en http://criterioncast.com <![CDATA[Criterion Reflections]]> https://static.feedpress.com/logo/criterionreflectionspodcast-59c54788a368d.jpg TV & Film nonadult A journey in time through the films of the Criterion Collection. David Blakeslee criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, David Blakeslee criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, false David Blakeslee podcast@hyperbolic.tv David Blakeslee David Blakeslee and guests engage in concise but in depth conversations about Criterion films in their original historic context, and reflect on what they say to us today. Each episode covers a season of a year, discussing the movies in their chronological order of release. A journey in time through the films of the Criterion Collection. David Blakeslee and guests engage in concise but in depth conversations about Criterion films in their original historic context, and reflect on what they say to us today. Each episode covers a season of a year, discussing the movies in their chronological order of release. podcast@hyperbolic.tv no David Blakeslee Criterion Reflections http://criterioncast.com A journey in time through the films of the Criterion Collection. Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:52:10 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 David Reviews Mike Nichols’s Carnal Knowledge [Criterion 4K/Blu-ray Review] https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/carnal-knowledge David Blakeslee Mon, 21 Jul 2025 02:02:36 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68497

A new release from the Criterion Collection represents yet another successful retrieval of an important film originally released by that company on the Laserdisc format they specialized in for 15 years or so before they started releasing movies on DVD. Carnal Knowledge, Mike Nichols’ 1971 follow up to Catch-22, functioned as a lightning rod for candid conversations and high-stakes legal proceedings in the immediate aftermath of its release and still shows plenty of potential for stoking fresh discussions and charged debates about how so many men relate to women in regard to sexuality and committed relationships. I had a chance to review the new 4K edition and this post is a collection of various clips I’ve made about the film, both recently and back in October of 2019 when I reviewed the film as part of my ongoing Criterion Reflections podcast that covers films published on various formats by Criterion in the chronological order of the films’ original releases.

For the sake of convenience and to provide maximal coverage of my response to the film itself, I’ve attached the episode to this post, which should include it in the CriterionCast Master Feed in your favorite podcast player of choice, or you can just listen to it here on this page. I want to thank Richard Doyle and Grant Douglas Bromley for their contributions from nearly six years ago – they brought great insights and well-informed perspectives into the conversation and made it a much more interesting talk than if it was just me speaking into a microphone by myself! We even got into the question of whether we thought Criterion would be willing to re-publish a film that was in many ways so centered on two men who brought so much casual misogyny and chauvinistic privilege into their mutual assumptions about what they were looking for in their relationships with the women in their lives. (Remember, the fall of 2019 was still the heyday of the #MeToo movement that rose to prominence just a couple years earlier.) Even though that question was obviously answered with an emphatic YES! when the package’s release was announced back in April, it made sense at that time to consider how Carnal Knowledge‘s biting dialogues and unblinking candor in depicting unchecked male privilege would be received by a younger audience that in many ways had been brought up with a much stronger critical eye toward so much of the received conventional wisdom espoused by Jack Nicholson’s manipulative alpha-dog Jonathan and his unknowingly codependent sidekick Sandy, played by Art Garfunkel.

For those unfamiliar with what goes on over the course of Carnal Knowledge‘s 98 minute running time, here’s my quick summary: Jonathan and Sandy are a pair of American college buddies in the years following World War II. We meet them as they are on the verge of young adulthood, with their primary interest consisting of figuring out how far they could go at any given opportunity to enhance their experience of sexual encounters with whatever women were willing to allow them to pursue their respective quests. Unlike Summer of ’42, a film that was pretty big at the time and touched on similar themes of blossoming sexuality among young people of that time, Carnal Knowledge was not content to remain confined to a particular season of a specific year. Instead, the film drops in on its male protagonists at crucial moments over the next two decades, zeroing in on life-defining junctures that occur in the 1950s and 1960s, finally culminating in a pair of scenes set in 1971, completely contemporaneous with when the movie first began its public screenings. The presence of Candice Bergen (as Susan, pictured above opposite Jack Nicholson) takes place in the early scenes set in the 1940s, while Ann-Margret’s Bobbie character (shown below) brings her own shattering vitality to the forefront when she enters the film (and more importantly, Jonathan’s life) in scenes that take place in the mid-1960s, after both Jonathan and Sandy have experienced both failures and successes in various aspects of their lives that serve mainly to embitter them toward the possibility of finding satisfying long-term stability in their relationships with anyone, maybe not even themselves.

In one of the clips I embedded below, I made the mistaken observation that Ann-Margret won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Bobbie, but she was only a nominee – the award that year went instead to Cloris Leachman for her work in The Last Picture Show. (That had to have been a tough call for quite a few of the voters! I know I’d be torn, though I think I’d be inclined to go with Ann-Margret in this case.) However, she did win the Golden Globe Award in that category for her incredibly evocative, unforgettable, and fearless performance of a woman enveloped in a web of relational toxicity that only traps its victims more inextricably the harder they try to fight their way out of it.

Tucked inside a densely packed slate of recently-published titles that could realistically compete for some of the most compelling releases of the year, Carnal Knowledge may run the risk of being overlooked by the likes of such heavyweight and long-anticipated entries like Killer of Sheep, Sorcerer, and The Big Heat, along with magnificent 4K reissues like Barry Lyndon, Brazil, and the The Adventures of Antoine Doinel box set of five films directed by Francois Truffaut. While I was deeply impressed by my initial viewing of Carnal Knowledge back in 2019 when I covered it on my podcast, I never got the sense that there were a lot of folks clamoring for it to find a way back into in-print status with the Criterion Collection. I’m glad to see that they’ve gone ahead and put it out there, especially in the waning days of another half-off sale at Barnes & Noble (and the accompanying price match offered by Amazon). I have to acknowledge that this may be a tough watch for some viewers whose experience might uncomfortably parallel the lives we see projected onto the screen, or who might find it painful to empathize with characters who never find their way toward landing on a satisfying resolution. This is in every sense of the word an “adult” film, one that is probably going to be most appreciated by those who’ve been through a few of these wretchedly awkward post-traumatic break-up encounters over the course of their years. I know that I’ll be surfing around on Letterboxd, IMDb, and various online review sites in the near future to see how Mike Nichols and company’s work is being received in 2025 once the disc goes into broader circulation. For now though, here are a pair of short videos from the past couple weeks to accompany the more extended response that Grant, Richard and I had back in 2019.

