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Ten Criterion Collection Releases We’re Still Waiting For

Ryan Gallagher — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:00:44 +0000

With yesterdays announcement of the October releases, I thought it was about time to evaluate what has been hinted at over the past several months, in order to see what is still theoretically due for a 2010 Criterion Collection release.

I went through and picked ten releases, not always individual titles, that I think we should expect as a release in November / December of this year. Now it is certainly probable that a few of these titles might not surface until 2011, due to any number of conflicting circumstances, but I think they’re all safe bets.

A few months back I went through the “Cryptic New Years Drawing” that Criterion posted back in January, hinting at a dozen or so titles that we all came to expect releases for. As far as I can tell, most have been announced, save one or two, depending on how you read the imagery.

With Criterion’s constant teasing at future releases, either on Twitter, Facebook, or in their e-mail newsletter, there is certainly a well to draw from, so if I forgot to mention one that you are particularly interested in seeing, leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

10. Antichrist

Ah Antichrist, a title that we have talked about for months and months. Back in December 2009, Travis boldly predicted that we would see Lars von Trier’s beautifully horrifying film in the Collection, and was then confirmed earlier this year, being hinted at in an e-mail newsletter in the form of a illustrated fox eating it’s entrails as is gruesomely portrayed in the film.

The drawing hinted at a fall release, so I’d wager a November unveiling, as I would imagine that pushing it into December might draw some outcry from the more religious fans of Criterion. Antichrist was also among the titles that Amazon had posted a pre-order page for back in May, which Criterion confirmed.

9. Cronos

A few months back, I decided to go through various threads on the CriterionForum, looking for older “wacky” drawings from past e-mail newsletters, that still had not received official announcements. One that came up again and again was the drawing of the scarab from Guillermo Del Toro’s Cronos.

When it was announced last month that Del Toro would no longer be directing The Hobbit, I wrote about how this would enable Criterion to move forward with their Cronos release, as Guillermo would be much more available. A few weeks after I wrote about this, Steve Weintraub over at Collider confirmed off camera with Del Toro that Criterion would in fact be releasing a Cronos special edition this December.

8. Still Walking

When the Criterion Collection / IFC deal was announced in September of 2009, several titles were mentioned specifically as being in the running for DVD/Blu-ray releases. As of July, most have been announced, save Hirokau Kore-eda’s 2008 film, Still Walking.

A family drama in the same vein as many of Yasujiro Ozu’s films, Still Walking is a release that many fans have wondered aloud on the various social media outlets, hoping each month to see listed with the upcoming titles. While no IFC films have been announced during the August / September / October new release cycles, it would be a shame if this film fell by the wayside.

7. Night of the Hunter

Last month we were treated to an adorable little bunny rabbit in our monthly e-mail newsletter, adorned with tattoos on it’s knuckles. Unfortunately, the movie that little rabbit represented is not so cute and cuddly. Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter is among many of MGM’s titles that Criterion has picked up the rights to distribute.

As with Cronos and Antichrist, it seems strange to position this for a holiday release, but as we get closer and closer to the end of the year, it has to end up somewhere. As this was a more recent rumor, I’d guess that this one may also be pushed back into 2011, in order for Criterion to finish up all of the special features they’re likely to include.

6. Broadcast News

Mere weeks after we got our e-mail newsletter hinting at the Night of the Hunter release, another landed in our inbox, again featuring animals. This time we had a drawing of a television, with a pair of Gnus standing around. A quick, literal reading of the image led us to think that James L Brooks’ Broadcast News would be up for a Criterion Collection release shortly.

While this is also a more recent rumor, I’m inclined to think that Criterion may work on this title sooner rather than later, to help balance out the heavier, horror films that we expect to see in November / December. I haven’t seen Broadcast News in years, but it is currently available on Netflix Watch Instantly.

5. Four Feathers

Alexander Korda’s 1939 film, Four Feathers, is one of the few titles from that previously mentioned cryptic New Years drawing that came out in January. Hidden amongst the various drawings, was a single feather, quite out of place, but fairly obviously representing this film.

Another MGM title that is no longer in print here in the States, Four Feathers is certainly do for a restoration, and proper DVD / Blu-ray release. The recent Criterion Blu-ray’s of technicolor films (I’m looking at you Red Shoes and Black Narcissus) have turned out gorgeous, and I’d wager this one will also hold up to the most scrutinous of reviewers.

4. Fish Tank

Another IFC title that has been teased at in newsletters and in cryptic images tweeted out by Criterion, Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank is certainly due for a proper DVD/Blu-ray release. This release would also see another appearance by Michael Fassbender into the Collection.

We’ve discussed this possibility on past episodes of the podcast, as well as in this post, in which I compare the image tweeted out, to a screen capture of the UK DVD.

3. Charlie Chaplin

A couple months back, Criterion announced in their newsletter that Janus Films had acquired the rights to the entire Charlie Chaplin catalog, and would be releasing the films in theaters around the country. This has led to many discussions regarding how Criterion will approach their home video releases of the Chaplin titles. Will they be individual editions? Box sets? Eclipse sets?

Several possibilities are conceivable, and it is only a matter of time before we get to see what Criterion has in store. I’m including this as one entry in this list of ten, but as is shown in this image from Janus, there are seventeen titles that are likely to be released in the Collection. Screenings of the Chaplin films have begun popping up around the country, so if you have the opportunity to see some on the big screen, I’d highly recommend it.

2. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Now this is a title that I’m a little unsure about adding to this list, as I’m not entirely familiar with it’s rumor history. I know that I’ve heard Travis mention it during the Sundance bonus episodes, as well as seen it mentioned on the various forums I frequent.

Apparently Criterion has commented on this title on their Facebook page in the past, informing us that it is taking longer than expected, with Alfonso Cuaron’s current work load preventing more direct contributions on the project.

This was certainly a modern indie darling that brought Cuaron’s name to the tongues of many film fans, and he has continued to impress us with all of his subsequent works. Again, I can’t say with any certainty that this will make it’s way into your homes in November / December, but maybe in time for Valentines Day of 2011?

