The Criterion Collection

[latehong]

Originally Posted by tsetse27

I am sorry if this has already been addressed before, pls dont mind me asking again:

has Criterion gave any hint they will release more big box collection based on director, similar like their Bergman and Agnes Box?

I am sure I am not the only one would like to have a boxset of Kurosawa and Truffaut.

You are not, Criterion hasn't, only speculation and hope.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by latehong

You are not, Criterion hasn't, only speculation and hope.

Though, I would say if they could ever get the MGM Truffauts, with the new restorations of the recent 4K restorations of the Truffauts, I would rate as a higher chance than a Kurosawa set. Albeit, I would say either director set is probably highly unlikely and is just hope at this point.

[mmarczi]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

What Bunuel set are you talking about? The set they released in 2020 was the first time they had released and it always had 3 titles.

I realized only after the fact that this was a false memory on my part, conflating their old individual DVD releases and Studiocanal's Blu-Ray set. I was off my computer by the time it occurred to me though, so I didn't bother editing.

Originally Posted by latehong

Which immediately reminds me of these superb sets.



Making a box set does not solely depend upon the amount of fame the director has. If anything, it's more to do with the availability of rights and materials, as well as a proper, marketable point of view to tie certain films together.

In that sense, I think there's a fair chance that Criterion will release a box set of Kinuyo Tanaka films. She was a rare female director of her time, whose directorial efforts had been overshadowed by her works as an actor with bigger male 'masters' of Japanese cinema for decades and have been restored and rediscovered just recently through repertory cinema and film festivals around the world (I live in South Korea and there was a retrospective of her last year). So there's a good enough story for the set.

Also, fortunately (and unfortunately) for us, she could direct only six films in her entire life. So it doesn't have to be a big box set, perhaps a small 3-disc digipak release (or even a regular scanavo release) might be enough. I know at least four of them are already restored in 4K and Film at Lincoln Center announced that they will present all six of them coming March, in partnership with Janus Films.

Maybe the biggest obstacle for this is that her six films were produced by several different studios, so it might not be easy to gather them together. But then again, Janus already acquired four from three different studios, so I'll hold by breath and keep my fingers.

I would be completely stunned if we ever see a box set for a filmmaker like Tanaka from Criterion ever again, let alone on Blu-Ray. You cite Les Blank and Marlon Riggs, who are two highly significant documentarians, which Criterion has always shown an appreciation for (they probably release a higher percentage of documentaries than any boutique label that doesn't specialize in it). And the Marlon Riggs set was a passion project for Ashley Clark, their (still somewhat) new curatorial director.

I can't really speak to the Etaix set, but I will point out that they have shown a willingness to put French comedies in a box set before...and that this release is nearly a decade old. It's also just a 2-disc set that appears to come in a normal-sized digipack. I would not compare that to what it would take to get their Meszaros or Tanaka holdings out in an actual box set.

I'm normally the one here fighting against cynicism and telling people not to jump to conclusions, but frankly, I don't think people should expect to see all of their holdings from these filmmakers actually hit physical media, or even the majority. You'll probably be watching most of them on the Criterion Channel (which is extremely common especially for their Japanese holdings, though availability of HD materials is a factor here). But rest assured, I'd love more than anybody else to be dead wrong.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by tsetse27

I am sorry if this has already been addressed before, pls dont mind me asking again:

has Criterion gave any hint they will release more big box collection based on director, similar like their Bergman and Agnes Box?

I am sure I am not the only one would like to have a boxset of Kurosawa and Truffaut.

I would get those. I also bought a few Rainer Werner Fassbinder & Pedro Almodóvar movies recently, so I’m expecting those two to get a box set.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by tsetse27

I am sorry if this has already been addressed before, pls dont mind me asking again:

has Criterion gave any hint they will release more big box collection based on director, similar like their Bergman and Agnes Box?

I am sure I am not the only one would like to have a boxset of Kurosawa and Truffaut.

Originally Posted by latehong

You are not, Criterion hasn't, only speculation and hope.

I wouldn't mind some more box sets, but enough already with special packaging. Yeah, it looks cool, for maybe one or two. But how many of us have the room to store these huge sets. I have Fellini, Bergman, and Zatoichi. I'm running out of space. And those are in addition to other boxsets that are from other distributors. It's become an annoyance. Not to mention that the discs in these sets are not packaged safely. Enough already. Just give me mine in regular cases.

[Blacknapkins]

Does Criterion still do replacement packaging for $5? My Police Story has a big crack on the digipak top to near the hub. The discs are good so i don't want to send for a replacement and the discs come all scratched up.

[mmarczi]

The last time a Tuesday in February or October fell on the 15th was October of 2019. Criterion did have the flash sale that day, but they announced the January 2020 titles on Wednesday the 16th. So if the flash sale is this Tuesday, it's a virtual certainty the new title announcements will be put off for a day.

