Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Outside of Star Trek, I've never had much interest in science-fiction, to be honest. Monsters do even less for me.

Word. I host TV on DVD* in January and I enjoy Oscars, then I tend to sit out until Historical Appreciation in June (which I also host). Then I'm in for all of them through Horror in October. I'm pretty casual about Holiday, rarely making much of an effort.

Try hanging out in my neck of the woods sometime. The only reason so many people here wouldn't admit that they find such things intimidating is because they're too self-conscious. Mention the fine arts, though, and you invite reflexive "You think you're better'n me, don't you?" reactions.

In spirit, I agree with you. But I also have to say that this hard line conviction is precisely why such things are perceived to be the domain of intimidating elitism. It's one thing to be knowledgeable and passionate; it's another to scorn those who aren't and that's where the divide originates.

As we say in the South, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Hence my "Criterion for Noobs" list, which I intended as honey for those who are put off by the vinegar.

Entirely unrelated
I just found The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2-disc Criterion edition Blu-ray at Walmart for $5.00. It's in a regular, slim blue case instead of the standard thicker, clear case from Criterion but for $5.00 I wasn't gonna sweat it.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I can only speak for myself, of course, but I've found in previous years that the spine number range check marks have driven me to make selections I probably wouldn't have made otherwise. Case in point: In 2010, I still needed something from #500-550 on the last day of the challenge. I could only find a few things that were eligible. I chose Hunger. I'd have much more likely just kept gorging on Ingmar Bergman films if not for the checklist.


But isn't making selections you wouldn't have otherwise part of the fun?

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Quite. That was my point.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Excellent. Not quite sure why I read that as a negative. :)

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I've only seen Tango (not in the set)...but I've heard great things...too bad it's OOP.

I'm willing to keep them how they are/were. I was under the false recollection that no one completed the checklist again last year. Turns out, that wasn't the case at all.

I believe in the democratization of these challenges. It's not my challenge, it's the DVDTalk community challenge, I just happen to organize the thread. I think it's always good to look at ways to make the challenge and checklists work better, more interesting, and fun. I think some of the changes that we've been discussing should happen (removal of directors, addition of essays, etc.), but I'm fine with leaving the spine numbers this way if people think it's fine as is and provides a good challenge. After all, the checklist should require a bit of work. I just want to make sure that we don't put the checklist too far out of reach for the regular participant. And, I want to try and encourage discussion of the titles.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I believe that's the only one that exists. Criterion and Paramount worked together to release the film, so it's not a typical Criterion release.

For me, the criticisms levied at the film don't make sense and probably reek of that elitism others have mentioned. Some don't like seeing mainstream films in the collection, and I understand that feeling, but I like seeing good films in the best condition, with the most supplemental material that I can. This release does that and I think it's a solid film.

Not to mention it's a nearly 3-hour film adapted from an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story; it's interesting to see a story taken well beyond the original content.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Signed up for the Amazon Prime trial.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

This and Oscars are the only two challenges where I ever even come close to completing the checklist on a consistent basis.

And you do an excellent job!

I can appreciate how a film debuting in The Criterion Collection would seem suspect. It raised my eyebrows, too.

I still haven't actually seen it! I'll be sure to share my thoughts when I do, though!

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Reducing GOJIRA to simply a science fiction movie or a monster movie is like calling WEST SIDE STORY a teen musical, SEVEN SAMURAI a swashbuckler, or THE SEARCHERS a cowboy movie. It's not just a genre film. It's a portrait of a nation and its reaction to a trauma that no other nation on the globe experienced ever.

Hello? Are there any other GOJIRA fans in here to back me up?
Don't be shy, guys, help me out here.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

No need to make the case for it. I'm already aware of the thematic value and allegorical points, etc. That's really the only context that makes it interesting to me. I'll get around to it one day, but I'm in no rush. Way too many movies that I'm excited to finally see ahead of it!

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I haven't seen it either. It's not intentional, but like Travis, I just haven't gotten around to it.

The #3 "related film" on Criterion's website is I Live in Fear, which is a really underrated Kurosawa film that deals with the aftermath of World War II.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I'm a Gojira fan, and I can vouch for you Ash.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

When I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I was blown away and enjoyed every minute of the film. Then I got online and was completely blown away by how many people hated it. I suppose it is a polarizing film. I couldn't resist the $5 BD, but haven't been able to part with my DVD copy yet.

I'm a big fan of Gojira as well as other, less noteworthy kaiju films. I hadn't thought to revisit it next month since there are so many Criterions in my unwatched pile. I there may have been a discussion of the film in this year's sci-fi/fantasy challenge discussion thread (too lazy to confirm) where people were looking at the differences between the American version of the film and the original Japanese.

