put me inside this closet! this instance!!
the chokehold the criterion collection closet has on me
I’ve never wanted to be inside a closet as bad as the Criterion Collection closet, except the Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement closet, of course. And Cher’s closet in Clueless. But that’s it! The Criterion Collection closet is now in my top three. (Okay, now that I think of it, maybe the wardrobe that leads to Narnia can compete for that third spot… Wait, I seem to suddenly have become very aware of how many amazing closets there are in film. Perhaps in another post…)
Anyways… The Criterion closet. If you haven’t heard of this phenomenon yet, allow me to explain: Criterion is a company that licenses, restores and distributes both classic and contemporary (arthouse) films. Inside their New York office, they have a closet filled with over a thousand films from that collection. But my favourite thing about it: They invite actors, directors and other artists to talk about their favourites and make short YouTube videos of their picks.
A closet filled with movies? Seeing my favourite actors talk about their favourite films and happily chugging them into a little tote bag? Brilliant.
Here are some of my faves:
Aimee Lou Wood — This woman inspires me so much. Of course I want to see which movies inspire her!
Cillian Murphy — The way I gasped when he held up the Wes Anderson collection.
Andrew Garfield — Loved watching him experience the power of the closet. And talking about how his father introduced him to cinema.
Ayo Edebiri — Not her coming in with a list?! She is ahead of the game.
Realistically, I would not be able to pick just five to ten films. It would be just as stressful as picking a Letterboxd top 4. But if it really came down to it, this would be my list, specifically from the Criterion closet:
I have written my love letters to Rebecca and Wings of Desire on Substack already, and if you love Audrey Hepburn or want to get to know her films, Charade is a great recommendation (but please also consider watching Funny Face!). Thelma & Louise and The Graduate are part of the sticky, dark movies from my Gothic summer-list, and from Wes Anderson’s oeuvre I particularly enjoyed The Darjeeling Limited, although it is hard to pick a number one. Pan’s Labyrinth made an indelible impression on me one Spanish class in high school, and I will also never forget the iconic lines from The Princess Bride. And to finish off the list, a recent fave: Anora.
What would your closet picks be? ⋆｡°✩
Watching all of these videos and recommendations, they inspired me to also add some to my watchlist. Because I know I will love them but I’ve just been waiting for the perfect moment to watch them…
I am now also “curating” my own DVD collection. Or, in other words: looking for films I love in every second hand store that sells DVD’s… Originally it started as a way to receive bonus material and director’s commentaries of my favourite films. But now it has also become a way to discover film in a different way, a tactile way that video stores used to provide, but whose era I have not actually experienced.
I don’t have a closet (yet), but I do have a shelf:
And if I had to pick from my own collection, this would be the list at the end of the video:
I do think there is one thing missing from both the Criterion Collection and my own: the Barbie movies. Truly inventive, and they have shaped cinema, especially with their after-credit animated bloopers. I wish to get my hands on those eventually. Only then will I truly be able to call my collection complete ;)
I love your picks, especially your shelf collection. You’ve given me inspo to shop at my local thrift store’s DVD section like I’m in the criterion closet!