*Edit 10:00 AM, here is a link to the IFC story discussing Y Tu Mama Tambien, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Following.

1. New Hollywood Box Set

Finally, we get to the big elephant in the room. Last month I wrote about a rumored box set in the works over at Criterion: A New Hollywood Box Set. This caused quite a stir on some forum threads, causing many to doubt my source, but I hold strong to the idea that this will see a release this November.

Again, this isn’t one title on this list of ten, but rather a box set of 5-7 films, each fitting into the New Hollywood era. Some of the titles mentioned in my post were Easy Rider, The Last Picture Show, and possibly Five Easy Pieces. This will be available on DVD and Blu-ray, only available as the set (similar to last year’s AK 100 – 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa).

So that’s my list! What are your thoughts on these titles? What do you predict we’ll see round out 2010 for the Criterion Collection?

James Celebrates Peter Lorre’s Birthday With His Ten Favorite Films

James McCormick — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 02:50:29 +0000

Look up on that marquee. Whose name do you see? László Löwenstein! Then you shake your head and wonder, “Who is László Löwenstein?” To film audiences around the world and until the day he died, he was known as Peter Lorre, one of my favorite actors and sadly not enough people know him apart from the Looney Tunes caricature that, while pretty brilliant, doesn’t show a fraction of his acting ability.

Today is a special day because his birthday is June 26th and he would be a ripe 106 years old. So here at the Criterion Cast, I would like to share with you my top 10 Peter Lorre films that I just absolutely adore. This isn’t a definitive list, so if you have any suggestions yourself, please list them down below in the comments section.

10. The Raven (1963)/ The Comedy of Terrors (1964)

Are these great films? Not at all, to be honest. But to this horror nerd’s upbringing, there was nothing better than waking up early on a Sunday morning, my dad putting on the TV and when our local mad scientist host showed these two films back to back, I was overjoyed. Two films, one of which directed by Roger Corman himself and based on one of my favorite authors (Edgar Allan Poe) and starring three of the greats in my eyes, being Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, the kind of the grand guignol in my opinion.

Yes, these films are more along the lines of horror comedies, but there’s something about these films that still make me smile ear to ear today. Is it an early appearance by Jack Nicholson in ‘The Raven’? Or is it the appearance by Basil Rathbone in ‘The Comedy of Terrors’? I think it’s a combination of those things and just the whole package of these three greats just having a grand time on screen together. Lorre was past his prime, of course, but you could see the joy in his face with these other two thespians.

9. The Boogieman Will Get You (1942)

Ahh, a film I had almost forgotten about until I was writing out this list, it’s a great comedic horror film starring Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre (if you notice throughout this list, there’s lots of connections with actors, the reason being that they liked to work with one another and they also had contracts with certain studios, so you’d have similar actors working together). Karloff plays a kind scientist, Professor Billings, who has sold his home to Winnie Slade (Jeff Donnell), who wants to make it into a hotel.

Unknown to Slade, Billings has been in his basement creating a race of superbeings to help in the war effort, who wants to use the guests as unwilling parts of his experiments. Lorre is the town sheriff, mayor and hair tonic salesman Dr. Lorentz, who gets involved in the plot when he sees profit in the air. Just a bit of a sidenote, this film was made in the wake of Karloff’s successful Broadway run of ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’, which the feature film version is withing this list.

8. Mad Love (1935)

Dr. Gogol. What a wonderfully creepy name. Lorre plays Gogol, who is obsessed with actress Yvonne Orlac. When her husband Stephen’s hands are destroyed in a train accident, she brings him to her biggest fan, Dr. Gogol, who says he’s able to repair them. Gogol’s pure insane obsession makes him do anything to have her, which means even giving Stephen new hands that are able to throw knives expertly. It’s a grand horror film, with some amazing set pieces, creepy scenes and Peter Lorre stealing the show in his first American production. And that final scene is heartbreaking every time I watch it.

7. Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)

Considered to be the first true piece of film noir in the clasic period of film (which is from 1940 to 1959), the film could have been dismissed as a typical “wrong man accused of a crime and is now trying to clear his name”, but it’s done so well and with such great pacing and camera work that you won’t think about that little detail twice while watching it. John Mcguire plays Mike Ward, a reporter who is a key witness in a murder trial. He saw Joe Briggs (Elisha Cook Jr.) over the body of a man at a diner, which was instrumental in the jury finding Briggs guilty.

Ward’s neighbor is then killed in a similar fashion and when he points this out to the police, he is now arrested for the crime. So his fiancee Jane (Margaret Tallichet) is trying to clear John’s name by finding the mysterious stranger who was behind both murders. And guess who plays this stranger? Of course, none other than our very own Peter Lorre. It’s a wild and sinister portrayl that would have been lost with any other actor, but Lorre chooses wisely and just lights up the screen. Check it out, if you can.

6. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

The first pairing of Peter Lorre and Alfred Hitchock himself (who loved him so much in the film ‘M’ that he needed Lorre to be in this film). What’s even more brilliant is that Lorre didn’t speak English yet (considering he just fled Nazi Germany) so he learned all of his lines phonetically, which watching it again is not noticeable in the least. Lorre plays a charming and sadistic assassin named Abbott, out to kill Bob and Jill Lawerence (Leslie Banks and Edna Best) and kidnaps their daughter to get the edge on them. It was remade in 1956 with James Stewart, but I always preferred Lorre’s killer to Reggie Nalder’s portrayl, even though I do believe the latter one is a superior film. Only in a perfect world could we meld the two together.

5. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

The first sci-fi film Walt Disney pictures ever produced? The only sci-fi film Walt Disney himself produced before he died? Starring James Mason as Captain Nemo? You’ve already got me hooked and I’ve loved this film since I was a kid. Revisiting it a few years ago, how could I have forgotten Peter Lorre’s role as Conseil? Kirk Douglas is sizzling on the screen as Ned Land and when the three of them are on screen together, this little film nerd’s heart exploded a bit. Those locations are gorgeous and the matte paintings are a dream come true for me. And I hope you as well. And it makes me ask the question: Why haven’t I bought this DVD???

