I love Criterion! Simply because they could easily set themselves up as the ‘highbrow art’ police but choose to give us goodies like “The Blob”. (which, in my little weird universe, IS highbrow) Boy how I’d love to see them release some Hammer or Amicus goodness! Oh.. and their editions of “Eyes Without a Face”, “Peeping Tom” and “Vampyr” are essential IMO.
I picked up “The Man Who Fell To Earth” a few months ago. I remember seeing it when it was originally released. The Criterion release is well worth having as the Theatrical release in the U.S. was incomplete. The included novel is very nice too because the Roeg & Mayersberg adaptation in shifting focus leaves some of the source out. Mind you, It’s nothing that hampers the story just clarifies it a little more once read. Well worth putting into your collection. Which reminds me Mr. Wright; Do you think the chance will come around for you to continue your work on a small hero story you worked on in the recent past?
My main memory of The Man Who Fell to Earth involves me repeatedly rewinding David Bowie’s nude scene until my ex-husband became extremely annoyed. Not very mature of me, I know!
I watched My Best Fiend the other month, thought it was really interesting, Kinski was a complete nutcase. Haven’t got round to watching any of the movies out of my Herzog/Kinski boxset yet though.
If you’re going to watch “My Best Fiend”, then you have to read Klaus Kinski’s “Kinski Uncut” to get the other side of the story. The most insane autobiography written by an actor EVER!
Criterion discs are great but a little pricey. You get what you pay for, though.
I think I only have one Criterion DVD in my collection, but it’s my favourite movie- The Third Man.
There’s also a really great Melville ‘new wave’ noir called Le Doulos I want.
Yeah, it really blew me away when I saw it.
Not really sure what to make of his upcoming Bad Lieutenant. I know its not a remake. But the original was purposefully shocking and difficult to watch. Based of the preview, Herzog’s looks a little too silly.
Still intrigued though.
I love My Best Fiend… possibly even more than the real movies that Herzog did with Klaus Kinski.
BTW, Edgar, please tell me that you’ve seen Zak Penn’s “Incident at Loch Ness” (costarring Herzog)… it as an absolute must-see if you’re a Herzog fan. I need to find it on DVD myself.
Werner Herzog was being interviewed by Mark Kermode on the Culture Show.
they were stood on a hillside in LA, someone shot at Werner the bullet skimming the shoulder of his jacket and he didn’t bat an eyelid. not like these pussies that ‘tweet’ about nearly being shot.
Maybe in old Agatha Christie things they used to say “He’s just a pussycat” to mean “harmless” but I don’t really think people use it in that sense anymore.
Those episodes of Arrested Development were the worst.
I found them highly offensive, being British.
Well, a bit.
Enough for me to be writing this, anyway.
They should have just stopped while they were ahead if they couldn’t carry on churning out gold.
Now it’s Werner Herzog time?? I wonder how you manage three films a day … I hardly ever manage that - and I’m a lazy student!! Aren’t you supposed to be editing? Or have you taken a few days off?
There’s no real need to I guess, since the versions out there are pretty comprehensive and I don’t know how many Universal films are on the Criterion Collection anyway.
Criterion are pretty amazing. You could pretty much learn all about international cinema with them.
But then again, they did also release versions of THE ROCK and ARMAGEDDON.
I agree that your editions are pretty informative already. The ultimate edition of Hot Fuzz is one of the best blu ray discs I’ve ever seen.
Do you own a Blu Ray Player?
Bad Boys 3 is supposedly getting scripted soon. It’d make my day if they granted you a cameo ala Land of the Dead.
There’s a good few Universal films on Criterion DVD, mind. Off the top o’me head, Do The Right Thing, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, and I’m sure you’re a fan of Brazil…
Add Traffic and Dazed and Confused to that list. Am I the only one who film geeks out about Criterion getting rights from new studios? I geeked out over fantasy picks from the Fox library when The Ice Storm got the Criterion upgrade.
I own Fear and Loathing in las vegas and Benjamin Button blu ray criterion.
I’m trying to get Dazed and confused, the third man, If…, and Rushmore on Criterion.
Sadly Criterion discs are generally scarce and highly overpriced where I’m from. I guess I could turn to ebay.
I always saw Criterion’s acquisition of those Bay films as an attempt to catalogue two examples of 90s spectacle cinema, as they are rather important films for defining a certain cinematic aesthetic and genre (the re-emergence of the disaster genre in the case of Armageddon) .
Now there were other disaster films that perhaps define the era a bit better and which I would of personally preferred, such as Independence Day or even Dante’s Peak, but they went with that film.
