7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
09-20-15, 04:08 AM
#201
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
It's funny you mention this as I made an effort to rent all three of these. I hadn't heard of them before and when I was looking for movies to watch for this challenge, I happened to see the box set on the Criterion site. Since I enjoy Wallace Shawn, I decided to see if I could get these. Easily found the first two (My Dinner with Andre and Vanya on 42nd Street) but the third is still up in the air if I'll get or not.
I'm almost done watching My Dinner with Andre. Ugh. I saw your comment about really liking this one so I had hopes that I would. I do not. It's everything that I thought Criterion movies were when I first heard about the company-pretentious art films that are all about trying to be high brown and intellectual but coming off as being elitist. I won't say that there aren't a couple points that rang true for me, but overall, it's like the teacher from Peanuts. "Wah Wah Wah Wanh."
My view of Criterion has certainly changed but I doubt I'll ever like this film!
I'm not sure I'll actually watch the 2nd or the 3rd at this point. I do have Vanya so I might give it a shot in the hopes it is much better than this one but I will be much more likely to turn it off if I don't.
I also watched Tootsie the other day. That one was not a favorite either. Some laughs but overall not something I enjoyed.
I'm almost done watching My Dinner with Andre. Ugh. I saw your comment about really liking this one so I had hopes that I would. I do not. It's everything that I thought Criterion movies were when I first heard about the company-pretentious art films that are all about trying to be high brown and intellectual but coming off as being elitist. I won't say that there aren't a couple points that rang true for me, but overall, it's like the teacher from Peanuts. "Wah Wah Wah Wanh."
My view of Criterion has certainly changed but I doubt I'll ever like this film!
I'm not sure I'll actually watch the 2nd or the 3rd at this point. I do have Vanya so I might give it a shot in the hopes it is much better than this one but I will be much more likely to turn it off if I don't.
I also watched Tootsie the other day. That one was not a favorite either. Some laughs but overall not something I enjoyed.
09-20-15, 01:49 PM
#202
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
At least that way I know I'll like Wallace Shawn in it!
09-20-15, 02:11 PM
#203
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I just finished The Palm Beach Story. It's very enjoyable, but I don't know why this made it on Criterion when there are so many other screwball movies better than this. Libeled Lady, for instance.
09-20-15, 09:16 PM
#204
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
It's funny you mention this as I made an effort to rent all three of these. I hadn't heard of them before and when I was looking for movies to watch for this challenge, I happened to see the box set on the Criterion site. Since I enjoy Wallace Shawn, I decided to see if I could get these. Easily found the first two (My Dinner with Andre and Vanya on 42nd Street) but the third is still up in the air if I'll get or not.
I'm almost done watching My Dinner with Andre. Ugh. I saw your comment about really liking this one so I had hopes that I would. I do not. It's everything that I thought Criterion movies were when I first heard about the company-pretentious art films that are all about trying to be high brown and intellectual but coming off as being elitist. I won't say that there aren't a couple points that rang true for me, but overall, it's like the teacher from Peanuts. "Wah Wah Wah Wanh."
My view of Criterion has certainly changed but I doubt I'll ever like this film!
I'm not sure I'll actually watch the 2nd or the 3rd at this point. I do have Vanya so I might give it a shot in the hopes it is much better than this one but I will be much more likely to turn it off if I don't.
I also watched Tootsie the other day. That one was not a favorite either. Some laughs but overall not something I enjoyed.
I'm almost done watching My Dinner with Andre. Ugh. I saw your comment about really liking this one so I had hopes that I would. I do not. It's everything that I thought Criterion movies were when I first heard about the company-pretentious art films that are all about trying to be high brown and intellectual but coming off as being elitist. I won't say that there aren't a couple points that rang true for me, but overall, it's like the teacher from Peanuts. "Wah Wah Wah Wanh."
My view of Criterion has certainly changed but I doubt I'll ever like this film!
I'm not sure I'll actually watch the 2nd or the 3rd at this point. I do have Vanya so I might give it a shot in the hopes it is much better than this one but I will be much more likely to turn it off if I don't.
I also watched Tootsie the other day. That one was not a favorite either. Some laughs but overall not something I enjoyed.
09-21-15, 02:31 AM
#205
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I didn't end up watching The Princess Bride, instead I braved Vanya on 42nd Street, the second in this series. I liked it a ton better than My Dinner with Andre. Glad I decided to give it a shot. You are definitely right in that different people have different tastes! I think life would be boring if everyone liked the same thing. I am still hoping to try A Master Builder this month. Should be interesting to see if I end up liking it or hating it! (I'm with you on Beavis and Butthead and Adam Sandler. Like the one, hate the other!)
