I think something truly wild to do for "CC 40" would have been much more experimental and ambitious. The Case and Capacity of the package is fixed and "Non-Specific", very standard and minimalist. BUT the FILMS INSIDE of the set are up to EACH VIEWER to choose from! Obviously...there would be restrictions to titles that were in print, available in terms of license holding etc etc...but imagine if each customer were given the choice to curate THEIR OWN 40 Film Criterion set of any 40 films of their choosing? The appeal being that they are getting their "Top 40" titles at an incredible "bundle rate" with condensed and concise packaging. Yes, in terms of logistics that would have been quite hard to manage and make happen, but again, if the packaging was "fixed" and non-specific, and customers were only choosing from a pool of films to include the 40 of their choice...I think it could have been something REALLY special and amazing.
Just bought this set. As a Swede, I should've done so when it came out, but I stopped collecting Blu-rays and simply forgot about it. However, it's dropped so much in price that there's simply no longer any excuse not to splash out on it. Treasures such as this don't come along too often. Of course, eventually I suppose that there will be 4K releases of most (if not all) of these titles, so then there will be another box set. But this is still a must-buy because of the wonderful book alone! Anyway, nice video. I personally think Persona, Scenes From a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander are the cream of the crop. I wouldn't call any Bergman film "bad" as such, but he has a lot of mid-tier films that may not always thrill the viewer, but that nevertheless usually contain some magical moments or interesting scenes. And the acting is always top notch. He always had a way with actors.
the Italian setting, Goblin score, sinuous camerawork, great mystery and lots over the top gore….This is in my top 10 Argento for sure. Very underrated.
Wasn’t able to watch the stream the entire time it was live, though I did watch some of it and it looked like a pretty good conversation was being had. I hope you’re doing well Daisuke. I’m going to see Deadpool and Wolverine Sunday as a week or so before, I wanted to see it as I was unable to watch it when it first came out due to being busy and going to Wisconsin the following weekend, but when I finally went to see it I found out that the theater I frequent had a power outage and only this week did they get power back and it was frustrating to say the least since it’s the only theater in my vacuity that plays new movies like Deadpool and Wolverine in which I don’t have to drive an hour or so to get to. I hope you’re doing well, please take care, have a great day and a great weekend!
Hello again, Daisuke. How fortunate I am as always to have your comments to listen to after enjoying works of genius like this one. Watching this work for the first time today around 4:30AM followed by listening to your comment here was an experience I won't soon forget. Where do I begin? First of all, the silence of this work was an essential aspect and it was important for me to have watched this alone in the dark with no noise interference. I look forward to reading the booklet once I finish this set, but I heard you say it mentioned Edward Hopper, one of my favorite artists, and I can see why. You mentioning that elevates (no pun intended) my thoughts about this work greatly. Thank you also for your comments about the film grain or the little blue lines next to the nuclear fallout poster in the lobby or damage to the picture itself and how the people who restored this work decided to keep these blemishes. I agree wholeheartedly that it lends to the experience of watching this masterpiece. Seeing this reminded me of other works that take place in a hotel or a big city and enhanced those films for me greatly; "Lost in Translation" comes to mind. Maybe it is best if I just throw out key details I noticed to showcase some of what I took in here with "Hotel Monterey": Old people and young people. Foreigners in a hotel. Elevator going up and down. Going from night to day. Pregnant woman framed next to a bed alone. Pointy fences blocking access to other hotel rooms outside the window. Shots of NYC through a window. Traveling slowly down an empty hallway and then backwards.. The camera zooming in on shots we might have seen already, perhaps of an elevator peephole or window. The reactions or goings on that we see or don't see in said elevator. The silhouette at night peering through the window at the camera that looks out another window. Long still shots of hallways or exit signs with no people to be seen... I could go on but the thoughts or feelings that could be evoked through the context of what we see here combined with the previous three works included in this set along with the context you give me here with this discussion is quite profound to say the least. This is a lot to take in, watching these two works back to back, and I wonder when I will decide to confront this set again next. Cheers!
