what should i expect with my first criterion collection purchase?

[underoath]

Well I've gone and pre-ordered the first four blu-ray's offered by criterion....ouchie at the price lol

I always wanted to go and collect the previous releases, but never got into it, due to my younger age. I never had a job at the time. But, I've decided now with the first blu-ray editions coming out, it would be a good time.

Anyway, I'm sort of curious/excited for my shipment next week. I just wanted to know from seasoned criterion collectors, on what to expect in the content of the releases. Thanks for any responses.

[fronn]

Generally the special features are top notch for the release and usually great care was taken with the product of the disc (though a lot of criterion movies suffered from sometimes severe EE - hopefully not something they feel the need to repeat on BR).

Ultimately the reason for buying a Criterion title is because it's the only way to get that title in the states and it's almost always the best version, even if you decide to import.

The first four titles should give you a good taste of the wide range of titles Criterion tends to release. There's classic cinema titles from around the world like The Third Man (Orson Welles at his best); there's bizarre movies you've probably never heard of like The Man Who Fell To Earth (a favorite of mine); there's recent gems like Chunking Express (not seen, though I ordered it); and there's cult hits like Bottle Rocket (not a fan myself).

[Ex Accountant]

I'll bite. Severe EE? Severe Extended Edition maybe?

[Schwin!!]

Originally Posted by Ex Accountant

I'll bite. Severe EE? Severe Extended Edition maybe?

edge enhancement. i still dont know what this means though.

[Michael.Schinke]

Originally Posted by Schwin!!

edge enhancement. i still dont know what this means though.

It's a process where they attempt to make the image look sharper. It can be used for a number of reasons but is most notably applied when compression or other processes, such as grain reduction, have made the image somewhat soft. Edge enhancement attempts to return definition that has been lost.

[scweb13]

Take a look here for examples of edge enhancement.

[Ex Accountant]

Thank you all for the education. It sucks to be ignorant and old.

[Seretur]

Neither of you guys sound ignorant nor old. And the first batch of Criterion Blu-rays have been roundly praised for their transfers -- just check the reviews on this site -- so you needn't worry about EE, windowboxing or other problems that used to plague their DVD releases. Plus, they all feature lossless sound, either in original mixes (stereo/mono/surround) or in new ones supervised by the actual directors. Can't beat that.

Their packaging will stand out a bit from the regular Amaray discs, so you might want to line them up on a separate shelf, just like Warner's digibooks; otherwise, you're in for a very varied, challenging and inspiring collection of real cinema. That's all I can add to the otherwise pretty exhaustive description of the others in this thread.

[fronn]

Some people don't find EE all that terrible and others notice it when theres even a hint of it.

It's only on some Criterion titles that I've noticed it and it varies (sometimes it isn't that offensive and on a couple titles it's been really quite bad). From what I've seen in the screenshots of the first four BR releases, they all look very very good -- not amazingly sharp or anything, but like they should (grain looked intact and all that).

Any Criterion title is a treat though. I'm just glad there are companies out there with some real passion for films (no doubt people at the big studios have passion for film, but it seems Criterion stands for it).

If I could, I'd own every release... sadly, though, I have to be a bit pickier than that.

[Stubblecat]

One big thing you'll notice with Criterion titles is the complete lack of nonsensical logos, commercials, trailers and warnings before the menu comes up. Just pop the disc in and there's your menu.

[bluskies]

Originally Posted by Stubblecat

One big thing you'll notice with Criterion titles is the complete lack of nonsensical logos, commercials, trailers and warnings before the menu comes up. Just pop the disc in and there's your menu.

Well, dang, where's the fun in that? With Disney's releases that have about ten previews, I have time to cook my dinner, eat, take a nap, and be all refreshed for the movie when it gets to the menu page.

[felix jones]

Originally Posted by underoath

what should i expect with my first criterion collection purchase?

awesomeness.

[JTStarkiller]

Pure awesomeness.

[underoath]

i honestly can't wait...too bad my amazon order is still "shipping soon"

[Stubblecat]

If you truly want to get the best experience from Criterion title, you'll buy/rent/borrow/steal films that you may have only heard referenced before, but haven't actually seen.

You watch films like The 400 Blows, Forbidden Games, Rashomon, Ikiru, The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Bicycle Thieves, etc. etc. etc... and you just may be turned on to the potentional that can be found in real cinema.

Movies don't always have to be about stuff blowing up. The best stories can be found in tiny European villages in the 1940s, if you know where to look.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by Stubblecat

Movies don't always have to be about stuff blowing up. The best stories can be found in tiny European villages in the 1940s, if you know where to look.

Agreed 100%! The Criterion Collection and Janus Films have introduced me to so many films I would've otherwise probably never known.

CC

[Stubblecat]

So true. I saw Forbidden Games a few months ago and it just about tore my heart out. So profoundly sad.