09-21-15, 03:01 AM
#206
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Just a hunch, but I'm guessing that most people in this thread aren't Adam Sandler fans.
But yes, B&B rocks.
But yes, B&B rocks.
09-21-15, 04:51 AM
#207
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I've been too busy lately to get much viewing in lately, but going to try to make time this last week and a half. Just finished 'In Their Own Voices', off of A Hard Day's Night. It was a short segment on how it was to make the film from the view of the Beatles' themselves.
09-21-15, 05:40 AM
#208
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I was on a "Red" kick over the weekend, watching Howard Hawks' RED RIVER (1948) and Akira Kurosawa's RED BEARD (1965). I sat down to watch Michael Powell's THE RED SHOES (1948) on TCM-HD, but began to fade after half-an-hour. It's a beautiful film to watch--with breathtaking Technicolor photography--but I don't really care much for the rarefied world of backstage ballet. These characters were a bit on the twee side for me (if that's the right word). I guess I'm much more comfortable with a cattle drive (RED RIVER) and the poor benighted denizens of Toshiro Mifune's slum clinic in RED BEARD.
Interestingly, when you line up the titles like this (taking out the "The" from RED SHOES), they all have the same amount of letters:
RED BEARD
RED RIVER
RED SHOES
Interestingly, when you line up the titles like this (taking out the "The" from RED SHOES), they all have the same amount of letters:
RED BEARD
RED RIVER
RED SHOES
09-21-15, 10:11 AM
#209
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Over the weekend, I finished watching Jean Cocteau's The Orphic Trilogy which a friend gave me for Christmas last year. I'd seen and loved Orpheus years ago, and the gift excited me since the set is OOP. Gosh, these are beautiful, intricate, rewarding films. I've been unpacking them in my head all morning.
09-21-15, 04:36 PM
#211
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I don't know how many discs came in the Criterion Collection version of A Hard Day's Night, but I just finished everything on the Criterion Collection disc that Netflix sent me. With the exception of the audio commentary, which I thought kind of droned, and I found myself kept thinking the lines in the scenes of the movie to myself, I thought the supplemental material was very enjoyable. Roger Ebert even listed the movie in the same caliber as Citizen Kane, and Casablanca, as far as landmark films. I think it was because the film launched Beatlemania.
09-21-15, 05:11 PM
#212
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I don't know how many discs came in the Criterion Collection version of A Hard Day's Night, but I just finished everything on the Criterion Collection disc that Netflix sent me. With the exception of the audio commentary, which I thought kind of droned, and I found myself kept thinking the lines in the scenes of the movie to myself, I thought the supplemental material was very enjoyable. Roger Ebert even listed the movie in the same caliber as Citizen Kane, and Casablanca, as far as landmark films. I think it was because the film launched Beatlemania.
09-21-15, 05:21 PM
#213
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I don't know how many discs came in the Criterion Collection version of A Hard Day's Night, but I just finished everything on the Criterion Collection disc that Netflix sent me. With the exception of the audio commentary, which I thought kind of droned, and I found myself kept thinking the lines in the scenes of the movie to myself, I thought the supplemental material was very enjoyable. Roger Ebert even listed the movie in the same caliber as Citizen Kane, and Casablanca, as far as landmark films. I think it was because the film launched Beatlemania.
Beatlemania was in full force in both the UK (by early '63) and the US (late '63) before filming of A Hard Day's Night began (Mar. '64). The Beatles had been on Sullivan several months prior to the release of the film (Feb. '64) and people were purchasing their recordings in record numbers even before their appearance on the Sullivan show. A Hard Day's Night was primarly produced to garner record sales as the studio felt the film would tank but record sales would more than make up for the loss ($500,000 production budget). They were wrong - it didn't tank and more than made it's pittance of a budget back *without* profits from the soundtrack.
Rather than put out some snippets of Ebert's review I'll just link it here as well as a 50th anniversary write up. If you enjoyed the film you should give them a read.
It was like Ebert said... as soon as they opened their mouths to speak all the screaming stopped because everyone wanted to hear their voices. The surprise was that the film was funny and very good.
