The Criterion Collection

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

Really? The influx of Warner titles is killing the upgrades? How about perhaps they are not fast on upgrading the remaining DVD titles because either ....

1. Criterion is waiting for better elements or 2k / 4k restorations.

2. Title was a poor seller and no Blu is planned.

3. They are trying to space the upgrades out a bit in order to focus on new to the label titles.

But honestly, it is not some conspiracy because of WB. That is just plain silly.

Those are all factors, even the conspiracy part. It just seems really strange that all of these titles from almost every company keep getting blu ray releases that I think it's fair to say most of us have never even heard of but it seems so difficult to get rare obscure titles released to blu ray (that do have fan bases) for some reason that a lot of us have atleast heard of. It kind of comes off like a conspiracy.

[ShellOilJunior]

My theory on the dearth of upgrades:
Criterion strongly prefers to use 4K or 2K transfers whenever possible (Especially when provided by Janus, Sony, WB, etc). The lack of upgrades suggests 2K/4K transfers are either not readily available, too expensive or inadequate (Pathe's Le Samourai, for example).

Let's look at 2016.

New Releases by Transfer Type
4K (25)
2K (21)
Other: "High-Definition Digital Restoration" (6), "Restored High-Definition Digital Transfer" (1), "High-Definition Digital Master" (1)

DVD to Blu-ray Catalog Upgrades (Not counting un-boxed titles or packaging re-issues).
7 upgrades (4 of which enjoy 4K Transfers, 3 use the "old master"/Other category).

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by llj

I think what still puzzles me, and not just with Criterion in this case, is why so many other countries seem to get better releases or releases of classic or important titles much sooner than in North America. It also puzzles me when classic American films get better and earlier releases in another country than in the US.

It often feels like when we finally get a release of something in NA, we're often (though not always) the last in getting it, and often it's inferior to some international edition. I can understand it for a foreign movie, but when a UK company is doing, say, a Touch of Evil BD release better than the American release by the parent company of said film, it seems backwards to me.

BINGO! These movies were made in America and they are getting released and treated better in other countries. Look at the region free UK release for Payback. Features both the theatrical and director's cuts in DTS-HD MA vs. the US release which is just the director's cut in standard DD 5.1. Also Olive films just throws the excellent film Bound (which has Criterion potential) on a disc with standard DD 2.0?! The region free France release has better PQ and is in DTS-HD MA 5.1. Makes no sense. Atleast there's a good amount that are region free but then you can't even access the special features here in the states unless you have a region free player which is frustrating.

[kuro_sawa]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

My theory on the dearth of upgrades:
Criterion strongly prefers to use 4K or 2K transfers whenever possible (Especially when provided by Janus, Sony, WB, etc). The lack of upgrades suggests 2K/4K transfers are either not readily available, too expensive or inadequate (Pathe's Le Samourai, for example).

Let's look at 2016.

New Releases by Transfer Type
4K (25)
2K (21)
Other: "High-Definition Digital Restoration" (6), "Restored High-Definition Digital Transfer" (1), "High-Definition Digital Master" (1)

DVD to Blu-ray Catalog Upgrades (Not counting un-boxed titles or packaging re-issues).
7 upgrades (4 of which enjoy 4K Transfers, 3 use the "old master"/Other category).

Your logic is not unappreciated ... but this says nothing of the absent Pickup on South Street blu.

[tisdivine]

I remember reading awhile back someone said they broke up a box set and sold the titles they didnt want. How did that work?

The only titles I have to own from the Demy set it Bay of Angels, Umbrellas & Lola.

If I buy the standalone Umbrellas and keep Bay & Lola from the set I would be happy to get rid of the others.

Do you sell them as a box set missing two films? Or as individual titles? What about the book & box just toss them? Its so weird to me anyone would want a non-complete box set hahah

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

Do you sell them as a box set missing two films? Or as individual titles? What about the book & box just toss them? Its so weird to me anyone would want a non-complete box set hahah

Definitely sell them individually; there are more potential buyers who want just the one movie out of the box than there are potential buyers who want all of the movies in the box except one, but still won't just buy the box.

