Disappointing Criterions - Page 4

NoirFan · 12-08-07, 11:18 AM

Fiend Without a Face was a mildly entertaining Netflix rental, but certainly not worthy of a purchase, even for genre fans. I hated A Woman is a Woman - what a flimsy, cutesy excuse for a film. Felt more like a half-assed series of in jokes than anything else, and this is coming from a fan of 60's Godard.

KillerCannibal · 12-08-07, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Fiend Without a Face was a mildly entertaining Netflix rental, but certainly not worthy of a purchase, even for genre fans.

I don't know if I'd necessarily say that. I'm a big 50's sci-fi fan and I loved Fiend Without A Face. It reminded me of other classic cheese-fests like The Brain from Planet Arous.

Paul_SD · 12-08-07, 11:45 AM

The Last Wave didn't work for me either.

I ebayed it as soon as I finsihed watching it, and haven't thought about it since.

mdnitoil,
Summertime appears to be out of print. You could probably make a decent profit unloading it.

DonnachaOne · 12-08-07, 12:07 PM

I'm disappointed that so many people seem incapable of appreciating Chasing Amy. I watched it again yesterday and it still holds up ten years on.

Pizza · 12-08-07, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannabis

I don't know if I'd necessarily say that. I'm a big 50's sci-fi fan and I loved Fiend Without A Face. It reminded me of other classic cheese-fests like The Brain from Planet Arous.

I agree with you killercannabis. I also loved The Blob for the same reason.

man*machine · 12-08-07, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannabis

I don't know if I'd necessarily say that. I'm a big 50's sci-fi fan and I loved Fiend Without A Face.

Agreed, FIEND WITHOUT A FACE is beloved by many a genre fan. The stop-motion brain monsters fascinated many a kid back in the day and they still look cool today. More fun than any CGI efx, that's for sure.

I am surprised no one has mentioned EQUINOX yet. I still like it out of nostalgia as I watched it a lot on tv in the 70's when I was a kid. But I can't imagine it would impress the general Criterion fan.

MBoyd · 12-08-07, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdnitoil

I would humbly suggest that perhaps Criterion isn't your kind of label.

For me, Summertime was not quite what I expected. It was alright, but I haven't bothered to revisit it since I originally purchased it.

Patrick is joking. He is a big fan of classic film.

Summertime was A+ for me. Beautiful film.

Paul_SD · 12-08-07, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by man*machine

Agreed, FIEND WITHOUT A FACE is beloved by many a genre fan. The stop-motion brain monsters fascinated many a kid back in the day and they still look cool today. More fun than any CGI efx, that's for sure.

I am surprised no one has mentioned EQUINOX yet. I still like it out of nostalgia as I watched it a lot on tv in the 70's when I was a kid. But I can't imagine it would impress the general Criterion fan.

I love 50s sci fi and monster on the loose movies, but I just find the characters in FWAF that appealing. I think that is what might had made it a slog.
OTOH, I enjoyed The Blob quite a bit.

I was almost going to say Equinox. I can't say the film did a lot for me, but I loved the overall package. It was great to finally see the Dave Allen VW commercial, and there is a good interview with Forry Ackerman (why haven't more disc producers sought him out for supplemental input over the years? what a depressingly wasted opportunity)- so overall still a net plus for me.

Trevor · 12-08-07, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonnachaOne

I'm disappointed that so many people seem incapable of appreciating Chasing Amy. I watched it again yesterday and it still holds up ten years on.

Same here. While I despise Clerks 2 and other Smith material, Chasing Amy is a wonderful film, one of my top ten of all time.

SamDVDCompare · 12-08-07, 02:23 PM

For me the whole company is a letdown probably due to how embarassingly overhyped they are. I love the films they choose but the majority are available in better / equal releases elsewhere. I do give credit where credit is due though and their marketing is exceptional. No other company comes to mind when I see two words together:

DVD - Fanboy

Like I said, I love the films they put out but they often get far too much praise.

NoirFan · 12-08-07, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by man*machine

The stop-motion brain monsters fascinated many a kid back in the day and they still look cool today. More fun than any CGI efx, that's for sure.

I concur. The scene, as in singular, with the monsters is well done, original, and quite gory for it's time. That being said, the other 68 minutes of the film in which the creatures are not onscreen is excruciating to get through. For the record, I love The Blob.

NoirFan · 12-08-07, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamDVDCompare

I love the films they choose but the majority are available in better / equal releases elsewhere.

The majority? Try a handful.

MoviePage · 12-08-07, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamnothitler

Third Man

AGameWithStones · 12-08-07, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoirFan

The majority? Try a handful.

And "in other parts of the world, usually released years after the Criterion".

Looking back, I'm surprised at how many Criterion discs I initially was left cold by, but later warmed up to (to say the least). Brief Encounter, I Fidanzati (both bored me at first, and now I find them utterly beautiful and compelling), The Lady Vanishes (left me cold at first, and now its one of the three or four films which never fails to make me smile), the Stan Brakhage set (I considered it an essential curiosity at first, and now consider it the most rewarding and amazing release in the collection).

