Gregg Araki's Closet Picks

[@creekandseminole]

His love for the Shoegaze/Industrial/Electronic music genres are why I love his films so much

[@reverietapes]

That's the only I reason I watched his movies because I don't know any other filmmakers that use Shoegaze in their movies

[@TheBadBuffalo]

Such a legend

[@toddpinkstonisgod]

@@reverietapes Sofia Coppola used some in Lost in Translation

[@2000birdsfly]

@@toddpinkstonisgodyesss used two of my fav bands in one of my fav movies. The Jesus and Mary chain and MBV

[@danmcmurphy2823]

the skinny puppy guys are literally in one of his films if i remember correctly

[@fuckTrump-v7j]

The one and only time Greg Araki was in the closet.

[@Theomite]

YOU sir...get a shiny new "like."

[@TrevorMoses312]

😆

[@wildmaximilian]

"Gregg went in"

[@josi2467]

Hey, calm down...

[@bobvillainy]

we need an araki boxset please😭

[@Baracapybara1]

Seriously!!!

[@josephmayfield945]

Yes!

[@peter_minnesota]

take my gay money criterion

[@thevoid99]

FUCK YES! every fucking film he made including everything he did before "the living end". i would include "smiley face" in that box set as i fucking loved that film as that made me laugh my ass off despite the presence of that ugly rapist danny masterson. may he enjoy life as a bitch in POUND-ME-IN-THE-ASS prison!

[@emh1997]

He said at IFC screening that he’s releasing a box set soon !!

[@LadyAmerican]

Really enjoyed hearing his picks!!! Can’t believe that he is 63 going on 64!!!

[@jimmyl324]

The Living End is my favorite

[@thegrievancegordieshow9882]

I’m 57 and am a VHS film skool kid and recall when there were something called Arthouse Films

[@NewtShack5]

He has aged so well. It’s surreal how young he still looks. Very healthy!

[@tracymurray6840]

I thought he would be in his fifties by now.

[@2013hondafit]

Right!! he looks young but also carries himself with a youthful energetic spirit

[@metalheart3334]

Doom Generation and Nowhere definitely need a Criterion release A box set would be awesome. I can't believe his movies aren't on Criterion!

[@NewtShack5]

@@ijfdse no they have not lol.

[@toddpinkstonisgod]

@@ijfdse they may be on the Criterion Channel (temporarily), but no physical releases from Criterion.

[@emh1997]

Gregg said he’s releasing a box set soooon

[@oscarbuelna]

@@emh1997 where did he say that?

[@PatrickTK21]

@@Nonesovile96 He had a great TV show out a few years ago called Now Apocalypse, but unfortunately it was cancelled after the first season.

[@vidhyutgadia4566]

Araki made a movie that will remain one of the most hauntingly memorable experiences of my life ever. The film is Mysterious skin. My jaw dropped when I first saw it. I have seen it 10 more times after my first visit. A truly profound experience and I am grateful to him for sharing such an important story.

[@RobertFantinatto]

I'm not a huge fan of his films, but Mysterious Skin was amazing, maybe time to revisit the rest of them!

[@thevoid99]

for me, "the doom generation" introduced me to araki when i was 15 a year after it had came out in theaters. i was in high school and this guy told me it was the worst film he had ever seen. i saw it on late night tv and was enthralled by it. i've been a fan of his work since. in fact, "mysterious skin" was a film that played at my local art house theater 20 minutes from where i lived where it was supposed to play for a week. it ended up being there 3-4 months.

[@a.a7160]

Yeah that movie really hit me emotionally in a way no other has been able to...

[@Pluralofvinylisvinyls]

Every time I hear one of these ufo alien abductees’ stories I think “damn, poor guy”.

[@JayMartinFilm]

Gregg Araki’s closet picks: - Bringing Up Baby dir. Howard Hawks (1939) - Something Wild dir. Jonathan Demme (1986) - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me dir. David Lynch (1992) - Masculin Feminin dir. Jean-Luc Godard (1966) - Pink Flamingoes dir. John Waters (1972) - Stranger than Paradise dir. Jim Jarmusch (1984)

[@thevoid99]

i have half of these films on DVD. i need to upgrade them to blu-ray and get the ones not in that list.

