The Criterion Collection

[14728]

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Got these yesterday. Very happy!

[llj]

Originally Posted by Knaldskalle

Well, to be fair, Brief Encounter was originally a standalone release (#76) that was later included in the Lean box set.

I'm sure there are lots of people who'd love to buy this but who aren't willing to cough up for the box, thinking (wrongly, imo) that the other movies in the set aren't worth it. Brief Encounter is by far the most famous title in the set, so it makes perfect financial sense to give it a separate release.

Didn't we have this exact same conversation about month ago? I swear even the participants are the same! I had to check the page to see if I didn't accidentally click on the wrong page or even time travelled.

That said, I am totally for standalone releases, even though people dismissing the rest of the films on the Lean set are SERIOUSLY missing out.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Every time a box set is announced, do you folks think Criterion should offer a standalone option, as well?

Short answer: it depends.

Long answer:

1) There are box sets that belong together for thematic reasons or are widely recognized as belonging with each other. In my opinion, these should be left that way.

Examples: The Apu Trilogy, The Three Colors Trilogy, The Samurai Trilogy, Bergman's Faith Trilogy (which needs an upgrade to Blu-ray and is one example of why I stand on my soapbox about the lack of upgrades).


2) There are box sets that could be split up, since the movies are related by distribution company or director. The director sets can be useful for seeing a chronological development of the director, but could also stand alone without much loss of theme.

Example: The BBS Story


3) There is a third category where the films in the box set could easily be released individually, but should be kept together in a set to fully appreciate the development of a director's common theme, style, and vision, or the development of a character who reappears in several films.

Examples: The best example of this is The Jacques Tati set. Criterion released PlayTime as a stand alone. I bought it as a blind buy and liked it, but the Monsieur Hulot character meant nothing to me. Then several years later Criterion released The Complete Jacques Tati and I watched the Hulot films in order. By the time I revisited PlayTime it had so much more resonance and meaning for me because I had now watched and grown familiar with Tati's Hulot character and eagerly anticipated his appearance onscreen. I absolutely love Tati's films and the joy they bring. Watching them also gave me a better appreciation for the depth and richness of French Cinema I did not have from watching individual New Wave films.

I could say the same thing for The Essential Jacques Demy, which at first glance could be released individually. However, by releasing them in a set united by musical or stylistic themes, we are drawn into Demy's wonderful world and Michel Legrand's amazing film scores in a way we would not have been without having all the films together. The set is truly fantastic. Most importantly, we get to see Catherine Deneuve in the majority of the films. Who could possibly complain about that?

[Show spoiler]

The rest of the story:
Also, by releasing films in sets, we get them all at once. I couldn't imagine the Jacques Demy films, or the Tati's, or the Apu Trilogy films, released individually on Blu-ray over a period of years. They could not possibly have the same impact on the viewer, not knowing how long until the next film would be released (although that is how the audience back in the day experienced them) or in what chronological order. Box sets give a modern viewer an advantage point of rediscovery and re-evaluation of a director's group of movies covering similar or unifying themes. This is extraordinary when you think about it, and how lucky we are to live in an age of home media where we can look back on whole bodies of work from our living rooms.

I would also think from Criterion's viewpoint by releasing films in box sets in the interest of completeness they are also finding a home for some lesser quality films or outright stinkers that would never sell on their own.

Examples: Land of Milk and Honey and A Safe Place. This just reminds me there is no justice in Criterion world when we have A Safe Place on Blu-ray in Region A, but not The Passion of Joan of Arc or Pickup on South Street or The Naked Prey or The Cranes are Flying or.......etc, etc, etc.

[zakzak]

https://www.criterion.com/current/po...-the-new-world

"...Lubezki and Malick have been working with Criterion for more than a year to create a new 4K restoration of Malick’s preferred 172-minute cut of the film, and these brief, never-before-seen examples show the incredible difference between the look of Lubezki’s meticulously exposed camera negative and that of the finished film."

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by RickDee

Box sets should be an after thought. Why force films on people just to get a single one? Box sets are fine but only as a side release lets keep them separate please.

Well it depends, there are boxsets like Three Colors trilogy or The Apu Trilogy and hopefully this year The Before Trilogy that I feel would not make sense as standalone releases.

I feel some of the boxsets like Bergman Rossellini or Lean and Coward don't nesseraly need to be watched together, even to some extent the BBS boxset although I haven't seen that entirely yet.

But then there are others like the Demy, Tati and Cassavetes where I think it wouldn't be the same as standalone releases years apart, there is something special in delving into one filmmaker's work with all these details in the way of supplements, that I am not sure I would like to experience them for first time any other way, although it could be argued that if you have already seen the films you could choose and pick what you like.

Edit: seems oildude beat me to it, pretty much agree with everything there.

[A Tortured Duckling]

Hey guys, I placed my first order with Criterion on the 24th, and the orders page tells me it has been completed. However, I have not received a shipment confirmation email and there is no tracking number to be found anywhere on the actual orders page. Is there something I am missing, or should I be contacting customer service?

I am not sure if this is the right place for the question, but I know many of you have extensive experience with their web store, so I thought this may be best place to put it.

