Voted for by MoC readers

Each year since the arrival of the DVD format has seen an increase in the amount and quality of films available. 2006 will go down as being one of the most satisfying. This year, in our annual poll, many more votes for Artificial Eye, Second Run, BFI, Second Sight, and 'spoiled votes' for MoC have eaten into Criterion's traditional large share of the vote, however, Criterion's largest set of the year has still topped everything else, and what an achievement it was.

MoC Series DVDs are banned from this poll, but the spoiled votes would have placed Faust at #3; Naruse: Volume 1 at #5; Kwaidan at #7; and Funeral Parade of Roses at #8.

Selected voter comments can be found at the bottom of this page. Thanks for everyone's votes.

---

1st place

ERIC ROHMER'S SIX MORAL TALES

(Criterion, USA) with 19% of all votes

Criterion once again demonstrated their commitment to the comprehensive DVD edition by presenting Eric Rohmer's landmark first "cycle" of films in a set of pristine transfers, accompanied by a host of illuminating supplements. If this sounds like "typical Criterion" (surely an oxymoron by now!), it takes only one glance at the specifics of the contents — or at the heft of the box that contains them — to understand immediately that the masters of DVD have yet again raised their usual standard of quality to a new plateau. With cooperation from Rohmer himself, Criterion followed the ethos of the grand auteur by assembling something of a pedagogical survey of "the Eric Rohmer film." As such, newcomers to Rohmer learn (while veteran cinephiles are perhaps reminded) that this designation not only takes into account the feature films' complex and psychologically penetrating character-studies, but also incorporates pithy documentary portraits, dialectical inquiries of theology and philosophy, and engaged disquisitions on the nature of art and cinema. (Indeed, to further reinforce the importance of these concerns in Rohmer's oeuvre, we would urge readers to visit in tandem with this box set Criterion's edition of Jean Renoir's Boudu Saved from Drowning, which includes Rohmer's brilliant, if little-known, half-hour television film from the mid-'60s period, Post-face à Boudu sauvé des eaux, featuring the director and Jean Douchet in a discourse on Renoir's masterpiece.)

At the same time, the Six Moral Tales box represents something of a time capsule that serves to document the principals — and principles — that inaugurated the New Wave. On the one hand, here are image and sound records of the young Jean-Claude Biette, Jean-Louis Comolli, Barbet Schroeder, Bertrand Tavernier, and, most memorably, a 20-year-old Godard on the make. On the other hand, Criterion's package provides access to English translations of Rohmer's essential 1948 essay "For a Talking Cinema," and the 262-page Six Moral Tales "novella-collection" — as much the ur-scenario for the six films themselves as an important literary work in its own right. (As if to further emphasize the primacy in Rohmer's work of the bleed-over between literature and so-called "pure" cinema, the adept package design by Rodrigo Corral, Sarah Habibi and Eric Skillman consciously evokes the look of such venerated trade-paperback series as The Modern Library Classics.)

Last but not least are the interview supplements themselves. And while the inclusion of a 1970 televised argument between teenage Claire's Knee actresses Béatrice Romand and Laurence de Monaghan might alone be worth the expense of the box (the point of their contention: whether it is simply a measureless complexity, or a profound simplicity, that informs Rohmer's world-view), it is the new video interview with Eric Rohmer that is truly priceless. In conversation on the eve of directing his latest feature, The Loves of Astrée and of Céladon, Rohmer proves himself as first-rate an intelligence as ever and, completing the pedagogical circle, provides by the sage force of his reflections ample evidence for all young filmmakers that the best course is the truthful course, that instant conclusions are never enough. The Criterion Six Moral Tales box offers lessons from the core of Rohmer's cinema and is thus, to paraphrase Imamura and Kubrick respectively — for Rohmer's ironies are sincerities too — an introduction to anthropology, and to sociology. Which is all to say, to the art of living.

...'Cause Eric Rohmer, he films the weather — / Maud, Haydée, la boulangère forever.

