The Criterion Collection

[inconsistentluddite]

Originally Posted by sc1957

An email from Criterion regarding my recent order:

It was good of them to send that thoughtful and informative note to keep you updated. Criterion has great customer service (in my experience)! I wish that I could say the same for some video companies, whose products I love, but which are lacking in the "serving customers well" department. I will name no names though.

[theater dreamer]

I woke up from a nap to see Criterion’s Agnès Varda announcement, and find I am in my happy place. What an absolutely glorious way to celebrate the life of this legendary woman’s career. Bravo!!!!!

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Probably. How many, how long they've had the licenses, and how long it'll take them to get the things released are other good questions.

And, given that they've had a good relationship with Disney in the past, I would venture to say that they probably have a better chance of acquiring new licenses for Fox titles under the Mouse than other boutique labels.

It be nice if they could release The Iron Horse if Disney is still doing restorations of older films(a big if) and maybe release 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Lucky Star since they all saw BluRay releases already in France by Carlotta.

[inconsistentluddite]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Just ordered Six Moral Tales direct from Criterion. I am not at all familiar with Rohmer, and this is a blind-buy. However, I became very interested reading Beaver's recent review of the set. After prevaricating over how best to use my $10 gift, and with Criterion still offering 30% discount, I figured it's a good time to get acquainted with both the director and these films. Plus, it took me over the threshold to earn a $50 certificate - which will be great come the next Flash Sale.

Rohmer's films are not for all tastes, even among art film and French film lovers, but I am definitely a fan. His movies tend not to be based on action, so much as on a great amount of dialogue-- often witty, and also often cerebral and philosophical, but, at least to me, usually not pretentious. It might help that I love studying and discussing philosophy (and, to a lesser extent, psychology).

He was a practicing Catholic, but his films are not preachy at all. They do always have something of a moral center though. They are decidedly not nihilistic. He was a very thoughtful and reflective filmmaker who also had an impish sense of humor and a great love for humanity with all of its failings and imperfections, and all of these qualities are generally found in his films.

I envy you the experience of discovering his work! Just a thought: I might start with his 1969 masterpiece,"My Night at Maude's," to see if you like it (I think that it's one of his very greatest films and a great example of his overall style), and then go back to the earlier works, and then, forward again. Just my suggestion as a Rohmer fan of many years. In any event, however you choose to watch them, enjoy!

[SmittysGelato]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

I'm hoping 2021 gives us a Kurosawa boxset or a Kobayashi boxset. Now those would be boxsets that would put me over the moon.

I have been waiting so long for The Human Condition Trilogy.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

I have been waiting so long for The Human Condition Trilogy.

Yeah, don't get me started on that. I'm actually quite surprised that Criterion has never upgraded this to Blu-ray and that Arrow beat them to the punch in the U.K.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

I'm hoping 2021 gives us a Kurosawa boxset or a Kobayashi boxset. Now those would be boxsets that would put me over the moon.

2021 is Satyajit Ray's centenary. So I think the chance of a Ray set is high. The rumored Kiarostami set is another possibility.

[SmittysGelato]

Originally Posted by dwk

2021 is Satyajit Ray's centenary. So I think the chance of a Ray set is high. The rumored Kiarostami set is another possibility.

I hope they get a hold of more of his movies than just those available on the Channel.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by inconsistentluddite

Rohmer's films are not for all tastes, even among art film and French film lovers, but I am definitely a fan. His movies tend not to be based on action, so much as on a great amount of dialogue-- often witty, and also often cerebral and philosophical, but, at least to me, usually not pretentious. It might help that I love studying and discussing philosophy (and, to a lesser extent, psychology).

He was a practicing Catholic, but his films are not preachy at all. They do always have something of a moral center though. They are decidedly not nihilistic. He was a very thoughtful and reflective filmmaker who also had an impish sense of humor and a great love for humanity with all of its failings and imperfections, and all of these qualities are generally found in his films.

