October/November Best of Criterion

It’s that time againanother look at just a few of the classic, obscure, and experimental films getting the gorgeous Criterion treatment. Bet you can’t watch just one!Paths of Glory (dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1957)Oct. 26: Kubrick’s fourth film is a war-film with a twist: the soldiers refuse to carry out orders, and the major conflicts take place in a courtroom. Starring Kirk Douglas and Ralph Meeker. Special features: commentary by critic Gary Giddins, 1966 interview with Kubrick, 1979 interview with Douglas, and more.House (dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977) Oct. 26: No connection to the American cult horror/comedy, this strange slice of Japanese experimental horror features 7 students who visit one girl’s aunt. Trouble arises when it turns out that the aunt is an evil spirit who preys on young girls: the type who have just walked in the door. Special features: a 1966 film by the director, new interviews with the director, screenwriter, and plot creator, and more.Night of the Hunter (dir. Charles Laughton, 1955) Nov. 16: This one-of-a-kind horror noir has long been acknowledged as a unique cinema classic, but it’s only just now getting the Criterion attention it deserves. Robert Mitchum plays a serial killer masquerading as a preacher, with the infamous “LOVE” and “HATE” tattooed on his knuckles. Sadly, the director never made another film. Special features: New documentaries, interview with cinematographer Stanley Cortez, sketches by author of the source novel David Grubb, and more.Modern Times (dir. Charlie Chaplin, 1936) Nov. 16: And now something completely different. While Chaplin’s final Little Tramp film seems light at first glance, it captures the spirit of the Great Depression in a way few other films from that time can. Weary but never defeatist, the film remains a cinematic marvel after more than 70 years. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard. Special features: commentary by Chaplin biographer David Robinson, deleted segments, a 1916 Chaplin film, and more.