The Criterion Collection

[Bn43]

I'm wondering why Criterion is so much more expensive than the UK's Masters of Cinema. I recently imported four titles that aren't available on Blu in America.

Diary of a Lost Girl (Just watched. Great 2K scan.)
The Blue Angel
Pickup on Main Street
Faust

It was just 49.50 dollars with international shipping. With Criterion, I would have paid almost twice as much. They do the same thing Criterion does. Remaster old movies and package them with booklets featuring essays and production photos.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Bn43

I'm wondering why Criterion is so much more expensive than the UK's Masters of Cinema. I recently imported four titles that aren't available on Blu in America.

Diary of a Lost Girl (Just watched. Greats 2K scan.)
The Blue Angel
Pickup on Main Street
Faust

It was just 49.50 dollars with international shipping. With Criterion, I would have paid almost twice as much. They do the same thing Criterion does. Remaster old movies and package them with booklets featuring essays and production photos.

The US is a much larger market than the UK, so licensing fees are much higher. Another thing, MoC, like a lot of other UK labels, do not pay for the creation of new masters, relying on the licensor or US labels to create them.(More UK labels have started to create HD masters, but Eureka/MoC still, to the best of my knowledge, has never footed the bill for one.)

[Sabzi_Nic]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

In anticipation of a Portrait of A Lady on Fire I have been watching some of Celine Sciamma’s other films on the Criterion Channel. I just finished Water Lilies and I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. I had great empathy for Marie for most of the film but I didn't get why she was such a jerk to Anne. Its not like anyone ever mistakes Marie for a cool kid. I would guess that Marie would be referred to as “that weird chick Floriane hangs with occasionally”. So many things to think about / discuss with this film.

Not sure how many have seen this film since I don't remember anyone ever talking about it but thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated lol

PS - Adèle Haenel is amazing even as a teenager.

I have been revisiting Sciamma's films as well. I had not seen them in a while. Water Lillies is a good companion piece to Portrait of a lady on fire because they both touch on elements of the "female gaze". Water Lillies is a complicated and fustrating film because of the way the characters behave. I agree. I don't think its a easy film to like but I can appreciate it because of how it handles these serious issues of attraction, identity confusion, and jealousy between teenagers.

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by Bn43

I'm wondering why Criterion is so much more expensive than the UK's Masters of Cinema. I recently imported four titles that aren't available on Blu in America.

Diary of a Lost Girl (Just watched. Great 2K scan.)
The Blue Angel
Pickup on Main Street
Faust

It was just 49.50 dollars with international shipping. With Criterion, I would have paid almost twice as much. They do the same thing Criterion does. Remaster old movies and package them with booklets featuring essays and production photos.

Kino actually has released The Blue Angel twice on this side of the pond. Although I do believe the MoC release is supposedly superior to both.

[vealparm_]

Hey everyone, new to the forums, first time posting here. And firstly let me say, I really want After Hours lol. Anyone think it’ll be this year? Every month I think it’s going to be announced...Favorite film out of the collection is such a hard one but The Night of the Hunter is pretty up there for me. Most recent watch was The Cremator last night on the channel. Need to get a copy for the collection. Also always looking for recommendations on foreign horror/thriller/noir films that are on the Channel now. Hope to converse with some of you folks!

[latehong]

Originally Posted by vealparm_

Hey everyone, new to the forums, first time posting here. And firstly let me say, I really want After Hours lol. Anyone think it’ll be this year? Every month I think it’s going to be announced...Favorite film out of the collection is such a hard one but The Night of the Hunter is pretty up there for me. Most recent watch was The Cremator last night on the channel. Need to get a copy for the collection. Also always looking for recommendations on foreign horror/thriller/noir films that are on the Channel now. Hope to converse with some of you folks!

Let's start with my personal favorite Japanese noir with stark B&W cinematography and the bleakest existential pessimism: Pale Flower (1964)

Another favorite of mine, a German arthouse treatment with a Patricia Highsmith crime novel with respect to old Hollywood masters: The American Friend (1977)

And, as a South Korean, I cannot help but recommending 'the' classic South Korean domestic thriller that made Bong Joon-ho: The Housemaid (1960)

When I think of the most stripped-down yet profound horror films, two films come to my mind immediately, perhaps because both are basically about three-people dynamics in limited locations. One is David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) and the other is: Onibaba (1964)

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by Bn43

I'm wondering why Criterion is so much more expensive than the UK's Masters of Cinema. I recently imported four titles that aren't available on Blu in America.

Diary of a Lost Girl (Just watched. Great 2K scan.)
The Blue Angel
Pickup on Main Street
Faust

It was just 49.50 dollars with international shipping. With Criterion, I would have paid almost twice as much. They do the same thing Criterion does. Remaster old movies and package them with booklets featuring essays and production photos.

I've bought plenty of Region B due to a better price, but there are other factors that make any cost comparison like yours tricky.

What was the exchange rate? (The GBP has been as low as $1.15 recently due to current global events). If you bought from Amazon, it also deducts the 20% VAT for an overseas purchaser, further reducing the total cost. How much did you pay for shipping (I believe orders placed direct with MoC ship free)?

Buying four "standard" Criterion titles during a Flash Sale or B&N 50% event would cost you $80 before sales tax (if applicable). Factor in a very strong USD, and maybe no VAT and/or free shipping when buying from the UK, and things start to even out.

[Xtempo]

Will get the order Tuesday. Excited to watch them.

[Ray Jackson]

The New World is the saddest Terrence Malick film imo.

...every time I watch it I get depressed.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

The New World is the saddest Terrence Malick film imo.

...every time I watch it I get depressed.

