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Criterion Chronicles 4

Ah, Fellini! I wish I could give him a big ol' smooch! No one can do la dolce vita like Federico.

From The Criterion Collection: Amarcord:

In this carnivalesque portrait of provincial Italy during the Fascist period, Fellini satirizes his youth and turns daily life into a circus of rituals, sensations and emotions. Adolescent desires, male fantasies, and political repartee are set to Nina Rotas music in this beautiful transfer of Amarcord.

Mr. Busch says:

Well here I was SO excited that our latest film in the series was from 1974 after all these ancient ones, and the damn thing is set in the '30's! This is one crazy movie with a whole lot of hollerin'. Part of the time I felt like I was in Farrelly country with all the bodily fluids, flatulence, and low humor (which to my delicate sensibilities bordered on the offensive; for instance, one of the first lines is a man shouting at the town whore, who is clearly mentally disabled, "I bet you even dip a cock in your morning coffee!" John Waters would be proud.) Don't get me wrong, I realize that this is a grand satire of everything from fascism to prostitution masquerading as a coming-of-age flick. The sets, costumes, and scenery are alternately bleak and breathtaking as we are taken on a guided tour by several narrators through a year in the life of an Italian town loosely based on Fellini's home. Truly stunning scenes of ritual are strung along from episode to episode - you're bound to be amazed and charmed by some and disturbed by or, like me, indifferent to others. The film is all about the characters, though, and I dare anyone with a beating heart not to love the town's patron saint, Gradisca. But can we please get a Criterion movie with no soldiers for once?!

There are no special features except a restoration comparison, which was kind of funny because this film seemed to be in much worse shape than the ones that we have watched that were decades older. No commentary, trailers, or other info - kind of surprising for Criterion. I'm so glad though that I finally know why the "Amarcord" logo has those huge breasts resting in it. You will be, too.

Jen says:

My god, this movie is NUTS. I guess a master like Fellini can do away with plot, but he seems to be a little TOO in love with these (admittedly) loveable characters. The movie begins and ends, in true Fellini style, with giant set-pieces: a town bonfire and a wedding. He's great at setting up characters within crowds and making you feel like a participant in the festivities. Life to him really IS a parade. What I love about Fellini is his ablity to adore each person for the very veriness that makes them them. I kept singing an old Adam Ant song to myself: "Every girl is a something girl...she's got some THING."

It was nice, after all these early films, to see some camera movement. Fellini carefully chooses his moments to move the camera, and he does so with mastery. He's consistently astonishing at framing, but when he moves the camera, with its shifting foreground and background.....well, it's just lovely.

But I confess that all the masturbation scenes made me realize that not only is Fellini reminiscing about his youth and commenting on the self-proud nature of fascism -- this movie itself is an act of masturbation (of course, one could argue that every movie is). All apologies, but give me "8 1/2" or "La Strada".

Next up: The 400 Blows!

Criterion Chronicles 3

3 down, 244 to go! Yes, ladies and gentleman, it's time once again for The Criterion Chronicles.

From The Criterion Collection: The Lady Vanishes:

In this best-loved of Hitchcocks British-made thrillers, a young woman on a train meets a charming old lady (Dame May Whitty), who promptly disappears. The other passengers deny ever having seen her, leading the young woman to suspect a conspiracy. When she begins investigating, she is drawn into a complex web of mystery and high adventure.

Mr. Busch says:

I loved this movie. Ol' Hitch had me from the beginning with the long tracking shot through a model village (forecasting fake sets to come as late as "Marnie") and the lovely, silent-filmish opening scene that lulls the viewer into the first of many false senses of security before a cacophonous burst interrupts the revelry. The film starts out as sheer comedy, but we are soon in familiar Hitchcock territory, complete with glamorous leading ladies, extreme violence, and of course the requisite cameo. Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave sparkle as the romantic leads, and the story of the vanishing lady is entertaining to the end.

We are back to 1938 and once again are shown a restoration comparison with amazing examples of the "7,000 blemishes" that were removed by Criterion to supply the best image quality. Also included is another film historian's informative commentary. But my favorite "special feature" is one that every CC film has: when you put the dvd into your player, you are not subjected to an FBI warning, coming attractions, or a studio masthead - only the (eventually in the series very inventive) Criterion menu itself.

Jen says:

Who else but Hitchcock could successfully pull off not only an endlessly fresh suspense film but also a crackling romantic comedy that perhaps some people would be well advised to study?

While it has what I consider to be an EXTREMELY long exposition, the film soon goes full steam ahead (train pun intended), and Hitchcock kept me guessing about the true nature of the mystery. What I admire here is that the characters are smart. Unlike many contemporary thrillers, you do not spot the twists a mile away and have to wait for the action to catch up with you. The plot's always one step ahead of you. In addition, there's a great fight scene involving 3 rabbits, some doves, and a calf.

When violence finally does erupt, it seems rightfully shocking since you've been so pleasantly amused all along. "The Lady Vanishes" is more than just simple entertainment - there's some subtle political criticism and lots of poking fun at stereotypes. If this fim is good enough for Truffaut (who often saw it twice a week), it's good enough for me!

As great as the past three movies have been, Mr. Busch and I agree that we're excited for the amazing technological breakthrough featured in the next movie, "Amarcord": COLOR!

Criterion Chronicles 2

I bet you thought I was gone for good, but guess what jarelle - you thought WRONG! Like James Bond, I am back and better than ever before! What took so long? Well, there was a lot of drinking and a weekend away, but mainly what took so long was my resistance to watching "The Seven Samurai" - movie 2 in the Criterion Collection. I should not have dallied so - "The Seven Samurai" was a TKO (that's Technical Knockout for those who box not, and henceforth my highest movie rating).