First, let’s start with this preview clip that I made the same day (or maybe the next) after I had just received my review copy from Criterion. I provide a more extended look at the packaging, especially noting the “more substantial than usual these days” printed insert, a 42 page booklet that comes with the film. I was delighted to see that! And the essay by Moira Weigel is excellent, let me confirm. (I had just glanced over the opening paragraphs when I made the clip.) It also includes a short “haul video” in the intro portion where I show the discs I had just recently brought home when the B&N 50% off sale began at the end of June:

@dee.ell.bee my preview of the upcoming #criterioncollection release of #CarnalKnowledge (1971) directed by #MikeNichols ♬ Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller

Following that, here’s my proper review of Carnal Knowledge that I posted on both TikTok and YouTube, and now here. I’ll embed the YT version:

Finally, I’ll carry over the links that I put together for the show notes page from my 2019 podcast for anyone who wants to engage more fully with what others have had to say about Mike Nichols, screenwriter Jules Feiffer, and Carnal Knowledge in years past:

Mike Nichols

Jules Feiffer

Carnal Knowledge

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, A new release from the Criterion Collection represents yet another successful retrieval of an important film originally released by that company on the Laserdisc format they specialized in for 15… A compilation of video and audio clips that David Blakeslee put together for his review, including a repurposed Criterion Reflections podcast episode from 2019 featuring Richard Doyle and Grant Bromley. Criterion Reflections – Episode 156 – Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes From a Marriage https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-156-scenes-from-a-marriage David Blakeslee Sun, 06 Jul 2025 19:00:09 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68565 https://criterioncast.com/wp-content/uploads/1751/28/Criterion-Reflections-Episode-156-Scenes-From-a-Marriage.mp3

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David has 1:1 conversations with four different guests (returning: Derek J. Power and Jordan Essoe, with Michael Palli and Imani Payne making their first visits to the podcast) to hear their thoughts about Scenes From a Marriage, directed by Ingmar Bergman. Two different edits of the film available on Blu-ray and DVD from the Criterion Collection, included in the Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema box set, and also available in the Criterion Channel’s streaming library.

EPISODE LINKS:

INGMAR BERGMAN

SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE

PREVIOUSLY:

COME ON CHILDREN

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ZATOICHI’S CONSPIRACY

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, https://criterioncast.com/wp-content/uploads/1751/28/Criterion-Reflections-Episode-156-Scenes-From-a-Marriage.mp3 Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the f… In this lengthy episode, David hosts four individual conversations about this emotionally searing and evocative TV miniseries of 1973 that was edited for theatrical release the following year. Criterion Reflections – Episode 155 – Allan King’s Come On Children https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-155-come-on-children David Blakeslee Sat, 19 Apr 2025 14:42:10 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68535

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guest William Remmers review Come On Children, directed by Allan King. This episode also includes a discussion about the film that David had in 2012 with Rob Nishimura and Josh Brunsting from his former podcast, The Eclipse Viewer. The film is included in the Eclipse Series box set The Actuality Dramas of Allan King and is also available in the Criterion Channel’s streaming library.

EPISODE LINKS:

ALLAN KING

COME ON CHILDREN

PREVIOUSLY:

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON

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SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by William Remmers to discuss an obscure Canadian documentary about 10 groovy teenagers who are granted 10 weeks of autonomy for the purpose of generating compelling cinematic moments, or at least trippy vibes. Criterion Reflections – Episode 154 – Jun Fukuda’s Godzilla vs. Megalon https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-154-godzilla-vs-megalon David Blakeslee Mon, 10 Mar 2025 22:01:23 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68517

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guests Richard Doyle and David Seeley review Godzilla vs. Megalon, directed by Jun Fukuda. The film is included in the Criterion Collection box set Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films (Spine #1000) and is also available in the Criterion Channel’s streaming library.

EPISODE LINKS:

JUN FUKUDA

GODZILLA

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON

PREVIOUSLY:

HARD TRUTHS / HARD LABOUR

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COME ON CHILDREN

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle and David Seeley to provide intellectual gravitas as we contemplate the threat that atomic testing presents to the future of human civilization. Also: Jet Jaguar to the rescue! Criterion Reflections – Episode 153 – Mike Leigh’s Hard Labour https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-152-hard-labour David Blakeslee Sat, 01 Feb 2025 23:06:24 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68410

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guest Ethan Magnan review Hard Labour, directed by Mike Leigh. The film is part of the Criterion Channel streaming library and included in Mike Leigh at the BBC, a bundle of eight teleplays he directed for the British Broadcasting Corporation between 1973-1984. David and Ethan also discuss Hard Truths, also directed by Mike Leigh, which premiered at festivals in 2024, opening in the USA and the UK in January 2025.

EPISODE LINKS:

MIKE LEIGH

HARD LABOUR

HARD TRUTHS

PREVIOUSLY:

PAPER MOON

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GODZILLA VS. MEGALON

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by first-time guest Ethan Magnan to discuss Leigh's first made-for-TV film, and we also talk about Hard Truth's, his most recent release from 2024. Criterion Reflections – Episode 152 – Peter Bogdanovich’s Paper Moon https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-152-paper-moon David Blakeslee Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:53:12 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68461

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guests Richard Doyle, Eric Grant, and Joshua Wilson review Paper Moon, directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The film was released on 4K UHD and Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection in November 2024.

EPISODE LINKS:

PETER BOGDANOVICH

PAPER MOON

Trixie Delight Shares Her Philosophy of Life

PREVIOUSLY:

THE LONG GOODBYE

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HARD LABOUR

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle, Eric Grant, and Josh Wilson to talk about a recent release from the Criterion Collection. We had a fun conversation, that unresolved matter of $200 notwithstanding. Criterion Reflections – Episode 151 – Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-151-the-long-goodbye David Blakeslee Fri, 06 Dec 2024 02:12:10 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68385

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guests Richard Doyle and Robert Taylor review The Long Goodbye, directed by Robert Altman. The film has streamed on the Criterion Channel several times, most recently in early 2024 as part of a bundle showcasing cat movies.

EPISODE LINKS:

ROBERT ALTMAN

THE LONG GOODBYE

THE LONG GOODBYE SOUNDTRACK – Music Composed and Conducted by John Williams (20 Variations on a Theme)

PREVIOUSLY:

LOVE AND ANARCHY

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PAPER MOON

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle and Robert Taylor to discuss this skewed reworking that situates Raymond Chandler's 50s noir classic in early 70s L.A. Criterion Reflections – Episode 150 – Lina Wertmüller’s Love and Anarchy https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-150-love-and-anarchy David Blakeslee Sat, 09 Nov 2024 14:51:00 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68376

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a discussion about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. In this episode, David and guest Richard Doyle review Love and Anarchy, directed by Lina Wertmüller. The film streamed on the Criterion Channel in 2019 as part of a bundle showcasing her films.

