From Wikipedia:
“The Criterion Collection (or simply Criterion) is a video-distribution company that sells “important classic and contemporary films” to film aficionados. The Criterion Collection is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality, with supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film. Criterion is noted for helping to standardize the letterbox format for widescreen films, bonus features, and special editions for home video.”
I’ve always said that the fans design better movie posters and covers for DVDs and Blu-Rays and today I’d like to prove it.
Click To Enlarge these Custom-Made Criterion Collection Blu-Ray Covers for films that aren’t even part of The Criterion Collection!
You can browse the actual Criterion Collection HERE.
Here is your chance to see Al Pacino’s very rarely seen film, “The Local Stigmatic“. It’s particularly interesting as Pacino tries his hand at a…Cockney accent!
Yep.
From Wikipedia:
“The Local Stigmatic is a film directed by David Wheeler and produced by and starring Al Pacino. It was filmed and edited during the late 1980s. It had a showing at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in March 1990, but was never released theatrically. It was released on DVD as part of “The Al Pacino Box Set” in June 2007. The film is 56 minutes long. It follows the story of two British friends who spend their time walking about London discussing dog track racing. The Local Stigmatic is based on a stage play by Heathcote Williams.”
From Rotten Tomatoes:
“Two working-class Englishmen spend their free time arguing about greyhound-racing and Winston Churchill. They also read the papers, especially the gossip columns and Society pages. In a bar one day, they meet a film star who they’ve read about, and subject him to a savage, and apparently motiveless, beating.”
Enjoy!
Some Trivia For “The Local Stigmatic” Courtesy Of The IMDB:
* Al Pacino donated a copy to the Museum of Modern Art with the stipulation that it can only be shown with his permission. A small number of screenings have taken place since 1990. The film was not widely released until June 2007.
* Al Pacino and Paul Guilfoyle studied and examined the play for four years before they decided to make a film of it. When they finally decided to film it they spent four months rehearsing before it was finally shot. They approached the production of the film as if they were staging a play and wanted to avoid making it look too much like a film. Pacino deleted any shots looked too cinematic for his taste.
* Al Pacino, producer Michael Hadge and Joseph Maher co-starred in an Off-Broadway stage production of “The Local Stigmatic” in 1969.
* Filmed in 9 days.
* Legendary theatre producer and friend of Al Pacino, Joseph Papp was upset with Pacino for getting the film rights before he did. For many years, Papp had wanted to produce a film version of the play.
* Al Pacino began shooting exteriors for the film in 1984 while was in London doing a stage production of “American Buffalo”.
* Al Pacino strongly considered releasing the film after the success of Pulp Fiction because it is also about two nihilists.
* Director David F. Wheeler wanted Al Pacino to wear glasses throughout the film but Pacino did not want to. So they compromised by having Pacino’s character wear glasses only when he was reading.
* There are several different versions of the film since Al Pacino has continued to re-edit the film over the years.
I’d like to tell you all a little bit about the magnificent paintings of cinematic classics you’re about to see but unfortunately, I know almost nothing.
Here’s what I do know: The artist seems to be called Massimo Carnevale and…that’s it!
The Great Dictator (1940):
Some Like It Hot (1959):
The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967):
Serpico (1973):
JAWS (1975):
Taxi Driver (1976):
Saturday Night Fever (1977):
Alien !1979):
The Blues Brothers (1980):
The Elephant Man (1980):
The Shining (1980):
Back To the Future (1985):
Brazil (1985):
Full Metal Jacket (1987):
Point Break (1991):
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991):
True Romance (1993):
The Crow (1994):
The Green Mile (1999):
Death Proof (2007):
Bronson (2007):
Gran Torino (2008):
Machete (2010):
Django unchained (2012):
There are a HELLUVA lot more of these wonderful paintings and they can be viewed HERE.
The original artist seems to have a blog HERE.
Cinematic trivia utterly fascinates me. It’s mostly what I use the internet for and this little nugget from “Back To The Future: Part II” always impressed me:
“Claudia Wells (Jennifer in “Back To The Future“) was unable to reprise her role as she had stopped acting because her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Elisabeth Shue was then cast as Jennifer, and all the closing shots of “Back To The Future” were re-shot for the beginning of this film.”
“Back To The Future” and “Back To The Future: Part II” were shot roughly 4 years apart and Michael J. Fox visibly aged a little.
Folks, we didn’t have Youtube while I was growing up but I’m glad we do now because…
The Unravelling Of Al Cook... 