As for The Rock. I think its completely deserving of Criterion’s recognition not just as a historical artifact of that decade, but as a damn good film. The script, a product of half a dozen writers (rumor is that Tarantino even had a hand in it ala Crimson Tide), is wittier and more intelligent then it really has any right to be. That Connery gets to reprise his James Bond performance in probably his last great action role is also a plus. (The film totally works as an alternate reality where James Bond is betrayed by both sides and lands up in jail - Connery’s character is alluded to be a former MI6 agent).
Ebert hates Michael Bay’s films, but even he admits The Rock is a classic. (He even wrote the write-up on the Criterion edition.)
The part of “Burden” and “Fiend” that I find most teasing is the footage of Jason Robards and Mick Jagger in the originally-shot footage of “Fitzcarraldo”. One’s left wondering what sort of movie that would’ve been.
Oh shit. You’re getting your your Werner on I see. Fitzcarraldo is truly a gem. I seen it a couple of days ago on netflix on demand. Too bad Klaus Kinski was batshit crazy on the set.
Ah. Heh heh. The Fitz triple pack. Great movies, all of ‘em.
You need to read Kinski Uncut: The Autobiography of Klaus Kinski. It’s seven kinds of fucked up.
this seems like a pretty sweet way to spend the day, (if this is indeed how you have been spending your days..)
I love Criterion! Simply because they could easily set themselves up as the ‘highbrow art’ police but choose to give us goodies like “The Blob”. (which, in my little weird universe, IS highbrow) Boy how I’d love to see them release some Hammer or Amicus goodness! Oh.. and their editions of “Eyes Without a Face”, “Peeping Tom” and “Vampyr” are essential IMO.
I need to start building a cult catalog of dvd’s.
I know they’ve acquired Marvel, but what’s all this then about Pixar stealing Ant-Man away from you?
I picked up “The Man Who Fell To Earth” a few months ago. I remember seeing it when it was originally released. The Criterion release is well worth having as the Theatrical release in the U.S. was incomplete. The included novel is very nice too because the Roeg & Mayersberg adaptation in shifting focus leaves some of the source out. Mind you, It’s nothing that hampers the story just clarifies it a little more once read. Well worth putting into your collection. Which reminds me Mr. Wright; Do you think the chance will come around for you to continue your work on a small hero story you worked on in the recent past?
My main memory of The Man Who Fell to Earth involves me repeatedly rewinding David Bowie’s nude scene until my ex-husband became extremely annoyed. Not very mature of me, I know!
Ah, Fitzcarraldo - an fantastic film, as well as the inspiration for one of my favourite songs.
I watched My Best Fiend the other month, thought it was really interesting, Kinski was a complete nutcase. Haven’t got round to watching any of the movies out of my Herzog/Kinski boxset yet though.
Never heard of MY BEST FIEND. Just looked it up on IMDb and I must see it now. Sounds too entertaining.
Have you seen PONTYPOOL, Edgar? I watched it yesterday and was quite impressed with it. McHattie’s amazing. But I knew that already.
If you’re going to watch “My Best Fiend”, then you have to read Klaus Kinski’s “Kinski Uncut” to get the other side of the story. The most insane autobiography written by an actor EVER!
Criterion discs are great but a little pricey. You get what you pay for, though.
I think I only have one Criterion DVD in my collection, but it’s my favourite movie- The Third Man.
There’s also a really great Melville ‘new wave’ noir called Le Doulos I want.
And if you’ve seen it, you want it, too.
What did you think of “Aguirre,The Wrath of God?”
It’s pretty damn incredible. Herzog really goes to the ends of the earth for his cinema. It feels really dangerous. Because it was.
Yeah, it really blew me away when I saw it.
Not really sure what to make of his upcoming Bad Lieutenant. I know its not a remake. But the original was purposefully shocking and difficult to watch. Based of the preview, Herzog’s looks a little too silly.
Still intrigued though.
BTW He is awesome in “The Grand” too. Hilarious movie.
The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is quite great as well. I think Herzog is incapable of making anything less than fascinating.
3 more movies to the list. Hey with Disney buying Marvel what does that mean for Ant-Man? Hope I’m not being to nosy by asking that question.
I have to say… haven’t seen these … which one should I watch first…
Watch them in the order I laid them out on the table.
Surely will do that … Thanks E
Is that a Fitzcarraldo DVD or a novelization?
I love My Best Fiend… possibly even more than the real movies that Herzog did with Klaus Kinski.
