The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by JupiterMission

The free shipping threshold of $75 typically remains the same during flash sales, right?

Yep. Also, last flash sale actually had a glitch where most people weren't charged tax (except me in NY apparently ) so will be curious to see if that happens again.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Driver78

There's one particular member who seems to believe Criterion is hoarding and/or sitting on a bunch of Japanese films and not doing anything with them. No one knows for sure whether this is true or not but one thing is certain: there is NO dearth of Japanese films making their way to disc. It's unrealistic to essentially expect there to be monthly drops or announcements for one specific genre that may lack broad appeal. Japanese cinema is still being very generously represented if you don't limit yourself to one continent.

I also took his comment basically suggesting that the label perhaps focus less on 4K reissues or even the format itself(!) in order to reduce the "backlog" of unreleased titles quite alarming. With each 4K that gets released, the "Blu-ray is good enough" crowd have less of a leg to stand on. Practically no one is wishing 4K would go away. Sorry, haters.

Not sure why you just didn't mention it being me instead of "particular member", which seems like a weak way of approaching the topic. Criterion has HUNDREDS of Japanese films. Way more than any other region, and they barely release any of the films that don't have HD releases, and instead are focusing more on the ones with great BD's and upgrading them to 4K. Outside of the US and UK there really aren't much in the way of Japanese film coming out unless you DON'T speak English. Lots of non friendly English ones coming out.

I understand you're fine with spending your money or 4K upgrades, but for a lot of people that's not necessary for a minor uptick. Again, that's your money, but I'd rather see new to HD titles come out to both BD and 4K.

Next time feel free to reference me by my username. Saying a "particular member" just feels a little bit cowardly?

[fdm]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Yep. Also, last flash sale actually had a glitch where most people weren't charged tax (except me in NY apparently ) so will be curious to see if that happens again.

I read somewhere where they've fixed this glitch.

Me, I'm just going with b&n sales from now on, and only from their stores where I can actually hand pick the undamaged copies I want.

[zackisthewalrus]

The Blu-ray of Babette's Feast is back in stock on the Criterion website after being listed as "Currently Unavailable" for a couple of years.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by zackisthewalrus

The Blu-ray of Babette's Feast is back in stock on the Criterion website after being listed as "Currently Unavailable" for a couple of years.

I wonder if it is still in a digipak?

[zackisthewalrus]

Originally Posted by dwk

I wonder if it is still in a digipak?

I'm willing to bet not - I'll be ordering it tomorrow, so I'll be able to say for sure once it arrives

[Amiibro121]

Originally Posted by fdm

I read somewhere where they've fixed this glitch.

Me, I'm just going with b&n sales from now on, and only from their stores where I can actually hand pick the undamaged copies I want.

I just added movies to my cart on the website to see if they charge me taxes this time and... yeah they do
I guess my gift certificate will only cover the taxes then unless the supposed glitch is replicated again tomorrow

[eightslicesofpie]

Think I've got my list for tomorrow's sale locked in...so hard to narrow it down from my larger list of titles I want lol

[Brer247]

Just got my $10 off coupon. I'm ready to buy all the titles released since the last sale.

[Rexx]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

[COLOR=#8A75D1 !important]Has Criterion indicated they have licensed Catch-22? [/COLOR]

My respondent at Criterion, a substitute for the usual person posting replies, didn't bother to affirm that Criterion held a licence for Catch-22, but she didn't deny it either. That's part of the frustration.


Still I don't "get" why anyone would licence a film and "sit on it" for year after year after year.

[dbhl3000]

Originally Posted by Rexx

My respondent at Criterion, a substitute for the usual person posting replies, didn't bother to affirm that Criterion held a licence for Catch-22, but she didn't deny it either. That's part of the frustration.


Still I don't "get" why anyone would licence a film and "sit on it" for year after year after year.

This whole situation is a catch-22.

[dbhl3000]

Originally Posted by eightslicesofpie

Think I've got my list for tomorrow's sale locked in...so hard to narrow it down from my larger list of titles I want lol

Will that be a 50% off sale?

[javy]

Originally Posted by Amiibro121

I just added movies to my cart on the website to see if they charge me taxes this time and... yeah they do
I guess my gift certificate will only cover the taxes then unless the supposed glitch is replicated again tomorrow

I did the same and yeah, it's charging me tax as well. Now I'll just wait for the Barnes and Noble sale.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I postd this in the Sorcerer thread, but the artist actually had several other drafts. This one below is actually even closer to that shirt above, and I would have preferred it to the final one they went with.

[Show spoiler]

You can see all of them here:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...6#post22965156

While there's nothing wrong with the final cover per se, I admittedly like all of the other designs better.

All of the covers more or less give off the vibe of a direct-to-video Scooby Doo movie from 2006.

Originally Posted by Driver78

There's one particular member who seems to believe Criterion is hoarding and/or sitting on a bunch of Japanese films and not doing anything with them. No one knows for sure whether this is true or not but one thing is certain: there is NO dearth of Japanese films making their way to disc. It's unrealistic to essentially expect there to be monthly drops or announcements for one specific genre that may lack broad appeal. Japanese cinema is still being very generously represented if you don't limit yourself to one continent.

I also took his comment basically suggesting that the label perhaps focus less on 4K reissues or even the format itself(!) in order to reduce the "backlog" of unreleased titles quite alarming. With each 4K that gets released, the "Blu-ray is good enough" crowd have less of a leg to stand on. Practically no one is wishing 4K would go away. Sorry, haters.