Hello, Daisuke. It's been a while since I've touched the Chantal Akerman set that has sat on my coffee table for some time now, but I couldn't sleep last night and it felt like a good time to get back into it very early this morning. I watched both this work "La Chambre" as well as "Hotel Monterey" back to back and have now had the great pleasure of listening to your comments here. I've not forgotten my own thoughts or comments about the previous two works in this set and I believe I put off watching more so soon because I realized how much I would be wrestling with in my mind/heart while experiencing these works. What you had to say here has helped me tremendously in processing what I just saw, so thank you as always for taking the time to speak about films on RU-vid. I thought this work "La Chambre" was amazing. I believe it helps a lot to have seen the first two works in this set before watching this work because they give me a great sense of what it is Chantal Akerman is trying to say with her art. The "boring" aspect of this work is essential to giving it a certain look or feel to transmit the themes to us, in my opinion. Your comments about this being the first work of Chantal Akerman upon moving to NYC allowed me to ponder a lot as well. One person, specifically a woman, in an apartment alone while the camera slowly spins one way and then back the other way with various things one can try to take notice of. Interesting to say the least, but when you realize it is up to your own mind to "fill in the blanks", this work takes on a whole new level of complexity. I had previously mentioned that I don't even feel worthy enough as a film fan or person to even experience these works and upon watching "La Chambre", I have to say that I feel that way again. However, everything about this work down to the silence of it, the film grain or textures in the room, the presence of Chantal Akerman herself yet again, the movement of the camera as well as my own personal life all swirled together to give me a wholly unique experience that I am so grateful for. There is so much more I would like to try and articulate, but I feel like my comments would fall short of anything that has probably already been said about this. What I do know is that there is so much more to this than meets the eye. This woman in her room where different details become more apparent the more we pay attention. Your comments about the fruit having a, perhaps, sexual connotation can spark, in my mind, that this is an artistic masterpiece about the life of a person who lives alone amongst a world full of people where the slow passage of time either forward or backwards with changing details has so much to say. I hope that came out right.. It just reminds me a lot of that brilliant first work included in this set, "Saute Ma Ville" and I think it's important to bear the feelings I had regarding that work while watching this one. I wish I could better explain my feelings or thoughts right now, but this was yet another important thing for me to watch today. That feeling of watching something at just the right time in my life appears once again.. Thank you for helping me discover and explore works like this, my friend. Cheers! P.S. I love that "The Room" is behind you while you recorded this! 🥄🗽
Hi Daisuke, i think the Seven Samurai Collection offers not much. Same packaging, with the data right now no Dolby Vision or HDR 10. The BFI Virsion is my way to go and it is much cheaper. Greetings from Bavaria 🔵⚪
It’s a good selection of films I think, but some of these I want on 4k, and part of the benefit of Criterion is the packaging and you’re not saving that much money per movie. If you $600 to drop on anything you’re probably going to save it for the full versions.
We are getting the same restoration of Seven Samurai from BFI in October so I’m getting that as I have the Criterion bluray and so have the features that will be on the 4k. I think it’s a nicely balanced month for releases.
This is epic! All my life I've heard my mother use the phrase "I gotta go winky-tink!" while highly praising the film "Paper Moon". She has periodically encouraged me to seek this film out and I kept putting it off until I recently watched "Barry Lyndon" for the first time. I added the DVD to my Amazon wishlist and then put off purchasing it again, but NOW I am given this amazing opportunity to add it to my physical media library courtesy of the Criterion collection and potentially at 50% off! This is another one of those fated movie moments for me to have made all the more special because of my newly restored love for Ryan O'Neal and my mother's comments. Not only that, and I may have mentioned to you before, but I have never seen Howard Hawk's "Scarface"! I have recollections of seeing snippets of it on my cherished Brian De Palma special edition "Scarface" DVD special features but have yet to see it in it's entirety. This is going to be the most amazing moment when I can get my hands on this film and watch it for the first time. I might even risk eating a fresh pineapple while viewing it! I am a Guillermo Del Toro fan as I love "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Blade II" but I have not seen many of his other works and I recall feeling around the time of it's release that "The Shape of Water" might not be for me. The fish man reminded me too much of a character in the film "Hellboy" also by Del Toro and honestly I think the fishman in a personal favorite "Creature From the Black Lagoon" is a much cooler horny fish man, but some other people's comments and the academy recognizing this film does sway my opinion to want to check it out! Saying that last part does make me want a Criterion release of "Creature From the Black Lagoon" now... I'm definitely a fan of "Godzilla" since childhood and was introduced to "Seven Samurai" a few years back when I finally purchased the Criterion blu-ray. I actually don't mind when Criterion re-releases an older film already in the collection on a new format because sometimes I reflect on how I, in a way, don't want Criterion releasing too many new films each month for artistic quality or integrities sake, if that makes sense. The more movies in the collection the better, I suppose, but it's like my heart can't take all the excitement sometimes. As always though, seeing the future release titles and hearing your comments has been a highlight of the month! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak a little bit about these films, Daisuke! You are the man! Have a wonderful Sunday as of the time of this comment and a great start to another week of August 2024. Cheers!
