The Criterion Collection

[yoloswegmaster420]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Lee Kline says in the interview that Criterion took 3 years for the restoration of the Apu Trilogy, and that's just 3 films for which they already had the elements - granted, they were in terrible shape after they went through a fire, but it won't be easy for Criterion to find ready good elements for a lot of Indian classics.

This article from 2017 also states that it took Criterion 15 years just to get the rights to the Apu trilogy. Just imagine how long it would take to get the rights to other Indian films. Also of interest, the articles states that Criterion is/was securing the rights to a couple of Guru Dutt's films. I could see those being added to a Bollywood boxset (if they decide to go forward with it).

[sawdustandtinsel]

HBO Max has a ton of Chaplin shorts popping up with Criterion branding. I know some of them have been supplements (The Rink and Nice and Friendly I believe) but the rest haven't had a release yet, maybe a First National Eclipse set coming or something?

[Doc Moonlight]

Originally Posted by jw007

And this is why I love physical media. Because if I can hold a movie in my hand and not worry about it suddenly vanishing into thin air along some wireless connection, I feel reassured, I feel comforted, I feel I got my money's worth.

I love being in the presence of physical media, just looking at rows and rows of DVD/Blu-Rays, CDs, Books gives me a feeling of comport. Reading a book gives me at sense of accomplishment. When you start, all of the weight of the book is on the right hand side. As you read, the weight shifts to the left, one page at a time and when you're done, all the weight is on the left. That's a sense you don't get with e-books.

[HillSprinter]

Originally Posted by jw007

Regarding brick and mortar stores such as Barnes & Noble:

My feelings are simple: Physical media deserves a physical store.

If I wanted to amass a huge collection of digital movies, I can click a button and I'd have the movie in AN INSTANT. Yes, instant gratification.

But there's something to the discovery, and the sheer joy of flipping through those plastic sealed blu-ray jewel cases in person and suddenly a real life human being walks over to you and notices you're holding a really cool Criterion like Hausu or Mishima and you strike up a conversation and end up talking for 15 or 20 minutes about movies and you end up becoming friends in real life and one day that friend introduces you to a woman who you fall in love with and marry and have kids and your entire life is changed forever.

Yet none of that would have ever occurred had you not been in a Barnes & Noble store in person searching for Criterions.

To me, physical media presents opportunities. Opportunities can change or alter the course of our lives. Sitting by ourselves and buying movies on a tv screen isn't the same thing and its dehumanizing and lacks the whole joy of social interaction as well as TOUCHING something real, something tangible, something that could change our lives that includes the human factor.

And this is why I love physical media. Because if I can hold a movie in my hand and not worry about it suddenly vanishing into thin air along some wireless connection, I feel reassured, I feel comforted, I feel I got my money's worth.

I hope Barnes & Noble's in-store Criterion sales I've been participating in over the past 10+ years continue. It's always something I enjoy every Summer (and Fall).

I know people have high expectations from Criterion, but a wife and kids (and friends) is really pushing their abilities!

[jw007]

Originally Posted by ravenus

If Spike Jonze is right, you could in the future have a ScarJo voiced AI that you can fall in love with and have wonderful cyber-companionship.

Yes. It would certainly be better that living as a single man without an AI companion. Lol.

Originally Posted by Doc Moonlight

I love being in the presence of physical media, just looking at rows and rows of DVD/Blu-Rays, CDs, Books gives me a feeling of comport. Reading a book gives me at sense of accomplishment. When you start, all of the weight of the book is on the right hand side. As you read, the weight shifts to the left, one page at a time and when you're done, all the weight is on the left. That's a sense you don't get with e-books.

Oh yes. As someone with OCD, I was always very careful handling the pages of books so as not to get my fingers smeared with black ink in which the fore edges of each page would darken with every passing page I read. So I always held the pages on the very edges so as not to affect the book's fore edges. But this is something one does not have to worry about when dealing with e-books (or accidentally lighting a book on fire too).

Originally Posted by HillSprinter

I know people have high expectations from Criterion, but a wife and kids (and friends) is really pushing their abilities!

Indeed, yes. It's a bit of a lofty dream, but at the very least there's more of a chance that a Criterion marriage would happen in real life. Maybe I'll write a screenplay about this, and the Criterion closet could be expanded into a wedding ballroom with millions of DVDs and blu-rays lining the walls. And every wedding guest would get to take home 10 titles of their choice.

[Akibiyori]

Originally Posted by sawdustandtinsel

HBO Max has a ton of Chaplin shorts popping up with Criterion branding. I know some of them have been supplements (The Rink and Nice and Friendly I believe) but the rest haven't had a release yet, maybe a First National Eclipse set coming or something?

Definitely not an Eclipse set. The First National shorts are taking so long because Criterion is likely trying to restore them to their original forms prior to The Chaplin Revue and remove the awful step printing to fix the speed and motion quality of each.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by ravenus

If Spike Jonze is right, you could in the future have a ScarJo voiced AI that you can fall in love with and have wonderful cyber-companionship.