[@binkytube]

Thank you for the dates too!

[@curtismichael4703]

Thanks!

[@benjaminsouth6243]

GREGG WAS MY GATEWAY TO CHALLENGING CINEMA AND HE BASICALLY MADE ME NOT HOMOPHOBIC I was from a very poor family in a working class town and did not have access to much. Mysterious Skin and his early dark comedies opened up my whole fucking world

[@brunoe1891]

Who are your favorite directors?

[@lll000l00o]

that’s rly kool

[@Chamroshah]

that's so sweet, i love that film can have that impact on people

[@dolores7589]

His films introduced me to my now favorite band - Slowdive. Very grateful for that.

[@Destiny93134]

Yep same here.amazing band.

[@machtnichtsseimann]

IMHO, Araki's "Nowhere" is his best. Cult Classic. Fell in love with it first time I saw it. The acting; camera work; music; lighting; symbolism; pop culture; dark comedy. Has aged well. Still love it. Bought it on VHS!? Come on, Criterion, let's do this!

[@jasonkraley]

“Nowhere” was my 1st introduction to Araki movies, & (in my early 20s) i & my friends rented “Nowhere” on VHS.. it was brilliant!! i wonder if the younger generations would say “it was so literal/meta”, but regardless, it spoke to me cinematically.. i sought out his previous film “The Doom Generation”, but it didn’t strike me like “Nowhere”.. his future endeavors have been intriguing as well, but “Nowhere” is my crown cinematic jewel of his, & i can find a copy of “Nowhere” literally, well: nowhere…

[@mysteriousskin]

I started watching all of araki’s filmography in 2020 during lockdown and I think about every single one of his films like everyday😭 I had always wanted to watch them but a lot of them were hard to find i couldn’t even find doom generation online but so happy there’s a new restoration so happy to be alive during this araki resurgence lol

[@extremeanimationstudios1118]

Nowhere NEEDS a criterion release!!!

[@zantigar]

You too are one of the chosen who recognizes the aching beauty of this particular one!

[@Theomite]

Fuck, I need to see those colors in UHD. They better not be muted like they tend to be on some UHD transfers.

[@trnygbl23]

Respect for choosing Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me!

[@walkerwhite3377]

Fire Walk With Me can never get enough love in my book. Really happy to finally see it get a showcase in a Criterion closet picks video!!

[@FrydaWolff]

Araki's aesthetic defined the 90s for me, completely.

[@shiven513]

Ah yes, pervasion, shit, shit, and more shit.

[@sonicleaves]

Same, Nowhere in particular.

[@1OldPacman]

Absolutely LOVE his movies (and tv show). Waiting for his next project

[@zantigar]

Yay, Gregg! Fire Walk With Me! Three Bewildered People In The Night - neglected masterpiece, subconscious influence on independent cinema - flipped into the middle of it late one night on PBS when PBS was cool, and it felt like some strange dream in grainy Bolex black and white. And the non-sync sound only ADDED to its power! Araki forever!

[@tectorgorch8698]

Those gumballs floating is space in Mysterious Skin -- unforgettable -- also that was the first time I had ever seen JGL beyond 3rd Rock.

[@ernieapple3684]

I love Gregg Araki. Fantastic film director with impeccable taste. I’m really impressed by his choices. We need his films Criterion release !! Great video

[@dn9597]

Masculin Feminin was the first Jean-Luc Godard film I watched and I was blown away. Definitely my favorite Godard film. Great pick!

[@SamL12345]

Criterion need to release :) ASAP

[@nikowalker1128]

WE NEED HIS FILMS IN THE COLLECTION. DOOM GEN IS IN MY TOP 5 EVER

[@williambeck6364]

Does this guy ever get old???!!!

[@JesusGomez-ob2qt]

He's immortal

[@buried4430]

It’s the gay genes

[@user-db6ov7nn4x]

finally Araki is getting recognition i love him

[@leahh92287]

petition for the doom generation to be a criterion collection??

[@Vitalspac3]

Guess what

[@binkytube]

I was hoping there would be some new things I don't have yet, but it's about time we had Gregg Araki here! Love his films.