2012 - Godzilla Blu Ray 2019 - Godzilla Showa Box Set 2024 - Godzilla 4K Every few years...Criterion can't resist dipping back into Godzilla and putting more respect on the legend. I fully anticipate that the Heisei and Millennium films will enter the physical Criterion collection in due time, and that the entire Godzilla catalog will one day be on glorious 4K Disc.
Completely agree with you about Russels performance, in particular how he is able to emote with his eyes. The entire cast did a solid job of this, particularly in their reaction to the kennel scene and seeing the dogs being assimilated. Keith David and Russel had a certain chemistry that delivered in a big way. Timeless classic
i typically try to stay away from more mainstream, NA titles when it comes to my Criterion collecting habits (trying to stick with international titles that i never would have heard of if it weren't for Criterion) so a good handful of these are currently not on my shelf. i will be grabbing this great set not only for that reason, but also as a physical celebratory piece of the collection at large and with it the glorious closet series. a lot of people seem to be unable to wrap their head around that idea and choosing to chastise Criterion after years of giving us great product; that they come out with something substantial that does not cater to their ideal form of a momentous release.
The BFI Seven Samurai uses the same transfer but from the specs seems to have HDR/Dolbyvision which the Criterion doesn’t & they also often have better encoding (by FiM) than Criterion
The Shape of Water is a stunning, emotional, imperfect gem of pure genre synthesis and personal transcendence; it has always proven to be so rewatchable for me in recent years. It also possibly includes the performance the great Richard Jenkins will always deservingly be most lauded for, and a musical score that fittingly manages to truly sing, without the need for singing.
Can’t wait for funny girl on 4K. I almost bought seven samurai during the last sale but there were rumblings about a re release. So glad I held back. Hope you’re doing well🙏 have a great weekend Daisuke!
I dont know why, but the way you say "described" while talking about the listed year of the films interests me. Are you saying Criterion isnt always right with their dates?
I’ve always enjoyed The Godfather: Part III. Yeah, it’s not the best of the trilogy, but it’s not horrendous as some try to make it out to be. When I heard Coppola wanted this film to be seen as an epilogue, that made me appreciate it even more and then when he got to edit it for the 30th Anniversary the way he intended the film to be seen and with it having Coda on the title, it’s defiantly interesting as its shorter and now has certain scenes rearranged that I defiantly get why they’re now put where they are. Its been awhile since I’ve watched this cut of the film, but I remember the first time thinking it was alright, though I’ve been accustomed to Part III for so long, that a new, shorter cut is going to take awhile for me to watch just as much as the theatrical cut that we’re all accustomed to. Thank you for talking about this Daisuke, I hope you’re doing well. Please take care and have a great day and weekend!
Scarface, Godzilla and The Seven Samurai all on 4K are a must for me. Thank you for talking about the November releases Daisuke, I hope you’re doing well. Please have a great day and take care!
BFI are also putting out Seven Samurai using the same transfer Criterion are using, but with Dolbyvision/HDR - from the website Criterion’s just seems to be SDR
I promise when I make my next Amazon order that it will include The Godfather Coda and that I will finally embark upon watching it for the first time before I will watch it again with your commentary track! Francis Ford Coppola has come up in the cinema conversation quite a bit recently and this is a good excuse to put my mind more on him and his works! Thank you for continuing to make videos and commentary for your Patreon page, Daisuke. Everything you upload is pure gold to a cinema fan like myself. I will also endeavor to re-watch those 007 films you recorded commentary for when I have the time. Also, separate subject, do you think you will be seeing the new Alien film that came out this week? I can kind of already predict my thoughts based on initial reactions to the film, but as an Alien fan who recently re-watched them all, I think I might have to go see it. Or just wait for inevitable streaming option... At any rate, cheers and have a great weekend! Looking forward to sharing thoughts on the new Criterion announcements with you!