And now, with no further ado, Mr. Busch and I humbly present Kurosawa's masterpiece, "The Seven Samurai":

from the Criterion Collection: Seven Samurai site:
A desperate village hires seven samurai to protect it from marauders in this crown jewel of Japanese cinema. No other film so seamlessly weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action. Featuring Japans legendary star, the great Toshiro Mifune, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is an inspired epic a triumph of art, and an unforgettable three-hour ride.

Mr. Busch says:
The second installment in the Criterion Chronicles finds us jumping from 1938 to 1954, and we have traveled leaps and bounds: Kurosawa's style feels exponentially warm and contemporary after Renoir's mannered Grand Illusion; the atmosphere approaches light-heartedness in its depiction of human suffering, honor, and pettiness. The samurais seem modern and convivial yet perfectly at home in 16th century Japan, and this greatly adds to the film's appeal. (Speaking of modern, I couldn't help but notice that the swashbuckling lead actor, Toshiro Mifune, spends a helluva lot of time in a thong - especially while doing battle! Hot!) The graphic titles and booming soundtrack add to the grandeur. Clearly this film laid the groundwork for Hollywood action films forevermore, yet it comes with the depth you expect from a master of Japanese cinema and a wonderful not-so-Hollywood ending.

Criterion supplies us with a hoity-toity commentary track by a Japanese film scholar that explains every camera shot - actually pretty cool. And the original trailer is quite brilliant and features new footage. But my favorite Criterion element was the subtitle translation - that thong-wearing hottie actually says "Sheeyit" several times! [Hard-core Criterion collectors take note: a restoration demonstration is included on the first printing only; my rental from Netflix didn't have it.]

Jen says:
What's so special about this movie is the kinetic narrative development, the archetypal characters, the humor, the cinemtogaraphy - sheesh, everything. Here's a movie that really does have it all - it's a buddy movie, a war epic, a romantic comedy, an historical drama - and it just never lets up. It's amazing anyone had the courage to make a movie after this. I was totally floored by Kurosawa's mastery of every element, and it's easy to see why the movie has informed every film from "The Magnificent Seven" to "The Wizard of Oz" to "Star Wars". I'm even CERTAIN that Johnny Depp based his character in "Pirates of the Carribean" on Toshiro Mifune in this movie. CERTAIN.

I mean, come on. (By the way, doing an image search for Johnny Depp was the most fun I've had in a while.) Anyway, it was interesting to note the similarities between "Seven Samurai" and "Grand Illusion" (last week's film). They both tackle the division between social classes and the expectations/limitations imposed on you depending on your caste. But due to my limited attention span, I have to admit I liked "The Seven Samurai" considerably more, thanks to the brilliant construction of the scenes and the momentum of the story. I also back Mr. Busch up in saying that the commentary adds much to the appreciation of this watershed film. Arrigato!

The Criterion Chronicles

Private Eyes! Are Watching You!

I am pleased to announce the debut of a new column on SOCK, The Criterion Chronicles. Each week, fellow film scholar Mr. Busch and I will watch one of the film classics from The Criterion Collection and comment on it. What makes our class unique is that we're watching the films IN ORDER. Why? Because we're tuff like that.

First up:

The Criterion Collection: Grand Illusion

from the Criterion website:

One of the very first prison escape movies, Grand Illusion is hailed as one of the greatest films ever made. Jean Renior's antiwar masterpiece stars Jean Gabin and Pierre Fresnay, as French soldiers held in a World War I German prison camp, and Erich von Stroheim as the unforgettable Captain von Rauffenstein. Following a smash theatrical re-release, Criterion is proud to present Grand Illusion in a new special edition, with a beautifully restored digital transfer.

Mr. Busch says:
Sipping tanqueray & tonics as a precursor to a wild party may not have been the ideal setting for our first viewing, but there it is. The antiquatedness of the film that is no fault of the director's but only representative of the time period was a bit off-putting at first in our revelry-oriented mood, but I soon (after finally blocking out a yapping dog outside the window) found myself drawn in. As the action unfolded, I felt tension and excitement and realized that the film had power. (the film boils down to a prison escape from the germans by two frenchmen, if you want plot.) The film is quite beautiful and cinematic at times, with sweeping countrysides and snowscapes, but what one will return to is the title and the absolute politeness for one another that the men in uniform show. Prisoners being held hostage are treated to private brandies with the commanding officer of their jail - not that they're going anywhere, not while there's a war on, that's just not sensible.

In true Criterion fashion, the special features are as thrilling as the film itself. A veritable textbook of film historia, the supplements include the story of the film's truly incredible journey (which I will leave for you to research; it's fun, really, and tells about the CC's first major film renovation), a warm essay by Erich von Stroheim (whose superstar turn makes the film), and a 1938 radio broadcast of Renoir and von Stroheim accepting the New York Critics' Award.

I say:
Mr. Busch is feeling much more generous than I am. I NEVER would have made it through the viewing without Mr. Busch at my side, but I will confess that I did eventually get wrapped up in the characters, the story-telling, and the subtextual comments on class divisions. There was an element of nostalgia for the dying aristocracy, but in the end, the more "common" folk won out - helping each other even across language barriers.

For me, the most compelling aspect of the film was Jean Renoir's real empathy for all people. He seems to mourn the various institutions that keep men confined - the military, jails, divisions between countries - and he celebrates the triumph of humanity over these artificial constructs. I mean, all the men, regardless of where they were from and what class they belonged to, loved the same things - booze, food, and women. Good to think about in times like this.

Still, it was difficult to watch for a modern gal like myself. Erich von Strohiem proved to be a marvellous distraction in his bizarre chin-restraining outfit. And he's a good actor too.

In homage to DVDBeaver.com, Mr. Busch and I will provide a beaver shot from each film we watch:

Next up: The Seven Samurai!