Disappointing Criterions

[Chill Pill]

Well I finally watched one I couldn't even finish: Jubilee.
I guess an "important" movie doesn't necessarily mean a "good" one. I don't recommend this to anyone unless you have a serious interest in all things punk related. Just watch Clockwork Orange again and think about how you could be wasting your time watching this.

I understand some may like this, and thats cool, to each his own.

What Criterions have turned out to be total duds for you?

[Giles]

I didn't quite "get" The Earrings of Madame De... (future Criterion release)

[chris_sc77]

I just watched Jubilee as well and i found it very disapointing as well. The plot synopsis on the back cover makes it certainly sound cool but I found it didn't really decribe the actual movie that well.
ALso i found Ace In The Hole, Ivan's Childhood, La Jetee / Sans Soleil, Under The Volcano, to be rather dissapointing as well.

[Shagrath]

While I didn't find Jubilee to be as entertaining as the synopsis on the back made it out to be, I still find it quite entertaining. I haven't come across a Criterion yet that I haven't appreciated in one form or another.

[Walter Neff]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

I just watched Jubilee as well and i found it very disapointing as well. The plot synopsis on the back cover makes it certainly sound cool but I found it didn't really decribe the actual movie that well.
ALso i found Ace In The Hole, Ivan's Childhood, La Jetee / Sans Soleil, Under The Volcano, to be rather dissapointing as well.

Oh. My. God.

[The Bus]

Jubilee is a strange movie. It's not particularly entertaining, but it is interesting to watch. No, I haven't been able to finish it yet.

The one I hear mentioned the most is I Am Curious.

[MoviePage]

Originally Posted by Shagrath

While I didn't find Jubilee to be as entertaining as the synopsis on the back made it out to be, I still find it quite entertaining. I haven't come across a Criterion yet that I haven't appreciated in one form or another.

[Johnny Zhivago]

I love film noir... I love Jules Dassin film noirs... But The Naked City does nothing for me.

There, I said it.

[MScottM]

So far I haven't been impressed with Jubilee, Blood for Dracula, Or I am Curious. I am sure there will be others, but as a studio I have been very impressed with Critierion and will continue to buy just about everything they put out.

[chris_sc77]

Also i really love Hitchcock but I was very disapointed in The 39 steps.
Also I love Lars von Trier but i HATE The Element of Crime.
Also, In the Mood for Love (probably one of my most hated films I have ever seen),

[domino harvey]

Originally Posted by Giles

I didn't quite "get" The Earrings of Madame De... (future Criterion release)

Great movie.

I Am Curious-- also great, especially Blue.

[domino harvey]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

Also i really love Hitchcock but I was very disapointed in The 39 steps.

Well it's only his best British film

[Giles]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

Also i really love Hitchcock but I was very disapointed in The 39 steps.
Also I love Lars von Trier but i HATE The Element of Crime.
Also, In the Mood for Love (probably one of my most hated films I have ever seen),

I'll put my neck on the line as well and agree with you, I didn't hate, but I didn't think it was all that.

Yi Yi - is another film I can't seem to get past the thirty minute mark.

[Trevor]

I couldn't finish Withnail and I.

[DamingR]

In The Mood for Love? Seriously? Wow. Are you the same person who said Lifehouse is better than Smashing Pumpkins in music talk last month?


Withnail and I - that one I can agree with.

[MikeShaynePI]

I bought Jubilee based on the back description and that it was Criterion about 6 months ago or so. Still haven't watched it though. I've been generally happy with my Criterion purchases, but I admit I have had some for a while and still not watched them.

[domino harvey]

Originally Posted by Giles

Yi Yi - is another film I can't seem to get past the thirty minute mark.

I can tell I need to stop reading this thread

[starseed1981]

Generally speaking just because a movie may be "important" doesn't make it good. That said I actually despise about a quarter of the Criterion collection.

[JiM T]

I got Jubilee four years ago when it came out, and yes, it was on the disappointing side of all things Criterion. Probably the most disappointing I've ever come across, anyway. I agree that the on-package description was "hyped". I've tried to keep that in mind ever since when considering buying Criterions sight-unseen.

[jdpatri]

Originally Posted by DamingR

In The Mood for Love? Seriously? Wow. Are you the same person who said Lifehouse is better than Smashing Pumpkins in music talk last month?

Hmm. In The Mood for Love might be one of my TOP 5 Criterions.

[Takeshi357]

Alexander Nevsky.

Not because it's a bad movie, but because it doesn't have the Prokofiev score.

[grem458]

Originally Posted by The Bus

The one I hear mentioned the most is I Am Curious.

Awful, awful. I hated it, and consider it the only money I've "wasted" on a Criterion.

[Zodiac_Speaking]

This is a good topic. I love Criterion and now their Eclipse line. But no matter how open-minded I am, naturally there's stuff that doesn't interest me or work for me.

I've pretty much enjoyed every Criterion/Eclipse title I've bought, all are blind, but for me "49th Parallel" didn't impress me as much. It's the only CC I've regretted about buying.

[GoldenJCJ]

Originally Posted by JiM T

I agree that the on-package description was "hyped". I've tried to keep that in mind ever since when considering buying Criterions sight-unseen.

No kidding. I gotta hand it to Criterion though, they manage to make every film they produce sound like the most important film ever made.


I'm usually pretty picky when it comes to which Criterions I watch so of the select few I've seen the only one that has disappointed me was The Night Porter. I felt the filmmakers could have done so much more with that story.

[The Eliminator]

Overlord