Criterion Does It Again

[Chris L]

Watched them both this week and am still awestruck over the blu-rays for VIVRE SA VIE and BIGGER THAN LIFE.  Just utterly gorgeous and transformative.  Contemporary action films get the display treatment, but impeccably transferred classic films like these truly illustrate what a marvel this format is.

[Chris L]

The last page prompted me to start catching up w/ various Mitchum movies I've missed.  I downloaded Nicholas Ray's rodeo melodrama The Lusty Men (they don't title 'em like they used to), which unforgivably isn't on dvd and has to be in the top tier of both Ray and Mitchum, right behind Night of the Hunter and Out of the Past for me. It's probably the most poetic exploration of his persona I've seen. 

Also watched the noir Angel Face, which has a fantastic ending, and a fantastic bit of trivia:

When Robert Mitchum got fed up with repeated re-takes in which the director Otto Preminger ordered him to slap Jean Simmons across the face, he turned around and slapped Preminger, asking whether it was this way he wanted it. Preminger immediately demanded of Howard Hughes for Mitchum to be replaced. Hughes refused.

[Gilly]

Watched them both this week and am still awestruck over the blu-rays for VIVRE SA VIE and BIGGER THAN LIFE.  Just utterly gorgeous and transformative.  Contemporary action films get the display treatment, but impeccably transferred classic films like these truly illustrate what a marvel this format is.

I haven't seen a Criterion Bluray yet but there have been a few HD instant streams on Netflix from the 50's and 60's that have been just astonishing.

[Martin]

A friend of mine had this to say on the subject of BD restoration, particularly in the case of Criterion's release of Paris, Texas:

There are some blu-rays whose video images are noticeably more jaw-dropping than others, what is referred to in some tech circles as reference grade quality.

You can add this one to that list. If you love this movie and haven't seen the Criterion blu-ray, you are missing out. It's like watching a completely different film. Asbolutely no dirt, specks, etc, it's as clean an image as you could possibly imagine, with colors that don't just pop off the screen; they explode. Those stunningly-shot landscape vistas that populate this film are just incredible. I guarantee you, this blu-ray is like no version of Paris, Texas you've ever seen before.

I've only seen samples of it, since Criterion BDs are locked to Region 1. But yeah. Astonishing is the word.

Chris, since I love all things Preminger I love Angel Face too. Great noir.

[Gilly]

Paris, Texas is on Netflix instant in HD and although I never saw it before to make comparisons, it did look great. I think the best I've seen so far is A Man For All Seasons. The colors and detail were amazing.

[Martin]

Holy s-hit.

August, two from Terry Zwigoff:



http://www.criterion.com/films/2104-crumb



http://www.criterion.com/films/27509-louie-bluie

[waltkellysghost]

Holy s-hit.

August, two from Terry Zwigoff:



http://www.criterion.com/films/2104-crumb



http://www.criterion.com/films/27509-louie-bluie

What? No Bad Santa?

[Joe Rogaine]

Holy s-hit.

August, two from Terry Zwigoff:



http://www.criterion.com/films/2104-crumb



http://www.criterion.com/films/27509-louie-bluie

Holy shit indeed i really want to see Louie Bluie!

[jbissell]

New list of titles going out of print June 30
Billy Liar
Bob le flambeur
Diary of A Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Man Who Fell to Earth (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Milky Way
The Phantom of Liberty
That Obscure Object of Desire
Touchez pas au grisbi
A Woman Is a Woman

[Paul DePhiladelphia]

Holy s-hit.

August, two from Terry Zwigoff:



http://www.criterion.com/films/2104-crumb



http://www.criterion.com/films/27509-louie-bluie

Holy shit indeed i really want to see Louie Bluie!

I really hope Crumb has a lot of special features. I might just have to buy it. Never heard of Louie Blue.

[Chris L]

New list of titles going out of print June 30
Billy Liar
Bob le flambeur
Diary of A Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Man Who Fell to Earth (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Milky Way
The Phantom of Liberty
That Obscure Object of Desire
Touchez pas au grisbi
A Woman Is a Woman

Goddamn, it's a Bunuel-letting.

[Christina]

New list of titles going out of print June 30
Billy Liar
Bob le flambeur
Diary of A Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Man Who Fell to Earth (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Milky Way
The Phantom of Liberty
That Obscure Object of Desire
Touchez pas au grisbi
A Woman Is a Woman

Goddamn, it's a Bunuel-letting.

I don't like seeing any Melville at all on the list; their intermittent availability thru the years has been exasperating.

[Chris L]

New list of titles going out of print June 30
Billy Liar
Bob le flambeur
Diary of A Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Man Who Fell to Earth (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Milky Way
The Phantom of Liberty
That Obscure Object of Desire
Touchez pas au grisbi
A Woman Is a Woman

Goddamn, it's a Bunuel-letting.

I don't like seeing any Melville at all on the list; their intermittent availability thru the years has been exasperating.

Losing the similarly stylized and immensely fun Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (Hands Off the Loot) hurts too.  Hate to say it but I think there's at least one more wave of Studio Canal-owned titles that will eventually go out of print, including more Melville (Army of Shadows and Le Cercle Rouge). 

[jbissell]

New list of titles going out of print June 30
Billy Liar
Bob le flambeur
Diary of A Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Man Who Fell to Earth (DVD and Blu-ray editions)
The Milky Way
The Phantom of Liberty
That Obscure Object of Desire
Touchez pas au grisbi
A Woman Is a Woman

Goddamn, it's a Bunuel-letting.

I don't like seeing any Melville at all on the list; their intermittent availability thru the years has been exasperating.

Losing the similarly stylized and immensely fun Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (Hands Off the Loot) hurts too.  Hate to say it but I think there's at least one more wave of Studio Canal-owned titles that will eventually go out of print, including more Melville (Army of Shadows and Le Cercle Rouge). 

The worst part is that they're so slow about doing anything with them. I'm afraid they'll get the rights back and just not do anything with a lot of them.

[Christina]

Losing the similarly stylized and immensely fun Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (Hands Off the Loot) hurts too. 

Urk - this one has been on my to-see list for like years.