These ingenious early works by such masters as Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Yasujiro Ozu lay the foundations for screen comedy.

Aug 6, 2025 — In November, Criterion’s series of rare films relaunches on Blu-ray with a box set of early works by Abbas Kiarostami.

Jun 5, 2023 — The director of one of the major early works of the French New Wave lived to see interest in his work revived.

Oct 12, 2018 — Two early works by Ingmar Bergman show the Swedish master grappling with the conventions of melodrama, which would go on to influence his later explorations of spiritual torment.

Jun 26, 2018 — John Waters’ favorite among his early works is both an assault on political correctness and a no-holds-barred expression of gay militancy.

Jun 3, 2002 — In addition to being his funniest film, The Horse’s Mouth is the most personal, and touching, of all Alec Guinness’ movies. Apart from starring as the brilliant but bedraggled artist Gulley Jimson, Guinness also adapted the Oscar-nominated screenplay from Joyce...

A tantalizing labyrinth, a warped tale of wayward love, a high-flying feat of adventure filmmaking, a pop-culture phenomenon, a document of a fearless director, and early works from a legend of world cinema

Jan 10, 2018 — The director of the war masterpiece Come and See got his start lampooning social conformity in 1960s Soviet life. Two of his early-career gems are now available on the Criterion Channel on FilmStruck.

Mar 14, 2023 — A pivotal early film from legendary Hong Kong director John Woo, this martial-arts classic explores the heroic ethos of youxia, Chinese warriors willing to sacrifice their lives to fight for justice and fulfill their promises.

Oct 14, 2022 — Martin Scorsese remembers Jean-Luc Godard, Francine Prose admires Jafar Panahi, and Guy Maddin discusses his earliest and newest works.