Cronos 4K UHD (1993) (Criterion Collection)

[MifuneFan]

Guillermo Del Toro's Cronos coming to 4K in February! The film was also just recently announced by BFI in the UK for Feb. as well.

Cronos 4K UHD

https://www.criterion.com/films/27534-cronos

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Guillermo del Toro, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Optional original Spanish-language voice-over introduction
• Two audio commentaries, one featuring del Toro, the other producers Arthur H. Gorson and Bertha Navarro and coproducer Alejandro Springall
• Geometria, an unreleased 1987 short horror film by del Toro, finished in 2010, alongside an interview with the director
• Welcome to Bleak House, a tour by del Toro of his home office, featuring his personal collections
• Interviews with del Toro, cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, and actors Ron Perlman and Federico Luppi
• Stills gallery captioned by del Toro
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh and excerpts from del Toro’s notes for the film

Cover by Mike Mignola

[Mandalorian]

I need it. With Pinocchio and The Shape of Water, we're one step closer to Blade II being in the collection lol. They wouldn't dare

[BigDmo531]

Saves me having to import the BFI. I feel so stupid just now realizing the Mignola did the cover art. It's so obvious and yet I never realized

[sheri1983]

Criterion and BFI

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by sheri1983

Criterion and BFI

Criterion's lead times are very long in advance, so they likely were planning this release for at least a year. Since it's GDT that was doing the 4K scan/supervision being used for both, it's possible there was a joint agreement for both labels to release it at the same time. Something similar could be happening wth the licensing of the Toho 4K's for both labels too, who knows.

[Spooked]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Criterion's lead times are very long in advance, so they likely were planning this release for at least a year. Since it's GDT that was doing the 4K scan/supervision being used for both, it's possible there was a joint agreement for both labels to release it at the same time. Something similar could be happening wth the licensing of the Toho 4K's for both labels too, who knows.

Hopefully Criterion has Pan's Labyrinth in the works as well...

[sheri1983]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Criterion's lead times are very long in advance, so they likely were planning this release for at least a year. Since it's GDT that was doing the 4K scan/supervision being used for both, it's possible there was a joint agreement for both labels to release it at the same time. Something similar could be happening wth the licensing of the Toho 4K's for both labels too, who knows.

Criterion is doing a great job for the last 2 years specifically, on some instances like Le Samourai and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas I prefer the Criterion. I don't see it as a duplicate work, I like to have more alternatives when I buy those movie for the last time.

[Gacivory]

Already preordered the BFI release, if there’s some massive improvement on the Criterion or if Criterion do a set with Devil and Pan then I think I’m good.

[BluProofie]

Never got the blu so I’ll pick it up.

[BigDmo531]

Originally Posted by Spooked

Hopefully Criterion has Pan's Labyrinth in the works as well...

I'd be very curious, if that happened, if they just use the same restoration used for the standard 4K. I haven't seen it, I know it's always talked about as a very divisive release though

[Snicket]

With Cronos being in 4K and Sony licensing their 4K’s that they already released (Punch drunk love) I’m thinking the trilogy is coming soon ish in 4K

[cheez avenger]

I'll get the BFI.

FiM will most likely have done the done encoding.

[VanHiscers]

All of this film’s releases except for the U.S. Criterion release contain a 5.1 surround track, so the BFI release will probably have it too. That might be a reason why for some of you here to go for the BFI release.

[geomon]

I'll go BFI for the 4K but get the Criterion blu-ray for the exclusive extras.

[Namuhana]

It's interesting that the 4K is in 1.85:1 and the BD is in 1.78:1.

[MifuneFan]

Here's a comparison of the extras from the Criterion and BFI releases. BFI does have more, but not as many as I originally thought as they break down the extras into individual bullet points more than Criterion do. BFI sometimes add more stuff closer to release, so I'll post an update later on if that happens.

Shared by Both
Unique to Criterion
Unique to BFI

Criterion

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Guillermo del Toro, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Optional original Spanish-language voice-over introduction
• Two audio commentaries, one featuring del Toro, the other producers Arthur H. Gorson and Bertha Navarro and coproducer Alejandro Springall
• Geometria, an unreleased 1987 short horror film by del Toro, finished in 2010, alongside an interview with the director
• Welcome to Bleak House, a tour by del Toro of his home office, featuring his personal collections
• Interviews with del Toro, cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, and actors Ron Perlman and Federico Luppi
• Stills gallery captioned by del Toro
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh and excerpts from del Toro’s notes for the film

BFI

Extras

• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly recorded audio commentary by Jason Wood
• Audio commentary with Guillermo del Toro (2002)
• Audio commentary with producers Arthur H Gorson and Bertha Navarro and co-producer Alejandro Springall (in English and Spanish with optional English subtitles)
• Optional original Spanish-language voice-over introduction
• Cronos - An Introduction (2024, 34 mins): director Guillermo del Toro in conversation with the former head of the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes film festival and current managing director of Arte France Cinéma, Olivier Père (2024, 34 mins)
• Geometria (1987, 7 mins): a short film by Guillermo del Toro about a young man who pays dearly to have his dreams come true
• Guillermo del Toro on Geometria (7 mins): a short interview with the director about Geometria
• BFI Screen Talk: Guillermo del Toro (2017, 74 mins): filmed around the release of The Shape of Water, the writer and director discusses his career with journalist, author and screenwriter Mark Salisbury and the BFI London Film Festival
• The Making of Cronos: An Interview with Federico Luppi (2006, 5 mins): a short archival interview with the actor
• Interview with the director (2010, 60 mins): an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro
• Interview with Guillermo del Toro (2010, 18 mins): an interview with the writer and director
• Interview with Guillermo Navarro (2010, 13 mins): an interview with the film’s cinematographer
• Interview with Ron Pearlman (2010, 7 mins): an interview with the actor who since Cronos has gone on to become one of Del Toro’s regular collaborators
• Theatrical trailer
• Stills gallery
• 60-page book featuring new essays by Michelle Kisner, Rich Johnson, Barry Forshaw, and Michael Leader. Also includes and edited version of ‘Guillermo del Toro: The origins of horror and Cronos’, an interview that originally appeared in The Faber Book of Mexican Cinema, by Jason Wood and an original Sight & Sound review by John Kraniauskas.
• Fold-out poster featuring the new artwork for the film

[Spooked]

Good thing I got both.

[jess1581]

Uh oh, the color isn't ACCURATE!!!

[chris))((]

The screencaps certainly look very teal, especially compared to the old transfer.

[Wtdk]

Just looking at the screen caps, I do prefer my Blu-ray transfer compared to the new 4K.