Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Why not? The Qatsi films have spine numbers, so they are official Criterions. We can watch OOP Criterions and laserdisc-only films, as well as films on Hulu's Criterion microsite that are not in the Collection at all. I checked the first page that set out the parameters for viewing, and there was no prohibition of watching Criterion titles before their street date. If I am wrong, I will remove the offending titles.

I hope this isn't a problem because I was planning to dust off my Paramount DVD of Rosemary's Baby for the Criterion/Horror overlap.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Got sent the blu-ray of Diabolique (1955) earlier this year and figured this challenge was the perfect reason to finally check it out. The movie is a little bit edgy for its time and left me pretty impressed. Originally had thought I would sell off immediately after watching, but thinking I may hang onto it now. This also may have been my first foreign language film with subtitles.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Sorry that I've been away from posting. Middle of the week is always crazy for me; especially in September.

I have this sitting on the DVR with plans to watch it. I've never seen it, but I've heard good things.

It's been more than a decade since I've seen it and I really need to revisit the film. Based on your inspiration from the "listen to a soundtrack" suggestion, I did listen to most of the soundtrack last week.

This happens to me over and over again. I'll feel underwhelmed by a film and two or three days later, I'll be thinking about it constantly. I guess that's the true mark of a great film. Oddly enough, the most enjoyable film I've watched during the challenge wasn't for the challenge at all. I finally got around to seeing Drive and that's a film that left me thinking about it for days.

I get that way with Bergman as well. He's easily my favorite director, but I try to circle the waters before diving back in. For me, Fanny and Alexander is the most comprehensive Bergman. I usually recommend Wild Strawberries or The Seventh Seal for those new to Bergman, but I just love Fanny and Alexander.

I've seen a few floating around on the AMC/TCM combination...all I can remember is Equinox...a film I'll probably save for the overlap between this challenge and the Horror Challenge. I have a feeling the film will test my patience.

Thanks for the review on the trilogy. I have to check it out (have it sitting on the shelf), but I'm not sure I'm going to make it to that point during this challenge.

I felt the same way about Stagecoach I can like a western just fine under the right circumstances, but I was really impressed with the film.

Yes, we can watch films before their release date. I think that this has always been the case, but I'm certain that it's been the case for the last few years. It was either last year or the year before that we added the ability to count film that Criterion owns on Hulu Plus, but has yet to put out in any format. So, you're good as long as it's on Criterion's Hulu Plus page, LD, DVD, BD, or announced title.

I had a similar reaction. Something about the reviews and, perhaps, the cover art made me think that this wasn't a film that I was going to like very much. A pleasant surprise.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I don't see a problem with it as long as they're officially announced by Criterion. The titles in question are up for pre-order so that seems pretty conclusive. We don't mandate watching the Criterion release for this challenge, so if there's a sticking point here, I'm too indifferent to find it.

My latest viewing, La strada, was under some rough circumstances. Technical issues, my health and a blind date that fell apart broke up the viewing over three days, but by far the worst was that a friend of mine died abruptly today. They believe she had meningitis. She was part of my online Crohn's support network, and I've known her for about six years. I didn't have much enthusiasm for finishing the movie, but I needed a distraction. My Letterboxd review:



La strada Qualifying Checks
-X- 1950s (1954)
-X- Language (Italian)
-X- Watch a film from a director in Criterion's top 10 ( Fellini)
-X- Theme (Oscar Winners)
-X- Spine Range #201-250 (#219)
-X- Watch a film that won an Academy Award (Best Foreign Language Film, 1954)
-X- Watch a film with commentary (Audio commentary by Peter Bondanella, author of The Cinema of Federico Fellini)
-X- Read an essay (La strada by David Ehrenstein)
-X- Watch a Criterion disc completely. Every part of it.
--- Watch an entire Criterion Collector's Set/Eclipse Box Set - Essential Art House, Volume II, Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I'm currently watching I Live in Fear by Kurosawa and I have a feeling that I'm going to like it, primarily because I'm really drawn to films that deal with postwar anxiety and I somehow hadn't even heard of this film until I was sifting through the Eclipse titles and reading the descriptions. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to finish it tomorrow.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Get on that ASAP and let us know your thoughts. :)

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I'm sorry to hear about the tough times this week and hopefully your health is better. I think Fellini is good Criterion at this time (definitely not a good time to get into Bergman again) and I'd probably lean towards lighter titles if I was in your position. If you like La Strada and Giulietta Masina, then check out Nights of Cabiria sometime. I like her performance in that even more. I'd probably rank Fellini like this:

1. 8 1/2
2. Nights of Cabiria
3. La Dolce Vita
4. La Strada

Amarcord never has resonated with me and I'm not sure why, because so many love it. Anyway, Cabiria is simultaneously one of the most depressing and rewarding films that I've seen, maybe something for a happier time.

Hope you feel better and I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I'll try my best. I should still need a check for the 1990s, so that would fit in well. I do want to listen to the Dazed and Confused commentary though. Maybe I'll have time for both (yeah, right). Definitely will check back in with my thoughts once I've watched it.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

The US remake of Diabolique should have come with a warning that it was likely to spoil a superior and classic french film, ever since I've wanted to see the original but avoided because I wondered about replay or enjoyment if you're familiar with the story.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Step away from the US remake of Diabolique. Do not taunt it, nor should you look at it directly lest it charge you.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

so how about the titles that were announced for release on laserdisc, but never materalized?

oh and I watched 'The Leopard' last night from the Aussie bluray from the 2010 4K restoration - wow! it blows the Criterion bluray out of the water in terms of it's clarity, colors and sharpness - and it's one damn good movie to boot!

