| Three children’s classics are coming to DVD for the first time this month from Janus Films: William Mason’s delightful Paddle to the Sea—an Oscar-nominated film based on a Caldecott Award–winning book, and one of our most requested titles—and Albert Lamorisse’s beloved White Mane and The Red Balloon. During their recent, acclaimed theatrical rereleases, Lamorisse’s exquisite fantasies made all sorts of adults feel like kids again. Said Terrence Rafferty in the New York Times, “The young are enchanted by White Mane and The Red Balloon. Grown-ups, who know too well how fragile this beauty is, are likely to cry.” And Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe raved, “The ruling response to both movies, whether you’re thirty-one or thirteen, is awe.” Happy viewing! |
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BLAST OF SILENCE Allen Baron One of Martin Scorsese’s “Favorite New York City Movies” —Time Out New York |
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DEATH OF A CYCLIST Juan Antonio Bardem Critics’ Prize, 1955 Cannes Film Festival
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MORE SPANISH CLASSICS FROM CRITERION:
THREE CHILDREN'S CLASSICS FROM JANUS FILMS
(Available together or separately) :
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THE RED BALLOON Albert Lamorisse Academy Award Winner! Best Screenplay, 1956 |
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WHITE MANE Albert Lamorisse “One of the most beautiful films ever made.” —Pauline Kael |
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PADDLE TO THE SEA William Mason Academy Award Nominee! Best Live-Action Short, 1968 |
COMING IN MAY
The Lovers
The Fire Within
The Thief of Bagdad
Eclipse Series 9: The Delirious Fictions of William Klein
Patton Oswalt is a stand-up comic, the instigator of the Comedians of Comedy tour, and voice star of Pixar's Ratatouille. He wrote an appreciation of Allen Baron's film Blast of Silence in Sean Phillips's comic book Criminal (Phillips did the artwork for the Criterion edition). His next project is the independent film Big Fan, in which he has his first lead role.
1. Hard Boiled
Out of print, but I’ve got it! Wheeee! Terrific commentary and eleven Woo trailers!
2. George Washington
David Gordon Green!
3. Amarcord
God, I love huge breasts, and this one’s got two of the hugest-est. Also, it’s a coming-of-age teen sex comedy, but with fascism! Also, the boobs.
4. Eclipse Series 5:
The First Films of Samuel Fuller
These are three terrific movies, and the fact that they’re collected in this nifty package is a huge bonus. The Baron of Arizona plays like an old West episode of Blackadder—and features one of Vincent Price’s best performances.
5. Blast of Silence
I’ve already written extensively about this lean, nasty little masterpiece. It’s on the list ‘cuz you need to buy it.
(To read an interview with artist Sean Phillips about the design of Blast of Silence and for a link to Patton's writing about the film, click here.)
6. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
One of the better, funnier DVD menus I’ve ever seen—is it weird to recommend a DVD just for the menu? Plus, great commentary by Stephen Fry, plus background on the Colonel Blimp cartoon strip and creator, which shows you how miraculous this movie adaptation is. Imagine a big-screen version of Family Circus that manages to be a searing indictment of the American family. Wow!
7. Gimme Shelter
One of the best horror movies ever made. The whole movie is shot inside the belly of a quivering, invisible demon—the 1960s, rotting in the sunshine of idealism and about to burst with flies.
8. Honeymoon Killers
Okay this DVD’s got the coolest menu Criterion’s ever devised. Crinkly, tabloid newspapers that you leaf through to get to the meat of the murder. Tawdry and beautiful.
9. Slacker
Packaged like a lost, beloved novel, and full of groovy extras, which stand like a sketchbook of doodlings that eventually jelled into the full movie.
10. The Spirit of the Beehive
Another beautiful movie beautifully packaged—seemingly a box of wonders fashioned by the two little girls from the movie.