This all reminds me that Godzilla makes a few cameos in Millennium Actress. That's another film that needs to watched by any movie lover who hasn't seen it. Too bad Criterion never dips into animated features.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Gojira is definitely an excellent movie, and that's coming from someone who has little to no interest in kaiju films in general. While I think the American version is seriously lacking in some ways, it is interesting to see the two versions in order to compare and contrast. I will also say that the Criterion release has some great special features (and great packaging!). I found the David Kalat commentaries on both versions to be highly informative and entertaining.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I saw it in the theater, shortly after its release and there wasn't too much negative criticism at the time (at least that I had heard). I think the vitriol gained steam as we neared Oscar season. I have since watched it a second time and still found it enjoyable despite the criticisms.
This reminds me: there is one film eligible for this challenge and the Animated Challenge. Akira was released on Laserdisc and would qualify as a film not released by Criterion on DVD/BD.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Some people would say I'm sitting out the current challenge, with only three selections logged so far. :) :(

I go heaviest on TV, Sci-Fi, and holiday. I always "register" for the other challenges and get credit when I slip an eligible title in, but sometimes that's only a handful over the month. Criterion, Oscars, B movie--all categories I dig, but due to circumstances I can't go all out for.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The original Japanese version is a superior SF film. It's *far* less a "monster movie" than the US version. I'd put it at the top of the heap along with The Day the Earth Stood Still, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and other "serious" SF films from the late 50s.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I see that nearly all the Zatoichi movies are now Criterionized. It'll be nice to have some action breaks in between the usually slow, moody stuff that I (Or we) encounter in this challenge.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Ok so I worked on a viewing list during work today. Based on the checklist as it stands now these films should allow me to complete it.
A Canterbury Tale
Akira
Amarcord
The Atomic Submarine
Band of Outsiders
Che
Corridors of Blood
Le doulos
Europa
First Man into Space
The Forgiveness of Blood
Geometria
The Haunted Strangler
Kes
L’avventura
Leningrad Cowboys Go America
Lola
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Repo Man
Sanjuro
Stagecoach
That Obscure Object of Desire
The Third Man
Young Törless

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The two you mentioned by title are also still on my List of Shame. I have more interest in them than I have in Gojira, though.

Yeah, I saw they're releasing a box set of them in November. I'm unfamiliar with them so I dunno how complete it is.

I worked out the other night how much of the checklist I would complete in the course of watching Jaime Hernandez's Top 10 list. It was more than half, I think. That was before I got the Amazon Prime trial, though, which should allow me to maybe do a Top 10 that interests me more. I need to scope that out later tonight.

Of the movies on your list, I've only seen three so far: Amarcord, Stagecoach and The Third Man. I enjoyed all three. Probably Amarcord the most, then The Third Man. I'll warn you now: I couldn't go an hour after watching The Third Man before I had to buy the title music from Amazon.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I went ahead and finalized-ish the checklist based on the feedback in the thread thus far. The highlights include:

1. A merging of the 1920s and 1930s and a merging of the 2000s and the 2010s. Anyone looking to spike the football a bit should feel free to keep them separated.

2. The removal of the Criterion Top 10 Directors as a subsection and the addition of Watch 5 Films from different people in Criterion's "Explore People" section.

3. The removal of the Watch a Film Which Won and Academy Award. That check is now redundant-ish because of the Themes subsection (one such "Theme" is Academy Award Winners).

4. The addition of Reading 5 Essays from the Criterion booklets/website.

5. The addition of Watching 5 Criterion supplemental interviews.

6. The addition of Watching a Trailer.

7. Slight word changes for clarity.

All of these changes are reflected in Post #1 of this thread and will be noted in Post #1 (or #2) of the List Thread, when it is created.

Please note: I still need to linkify (I can't remember if that's a Trevor term or a Travis term?) to some of the Criterion lists, so it remains a work in progress.

For my own list, I've put together an excel spreadsheet with Spine Number, Title, Year, and Language. I just went through the collection, and my unwatched pile, and then sorted by spine number. It really does help with what is becoming the overwhelming size of the collection.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Of the ones I've seen I'd rank them, roughly:
1. L'avventura
2. The Passion of Joan of Arc
3. The Third Man
4. Band of Outsiders
5. Stagecoach
6. Sanjuro
7. That Obscure Object of Desire
8. Amarcord

9. Repo Man

I put Repo Man by itself because I think the last time I saw that was in the 1990s, so, really...it's unranked.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I completely forgot until now, but I think we had a conversation about adding: Listen to a Soundtrack to the checklist.

I remember your comment about The Third Man and I ended up creating a soundtrack playlist on Spotify because of it.

Maybe it's still a check we can add...or make optional...?

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

The set is 99% complete. Movies 1-25, including the till now MIA #14 Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966), but not #26 Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman (1989) are in the box.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I *think* I coined "linkify" and Trevor enthusiastically adopted it. Though I could be wrong and it was the other way. I'm too lazy to search the discussion thread from 2011 to find out.

