWIE ALBUMS almost 3 years ago
Hunky Dory is my favorite David Bowie by David Bowie. My favorite David Bowie by someone else is Seu Jorge singing acoustic Bowie covers in Portugese on the Life Aquatic soundtrack.
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Which Film Critics Do You Read? almost 3 years ago
Rotten Tomatoes for a good overall evaluation. Also use Filmcritic.com – Chris Null usually has a good feel for movies.
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Top Five Action Films and Why almost 3 years ago
The Replacement Killers – Antoine Fuqua
Great soundtrack, great action, great lines
Smile, and say “Flight from prosecution”.
Payback – Brian Helgeland
Get ready to root for the bad guy…
GSW: that’s what the hospitals call it: gunshot wound. Doctor has to report it to the police. That makes it hard for guys in my line to get what I call, quality health care.
Escape From New York – John Carpenter
Kurt Russel in an eye patch, Adrienne Barbeau in a whatever that was she was wearing and two guys fighting with SPIKED BASEBALL BATS and GARBAGE CAN LIDS… can it get any better?
Watch it with the commentary on. Russell and Carpenter are a riot. Call me Snake!
Kiss of the Dragon – Chris Nahon
Nobody kicks ass like Jet Li.
Point Break – Kathryn Bigelow
Surfing, skydiving, bank robbing, Swayze and Busey.
Go to Comment
Best of Animation almost 3 years ago
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Pinocchio
Fantasia
Afro Samurai
The Little Ninjai (http://www.ninjai.com/)
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Trippy/Psychedelic Films - Name some! almost 3 years ago
I would imagine that “Song of the South” might take on any number of new meanings viewed while in a chemically altered state. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, indeed!
Go to Comment
How Do You Organize Your DVDs? almost 3 years ago
Alphabetical by title – Criterions and Non-Criterions mixed. Beverly Hills Cop and Bicycle Thieves living peacefully next door to one another. Last Year at Marienbad right next to The Lawnmower Man. Mystery Men and Naked Lunch side by side. Rules of the Game shoulder to shoulder with The Running Man. I catalog them on my computer with MediMan and keep up with them online at bigwatermelon.com.
Go to Comment
favorite short film. almost 3 years ago
Great thread! Many old favorites listed here. Many new favorites probably also listed. For a series of shorts that are big fun, see BMW Films – The Hire. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hire)
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Heads up!!!! 50% off Criterions almost 3 years ago
@Zeke – Thanks X 2:
1. Thanks for the heads up on Ran being officially out of print. My local B&N has a copy so I’ll try and pick it up today before the sale ends.
2. Thanks for buying so many Criterion dvd’s during this sale. I was feeling a little guilty about the number of dvd’s I bought and the additional dvd’s my wife bought for future presents (I’ll be getting Criterion dvd’s for the next year or so – Christmas, Birthday, Father’s Day, etc). After seeing your list of purchases, I don’t feel quite so guilty.
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Most Consistent Director ? almost 3 years ago
Michael Bay – very consistent!
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Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back To Barnes & Noble... almost 3 years ago
I thought that the madness had ended. No more 50% Off Criterions Sale. I could return without fear of another Criterion Spending Spree. NOT SO! Many titles in the store are now 40% off. Several Non-Criterion titles on my list were included in this sale: Once Upon a Time in America, Blow-Up, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Stagecoach, Mean Streets. Curse you B&N!
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