StarTopic The Criterion Collection |ST| Celebrating Classic and Contemporary Cinema

[Clov]

Welcome to Famiboard's official thread dedicated to the Criterion Collection! Feel free to discuss your favorite Criterion films, past or present, in this thread, as well as anything you can catch streaming on the Criterion Channel streaming service!

What is The Criterion Collection?

In their own words, The Criterion Collection is "...a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films". In more precise terms, they're a home video licensing and distribution company that releases all sorts of films that they believe are important to the history of cinema. Their releases are known for their excellent packaging, high quality film restorations, and extensive supplemental features. Their films come from far and wide; they release films from many countries across the globe, in many different genres. Though they have a reputation for focusing on older films, they do contemporary releases. From art house to mainstream, from City Lights to Parasite, they do it all!


Woah! Where can I get my hands on these?

You can find Criterion DVDs, Blu-Rays, and 4K UHDs at Barnes and Noble if you're in the US. Other retailers will carry their discs as well, and you can always find them online on places like Amazon.
If you don't want to buy the discs themselves, Criterion also has a streaming service called The Criterion Channel. They have many of Criterion's releases available for streaming, as well as all sorts of other films!

With that, I hope everyone enjoys using this thread to discuss all things Criterion!

New Criterion Collection Releases this Month:

Written on the Wind (1956, USA, Douglas Sirk)
Miller's Crossing (1990, USA, Joel and Ethan Coen)
Love Affair (1939, USA, Leo McCarey)
Boat People (1982, Hong Kong, Ann Hui)

 

[Clov]

What are the best films in The Criterion Collection?

The Criterion Collection is vast, spanning literally over a thousand films. But what are the greatest films in the collection? What stands head and shoulders above the rest of the pack? Here they are, in no particular order:

Scanners (1981, Canada, David Cronenberg)

A classic of independent Canadian cinema, body horror auteur David Cronenberg takes the viewer into a terrifying world filled with conspiracies and ruthless psychics. This film brought him to the attention of mainstream moviegoers, and it's easy to see why!

Game of Death 2 (1980, Hong Kong, Ng See-Yuen)

A moving tribute to the late martial arts master, Game of Death 2 (known in some territories as Tower of Death) is an action packed brawler! Bruce Lee (1940-1973) stars in this 1980 martial arts epic. With extremely creative action set pieces, you'll see The Dragon as you've never seen him before!

Godzilla vs Megalon (1973, Japan, Jun Fukuda)

Godzilla is back, and this time, he's brought friends! He'll definitely be needing the help of his new ally, the robot Jet Jaguar, if he wants to stand any chance against the aquatic menace of Seatopia, and their monstrous weapons Megalon and Gigan. This feel-good romp features an international cast and a powerful ode to friendship.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964, USA, Byron Haskin)

The red planet has never looked redder! In this retelling of the literary classic, a lone astronaut must survive the elements and forge an unbreakable bond in the most unlikely of places... Mars.

Once Upon a Time in China and America (1997, Hong Kong, Sammo Hung)

In this revisionist western by martial arts veteran Sammo Hung, folk hero Wong Fei-Hung, played by the charismatic Jet Li, must navigate racial tensions in the old west while defending a community of immigrants. Both a departure from, and a conclusion to, the legendary Once Upon a Time in China series.

 

[randomengine]

Cool thread. Check out my Criterion Challenge for 2021 - I am buying and watching every Criterion film released this year - or die trying.

https://famiboards.com/threads/the-criterion-challenge-2022.1554/

 

[Dragoncaine]

I don't have the most expansive Criterion collection, but I have more than a few that I physically own. I recently watched Ikiru and Ran and was completely blown away and moved by both. I work wild hours in the film industry, but I look forward to returning to my physical backlog and watching more amazing films!

 

[Phosphorescent Skeleton]

Personal Top 10 releases that I own:
1) House dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi
2) The Complete Jacques Tati, especially Playtime
3) Island of Lost Souls
4) City Lights
5) Carnival Of Souls
6) Dragon Inn
7) Night of the Hunter
8) My Winnipeg
9) Citizen Kane
10) Godzilla: Complete Showa Collection

 

[Clov]

I don't have the most expansive Criterion collection, but I have more than a few that I physically own. I recently watched Ikiru and Ran and was completely blown away and moved by both. I work wild hours in the film industry, but I look forward to returning to my physical backlog and watching more amazing films!

Kurosawa is an absolute master! Watched Kagemusha recently and thought it was incredible. 3 hours long, but it just flew right by!

 

[Deleted member 2349]

House fuckin' owns.

I think I have three Criterion blu-rays: House, Tampopo, and Personal Shopper

 

[Clov]

House fuckin' owns.

I think I have three Criterion blu-rays: House, Tampopo, and Personal Shopper

House is fantastic! It's a real Halloween mainstay for me. A lot of fun, but more thoughtful and interesting than most people give it credit for.

I'm hoping Criterion adds more of Obayashi's films to the collection. He was a very prolific director, and made several movies I'd say are outright masterpieces. In particular, I'd love for "His Motorbike, Her Island" to join the collection in the future.

 

[Deleted member 2349]

His Motorbike, Her Island

I've wanted to watch this since forever but I can't find it literally anywhere

 

[Clov]

I've wanted to watch this since forever but I can't find it literally anywhere

It's difficult, but not impossible to find. It's one of my favorites of his. If you're located in the UK, it is getting an official release there on Blu Ray (likely locked to Region B).

 

[Phosphorescent Skeleton]

Top 20 Criterion Wishlist
1) King Kong 4k
2) Drunken Master and/or Young Master
3) Space is the Place
4) When the Cat Comes
5) Kenya Boy
6) Matango
7) The Other Side of the Wind
8) Hellzapoppin'
9) I Walked With A Zombie
10) Sholay
11) Tange Sazen and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo
12) Tora-san
13) Save the Green Planet
14) He Who Gets Slapped
15) Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain
16) The Inugami Family
17) After Hours
18) Eastern Condors
19) Freaks
20) A Bucket of Blood

 

[Clov]

It's tough thinking of my own list of what I'd want the most in the collection! Off the top of my head, in no particular order...

1) Angel's Egg
2) His Motorbike, Her Island
3) Drunken Master
4) The Trial
5) The King of Comedy
6) Rodan
7) The Forbidden Room
8) Shin Godzilla
9) Adaptation
10) The Lighthouse

Also really looking forward to seeing some more boxsets from them. I'd love for some sort of Welles boxset, and a complete Kurosawa boxset is a must! Can't imagine how expensive the latter would be, but I'd just have to get it.

 

[Clov]

May 2022 titles have been revealed!



A lot of neat stuff! I'm interested in at least watching all of these.