The Criterion Collection "Equinox" (1967/1970): Thoughts
06-21-06, 10:03 AM
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The Criterion Collection "Equinox" (1967/1970): Thoughts
From dvdtalk's review by Bill Gibron (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=22148):
My thoughts: Equinox (the original student film) was a rather sloppy affair made to showcase old-school special effects by a group of penniless but ambitious amateurs. Its vaguely lovecraftian storyline didn't make sense and it was full of plot-holes. I won't even mention the acting (think "Valley of the Golly-gee" here). Its revamping by commercial entrepreneurs made it marginally less crappy as entertainment - although it's still a very negligible B-film by any stretch of the imagination, except for its cult status as the possible inspiration for The Evil Dead. Its actual improvement (by evil, cynical Hollywood capitalists, as implied by this review) is an object lesson on what conventional wisdom regarding story, character development and decent editing can do to a seemingly hopelessly flawed film: the finished product is eminently more watchable than the first version. I enjoyed the Criterion edition as a nice, very complete film-school seminar but certainly not as an example of good cinema.
Thank God I only rented this!
Final Thoughts:
As a celebration of old school F/X melded with lessons on realizing your dreams, the Criterion Collection presentation of Equinox is above reproach. While both movies may be marred by under realized ambitions and commerce minding missteps, this is still an important primer to the varying facets of filmmaking. Easily earning a Highly Recommended rating, this two disc DVD set stands as one of the premiere preservationist's most significant statement on cinema. Not every movie can be a foreign film classic, an influential documentary or a historically important entry in the artform. No, in the case of Equinox (in either arrangement), the movie is minor at best. But with the connection to Famous Monsters of Filmland, the eventual effects stardom of the original brotherhood of first time filmmakers, and the clearly illustrated lessons in how one group's grandiose vision can be varied -- and even violated -- by another's need for saleable merchandise, this is an electrifying education. In one of the first cases where Criterion's digital dimensions clearly outshine the film being featured, Equinox is a must own part of any genre fan's collection. It proves that, with perseverance, anyone can achieve their cinematic goals, even if, in the end, it's merely a saleable shadow of it's former flight of fancy self.
As a celebration of old school F/X melded with lessons on realizing your dreams, the Criterion Collection presentation of Equinox is above reproach. While both movies may be marred by under realized ambitions and commerce minding missteps, this is still an important primer to the varying facets of filmmaking. Easily earning a Highly Recommended rating, this two disc DVD set stands as one of the premiere preservationist's most significant statement on cinema. Not every movie can be a foreign film classic, an influential documentary or a historically important entry in the artform. No, in the case of Equinox (in either arrangement), the movie is minor at best. But with the connection to Famous Monsters of Filmland, the eventual effects stardom of the original brotherhood of first time filmmakers, and the clearly illustrated lessons in how one group's grandiose vision can be varied -- and even violated -- by another's need for saleable merchandise, this is an electrifying education. In one of the first cases where Criterion's digital dimensions clearly outshine the film being featured, Equinox is a must own part of any genre fan's collection. It proves that, with perseverance, anyone can achieve their cinematic goals, even if, in the end, it's merely a saleable shadow of it's former flight of fancy self.
Thank God I only rented this!
Last edited by baracine; 06-21-06 at 10:19 AM.
06-21-06, 01:01 PM
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Originally Posted by baracine
My thoughts: Equinox (the original student film) was a rather sloppy affair made to showcase old-school special effects by a group of penniless but ambitious amateurs. Its vaguely lovecraftian storyline didn't make sense and it was full of plot-holes. I won't even mention the acting (think "Valley of the Golly-gee" here). Its revamping by commercial entrepreneurs made it marginally less crappy as entertainment - although it's still a very negligible B-film by any stretch of the imagination, except for its cult status as the possible inspiration for The Evil Dead. Its actual improvement (by evil, cynical Hollywood capitalists, as implied by this review) is an object lesson on what conventional wisdom regarding story, character development and decent editing can do to a seemingly hopelessly flawed film: the finished product is eminently more watchable than the first version. I enjoyed the Criterion edition as a nice, very complete film-school seminar but certainly not as an example of good cinema.
Thank God I only rented this!
Thank God I only rented this!
06-22-06, 03:19 PM
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Awaiting this from Overstock.com.
Just got it and watched it with Muren's commentary.
Having the two versions is excellent along with the liner notes is a great collection, but disc 2 is were CC knocxks it out of the park.
As for the movie, I just watched 1967 version and while its amature, its a hoot in the final half but a little too boring in the early section. I'd say this is the easily blind buy of the year for me. Not b/c of the Criterion label, but the wealth of knowledge this disc provides on the insights of amature filmmaking, something I take seriously, cuz I do it myself, hoping for the day to make "it".
If you love stop-motion or Harryhausen films or are a techie, this is easily a must buy. I'm sure you'll watch the film a couple of times, but more with the commentaries and extras will get the workout.
Film: C
Disc: A+
Just got it and watched it with Muren's commentary.
Having the two versions is excellent along with the liner notes is a great collection, but disc 2 is were CC knocxks it out of the park.
As for the movie, I just watched 1967 version and while its amature, its a hoot in the final half but a little too boring in the early section. I'd say this is the easily blind buy of the year for me. Not b/c of the Criterion label, but the wealth of knowledge this disc provides on the insights of amature filmmaking, something I take seriously, cuz I do it myself, hoping for the day to make "it".
If you love stop-motion or Harryhausen films or are a techie, this is easily a must buy. I'm sure you'll watch the film a couple of times, but more with the commentaries and extras will get the workout.
Film: C
Disc: A+
Last edited by Zodiac_Speaking; 06-23-06 at 03:03 PM.