EPISODE LINKS:

LINA WERTMÜLLER

LOVE AND ANARCHY

PREVIOUSLY:

DON JUAN, OR IF DON JUAN WERE A WOMAN

UP NEXT:

THE LONG GOODBYE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss this timely tale of radical resistance and romantic folly in fascist Italy of the 1930s. Criterion Reflections – Episode 149 – Roger Vadim’s Don Juan (or if Don Juan Were a Woman) https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-148-don-juan-or-if-don-juan-were-a-woman David Blakeslee Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:23:48 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68292

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David reviews Don Juan (or if Don Juan Were a Woman), directed by Roger Vadim and starring Brigitte Bardot. The film streams on the Criterion Channel as part of their permanent collection.

EPISODE LINKS:

ROGER VADIM

BRIGITTE BARDOT

DON JUAN (OR IF DON JUAN WERE A WOMAN)

PREVIOUSLY:

THE GAME OF CLONES

UP NEXT:

LOVE AND ANARCHY

MORE!

CONTACT:

]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … The podcast returns after a long break featuring David in a solo episode talking about Brigitte Bardot's acting career with a focus on this, her final feature performance. Criterion Reflections – Episode 148 – The Game of Clones https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-episode-148-the-game-of-clones David Blakeslee Sat, 22 Jun 2024 12:21:34 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68310

 

 

This special episode of the podcast steps away from the usual coverage of films with a Criterion connection to discuss The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1, a recently released box set from Severin Films. The set includes the 2023 documentary Enter the Clones of Bruce, plus 12 (or 14) more martial arts films originally released between 1973-1985 that all feature one or more of the actors who were cast for both their fighting prowess and their physical resemblance to Bruce Lee, whose death in 1973 created a void that these movies sought to fill. This episode features a conversation between host David Blakeslee and Michael Worth, who is featured prominently throughout the box set as he gives brief video introductions to each film, provides several commentary tracks, and written essays in the lavishly illustrated booklet that includes dozens of archival posters from his personal collection. Michael’s decades-long enthusiasm for these films was a major factor in pulling this project together and its publication is nothing less than the realization of a dream. David also has an appearance in the set as he provided a commentary track for Cameroon Connection (1985) starring Bruce Le. Listen in as Michael and David fill you in on how this collection of rare and long-neglected films was assembled, Michael’s experiences as he tracked down film elements and creative contributors from all around the world, and how Enter the Clones of Bruce, the documentary he helped to produce, was received during its run through the festival circuit since it premiered in late 2023.

LINKS:

REVIEWS:

PREVIOUSLY:

CHARLOTTE’S WEB

NEXT:

DON JUAN (OR IF DON JUAN WERE A WOMAN)

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, &nbsp; &nbsp; This special episode of the podcast steps away from the usual coverage of films with a Criterion connection to discuss The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1,… David talks with Michael Worth about the excellent new Bruceploitation box set from Severin Films. Criterion Reflections – Episode 147 – Charles Nichols’ and Iwao Takamoto’s Charlotte’s Web https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-147-charlottes-web David Blakeslee Sat, 25 May 2024 13:45:00 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68265

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David is joined by Robert Cioffi to discuss Charlotte’s Web, directed by Charles Nichols and Iwao Takamoto. In 2020, the film streamed on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement and is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD and through numerous streaming services.

EPISODE LINKS:

HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTIONS

CHARLOTTE’S WEB (film)

CHARLOTTE’S WEB (book)

PREVIOUSLY:

THE HARDER THEY COME

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SPECIAL EPISODE – THE GAME OF CLONES

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by musical theater enthusiast Robert Cioffi to discuss this Hanna-Barbera animated adaptation of E.B. White's all-time best-selling youth fiction novel. Criterion Reflections – Episode 146 – Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-146-the-harder-they-come David Blakeslee Wed, 15 May 2024 02:29:23 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68267

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle, Josh Hornbeck, Brad McDermott, and James Merritt to discuss The Harder They Come, directed by Perry Henzell. In 2000, the Criterion Collection published the film on DVD as Spine 83. It is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel and available on Blu-ray and DVD in editions published by Shout! Factory.

EPISODE LINKS:

PERRY HENZELL

THE HARDER THEY COME

PREVIOUSLY:

BLACK CAESAR

UP NEXT:

CHARLOTTE’S WEB

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David and guests conclude a 3-part series on Black cinema of February 1973 with a discussion of a Jamaican midnight movie classic that launched reggae a a major force in global popular music. Criterion Reflections – Episode 145 – Larry Cohen’s Black Caesar https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-episode-145-larry-cohens-black-caesar David Blakeslee Sat, 27 Apr 2024 15:48:38 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68236

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and James Merritt to discuss Black Caesar, directed by Larry Cohen. In 2022, the film streamed on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement and is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD in editions published by Olive Films and through numerous streaming services.

EPISODE LINKS:

LARRY COHEN

BLACK CAESAR

PREVIOUSLY:

WATTSTAX

UP NEXT:

THE HARDER THEY COME

MORE!

CONTACT:

]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David, Richard, and James continue their conversation about Black cinema of 1973, focusing on a Blaxploitation classic featuring a funky James Brown soundtrack and charismatic Fred Williamson in the title role. Criterion Reflections – Episode 144 – Mel Stuart’s Wattstax https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-144-wattstax David Blakeslee Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:40:19 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68220

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David is joined by guests Richard Doyle and James Merritt to discuss Wattstax, directed by Mel Stuart. In 2022, the film streamed on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement and is currently available on DVD through Warner Archive and numerous streaming services.

EPISODE LINKS:

MEL STUART

WATTSTAX

PREVIOUSLY:

THE BOSS

UP NEXT:

BLACK CAESAR

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle and first-time guest James Merritt to talk about this engaging concert/documentary featuring Isaac Hayes, Richard Pryor, The Staples Singers, and an all-star cast of Black musical artists that performed at the LA Coliseum in August 1972. Criterion Reflections – Episode 143 – Fernando Di Leo’s The Boss https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-143-the-boss David Blakeslee Fri, 08 Mar 2024 22:48:38 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68209

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David discusses The Boss, directed by Fernando Di Leo. In early 2023, the film streamed on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement and is currently available on Blu-ray through Raro Video in partnership with KinoLorber. The video clip below was recorded in ??? 2024, and the supplemental podcast episode was recorded in ??? 2024 with guest Richard Doyle.

EPISODE LINKS:

FERNANDO DI LEO

THE BOSS

POLIZIOTTESCHI

PREVIOUSLY:

LUDWIG

UP NEXT:

WATTSTAX

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David is joined by Richard Doyle as they dive into the mafia-infused milieu of Italian poliziotteschi cinema via this trilogy-concluding whirlwind of mayhem, betrayal, and revenge. Criterion Reflections – Episode 142 – Luchino Visconti’s Ludwig https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-142-ludwig David Blakeslee Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:19:57 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68196

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this episode, David discusses Ludwig, directed by Luchino Visconti. In 2022, the film streamed on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement and is currently available on Blu-ray through Arrow Video. The video clip below was recorded in January 2024, and the supplemental podcast episode was recorded in February 2024 with guest Brad McDermott.

