Extermiangel_w

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

by Collection

Created 07/09/12

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22 comments
★ 9

These films give dinner theatre a whole new meaning. All honor to Aleksi, briclegg, David MacDonald, Eric Levy, Matthew G, and Ulac for helping me to round-out this list!

22 comments

  • By Aleksi
    September 26, 2012
    11:13 PM

    An interesting and promising list. Viridiana has an important dinner scene. Dinner also features prominently in Fists in the Pocket, though I don't know if it's what you're going for. Though not about dinner per se, Jeanne Dielman & Dillinger is Dead both feature cooking for dinner as important elements.
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    • By briclegg
      January 15, 2013
      10:03 PM

      Agreed with VIRIDIANA notably missing. Another Buñuel contender is THE PHANTOM OF LIBERTY, though this is dinner with a twist. THE GOLD RUSH has memorable dinner scenes. Thinking darkly, so does SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Other candidates: FANNY AND ALEXANDER, SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT, ROSEMARY'S BABY

    • By Collection
      January 15, 2013
      10:30 PM

      Both your suggestions have been taken under advisement, which may now enable me to revisit several of the titles in question with a keen eye. Please check back and expect to see this list grow as a result of your input!

  • By Eric Levy
    November 05, 2012
    12:08 PM

    Great list! Another great dinner scene is in A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
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    • By Collection
      January 06, 2013
      12:45 PM

      Duly noted, thanks!

  • By futurestar
    January 06, 2013
    08:57 PM

    one would have to be well watched and be worldwide film fluent to make such a list. I need say no more.
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    • By Collection
      January 06, 2013
      11:57 PM

      Those words sure do mean a lot to me, especially coming from you, sir. I am impressed by your voluminous Collection and admire your line of business. Looking forward to seeing Machete Kills this year! Although you need say no more, being in Austin have you ever had the occasion to see Chingón live?

  • By Don Eldredge
    January 09, 2013
    04:14 PM

    How about a dinner movie that never actually shows the dinner? I refer to "Dinner at 8." It is anticipated throughout, but the film ends with the guests walking into the dining room, ending one of the great closing scenes in a movie -- a scene that is as fresh today as it was in 1933.
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  • By JUAN.
    January 14, 2013
    04:27 PM

    What about Babette's feast? And "The cook, the thief, his wife, her lover"?
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  • By Collection
    January 15, 2013
    10:45 PM

    Thanks for your recommendations and willingness to help me complete my list, Don/Juan. Since list content is limited to releases by The Criterion Collection, your suggestions cannot be incorporated herein at this time. Perhaps as the Collection continues to expand its reach we will come to see Criterion editions of those equally important films which you note and I may add them to this list accordingly.
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  • By David MacDonald
    January 18, 2013
    02:07 PM

    Godard's Week End! Maybe you could tie it to Sweet Movie and Salo.
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  • By Matthew G
    January 24, 2013
    09:44 PM

    Fun list! I have some ideas. And god created woman isn't the best film in the collection, but its best scene does involve a dinner interrupted by Bardot. The Two of us has a number of dinner scenes involving the pet rabbits and vegetarianism. Trouble in Paradise begins with a delightful dinner scene in a Venice hotel. Mifune eats an ungodly amount of rice in Yojimbo. Bigger Than Life features a truly disturbing dinner sequence, while In the Realm of the Senses has a less than appetizing moment that would go well with Sweet Movie and Salo, as does Fires on the Plain. Jeanne Dielman doesn't show much eating, but there's a lot of cooking. And though it lacks meals I can remember, The Importance of Being Earnest has one of my favorite quotes ever: "I hate people who aren't serious about meals." Hope I'm not overloading, you just happened to combine two of my favorite things, Criterion and food!
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    • By Collection
      January 25, 2013
      06:30 PM

      Your commentary is most welcome, amigo. Although I enjoy eggs as much as the next guy and am happy you had some fun, say I won't list In the Realm of the Senses. Thanks for piquing my interest in so many titles that I might have otherwise overlooked and keep watching!

  • By Ulac
    January 28, 2013
    07:43 PM

    I could be wrong but doesn't the shin-smashing-with-a-crowbar scene in Shallow Grave begin while they are eating dinner? Great moment in the movie and a turning point for all characters.
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    • By Collection
      January 31, 2013
      08:00 PM

      Yes, I do believe you're right about the scene in question starting with a good-spirited dinner.

  • By Ulac
    January 28, 2013
    07:48 PM

    If Django ever makes it into the Collection......whew that lengthy dinner scene where Calvin almost kills Broomhilda was busting at the seams with tension.
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  • By Colin
    January 30, 2013
    02:08 PM

    Criterion release: Prosperos Books; The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover; On Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich. The last film is from a book of the same name by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. I saw it in the early 70's and found it amazing and then read the book after I saw the film.
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  • By futurestar
    April 02, 2013
    06:11 PM

    in answer to Collection, yes I know Chingón very well as I found the original pallet in its natural state as made by Chevy, tweaked by others, knowing it was a sweet ride, went and fetched what was a very solid and bat fast slate for the "celebrity make over" to work his magic once we dropped it off. I never dreamed the finished product would be so intimidating. I am not permitted by contract to say more right now than it is awesome. thanks.
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    • By Collection
      April 02, 2013
      11:35 PM

      Appreciate hearing the good news straight from the source and thanks again, amigo.

  • By DUDElaundrey
    April 03, 2013
    11:48 AM

    great list! of all films ive seen, I would love to see The Cook, The Thief.. come to the collection. it would fit perfectly into this list. Greenaway films are hard to find in the US, a good copy with supplements anyways. I would love to see him added. Herzog too. I hope if I post it enough, ill see it. I did that with Repulsion for a year and finally it popped up, although im pretty positive I had nothing to do with that haha
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  • By Tim
    April 17, 2013
    09:28 PM

    Would love to see The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover released by Criterion, as well.
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  • By Collection
    April 22, 2013
    11:01 PM

    Hey DUDE/Tim, may your petitions to see The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover added to the Collection be heard. In the meantime, I am delighted that you can appreciate the above list I assembled.
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