"Crapterion" Collection

T

Tlalconetl

Well-known member
What do others here think of the Criterion Collection? (or as my wife calls it, the Crapterion Collection--she really hates them.) I think these films are generally dull, over-rated, silly, and forgetable movies with a few exceptions. I can't really say I hate them, and I haven't seen every title in the collection--I doub't I've even viewed a third of the collection. Nevertheless, I've seen enough Criterion films to reject Criterion's propaganda that these are "classic and important films." I mean, how does a "movie" like Fishing With John get the "Criterion treatment"?? Has anyone seen this?! I had to fast-forward about a third into it. Then I just started skipping chapters until I ultimately pressed the stop button, ejected the DVD, placed back in the Netflix enveloped and mailed it back. It was unbearable to watch.
 
OK, so not really sure how to argue EVERY CRITERION movie. But it goes like this:

The criterion collection chooses movies at their own discretion. Some of them you will love. Some of them you will hate. Likewise, if you only ever watched movies based on your wife's recommendation: some of them you will love, some of them you will hate.


Are you talking about the TV series Fishing With John? Where he and Tom Waits, for instance, go fishing? I would suggest you watch only the episodes of celebrities you enjoy. Its a better alternative than watching celebrities with spiels and canned stories on Letterman or Leno. Tom Waits puts a fish in his pants for instance: http://youtube.com/watch?v=C6Q5KEHkDUs

Instead of renting every criterion movie ever - do research. If you can tell me that Kurosawa movies are dull. That's your call. But that has very little to do with Fishing With John. Criterion is sort of like the oscars. Its an honor many filmmakers would enjoy but has very little to do with the movies themselves. If you only enjoy mainstream movies avoid the oscars & criterion at all costs.
 
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Lets also not forget how the Criterion Collection makes many of these classics readily available to people who would never get a chance to see them. Especially with options like netflix.

I will agree that more movie goers will have a hard time watching most Criterion films over modern big screen cr@p. Pacing, thematic elements, acting styles and so many other things have changed. While some may find that hard to swallow, it makes for great experiences for viewers like myself.

For your wife, maybe in 20 years there will be a Meg Ryan movie in the collection for her to enjoy.:violin:
 
I have a lot of Criterion movies. For a time, they made the best DVDs of anyone.

I began to question the integrity of their selection process when movies like "Armageddon" began to make the cut. Just a little too much Disney in the pool in recent years not to smell something fishy.
 
I cannot find that Armegeddon has ever been released on this collection Dave. At the 410 C Releases, either I have'nt seen them or can admit they're not that bad.

One must applaud their variety as far as internationalality goes (Films from other countries)
 
WTF? Are you poo pooing kidding me? :shocked::shocked::shocked:

Ok, having said that...

Cassavetes, Fellini, Kubrick, Scorsese, Godard, Hitchcock, Bergman, Kurosawa, Renoir, Altman, Visconti, Ozu, Wajda, Polanski, Antonioni... etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

Um, uh, um, WTF?

I have a CRAP-load of so-called "CRAP-terion" films, pretty much a filmschool education and THEN SOME.

I guess it comes down to who you are. If you are a "film person", the films in the Criterion Collection are like books in the classic literature pantheon.

And yes, my wife hates most of them, too. She's into romantic comedies and Alias. Anything with subtitles or made before 1977 and they pretty much don't exist.

BTW- John H. - Armageddon IS in the collection. I don't know what they were thinking, either. Deep Impact was a MUCH better movie.:happy: The Rock is the collection as well, for all you Michael Bay fans.


Cheers!
 
I couldn't agree more. The Criterion collection is crap. Nothing beats brainless blockbusters and teen movies. Fellini? Is that a magician or something?

Give me Lindsey Lohan! Or, better yet, give me the DVD of " The Bratz" movie! That's a DVD worth owning! Godard? Bergman? Kubrik? Who would watch THAT!?
 
John_Hudson said:
I cannot find that Armegeddon has ever been released on this collection Dave. At the 410 C Releases, either I have'nt seen them or can admit they're not that bad.
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Armageddon.

It's also no coincidence that every Wes Anderson film released by Touchstone got the Criterion treatment, and in fact his last two aren't released by anyone else.

So, there's some Criterion/Disney coziness going on.