09-21-15, 05:26 PM
#214
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
09-21-15, 05:52 PM
#215
DVD Talk Godfather
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I've really been slacking in this challenge. Hard (Day's Night + Boiled) might fit my mood better than some of the Samuel Fuller stuff I had lined up. Also, I like to watch challenge stuff in the background at my desk but subtitles just don't work for that. 
I love Tootsie, but I can see how the comedy style might not appeal, or if one doesn't like Dustin Hoffman. For me, exasperated Sydney Pollack in the early scenes is pure gold.
I forgot Criterion released those, as I still have the old Sony discs. Those have been on my watch list for forever.
Also, I like to watch challenge stuff in the background at my desk but subtitles just don't work for that. I forgot Criterion released those, as I still have the old Sony discs. Those have been on my watch list for forever.
09-21-15, 06:30 PM
#216
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Horror mode is on full. Goal is to watch one Criterion horror film a night leading into October.
I think Videodrome gets the nod tonight.
And I've watched about double what I expected. While I don't participate in the serious conversation, it does inspire me.
I agree about Tootsie and the scene with Pollack. He was perfect in this role, and the film certainly seems to still fit into the current social debates.
I think Videodrome gets the nod tonight.
I agree about Tootsie and the scene with Pollack. He was perfect in this role, and the film certainly seems to still fit into the current social debates.
09-21-15, 09:34 PM
#217
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I am a bit excited. I had asked the library to see if they could hunt down a couple of Criterions for me and I had one come in today. I thought it was going to be the 3rd to the My Dinner with Andre set, but it turned out to be The Canterbury Tales instead. I hope that I do get that one in, but when I started looking into movies I wanted to watch, this one stuck out for some reason. Might get to it tonight but more likely tomorrow.
09-21-15, 10:12 PM
#218
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Can anyonr recommend (or not) the enormous, very expensive 50 Years of Janus Films set...?
Is it - and the book - worth the money?
Is it - and the book - worth the money?
09-22-15, 04:01 AM
#219
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Re: TOOTSIE. That's a film I never quite bought. The notion that Dustin Hoffman impersonating a woman would be accepted as a woman by the public and become a big star made no sense to me. Everyone would have looked at him and said, "That's a guy dressed up as a woman. Who's he foolin'?" So I was never able to suspend disbelief for it.
09-23-15, 04:03 PM
#220
DVD Talk Godfather
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Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Watching the Thief of Baghdad. This is awesome, kind of like a cross between Jason and the Argonauts and Kismet. How have I never seen this before?
09-23-15, 04:31 PM
#221
DVD Talk Limited Edition
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Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I usually only watch a handful of films during this month anyway, while I play catch-up before October, watching non-horror films I have sitting around, but so far this time, I've only watched one thing (and I'm not watching much "non-Criterion" stuff either). Just not feeling it, I guess (I'm not looking forward to the October Challenge either).
Anyone want to take over the November Comedy Challenge? I guess I should look for the compendium thread and post that question there.
Anyone want to take over the November Comedy Challenge? I guess I should look for the compendium thread and post that question there.
09-23-15, 06:59 PM
#222
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I first saw that on TV when I was a kid. Sabu and Victor Mature (from ONE MILLION B.C., later remade by Harryhausen) were the first movie stars I knew. I seem to remember Sabu on a show at that time called "Andy's Gang," starring Andy Devine.
Last edited by Ash Ketchum; 09-23-15 at 07:05 PM.
09-23-15, 10:16 PM
#223
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I was going to watch Halloween tonight, being in a horror mode, but didn't happen. We recently moved furniture around in our house, and I think my copy has temporarily gotten lost in the shuffle.
09-24-15, 05:19 AM
#224
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I've seen three Kurosawa films so far for this challenge and I went to the library on Monday to look up books on Kurosawa and read what's been written on THE BAD SLEEP WELL (first-time viewing for this challenge) and RED BEARD. Well, I sure learned something new. I never quite got the significance of the title of BAD SLEEP WELL. I thought it was referring to some previously unknown Japanese cultural quirk, a "sleep well" that went bad. But no, it's a sentence: "The bad sleep well." I.e. morally corrupt men have no trouble getting to sleep at night. "Well" is an adverb not a noun. "Sleep" is a verb, not an adjective. D'uuuhh..... 
09-24-15, 12:28 PM
#225
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 7th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I don't know why. Maybe it's my health problems, but I'm just not feeling the challenge this year. I even removed The Seventh Seal from my Netflix queue, and plan to send The Rock back unwatched, in order to get my first shipment of horror movies for next month in time for October.