By Allen Gardner
Quadrophenia (Criterion) Franc Roddam’s 1979 film based on The Who’s classic rock opera tells the story of working class lad Jimmy (Phil Daniels) struggling to find his identity in a rapidly changing Britain, circa 1965. Jimmy is a “mod,” a youth movement dedicated to wearing snappy suits, driving Vespa motor scooters bedecked with side mirrors, popping amphetamines and obsessed with the new sound of bands like The Who and The Kinks. Their other pastime is engaging in bloody brawls with “rockers,” throwbacks to the 1950s, who listen to Elvis and Gene Vincent, wear leather biker gear, grease in their hair and drive massive motorcycles a la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Often cited as a worthy successor to “Rebel Without a Cause” as the greatest angry youth picture ever made, it is that and more, including a first cousin to the “kitchen sink” dramas of scribes John Osborne,...
Quadrophenia (Criterion) Franc Roddam’s 1979 film based on The Who’s classic rock opera tells the story of working class lad Jimmy (Phil Daniels) struggling to find his identity in a rapidly changing Britain, circa 1965. Jimmy is a “mod,” a youth movement dedicated to wearing snappy suits, driving Vespa motor scooters bedecked with side mirrors, popping amphetamines and obsessed with the new sound of bands like The Who and The Kinks. Their other pastime is engaging in bloody brawls with “rockers,” throwbacks to the 1950s, who listen to Elvis and Gene Vincent, wear leather biker gear, grease in their hair and drive massive motorcycles a la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Often cited as a worthy successor to “Rebel Without a Cause” as the greatest angry youth picture ever made, it is that and more, including a first cousin to the “kitchen sink” dramas of scribes John Osborne,...
- 9/4/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Aug. 28, 2012
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Romance is revealed at Coney Island in Paul Fejos' 1928 Lonesome.
The 1928 film Lonesome is the creation of a little-known, one-of-a-kind auteur, Paul Fejos (a filmmaker / explorer / anthropologist / doctor!), who bridged the gap between the silent and sound eras.
Fejos pulled out all the stops for the drama-romance-comedy collage-styled New York City “symphony” Lonesome, which is set in Coney Island during the Fourth of July weekend. For his film, Fejos employed such then-radical techniques as color tinting, superimposition effects, experimental editing, a roving camera and three dialogue scenes (added because of the craze for talkies).
With its release by Criterion, Lonesome is making its home entertainment debut. Also included in the package are two other Fejos films included in this release: 1929’s The Last Performance (featuring a new score by Donald Sosin) and a reconstruction of the previously incomplete sound version of 1929’s Broadway.
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Romance is revealed at Coney Island in Paul Fejos' 1928 Lonesome.
The 1928 film Lonesome is the creation of a little-known, one-of-a-kind auteur, Paul Fejos (a filmmaker / explorer / anthropologist / doctor!), who bridged the gap between the silent and sound eras.
Fejos pulled out all the stops for the drama-romance-comedy collage-styled New York City “symphony” Lonesome, which is set in Coney Island during the Fourth of July weekend. For his film, Fejos employed such then-radical techniques as color tinting, superimposition effects, experimental editing, a roving camera and three dialogue scenes (added because of the craze for talkies).
With its release by Criterion, Lonesome is making its home entertainment debut. Also included in the package are two other Fejos films included in this release: 1929’s The Last Performance (featuring a new score by Donald Sosin) and a reconstruction of the previously incomplete sound version of 1929’s Broadway.
- 6/19/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Chicago – When does a great film become less powerful? We’ve all seen movies that worked wonderfully for us at one point in our lives and had less impact when we saw them again a decade or two later. The movies that not only remain powerful but, in some ways, improve upon repeat viewing are rare. They’re the true classics. Fritz Lang’s “M,” recently released on Criterion Blu-ray, is one such movie.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Watching “M” again in this glorious Criterion transfer, I was stunned at the timeless nature of the film. Yes, there is undeniable commentary on ’30s Germany and the rise of the Nazi party that thematically dates the film a bit and a few technical elements, but if someone released “M” on the big screen tomorrow, we’d still call it a masterpiece. It feels so much more current than a vast majority of the films of its era.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Watching “M” again in this glorious Criterion transfer, I was stunned at the timeless nature of the film. Yes, there is undeniable commentary on ’30s Germany and the rise of the Nazi party that thematically dates the film a bit and a few technical elements, but if someone released “M” on the big screen tomorrow, we’d still call it a masterpiece. It feels so much more current than a vast majority of the films of its era.
- 5/24/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
M
It is somewhat customary in the review of a classic to point out the age of the opus in question before insisting that it still feels “as fresh as ever.” It’s a lazy shorthand that can be used for Wagner’s Ring cycle, Joyce’s Ulysses and Citizen Kane in the same breath, a write-off that attempts to reassure the reader that hallmarks of art do not have to sit in a museum, not even collecting dust because of protective cases. The statement is usually presented on its own, a Qed “proof” without demonstration, allowing the writer to move on quickly out of fear that he or she has nothing to add on an already thoroughly analyzed work (”What can I say about ____ that hasn’t already been said?” is also a trite shortcut that we have all used at some point no matter how much everyone hates to read the sentence). But,...
