Criterion Film Club: Suggestions and General Discussion

[Sloper]

I voted for Summer Interlude

Me too, I think; though I might have changed my vote to the Assayas at the last minute. It is a shame when more people don't participate, but then again I probably wouldn't have got around to seeing Summer Hours for many years if those nine people hadn't voted for it. And of course it's still very rewarding to discuss a film with just one or two other people.

There's a slight sense, I think, that people often avoid voting for films that are regarded as canonical, or as having been discussed a lot already. That's fine because it means some of us get exposed to new and unfamiliar things. But I wonder if we might get more discussion going if the winning film is one that a lot of people have already seen.

Anyway I'd love to have a conversation about Antonioni, so Red Desert gets my vote.

[zedz]

I voted for Assayas and haven't participated in the discussion because I didn't have anything more to say than what I'd posted in the original thread (and have been travelling and it's a pain writing on my phone), but I think the quality of discussion has been superb, which is more important than the quantity.

[swo17]

Looks like it's going to be one of the reds. If you've voted for something else, you may want to change your vote to weigh in between those two.

[domino harvey]

I changed my vote to Harry Byrd

[swo17]

Red Desert it is.

[domino harvey]

[Mr Sausage]

This week's theme is manhood, sort-of. Basically, the titles were randomly generated from a list of Criterion films whose titles reference the male gender somehow. Thanks to swo17 and his Golem XIV-like random generator and domino harvey for the theme.

Vote away!

[Mr Sausage]

The Man Who Fell to Earth is such a weird, baggy, inexplicable movie that I just have to discuss it with someone. Good excuse to revisit it, too.

[matrixschmatrix]

These would all be interesting, but The Man Who Fell to Earth seems like a deeply rich field for discussion.

[domino harvey]

I may have come up with the initial list of titles but the random assortment we ended up with is pretty dispiriting. I'm voting for the League of Gentlemen as it's the only one I have any interest in discussing and it'll align with my viewings for the War List

[Mr Sausage]

Man Who Fell to Earth it is!

[domino harvey]

[Mr Sausage]

As a thank you for his years as an excellent contributor (and now as part of the moderating team), I've asked zedz to curate a vote. He's chosen the theme: Wild Sixties: revolutionary and radical filmmaking from 1966-69.

[Drucker]

Zedz you're not going to really make me watch two films if I Am Curious wins, right?

[domino harvey]

Unexpectedly, I've seen all of them and they're all worth watching!

[zedz]

I'm going to wait and do a casting vote thing, because they're all great. William Greaves recently died, so he should be the sentimental favourite! The I Am Curiouses are probably the most neglected of these films on this forum, so it would be nice to see them get some attention even if they don't win the vote.

[Mr Sausage]

We're making you discuss A Report on the Party and the Guests! Just kidding! But no, really, you're discussing it.

[domino harvey]

[Mr Sausage]

Today's theme is Criterions released in 2014. Above you'll see a random selection of all of those Criterion DVDs released so far this year. Thanks to swo17 for both the topic and the random generating.

[Drucker]

I've sat this current discussion out because I really had nothing to say about Man Who Fell To Earth. I liked it, but the second half lost me. I won't be able to participate in this week's either, as I'm moving. But I voted for Il Sorpasso because it's such an amazing film and there's so much to dissect. The socio-political time in Italian history, during their boom years. The two leading men are incredible. Probably will top my release of the year list, and I'm happy to revisit it again.

[Lemmy Caution]

Il Sorpasso came out of nowhere for me. Totally blindsided me.
I didn't know anything about the film, even that Criterion had put it out.
The director is/was/seems a bit of an egomaniac, but claims that Dennis Hopper told him he watched it 10x before making Easy Rider. And Alexander Payne introduces the film on the CC disc saying it was an inspiration for Sideways.

So vote for the unknown film (in the US) which inspired both Easy Rider and Sideways. Pretty terrific film. And apparently quite famous in Italy.

[Mr Sausage]

Il sorpasso it is!

[domino harvey]

[movielocke]

I'd like to suggest a film club runners up for a category later in the year, randomly choose five from the 2014 runners up, here's the list of runners up since Swo's been posting the results:

Ivan the Terrible
Kanal
Straw Dogs
Wings of Desire
Claire's Knee
Sullivan's Travels
Beauty and the Beast
La Cotta
I am Curious - Yellow
Three Penny Opera
Chronicle of a Summer
Red Beard
League of Gentlemen
Three Resurrected Drunkards

[swo17]

Since domino's been posting the results.