John Darnielle's Closet Picks

Between back-to-back shows at New York City’s Webster Hall last summer, Mountain Goats front man and novelist John Darnielle visited the Criterion office for a trip inside our films closet, where he shared his enthusiasm for Bruce Lee, Laurence Olivier, Toshiro Mifune, and other screen icons!

Shop John's Closet Picks:

[Hurt]

Love that he just chooses some of them based on the description. Just pure curiosity to experience something new.

[tiessmckenzie]

I've been a John Darnielle stan for some years now, and still have moments (like these) where I see him do something so cool, so pure, so human, where I just fall in love with him all over again.

[starfish.]

Picks:
Salo —Pasolini
Samurai Trilogy —Nagaki
Salvatore Giuliani
Richard III
Shadow Warrior—Kurosawa
Marlon Riggs’s works
Bruce Lee collection
Youth of the beast

[jamesculverhouse]

If you like Johns rambling answers and his music, im sure you'll love the podcast "i only listen to the mountain goats" ❤

[baxatakbaxatak]

Thank you for acknowledging the importance of a threshold with Salo. Just because something is considered (and may well be) pure art does not means it’s for everyone.

[gnalkhere]

Started from The best ever death metal band out of Denton now we're here

[Bubby-vcfv]

Two of my favorite worlds collide! John would be horrified to know that on my birthday last year I got a group of almost 10 people to watch Salo with me. It was surreal.

[joshuabrown]

Kurosawa's work is masterpiece after masterpiece. I doubt I'm reinventing the wheel saying that.

[moodyfeverdream]

I don't listen to his music but am a fan of his books. Seems like a cool guy too and i dig his picks and style!

[Cobralalalala]

Awesome seeing Darnielle on here. His passion is infectious! Great picks too. 🙂

I'm also with him on Salo. I think I would have been fascinated if I'd seen it in my early 20s, but at this point in my life I just can't.

[justinkingery]

The Mountain Goats are great. 2022's BLEED OUT was one of my fav albums. Nice picks, John!

[SleepFan]

Cool picks. Mountain Goats is really neat. I loved his album Goths

[keepmewierd]

been waiting on this one, "obviously you're in the presence of one such face right now" lmao did not disappoint

[hipsterelephant]

I'm honestly surprised John hasn't made a song about The Criterion Collection

[harveypenson]

It's nice to see someone else who recognises the importance of Salo but has avoided actually watching it.

[isaacmartinez]

This guy is full of energy when it comes to movies.

[Prettorian]

This is probably the first time I've seen someone take The Samurai Trilogy....finally!♥

[bodhidharma]

i love how uprententious he is. dude just extemporaneously picks what he likes.

[christopherroberts]

Darnielle is a brilliant author as well.

[evanmichael]

Who needs coffee when there's John? 🤘😁 Rad as always, CC...