Tell me your top Criterion recommendations
 

I've currently been trying to expand my film interests; delving further into important classics, foreign films, and obscure titles that have slipped under my radar. I figure that Criterion is a great way to help.

So I'd like to hear your top 10 or so Criterions, or just those that are the most widely regarded as the "best" that I should have in my collection. I'm mostly concerned with the movie itself more than the features/quality (since I know there are few, if any "bad" Criterion discs.) I'm interested in all genres.

And just so you know not to list them, here are the Criterions I own:

Armageddon
Brazil: remastered
Clean, Shaven
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Hidden Fortress
M
Man Bites Dog
Naked
The Rock
The Royal Tenenbaums
Sanjuro
Seven Samurai (original and three disc)
The Silence of the Lambs
The Vanishing
Yojimbo

Small movie that twangs all the right cords...A Canterbury Tale. Look it up!

Phil

O..k. It's awesome that you want to expand for film watching (yay!) but Criterion does such a huge variety of films it's kind of hard to recommend something based on the label. Especially not knowing if their are any particular kinds of movies you hate. Still, as someone who loves & watches a lot of "foreign" and classic films I will share my top 10 in no particular order:) Happy viewing!

1. High and Low- since you obviously dig Kurosawa, check out this amazing film noir.
2. Wages of Fear- you seem to like horror and thrillers- this is not a horror film per se, but one of the most knuckle-whitening films you'll ever see. Don't let the slow beginning scare you away- this is a masterpiece.
3. The Grand Illusion- an amazing, amazing film. I see that you own 'Shawshank', this is kind of the king of prison escape films (I'll also cheat and highly recommend Le Trou, in the same vein.)
4. The Third Man- an extremely fun & clever murder/crime mystery, I've yet to meet a person that doesn't love this. You may want to wait for the upcoming special edition, however.
5. Sullivan's Travels- you can't go wrong with Preston Sturges (also check out 6. The Lady Eve, one of my favorites) This movie is hilarious, touching and somehow combines slapstick and emotional truth flawlessly.
7. Shoot the Piano Player- a genius crime/tragic romance film that also maganes to be a lot of fun.
8. La Strada- my favorite Fellini (heck, I was the main character last Halloween!) a beautiful film and a great introduction to the director. Afterward I'd also watch 9. 8 1/2.
10. Pickup On South Street- Sam Fuller RULES, and this red paranoia noir is tough perfection.

Equinox if you love scifi low budgters.

General Idi Amin Dada if yu love docs or Last King of Scotland.

Seven Samurai if you think you love cinema.

The 400 Blows

Personal Favorites:

I return to these titles more than any others in the collection.

1. 8 1/2 (utterly essential)
2. L'avventura
3. The Rules of the Game (gets better with each viewing)
4. The Orphic Trilogy (esp. Orpheus)
5. Au hasard Balthazar
6. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (I have a hard time picking only one Michael Powell film. They are all great.)
7. The Seventh Seal
8. My Night at Maud's
9. The 400 Blows
10. Sullivan's Travels


Wild Cards: Naked Lunch, Videodrome, The Complete Mr. Arkadin
All three are great films, but some may find them too idiosyncratic.

I have viewed every title except Gate of Flesh and Hands over the City so I cannot speak to those two titles.
I would have recommended Notorious in the top ten if it was in print.

Additional Resources:

Based on the most recent comprehensive ranking conducted for the They Shoot Pictures, Don't They list, these were the ten highest ranked films that are part of the Criterion Collection:

2. The Rules of the Game
5. 8 1/2
6. Seven Samurai
8. Tokyo Story
14. The Passion of Joan of Arc
16. Rashomon
17. Bicycle Thieves
20. The Third Man
26. Grand Illusion
31. L'aaventura


http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1000_top100films.htm


The ten highest ranked Criterion titles from the combined 2002 Sight and Sound Poll are:

4. The Rules of the Game
5. 8 1/2
7. Tokyo Story
8. Seven Samurai
9. Rashomon
15(t). Bicycle Thieves
15(t). The Passion of Joan of Arc
18. L'avventura
21. Jules et Jim
27. Fanny and Alexander


http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/

Au Hasard Balthzar, of course, how could I forget!!!

My favorite Criterions to date:

Ran
Dazed and Confused
Lord of the Flies
Rashomon
Branded to Kill
In the Mood for Love
Hoop Dreams

A few off the top of my head that haven't been mentioned-

Complete Mr. Arkadin
Insomnia
Killers-Double Feature
Kagemusha

I realized my opinion of the 10 best films Criterion has released is different from my 10 favorite Criterions right now, but here goes: (not including any you own)

The Passion of Joan of Arc
The Third Man
400 Blows
The Seventh Seal
Wages of Fear
Notorious
Divorce Italian Style
Rashomon
La Strada
Bicycle Thieves

The Devil and Daniel Webster

Thanks for the replies. I already had a bunch of these on my Netflix queue. In attempting to add the rest, I came to the realization that I Netflix only allows 500 movies on your queue at any given time... Guess I need to start watchin'!

A few additional titles that haven't been mentioned:
Ghost/Spirit tales......Ugetsu, Kwaidan (absolutely breathtaking visuals), Rashomon, Onibaba.

Pandora's Box, The Battle Of Algiers (still being used as a textbook case study at the Pentagon), Mon Oncle, Black Orpheus, L'avventura.

here's some from the ones I've seen in no real order, I'm not listing some that may well be worth watching as I havent yet got to them (eg 8 1/2) :

The 400 Blows
Au Revoir Les Enfants
The Bad Sleep Well
Le Cercle Rouge
The Children of Paradise
Diabolique
Elevator to the Gallows
Fallen Idol
Hiroshima Mon Amour
The Killers
Lacombe Lucien
The Leopard
Notorious
Ran
The Seventh Seal
Solaris
Spirit of the Beehive
The Third Man (re-release coming though)
Wages of Fear
Winter Light

I love my Criterion DVDs, although My Criterion LDs are probably even better (Carrie, Taxi Driver, sex.lies,and videotape, Raging Bull, to name a few)

But since we're talking DVD, my favorites as of now are:

Playtime
Brazil
The Man Who Fell to Earth
The 39 Steps
Walkabout
Dazed and Confused
Short Cuts
Hard Boiled
Naked Lunch
Carnival of Souls
Traffic

Last Temptation of Christ, Videodrome, and Naked Lunch.

Le Trou - Most gripping movie EVER!

This is a very bias opinion but Dazed and Confused!

my ten recommendations:

1. Picnic at Hanging Rock
2. The 400 Blows (The Adventures of Antoine Doinel)
3. In the Mood for Love
4. Andrei Rublev
5. The Last Temptation of Christ
6. The Lady Eve / Sullivan's Travels
7. Rushmore
8. 8 1/2
9. Fanny and Alexander box set
10. The Double Life of Veronique

what no love for 'Monty Python's The Life of Brian' what fun supplements!

Good Burger

but seriously Life of Brian is the only one not on your list that I'd suggest

- Mouchette
- Pickpocket
- Wild Strawberries
- Ratcatcher
- George Washington
- My Life as A Dog
- Eyes Without a Face

this just reminds me I have to watch 'Viridiana' the box set: 'Paul Robeson: Portraits of the Artist' and 'The Double Life of Veronique'

In the Mood for Love
8 1/2

Insomnia

Ugetsu, the film is amazing. Highly recommended!