The Criterion Question: What’s Your Favorite Criterion Film?
For cinephiles and movie buffs the Criterion collection is an unending source of quality films and films that might otherwise never have been made available to the general public. They have a truly noble cause: to bring daring, classic and rare films to the masses through extreme diligence and unrivaled dedication to excellence. I personally like to keep track of every Criterion Collection film I’ve seen (I’m at 161 so far). But, recently, something got me thinking. Their catalogue of films includes several of the greatest films ever produced in the history of cinema, and features films from directors from a sundry cultures, backgrounds, eras, movements, and styles, all revered by both critics and scholars worldwide. To pick your favorite film from a particular studio (Warner Bros, Universal, MGM, et al) would be a tough undertaking, but an attainable one. So I ask you this: What’s your favorite film from the Criterion Collection?
I can’t make this a poll because the Criterion Collection includes nearly 600 titles, so I’ll just pose this broad question. Which is your fave? I’ll mention mine in comments or maybe come up with a post about my favorite in particular. Maybe some fellow bloggers will take this idea and make their own Criterion favorite post.
What’s your fave??
This is strangely easy because my favorite film (regardless of distributor) just happens to be a Criterion film- The Fire Within (1963). The brutal honesty with which that movie was made will rip your heart out.
Nice. My favorite film(s) also happens to be Criterion, (The Human Condition) but I could definitely make a case for other films in the collection to challenge that top spot.
I definitely have to check out “The Fire Within”. I finally just watched my first Louis Malle film, “Au Revoir Les Enfants” and loved every second of it.