It is somewhat customary in the review of a classic to point out the age of the opus in question before insisting that it still feels “as fresh as ever.” It’s a lazy shorthand that can be used for Wagner’s Ring cycle, Joyce’s Ulysses and Citizen Kane in the same breath, a write-off that attempts to reassure the reader that hallmarks of art do not have to sit in a museum, not even collecting dust because of protective cases. The statement is usually presented on its own, a Qed “proof” without demonstration, allowing the writer to move on quickly out of fear that he or she has nothing to add on an already thoroughly analyzed work (”What can I say about ____ that hasn’t already been said?” is also a trite shortcut that we have all used at some point no matter how much everyone hates to read the sentence). But,...
- 5/17/2010
- by Aaron
When one letter could mean so much to film aficionados everywhere, you know you have something special in your midst. The film I’m alluding to is Fritz Lang’s 1931 masterpiece M. A masterpiece that, luckily for the Criterion Collection, has gained a high watermark in the hearts of film fans everywhere. What more could a fan say about this wonderful and haunting film?
Peter Lorre stars as serial killer and alluded pedophile Hans Beckert, which was his first starring role in a film. Remember, this was made in Germany while thee Nazis were in power, so you had German Expressionism on the rise and German film was chugging along with one brilliant film after another, and M is no exception to that statement. Lorre was known for comedic roles before this film, but once you see him as Hans Beckert, you won’t think of him in the same way again.
Peter Lorre stars as serial killer and alluded pedophile Hans Beckert, which was his first starring role in a film. Remember, this was made in Germany while thee Nazis were in power, so you had German Expressionism on the rise and German film was chugging along with one brilliant film after another, and M is no exception to that statement. Lorre was known for comedic roles before this film, but once you see him as Hans Beckert, you won’t think of him in the same way again.
- 5/11/2010
- by James McCormick
- CriterionCast
DVD Playhouse—April 2010
By
Allen Gardner
Ride With The Devil (Criterion) Ang Lee’s revisionist take on the Civil War is awash in moral ambiguity, along with some stunning cinematography, production design, and fine performances. Set during the Kansas-Missouri border war, Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich star as two friends who join up with the Confederate-sympathizing Bushwhackers, finding an odd ally in a former slave (Jeffrey Wright). While it’s fascinating to see America’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of a foreigner, thereby allowing much of the previously mentioned ambiguity a certain latitude, the film never loses the bad taste it leaves for one simple reason: it asks us, the audience, to side with not just the Confederates, but some of the lowest trash that made up the dregs, and the fringes, of the movement. Big points for audacity, but snake eyes on the story itself. Singer Jewel is impressive in her film debut.
By
Allen Gardner
Ride With The Devil (Criterion) Ang Lee’s revisionist take on the Civil War is awash in moral ambiguity, along with some stunning cinematography, production design, and fine performances. Set during the Kansas-Missouri border war, Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich star as two friends who join up with the Confederate-sympathizing Bushwhackers, finding an odd ally in a former slave (Jeffrey Wright). While it’s fascinating to see America’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of a foreigner, thereby allowing much of the previously mentioned ambiguity a certain latitude, the film never loses the bad taste it leaves for one simple reason: it asks us, the audience, to side with not just the Confederates, but some of the lowest trash that made up the dregs, and the fringes, of the movement. Big points for audacity, but snake eyes on the story itself. Singer Jewel is impressive in her film debut.
- 4/16/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Criterion has announced that it will release Fritz Lang’s classic 1931 thriller, M, on Blu-ray disc May 11th. The German-language film chronicles the exploits of a sinister child murderer run amok on the streets of Berlin, unforgettably played by Peter Lorre. Although the film is nearing its 80th anniversary, to this day it embodies, as Criterion puts it, “the blueprint for the psychological thriller.”
The film is the latest in the Criterion catalogue to be upgraded to Blu-ray, and if their past work is any indication, purchasers should be pleased with the restored high-definition digital transfer, with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. As an added incentive for collectors, the new edition will include an exclusive “long-lost English-language version of M.”
M is currently ranked at #57 on the IMDb “Top 250″ and is widely cited as one of the most chilling films ever released — praised in particular for its unique fusion between the...
The film is the latest in the Criterion catalogue to be upgraded to Blu-ray, and if their past work is any indication, purchasers should be pleased with the restored high-definition digital transfer, with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. As an added incentive for collectors, the new edition will include an exclusive “long-lost English-language version of M.”
M is currently ranked at #57 on the IMDb “Top 250″ and is widely cited as one of the most chilling films ever released — praised in particular for its unique fusion between the...
- 2/19/2010
- by Bryan
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
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