I envy you the experience of discovering his work! Just a thought: I might start with his 1969 masterpiece,"My Night at Maude's," to see if you like it (I think that it's one of his very greatest films and a great example of his overall style), and then go back to the earlier works, and then, forward again. Just my suggestion as a Rohmer fan of many years. In any event, however you choose to watch them, enjoy!

Thanks for the comments and suggestion. I certainly like what I've read on his style and the films in this set, so I'm reasonably confident I'll find plenty to enjoy and think about.

The set arrived today, but I've a few things in the queue ahead of it. I'll post some thoughts afterwards.

[StarDestroyer52]

Originally Posted by dwk

2021 is Satyajit Ray's centenary. So I think the chance of a Ray set is high. The rumored Kiarostami set is another possibility.

Yeah, I was going to say that a Ray set was our best bet. Though, I like to know what is going on with some Kurosawa films and why we aren't seeing individual upgrades for titles like Drunken Angel, Stray Dog, and The Bad Sleep Well. I know that Dersu Uzala is supposedly in bad shape which is why it hasn't been released.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

I hope they get a hold of more of his movies than just those available on the Channel.

Ray or Kiarostami? Because Janus does have Kiarostami's entire filmography except for the IFC titles and they should have no problem including those. Not too sure about Ray's films.

Oh, a complete Juzo Itami set would be great (and they do have all of his films.)

[SmittysGelato]

Originally Posted by dwk

Ray or Kiarostami? Because Janus does have Kiarostami's entire filmography except for the IFC titles and they should have no problem including those. Not too sure about Ray's films.

Oh, a complete Juzo Itami set would be great (and they do have all of his films.)

I was hoping for Ray, but maybe they just can't get a hold of enough of his films. I don't know the details.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Namuhana

The noticeable lack of excitement over this set is kind of disheartening. Varda played around with all the big dogs too and she deserves our love and attention. I'm absolutely stoked for this set and can't wait to have it.

I am, too. It does my heart good knowing her work will gain a new audience, myself included.

[Ray Jackson]

Every time I watch Kiss Me Deadly I get completely lost in the labyrinthine maze of the plot.

...every time.

[joy-division]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

I have been waiting so long for The Human Condition Trilogy.

You can get Arrow's regular release cheap as a ything now
Even outside of sale period (it was available for a tenner during the arror sale), it's available for £15

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Flapperdame16

May be off the string of posts before me - but w Twilight time going away, and Fox titles basically dwindling, is their any chance criterion snagged some Fox titles that are still in the pipeline?

Somebody needs to release Call Northside 777 and Nightmare Alley, I don’t care who.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Somebody needs to release Call Northside 777 and Nightmare Alley, I don’t care who.

I've been hoping that when the Del Toro NIGHTMARE ALLEY comes out there will be some kind of release of the Goulding version.

EDIT: Given Del Toro's good relationship with Criterion, it does make me wonder. . .

[MrSillywalks]

What are the chances of Amazon price-matching Criterion's own 174,96 for the Varda set, for us poor international customers?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by belcherman

Somebody needs to release Call Northside 777 and Nightmare Alley, I don’t care who.

The Blue Gardenia would be nice too.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by MrSillywalks

What are the chances of Amazon price-matching Criterion's own 174,96 for the Varda set, for us poor international customers?

Amazon doesn't have an official price-match policy for Criterion, but it's very likely it will offer the set at up to 50% discount at some point. But as to when...

The release date comes after the end of the Barnes and Noble semi-annual Criterion 50% sale in July, but may be price-matched when B&N holds its second 50% sale in November (assuming it goes ahead). Criterion has a 24-hour Flash Sale in October, and Amazon could do it then. Or just randomly, as has happened with the Bergman set released in 2018, and I think with last year's Godzilla set, too.

If you pre-order from Amazon now, you'll be eligible for the lowest price guarantee, and not charged until shipping. At least you can lock that order in, and cancel if the price isn't to your liking.

Hope some of this is helpful.