EPISODE LINKS:

LUCHINO VISCONTI

LUDWIG

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THE AGE OF THE MEDICI

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THE BOSS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David provides a video overview of Visconti's maligned late career masterwork and extends his coverage in a conversation with Brad McDermott Criterion Reflections – Episode 141 – Roberto Rossellini’s The Age of the Medici https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-141-the-age-of-the-medici David Blakeslee Tue, 16 Jan 2024 13:22:24 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68178

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: 1973 features a short video clip in which David offers a few thoughts about films that were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint, whether published on physical media or made available on their streaming platform. These clips will occasionally be accompanied by lengthier podcast episodes including other guests for films that call for more in-depth coverage. In this first episode of Season 5, David discusses The Age of the Medici, directed by Roberto Rossellini. The film is available on DVD in the Criterion Collection’s Eclipse Series and also streams on the Criterion Channel. The video clip below was recorded in January 2024. A segment from a past episode of The Eclipse Viewer featuring David and Trevor Berrett’s discussion of The Age of the Medici recorded in October 2014 is also included here.

This essay is an update of David’s 2011 review of the film published on this site.

Upon winning the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award in 1959 for Il Generale Della Rovere, the artistically ambitious yet self-deprecating director Roberto Rossellini soon afterwards expressed ambivalence toward that film, despite its indisputable success. It wasn’t too much further along into his career that the great pioneer of Neorealism, after proving that he could crank out a hit movie if he really wanted to, finally turned his back on commercial aspirations, choosing instead to produce films on his own terms that attempted to elevate the consciousness and inform the intellect of his audience, or at least those who chose to make the effort to follow wherever his vision led.

That decision resulted in a radical shift in direction for Rossellini for the final phase of his life’s work. From that point forward, Rossellini focused on films that sought to capture the essential ideas, technological breakthroughs and cultural milestones of centuries long past that continue to wield a powerful influence on our contemporary world. Three of those films are presented to us in Eclipse Series 14: Rossellini’s History Films – Renaissance and Enlightenment. They’re among his last productions, all shot and released in the early 1970s. In this clip, I’ll focus on the longest of the set by taking a pilgrimage in time, back to The Age of the Medici.

If you’re new to these films, here’s what you’re in for: a drily performed, historically detailed and highly literate re-enactment of pivotal episodes in the unfolding of European civilization, especially in regard to the development of the “big ideas” that shaped the modern society we now take for granted. True to the convictions of a man who could state sincerely that “cinema is dead,” Rossellini makes no attempt in these films to stir our emotions through conventional plot devices or hook us in via charismatic personalities, dramatic narrative twists or any of the usual ploys that gratify the crowds. He knew, with supreme confidence, that the subjects of his study were important in their own right, with little need for manipulative embellishments. If that significance was not readily self-evident to members of his audience, he was content to let them go their own way, distracting themselves with their banal entertainments until they were capable of recognizing the value of the hefty substance he placed before them. And if that sounds haughty, arrogant, pretentious to you, then go ahead and stop reading right now. You’re simply not ready to dig into The Age of the Medici, let me be the first to tell you.

Of course, summing up the conflicts of an era as complex and multi-faceted as the emergence of what we now refer to as The Renaissance in 15th century Florence, Italy requires a large canvas, which is why Rossellini delivers this history in a video approximation of one of the favored artistic formats of that era, the triptych. The Age of the Medici is a three-part TV miniseries, each episode focusing our gaze on an important element of a larger story. Part 1, “The Exile of Cosimo,” chronicles the rise of Cosimo de Medici, head of a prominent merchant family whose uncanny business sense enlarged his fortune to the point where he was able to wield massive power and influence, not through the authority of the church or by brandishing the raw military might of monarchs, but through the uniquely persuasive effects of cold hard cash. The series opens with Cosimo attending his father’s funeral, learning the terms of his inheritance, and then swiftly setting in motion the machinations to put that money to work, advancing his personal leverage to steer the course of his own destiny, and in the process, shape the future of European civilization. The Medici were forerunners of today’s ultrarich, able to bend the forces of law, politics, religion, art, culture and even science in ways that favored their ambitions and solidified their grip on power.

Of course, no would-be giant among men makes his way to the top without facing his share of formidable obstacles, and Cosimo found his adversary in Rinaldo degli Albizzi, head of the rival Florentine clan who mistrusted the Medicis’ motives and sought the means to cast them as disreputable, or even criminals, if they could only find appropriately damning evidence to back up their suspicions.

But before we get into a necessarily brief recap of the storyline, a few words are in order about the verisimilitude with which Rossellini captures the spirit of old Florence. As the screencaps show, he had to resort to some creative-but-cheap special effects that some might find cheesy, but I consider admirable. Clearly working on a limited budget, Rossellini had no ability to build suitably convincing replicas of either the Florentine skyline circa 1430 or the several stages of progress achieved in Cosimo’s lifetime on the facade and dome of the Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore. He resorted to hand-painted 2-D mockups that don’t really convince anyone, but they’re brave efforts in any case. Watching the cathedral transition from rough wooden structure to something resembling the ornate extravagance we’ve come to associate with the Renaissance over the course of four and a half hours is one of the small pleasures I enjoyed. And don’t worry, there are more than enough authentic examples of period architecture and costumery to satisfy Renaissance purists. Though Rossellini doesn’t allow his camera to revel in the scenery the way a director like Franco Zeffirelli did, I have no complaints; the settings are often quite wonderful to behold.

A main theme of the series is the slipperiness and malleability of supposedly eternal principles like law and ethics. This dialog-heavy script requires some close listening and even supplemental reading in order to pick up all the nuances it contains. The gist of it though is how increasingly sophisticated (or you could say, hypocritical) the various powers-that-be are forced to become in order to maintain the appearance of respect for ancient religious traditions (for example, the prohibitions against usury) while crafting legal loopholes such as those allowing merchants to operate pawn shops. Those who have agreed to pay a financial penalty and assume the social status of moral reprobates are signified by a red drape on their storefront, in effect given legal permission to break sacred law, reaping tidy profits for both entrepreneurs and the city fathers, and leaving matters of conscience to the individual shopkeepers to sort out for themselves.

Building on such evasive tricks so neatly woven into the emerging economic order, the stage is set to observe how Cosimo maneuvers his way through the legal, religious, and political snares set before him. When his capitalistic instincts lead him to oppose a conflict between Florence and a neighboring city-state (because war is bad for business), he’s scapegoated by the Albizzis after the battle goes poorly and the Florentine forces are routed. Cosimo is summoned to appear before the Signoria, the local council of magistrates, where he faces certain arrest, imprisonment, and possible execution. But Cosimo unwaveringly faces his accusers, intently pursuing a high-stakes experiment to see if his economic clout is able to produce the result he thinks it ought.