I dig the revisions to the checklist. I think soundtrack is a good idea, but I also agree with it being optional just because I'm sure it'll be inconvenient to find a lot of them without going to some degree of difficulty and expense.

Also, I think I finally thought of a way to include the Top 10s. What if we make the following amendment:

--- Watch an entire Criterion Collector's Set/Eclipse Box Set/Top 10 List?

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I like the amendments made to the list so far. My only suggestion would be to up the trailers to 5. It's not like it is a big time commitment and I like the idea of keeping things uniform.

The world has thus far conspired against me when it comes to watching Repo Man. For whatever reason I never am able to make it through. I figure by putting on my list I'll have to break my streak.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Yeah, I watched it during my annual "Oscars" binge so the critics and commentators where pretty vocal about the nominees and whether they should have been nominated or not.

I really like the changes to the checklist! It looks awesome!

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Wow! I just don't know what to say about that! It hits me the same way me not having seen Nightmare Before Christmas hit LJG765. :)

I highly recommend you watch Gojira, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers during the Criterion challenge as both qualify and The Day the Earth Stood Still as soon as you can.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I get that a lot. My List of Shame is staggering.

I may. They're not compelling priorities for me right now, but they're on my radar.

Another link to add to the list, BTW:

iCheckMovies - Criterion's Eclipse Collection

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I'm really going to try to focus on first time watches and any unopened Blu-rays that I purchased. Looking forward to going completely through a disc. That's always my favorite part of the challenge.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Maybe you should post it so we can all give you a goodly amount of grief and get it over with. That way you would be partially guilt-free once you finally watch a film on the list. :D

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I think this is why it took so long for me to watch it. I had heard a lot of bad things about it. I still bought it-I got it really cheap when it first came out because it was a Criterion. I finally watched it last year for this challenge, I believe. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Maybe more because I thought it was going to be bad?

It's funny that you mention Millennium Actress. I watched it last night and really enjoyed it. I did notice those parts, they're not long though, but I laughed when she was taking photos with Godzilla. Sadly, it's out of print. Used are still fairly cheap but new are fairly expensive. :( I'll probably pick up a used one, but I hate not knowing what you'll get.

I have to admit, I too, have not seen Gojira. Not that I remember anyway. I'm not a huge fan of monster movies, but perhaps you've convinced me to give it a shot this upcoming month! ;)

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I wouldn't say "hate" but I'm one of those who absolutely do not like that film. I picked up a $3 copy (Criterion no less) from BL sometime last year and am glad that's all I paid. I'd say a second viewing might change my mind but I tend to form opinions of films the first time out and rarely change that opinion.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

You really should. The original is not the kiddie camp stuff that came later. It's a very serious film. Just save the US version for second and then mainly as a curiosity. It's not "bad" but it doesn't have the impact of the original.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Whoops! Had two windows open and posted in the wrong one. :)

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Let's admit it: We all have a List of Shame, but some are just more forthcoming about revealing it than others. :)

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

I'd also add that Takeshi Shimura has a prominent role as a guilt-wracked scientist. Shimura starred in several classic Japanese films in the Collection, including Seven Samurai and Ikiru. The original uncut Gojira isn't just a monster movie, but a revelation of the post-Hiroshima Japanese national psyche.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Good ideas; both have been amended.
I had to think about this one for a bit and, ultimately, I think there is an abundance of trailers on the discs and you're right, there's little time commitment here. The checklist has been amended.

Thanks.

I have made a number of changes to Post #1, including the checklist. I went crazy with linkifying, so that should make searching easier for everyone. I also made significant changes to language, but not spirit of the "rules." Hopefully, it'll help us avoid confusion in the future.

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Re: MILLENNIUM ACTRESS-- one of the actresses who was a partial inspiration for this film, Setsuko Hara, stars in several Japanese films by Ozu that are Criterion releases, e.g. TOKYO STORY, LATE SPRING, END OF SUMMER, etc., as well as at least one Kurosawa film, NO REGRETS FOR OUR YOUTH, all of which I'd highly recommend. Two notable contemporaries of Ms. Hara, Machiko Kyo and Hideko Takamine, are well represented in the Criterion Collection also.

When I interviewed Satoshi Kon, director of MILLENNIUM ACTRESS (and TOKYO GODFATHERS), about ten years ago, I asked him who the inspiration was for Chiyoko and here's what he said:

Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
 

Thanks for the heads up! I've seen many of the Ozu films in which she's starred. It also looks like she is in Kurosawa's The Idiot. It seems she's one of those actresses I love without realizing it.

While putting together my list, I remembered that Persona, my favorite Ingmar Bergman film, is not part of the Criterion Collection. Of course, I knew this, but I associate Bergman's films with Criterion. Sometimes I wish Criterion was a big bully and would beat up other distributors to take their films. :D

Edit: Ash, forgot to ask if you have a link to your interview. As I've stated elsewhere, Millennium Actress is one of my favorite animated films, and I would love to read more about it!