[@Fakeaorta]

Great selection of movies. A few of his choices were what started my love of independent cinema.

[@billycostigan1247]

This dude is 63 years old. Man looks 50 at most.

[@CountOrlok22]

I need a box set of all his films from "The Long Weekend" through "Nowhere".

[@GavinKing22]

Fire Walk With Me might be David Lynch's best film. Way underrated.

[@Jimmy1982Playlists]

Sheryl Lee's performance is absolutely _INCREDIBLE!_ I was typing out how happy I am that the film's critical reputation has been reevaluated in recent years when Araki said it himself... it's an amazing film.

[@j.s.7894]

it honestly was honestly one of the most impactful movies I’ve ever seen.

[@tearsofjoyrecords]

Strong argument to be made that it’s the greatest film ever made

[@lostnthenoise]

I got into Gregg's films because of his soundtrack for Nowhere and his films and musical tastes are wonderful.

[@duanekilgore9130]

Easily one of my top three favorite directors of all time. I’ve seen Nowhere countless times. Araki’s work along with Waters saved my soul/life when I was at college.

[@grumweld]

This better mean we're getting some Araki films in the collection soon

[@jackmohrbacher4265]

Cool to hear him talk about his film school experience

[@lsmoulton]

Thank you Gregg for your film 'Mysterious Skin'....incredible movie ! 😀

[@blakereals]

If i dont get at least one Gregg Araki movie on criterion this year i am going to be mad

[@georgewhite1972]

Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me is also my favourite David Lynch movie. I remember going to see it in the cinema on it's release day and me and my friend were the only people in the theatre watching!!

[@balloontitan8807]

“Thank you cinema” I felt that

[@IIVIIX]

He shares the same thoughts on Fire Walk With Me with me lol. With that said, we NEED an Araki boxset

[@994pt4]

"Thank you Criterion...and thank you Cinema!" Yes!

[@romanroyboytoy]

screamed when i saw this in my recommended omg i hope he has something new coming out at some point

[@peterperez1086]

I’ve waited for this for years! Doom Generation is amazing 😻

[@kevinryan4857]

Loved Gregg Araki's flic picks. He's a wonderful VERY talented filmmaker whose interests and focal point have provided me with a brand new, far more more open mind for viewing contemporary cinema... PLUS, the dude's a TOTAL hottie with AMAZING ENERGY. 💥 💥

[@jimmyl324]

Love Araki’s movies.

[@veryshallowlistening]

seriously cannot believe he’s in his 60s

[@pendafen7405]

Only film of his I've seen repeatedly is The Living End and I'm still weird over it. Cheers Gregg.

[@ThatPinkWeirdo]

He just went and chose my favourite movies. No wonder I love his films so much. They’re inspired by my favourites.

[@Leftyenby]

Just saw that three of his films are being added to Criterion in late September! Love his choices a lot and I’m excited to binge his works before they get a physical release ^^

[@domclegg1225]

look at those arms bro is RIPPED

[@tbwatch88]

we fellow Gauchos LOVE Gregg! UCSB!!!! rock on, Mr A!!!! cheers, john

[@isabelcantu8128]

he’s so brilliant but so adorable in this video

[@PaulWEvans]

Smiley Face is a genius comedy...Mysterious Skin was simply amazing...I cried in the bathroom of the movie theater afterwards, I was so deeply affected by it..Why isn't he making more films????

[@adrianaz.7867]

Such a genius

[@nicklager1666]

What i like about Araki is that gave certain groups a spotlight in his early features that otherwise didnt have the chance to be heard as much as others. This was groups he met in his life and it shows that he has love for the characters in his features. Good choice for the closet and good choices.

[@Theomite]

On that note, I wish we could get GO FISH in the collection as well. It'll probably go to Olive Films or Kino Lorber, but I think it deserves Criterion restoration, given that they tend to do great B&W restorations (or used to at least).

[@josephyoung6749]

love his movies, living legend!!!

[@southendonseaarts]

Let's get Araki in the Criterion collection really soon.

[@Advent3546]

Mysterious Skin criterion release when?!?!?!