The last time before this was February 2011, and frankly I have no idea what happened then, or if they were even doing flash sales at that time. That was years before I even developed a significant interest in film, so someone who's been involved a lot longer would have to answer that question.

Edit: I looked it up, and in 2011, Criterion had its flash sale in September (and in 2012 as well; on Thursdays, in fact), so there was no release-day conflict. This is only the third time as far as I know that a traditional release day and a potential flash sale day have fallen on the same day (in 2013, the flash sale was on October 1, but it could have been two weeks later on the 15th). But it's entirely possible the flash sale is two or three weeks from this Tuesday.

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

Interesting, I assumed the sale wouldn’t be until at least the 22nd because of announcement day.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I wouldn't mind some more box sets, but enough already with special packaging. Yeah, it looks cool, for maybe one or two. But how many of us have the room to store these huge sets. I have Fellini, Bergman, and Zatoichi. I'm running out of space. And those are in addition to other boxsets that are from other distributors. It's become an annoyance. Not to mention that the discs in these sets are not packaged safely. Enough already. Just give me mine in regular cases.

Regular cases would take up more space than the boxsets Criterion put out. Even Godzilla with its funky shape. Imagine lining up 15 or 30 cases like those sets.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by bergman864

Regular cases would take up more space than the boxsets Criterion put out. Even Godzilla with its funky shape. Imagine lining up 15 or 30 cases like those sets.

Yes and no. They could easily put 4 discs in one standard case. Even lining up 15 discs cases is easier, as they fit nicely on a shelf. These huge box sets, none of which are the same size, don't fit nicely anywhere.

Not to mention that fact that I often remove the discs from these huge box sets and store them in a binder because the boxsets either don't store the discs well or are a hassle to deal with.

[regeyer]

In relation to the upcoming sale, I believe it's usually free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Does anyone know if that amount is before or after gift certificates are applied? In other words, if my order is for $50, and I use a $10 gift certificate, dropping to total to less than $50, do I still get the free shipping?

Thanks.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by regeyer

In relation to the upcoming sale, I believe it's usually free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Does anyone know if that amount is before or after gift certificates are applied? In other words, if my order is for $50, and I use a $10 gift certificate, dropping to total to less than $50, do I still get the free shipping?

Thanks.

Before. So it'll generally take you at least three titles to get there.

[mmarczi]

Yeah it's definitely before. Whenever I earn a $50 gift certificate for a sale order I always make a second order, usually for three discs just to hit the threshold, and end up paying about half the price for one disc. Used to be like $9.97 total until they started charging me sales tax.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Before. So it'll generally take you at least three titles to get there.

That's 3 at $20? So if I buy 2 UHD's at $25 each I could then use the $10 gift certificate and still get free shipping?

[jkoffman]

Originally Posted by regeyer

That's 3 at $20? So if I buy 2 UHD's at $25 each I could then use the $10 gift certificate and still get free shipping?

I'm also plotting my attack as I have the $10 GC and am close to getting a $50 reward too. Their UHDs are $49.95. 50% off is $24.97 each, so 2 will be just under the $50 threshold.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by jkoffman

I'm also plotting my attack as I have the $10 GC and am close to getting a $50 reward too. Their UHDs are $49.95. 50% off is $24.97 each, so 2 will be just under the $50 threshold.

Yes, you're right, 2 UHD's would be just under $50, so I'd have to add something else. I was thinking they were exactly $25 each.

I guess I'll just have to buy 3.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by regeyer

That's 3 at $20? So if I buy 2 UHD's at $25 each I could then use the $10 gift certificate and still get free shipping?

$49.95 won't bag free shipping, no. You'll have to be firmly above $50.00 if memory serves correctly.

[MifuneFan]

I remember there was at least one sale where people complained about not being able to get free shipping because a certain title was just a little bit off from the $50 minimum, and Criterion made an exception. Does any of this ring a bell to anyone? hariseldon? Bueller? Did I make this up

[Snicket]

My CK replacement shipped a few weeks ago, tracking shows no movement, I'm worried its lost to the shipping gods.

I was really hoping to get that $10 certificate in the mail for the next flash sale.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by regeyer

Yes and no. They could easily put 4 discs in one standard case. Even lining up 15 discs cases is easier, as they fit nicely on a shelf. These huge box sets, none of which are the same size, don't fit nicely anywhere.

Not to mention that fact that I often remove the discs from these huge box sets and store them in a binder because the boxsets either don't store the discs well or are a hassle to deal with.

If all I wanted was a bunch of discs to shove into folders I wouldn't bother buying these boxsets. I will admit that the unconventional sized ones like the Fellini or Godzilla sets are hard to arrange, but I love the fact that they give them these premium packages. I'm paying for more than the discs.

Otherwise I'd just stick to the Criterion Channel.

P.S. As to the bolded part, I've heard this complaint constantly. I haven't had a single issue out any of the discs I have that originally came in sleeves. I contend that it's an issue but it's not an issue for me. So this doesn't bother me in the slightest.