But like I said, I have quite a few Criterion sets. Including the Criterion "Putney Swope." (:))
 
The Rock and Robocop also had Criterion discs at some point. Maybe I'm a fool, but I'd like to believe it's a way to continue funding films that do genuinely deserve the criterion treatment. But I am afraid it might not actually be the case. Anyway, I'm obsessed with the Criterion Collection. If it weren't for them, a lot of important or otherwise unnoticed films would continue to go either unnoticed or get poor DVD treatments. In October, Godard's Breathless is finally coming out through Criterion, and I guarantee it'll replace the really terrible DVD I have now (which has a very poor transfer). Stranger Than Paradise is also getting a release, after being out of print in ever format for a while now. There's a lot of films and filmmakers I would probably never see or know about had it not been for Criterion.
 
Everyone who's keen on Criterion seems to bag on Armageddon and Michael Bay. Seems unfair to me. I'd actually like to see more films like his in the Criterion collection and fewer "classics" like Sisters or 3 Women. How about given Transformers the Criterion treatment? Who's with me on this? That's a title that will be worth money some day, especially if they only print 500 copies.
 
Billy Pilgrim said:
. In October, Godard's Breathless is finally coming out through Criterion, and I guarantee it'll replace the really terrible DVD I have now (which has a very poor transfer).
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Finally!!! It's about freakin' time. I've been waiting for this title to get a decent release for years, nevermind some sort of Criterion treatment.

As for the OP, Criterion aims most of its' choices at film lovers, not movie goers. Armageddon and the like would probably be their offerings to people in the latter group.
 
I didn't see that Dave; thanks

I can see where there are reservations against these films despite my film whore popcorn junkie sentimentality
 
Billy Pilgrim said:
The Rock and Robocop also had Criterion discs at some point. Maybe I'm a fool, but I'd like to believe it's a way to continue funding films that do genuinely deserve the criterion treatment. But I am afraid it might not actually be the case. Anyway, I'm obsessed with the Criterion Collection. If it weren't for them, a lot of important or otherwise unnoticed films would continue to go either unnoticed or get poor DVD treatments. In October, Godard's Breathless is finally coming out through Criterion, and I guarantee it'll replace the really terrible DVD I have now (which has a very poor transfer). Stranger Than Paradise is also getting a release, after being out of print in ever format for a while now. There's a lot of films and filmmakers I would probably never see or know about had it not been for Criterion.
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Actually, I think Robocop is a well deserved "Criterion"movie... Its a clever film disguised in a Blockbuster...

I would, of course, like to see some Hollywood movies getting the Criterion treatment, like Blade Runner, Seven, Forrest Gump, Moulin Rouge..

You know what I really would like to see? Criterion collection in BLU RAY. That, I would collect!
 
SPZ said:
Actually, I think Robocop is a well deserved "Criterion"movie... Its a clever film disguised in a Blockbuster...
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Agreed! I'm not a fan of the film - I prefer Verhoeven's earlier work, but I like how he cleverly makes use of the blockbuster genre, like he does in Starship Troopers.


Blaine said:
Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle. Criterion must really like Michael Bay because they also did The Rock.
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Maybe Mr. Bay bought his Criterion release :D
 
Billy Pilgrim said:
Anyway, I'm obsessed with the Criterion Collection. If it weren't for them, a lot of important or otherwise unnoticed films would continue to go either unnoticed or get poor DVD treatments.
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...which is about the same what Master of Cinema does in the UK/Europe (with some titles that are US region compatible too.)
 
Herman Witkam said:
Agreed! I'm not a fan of the film - I prefer Verhoeven's earlier work, but I like how he cleverly makes use of the blockbuster genre, like he does in Starship Troopers.




Maybe Mr. Bay bought his Criterion release :D
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I also loved Starship Troopers. Verhoeven has a very unique sense of humour, and he just uses cinematic Clichés in a very clever way.

I also think that his most bashed film, Showgirls, while not a masterpiece, is not as bad as people put it. It has all the trademark Verhoeven Sarcasm, "humour" and "Kitch".

Loved "The Black Book".

Would love to see some Wong Kar Wai Critterion FIlms.

And CIty of God should have a Critterion version, too.

Also Lars Von Trier... I would like to revisit his "Kingdom" and also "Breaking The Waves", Critterion style...
 
SPZ said:
I also think that his most bashed film, Showgirls, while not a masterpiece, is not as bad as people put it.
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"You can't be serious"
c_mcenroe2.jpg
 
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