Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Reviews and Recommendations
Reload this Page >

Tell me your top Criterion recommendations

DVD Reviews and Recommendations Read, Post and Request DVD Reviews.

Tell me your top Criterion recommendations

Old 03-12-07, 10:50 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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
Old 03-12-07, 11:02 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: FL
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Small movie that twangs all the right cords...A Canterbury Tale. Look it up!

Phil
Old 03-12-07, 11:05 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Bat Country
Posts: 960
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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.
Old 03-12-07, 11:07 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Papillion, NE!
Posts: 2,342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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.
Old 03-12-07, 11:30 PM
  #5  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The 400 Blows
Old 03-12-07, 11:30 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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/

Last edited by starecase; 03-31-07 at 07:32 PM.
Old 03-12-07, 11:39 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Papillion, NE!
Posts: 2,342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Au Hasard Balthzar, of course, how could I forget!!!
Old 03-12-07, 11:41 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Orange County
Posts: 4,915
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
My favorite Criterions to date:

Ran
Dazed and Confused
Lord of the Flies
Rashomon
Branded to Kill
In the Mood for Love
Hoop Dreams
Old 03-12-07, 11:51 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Sweet Baby James's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11,587
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
A few off the top of my head that haven't been mentioned-

Complete Mr. Arkadin
Insomnia
Killers-Double Feature
Kagemusha
Old 03-12-07, 11:58 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Update: BACK
Posts: 2,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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
Old 03-12-07, 11:59 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,306
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
The Devil and Daniel Webster
Old 03-13-07, 01:21 AM
  #12  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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'!
Old 03-13-07, 02:09 AM
  #13  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,459
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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.
Old 03-13-07, 03:07 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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
Old 03-13-07, 03:14 AM
  #15  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Ghost World
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 12 Posts
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
Old 03-13-07, 07:07 AM
  #16  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 224
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Last Temptation of Christ, Videodrome, and Naked Lunch.
Old 03-13-07, 08:32 AM
  #17  
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sussex, England
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Le Trou - Most gripping movie EVER!
Old 03-13-07, 11:10 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is a very bias opinion but Dazed and Confused!
Old 03-13-07, 02:41 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 5,919
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
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
Old 03-13-07, 02:46 PM
  #20  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
what no love for 'Monty Python's The Life of Brian' what fun supplements!
Old 03-13-07, 02:51 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Legend & 2019 TOTY Winner
 
Bacon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: the 870
Posts: 22,762
Received 158 Likes on 120 Posts
Good Burger

but seriously Life of Brian is the only one not on your list that I'd suggest
Old 03-13-07, 02:52 PM
  #22  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
- 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'

Last edited by Giles; 03-13-07 at 03:28 PM.
Old 03-13-07, 02:54 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: In a Academy Award nominated film
Posts: 2,751
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
In the Mood for Love
8 1/2
Old 03-13-07, 02:58 PM
  #24  
DVD Talk Legend
 
matome's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: NY
Posts: 12,304
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Insomnia
Old 03-13-07, 03:03 PM
  #25  
Moderator
 
Giles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 33,630
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Mosskeeto
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.
Ugetsu, the film is amazing. Highly recommended!

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.