What would be a good first Criterion?

[surfingelectrode]

Having amassed a 20% off coupon and a RZ 5.00 gift certificate, I have decided to buy my first Criterion. I wanted videodrome, but my nearby best buy doesn't have it. Slacker looked pretty cool to me, but I've never seen it before. I don't really like foreign films. So I ask you all: what would be a good first Criterion?

[MrWilliamWallace]

After all the Kill Bill craze lately Id reccomend Seven Samuria. Its a foriegn movie but its one of the greatest movies ever made and it inspired many of the movies we see today.

[Frank Gunn]

Originally Posted by surfingelectrode

Having amassed a 20% off coupon and a RZ 5.00 gift certificate, I have decided to buy my first Criterion. I wanted videodrome, but my nearby best buy doesn't have it. Slacker looked pretty cool to me, but I've never seen it before. I don't really like foreign films. So I ask you all: what would be a good first Criterion?

Don't buy discs because of the publisher. Just pick something you can be sure you'll like.

[93curr]

Seijun Suziki's 'Branded To Kill' is a masterpiece. as is Cronenberg's 'Naked Lunch.' and also Kar-Wei's 'In The Mood For Love.' or (if you don't already have it on laserdisc) Godard's 'Alphaville.' I believe their edition of Monty Python's 'Life Of Brian' is OOP (at least, I haven't seen it around lately) but if you can locate a copy, grab it.

[biglyle]

the royal tenenbaums

[projecteightysix]

Originally Posted by biglyle

the royal tenenbaums

you can get that for like 5 bucks everywhere.

[KSC2-303]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

Don't buy discs because of the publisher. Just pick something you can be sure you'll like.

Jesus Christ. The fact Frank needed to say this rather than everyone simply assuming it to be true frightens me.

Seriously, what's next "Recommend movies that start with the letter M"?

Criterion puts out good DVDs, but if a movie sucks, it sucks regardless, and Criterion is not somehow magically infallible to that.

[Ashenden]

Originally Posted by KSC2-303

Criterion puts out good DVDs, but if a movie sucks, it sucks regardless, and Criterion is not somehow magically infallible to that.

Hence the question from the original poster what we could recommend. I don't see this request as anything different than when I am into WWII movies or Western's etc..... Criterion have a reputation of putting out movies that is somehow special (ok, Armageddon and the Rock slipped through) so asking for a recommedation is not wrong imo.

Back on topic;
I can recommend Life of Brian, Band of Outsiders, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (damn I love that title), Brazil,The Seventh Seal........... Brazil is probably the one I can recommend the highest.......

[surfingelectrode]

I think I am going to get Slacker, because the set looks really incredible.

[Hardcore Legend]

There isn't any question, for my personal tastes I would have to say THE THIRD MAN

[93curr]

"Brazil's the one I can recommend the highest"

well, yeah, in terms of the quality of the film itself, but it's not even an anamorphic transfer. if fact, they just ported it from the old laserdisc edition (which, by the way, has MUCH cooler packaging and has one extra bonus feature they didn't include on the DVD set). I still have hope that either Criterion or Universal will release a much better transfer. (heck, I did a comparison from the DVD with my laserdisc box set, and I could barely tell the difference) for the cost of this thing, it's just not as good as it ought to be.

a lot of those early Criterion titles were just careless non-anamorphic copies of the previous laser editions. I love Criterion like the dickens, but a lot of their first DVD releases are just not worth the money.

[Dilmo]

Originally Posted by Frank Gunn

Don't buy discs because of the publisher.

Exactly. Just because it's Criterion doesn't guarantee you a great movie.

[projecteightysix]

i would get Brazil.

[SilentBob]

Well since The Royal Tenenbaums was said and can be easily found for a cheap price i will list another great movie from the same guy. RUSHMORE Its starts off slower then TRT but the movie is awesome from beginning to the end and i can't recommend it enough.

[Phreak]

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas is still my favorite Criterion disc, and probably my favorite movie in the Criterion Collection as well.

[Chunkblower]

You must pop your Criterion cherry with Salo and no other.

[Tazz]

I can only Recommend
Brazil (Which cost alot)
Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics (Or get them separately)
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel
Wrong Men & Notorious Women: Five Hitchcock Thrillers 1935-1946 - The Criterion Collection

theres alot more, but i dont feel like naming them

[Millhouse]

how about a movie you like, and not just some random film you don't care about from a distributor because its from _that_ distributor?

[sdk]

Originally Posted by Phreak

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas is still my favorite Criterion disc, and probably my favorite movie in the Criterion Collection as well.

That would be my choise as well.