4. Casablanca (1942)

Is there any way to properly write about Casablanca now? It’s been written about, talked about and loved by the vast majority of people who have seen it since it premiered in 1942 and for good reason. It’s one of the few ‘perfect’ films by my opinion, and it just oozes with charm, sex appeal, intriguing characters and that old Hollywood feel that has been lost for decades now. And Peter Lorre playing petty criminal Ugarte is one part of a film that has some of the greatest actors of all time within its celluloid walls. Want me to list them? Will do: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Sydney Greenstreet, Conrad Veidt, Claude Rains and Paul Henreid round out a superstar cast. If you’ve never watched this film… how could you call yourself a film fan?

3. Maltese Falcon (1941)

One of the finest pieces of film noir ever produced, with Bogart commanding the screen (because he was that damn good), The Maltese Falcon is one of those films forever ingrained in our collective minds, even though most of us don’t know what a ‘maltese’ is. Hint: it’s from Malta. Sam Spade is iconic, the interactions between Spade and Peter Lorre’s Joel Cairo are priceless (lots of smacking around that is hysterical) and when we finally meet the ‘Fat Man’, we see it’s none other than Sydney Greenstreet, which we’ll be seeing a bit of his and Lorre’s pairing up (they did pair up in nine films). Just a wonderful film that I know ages gracefully.

2. M (1931)

The film that put him on the map, this film is all about Peter Lorre’s acting. A Fritz Lang film to boot, we’ve shown our love for it here at The Criterion Cast, and why wouldn’t we? It’s the first Lang sound film which he considered his finest achievement and if only he knew how people have fallen in love with it since it premiered almost 80 years ago. Lorre plays Hans Beckert, a child murderer, and he’s on the run from not only the police but other criminals as well, because they don’t want some murderer of children making their lives a living hell.

So it’s almost a team up of justice and crime, who are both sickened by this monster. The title ‘M’ comes from one of the criminals marking a large letter M on his own hand with chalk and then clapping Beckert on the shoulder, with the letter M now on his coat. M stands for “Mörder”, German for murder. A fine example of film making. Just watch it for the way sound and silence is used throughout the film. It’s breathtaking, to say the least.

[Check out James' review of the recent Criterion M Blu-ray.]

1. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

A film that holds a special place in my heart, this is my favorite film that has Peter Lorre in it. Based on the wonderful play by Joseph Kesselring, ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ stars a pratfalling Cary Grant, in one of my favorite roles of his. It’s sad to know that he did not like himself in this role of Mortimer Brewster, confirmed bachelor. Simple synopsis is as follows: Mortimer who has secretly gotten married to the love of his life, Elaine Harper (played by the versatile and beautiful Priscilla Lane). He visits his kooky aunts and his brother Teddy (who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt in an amazing running gag, to put it lightly).

His aunts take boarders and murder them with a bit of arsenic in tea that they serve them. And mayhem ensues, primarily when his other brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey, doing his best Boris Karloff impression) returns with his alcoholic plastic surgeon, Dr. Herman Einstein (played by Peter Lorre). The way this film moves is amazing, and it’s Frank Capra at his madcap best. It’s one of my favorite films ever, and is definitely my favorite film that has Mr. Lorre in it. And I still say “I’m not a Brewster, I’m a son of a sea cook!” and everyone still doesn’t know what I’m talking about.

David’s Ten Criterion Collection Films To Celebrate Father’s Day

David Blakeslee — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 03:15:03 +0000

It’s Fathers Day [weekend], that one special occasion to give a few moments of our attention (at least) to the Dads in our lives and extend to them a few tokens of our thanks for the role they’ve had in making us the people that we are. As a father of four young adults myself, I’m grateful to be on this side of the equation, having seen each of them turn out to be pretty cool and impressive people on their own terms, if I can say so myself! Of course, some of the greatest films ever made have a lot to say about the functions and foibles of fatherhood. Here’s a list of ten fatherly archetypes that I’ve selected from my past year-and-a-half of watching Criterion DVDs:

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

1. Nanook of the North – The Primordial Father

When it comes to being a dad, there’s nothing more basic to the role than providing for your family’s basic sustenance. Putting food on the table, bringing home the bacon- or in this case, blubber – it’s what dads do! So what better place to start this list of Top Ten Criterion Dads with the oldest feature in the collection, Nanook of the North? Nanook shows the world how it’s done: he’s a hunter (though not much of a gatherer since there’s precious little to gather in that frozen wasteland they call home), a builder (whipping together a nice cozy igloo on a moment’s notice as the sun begins to set and a winter storm approaches) and a master at the art of packing up the family for a trip (you’ll be amazed at how he loads up his kayak!)

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

2. The Fatal Glass of Beer – The Lamenting Father

Dads often have to endure the bitter disappointment of seeing their children go astray, rejecting the lessons of their youth to go make their own foolish way in the world, only to come back flat broke, aimless and needy. Such was the case of Mr. Snavely, holed up in his sparse Yukon cabin with the good Mrs. Snavely, huddling together in blizzard conditions that “ain’t a fit night out for man nor beast.” After years of pining away, wondering what’s become of their dear son Chester, they finally get their chance to re-enact the story of the Prodigal Son – and fail! – yielding utterly hilarious results.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

3. My Man Godfrey – The Slow-Burning Father

Speaking of hilarious, there’s nothing I find funnier than a frustrated, pent-up dad straining to manage the outburst of emotions that adversity of whatever sort stirs up. Despite his family’s great wealth and social prestige (or more likely, because of it), Alexander Bullock can barely contain his astonishment at the ludicrous antics of his over-indulged daughters, his dithering, perpetually distracted wife, or her parasitic protege’/boy-toy Carlo, who run roughshod over his upscale Park Avenue household while his financial holdings fall into ruin. Mr. Bullock finally snaps, chewing out his family and grabbing a tray full of cocktails from the butler Godfrey. About to leave the madhouse scene, he barks out one last order: “I’ll be in my room. You can repeat this order in thirty minutes!”