2nd place

SATANTANGO

(Artificial Eye, UK) with 17% of all votes

"Béla Tarr once remarked he was making one movie all the time. Perhaps this is so but no Tarr video collection can be complete without his legendary Sátántangó. The 3-disc DVD set from Artificial Eye thus ends the era of virtual impossibility to see the film apart from special engagements in film museums and universities. The video quality is very good, with strong blacks, and while an anamorphic transfer would have been ideal, this release is an excellent presentation of Tarr's masterpiece."

3rd place

BROTHERS QUAY - THE SHORT FILMS 1979-2003

(BFI, UK) with 13% of all votes

In a year of numerous sterling BFI releases, their lovingly-produced 2-disc Quay set was unsurpassed with its fine digital transfers, packaging, and overall attention to detail. Beginning with a fun and informative 20-page glossary of Quay references--from Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Raymond Durgnat (who encouraged the brothers' interest in Borowczyk and translated some of the filmmaker's essays for them), to Jiri Trnka and Polish film posters--and continuing with thirteen films mastered from new prints, assorted commentaries, and a bevy of extras, this Quay-supervised release is a sheer delight. The handsome package is a Screenonline production, and we dearly hope the BFI will lavish similar attention on its other artists (in particular, Terence Davies!) in the future; inspiring an American theatrical retrospective (and DVD release, likely a direct port of this set) soon from Zeitgeist Films, the Brothers Quay DVD release provides a perfect example of polished and effective art cinema presentation.

4th place

SEVEN SAMURAI

(3-disc reissue, Criterion, USA) with 12% of all votes

5th place

THE COMPLETE MR. ARKADIN

(Criterion, USA) with 9% of all votes

6th place

THE CREMATOR

(Second Run, UK) with 6.6% of all votes

7th place

PANDORA'S BOX

(Criterion, USA) with 5.3% of all votes

8th place

BLISSFULLY YOURS

(Second Run, UK) with 4.1% of all votes

9th place

CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING

(BFI, UK) with 2.9% of all votes

10th place

MADAME DE

(Second Sight, UK) with 2.7% of all votes

11th place

PLAY TIME

(Criterion, USA) with 2.5% of all votes

12th place

LATE SPRING

(Criterion, USA) with 2.2% of all votes

13th place

ESSENTIAL ART HOUSE - JANUS FILMS

(Criterion, USA) with 2% of all votes

14th place

A CANTERBURY TALE

(Criterion, USA) with 1.9% of all votes

[Thanks to all those who voted.]
MoC Series DVDs were excluded from the vote. Obvious organised voting rings were excluded too.
-------------
Compiled by Craig Keller and Nick Wrigley, January 2007
Copyright © 2007 mastersofcinema.org

SZINDBÁD (Mokep, Hungary)

I've been longing for Zoltán Huszárik's 1971 film to be released on DVD for some time. I have Kino's old VHS release but have refrained from watching it because the picture quality is poor and the subtitles are difficult to read. Now it is finally on DVD along with Huszárik's debut short film Elégia (1965).

— Patrick

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE (Criterion, USA)

After a long wait, Criterion finally released the one Kieslowski film I had yet to see. It's irrelevant to me whether the film is logical or even coherent; Kieslowski's work moves unlike other directors. I am truly mesmerized by Kieslowski and this film only reinforces my love for the man's art. Irène Jacob is perfect and her performance submerges me deeper into the film. Add to this a commentary by Annette Insdorf, a busload of bonus features and the fact that I'm actually holding the darn thing in the US finally makes me a very satisfied guy.

— Anthony Perry

ERIC ROHMER'S SIX MORAL TALES (Criterion, USA)

The immaculate transfers return these great movies to a life they barely had over the years, through poor prints, and with far too small an audience.

The box should go a long way towards restoring Rohmer's central position in French cinema as a great moralist and metteur en scène of conscience and dialogue.

