The Criterion Collection

HI All,
What do you all think of the Criterion Collection? I have a few and they are awesome. My latest is The Red Shoes. The reconstruction is absolutely first rate. A great Technicolor effort. Also, the Seven Samari is a landmark.

But, the Criterion Collection is large and most of the films I have never heard of. Yes, I understand that this marks me as a film cretin. But, I stand apart because I don't want to waste my money and I sure can't afford to buy them all.

Sparky

HI All,
To follow up my initial post, I have been reading the Criterion Collection web site.

http://www.criterion.com/

There is a section called "Explore". It consists of a large group of movie and other entertainment professionals giving a list and commentary of their top ten movie choices from the Criterion Collection. It is very interesting. It is a perfect demonstration of how personal our movie choices are. More than seldom but not common are there identical choices. I was hoping for a consensus to help me make intelligent choices from the large collection. So far, I don't think this will be possible.

These folks are smart and very connected with the movie/entertainment industry and output. Yet, they all have their personal choices that are mostly different from the others. I'm quite sure their choices are all excellent. Because of the obvious personal nature of these lists, I too would have my personal choices for which there is no guarantee they would agree with theirs. So, how do I choose?

I should note that many of these movies are not recent. Zero are new. Some are silent. Often they are foreign. The Collection covers a very broad time scale as do the great movies themselves. I also use Roger Ebert's Great Movies books, all three of them, for reference. Very helpful but I still run into the same problems. I need to learn more.

Oh, I could take the cowards way out like: pick the great directors like Felini, Bergman, Lean, etc. Or pick the great stars. Or, what about the subject matter such as love, crime, war, horror, etc. It's all there and much more. But the lists and collection are dominated by many directors and actors I have never heard of, much less the movie titles. I think there is one constant. If a movie is in the Criterion Collection, it will be great at least to right viewer.

At the moment, I have no answers. I will continue to read. I will probably buy more Akira Kurosawa but I already have four of his films. I'd like to become more diversified. But how do I choose?

Today I did make a choice. I bought The Life And Death of Col. Blimp in the Criterion Collection from Amazon. Next? I don't know.

Help me if you can.

Thanks, Sparky

HI John,
I'm strictly a DVD user. I forgot to mention that. Usually, there is just not enough variety for Blu Ray to be inviting not to mention the expense. I believe that most all of the Criterion Collection is just on DVD.

Roger, I certainly agree about The Red Shoes. It is beautiful and the restoration is about perfect.

Sparky

HI John,
I'll try but you need to understand this. I have a lot of DVD's and I like every one of them. Periodically, I cull my collection. I do buy duds but I don't keep them. So, what's left are ones I like. I try to keep my collection at a very high level. I have never tried to list my favorites.

Also, my choices will change from day to day. I am constantly discovering hidden moments in my collection.

So, here it goes in no particular order:
1. The Godfather; Parts 1 and 2
2. Patton
3. Lawrence Of Arabia
4. Unforgiven
5. Noting Hill
6. The American President
7. Seven Samurai
8. The Departed
9. Nosferatu
10. Casablanca
11. Master and Commander
12. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
13. Seven
14. The Bridge On The River Kwai
15. The Silence Of The Lambs
16. Gladiator
17. Titanic
18. The Untouchables
19. Rashomon
20. On The Waterfront
21. LA Confidential
22. As Good As It Gets
23. Psycho
24. Full Metal Jacket
25. No Country For Old Men
26. Fargo
26. Mar's Attacks (campy in the extreme; I love it, many don't)
and many others

Tomorrow it will be different.

Sparky

HI rblnr,
Yes, I'm impressed by the quality of Criterion's work. Nosferatu is a masterpiece of restoration. Of course, it is a very early silent film so there is no sound track. As for the movie itself, it is creepy beyond belief. It is the only silent film I own and I'm very impressed with its production values. The differing color hues of the acetate that matches the mood of the scene fascinates me. I've never seen that before. I will have to explore other great silent films. I think I might be missing something good.

The Red Shoes is a Technicolor tour de force. It may be the most visually beautiful film I have ever seen and the restoration is great. The sound track with Sir Thomas Beechum conducting is also first rate. I guess I would put The Wizard Of Oz in the same category which is not a Criterion release. Both are simply beautiful from an artistic point of view.

I understand that the Life And Death Of Col. Blimp is of the same quality. I should get it in a week or so.

I love the colors of early Technicolor prints.

Sparky