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

4. Mr. Arkadin – The Protecting Father

Dads who have the mixed blessing of parenting a beautiful-but-headstrong daughter understand the pressures that come with the territory, especially if the family is rich. In her impulsiveness and drive for independence, she’s as likely as anything to attract the wrong kind of guy, and if she has a bit of a rebellious streak in her, she might just find herself getting more deeply involved than we think she ought, merely to prove she can do things her way. With so much at risk, who can blame a father for taking extra measures to keep tabs on his little princess, just to make sure things don’t get too far out of hand? Gregory Arkadin serves as an extreme role model for the over-protective dad. He dispatches undercover spies to track his lovely daughter Raina as she zigzags all over Europe on her unlimited allowance, looking for kicks. Mr. Arkadin’s obsession with Raina winds up taking its toll on everyone, especially him, so I guess we have to see him as a dad who takes his “defender” role way too far.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

5. Hobson’s Choice – The Exploitive Father

After spending a lifetime toiling and laboring to make sure everyone’s needs are met, and often being taken for granted along the way, who can really blame a dad for trying to eke out a little advantage for himself in his latter years? It seems like there should be a legitimate reward for raising one’s children well, and if that means a little feathering of one’s nest, a little rest and repose on Easy Street, who has a problem with that? Well, the kids, for starters, especially if Dad’s strategy involves willfully thwarting their offspring’s hopes and ambitions to secure his personal gain. Such is the case with Henry Hobson, a shoe store owner and widow who relies on his oldest daughter Maggie to manage the shop so that he can hang out at the corner pub with his cronies. Sadly, but necessarily, Hobson’s choice to manipulate Maggie winds up blowing up in his face, leading to some humorous debacles and eye-opening experiences for the lovable old drunkard.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

6. Ordet – The Moralist Father

The burdens of traditional patriarchal cultures have imposed themselves on countless men over the ages, with mixed results, to say the least. Many men thrive in the assumed role of leader, community elder, stern authoritarian and arbiter of justice on the domestic level, and it’s certainly not my purpose here to slam dads who head their households with wisdom and lovingly teach their children to discern right from wrong. But there are a fair number of fathers who push their role as disciplinarian so hard that their children suffer and turn out messed up as a result. The dysfunctional family dynamics on display in the Borgen family lead the oldest son to outright rejection of the father Morten’s religious beliefs, drive the middle son into a state of lunatic dissociation in which he believes himself to be Jesus Christ, and leave the youngest son void of direction or ambition and on the brink of a marriage that neither set of parents feel they can support. Ordet’s amazingly tragic/miraculous conclusion reminds us dads that even when we screw up royally, forces beyond our control can still work to salvage the situation (but don’t count on it!)

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

7. A Story of Floating Weeds – The Absent Father

Sometimes circumstances in life compel dads to part ways with their children, leaving them to be raised by their mother and injecting a poignant note of loss and heartbreak into the relationships that can have a lifetime of ramifications. In Ozu’s first version of this story, we meet Kihachi, a traveling actor and leader of a troupe that makes regular visits to a certain rustic village in the northern mountains of Japan. His purposes for that particular stop include putting on a show, of course, but also include a visit to the home of Shinkichi, his supposed nephew who is, in reality, his son. Now that Shinkichi is nearing adulthood, Kihachi and Otsune (Shinkichi’s mother) wrestle with the decision of whether or not to tell the young man the truth about his parentage and dispel the illusion that his father died when he was very young. This predicament (with additional complications) reflects the anguish that almost all dads have to face at some point along the way in having to admit their own failures to their children. Few auteurs are able to match Ozu when it comes to portraying the complexities of familial crisis, and this early silent film demonstrates that Ozu had that skill even fairly early in his long and prolific career.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

8. Ikiru – The Dying Father

The ultimate stress that settles in upon a dad is the knowledge that his health is failing and that his time in this world may soon draw to a close. That alarming realization is all the more difficult to handle if one realizes that a lot of mistakes and missed opportunities that took place over the years were never sufficiently dealt with. The knowledge that old conflicts, resentments and wounds may never get their chance to heal weighs heavily on a man when he knows that time is running out. Kanji Watanabe serves as our proxy in this story of a middle-aged bureaucrat diagnosed with stomach cancer (though never told so directly by his doctors.) The sorrow he feels over his imminent demise is only aggravated by the fact that his son Mitsuo fails to pick up on the change of heart he’s experienced and still regards the old man as little more than a nuisance that he needs to keep at arms length so he can pursue his own goals and satisfy his wife’s materialistic demands. Watanabe’s plight, though taking place in a specific postwar Japanese context, touches on universal themes that make Ikiru one of the most emotionally affecting films I’ve seen over the past year and a half of systematically combing through the Criterion Collection.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

9. The Furies – The Going-for-Broke Father

When it comes to the qualities that make a man a “great dad,” a colorful, rambunctious, larger-than-life personality sure helps perpetuate a guy’s reputation in the memory of his children, friends and peers. T.C. Jeffords is one such individual, practically the epitome of the old Wild West cattle baron type. Always quick with a whip-cracking retort whenever his pride or manhood are challenged, Jeffords is a high-stakes gambler who’s ready to put all his chips on the table if need be, confident that he can rebuild from scratch if that’s the hand he’s dealt. As the proverbial self-made man, an archetype especially beloved by Americans who buy into the whole “rugged individualist” mythos, Jeffords is also a bit of a control freak as he has to deal with his own impetuous, hot-blooded daughter Vance (see Mr. Arkadin & Raina, above.) Jeffords lived large and grabbed life by the horns, literally, right up until the end, when he went out in a blaze of glory of sorts, shot in the back by a vengeance-seeking victim of one of his past sins. Despite the harsh, unanticipated exit, Jeffords left this world on his own terms, leaving a legacy of fierce independence that Vance would draw on for the rest of her life.

