Criterion

by Scott Gleine

Rushmore – Wes Anderson

This is possibly my all time favorite film and my Criterion copy is definitely a prized possession.  I had the opportunity to see a 35mm print of this on the big screen in Ann Arbor, Michigan recently.  Seeing it projected in this way gave me an even greater appreciation for how great Criterion’s transfers look, since the DVD looks just as nice as the print I saw (not factoring in the usual dust and scratches on the print, of course).
Wes Anderson’s breakout sophomore effort manages to seamlessly shift between dry, witty humor, character study, coming of age story, bizarre love triangle, and poignant drama all in a tightly packed 93 minutes of screen time.  The amount of depth gained upon revisiting the film still impresses me, even after an almost embarrassingly high amount of viewings.  The disc is loaded with fantastic extras, including commentary, a making of documentary, Charlie Rose interviews, art work, audition footage, and (most notably) brief theatrical “adaptations” of movies from the 1999 MTV Movie Awards performed by the Max Fischer Players from the film.

Shoot The Piano Player – Francois Truffaut
Though it can be considered “minor Truffaut,” Shoot The Piano Player is still a fun riff on the American crime movie, and a great example of the loose French New Wave approach to filmmaking, which as we all know is a style that would later go on to influence modern American crime movies.  Shoot The Piano Player tells the story of Charlie (Charles Aznavour), an ordinary pianist who finds himself dragged back into the criminal underworld thanks to his lousy brother (Albert Remy, aka Antoine Doinel’s step-father).   The film is quite short (about 80 minutes) and throws the viewer into the story immediately.  There are many memorable moments, such as one criminal’s exclamation “If I am lying, then may my mother fall dead!” being followed by an abrupt cut showing an old woman grabbing her chest and falling over dead.  Lots of fun and worth seeking out for New Wave fans.

Band of Outsiders – Jean-Luc Godard

Speaking of influential New Wave crime movies, Criterion also offers a great edition of what I believe to be Godard’s most fun and enjoyable film.  Though not as groundbreaking as Breathless, I think Band of Outsiders is actually a better film.  Two young men convince the woman they desire to assist them on a robbery of her own home.  They spend just as much time cavorting through various Paris locales as they do actually planning the crime.  Featuring classic moments such as the Madison dance sequence and the sprint through the Louvre (wonderfully paid homage to in Bertolucci’s The Dreamers), Band of Outsiders is essential viewing.

Down By Law – Jim Jarmusch
My personal favorite Jarmusch film and was recently one of my selections for the Highly Recommended article here on the site.  It is an offbeat, simplistic, and somehow poetic story, told in three parts about three characters (Tom Waits, John Lurie, Roberto Benigni) who all meet in jail, escape, and then don’t really have any place to go.  The actors all have terrific chemistry, which is certainly a sight to see, since their characters are all so uniquely different.  Adding to the already enjoyable proceedings is Robby Muller’s gorgeous black and white cinematography, which is (of course) immaculately transferred thanks to the Criterion treatment.

Solo Con Tu Pareja – Alfonso Cuaron
Now that he is beginning to attain “genius” status amongst cinephiles, perhaps it is worthwhile to take a look back at Cuaron’s debut film.  Made in the director’s native Mexico in the early 90’s, Solo Con Tu Pareja (translation: Only With Your Partner, but it’s alternate English language title was Love in the Time of Hysteria) is a clever screwball sex comedy that effectively works in some universal social commentary regarding the AIDS issue.  It’s an impressive debut that hints at the tremendous promise of Cuaron’s abilities.  It was also his first collaboration with the immensely gifted cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.  I’ll be writing more on this film in the (hopefully) near future for my upcoming In Focus article on the films of Alfonso Cuaron.

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