Criterion adds films from Akira Kurosawa, Jean-Pierre Melville and even more Keisuke Kinoshita to Hulu Plus
Only on Hulu Plus can you get new additions from the likes of Oshima, Truffaut, Cocteau, a treasure trove of Keisuke Kinoshita pictures and a handful of masterpieces.
Criterion has added a staggering amount of films to their Hulu Plus page this week, ranging from little known gems to some of the greatest films ever made. Enough talking, let’s get into what we have here.
First up, Criterion has added a few more films from the big C’s lover boy Keisuke Kinoshita, bringing up his total on Hulu to right around a quarter of a billion (or 27, but whatever). Added in this batch are his 1955 film THE TATTERED WINGS, 1960’s SPRING DREAMS and his 73 minute classic THE PORTRAIT. I have yet to see either of the three, but the Keisuke films I have seen prove that he is one of the most underrated names within the film world, and may just be one of the greatest unsung filmmakers of his era.
Next are more additions from the pending Czech New Wave Eclipse box set, including THE JOKE (Jires), A REPORT ON THE PARTY AND GUESTS (Nemec), CAPRICIOUS SUMMER (Menzel) and RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON (Schorm). I’ve had the chance to see the film DAISES, which will be part of that box set, and it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Like a blend of Godardian madness melding with the experimentation of something like UN GAI SAVIOR and the playfulness of A WOMAN IS A WOMAN, the film was a revelation, so hopefully these films will follow suit.
Icons Mikio Naruse and Nagisa Oshima are featured here as well with YEARNING and NIGHT AND FOG IN JAPAN, respectively. They are joined by more Jean Vigo, whose L’ATALANTE is one of the greatest films ever made. That film and Vigo's ZERO DE CONDUITE are now both available on Hulu Plus. ZERO is a fantastic film, and the inspiration of sorts for Truffaut’s THE 400 BLOWS. Speaking of Truffaut, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR was added in this batch, as were films from Cocteau (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Carl Dreyer (GERTRUD), Kurosawa (DODES’KA-DEN), Antonioni (L’ECLISSE), and a pair of films from Shohei Imamura (STOLEN DESIRE and PROFOUND DESIRE OF THE GODS).
Finally, rounding out this extensive list is Jean-Pierre Gorin’s masterful ROUTINE PLEASURES, a film from Andre Techine entitled RENDEZ-VOUS, Bunuel’s BELLE DE JOUR, Jacques Rivette’s PARIS NOUS APPARTIENT, Louis Malle’s classic MURMUR OF THE HEART, and art icon Dustan Makavejev’s INNOCENCE UN PROTECTED. Other new additions include Rene Clement’s PURPLE NOON, Rene Clair’s LE MILLION, Evald Schorm’s COURAGE FOR EVERY DAY, Marurice Tourneur’s LE MAIN DU DIABLE, Schlondorff’s UN AMOUR DE SWANN, Marcel Carne’s LES PORTES DE LA NUIT, Melville’s LA SILENCE DE LA MER, Clouzot’s L’ASSASSIN HABITE AU 21, and finally Karel Kachyna’s THE EAR.
What film are you excited to check out?
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