Criterion.com / Netflix / Amazon

10. Bicycle Thieves – The Desperate Father

This list comes full circle in a way, starting and ending with a dad who’s main objective is simply to provide for his needy dependents. Antonio, drowning practically anonymously in a sea of poverty that’s overtaken thousands of ordinary men just like him, catches lucky breaks of both the good and the bad sort in a short amount of time – first offered a job when there’s hardly enough work to keep a tenth of the men around him employed, then seeing his means of doing that job stolen out from under him before he even has the chance to do a full day’s work. Choking back the shame and frustration that any of us would feel, especially in the presence of a young son who’s just coming to realize his father’s fallibility, Antonio wrestles through a series of choices that are both easy to find fault with but also highly understandable on an emotional and psychological level. There may not be any more evocative or heart-tugging portrayal of the pressures of fatherhood than the simple yet multi-dimensional dilemma that pushes some men to consider becoming Bicycle Thieves.

James Mourns The Passing Of Dennis Hopper With A Top Ten List

James McCormick — Mon, 31 May 2010 02:33:05 +0000

Dennis Hopper. One of the greats in cinema history. A consistent rebel in Hollywood, he pushed envelopes as often as he ripped them up and pissed on the scraps. And even when you could tell he was doing a film just for a paycheck, he did the most with that role and made us as film fans all the happier. I’m looking at you, “Waterworld”. So here at the Criterion Cast, I’ve decided to do a top 10 of my favorite Dennis Hopper roles in film. It also doesn’t hurt that he is in the Criterion Collection, in the TV series “Fishing With John”. Check it out if you haven’t already.

10. “Speed” (1994) – As villainous bomb expert Howard Payne, he more or less steals the movie from Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. But that’s like stealing candy from two rocks. I enjoy this film though, considering the concept of a bus that has to travel 50 mph and if it goes below that speed, everyone dies by the hand of Payne, it’s a great little plot device. Sadly they continue the movie for awhile after that, but Hopper steals it throughout. He also kills Jeff Daniels. That’s how evil he is.

9. “Land of the Dead” (2005) – Romero came back to the zombie world he created in such films as “Night of the Living Dead”, “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead” when he made “Land of the Dead”. And enjoyable film, it becomes better with the inclusion of Dennis Hopper’s Kaufman, who is the head of the private community of Fiddler Green. He is a corporate bad guy, a greedy Enron-esque type of villain for the new century. And he has one of my favorite lines ever in a zombie movie.

8. “Flashback” (1990) – Does anyone else remember this film? Dennis Hopper and Kiefer Sutherland in a movie together (and reconnected later in “24″), it’s a fun little film where Sutherland’s John Buckner has to escort Hopper’s Huey Walker back to jail because of crimes he committed back in his hippy days as a radical. It’s a film of misconceptions and how appearances can be deceptive and is rather funny to boot. Maybe now with his passing, this will get a chance to shine.

7. “Straight to Hell” (1987) – What a weird movie. But it is by Alex Cox, who tends to make films that aren’t in the usual mindset of a ‘normal’ audience. And seeing people such as Joe Strummer, Jim Jarmusch, Shane McGowan, Elvis Costello and Courtney Love in a serious film, it has this rather nightmare like aesthetic that I’ve always loved. Worth checking out, just for the fact that it was made and Hopper again steals the show.

6. “River’s Edge” (1986) – The first of two films that he did that were released in 1986, this film was the first pairing of Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper and also features a great performance by Crispin Glover. It’s a very uncomfortable film that I randomly watched with my brother when we were younger, it made us shake our heads as to some of these horrible kids and their reactions to their friend when he shows them the dead body of his girlfriend, who he had killed earlier in the film. Hopper plays an on the edge drug dealer, who has befriended the neighborhood kids and now is unwittingly involved in the tragic set of events. This is a wonderful film of teenage apathy that was sort of replicated again in Larry Clark’s “Bully”. But this is far and away a better film.

5. “Rumble Fish” (1983) – One of two great adaptations of a S.E. Hinton books by Francis Ford Coppola (in the same year, even!), and for some reason this is the lesser known one. Coppola weaves such a beautiful world in glorious black and white, and it yearns for more people to fall in love with it. Matt Dillon as the bad boy Rusty James, who wishes to live up to his older brother’s legendary exploits, played by beautiful Mickey Rourke. Dennis Hopper plays their father, who is much more subdued in this role as opposed to others and it works wonderfully. Just a great film, the last visionary film by Coppola in my opinion.

4. “The American Friend” (1977) – Another connection within the Criterion Collection (and a film I think deserves a place within those holy walls) is Wim Wenders’ film “The American Friend”. An amazing thriller based on the novel Ripley’s Game, Dennis Hopper plays Tom Ripley (later portrayed by Matt Damon), who convinces Bruno Ganz to assassinate a man. Hopper plays Ripley in such a subtle way, showcasing his loneliness to the point where you almost feel bad for him, until you realize he’s manipulating a man to kill for him. Such a great and visually stunning film. But what else do you expect from Wim Wenders?

3. “Mad Dog Morgan” (1976) – Wow. That’s the word I tend to use for this film. Even stranger is that Troma Films put out an amazing edition of this film, even though this is another film I can see being in the Criterion Collection, mainly for the insanity of Dennis Hopper in this film and the behind the scenes hoopla that almost had the film ended numerous times. Hopper plays the title character of Mad Dog Morgan, who has been wronged in his past by different people in the establishment in Australia in the 1800′s. He becomes a most wanted man, who is fighting the establishment while spiraling out of control with his very own mind. And better still, David Gulpilil is in it as his Aboriginal friend, Billy.

2. “Easy Rider” (1969) – What else can I say about this trailblazing film, which totally threw Hollywood for a loop and changed filmmaking from that point on? It’s a fantastic film, rebellious in the way “Rebel Without a Cause” was for that generation (which Hopper also appeared in). And what isn’t there to love about bikers crossing America, with just the steel they’re riding and the asphalt they’re going over? Peter Fonda became a star with this film as well. What’s even more insane is that he followed up this directorial debut with a film called “The Last Movie” in 1971, which was an acid influenced film that put him out of favor with Hollywood but in my opinion is a misunderstood masterpiece that deserves revisiting. Anyone want to put that movie out in a special edition?

1.5 “True Romance” (199) – I love this film, but I just wanted to link to the wonderful scene between Hopper and Walken. That, even out of context, is still an amazing scene. And of course, is written to the tee by Quentin Tarantino. Enjoy!

