Yeah, judging from the screen shots, it's a bit too much DNR for my taste.

1st: I don't see nothing wrong with it.
2nd: why is this being talked about in the criterion page again?

Sorry, my fault on the tangent. Back to CC discussion now....

It's no big deal, just didn't remember why it came about.:cool:

Plus I am on your side on the subject, there is nothing wrong with those screenshots IMO.

I just made my first CC purchase: Wages of Fear, Last Year at Marienbad and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The Seventh Seal and The 400 Blows will take up to 2 weeks to arrive, but I ordered everything together. Now the fun begins...

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas DVD is a criterion but the HD-DVD and the upcoming Blu-Ray editions are not. The HD DVD version is dirt cheap. How is this movie? Should I wait for a decent criterion release or get the HD DVD?

There's an amazing Criterion DVD release, like you mentioned. So, I would choose that one, if I were you. Otherwise, wait to see how Universal's blu-ray release is gonna be.

CC

I have it on HD DVD and PQ/AQ is perfect but if Criterion ever release a Blu-ray version, it surely will be way better on the supplements because the current version has almost nothing to offer.

i'd kill for Se7en to get the Criterion BD treatment!

Criterion no longer has the rights to release Fear and Loathing..

Why do you say that? There's no indication that the title is out of print on DVD. I'm not arguing, it's just that I'm curious what you're basing this on.

Probably because Universal Studios is releasing it on BD Feb 2nd, but I don't know how rights work, so maybe they get to re-release it after Universal.

There have been several titles which Criterion has released while other studios have concurrent releases. It depends on all sorts of issues with contracts. Usually when Criterion loses the rights to a film they list it as out of print on their website, even if some are still on store shelves.

They have rights for the DVD, yes. To release a BD version would require getting clearance and possibly a separate set of rights to do so. Major studios seem very happy to release BD versions on their own - Universal is actually releasing Fear and Loathing on BD in February 2010. There is no way they're going to let Criterion release a BD to compete with theirs.

I don't know exactly what their individual agreements state, but I imagine distributing a major studio film has a decidedly different agreement from distributing an indie or classic film that no major studio has their claws in. For something like, say, Benjamin Button, I'm sure every facet of the Criterion release was approved by Paramount - they can't just go out and make a new version without Paramount's approval. On the same note, I doubt Universal is willing to let Criterion do whatever they want with regards to a Johnny Depp property.

Well, Universal put out a DVD of the film and let Criterion compete with theirs. Actually Universal has put out a few films while also allowing Criterion to release them. (Spartacus comes to mind).

It's not unreasonable to assume Universal and Criterion have an agreement which prohibits a Blu-ray release, but you know... assumptions and a nickle are worth a nickle.

The original poster said Criterion lost the rights to the film, not that there was no clearance for a Blu-ray. Perhaps it was just odd wording on his/her part. Everything since then has been well informed conjecture, but I still don't see any evidence that they "lost the rights to the film", nor any evidence that they don't have the rights to Blu-ray. We really don't know much about such things here, so a statement like that warrants a little citing.

No offense intended towards anyone.

Do to the nature of things, there isn't going to be "hard evidence" as anyone outside the company won't know, and anyone inside the company is probably reluctant to talk publicly about their agreements with other companies. But just from the way the home video market works, it seems extremely unlikely.

Many of the major studio films that Criterion has released on DVD were released many years ago, before the home video market matured to the point it has today. Looking even further back at Criterion's laserdisc catalogue is unbelievable to me as they would never get a crack at those titles today. Major studios have clued in to the fact that there is a big market out their for special edition DVDs/BDs of their titles so there is little reason to license them out to Criterion or other studios. Benjamin Button was a rare exception to the rule, and even that was handled differently from the past - from my understanding, Paramount was in control of much of the process, and it's obvious the discs are actually being manufactured and distributed by Paramount given the normal blue Blu-ray case it comes in.

So just do not expect Blu-ray upgrades of many major studio films released by Criterion in the past. It simply ain't gonna happen. And frankly, I'm perfectly happy with that - major studios have got their butts into gear in regards to those titles, so Criterion can focus their efforts on films the major studios won't. Some will bemoan the loss of some Criterion-exclusive special features, but just go get the Criterion SD DVD if it's that important.

I agree with everything you've said neo. 100%.

GGX stated, as a fact, that Universal lost the rights to Criterion. Since - as you say - there's rarely any evidence of anything (short of a title going OOP), it struck me as odd to state that as a matter of absolute fact.

I agree that it's unlikely. GGX stated this info as news. I'm curious where this information came from. If, in fact, GGX simply means, it's unlikely to come to Blu, well that's fine. If there is some information that lead to his very specific claim. I'd like to know the source.

I certainly don't expect that. This has turned into a conversation about Blu-ray. The original post said nothing about Blu-ray, only that Criterion had lost the rights to Fear and Loathing, which would mean a discontinuation of the DVD, which would be alarming if true.

That's all.:)

so has anyone exchanged their cardboard packages for the plastic ones. i was going to wait until they were all in and im under the impression that that is now. any pics aside from the third man?

I don't mind Crit. losing the rights so much to Fear and Loathing because the HD-DVD transfer was well done. The extras still exist on the SD CC dvd and that's fine with me. On the other hand, it saddened me when they "lost the rights" (or whatever the case may be) to Do the Right Thing. I love that movie, and I really would love to add it to my BD collection, but the transfer on the Universal BR is just wrong. I love the orangy look of the film that criterion presented enough to not "upgrade" to this version, and sadly, it probably won't ever be re-issued with a proper transfer.

I ordered all of the remaining ones, but I believe they are still waiting on Bottle Rocket at the moment. I can post pics as soon as they arrive though. (I'm hoping it won't take too long for Bottle Rocket). The nice thing is after the first two you order @ $5 each, all the additional ones are only $2.50 each. I got all 8 of the remaining ones (already did Third Man) for $25.00, which is much better than $40. I'll keep you updated, and if anyone else gets them before me, please post pics as well.