BTW, Edgar, please tell me that you’ve seen Zak Penn’s “Incident at Loch Ness” (costarring Herzog)… it as an absolute must-see if you’re a Herzog fan. I need to find it on DVD myself.
I have Incident At Loch Ness on DVD - it’s great.
It is great, when I was younger in I first saw it I thought it was real heh.
Werner Herzog was being interviewed by Mark Kermode on the Culture Show.
they were stood on a hillside in LA, someone shot at Werner the bullet skimming the shoulder of his jacket and he didn’t bat an eyelid. not like these pussies that ‘tweet’ about nearly being shot.
I don’t think there’s an emoticon for the expression when someone calls you a ‘pussy’.
Do people not use the word “pussy” to mean “wimp” in England?
hehe!
would it be a jack black style ‘read between the lines. read between the LINES!’
From what I remember, arrested development said that pussy is like saying that something is cute in Britain.
Maybe in old Agatha Christie things they used to say “He’s just a pussycat” to mean “harmless” but I don’t really think people use it in that sense anymore.
Those episodes of Arrested Development were the worst.
I found them highly offensive, being British.
Well, a bit.
Enough for me to be writing this, anyway.
They should have just stopped while they were ahead if they couldn’t carry on churning out gold.
um that may have been a diplomatic translation (depending on what the scene was? where they fobbing off a child with that?).
can be used in either the wimp way or the mrs.slocombe way
Now it’s Werner Herzog time?? I wonder how you manage three films a day … I hardly ever manage that - and I’m a lazy student!!
Aren’t you supposed to be editing? Or have you taken a few days off?
This may sound like a weird question Edgar, but do you ever wish any of your films were rereleased by the Criterion Collection?
There’s no real need to I guess, since the versions out there are pretty comprehensive and I don’t know how many Universal films are on the Criterion Collection anyway.
Criterion are pretty amazing. You could pretty much learn all about international cinema with them.
But then again, they did also release versions of THE ROCK and ARMAGEDDON.
Still don’t quite know what happened there.
Where is the Criterion BAD BOYS 2?
I agree that your editions are pretty informative already. The ultimate edition of Hot Fuzz is one of the best blu ray discs I’ve ever seen.
Do you own a Blu Ray Player?
Bad Boys 3 is supposedly getting scripted soon. It’d make my day if they granted you a cameo ala Land of the Dead.
There’s a good few Universal films on Criterion DVD, mind. Off the top o’me head, Do The Right Thing, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, and I’m sure you’re a fan of Brazil…
Indeed. I have that one.
Add Traffic and Dazed and Confused to that list. Am I the only one who film geeks out about Criterion getting rights from new studios? I geeked out over fantasy picks from the Fox library when The Ice Storm got the Criterion upgrade.
Allan, you’re not alone. I’m happy as Larry that Criterion is handling a bunch of IFC films from now on. We get a Criterion Che to start with.
I own Fear and Loathing in las vegas and Benjamin Button blu ray criterion.
I’m trying to get Dazed and confused, the third man, If…, and Rushmore on Criterion.
Sadly Criterion discs are generally scarce and highly overpriced where I’m from. I guess I could turn to ebay.
I always saw Criterion’s acquisition of those Bay films as an attempt to catalogue two examples of 90s spectacle cinema, as they are rather important films for defining a certain cinematic aesthetic and genre (the re-emergence of the disaster genre in the case of Armageddon) .
Now there were other disaster films that perhaps define the era a bit better and which I would of personally preferred, such as Independence Day or even Dante’s Peak, but they went with that film.
As for The Rock. I think its completely deserving of Criterion’s recognition not just as a historical artifact of that decade, but as a damn good film. The script, a product of half a dozen writers (rumor is that Tarantino even had a hand in it ala Crimson Tide), is wittier and more intelligent then it really has any right to be. That Connery gets to reprise his James Bond performance in probably his last great action role is also a plus. (The film totally works as an alternate reality where James Bond is betrayed by both sides and lands up in jail - Connery’s character is alluded to be a former MI6 agent).
Ebert hates Michael Bay’s films, but even he admits The Rock is a classic. (He even wrote the write-up on the Criterion edition.)
But I agree… Where’s the CC of Bad Boys 2?
The part of “Burden” and “Fiend” that I find most teasing is the footage of Jason Robards and Mick Jagger in the originally-shot footage of “Fitzcarraldo”. One’s left wondering what sort of movie that would’ve been.
Oh shit. You’re getting your your Werner on I see. Fitzcarraldo is truly a gem. I seen it a couple of days ago on netflix on demand. Too bad Klaus Kinski was batshit crazy on the set.
I Havent seen any of these movies = (