— David Hare, Australia

THE CREMATOR (Second Run, UK)

For me, simply THE discovery of 2006; I watched it 4 times already and it amazes me still. Voting for Criterion's wonderful boxsets or special restorations would be easy (The Spirit of the Beehive, Pandora's Box, Clean, Shaven) but most of these movies are considered "known" among movie lovers. Juraj Herz's movie escaped me and my friends and is now one of the true CLASSICS.

— Toni

ATLANTIS (Danish Film Institute, Denmark)

One of the world's first feature films (1913), August Blom's two-hour epic takes in several countries, Atlantis (briefly), bacteriology, insanity, infidelity, novelty dancing, an armless music hall act, a shipwreck (impressively staged, the year after Titanic), sculpture and mountaineering! Not the greatest film released this year but the most amazing, thanks to the DFI's enterprising series. Superb transfer and piano score.

— Jonathan Sanders

A DISTANT TRUMPET (Warners, France)

It's a beautiful widescreen transfer that renders William Clothier's lensing of Raoul Walsh's majestic landscapes close to the hues I remember seeing on the big screen around 1964 or 1965. This summation and apotheosis of the cavalry western (brimming with then-contemporary intrusions like the Indians speaking in their own tongues with English subtitles and James Gregory's self-conscious allusions — in Latin — to classical Roman writers on military strategies) is, in spite of the thespian shortcomings of its bland leading man, Troy Donahue, a superlative swansong for the greatest and most reflective action director of classical Hollywood's glory days. I'd love to see it in wider circulation, perhaps through an R1 release, in 2007.

— Noel Bjorndahl, Australia

SATANTANGO (Artificial Eye, UK)

The reasons mainly are because it's been way too long since such a masterpiece from one of the most important contemporary filmmakers, Béla Tarr, has been kept in the dark. Its release is great news for all of us film lovers around the world.

— Daniel Alvarez, Spain

WHY DOES HERR R. RUN AMOK? (Fantoma, USA)

Because of the tasteful cover art, the great transer, the insightful interview with Fassbinder's cinematographer, and above all — because of the way this film is showing the meaningfulness of showing the meaninglessness.

— Erik Ogenstedt, Sweden

BROTHERS QUAY - THE SHORT FILMS 1979-2003 (BFI, UK)

Lovingly compiled, beautifully transferred, annotated and commentated, including films hitherto unavailable on home video. A nearly flawless set of magical films!

— Samuel Frederick, USA

ERIC ROHMER'S SIX MORAL TALES (Criterion, USA)

After many years of having to make do with the horrible Fox Lorber editions, how wonderful to finally have a set of transfers and extras that does this superb sequence of films justice. It was particularly pleasing to read Rohmer's original stories; for one thing it shows just how tightly scripted and structured the films were, despite their sometimes freewheeling, improvisatory feel.

— Alan Boshier

THE IM KWON-TAEK COLLECTION (Taehung Entertainment, South Korea)

Of course, one of the Criterions is going to get the #1 nod, and that's fine and well and likely deserved. I'd like to highlight a little-known release of five films by master director Im Kwon-taek: the Buddhist film Come, Come, Come Upward, the war film The Taebek Mountains, the film of the pansori classic Chunhyang, the funeral rites Festival, and his masterpiece Seopyeonje. All of these were released earlier and priced at about $16 apiece, but the set is less than $50 (which is too bad, because I'd already bought them separately). Not much in the way of extras, but outstanding films, outstanding transfers, and the whole set doesn't cost too much more than an upper-tier Criterion of a single movie.

— Kris Kincaid

A NOS AMOURS (Criterion, USA)

It was, for me, a great year for DVDs with Facets bringing out Béla Tarr's Damnation and Criterion capping off the year with two of my all-time favorites, Mouchette and Pandora's Box. But my vote stays with the Pialat because, until its release, I had never been exposed to him or his films and I very much appreciated the introduction. As far as first impressions go the beautiful transfer and biographical supplements could not have been any better, as they not only rewarded my curiosity but opened up to me a previously unknown oeuvre that has, in the last few months, made itself at home in my heart. Other products may have packed more value for their price but I would be lying if I said any other release from this year affected my understanding of cinema more than A nos amours.