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

As far as I know, we never had an official stance on that (I don't think it's ever come up). The fact that they have spine numbers (for the LDs), would lead me to say we could include them. I'm not much of a stickler for this type of thing. IIRC, the idea to include Hulu Plus (non-released) titles was someone else's idea and others jumped in with support of the idea.

So, I would say, use your own judgment for the challenge and maybe we can address it next challenge. I don't think anyone is going to give you a hard time considering that there were official announcements and there is a small, finite list of titles.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I'm sick today, so what could be a better time to force myself through Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. One hour in and two hours, eighteen minutes to go.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

MinLShaw- very sorry to hear about your friend. Have you watched A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies?

So I was checking out The Lower Depths thinking about using that to complete the watch an entire disc portion of the challenge. The Criterion website has it listed as a box set. What do you think can/should I count it as a box set?

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I've been sick myself, fighting a GI bug that has me quite miserable the past 30 or so hours. Probably not a good place to be for certain Criterion viewings. I'm concentrating on first time viewings and classic directors.

While watching an Ozu film (excellent but sloooow), a random thought crossed my mind: What Criterion film would be the most mind numbing boring experience? That title crossed my mind for some reason, even though I've never seen it and can't recall anything about it that would make me think it fits my question.
Condolences as well Travis. That doc sounds interesting xizor42. I guess it touches on loss? I'll have to look for it.

The Lower Depths counts as a collector set because its a 2 (3?) film set.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Sorry didn't mean for those two thoughts to run together. The Doc is just Scorsese talking about movies. He had mentioned that he loved listening to Scorsese in his La Strada review.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Watch someone do housework for 3 hours and you've seen most of the film. There's not a whole lot of dialogue, so it doesn't take that much effort to follow what's going on, or what isn't going on, depending on your view.

I think a dialogue heavy, foreign film with a running time of around 2 hours can be the worst if you aren't able to get into it from the beginning. Then you start not being able to follow it, you mind starts going to sleep and you're not really paying attention to the subtitles. Then you go to wikipedia to read up on what the plot was about and then you go "really?" I've seen a few of those but nothing specific. I also tend to get bored enough to take breaks, which tend to drag it out for days, adding to the confusion.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Actually, I might take back what I said. If you're on the right kind of medicine where you can just zone out and stare at a wall for hours, Jeanne Dielman might be the best mind numbing film out there. With the foreign ones I described earlier, at least you're just hating life and wishing the movie would just end, which means you're at least thinking and have thoughts going on.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Add me to the list of people that have been sick. I've been fighting a bug since last friday afternoon, and am just now starting to get better.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I'm going to hang out with some friends here in a little bit and we're gonna watch the Reds game, hoping they win their division tonight. I doubt I'll watch anything else tonight. Maybe I'll get back to this challenge tomorrow. I am determined to complete the checklist this year, which I've never done. I've been saving Bergman for the end of the challenge as a sort of reward for actually branching out the rest of the time. We'll see.

One nice thing about already managing severe depression: I'm alright emotionally right now. Just stunned and sad, but not to the point that I feel I need to shy away from things.

Ha! No worries. :) I haven't seen the Scorsese doc, but it's been on my radar for a while now. It sounds terrific!

Sans Soleil or La Jetee.

Thanks for the condolences, everyone, and I hope you all get to feeling better! Remember: the important thing is ya' health!

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

I remember watching that a year ago. I know it's trying really hard to be something else but at it's heart, it's just a mondo/exploitation documentary. I guess if I hadn't seen earlier films like it, I might be impressed but I've seen enough mondo films to hardly find it as groundbreaking and innovative as others seem to find it.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

That reminds me of my biggest "complaint" with Challenges, especially this one it seems.

I've really only been into film for about 10 years, so my backlog of classic films to watch is miles long even now. And while these discussion threads at DVDTalk have been the highlight of this hobby-life for me; I try to avoid reading about films that I've yet to see. And even with what seems like a full-on immersion into Criterion these past few years, I bet I've only seen a third of the films, if that. So I'm "having" to skip most of this thread.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

You bring up an interesting point. Given that there are so relatively few of us in this challenge each year, perhaps next year we might consider something where each we select some specific titles for the lot of us to watch, sort of a takeoff on the daily subset in the Horror Challenge. That might promote greater discussion. There will be four full weeks of September next year, with the 29th and 30th falling at the beginning of a fifth week. Even if we just picked one film per week, to give everyone time to watch it on his or her own, that might be something helpful.

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

+1

oh and I just watched the bluray edition of 'Lawrence of Arabia' - truly outstanding bluray (not to mention the film itself), since I'm buying the deluxe edition that's coming out in November I'm now selling off the UK bluray edition for $20 - interested? PM me

Re: 4th Annual Criterion Challenge
 

Great idea! It would be sort of like our failed Criterion Club, which I've been thinking about restarting as a monthly.