And so it turns out that, even within the confines of his lonesome prison cell, Cosimo somehow has the means to arrange for a messenger to visit his captor and drop off a gift, a simple leather bag stuffed with gold coins. And wouldn’t you know, in the very next scene, prisoner and magistrate are seated at the same table, passing knives back and forth to each other, warmly negotiating the terms of a settlement bound to disappoint those who thought they’d seen the last of Cosimo as a free and living man.

It may be worth pointing out that The Age of the Medici was broadcast in 1973, the same year that Francis Ford Coppola released The Godfather. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the stories of these two prominent Italian families, known for using both legitimate and ruthless means of establishing their fortunes, both came out around the same time? There’s certainly enough of a Mafioso flavor in Cosimo’s smooth criminality to make the mental connection for many viewers, especially in a scene when the word vendetta is used to describe the punishment meted out on a poor soul who broke the code of honor by sharing silk-weaving secrets with others outside their ancient and notoriously secretive guild.

And just as central as economics and politics are to Rossellini’s ideas, so also art figures prominently in the story of the emerging Medici dynasty. Episode 2, “The Power of Cosimo,” depicts his return from exile in Venice, more coldly calculating and relentlessly ambitious after a few years spent plotting his ever-so-respectably applied revenge. Though Cosimo’s not beyond enforcing compliance through the administration of pain, he’d much rather get his point across building sublime monuments and establishing himself as a prominent patron of the arts. And what a time to be in that business, as the Italian Renaissance was about to burst into full bloom. Masaccio’s “Expulsion from Eden” and Donatello’s statue of King David are just two of the famous masterpieces put into historical context, enabling us to see the works as something beyond merely fancy ornaments as they’re often regarded nowadays. The locals respond to them with indignation and confusion, unsettled by innovative, sensual details that call older traditions into question. We’re reminded that progress in the visual arts is not simply an exploration of aesthetic vanities, then or now. Each breakthrough, each shifting perspective in the portrayal of the human figure, carries with it larger implications about how we regard and value life, and how we understand our place in the cosmos.

But before we lose ourselves entirely in ponderous highbrow musings, Rossellini injects moments of visceral brutality to keep our feet firmly planted on the ground. Art, architecture, philosophy, and religion may all seek in their own way to inspire heavenly meditations, but there’s still a dark, dirty, competitive world we each live in that has to be reckoned with as well.

Episode 3 shifts the focus away from Cosimo (though he still plays an important part) and on to another important Renaissance figure, “Leon Battista Alberti: Humanist.” This final installment is the most philosophically dense of the three, and one that I recommend to anyone who’s looking for a well-rounded overview of the mindset of that era. Here Rossellini really indulges his appetite for extended rhetorical exchanges, with characters routinely tossing out profundities and speculations that are worth pausing the film to ponder a bit before proceeding on to the next priceless nugget of insight. Of course, some of the philosophical musings that so preoccupied these men (and this is, for sure, a man’s world on screen; women are almost entirely silent during the scarce moments when they even appear) may not be so relevant for many viewers, but for those whose taste in movies runs toward the cerebral and analytical, I think there’s a lot to chew on here, and it makes these discs very rewatchable if you’re into that sort of thing.

One thing I will add here is that even though the default setting for the DVD and streaming presentations of these films is Italian, there’s absolutely no reason why an English-speaking viewer should watch it with subtitles instead of the dubbed English audio track, unless you just enjoy the sound of people speaking the language native to that setting. The program was originally filmed in English, in the hopes that it could be sold to a forerunner of today’s PBS TV network. That plan fell through, so they dubbed an Italian language track over the top, and then re-dubbed an English track later on when it eventually was picked up for American distribution. The net effect is that the English dub actually syncs better with the actors’ mouths than the Italian does. The subtitles really only help if you need them to follow the progression of the dialog. Unfortunately, the streaming version only includes the Italian audio track, so if you want to hear the film in English, you’ll have to get access to the Eclipse Series DVDs.

So yeah, these late Rossellini’s are definitely not among the thrillingest, sexiest, awesomest offerings to be found either in the Eclipse Series or on the Criterion Channel, there’s no arguing that. But they do serve as important and unique specimens of what film can accomplish and preserve for the sake of a small but appreciative audience. Maybe even more significantly, they represent a lost utopian possibility for what one visionary director hoped the medium of television could become. Rossellini’s desire to provide solid, historically informed visualizations of defining moments in our cultural heritage, without either the dumbing down of content or the hyping up of conventional potboiler gimmicks deemed necessary to win a mass audience, hasn’t shown itself to be all that commercially viable. It’s fair to speculate that if Rossellini himself hadn’t established his reputation so profoundly in the 1940s and 50s, films like those he made in the late 60s and 70s might not even be revisited today. Still, watching The Age of the Medici makes me mourn just a bit for the wasted potential of commercial cable TV and what an entity like the History Channel might have become, if had we more directors of Rossellini’s singular integrity and intelligence working behind the cameras.

EPISODE LINKS:

ROBERTO ROSSELLINI

THE AGE OF THE MEDICI

PREVIOUSLY:

Intro to Season 5

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LUDWIG

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of Season 5: … David revisits the TV miniseries that attempts to recreate the cultural milieu of 15th century Florence in this first episode of Season 5: 1973. Criterion Reflections – Intro to Season 5: 1973 https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-intro-to-season-5-1973 David Blakeslee Sat, 13 Jan 2024 21:07:51 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68163

After six years as a podcast, preceded by eight years as a blog, my long-running project Criterion Reflections once again takes a new turn to become… a short form video clip YouTube kind of thing! After I wrapped up my coverage of Criterion-connected films of 1972 in Season 4 of my podcast last year, I felt another change was in order, just to keep it fresh and make sure it stays fun. Of course I continue to enjoy making podcasts, drawing great satisfaction from digitally capturing a lively and smart conversation about film with my friends that I can share with other friends and even revisit myself somewhere down the road. But this 10 minute video offers an explanation of my reasons and a preview of some of the movies I’ll be watching in the months ahead as I investigate the best that cinema had to offer the world in 1973.

FILMS MENTIONED:

Besides the titles listed above, I plan to include quite a few others that currently stream on the Criterion Channel and maybe a few others that the Channel featured in the past. I look forward to continued exploration and hope you’re able to check in with me here from time to time to see and hear my latest progress report!