— Sean Batton, USA

ROUTE ONE USA (Editions Montparnasse, France)

The best and most unexpected release of the year. French guys finally did it. Robert Kramer is one of the greatest independent directors America has ever had. All of his films are practically unknown and unavailable, so this release is the major breakthrough. Hopefully that's only a beginning, and next year we'll see the rest of Kramer's oeuvre.

— Oleg Bulytchev, Russia

ANIMATED SOVIET PROPAGANDA (Films By Jove, USA)

Like stepping into a Victorian-era time machine, the controls laced with acid, this is hands down the best science fiction release of the year. One eyeball-peeling piece of work after another that feels like you've fallen through the looking-glass. Perhaps misguided and naive, yet glimmers of truth manage to seep through, heartbreaking and brilliant.

Watching these films I was fondly reminded of a bit in Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia: "...the Russians don't even have electro-intercoms in their ships. They still speak through tubes!"

Suddenly I had this enormous fondness for the Russian Navy. The whole of Mother Russia. The thought of these men speaking, like innocent children, through empty toilet-paper rolls, where you could still hear compassion, doubt, envy, brotherly love, ambivalence, all those human tones coming through the tube.

— Galen Young

STAR SPANGLED TO DEATH (starspangledtodeath.com [Ken Jacobs' own site], USA)

There were so many exceptional DVD choices this year, it would be prohibitive to list them all, but there are aesthetic / philosophical / ideological reasons for my choice. It boils down to my advocacy of genuinely independent filmmaking, and my adherence to the idea of an avant-garde cinema. The problems for distribution and exhibition of avant-garde cinema have remained paramount in any consideration of these films; for this reason, the "genre" of the avant-garde has often seemed to be as much an "orphan" genre as industrial films, educational films or promotional films. But many avant-garde film artists have attempted modes of self-distribution, including the decision to form distribution cooperatives. In the US, there were The Filmmakers Coop in New York City, and The Canyon Cinema Cooperative in San Francisco, both formed in the 1960s. But following on the model of self-distribution, Ken Jacobs has released his extraordinary six-hour bohemian extravanganza, a film which he started in the 1950s, and has continued to work on until the beginning of the new century. It is a mind-expanding collage of America's popular and fringe cultures, orchestrated by one of the most profound minds ever to work in the cinema. Home viewing may, in fact, be the culmination and the fulfillment of Jacobs's vision, as it allows for extended viewing, as well as for the ability to live with the work, watching when the viewer wants, obsessing over certain sections, repeating the experience at will. If Jean-Luc Godard called Weekend "a film found on a scrap heap", then Ken Jacobs has the right to call Star Spangled to Death a film found both on the scrap heap and the altar of American culture; as such, Star Spangled to Death is hilarious, thought-provoking, anarchic, mind-blowing, and sublime.

— Daryl Chin

TRAPPED BY THE MORMONS [DVD-R] (Grapevine Video, USA)

Great quality print of an almost forgotten film from 1922 by H. B. Parkinson. Grapevine should be praised for bringing such rare material out on DVD.

— Nigel Soal, UK

PHANTOM (Flicker Alley, USA)

If one takes into consideration the quality of the film, the presentation, and the historical importance, then there is no contest this year. Flicker Alley's Phantom is a boon to lovers of Murnau, silent cinema, and movies in general.

— William "Biff" McKeldin

BROTHERS QUAY - THE SHORT FILMS 1979-2003 (BFI, UK)

An amazing package, with wonderful commentaries, gorgeous menu design, brilliant transfers, and some of the most hypnotic filmmaking to come from Britain in recent years.