[@huascar66]

I have it as a regular DVD. It might be nice to have this film given a the full "Criterion Treatment".

[@sonnysumo8172]

Yo! Finally Araki makes his appearance on the show.

[@Theomite]

RIGHT?! Took 'em long enough!

[@davidmcmaster2083]

Stranger Than Paradise was right in my wheelhouse when it came out. Had never seen anything that odd, that awkward, that deadpan, all the things I get off to. I would tape it, yes, VHS tape, kids, for friends, and they would look at me after watching it and give me this look like, WTF is wrong with you. Crackup of a movie. Love the bit where Lurie explains how to eat dinner in Murica, a frozen dinner. I got my meat, I got my potato, my veggie, my desert, and I don't have to do any dishes.

[@Adammyers1995]

I would love a criterion release of Kaboom.

[@riplimewire]

it's such a big deal to me that gregg picked fire walk with me in this video - he's such an inspiration to me (along with david lynch), and whenever i imagined being in the criterion closet myself, fire walk with me is always my first pick.

[@matttorrence2900]

Gregg and I like the same exact same kinds of alt bands.

[@llswanbe]

We need a Criterion release of Mysterious Skin!

[@michaelpfogerty]

Finally! You guys post these vids so much later than your initial social media speak peaks 🙄 Worth the wait though 😃

[@raichu56k]

one of the best directors

[@blinksstayfresh2524]

I love this man so much. Grew up with his movies

[@katiecording1270]

Nowhere will be burned in my brain forever not just as a movie that showed me what movies can be, but as an early movie I saw that was queer through and through, as if queerness was what is true, and everyone outside that was the weird one, actually. Gregg is the pinnacle.

[@NewtShack5]

Gregg Araki box set, PLEASE Criterion!

[@Filmobsession2022]

Fire Walk With Me is fantastic to watch after seeing both seasons - you’re so thirsty to see Laura walking talking living… and wtf happened to her - by the time you finish the seasons it’s like smelling a cake being baked all day on an empty stomach and finally getting to eat it. Of course, this can only be fully experienced once. But I highly suggest doing it right for those of you who haven’t seen it yet ❤

[@SouthdownsJohn]

' The Living End ' one of my top ten films. Please Araki astonish me again

[@alexandernegretefilms]

get some of his stuff in the collection!

[@2hff728]

Araki the KING. Also, lol @ chapter title "sturgeons in paradise" lolllll

[@rafaellasantana505]

Gregg, your work change my life. Luv you forever ❤

[@duncansamways1363]

Great visit, never seen any of his films. But I think I will hunt them down. But I’m still waiting for the Yo La Tengo criterion video

[@ianucci]

Mysterious Skin is one of the most disturbing films ive ever seen.

[@azohundred1353]

Katharine Hepburn was perfect. ❤️ Bringing Up Baby is an all-time favorite of mine. The quintessential screwball comedy. Glad Gregg chose it!

[@Jimmy1982Playlists]

Actually, I would choose two other Howard Hawks films as my favorite screwball comedies: _His Girl Friday_ and (the incredibly underrated, imo) _Twentieth Century._ 😁 He was definitely the master of the screwball comedy! _Only Angels Have Wings_ is another favorite - which is actually able to brilliantly mix the comedy with tragedy.

[@azohundred1353]

@Jimmy1982*Playlists I love Twentieth Century! John Barrymore's greatest performance on film, in my opinion, and of course, Carole Lombard is fantastic! Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant were great in His Girl Friday! Possibly Rosalind's finest hour in a great career. Only Angels Have Wings is a great Hawksian mash-up of genres. Comedy, Tragedy, all wrapped up in an Aviation Adventure. You can't go wrong! And great performances from Cary, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth and Thomas Mitchell! Yeah, Howard Hawks really was a master of cinema. Great movie picks!

[@BrendonSch413]

I just watched Totally F***ed Up, Doom Generation, and Mysterious Skin today. Happy this is up just now.

[@flamingocupproductions5329]

take a drink every time he says film school

[@detectivegumshoe695]

Great director (and damn he fine 👀)

[@henryharvey4012]

A teenage apocalypse trilogy box set is essential but I'd love a mysterious skin criterion release

[@blinksstayfresh2524]

I love araki, can’t wait for the boxset!