[Maximum Jonah]

Originally Posted by KSC2-303

Seriously, what's next "Recommend movies that start with the letter M"?

OK. How about Criterion's release of Fritz Lang's "M" :p

Better yet, Criterion is re-releasing this later this year with a better transfer.

[93curr]

is 'Salo' anamorphic? I just held on to my old laserdisc edition 'cause I assumed the DVD wasn't an improvement. was I wrong?

[asphodel5]

Originally Posted by 93curr

is 'Salo' anamorphic? I just held on to my old laserdisc edition 'cause I assumed the DVD wasn't an improvement. was I wrong?

You weren't wrong. It is non-anamorphic.

[murphywmm]

Judging by your collection, I would say "The Rock" CC or "Armageddon" CC would be a good choice for you, if you absolutely have to own something from the Criterion Collection. I don't think you'll like much else of what they have. Personally, I am not interested in most of their titles and I love foreign films!

[TopHatCat64]

Down by Law might be worth a shot.

A real quiet Jarmusch film about 3 characters getting in and out of prison. It's got some gorgeous black and white cinematography, some down right hilarious moments, and just a real beautiful quirkiness about it.

The actual dvd has a great transfer (check out the trailer to see what crappy shape the film originally in) and some really funny extras.

[ctoelle]

Originally Posted by TopHatCat64

Down by Law might be worth a shot.

A real quiet Jarmusch film about 3 characters getting in and out of prison. It's got some gorgeous black and white cinematography, some down right hilarious moments, and just a real beautiful quirkiness about it.

The actual dvd has a great transfer (check out the trailer to see what crappy shape the film originally in) and some really funny extras.

Word!

Tom Waits rules in this flick.

[Avid]

I just checked out your collection, and I recommend Chasing Amy or The Rock.

[Surf Monkey]

My first Criterion was Seven Samurai and it's still one of the most prized discs in my collection. Of the 50 or so that I have I'd recommend many of the same ones people have already mentioned including Brazil, Rushmore and Chasing Amy.

Other excellent Criterions include The 39 Steps, 8 1/2, The Horse's Mouth, The Lady Eve, The Last Temptation of Christ, Rashomon, The Red Shoes, Sullivan's Travels and The Third Man. You really can't go wrong with any of them.

[MEJHarrison]

Originally Posted by Dilmo

Exactly. Just because it's Criterion doesn't guarantee you a great movie.

I see this mentioned every time a Criterion thread pops up. And to be fair, it's a perfectly honest statement. But given what I've seen of their collection, I think it's also fair to say:

If it's Criterion, it has a good chance of being a great movie.

Of course that obviously depends on taste. But I've yet to be disappointed by a Criterion. On the other hand, most people I know wouldn't care for 98% of their collection. So it does all come down to taste.

[MEJHarrison]

Originally Posted by Tazz

I can only Recommend
Brazil (Which cost alot)
Akira Kurosawa: Four Samurai Classics (Or get them separately)
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel
Wrong Men & Notorious Women: Five Hitchcock Thrillers 1935-1946 - The Criterion Collection

Add Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to that list and you've just listed my entire collection of Criterions.

[Drexl]

Originally Posted by Chunkblower

You must pop your Criterion cherry with Salo and no other.

At least that way the hardest one to get would be out of the way first!

[Mutara_Nebula]

My pics:

The Third Man
Black Narcissus
Carnival of Souls

[drudo-182]

Rushmore.

drew

[smurdleman2000]

Schizopolis , my personal favorite out of the 20+ Criterions I own. Would make a great introduction to the CC.

[93curr]

"you must pop your Criterion cherry with Salo and no other."

hey! there's one on sale on eBay RIGHT NOW. bidding's only at a mere $637.

better hurry before the bidding gets too high.

[surfingelectrode]

Oooooo! What a bargain!

[reeltime]

Originally Posted by KSC2-303

Seriously, what's next "Recommend movies that start with the letter M"?

How about the letter Q?

Actual thread: Recommend me a DVD that starts with "Q"

If you can imagine it, someone's probably already done it.

Personally, I've treasured Criterion editions since the days of laserdiscs. I try to own most of their titles that I enjoy (even pop pap like Armageddon and The Rock), and once in awhile I'll pick something up that sounds interesting.

You can count on high quality transfers (that one misframed shot in Chasing Amy notwithstanding) and they practically invented movie extras like commentary tracks, marketing stills and trailers and deleted scenes.

I'd say, pick something you like and then work your way out from there. My first was The Graduate (on laserdisc). I have some 840 DVD titles and 26 are Criterions (and another 30 on laser).

[Prancer]

Taste of Cherry