I've never bought a Criterion Collection release. I'm eyeing the flash sale (50% off full price)... considering The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colors trilogy, In the Mood for Love, 3 Women, Persona, Six Moral Tales, um a Malick or a Godard... And trying to narrow it down to 1 or 2 selections. I know this is an impossible question, but what would you suggest Mr. Teapot?
Those are great choices but as you say it’s kind of impossible because it comes down to a person’s individual preferences which will place one film or one director over another, even if it’s slightly, and my preferences may not marry up with yours!
My bias for Bergman puts Persona at the top of the list and it’s the only one listed I own on Criterion (I’m in the UK and buying Criterions is a slightly more expensive and awkward option but I have bought all their Bergman Blu-ray releases up to Cries and Whispers). You also get Dheeraj Akolkar’s documentary Liv & Ingmar as an extra which is excellent if you’re interested in Bergman and Ullmann’s relationship and kind of behind the movies stuff.
That rather predictable choice aside it actually gets tougher. The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colors trilogy, and In the Mood for Love are five of my favorite films and it’s really difficult to choose between them but I think Three Colors slightly edges ahead. So if you’re a big Bergman fan I’d say Persona and Three Colors, but if it’s not so much with the Bergman then Three Colours and The Double Life of Veronique.