I get the opposite reaction.

I am overjoyed, filled with happy tears and I weep in pleasure at the beauty of nature triumphing over mankind. Add the Wagner music and my tears are so prolific, my 3rd floor nearly floods and I literally need a bucket to scoop my teardrop-water out through my window.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by jw007

I get the opposite reaction.

I am overjoyed, filled with happy tears and I weep in pleasure at the beauty of nature triumphing over mankind. Add the Wagner music and my tears are so prolific, my 3rd floor nearly floods and I literally need a bucket to scoop my teardrop-water out through my window.

Overjoyed with happy tears?

Pocahontas

[Show spoiler]dies.

Her place with her people is destroyed.

Her great love connection to John Smith is broken.

Her tribe loses their home and it’s the beginning of the end for the native Americans.

...you heartless bastard.

[tatterdemalion]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Overjoyed with happy tears?

Pocahontas

[Show spoiler]dies.

Her place with her people is destroyed.

Her great love connection to John Smith is broken.

Her tribe loses their home and it’s the beginning of the end for the native Americans.

...you heartless bastard.

What's funny is I have both reactions to the ending, happy and sad. Happy because

[Show spoiler]the last scenes show Pocahontas running and laughing and enjoying the simple things in life, sort of like the coda from Bergman's Cries and Whispers. Sad because, yes, her peoples world is about to come to an end.

It's one of many reasons why this is my favorite film of Malick's.

[812crew]

Just bought and watched Bamboozled (it arrived super fast from Criterion, which impressed me). Such a crazy, confusing, brutal, weird, provocative movie. It's definitely not an easy film, but the features are great, and I hope Criterion puts out many more of his movies. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say I think Spike Lee is the most important American filmmaker of the last 40 years. His movies aren't perfect - sometimes, like 60% of one works and the rest doesn't - but it's crazy to think how much he's been able to change the industry, on-screen and behind the camera. In a couple decades, I think he'll be widely regarded as a true artist and visionary....even for some of his "lesser" movies (for instance, I think "He Got Game" is a really great and important movie).

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by tatterdemalion

What's funny is I have both reactions to the ending, happy and sad. Happy because

[Show spoiler]the last scenes show Pocahontas running and laughing and enjoying the simple things in life, sort of like the coda from Bergman's Cries and Whispers. Sad because, yes, her peoples world is about to come to an end.

It's one of many reasons why this is my favorite film of Malick's.

This is my favorite poster from The New World. Much better than the one that depicts Smith as an action hero and the tag line fits exactly what you guys have been saying.

IMG_1665.JPG

[StarkRomanoff]

As a newb to Criterion, I have a general question about their releases: Looking at the Portrait of a Lady On Fire page they state the blu-ray is a "new 4K digital master" but don't list a 4K disc. I'm not familiar with their released discs but don't recall Criterion 4K discs so is this just a really good looking blu-ray? It only comes with the 1 disc that's supposed to fit the film and all extras.

What should I be expecting with this release? Right now it's the only release I'm willing to pay top Criterion dollars for (even though it's "discounted") so I've got nothing to compare it to. But from what I can tell, Criterion promises quality.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by StarkRomanoff

As a newb to Criterion, I have a general question about their releases: Looking at the Portrait of a Lady On Fire page they state the blu-ray is a "new 4K digital master" but don't list a 4K disc. I'm not familiar with their released discs but don't recall Criterion 4K discs so is this just a really good looking blu-ray? It only comes with the 1 disc that's supposed to fit the film and all extras.

What should I be expecting with this release? Right now it's the only release I'm willing to pay top Criterion dollars for (even though it's "discounted") so I've got nothing to compare it to. But from what I can tell, Criterion promises quality.

it's a 4K transfer but downrezzed to 2K for the bluray - there is unfortunately no actual 4K UHD disc edition release from Criterion.

[vealparm_]

Originally Posted by latehong

Let's start with my personal favorite Japanese noir with stark B&W cinematography and the bleakest existential pessimism: Pale Flower (1964)

Another favorite of mine, a German arthouse treatment with a Patricia Highsmith crime novel with respect to old Hollywood masters: The American Friend (1977)

And, as a South Korean, I cannot help but recommending 'the' classic South Korean domestic thriller that made Bong Joon-ho: The Housemaid (1960)

When I think of the most stripped-down yet profound horror films, two films come to my mind immediately, perhaps because both are basically about three-people dynamics in limited locations. One is David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) and the other is: Onibaba (1964)

Just finished Pale Flower, thank you for that one. Really enjoyed it and the cinematography is beautiful. I had The Housemaid in my watchlist for a long time and found it on the Channel a few months ago, it’s now one of my favorite films. I’ve seen and loved Onibaba and of course The Fly. I’ll have to get to The American Friend this week.

[StarkRomanoff]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

it's a 4K transfer but downrezzed to 2K for the bluray - there is unfortunately no actual 4K UHD disc edition release from Criterion.

That really is unfortunate since the film was shot in 7K and we are only getting 2K discs. Hopefully with its popularity and acclaim it’ll eventually get a 4K disc.

[ilovenola2]

Originally Posted by jw007

I get the opposite reaction.

I am overjoyed, filled with happy tears and I weep in pleasure at the beauty of nature triumphing over mankind. Add the Wagner music and my tears are so prolific, my 3rd floor nearly floods and I literally need a bucket to scoop my teardrop-water out through my window.

I'll stick with just the Wagner music, thanks.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by 812crew

...the features are great, and I hope Criterion puts out many more of his movies. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say I think Spike Lee is the most important American filmmaker of the last 40 years.

A lot of his other films are available on Kino, although not with any extensive extras.