Until

[Show spoiler]you find out that she's been talking to thousands of other people and breaks your heart

.

[Ray Jackson]

The second half of A Touch of Zen is great.

However, the first half is underwhelming, even a little boring imo.

...it’s too long.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Jr7936

I hope the bollywood set comes this year since it will be in my top wanted boxsets of year including agnes varda and bruce lee.
Lately though other then the box sets criterion has been a dry spell for me but just my opinion

I wouldn't be holding my breath, if I were you. Their schedule for this year is rather chock-full of box sets. So far, there's been the Rohmer set upgrade, the Scorsese Shorts set, and the Karel Zeman set. The Bruce Lee set is scheduled for July, the Varda set for August, and there's the Fellini mega-set and the Wong Kar-Wai set still to be announced.

[hainesdogg]

Does anyone know what time the Criterion.com 30% off ends on June 15?

Wondering if I can sneak an order in that morning before the discount ends.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by hainesdogg

Does anyone know what time the Criterion.com 30% off ends on June 15?

Wondering if I can sneak an order in that morning before the discount ends.

The Flash Sale events run from 12PM Eastern for 24 hours, but I think it reasonable to assume this offer will end at midnight on the 15th - unless Criterion extends it again.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I wouldn't be holding my breath, if I were you. Their schedule for this year is rather chock-full of box sets. So far, there's been the Rohmer set upgrade, the Scorsese Shorts set, and the Karel Zeman set. The Bruce Lee set is scheduled for July, the Varda set for August, and there's the Fellini mega-set and the Wong Kar-Wai set still to be announced.

Interesting that KL announced today it is releasing Fellini's Casanova in September.

[JasonMichael]

Originally Posted by jw007

But this is something one does not have to worry about when dealing with e-books (or accidentally lighting a book on fire too).

Are you really concerned about lighting a book on fire?

[HillSprinter]

Originally Posted by jw007

Indeed, yes. It's a bit of a lofty dream, but at the very least there's more of a chance that a Criterion marriage would happen in real life. Maybe I'll write a screenplay about this, and the Criterion closet could be expanded into a wedding ballroom with millions of DVDs and blu-rays lining the walls. And every wedding guest would get to take home 10 titles of their choice.

That sounds like a wedding worth attending, instead of avoiding!

By the way, I met my wife through a mutual affinity for Radiohead, online 16 years ago, I moved continents, and we have a 7 year old son! You never know what will happen because of a shared interest!

[Bn43]

Why is the Fellini collection definitely coming out this year, aside from his hundredth birthday being in January? Has there been any official information?

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Bn43

Why is the Fellini collection definitely coming out this year, aside from his hundredth birthday being in January? Has there been any official information?

Well, until Criterion makes an official announcement, we don't know definitely. It's been assumed to be this year because it's his centennial year. They also usually have a big boxed set released during each of the B&N sale months, so it could be that the Fellini set is being eyed for November. It also helps that it's a good prospect for Christmas buying (for that special Criterion Fan in your life), beginning with Black Friday -- or as I've taken to calling it, "the Black Plague".

The WKW set, on the other hand, I believe was planned for after a tour of theatrical showings of the restorations. So I wouldn't be surprised if that may be bumped until next year.

[traths]

Originally Posted by jw007

Regarding brick and mortar stores such as Barnes & Noble:

My feelings are simple: Physical media deserves a physical store.

If I wanted to amass a huge collection of digital movies, I can click a button and I'd have the movie in AN INSTANT. Yes, instant gratification.

But there's something to the discovery, and the sheer joy of flipping through those plastic sealed blu-ray jewel cases in person and suddenly a real life human being walks over to you and notices you're holding a really cool Criterion like Hausu or Mishima and you strike up a conversation and end up talking for 15 or 20 minutes about movies and you end up becoming friends in real life and one day that friend introduces you to a woman who you fall in love with and marry and have kids and your entire life is changed forever.

Did that actually happen to you?

[dancerslegs]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

The second half of A Touch of Zen is great.

However, the first half is underwhelming, even a little boring imo.

...it’s too long.

I felt the opposite way. Hu's atmospherics had me gripped through much of the first half. The rest I found too repetitive and silly. (To be fair, wuxia is so not my bag.)

Agreed that the whole of it is much too long, though. Legend of the Mountain is better, IMO.

[dkelly26666]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Interesting that KL announced today it is releasing Fellini's Casanova in September.

Yes, I was very surprised by that.

So, now that one is with KL. "Orchestra Rehearsal" and "Voice of the Moon" are both with Arrow. "The Clowns" is with Raro. "City of Women" is with Cohen Media.

This Criterion Fellini box set will be missing a good bit of his titles. Not nearly as comprehensive as the Bergman or Varda boxes.

[dwk]

Criterion was able to get Faces Places from Cohen for their Varda set, so I wouldn't write of City of Women