— Thomas

THE COMPLETE 'MR. ARKADIN' (Criterion, USA)

I must vote for Criterion's — and Stefan Droessler's and Claude Bertemes' — comprehensive reconstruction of Welles' 1955 film. The sheer amount of time, research, attention, and money that went into what is not only a reconstruction but a redemption of Mr. Arkadin is surely something of a saintly act. This undertaking has given me hope that the day may yet come when (a) the sum of Welles' oeuvre will be made available for all to view, in similarly "comprehensive versions" (moral victory); (b) one of the more marble-gazed politicians on United States currency will be replaced with the image of a grinning Orson Welles, cigar-ash cocked at full-mast (moral victory, symbol-dense riposte).

— Craig Keller, USA

FAUST (Masters of Cinema, UK)

All the Faust I wanted on one single DVD. I had the original score in the old Eureka! DVD, and the good transfer from the Divisa Red DVD. At one point I was going to edit the original score myself into the Divisa transfer, but MoC managed to do that and more with this definitive edition of Murnau's Faust DVD. Thank you for making this lost gem my praised treasure.

— Eladio Mendez

SHADOWS OF OUR FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS (LES CHEVAUX DU FEU / HORSES OF FIRE) (Films sans frontières, France)

I know we all love the various bells and whistles of DVD special editions, but sometimes all you want is a no-frills presentation of something that's been desperately overdue for a DVD release. The Conformist and Sátántangó are good recent examples, as are the upcoming Performance and The Butcher Boy, but this was my personal favourite — and anyone who's seen Sergei Paradjanov's astonishing film in a decent print will understand why.

— Michael Brooke, UK

THE PIANO (Optimum, UK)

My vote for 2006 goes to Optimum's Region 2 DVD of The Piano (Jane Campion), partly because I love the film and am delighted to see it as it should be for the first time since its theatrical release, and partly because the interviews that form an important part of the extra package go way beyond the usual scratching of the surface. In particular, Michael Nyman talks for the best part of an hour, describing his involvement and going into great detail about his score. Overall, it's not necessarily a better release than Criterion's Sweetie, but it is my favourite.

— Steve Masters

OÙ GÎT VOTRE SOURIRE ENFOUI? (WHERE DOES YOUR HIDDEN SMILE LIE?) (Assírio & Alvim, Portugal)

"Love is the art of producing something with the other's capacities." - Bertolt Brecht.

There is no better dialectical song illustrating this expression than Straub/Huillet's work methods, Costa's film about them, and the DVD's treatment of the material at hand.

The DVD includes not only a couple of variations on Costa's film (variously called the greatest documentary on montage, one of the greatest documentaries on anything, etc.), but also three variations exclusive to the dvd by both Costa and Straub/Huillet. The assemblage serves Costa's careful construction about as thoroughly as can be expected. The audio track of the menu screen has Jean-Marie Straub reciting a poem about cinema and solitude, a very heartrending poem considering the sudden loss of his life-long partner Danièle Huillet in October. This DVD's place in my heart may be subjectively elevated by the fact that I received my copy in the mail the very day after Huillet's death, and that I very much needed it to cope with her passing, but the objective point is that it's a living record only helped by the way that it now exists on DVD.

— Andy Rector

BLISSFULLY YOURS (SUD SANAEHA / TOTAL INFATUATION) (Second Run, UK)

It's harder to pick through DVD releases of contemporary films. Older movies are usually time-tested and require less commitment, while the first viewing of a relatively unknown one is a very personal experience. This one came out of nowhere for me, without any recommendation — just sticking out of the Second Run catalog. A very beautiful and engaging film. After this (and thanks to this) I had the luck of seeing Apichatpong's Syndromes and a Century at the local festival. From Thailand to Greece, it was not an easy path to cross.

— Kostis Kilymis

CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (BFI, UK)

I am just so glad that someone finally stepped up and released this masterpiece that has been so long neglected. BFI proves once again why they are one of the better production companies out there with this comprehensive two-disc set of Rivette's film.

— Troy Weets

ORDET (BFI, UK)

One of those films which you can give a million reasons why it's a masterpiece or none at all... Dreyer's masterpiece defies explanation or classification... One of the subtlest, most heart-wrenching, beautiful and honest films that has ever been put to celluloid... and that's before the closing ten minutes...

— Jack Hadley