1. “Blue Velvet” (1986) – Ahh, “Blue Velvet”. The amount of nightmares you gave me as a kid is endless but the love I have for you is even more undying, every time I watch it again. This is to some David Lynch’s most bizarre yet marketable film ever. I don’t tend to agree with that (“The Elephant Man” is, in my opinion) but it somehow was always on local television on a Friday night, and I would watch it. Yes, the film was edited and it still freaked me out. “Baby wants to play!” was spliced in, instead of the more vulgar version I saw later on video. But Hopper’s performance as Feck gave me goosebumps then, and still does now. And the oxygen mask? *shudders* Just an uncomfortable movie, which Hopper tended to love to make. And every time I see him with that fake mustache, it both makes me laugh and has me looking away because he’s looking right at you.

Get Back To Work! 5 Criterion Films To Watch On May Day

Ryan Gallagher — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:22:54 +0000

To celebrate May 1st, otherwise known as May Day, also known as International Workers Day, I decided to round up 5 films from the Criterion Collection that you should all watch.

Class struggle and tension are found throughout the entire Criterion Collection, as they are filmmaking devices that we all relate to, whichever side we may fall on. From striking coal miners to door-to-door salesmen, the life of the lowly worker is often more compelling than the upper class, or royalty with their luxuries and quite petty inconveniences. The lower class are constantly working for their very survival, while at the same time finding great satisfaction in the little things in life.

Below you’ll find links and trailers to 5 films in the Criterion Collection that present the working class, so take the day off work, crack open a beer, and watch a great movie.

Add Days of Heven to your Netflix Queue.

Days of Heaven

Terrence Malick

In 1910, a Chicago steelworker (Richard Gere) accidentally kills his supervisor, and he, his girlfriend (Brooke Adams), and his little sister (Linda Manz) flee to the Texas panhandle, where they find work harvesting wheat in the fields of a stoic farmer (Sam Shepard). A love triangle, a swarm of locusts, a hellish fire—Malick captures it all with dreamlike authenticity, creating a timeless American idyll that is also a gritty evocation of turn-of-the-century labor.

Add Harlan County USA to your Netflix Queue.

Harlan County, USA

Barbara Kopple

Barbara Kopple’s Academy Award–winning Harlan County USA unflinchingly documents a grueling coal miners’ strike in a small Kentucky town. With unprecedented access, Kopple and her crew captured the miners’ sometimes violent struggles with strikebreakers, local police, and company thugs. Featuring a haunting soundtrack—with legendary country and bluegrass artists Hazel Dickens, Merle Travis, Sarah Gunning, and Florence Reece—the film is a heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.

Add Salesman to your Netflix Queue.

Salesman

Albert Maysles, David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin

A landmark American documentary, Salesman captures in vivid detail the bygone era of the door-to-door salesman. While laboring to sell a gold-embossed version of the Good Book, Paul Brennan and his colleagues target the beleaguered masses—then face the demands of quotas and the frustrations of life on the road. Following Brennan on his daily rounds, the Maysles discover a real-life Willy Loman, walking the line from hype to despair.

Add Tout Va Bien to your Netflix Queue.

Tout Va Bien

Jean-Luc Godard

This free-ranging assault on consumer capitalism and the establishment left tells the story of a wildcat strike at a sausage factory as witnessed by an American reporter (Fonda) and her has-been New Wave film director husband (Yves Montand). The Criterion Collection is proud to present this masterpiece of radical cinema, a caustic critique of society, marriage, and revolution in post-1968 France.

Add The Wages of Fear to your Netflix Queue.

Wages Of Fear

Henri-Georges Clouzot

In a squalid South American oil town, four desperate men sign on for a suicide mission to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin over a treacherous mountain route. As they ferry their explosive cargo to a faraway oil fire, each bump and jolt tests their courage, their friendship, and their nerves.

James Presents His Top Ten Jean Paul-Belmondo Films [CriterionCast Top Ten Lists]

James McCormick — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 03:52:14 +0000

One of the most versatile actors of his generation and any generation since, to be honest, Jean-Paul Belmondo has entertained for decades and for good reason.

He’s famous in the art house circuit by being one of the main protagonists within the French New Wave movement of the 1960′s but has also done some rather wonderful slapstick comedies as well. Somehow he has done both with such ease, always interweaving between the two and making the most of his on screen time.

A renaissance man of sorts on film, he could be having a normal conversation while battling super-spies with a telephone and doing it with a straight face the whole time, smoking a cigarette and just looking cooler than SteveMcQueen while doing it.

Yes, I just said he was cooler than Steve McQueen.

If you’re asking me who Jean Paul Belmondo is, you might be on the wrong site. Considering he is in a few of the most influential films that Criterion has put out, a few of which are on this list.

This is my top 10 essential Jean-Paul Belmondo films.

I do love writing out his name.

10. L’Homme De Rio (1964)

Or as it’s known here, That Man From Rio. What a wonderful adventure film starring Jean Paul Belmondo and Françoise Dorléac (sister to Catherine Denevue). A funny film that has some great set pieces and just the charisma of these two that make it stand the test of time. Just the scenery in Rio De Janeiro alone is worth seeking this out. That and the scene I’ve enclosed below. A sad note though, Françoise Dorléac died only 3 years later from a car accident at the age of 25. Luckily we’ll always have her few films to cherish forever.

9. Léon Morin, prêtre (1961)

Or as it’s known in America, Léon Morin, Priest. Nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor that year for this role, Belmondo stars as the cool, handsome priest who meets Emmanuelle Riva’s Barny when she randomly chooses a church to go into and confess all her past wrongdoings. Mind you, she is a communist militant who is also a widow and has a daughter and feels that the easiest way is the best way.

The film is amazing in how it shows why these two from completely different worlds become close, she being impressed by his strength in a world so horrible and he using it as his mission to steer her into the right direction in life. Did I mention it’s also during the Nazi occupation? Seek this film out now if you know what’s good for you.

8. Classe tous risques (1960)

Or as it’s known in America, Consider All Risks (and in the UK as The Big Risk). One of Belmondo’s first films (this was the same year as another film that’s on my list… but more on that later). A gangster film by Claude Sautet, in black and white and it’s a French and Italian co-production? I’m in!

