February 09 Criterions
11-14-08, 05:42 PM
#1
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February 09 Criterions
A group of bourgeois cosmopolitans are invited to a mansion for dinner and inexplicably find themselves unable to leave, in Luis Buñuel’s daring masterpiece The Exterminating Angel. Made just one year after his international sensation Viridiana, this is a furthering of Buñuel’s wicked takedown of the rituals and dependencies of the frivolous upper classes, full of eerie and hilarious absurdity.
SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES:
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- The Last Script: Remembering Luis Buñuel, a 2008 documentary featuring Jean-Claude Carrière and Jean Luis Buñuel
- New interviews with filmmaker Arturo Ripstein and actress Silvia Pinal
- Theatrical trailer
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Marsha Kinder and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
Simon of the Desert is Luis Buñuel’s wicked and wild take on the life of devoted ascetic Saint Simeon Stylites, who waited atop a pillar surrounded by a barren landscape for six years, six months, and six days, in order to prove his devotion to God. Yet the devil, in the figure of the beautiful Silvia Pinal, huddles below, trying to tempt him down. A skeptic’s vision of human conviction, Buñuel’s short and sweet satire is one of the master filmmaker’s most renowned works of surrealism.
Special Features
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- A Mexican Buñuel (1995), 50-minute documentary by Emilio Maillé
- New interview with actress Silvia Pinal
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Michael Wood and a reprinted interview with Buñuel
An unsung comic triumph from David Lean, Hobson’s Choice stars the legendary Charles Laughton as the harrumphing Henry Hobson, the owner of a boot shop in late-Victorian Northern England. With his haughty, independent daughter Maggie (Brenda De Banzie) decides to forge her own path, romantically and professionally, with the help of none other than Henry’ prized bootsmith Will (a splendid John Mills), father and daughter find themselves head-to-head in a fiery match of wills. Equally charming and caustic, Hobson’s Choice, adapted from Harold Brighouse’s famous play, is filled to the brim with great performances and elegant, inventive camera work.
Special Features
- New high-definition digital transfer—restoration by the BFI National Archive, funded by the David Lean Foundation and StudioCanal
- Audio commentary featuring film scholars Alain Silver and James Ursini, co-authors of David Lean and His Films
- The Hollywood Greats: Charles Laughton, a 1978 BBC documentary about the actor’s life and career, featuring interviews with his friends and colleagues
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: A new essay by critic Armond White
Last edited by NoirFan; 01-13-09 at 10:22 PM.
11-15-08, 06:00 PM
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I'm wondering what happened to "Walkabout" too. Wasn't it announced as coming in Blu-ray?
These three look great. I loved "The Exterminating Angel" when I saw it years ago. Never saw "Hobson's Choice" or "Simon of the Desert" so I'm looking forward to those.
These three look great. I loved "The Exterminating Angel" when I saw it years ago. Never saw "Hobson's Choice" or "Simon of the Desert" so I'm looking forward to those.
11-16-08, 11:35 AM
#15
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We already knew about Exterminating Angel, but it's nice to see a second Bunuel, albeit a short one. Too bad neither (or any in the collection so far) of the Bunuels include commentary tracks.
11-18-08, 11:12 AM
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Fantastic month! Very excited to finally get Exterminating Angel, and the extra Bunuel film is an added bonus.
More David Lean is always welcome as well. I searched for Hobson's Choice a couple of years ago when I was writing a grad paper on Lean, and never could find it.
More David Lean is always welcome as well. I searched for Hobson's Choice a couple of years ago when I was writing a grad paper on Lean, and never could find it.
11-18-08, 11:49 AM
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The restored version of 'Hobson's Choice' is gorgeous; I can't see Criterion improving on the current R2 release in terms of transfer (and, of course, it may be window boxed).
11-18-08, 12:53 PM
#18
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More Bunuel is more better! And Simon of the Desert, holy shit, I think that's my favorite short-film of all time. I envy those seeing it for the first time - it will knock you on your ass. (I'm not a fan of it's cover though - it's a bit of a spoiler).
Last edited by slop101; 11-18-08 at 12:56 PM.
11-18-08, 08:20 PM
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Awesome news!!!!
I should have figured out, when they release this pic, about Simon Del Desierto.
My fav movie on spanish from Bunuel is, El Angel Exterminador, followed very close by "The Criminal Life Of Archibaldo de la Cruz"
I am not too sure about the cover for Angel, after seeing the movie, you'll know why, I dare to say this.
Simon del Desierto cover is nice but I would have loved something like this...
Claudio Brook (Simon Del Desierto) is such a great actor he was in several of Bunuel movie, he was Julio, El Mayordomo; Steward in The Exterminating Angel, also in The Milky Way, Viridiana, CRONOS by Del Toro etc.
Hopefully they'll announce Blu-ray for this two releases.....
I should have figured out, when they release this pic, about Simon Del Desierto.
My fav movie on spanish from Bunuel is, El Angel Exterminador, followed very close by "The Criminal Life Of Archibaldo de la Cruz"
I am not too sure about the cover for Angel, after seeing the movie, you'll know why, I dare to say this.
Simon del Desierto cover is nice but I would have loved something like this...
Claudio Brook (Simon Del Desierto) is such a great actor he was in several of Bunuel movie, he was Julio, El Mayordomo; Steward in The Exterminating Angel, also in The Milky Way, Viridiana, CRONOS by Del Toro etc.
Hopefully they'll announce Blu-ray for this two releases.....
Last edited by Twiggystar; 11-18-08 at 08:23 PM.
01-28-09, 05:14 PM
#23
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re: February 09 Criterions
DVD Beaver review of Hobson's Choice
Originally Posted by DVD Beaver
Although the Criterion DVD transfer is pictureboxed....the black border border around the edge of the frame, to counter overscan on production-made television sets, is not as thick as we have seen in the past. I found it less intrusive through my HDMI HD TV connection.