I'm surprised nobody listed the Brakhage set yet, actually. It seems to me to be the most divisive release in the collection; its even more abstract than Armageddon.

indiephantom · 12-08-07, 06:37 PM

Chasing Amy--Smith is NOT Criterion worthy.

Gobear · 12-08-07, 07:10 PM

Jubilee gets a bad rap because Derek Jarman created it to reflect the economic chaos and cultural despair infecting the cultural climate in the UK in the 1970s that spawned the punk aesthetic, combined with a Dadaesque hostility to the idea of art and narrative. I own the movie and am a big fan of Jarman's films in general, although I can certainly see that they would not be to most people's taste.

I don't think I've ever been disappointed by the content of a Criterion film, although their handling of films sometimes bewilders me. Some of their films are barebones, yet Criterion still charges exorbitant prices for them. Anchor Bay put out superior versions at a lower cost of two films that had previously been Criterion releases--Time Bandits and The Long Good Friday.

hanshotfirst113 · 12-08-07, 10:10 PM

Kwaidan is a great film, but their DVD doesn't do it justice by a looooong shot.

Quote:

Chasing Amy, duh. Garbage Kevin Smith film did not deserve the Criterion treatment!

Oh, I dunno; it's a damned sight worthier than Michael Bay. Kurosawa he's not, but Smith is unique enough, and Chasing Amy, is for the most part a good film, IMO.

Quote:

Salo

Bought it for like $700 off Ebay. I watched about half an hour then turned it off and tossed it in the trash.

Perhaps you ought to have resold it instead of throwing away 700 bucks

.

Quote:

Hated:
The Seven Samurai
Diabolique
Brazil
The Seventh Seal

*spews venom*

Quote:

Same here. While I despise Clerks 2 and other Smith material, Chasing Amy is a wonderful film, one of my top ten of all time.

The first time I saw it, I said "HEY! He actually CAN write!"

Lemdog · 12-08-07, 10:33 PM

After reading over this thread I don't know if everyone is talking about the quality of the film, or the presentation (image, sound, special features, booklets, etc) of the dvd release by Criterion?

Arpeggi · 12-08-07, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul_SD

Diary Of A Chambermaid
That Obscure Object Of Desire

What the?

Paul_SD · 12-09-07, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arpeggi

What the?

Belle du Jour was a little more accessible, but Bunuel and I don't seem to get along very well- I like his work more in theory than in actual practice.

BTW- Amazon UK was running a sale on the 2 disc Optimum edition of Belle du Jour a few months back. It is a 'criterion worthy' package I think I paid a total of $17 (US) to import. Needless to say it utterly blows away the Miramax disc here.

ResIpsa · 12-09-07, 01:49 AM

When I read the thread title, the first film that I thought of was Jubilee and lo, the OP cites that very title. Holy synchronicity

. I am a fan of pretty much all things punk but this film bored me to tears and it remains one of only two films that I can remember not finishing. I sold it on eBay, along with The Last Wave, which I found decent enough, just not so compelling as to deserve the Criterion "treatment."

Great thread idea, by the way....

chileorgullo · 12-09-07, 04:58 AM

In the Mood For Love and Yi Yi are two of the finest.
Yi Yi is intimidating in its length but without a doubt rewarding.
In the Mood For Love is in the top 3 of mine; and I understand again why it can be turned off, but it is 1 hour and 40 minutes- it is a great movie; things do not have to happen immediately.

I have been fortunate enough not to miss with my criterions. I also am lucky enough not to have to blind buy since they are all for free at our library, with the exception of some of the more recent ones not being available yet. Is the Agnes Varda set worth pre-ordering? I loved the Universe of Jaques Demy from what I have seen on the Lola and Umbrellas of Cherbourg DVDs.

I am Curious left more to be desired. anybody want to defend Wild Strawberries and get me to watch it?

jrsl76 · 12-09-07, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDuke

Of all the Criterions I've seen...

Hated:
The Seven Samurai
Diabolique
Brazil
The Seventh Seal
Crisis

Wow, how can someone hate so many great movies. 1 of those is even in my top 10 movies of all time (Seven Samurai)? And what is Crisis? Was this one of the Bergman films in the Eclipse set, the name sounds familiar, but I'm not placing it.

Paul_SD · 12-09-07, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chileorgullo

anybody want to defend Wild Strawberries and get me to watch it?

Watched it in my early twenties and thought it made for a great experience.
Watched it a few years ago in my late 30s and it left me cold. I ebayed it after one viewing.
It's a good movie, but the Scandinavian angst worked more magic when I was younger and more inclined that way myself. My reaction to WS this last time, was the reason I was so suprised how much I enjoyed Seventh Seal. I think that was due it being more playful, subversive, and blackly humourous compared to WS.
It still had the angst, but the gallows and liberal earthy humour, leavened it out a lot.