When I first saw this film a few years back, I fell in love with the cinematography by Ghislain Cloquet (look him up… his work on Balthazar alone is proof of his brilliance). A simple story, really, about a French mobster who is trying to make his way from Italy through Paris and is being pursued by the police and his only refuge is a man named Davos, played by Belmondo. Just a fantastic little film that for some reason is all but forgotten now.

7. Le Doulos (1962)

Or as it’s known in America, The Finger Man. Luckily it’s known by it’s French title on DVD releases. It’s a film by Jean-Pierre Melville, 5 years before his first masterpiece Le Samourai and 8 years before Le Circle Rouge. It uses a narrative that switches back and forth between two different anti-heroes, Maurice and Silien. It makes the viewer grasp for one specific narrative, which gives it a magical realism to it all.

In someone’s eyes, it could have been a normal crime film, but Melville uses staples of the gangster film, trench coats and hats, and is set in a world that every man is in this sort of garb, so we as the viewer almost gets confused as to which character is which. I love this film so much and the whole loyalty amongst men theme and where friendship is truly tested. A great film and one of Melville’s films that people don’t mention when speaking about him.

6. Le Professionnel (1981)

Or as it’s know in America… well, I think you should know the name. Belmondo plays French Secret Agent Josselin Beaumont and he’s sent to a fictional African nation (Malagawai) and is ordered to kill their dictator, Colonel Njala. Of course he’s turned on by his own secret service and is injected with drugs and imprisoned unjustly. He then vows revenge on his betrayers and Colonel Njala himself. A great little action flick, just in the grand tradition of foreign espionage and revenge. I tend to always gravitate toward these films. It also has an amazing Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Check it out as fast as you can.

5. Stavisky (1974)

A French film by Alain Resnais, it’s based on the true story of the 1934 political scandal known as the Stavisky Affair and led to the resignation of 2 prime ministers, a fatal riot and a reform of the government itself. Belmondo of course plays the title role of Alexandre Stavisky, the flamboyant embezzler that started this spiral of the French government. It actually only deals with about a year in time of his life, from late 1933 to the year in question.

We do get flashbacks throughout, showcasing his arrest as a petty crook in 1926 and his father killing himself because of this dishonor) and flash forwards to later in his life (his parliamentary enquiry into the Stavisky affair and even his own funeral). Belmondo actually commessioned the screenwriter Jorge Semprún to write a movie about Stavisky and we as the film viewer is blessed to have such a fantastic period piece and a history that not many people outside of France are that familiar with.

4. Le voleur (1967)

Or as it’s known in America, The Thief of Paris. One of my favorite Louis Malle films, let alone in my top 5 films of Belmondo mania. He plays charismatic professional thief Georges Randal at the turn of the century in the city of Paris. We get to witness in true fashion his amazing burglaries and also the relationship between himself and his cousin Charlotte (played by the beautiful Geneviève Bujold).

There of course is a reason as to why he gets into the world of thievery. His uncle squanders his inheritance and Georges likes to live the good life and therefore must steal in order to keep it up. Just a fun film that showcases Belmondo’s talent for saying so much without uttering a word.

3. Pierrot le fou (1965)

It translates to ‘Pete The Madman’ but has never been released under any other name but Pierrot le fou. What other film would have Sam Fuller himself as “American Director” during a party scene? One of Jean-Luc Godard’s finest films, it stars Belmondo as Ferdinand Griffon, who isn’t happy about his marriage so he leaves this boring life of a wife and child after he’s been fired by his job and runs off with the baby sitter.

But as opposed to most stories that would just leave it at that, they are also running away from Algerian gangsters, go on a crime spree throughout Paris and most of the Mediterranean Sea. He then starts to regret this chosen lifestyle on the run and ends up reading lots of books and writing in a diary and philosophizing about life itself. Marianne (baby sitter) becomes bored with his chosen settled down lifestyle and they meet up with one of their pursuers.

I might be giving away too much, so I’ll stop it there. It’s got to be seen to be believed and now that Criterion put it out on Blu-Ray, there’s no other way to see the film. The vivid colour it was shot in, using striking primary colors, has never looked better. Godard, famous for not having a script for a film until a few days before the first day of shooting, didn’t change that method and made sure to have some of it done the day before and then had his actors improvise most of the scenes. Also the actors break the fourth wall a lot and it plays with the audience throughout. It’s a motion picture version of the pop art movement and you need to check it out on Blu-Ray or stream it on Netflix now.

2. À bout de souffle (1960)

Or as it’s famously known as in America, Breathless. This is the film that made Jean-Paul Belmondo a household name and one of three films that brought the French New Wave to the forefront. Michel (Belmondo) is a young tough guy who thinks of himself as Humphrey Bogart and tries to be like him in every day life. The problem with that is that he steals a car and then shoots a cop who has chased after him. Now he hasn’t a dollar to his name and is on the run from the police, he has no other choice than to turn to Patricia (Jean Sedberg), his American girlfriend, and she hides him, not knowing the full extent as to why he is in hiding.

Throughout the film he tries to seduce her and tries to get a loan from Italy to make their escape easier. She is finally told, by the police themselves, why he’s on the run and she turns on him but makes sure to tell him. At first he’s okay with it and the idea of prison but then tries to escape and in one of the greatest climaxes ever in a film, the police catch up to him and… well, watch the film and see why it’s one of my favorites.

This was Jean-Luc Godard’s first foray into directing a feature film and was written by Godard and François Truffaut. People take for granted the ‘jump cut’ now, but this film was the first to use it in such new and amazing ways that slammed everyone on their asses and showed that film making was changing for the better. Godard also wanted the film to look like a documentary so he asked Raoul Coutard to shoot on on a handheld camera and no extra lighting, just whatever natural lighting was around. The only problem with that was the camera was a bit too loud, so the entire film had to be dubbed. Yet, because it’s so brilliant, you don’t even notice. One of the greats in cinematic history.