PREVIOUSLY:

STATE OF SIEGE

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THE AGE OF THE MEDICI

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, After six years as a podcast, preceded by eight years as a blog, my long-running project Criterion Reflections once again takes a new turn to become… a short form video clip YouTube kind of thing! A… A brief video introducing the newest phase of my long-running project to review every Criterion film in chronological order of original theatrical release! Criterion Reflections – Episode 140 – Costa-Gavras’ State of Siege https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-140-state-of-siege David Blakeslee Sat, 02 Dec 2023 21:35:31 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68074

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this, the final episode of Season 4, David is joined by Trevor Berrett and Brad McDermott to discuss State of Siege, directed by Costa-Gavras. The film is available on DVD and Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection and is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

COSTA-GAVRAS

STATE OF SIEGE

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CRIES AND WHISPERS

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INTRO TO SEASON 5

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… We wrap up Season 4: 1972 by discussing a film portraying the grinding conflicts and ruthless power plays between oppressive governments and desperate insurgencies. Criterion Reflections – Episode 139 – Ingmar Bergman’s Cries and Whispers https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-139-cries-and-whispers David Blakeslee Sat, 21 Oct 2023 11:00:13 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68059

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Brad McDermott, Derek J. Power, Daniel Humphrey, and first-time guest James Bogdanski to discuss Cries and Whispers, directed by Ingmar Bergman. The film is available on DVD and Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection and is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

INGMAR BERGMAN

CRIES AND WHISPERS

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DON’T PLAY US CHEAP

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STATE OF SIEGE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David and guests discuss the strengths and liabilities of Bergman's remarkable comeback to arthouse preeminence in this Oscar-winning symphony of suffering. Criterion Reflections – Episode 138 – Melvin Van Peebles’ Don’t Play Us Cheap https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-138-dont-play-us-cheap David Blakeslee Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:14:25 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=68040

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Aaron Strand to discuss Don’t Play Us Cheap, directed by Melvin Van Peebles. The film was released in the box set Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, and is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

MELVIN VAN PEEBLES

DON’T PLAY US CHEAP

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HANZO THE RAZOR

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CRIES AND WHISPERS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David is joined by Richard Doyle and a first-time guest, actor/filmmaker Aaron Strand, to discuss this film adaptation of a barrier-breaking Broadway musical. Criterion Reflections – Episode 137 – Hanzo the Razor https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-episode-137-hanzo-the-razor David Blakeslee Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:00:09 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67994

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and David Seeley to discuss three films featuring Hanzo the Razor, all starring Shintaro Katsu, best known for his portrayal of Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman. The films were released between 1972 and 1974, and are currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

SHINTARO KATSU

HANZO THE RAZOR

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SISTERS

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DON’T PLAY US CHEAP

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… We discuss Shintaro Katsu's "life after Zatoichi" project, three films about a principled cop in Edo-era Japan, renowned for his fighting skills and infamous interrogation techniques. Criterion Reflections – Episode 136 – Brian De Palma’s Sisters https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-episode-136-brian-de-palmas-sisters David Blakeslee Tue, 27 Jun 2023 11:20:04 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67953

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by first-time guest Robert Baum and Richard Doyle to discuss Sisters, directed by Brian De Palma.

Episode Links:

BRIAN DE PALMA

SISTERS

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EIGHT HOURS DON’T MAKE A DAY

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HANZO THE RAZOR TRILOGY

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David dissects Brian De Palma's breakout thriller with Richard Doyle and first-time guest Robert Baum. Criterion Reflections – Episode 135 – Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-135-eight-hours-dont-make-a-day David Blakeslee Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:12:52 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67927 https://criterioncast.com/wp-content/uploads/1682/24/Criterion-Reflections-Episode-135-Eight-Hours-Dont-Make-a-Day.mp3

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Josh Hornbeck, William Remmers, and David Seeley to discuss Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Episode Links:

RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER

Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day

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LAST TANGO IN PARIS

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SISTERS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, https://criterioncast.com/wp-content/uploads/1682/24/Criterion-Reflections-Episode-135-Eight-Hours-Dont-Make-a-Day.mp3 Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the … David and his ensemble gather 'round the table to enjoy and engage with Fassbinder's winsome series about family life and the German working class. Criterion Reflections – Episode 134 – Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-134-last-tango-in-paris David Blakeslee Sat, 25 Mar 2023 20:15:01 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67878

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Stephanie Conti, Richard Doyle, and Josh Hornbeck to discuss Last Tango in Paris, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

Episode Links:

Bernardo Bertolucci

 Last Tango in Paris

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THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS

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EIGHT HOURS DON’T MAKE A DAY

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David and guests share their thoughts on this sensational, scandalous landmark film from 1972 that still stirs up strong reactions today. Criterion Reflections – Episode 133 – Bob Rafelson’s The King of Marvin Gardens https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-133-the-king-of-marvin-gardens David Blakeslee Sat, 04 Mar 2023 16:03:30 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67856

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss The King of Marvin Gardens, directed by Bob Rafelson.

Episode Links:

Bob Rafelson

The King of Marvin Gardens

Criterion Reflections Reviews of AMERICA LOST AND FOUND: THE BBS STORY

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LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON

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LAST TANGO IN PARIS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss the final feature film in Criterion's America Lost and Found: The BBS Story box set. Criterion Reflections – Episode 132 – Éric Rohmer’s Love in the Afternoon https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-132-love-in-the-afternoon David Blakeslee Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:40:28 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67773

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Matthew Gasteier to discuss Love in the Afternoon, directed by Éric Rohmer.

Episode Links:

Éric Rohmer

Love in the Afternoon

Six Moral Tales (links to David’s earlier reviews)

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THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE

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THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David is joined by Matthew Gasteier to talk about the final installment of Rohmer's film series Six Moral Tales. Criterion Reflections – Episode 131 – Luis Buñuel’s The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-131-discreet-charm-of-the-bourgeoisie David Blakeslee Thu, 19 Jan 2023 14:00:23 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67712

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Derek J. Power, Travis Trudell, Brad McDermott and Dave Eves to discuss The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, directed by Luis Buñuel.

Episode Links:

Luis Buñuel

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

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SOUNDER

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LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David is joined by Derek Power, Travis Trudell, Brad McDermott and Dave Eves in a series of 1:1 chats about Bunuel's magnificent and delectable chef d'oeuvre from late in his career. Criterion Reflections – Episode 130 – Martin Ritt’s Sounder https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-130-sounder David Blakeslee Sun, 04 Dec 2022 03:10:01 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67673

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by David Seeley to discuss Sounder, directed by Martin Ritt.

Episode Links:

Martin Ritt

Sounder

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ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION

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THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… This adaptation of a youth fiction classic earned 4 Oscar nominations, popular acclaim and some critical backlash. We discuss all that, and also share our reactions to the new Sight and Sound list. Criterion Reflections – Episode 129 – Shintaro Katsu’s Zatoichi in Desperation https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-129-zatoichi-in-desperation David Blakeslee Sat, 19 Nov 2022 20:11:32 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67607

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Robert Taylor and Richard Doyle to discuss Zatoichi in Desperation, directed by Shintaro Katsu.