Thank you 8)

[812crew]

Just wanted to give a big recommendation for Cul-De-Sac, for those who haven't seen it.
I always avoided this movie because I'd heard it was one of Polanski's lesser movies, but I'd been watching a lot of his other stuff lately, so I picked it up.
I thought it was excellent. It's probably 20 minutes too long, and some of the performances become a little one note after a while, but for the most part, it's a pretty entertaining film....but more than that, it truly has some of my favorite camerawork of his that I've seen. Some really incredible, imaginative shots. I think it actually helps that the story isn't as good as some of his other movies, because it made me appreciate the camerawork more (whereas I find Rosemary's Baby so entertaining to watch that I often miss some of the great stuff he's doing with the camera).
If you're ever on the fence about this title, I'd definitely say to give it a shot!

[RickDee]

Originally Posted by oildude

Short answer: it depends.

Long answer:

1) There are box sets that belong together for thematic reasons or are widely recognized as belonging with each other. In my opinion, these should be left that way.

I think that pretty much goes without saying.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Every time a box set is announced, do you folks think Criterion should offer a standalone option, as well?

Yes...and no.

Yes, because there are crucial films that earn the right to have their own standalone releases (Easy Rider being a good example).

No, because not every film should have its own standalone release (A Safe Place being a great example).

Also, in the case of the Whit Stillman box set, I'm planning on just buying Barcelona since I already own the other 2 films in the forthcoming set (Metropolitan and Last Days of Disco).

[joie]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Every time a box set is announced, do you folks think Criterion should offer a standalone option, as well?

Yes. It promotes customer choice. They might do a box set, then shortly later offer the standalones. That is what was done with the Tati set in Europe.

[spargs]

Was so excited when I got home today to see a Criterion package on my doorstep... only to open it and find someone else's order in it. Wrong order #, different person on the shipping insert, etc... so looks like they just simply packaged this person's order in a box addressed to me. Wonder where my order ended up?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by spargs

Was so excited when I got home today to see a Criterion package on my doorstep... only to open it and find someone else's order in it. Wrong order #, different person on the shipping insert, etc... so looks like they just simply packaged this person's order in a box addressed to me. Wonder where my order ended up?

Ouch, that's brutal. When I went down for the mail today in addition to my Criterion order there was a corrugated mailer from Deep Discount. I was very disappointed to find that The Big Sleep had not shipped along with Sherlock Holmes (1916). I can't even imagine finding something like LadyHawke or something

So let's make a game of your misfortune....

Tell us what you were expecting and what you got and we'll tell you whether to keep it or not.

[The Great Owl]

I sold my old Blu-rays of The Graduate and The New World today, so it just got real.

I used the money to buy "used - like new" Blu-rays of two recent flicks, No Escape and The Gift, both of which have intrigued me for the past few months.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Apparently, Blood Simple is also coming, according to some people who were in attendence. But, take this with a grain of salt.

I would be fine with that if a Criterion release included the original cut as well as the director's cut. The original cut was never even released on DVD.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Snicket

I would love for Criterion to release Daughters of the Dust. It's long OOP from Kino and has not been released on blu ever. It's a film that desperately needs Criterion TLC. Additionally, it was the first wide release film of an African American woman director (in 1991, which is crazy because that's way too contemporary) so it's an important piece of film history.

Can't agree more. I saw this film during its theatrical release, and was entranced. I've watched the Kino DVD several times, but would love to see it on Blu, especially from The Big C.

[jshaide]

The above story reminds me of a flash sale a few years ago. . . Criterion sent me my order but also included A Film Trilogy by Ingmar Bergman, which I already had (though, I feel like they forgot something I did want. . . like Ugetsu or something. . .I can't recall fully. . .). The response when I told them was "Keep the box set, or give it a friend or the local library", which I thought was a pretty cool answer.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Autumn Shroud

Hey guys, I placed my first order with Criterion on the 24th, and the orders page tells me it has been completed. However, I have not received a shipment confirmation email and there is no tracking number to be found anywhere on the actual orders page. Is there something I am missing, or should I be contacting customer service?

I am not sure if this is the right place for the question, but I know many of you have extensive experience with their web store, so I thought this may be best place to put it.

Thank you 8)

Hi Autumn Shroud,

What did you order? I'm wondering if they weren't waiting on a shipment to come in, thereby allowing them to complete your order. That would explain a slight delay.

I wouldn't be concerned. If you don't have an update by tomorrow, you might email them. orders@criterion.com. Include the order # found on your "my account" page. They'll get back to you promptly.

Bill

[Nuck Horris]

Originally Posted by spargs

Was so excited when I got home today to see a Criterion package on my doorstep... only to open it and find someone else's order in it. Wrong order #, different person on the shipping insert, etc... so looks like they just simply packaged this person's order in a box addressed to me. Wonder where my order ended up?

It's OK, just send them to me and I'll dispose of them properly.

[BAKA]

Loving the photos of sale hauls! Do Criterion include shipping invoices inside the package? Need to know whether to get it removed before re-shipping to the UK, otherwise those evil customs people will want money.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by BAKA

Loving the photos of sale hauls! Do Criterion include shipping invoices inside the package? Need to know whether to get it removed before re-shipping to the UK, otherwise those evil customs people will want money.

They do. The invoice is printed on a sticker to put on return packages.