Sell the box and book separately, somebody will probably buy 'em. Or offer it as a free prize -- "buy three titles from this set and I will throw in the box for free", something like that.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

Really? The influx of Warner titles is killing the upgrades? How about perhaps they are not fast on upgrading the remaining DVD titles because either ....

1. Criterion is waiting for better elements or 2k / 4k restorations.

2. Title was a poor seller and no Blu is planned.

3. They are trying to space the upgrades out a bit in order to focus on new to the label titles.

But honestly, it is not some conspiracy because of WB. That is just plain silly.

I don't think it's ridiculous. Criterion don't have unlimited resources, so they have to decide how to best use them. It's not impossible to think they took money from one to shift focus to another.

2014 - 24 upgrades
2015 - 18 upgrades
2016 - 7 upgrades
2017 (Jan.- April) - 0 upgrades

2014 - 0 Warner titles
2015 - 2 Warner titles
2016 - 13 Warner titles
2017 (Jan. - April) - 6 Warner titles

(these numbers may not be exact, please feel free to correct them)

You can see a statistical negative correlation there between the amount of Warner titles in a given year, and the amount of upgrades for that same year. I don't think saying it may not be just a coincidence makes people conspiracy theorists. I think the data very much backs it up.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I think the deal with Warner is definitely one of the main reason for the switch. Rather than investing the money into the upgrades, they've put it towards the licensing of Warner's stuff. There was a drastic drop off in the amount of upgrades after they started releasing Warner titles on a regular basis.

It's counterintuitive to believe that their having a licensing deal with Warner could be in any way a negative, but I think you're right.

[mrjohnnyb]

Does anyone have a list of the Criterion Collection DVDs that have not been upgraded to blu-ray?

[CRASHLANDING]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Does anyone have a list of the Criterion Collection DVDs that have not been upgraded to blu-ray?

You can get it on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...u-ray_releases

Just sort descending by "Blu-Ray" and the top section will be those with no BD release.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Does anyone have a list of the Criterion Collection DVDs that have not been upgraded to blu-ray?

I'm not sure about Criterion but this actually falls under all studios and I can make a huge list. That might be for another thread though.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Does anyone have a list of the Criterion Collection DVDs that have not been upgraded to blu-ray?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...u-ray_releases

This has a list of all releases, and has a field to indicate which ones have blu-ray versions.

Edit: I see someone beat me to it

You can see on the list that there are plenty of upgrades of spines 1-200, less so from 300-500

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Does anyone have a list of the Criterion Collection DVDs that have not been upgraded to blu-ray?

Wikipedia has a list of the entire Criterion DVD collection here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...u-ray_releases

Column 6 ("Blu Ray") is either "yes" or "----" (No), so sort by that column and put the Nos on top.

[Polaroid]

Received Heart of a Dog today, what a beautiful booklet it comes with!

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Could also factor in if it was in the DVD line through Criterion but already released by another studio, regardless of country.
Myself I'd also factor in Laserdiscs cause I just would.

Yes Laserdiscs as well for sure

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jayembee

It's counterintuitive to believe that their having a licensing deal with Warner could be in any way a negative, but I think you're right.

Remember when so many of us were wishing for more WB titles from Criterion? The old adage of "Be careful what you wish for" seems to be playing out at the moment for those of us wanting upgrades. I don't know if the Warner deal is the reason behind the decrease but the #s MifuneFan posted seem to make a case for that.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

It's not just Warner though it's every major studio.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by jayembee

It's counterintuitive to believe that their having a licensing deal with Warner could be in any way a negative, but I think you're right.

Well, you could say that Criterion is still releasing upgrades. Warner upgrades. Not sure if this is a net positive or negative just yet.

[UncleBuckWild]

Not seeing Le Delon, Molly or Scarlett part of the announcement ...

... makes my belief stronger in the fact that Janus God's one of those DJs hell-bent on playing songs you don't like.



#crymeariver

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Myself I'd also factor in Laserdiscs cause I just would.

Really? I'd never have guessed that about you.