Episode Links:

Shintaro Katsu

Zatoichi in Desperation

PREVIOUSLY:

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT

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SOUNDER

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… The 24th film in the series finds the Blind Swordsman venturing down the bleakest and most nihilistic pathways. Zatoichi gets no darker than this! Criterion Reflections – Episode 128 – Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/criterion-reflections-episode-128-wes-cravens-the-last-house-on-the-left David Blakeslee Wed, 09 Nov 2022 12:35:50 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67544

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Jason Beamish and Richard Doyle to discuss The Last House on the Left, directed by Wes Craven. The film previously streamed on the Criterion Channel but was not available on that service at the time of this recording.

Episode Links:

Wes Craven

The Last House on the Left

PREVIOUSLY:

BLACULA

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ZATOICHI IN DESPERATION

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… We discuss this infamous and polarizing film in which Krug and company commit sex crimes of the century that inevitably lead them to a brutal night of vengeance. Criterion Reflections – Episode 127 – William Crain’s Blacula https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-127-blacula David Blakeslee Thu, 27 Oct 2022 13:00:04 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67531

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Aaron West to discuss Blacula, directed by William Crain and currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

William Crain

Blacula

PREVIOUSLY:

LATE JULY 1972 (CIAO! MANHATTAN / GREASER’S PALACE / BONE)

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THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… David is joined by Aaron West from Criterion Now to discuss this blaxploitation/horror mash-up from July 1972. Criterion Reflections – Episode 126 – Late July 1972 https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-126-late-july-1972 David Blakeslee Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:00:51 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67415

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this fourth season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and David Seeley to discuss Ciao! Manhattan, Greaser’s Palace and Bone, three films released in July 1972, all currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

Episode Links:

Ciao! Manhattan

Greaser’s Palace

Bone

PREVIOUSLY:

THE CANTERBURY TALES

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BLACULA

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this f… Films discussed include GREASER'S PALACE, CIAO! MANHATTAN and BONE - all streaming on the Criterion Channel. Criterion Reflections – Episode 125 – Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Canterbury Tales https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-125-canterbury-tales David Blakeslee Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:36:36 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67376

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this third season of the podcast features conversations with a variety of guests offering insights on movies that originally premiered in 1971 and were destined to eventually bear the Criterion imprint. In this episode, David is joined by Dan Humphrey and Brad McDermott to discuss The Canterbury Tales, directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Episode Links:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

The Canterbury Tales (film)

The Canterbury Tales (text)

Medieval Art Referenced in the Episode (h/t Brad McDermott)

PREVIOUSLY:

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE

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CIAO! MANHATTAN / GREASER’S PALACE / BONE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. Each episode of this t… David and guests discuss the middle installment of Pasolinin's Trilogy of Life, an adaptation of the bawdiest chapters in Geoffrey Chaucer's classic medieval text. Criterion Reflections – Episode 124 – Ronald Neame’s The Poseidon Adventure https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-124-the-poseidon-adventure David Blakeslee Sun, 14 Aug 2022 11:46:28 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67268

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Robert Taylor to discuss The Poseidon Adventure, directed by Ronald Neame. At the time of this recording, the film was streaming on the Criterion Channel in a limited engagement scheduled to end on August 31, 2022.

Ronald Neame

The Poseidon Adventure

The Poopsidedown Adventure (Mad Magazine, 1973)

PREVIOUSLY:

SAVAGES

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THE CANTERBURY TALES

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David and guests take a deep dive into this massively successful and influential disaster-movie blockbuster that established genre standards for the decades that followed. Criterion Reflections – Episode 123 – James Ivory’s Savages https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-123-savages David Blakeslee Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:22:58 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67248

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Daisuke Beppu, Richard Doyle, and Robert Taylor to discuss Savages, directed by James Ivory. The film was previously issued on DVD by the Criterion Collection in 2004 as part of the Merchant Ivory Collection.

James Ivory / Merchant Ivory

Savages

PREVIOUSLY:

DRACULA A.D. 1972

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THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Daisuke Beppu, Robert Taylor and Richard Doyle join David to discuss this strange diversion from the usual form that made Merchant Ivory Productions an Oscar-winning powerhouse in 80s and 90s cinema. Criterion Reflections – Episode 122 – Alan Gibson’s Dracula A.D. 1972 https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-122-dracula-ad-1972 David Blakeslee Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:20:14 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67109

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss Dracula A.D. 1972, directed by Alan Gibson. The film previously streamed on the Criterion Channel, but was not available on that service at the time of this recording.

Hammer Horror

Dracula A.D. 1972

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THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT

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SAVAGES

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … We discuss a late entry in Hammer Films' Dracula series at a time when the beloved studio's reign of terror perilously approached the breaking dawn of a new era in cinematic horror. Criterion Reflections – Episode 121 – Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-121-the-bitter-tears-of-petra-von-kant David Blakeslee Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:59:00 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=67060

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Josh Hornbeck, Derek J. Power, William Remmers and first-time guest Brian Howell to discuss The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

PREVIOUSLY:

BEWARE! THE BLOB

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DRACULA 1972 A.D.

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David and guests discuss Fassbinder's emotionally intense and visually compelling chamber piece, exquisitely crafted and impeccably performed, a superb artistic achievement for everyone involved. Criterion Reflections – Episode 120 – Larry Hagman’s Beware! The Blob https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-120-beware-the-blob David Blakeslee Fri, 20 May 2022 12:00:12 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66978

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Jim Tudor to discuss Beware! The Blob, directed by Larry Hagman, which was available on the Criterion Channel streaming service for a limited run in 2020, but not at the time of this recording.

Larry Hagman

Jack H. Harris

Beware! The Blob

PREVIOUSLY:

SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!

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THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David and guests discuss this mixed bag of schlock comedy, drippy sci-fi, goopy horror and vintage early 70s kitsch. Don't say we didn't warn you! Criterion Reflections – Episode 119 – Gordon Parks’ Shaft’s Big Score! https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-119-shafts-big-score David Blakeslee Wed, 11 May 2022 11:54:28 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66966

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Jason Beamish to discuss Shaft’s Big Score!, directed by Gordon Parks. We also discuss a bonus title from 1972, Top of the Heap, directed by and starring Christopher St. John. Both films were available on the Criterion Channel streaming service at the time of this recording.

