The Criterion Collection
Essays
Dec 2, 1990 — In Martin Scorsese’s hands, the camera is not simply a recording device, but an x-ray machine—and it shows us close-ups of the human soul.
The actor praises the unique sensibility that Martin Scorsese brought to The Last Temptation of Christ, shares his love for the visual poetry of his friend and collaborator Guillermo del Toro, and talks about why Throne of Blood is his...
The Criterion Closet’s very first guest stops by the Mobile Closet at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he examines the technical brilliance of a scene in Notorious, shares why he feels a kinship with Wes Anderson, and talks about...
The writer and director talks about Luis Buñuel’s surreal combination of the mundane and the absurd, shares what he learned from Martin Scorsese’s early shorts, and selects formative favorites like If. . . . and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
The director of Flow praises the mixture of abstraction and emotion in Woman in the Dunes, talks about how Martin Scorsese played by his own rules with After Hours, and selects his comfort movie, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
The legendary director shares the importance of learning from the work of Krzysztof Kieślowski, talks about how Straw Dogs sparked his desire to pursue filmmaking, and selects box sets by two of his favorite filmmakers, Martin Scorsese and Masaki Kobayashi.
The award-winning actor and star of Fancy Dance is joined by the film’s director in praising the brilliance of Kelly Reichardt, sharing their connection to After Life and Frances Ha, and selecting favorites by Martin Scorsese and Hirokazu Kore-eda.
The cinematographer of Bound and The Matrix talks about the thrill of watching John Ford’s Stagecoach for the first time, praises Martin Scorsese’s love of music, and picks up a recommendation from his granddaughter—Nobuhiko Obayashi’s House.
The acclaimed actor shares his deep connection to Onibaba, praises Isabelle Huppert and her performance in The Piano Teacher, recalls Gate of Flesh’s influence on the Wooster Group, and selects a few of his collaborations with Wes Anderson and Martin...
A selection of director Martin Scorsese's essential recommendations for all cinema lovers.