Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I'm just aloof :)

I'm technically not supposed to open my LG bluray player til my attic home theatre system is all wired up and such - but I'm itchin to open it up this afternoon and watch a Criterion bluray disc - oh the temptation!!!

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

oh so wait, we can watch extras on non-Criterion discs - I'm referring to Trevor's watching 'The Battle Over Citizen Kane' (which is exclusve to Warners DVD special edition) - if that's the case, I can watch an extra on the import of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' - ??

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Oops, I didn't know it wasn't on the Criterion laser. I'll delete it from my list. Not that we're counting.....

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Just to clarify, I think your intention for this checklist item is to watch one from this list that is also not on DVD/Blu-Ray? i.e. laserdisc only? Just clarifying because the list you linked to has titles that are also on DVD.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Well, I have seen Citizen Kane, but I realized that when I watched Spartacus, that I had never seen anything with Laurence Olivier and the only thing I had ever seen with Peter Ustinov was Logan's Run!

I just noticed that Laurence Olivier is in Rebecca, for which I will be watching sometime this month.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Correct. Good catch, thanks. It shows which ones were later put on DVD or Blu, but was there a list of laser only? I'll change my links/wording.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I don't think there was a laser only list... at least that I saw. The list that you linked to was the same one I referenced a few posts back (and someone else did too.)

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Anybody tried The Auters yet? I might try a few of their "Free" selections soon.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I'm signed up at The Auteurs. I watched a little bit of "Housemaid" to check the quality and it was quite good. (I have the DVD, so only checked scenes for comparison.)

Since the Wii is now capable of flash on their Internet channel, it'll be good to watch these films on my TV as opposed to my laptop.

Naked Lunch
 

Normally I would just post this in my list thread, but I felt this required some additional viewing.

I watched Naked Lunch last night and I literally had no idea what the hell was going on. I'm not a Cronenberg novice, either, but I just didn't follow anything in this movie at all. I'll be listening to the commentary sometime this month, but wow...just wow I am kind of at a loss for words. Is this a case where I had to read the book this was based on or am I just missing something simple?

Re: Naked Lunch
 

Reading The Naked Lunch will not help; Burroughs is not an easily accessible author. These essays from the Criterion site and this NYT review might clear up the movie's meaning for you.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

To quote myself, strangely, I tried to watch a movie through the updated Wii on The Auteurs, and this time, just a blank screen came up. I'm not sure on the specs of why. But on my computer, no problems.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I've also watched a few things on the Auteurs without problems. I'm not big on watching streaming films, but it's always good as a filler between Netflix rentals, or just checking out a film that I'm unsure about. Usually, I'll watch the first few minutes and then decide if I want to rent it.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I might give Auters a shot sometime by the end of the week.

Just want to say that the challenge has been going pretty well so far. I'm glad to have this opportunity to check out so many movies that I've either wanted to see, or to just hopefully uncover a newfound, cinematic jewel.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Well this sucks, I went to put in Spellbound and my PS3 wouldn't recognize it. I put it in my PC and nothing...nothing at all. No scratches or anything on the back of the disc. This is only the 2nd disc out of all my titles that I've had issues with. :(

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I just wanted to chime in here to single out Notorious as an absolute masterpiece. No spoilers here, just want to say that I was absolutely blown away and I have *never* been on the edge of my seat as I was for this movie. I could hardly stand it I was so nervous. Fantastic. It's really too bad I will never get to experience that feeling when I watch the movie again.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Thanks. I've been waiting for a good excuse to watch that film, maybe tomorrow night.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Other than Vertigo, it's Hitchcock's finest film. The complex relationship between Grant (never better) and Bergman is fascinating, and the climax is as tense as they come. The two commentaries are well worth listening to as well.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I feel like I need to apologize for being a very mediocre Challenge lead. It's been a rough month for me and I haven't watched nearly as much as I normally do, and am pretty much done for the month as I'm leaving on a cruise in a couple days and still need to prepare for that. But even without watching, I should have put some effort into formatting these threads, making things interesting, bumping, discussion, etc. And since I'll be gone until the 5th of October, and the Horror Challenge will be full swing by then, I probably won't be doing a results/wrap-up post or thread.

I have enjoyed reading much of your comments in the list thread, although I've had to skip a lot of the comments since I haven't seen the films yet. I've also watched a few incredible films for the first time, including Citizen Kane and The Third Man.

So again, I apologize for the ramshackle condition of these threads, and for being an invisible Challenge starter. I'll make more of an effort next year, unless one of you (please!) takes it over.

Oh, and I think I have bingo.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I am a commentary nut, and have listened to both commentaries already and the one by Marian Keane is *ok*. She is way too technical for me. It may be a good commentary for film majors or people who make films, it isn't really that interesting to me. She also did the commentary for The 39 Steps. Once again, very technical and not much behind the scenes stuff, so just alright for me.

The Rudy Behlmer commentary was amazing. Top notch stuff there. A lot of behind the scenes information on the actors, the production, and just the making of the movie in general. He also does do some screen-specific commentary at certain parts so it's not just one-dimensional.

I also listened to the Lux Radio Theater broadcast. Obviously not nearly as entertaining as the movie, but it was cool that Bergman reprised her role and Joseph Cotton was Devlin. The breaks were hilarious with their "interviews" leading to ads for Lux flakes or other Lux brand items. I had A Christmas Story moment listening to those ads.

To Trevor - No worries on anything! Even though the discussion thread wasn't too lively, I had a great time with this challenge! I can't believe I waited so long to watch those Hitchcock movies. Notorious alone was worth the whole challenge. I have plenty left for next year, that is for sure.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Bollocks. This challenge has been a good kick in the pants for me to go through a lot of extras I paid good money for. :up: to ya for creating it. (It turned out to be more of a reading challenge than a film-watching challenge for me).



The Third Man is one of my favorite films. If you haven't listened to it already, I highly recommend the commentary with Steven Soderbergh and Tony Gilroy. Enjoyable and informative.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

I've been enjoying reading the booklets myself. As for the challenge, been loving the fact that I've been watching my bluray collection... finally - only had to rent one from the video store - 'Pierre Le Fou'

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

Soderbergh always gives good commentary - casual, yet in-depth. He's also very skilled at getting other directors to open up. Check out his tracks on Point Blank and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

meh, we are all just as guilty, trev. any one of us could have (still could?) step up and do more to spark interest and discussion. like i mentioned, this is a good idea and im sure it will take off in the future :D

Re: DVDTalk's First Annual Criterion Challenge - September 2009
 

No worries, Trevor. This challenge has been a great excuse for me to watch some terrific films, many for the first time. Right now, I've got Mike Leigh's Naked on pause as I type this. Looking forward to doing this again next year.