Sparrow · 12-09-07, 11:54 AM

Mona Lisa

While I thoroughly enjoy the movie, I'd love for Criterion to revisit and re-master it, both seem so lackluster as if Criterion didn't put their usual stamp on it. It simply doesn't feel like a Criterion release (it's bare thin on extras as well).

Since they are revisiting some of their catalogue now, I'd place this on the candidate list.

Hoskins is phenomenal in this movie.

12-08-07, 11:18 AM	#76
NoirFan DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 8,513	Fiend Without a Face was a mildly entertaining Netflix rental, but certainly not worthy of a purchase, even for genre fans. I hated A Woman is a Woman - what a flimsy, cutesy excuse for a film. Felt more like a half-assed series of in jokes than anything else, and this is coming from a fan of 60's Godard. __________________ Watch Edgar G. Ulmer's Noir Classic Detour Cinema

12-08-07, 12:07 PM	#79
DonnachaOne DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: A place where they know how to pronounce "Donnacha" correctly Posts: 8,492	I'm disappointed that so many people seem incapable of appreciating Chasing Amy. I watched it again yesterday and it still holds up ten years on. __________________ -_--_-

12-08-07, 06:37 PM	#90
indiephantom Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ghost World Posts: 708	Chasing Amy--Smith is NOT Criterion worthy. __________________ My October Horror Challenge My Film Collection My 2009 Viewing List

12-08-07, 07:10 PM	#91
Gobear Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Reston, VA Posts: 425	Jubilee gets a bad rap because Derek Jarman created it to reflect the economic chaos and cultural despair infecting the cultural climate in the UK in the 1970s that spawned the punk aesthetic, combined with a Dadaesque hostility to the idea of art and narrative. I own the movie and am a big fan of Jarman's films in general, although I can certainly see that they would not be to most people's taste. I don't think I've ever been disappointed by the content of a Criterion film, although their handling of films sometimes bewilders me. Some of their films are barebones, yet Criterion still charges exorbitant prices for them. Anchor Bay put out superior versions at a lower cost of two films that had previously been Criterion releases--Time Bandits and The Long Good Friday. __________________ My DVD Profiler 2009 DVDs 2009 Halloween Challenge 2009 Holiday Challenge

12-08-07, 10:33 PM	#93
Lemdog DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sittin on the dock of the bay Posts: 2,255	After reading over this thread I don't know if everyone is talking about the quality of the film, or the presentation (image, sound, special features, booklets, etc) of the dvd release by Criterion? __________________ Warning!!! This post may be NSFW. "Shrieking Moonbats" © crazyronin

12-08-07, 11:45 AM	#78
Paul_SD Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 655	The Last Wave didn't work for me either. I ebayed it as soon as I finsihed watching it, and haven't thought about it since. mdnitoil, Summertime appears to be out of print. You could probably make a decent profit unloading it.

12-08-07, 02:23 PM	#85
SamDVDCompare Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 127	For me the whole company is a letdown probably due to how embarassingly overhyped they are. I love the films they choose but the majority are available in better / equal releases elsewhere. I do give credit where credit is due though and their marketing is exceptional. No other company comes to mind when I see two words together: DVD - Fanboy Like I said, I love the films they put out but they often get far too much praise.

12-09-07, 01:49 AM	#96
ResIpsa Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Hayward, CA Posts: 457	When I read the thread title, the first film that I thought of was Jubilee and lo, the OP cites that very title. Holy synchronicity . I am a fan of pretty much all things punk but this film bored me to tears and it remains one of only two films that I can remember not finishing. I sold it on eBay, along with The Last Wave, which I found decent enough, just not so compelling as to deserve the Criterion "treatment." Great thread idea, by the way....

12-09-07, 04:58 AM	#97
chileorgullo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 686	In the Mood For Love and Yi Yi are two of the finest. Yi Yi is intimidating in its length but without a doubt rewarding. In the Mood For Love is in the top 3 of mine; and I understand again why it can be turned off, but it is 1 hour and 40 minutes- it is a great movie; things do not have to happen immediately. I have been fortunate enough not to miss with my criterions. I also am lucky enough not to have to blind buy since they are all for free at our library, with the exception of some of the more recent ones not being available yet. Is the Agnes Varda set worth pre-ordering? I loved the Universe of Jaques Demy from what I have seen on the Lola and Umbrellas of Cherbourg DVDs. I am Curious left more to be desired. anybody want to defend Wild Strawberries and get me to watch it?

12-09-07, 11:54 AM	#100
Sparrow DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 2,142	Mona Lisa While I thoroughly enjoy the movie, I'd love for Criterion to revisit and re-master it, both seem so lackluster as if Criterion didn't put their usual stamp on it. It simply doesn't feel like a Criterion release (it's bare thin on extras as well). Since they are revisiting some of their catalogue now, I'd place this on the candidate list. Hoskins is phenomenal in this movie.