5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
#101
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Forgive me if I missed it in this year's discussion, but have we already listed the items that would count for crossover Challenge double credit with animation August and Horror October? The two lists shouldn't be too unmanageable to make and update yearly and cut-n-paste into each year's threads.
We probably have done this in at least one past discussion thread. If I have a slow day at work I'll try to find it.
We probably have done this in at least one past discussion thread. If I have a slow day at work I'll try to find it.
#102
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I only have a bicycle, and my nearest library is a small farm town library about 3 miles away.
#103
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Spoiler:
#104
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#105
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#106
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Cool, another DVD in my limited selection available for this Challenge. I have King Kong, Robocop, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Ghostbusters, Gojira, Godzilla King of the Monsters, Cat People, and Halloween. Used to have Life of Brian, but use got it too scratched up to play anymore, and used to have Dazed and Confused, but the binder it is in, is missing.
#107
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Ozu and Kurosawa were amazing directors, but Kenji Mizoguchi was every bit their equal. His films, like Oharu Monogatari and Chikamatsu Monogatari, are brilliant critiques of Japanese cultural mores, especially regarding the status of women. The Mizoguchi Eclipse box has a great selection of his later work; his last film, Street of Shame, is probably the best film in the set.
While Mizoguchi is a great director, I happen to place him in the top ten of Japanese directors rather than the top five. I tend to like Mikio Naruse better and think his films about women are emotionally richer than Mizoguchi's. Mizoguchi keeps too much of an artistic distance for my tastes and can get preachy at times. I'd also put Masaki Kobayashi (THE HUMAN CONDITION) over Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi is to Ozu, Kurosawa and Naruse the way, say Elia Kazan is to John Ford, Orson Welles and Billy Wilder when it comes to my Hollywood pantheon. Great director and Kazan's best films (e.g. STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, EAST OF EDEN) are superb, but there's such a love of filmmaking that permeates every frame of Ford and Welles that even guys like Kazan and William Wyler (another great director) are overshadowed by them. In fact, for a whole set of different reasons, too complicated to go into now, I find myself thinking of Mizoguchi and Wyler as counterparts.
But Mizoguchi's films are important and all worth seeing, esp. that "Fallen Women" Eclipse set that you cite, which I watched for the 2011 Challenge. I was amazed to see so much location shooting and sync-sound recording in his 1930s movies, OSAKA ELEGY and SISTERS OF THE GION, which are, quite possibly, my favorite Mizoguchi movies.
#108
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
So, are there NO selections that can crossover Animation and Criterion? I guess, if you're liberal you could count Holy Grail?
#110
DVD Talk Special Edition
#111
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#112
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Really looking forward to tomorrow evening...not sure what I'm going to cue up first.
#113
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Thanks, Travis. I just saw the question from Trevor, but it's one that I wouldn't want to touch. Each year, I feel confused about what counts for the Horror Challenge and what doesn't. I feel lucky to host one with easily defined guidelines.
Really looking forward to tomorrow evening...not sure what I'm going to cue up first.
Really looking forward to tomorrow evening...not sure what I'm going to cue up first.
#114
DVD Talk Special Edition
#115
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I feel lucky to host one with easily defined guidelines.
Really looking forward to tomorrow evening...not sure what I'm going to cue up first.
#116
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#117
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
Out of curiosity, I checked Hulu, and I saw both Cronos and at least one of the Zatoichi movies started playing. So unless my Hulu Plus Sub started again and I didn't know or forgot, those movies are free.
#118
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread

I may be in the same type of predicament. I'm taking an impromptu trip to my parents' house this weekend so my days will be pretty stuffed. I'm hoping to sneak off to one of the television in the house to get in some views. Unfortunately, my family does not care for foreign or art house films. I did show my parents The Royal Tenenbaums when I got the BD, but I made sure to carefully set it up before we watched. They really enjoyed it (or at least told me they did), and Dad said he appreciated my disclaimer, so I may use that tactic to get them to watch something!
#119
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I may be in the same type of predicament. I'm taking an impromptu trip to my parents' house this weekend so my days will be pretty stuffed. I'm hoping to sneak off to one of the television in the house to get in some views. Unfortunately, my family does not care for foreign or art house films. I did show my parents The Royal Tenenbaums when I got the BD, but I made sure to carefully set it up before we watched. They really enjoyed it (or at least told me they did), and Dad said he appreciated my disclaimer, so I may use that tactic to get them to watch something!
#120
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I haven't looked at Hulu in at least 6 months, but noticed a charge for it on my credit card bill yesterday. Shenanigans!
#121
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
#122
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
#123
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I'll get the broom.
#124
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#125
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 5th Annual Criterion Challenge - Discussion Thread
I don't know how many other Bergman movies are on Youtube, but I found at least two. The Virgin Spring, and The Seventh Seal are both on Youtube.