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Not sure why you just didn't mention it being me instead of "particular member", which seems like a weak way of approaching the topic. Criterion has HUNDREDS of Japanese films. Way more than any other region, and they barely release any of the films that don't have HD releases, and instead are focusing more on the ones with great BD's and upgrading them to 4K. Outside of the US and UK there really aren't much in the way of Japanese film coming out unless you DON'T speak English. Lots of non friendly English ones coming out.

I understand you're fine with spending your money or 4K upgrades, but for a lot of people that's not necessary for a minor uptick. Again, that's your money, but I'd rather see new to HD titles come out to both BD and 4K.

Next time feel free to reference me by my username. Saying a "particular member" just feels a little bit cowardly?

Ironically, Japanese movies are some of the few where Criterion's not sitting on them. Instead, that was Toho for a while, who stubbornly left Criterion with a bunch of ancient masters from crap elements, denying that anything better even existed, all while putting out great new masters overseas from great elements. There's at least one of Kurosawa's films where there's a 4K transfer from an OCN out in Japan, while a 2K transfer from a fine grain positive is out in the US, all while Toho continually insisted the neg no longer existed.

Now, it seems like the logjam has finally broken, as we're now getting a respectable number of Japanese films on Blu-ray and 4K.

That being said, Criterion does have several dozen if not over a hundred films that they're sitting on, many for years at a time. Most are rumors, which makes verifying them hard. The only confirmed one is Burn!, which KLI confirmed back in 2016. Then you have the ones that are frequently rumored, like The French Connection, Captain Blood, High Society, and Eyes Wide Shut.

Still, Criterion is notoriously tight-lipped. They could say on the 14th that they'll consider a title or forward a title or whatever they say, and on the 15th it will be announced.

Short of internal leaks, which I've never seen occur, I have no confirmation of most of their titles, and aside from the one title KLI mentioned because they explicitly heard it was with Criterion, we're forced to play the guessing game with the rest of the titles Criterion has.

Originally Posted by Rexx

My respondent at Criterion, a substitute for the usual person posting replies, didn't bother to affirm that Criterion held a licence for Catch-22, but she didn't deny it either. That's part of the frustration.


Still I don't "get" why anyone would licence a film and "sit on it" for year after year after year.

[DrasticHandprint]

Originally Posted by Amiibro121

I just added movies to my cart on the website to see if they charge me taxes this time and... yeah they do
I guess my gift certificate will only cover the taxes then unless the supposed glitch is replicated again tomorrow

Yeah, funnily enough I thought I'd look last week if it was still going to be tax free or something, and I went to the checkout page and wasn't charged tax, but just tried it now and I am now the tax charge is on there. Oh well, but it's all good anyways because I'd still be charged tax anywhere else I'd buy Criterion.

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by fdm

I read somewhere where they've fixed this glitch.

Me, I'm just going with b&n sales from now on, and only from their stores where I can actually hand pick the undamaged copies I want.

I have received/seen a lot of Criterion inserts put in crooked, or up too high/low. Often ripped or crumpled. It’s the only label I worry about that with

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by Scottie

I'm going to update the thread a little bit.

Part of this includes adding a post dedicated to all of the films Criterion has yet to announce for BD/4K, but that are confirmed (or heavily rumored). I.E. Captain Blood, The French Connection, The Big Heat, as well as the sources associated with them. If anyone could help me with this, I'd appreciate it!

Maybe someone else has the sources but I suspect Criterion is sitting on these films...



and for those long shot box sets...

[Show spoiler]

[eightslicesofpie]

Originally Posted by dbhl3000

Will that be a 50% off sale?

Yup

[MovieBuff647]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Here are the titles so far for 2025 that were not previously released in HD worldwide:

Anora*
Choose Me
Crossing Delancey
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
Killer of Sheep
King Lear (1987)
Midnight
Prince of Broadway*
Thelonious Monk Straight, No Chaser (1988)
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

*There are French releases that have recently been announced, and coming out in March, ahead of Criterion's releases.

Here are the HD releases that are brand new to the US:

Basquiat (there was just an old JP release before this new one)
Drugstore Cowboy
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Last Summer (Janus Contemporaries)
Room 666 / 999 (Janus Contemporaries)
The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers (1973-74)
The Mother and the Wh0re
Winchester '73
Withnail and I
A Woman of Paris

Here are the Criterion titles being upgraded to 4K:

Brazil
Chungking Express
Cronos
In the Heat of the Night
Mishima: A Life in 4 Chapters
Punch Drunk Love
Some Like it Hot
Thief
Ugetsu
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
The Wages of Fear
Yojimbo & Sanjuro
Withnail & I (previously released on DVD by Criterion)

And finally here are releases previously released in HD in the US, but are new to Criterion:

Godzilla vs Biollante
The Grifters
Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring
Night Moves
Performance
Sorcerer
The Wind Will Carry Us
The Wiz

Make of that what you will.

What's also interesting/new about ANORA is that they went ahead and licensed out the UK rights from Universal. There are times where Janus specifically got the UK rights to a title they licensed out from another studio in the US (that's why LA DOLCE VITA is still in print in the UK whereas the US Criterion license was pulled by Paramount), but just a few years ago, they probably would not have done something like this, at least for an indie.

[backwater]

Apparently Criterion confirmed at SXSW that Fire Walk with Me 4k will be released in November: https://www.hometheaterforum.com/com...2#post-5397604