The Criterion Collection

[dwk]

It is an undisputed fact that all billionaires are evil. There is no getting around that.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by dwk

Criterion and Janus Films have been sold to Steven Rales

So I guess those Wes Anderson stragglers will finally get some damn releases now.

[El_Fez]

Originally Posted by dwk

Criterion and Janus Films have been sold to Steven Rales

Well, poop. So much for Criterion then - buy your discs while the company is still in business. These things never end well.

[MifuneFan]

It'll be interesting to see if they merge or incorporate Galerie, a monthly film club Rales launched, with Criterion.

https://www.galerie.com/

[regeyer]

I'm mostly concerned with what will happen with pricing and the 50% off sales. But, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and the Criterion Channel. What's going to happen with that? I hope they don't try to screw the charter subscribers.

[metalfan777]

A couple weeks ago, I was able to meet Michael Ironside at a Horror Convention in Denver. He is still intimidating but was super funny. Great story-teller too; his panel was less "Q&A" and more long-form answers.

[Show spoiler]

[DukeTogo84]

It will be interesting to see if anything will change with Criterion with the new owner. Will we get more, less, or around the same number of releases a month? It seems like they will have more money backing them now, so I would think the potential for more releases is there. I don't know, I just want to see more than 5 Criterion releases a month.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I'm mostly concerned with what will happen with pricing and the 50% off sales. But, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and the Criterion Channel. What's going to happen with that? I hope they don't try to screw the charter subscribers.

I'm not too worried about anything in the near term, but Rales is 73 years old, what happens when he kicks the bucket?

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by metalfan777

A couple weeks ago, I was able to meet Michael Ironside at a Horror Convention in Denver. He is still intimidating but was super funny. Great story-teller too; his panel was less "Q&A" and more long-form answers.

[Show spoiler]

I’m sure he was awesome to meet. And that’s a badass souvenir.

[Kenneth M]

If this Steven Rales cat buys/builds Criterion their own private 4K and Blu-Ray film transfer and pressing plant Stateside, with state-of-the-art QC, it would be a phenomenal start to this acquisition.

If there is no move to improve their film transfer and physical media production, then this buyout would belie my hopes and expectations for the future of Criterion.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by El_Fez

Well, poop. So much for Criterion then - buy your discs while the company is still in business. These things never end well.

Hunh? It's not even the first time either Janus or Criterion has been acquired. This isn't a hedge fund play, it's a straight up old-fashioned private purchase by someone who actually has skin in the filmmaking game.

I'm a wait-and-see like everyone, but this seems like a remarkably boring and unremarkable transaction as these things go.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Kenneth M

If this Steven Rales cat buys/builds Criterion their own private 4K and Blu-Ray film transfer and pressing plant Stateside, with state-of-the-art QC, it would be a phenomenal start to this acquisition.

There's no way that a private plant would even begin to justify its costs. That's a long-term, slender margin investment that requires spectacular amounts of capital and a ton of clients to keep it running. And there's already waiting lists for critical parts at existing plants, not to mention that demand for physical media is not exactly on an upward curve.

If I was a CEO of a company and did such a thing in the current economic state of the industry, I would fully expect not only to be fired but escorted off the premises in a perp walk.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by dwk

I'm not too worried about anything in the near term, but Rales is 73 years old, what happens when he kicks the bucket?

Asking questions about what comes after death? I don’t know if the Criterion thread is the best place for this.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Asking questions about what comes after death? I don’t know if the Criterion thread is the best place for this.

We either meet Mr. Jordan or wake up on a beach and fall in love with Kim Hunter.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by dwk

i'm not too worried about anything in the near term, but rales is 73 years old, what happens when he kicks the bucket?

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Asking questions about what comes after death? I don’t know if the Criterion thread is the best place for this.

What comes after death? - Your family sell or give away all your discs & books & clothes, & life goes on

I suppose Criterion must be in a good state, or they wouldn't have been bought.

Like Steven Rales, I'm 73 & am very healthy & fit, but who knows about tomorrow...

[DavidRoylance]

Nobody buys a business unless there is very good cash flow before the new owner gets involved.

It's good news for Criterion and I hope good news for us as collectors.

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

What comes after death? - Your family sell or give away all your discs & books & clothes, & life goes on

I suppose Criterion must be in a good state, or they wouldn't have been bought.

Like Steven Rales, I'm 73 & am very healthy & fit, but who knows about tomorrow...

[cgpublic]

I well remember the precursor to Criterion, the Voyager Company, when 'new media' was white hot, and Becker & Co. were doing some great work. At that time, my brother was an art director for Hearst, and I had just started my career post-college as an Apple software developer. Those were the days, the art and music scene, the nightclubs, Manhattan. Flatiron was still the photographers district, the rents were reasonable, and a cold draft and burger was a few minutes walk away at the Old Town Bar & Grill.

Wasn't that a time!

The New York Times hatchet job, the need to satisfy a new audience who doesn't believe in paying for anything combined with every aspect of art reflecting their 'personal' brand, the collapse of the former big Hollywood studio networks.

One day you wake up and say I've had a enough, time to do other things.

One day in the not too distant future, Criterion will come to an end.

Life goes on.

[Lost-in-time]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

I well remember the precursor to Criterion, the Voyager Company, when 'new media' was white hot, and Becker & Co. were doing some great work. At that time, my brother was an art director for Hearst, and I had just started my career post-college as an Apple software developer. Those were the days, the art and music scene, the nightclubs, Manhattan. Flatiron was still the photographers district, the rents were reasonable, and a cold draft and burger was a few minutes walk away at the Old Town Bar & Grill.

Wasn't that a time!

The New York Times hatchet job, the need to satisfy a new audience who doesn't believe in paying for anything combined with every aspect of art reflecting their 'personal' brand, the collapse of the former big Hollywood studio networks.

One day you wake up and say I've had a enough, time to do other things.

One day in the not too distant future, Criterion will come to an end.

Life goes on.

It’ll be a shame if Criterion does end but providing WAC continues that’ll be me happy.

[jshaide]

Love me some doom and gloom.

I'm going to predict that we observe very little to no discernible change.