[@NoirFan84]

I still have never been in the mood to watch Pink Flamingos Criterion release yet. 😂 I like the film though. There was nothing on its level in terms of the extremity of bad taste before it & there's been nothing since. Nobody would dare make it today, it's too outrageous. In a league of its own.

[@odesreis6712]

There was Jack Smith, Kuchar Brothers and Andy Warhol before him who clearly influenced his work

[@Ryusevi]

We need a new Araki movie 😭

[@spungo6179]

OH BOY IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS

[@diggskarlan5902]

I want you all to know that when this video was made Araki was SIXTY FOUR (64) years old! Way to go fitness bod!

[@JoaoPedroCanhenha]

Love Mr. Araki's films and his insight.

[@mykeadelic]

absolute legend. amazing picks!

[@cfbilly70]

What's up with the July releases for the UK criterion?

[@Theomite]

Do you guys get a different release list than those of us Stateside?

[@cfbilly70]

@@Theomite yeah completely. It used to be three releases a month. Sometimes new and sometimes releases that had already been released in the USA. This year however they cut it back to two releases a month. Which already sucks. The Kid from Chaplin is one of them. But there is nothing set to be released after that. There's nothing in the news. Nothing on their site or any of the social media platforms. It looks like a silent death for the UK branch. But they are not responding to us anywhere...

[@Theomite]

@@cfbilly70 Must be the damn licensing issues with overseas territories. CC has the pick of the litter with 20th century foreign films, but how do you market those titles in territories where Studio+Canal has the rights or Pathe? I think that's why it took so long to upgrade to UHD, because it's region-free status threatened overseas counterparts and their distribution rights.

[@cfbilly70]

@@Theomite Exactly. There's so many different companies that have the rights to so many different titles. Which is fine, I understand. I just don't want to have to buy a region free player and start buying stateside releases with even higher delivery prices, plus the increased import fees. They're expensive enough as it is. But, unfortunately, it is increasingly more looking like a silent death of the UK offices.

[@Theomite]

@@cfbilly70 And when it comes to Criterion, I don't think you're missing much. Lately, all the US releases *pale* in comparison to what Umbrella, Imprint, Second Sight and Indicator are putting out. They give you fully-loaded boxed sets just bursting with documentaries, cool shit and posters. Umbrella's 4K release of RAZORBACK is a goldmine...Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release _maybe_ comes with a poster for the first 500 units. Criterion used to make bomb-ass releases, but their special features are on the paltry end in the last few years, and there's new macroblock issues with their encoding providers. Now their booklets are still great, but with Kino eating their lunch and breakfast all year long, I don't know how they can maintain the status they used to have. They may have lost their edge to have a UK office before it even opened.

[@bbeaup]

He seems like a super nice guy.

[@festeringfingerprintvicodin]

Living End Criterion WHEN!!!!❤

[@DanielleA2023]

Gregg is and his films are amazing ❤

[@boweryboy]

If THIS doesn't mean that NOWHERE & THE DOOM GENERATION'S recent digital restorations (and in the case of the latter, edited into a Director's Cut), were for a TEEN APOCALYPSE TRILOGY boxset from Criterion, then I am going to lose my ever-loving shit!

[@barefootandindependent]

That's the best Closet Picks I've eve seen!

[@ApoplecticDialectics]

The chapter heading on KZbin for Strangers in Paradise is "Sturgeons in Paradise," which is, I think, a film that needs to be made.

[@eljuli1003]

I love his movies and his taste for shoegaze music.

[@Ftc.6]

You censored The French Connection?. You are now the Man Criterion

[@leeraines7821]

I dont know anything about queer cinema but this Gregg guy is shredded

[@theosauve3504]

Can’t wait for some araki releases

[@Diitzybimbo]

my favorite director ever ❤

[@marcvonborstel5730]

Bringing Up Baby is so fun. Amazing to see Katherine Hepburn in a screwball comedy. Btw, am I the only one with a major crush on Gregg Araki?

[@unattractiveashell6904]

Same 😭😭