Gordon Parks

Shaft’s Big Score

Top of the Heap

Ice-T’s Guide to Blaxploitation:

PREVIOUSLY:

THE WAY OF THE DRAGON

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BEWARE! THE BLOB a.k.a. SON OF BLOB

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David and guests talk about the second installment in the SHAFT franchise and also discuss TOP OF THE HEAP, both currently featured in the Criterion Channel's "Beyond Blaxploitation" bundle. Criterion Reflections – Episode 118 – Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-118-the-way-of-the-dragon David Blakeslee Sat, 16 Apr 2022 19:01:21 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66868

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Michael Worth to discuss The Way of the Dragon, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee

The Way of the Dragon

PREVIOUSLY:

Z.P.G./HUNGRY WIVES aka SEASON OF THE WITCH

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SHAFT’S BIG SCORE!

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David is joined by Michael Worth and Richard Doyle to talk about the last film Bruce Lee starred in during his lifetime, his only directorial effort, the climactic battle with Chuck Norris, and more! Criterion Reflections – Episode 117 – Michael Campus’s Z.P.G. and George A. Romero’s Hungry Wives a.k.a. Season of the Witch https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-117-zpg-hungry-wives David Blakeslee Mon, 28 Mar 2022 12:00:53 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66794 Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss Z.P.G., directed by Michael Campus, and Hungry Wives (also released as Season of the Witch), directed by George Romero. At the time this episode was recorded, neither of the films were featured on the Criterion Channel, but they were available on the streaming service in years past.

Michael Campus

Z.P.G.

 

George A. Romero

Hungry Wives/Season of the Witch

PREVIOUSLY:

THE PIED PIPER

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THE WAY OF THE DRAGON

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Two obscure genre flicks from May 1972 that were given brief limited runs on the Criterion Channel are the focus of this episode. Criterion Reflections – Episode 116 – Jacques Demy’s The Pied Piper https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-116-the-pied-piper David Blakeslee Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:21:19 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66668

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Robert Cioffi, Dan Humphrey and William Remmers to discuss The Pied Piper, directed by Jacques Demy. At the time this episode was recorded, The Pied Piper was not featured on the Criterion Channel, but was briefly available when that channel was hosted by FilmStruck back in 2018.

Jacques Demy

The Pied Piper

Source Material

PREVIOUSLY:

FRENZY

UP NEXT:

Z.P.G. / HUNGRY WIVES a.k.a. SEASON OF THE WITCH

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Come listen and be entranced by our enchanted conversation about this overlooked folk horror fairy tale set in the tragic era of the Black Death. Criterion Reflections – Episode 115 – Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-115-frenzy David Blakeslee Tue, 22 Feb 2022 13:15:11 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66652

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and David Seeley to discuss Frenzy, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. At the time this episode was recorded, Frenzy was not featured on the Criterion Channel, but was available on that streaming service in December 2021 and January 2022.

Alfred Hitchcock

Frenzy

PREVIOUSLY:

BLAISE PASCAL

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THE PIED PIPER

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David and guests discuss the delightful flavors and occasional bad taste of Hitchcock's penultimate film, a debate that ends in a tie. Criterion Reflections – Episode 114 – Roberto Rossellini’s Blaise Pascal https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-114-blaise-pascal David Blakeslee Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:00:03 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66613

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle to discuss Blaise Pascal, directed by Roberto Rossellini. 

Roberto Rossellini

Blaise Pascal (film)

Blaise Pascal (person)

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FAT CITY

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FRENZY

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Rossellini's distinctive approach to portraying history on film focuses on the French polymath, a innovative genius in mathematics, science and philosophy. Criterion Reflections – Episode 113 – John Huston’s Fat City https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-113-fat-city David Blakeslee Wed, 09 Feb 2022 13:00:07 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66516

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Alexander Cormier and Richard Doyle to discuss Fat City, directed by John Huston. Fat City has been featured on The Criterion Channel streaming service in the past, but was not available on that platform at the time this episode was recorded and published.

John Huston

Fat City (film)

Fat City (novel)

PREVIOUSLY:

THE RULING CLASS

UP NEXT:

BLAISE PASCAL

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges and Susan Tyrell star in this remarkable adaptation of Leonard Gardner's classic novel set in the riff-raff boxing milieu of Stockton, California. Criterion Reflections – Episode 112 – Peter Medak’s The Ruling Class https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-112-the-ruling-class David Blakeslee Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:01:06 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66514

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Jason Beamish and David Seeley to discuss The Ruling Class, directed by Peter Medak. 

Peter Medak

The Ruling Class

PREVIOUSLY:

WE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER

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FAT CITY

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … In this barbed satire of aristocratic elites, Peter O'Toole's manic pivot from beatific flower child to merciless killer ranks as one of his greatest on-screen roles. Criterion Reflections – Episode 111 – Maurice Pialat’s We Won’t Grow Old Together https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-111-we-wont-grow-old-together David Blakeslee Mon, 17 Jan 2022 14:39:09 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66479

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Jason Beamish and David Seeley to discuss We Won’t Grow Old Together, directed by Maurice Pialat. We Won’t Grow Old Together has been featured on The Criterion Channel streaming service in the past, but was not available on that platform at the time this episode was recorded and published.

Maurice Pialat

We Won’t Grow Old Together

PREVIOUSLY:

IMAGES

UP NEXT:

THE RULING CLASS

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … Pialat's second feature film won a Best Actor award at Cannes in 1972 for its portrayal of the terminal phase of a doomed and codependent love affair. Criterion Reflections – Episode 110 – Robert Altman’s Images https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-110-images David Blakeslee Tue, 04 Jan 2022 22:49:50 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66451

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Brad McDermott to discuss Images, directed by Robert Altman. Images has been featured on The Criterion Channel streaming service in the past, but was not available on that platform at the time this episode was recorded and published.

Robert Altman

Images

PREVIOUSLY:

LONE WOLF AND CUB [PART 2 ]

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WE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in The Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … David is joined by Brad McDermott to talk about Robert Altman's overlooked excursion into psychological horror, featuring an award-winning lead performance by Susannah York. Criterion Reflections – Episode 109 – Lone Wolf and Cub [Part 2] https://criterioncast.com/podcast/criterion-reflections/episode-109-lone-wolf-and-cub-part-2 David Blakeslee Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:00:05 +0000 https://criterioncast.com/?p=66293

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle, Jason Beamish and David Seeley to conclude a discussion about the Lone Wolf and Cub series, six films released in Japan between 1972-1974. Part Two of this two-part series covers Baby Cart in Peril, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons and White Heaven in Hell.

The Films

Baby Cart in Peril

Baby Cart in the Land of Demons

White Heaven in Hell

Manga

PREVIOUSLY:

LONE WOLF AND CUB [PART 1 ]

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IMAGES

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]]> David Blakeslee no criterion collection, dvd, blu-ray, cinema, movies, film, Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the … This episode covers the last three films in this classic series: Baby Cart in Peril, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons and White Heaven in Hell.