1. Le Magnifique (1973)

It translates simply as ‘The Magnificent’ and to me, it’s the best film that showcases Belmondo’s talents overall. Modeled a bit after the author of the OSS 117 novels, Jean Bruce, it’s a satire of pulp novels and James Bond films themselves and most people are thrown for a loop when the film changes from one perspective to an entirely new one about 40 minutes in. Which I think is brilliant.

I didn’t get to see this film until Butt-Numb-A-Thon 11 and it absolutely blew me away. It looked beautiful and was such a hysterical piece of cinema that I knew I had to own this film somehow. Sadly it is out of print but it hasn’t detered me. The film deals with François Merlin and him writing his 43rd novel about his character, Bob ‘Sinclair’. But where it differs from other films about writers, we see it through his imagination where he is also Bob and this is his outlet to get away with his aspirations and dreams themselves.

Jacqueline Bisset plays a sociology student Christine, who becomes enamored with François and then reads all 42 of his novels. In François’ book, she becomes Tatiana, his new lover and equal in that world while his publisherd doubles as the villain Karpof/Charron. Just a fantastic film, showing how someone could be fascinated with a fictional character and not notice the actual author himself, who might not be as charming and handsome as his own character. Yet he’s technically the same guy. And to see Belmondo juggle the roles so fluidly tends to amaze most people that see this film. And I’m one of its fans now and will continue to spread the word. All I ask now is that the Criterion Collection put this under-seen classic on DVD and Blu-Ray and make us all better people for seeing it with much more ease.

Travis’ Top Ten Criterion Collection Films Of All Time! [CriterionCast Top Ten Lists]

Travis George — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:11:22 +0000

Want to know how long I’ve been receiving Criterion’s monthly newsletter, all-the-while daydreaming of being someone of enough cinematic circumstance to be awarded the platform and asked to list my “Top Ten?”

Years.

Want to know when that will actually happen?

Never.

Want to know my “Top Ten,” anyway?

Here you are!

10. Love In The Afternoon

(Eric Rohmer, 1972)

I watched Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales relatively early into my Criterion consumption, and I found its landscapes and language magnificent and other-worldly. To truly feel the emotional effect of “the turtleneck scene” in Love In The Afternoon is to watch not only the film, but the five films before it. Only in the entirety of the cinematic experience do we actually understand its weight. It is a testament to the “bigger picture,” and a treat upon completion that I count as aiding (and perhaps abetting) my marathon.

9. Rebecca

(Alfred Hitchcock, 1940)

Haunted wholly by a past love, Maxim treats his new wife with a detached propriety, oblivious to her unwavering devotion. I watched this film while basically in that exact same place. To me, this film is a reminder of the gifts we receive each day, regardless as to whether they are received deservedly or even knowingly. To me, this film is love.

8. Berlin Alexanderplatz

(Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1980)

More fifteen-hour films, please! Fassbinder adapts Döblin’s story of Franz Biberkopf with an insatiable poetic fervor that bored (definitely no pun intended) into my subconscious and stayed with me for weeks, months after viewing. Criterion has put more care into the packaging of this release than any other, and the result is veritable treasure trove. I feel privileged when I hold it in my hands.

7. Rashomon

(Akira Kurosawa, 1950)

My Kurosawa pick in my top ten does tend to teeter, but after having seen Janus’s restoration of Rashomon, I couldn’t in good conscience exclude it. EVERY SINGLE FRAME of this film is breathtaking. For the sheer experience of this film, I cannot do it more justice than I did in my previous write-up.

6. The Naked Prey

(Cornel Wilde, 1966)

The Naked Prey takes the title of “nostalgia pick” in my top ten. I grew up on this film — watched it with my father practically every time it would air on AMC. Its story, I’ve always found exhilarating; its leading man, superhuman; its adventure, well, adventurous. Thinking this film lost to me forever, I was so elated to see it pop up on Criterion’s “coming soon” announcements (on October 16th, 2007 — yes, I even remember the day) that I actually screamed and jumped out of my chair, and someone in the hallway of my apartment building asked if I was okay.

5. 8 1/2

(Federico Fellini, 1963)

Here, I get to be cliche and say that this film “changed my life.” There is one particular scene in this film (I’ll never tell you which, so don’t ask) that very plainly caused me to evaluate my own life, the decisions I had made and was making, and take steps to exorcise everything impish therein. For this reason, I feel I am a better person for having seen this film.

4. King of Kings

(Cecil B. DeMille, 1927)

Without diving too deeply into a subject that can be both heavy and alienating, I will simply say that in my personal quest for spiritual or theological questions, I have found God in cinema. DeMille is responsible for giving me both my Moses in Charlton Heston, and my Jesus in H.B Warner. Through King of Kings and The Ten Commandments, he has taken actors and deified them, and I cannot downplay the importance of this to both my mental and emotional health.

3. A Story of Floating Weeds/Floating Weeds

(Yasujiro Ozu, 1934/1959)

Knowing full well the difficulty of having to pick any of Ozu’s films as a favorite (inadvertently downplaying the importance of the rest), I struggle to make this decision. It is in Criterion’s Stories of Floating Weeds, though, that I am rewarded with both Ozu’s heart-warming approach of silent film, and his consummate use of Technicolor. Combine this with my personal favorite Criterion cover art, and the difficult decision becomes a no-brainer.

2. George Washington

(David Gordon Green, 2000)

Hands-down, this is the most unapologetically North Carolinian film ever made. David Gordon Green captures it all — the imagery, yes, but also the despair, the suffocation, the depravity, and the beauty therein. This is the twinkling, hopeful promise of a burgeoning director in the genesis of his career. It takes me home upon each viewing.

1. The Passion of Joan of Arc

(Carl Th. Dreyer, 1928)

As I’ve made mention in our podcast, this is absolutely my favorite film of all time, and arguably my favorite piece of artwork. Its intensity is unsurpassed, and shot in such harrowing close-ups that it surrounds and encapsulates the viewer. I have never been pulled into the action of a film so effectively. As for the release, Criterion has done something exceptional in including Richard Einhorn’s Voices of Light accompaniment, which in its aural apocalypse, practically multiplies the level of the film’s intensity. This film so readily moves me at such a base and visceral level (even in recalling, let alone viewing it), that is unquestionably my favorite.