The Criterion Collection

[cgpublic]

This month's releases reflects where the market is, as noted by Becker in his response to the NYT's for their recent article, When Streaming Won’t Cut It and You Need the DVD, that "The Criterion Collection similarly views its streamer, the Criterion Channel, as 'a gateway back to physical media collecting.'"

If you screen the titles which are most popular on the Channel, it makes sense for Criterion to emphasize those titles, directors and genres to inform their release schedule.

After all, there's a great opportunity to attract and sell to a younger demographic with directors who are both topical and a gateway to cinema such as Cronenberg, Lynch and Wes Anderson, especially as you prep the slate for the holiday gift season.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by RevolverOcelScott

No, it's not a holiday. Can always google "is today a US holiday" and it'll tell you.

It's healthier to ask another person sometimes than to always rely on Google.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Eyes Without A Face 4K UHD

https://www.criterion.com/films/950-eyes-without-a-face

I really hope they retain the original trailer made for drive-ins when it was paired on a schlock double feature with THE MANSTER from 1959. The dichotomy of the two films advertised as a team is incredible and just imagining horny teens groping each other in their father's Edsels to this serious French classic is a great image! To their credit, I think the Blu of EYES from Criterion was the only release to carry that great trailer, so I hope this version still has it on there!

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by jshaide

Boy is that History of Violence cover hideous

Agreed. Looks like a children's book cover.

[BudBaxter]

It stuns me that Criterion can sign off on both of these covers in the same month:



Altered States is amazing. One of the best covers they've done in years.

A History of Violence looks like an Asylum Wes Anderson knock-off. Are those clouds from the opening of The Simpsons?

I couldn't see it in the specs - is Violence going to be the US R-rated cut, or the uncut international version?

[JulesAndJim]

Originally Posted by Professor Echo

I really hope they retain the original trailer made for drive-ins when it was paired on a schlock double feature with THE MANSTER from 1959. The dichotomy of the two films advertised as a team is incredible and just imagining horny teens groping each other in their father's Edsels to this serious French classic is a great image! To their credit, I think the Blu of EYES from Criterion was the only release to carry that great trailer, so I hope this version still has it on there!

I'm guessing the included blu-ray is just going to be the old disc, so it should be there.

[eightslicesofpie]

A History of Violence is about a guy trying to pretend he's a happy family man living the perfect life in a small town running his little diner.

I think the cover's facade of like a perfect storybook rural town painting while he's washed in the color of blood with a blank expression fits the movie perfectly.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by eightslicesofpie

A History of Violence is about a guy trying to pretend he's a happy family man living the perfect life in a small town running his little diner.

I think the cover's facade of like a perfect storybook rural town painting while he's washed in the color of blood with a blank expression fits the movie perfectly.

I mean, I get the metaphor. But it’s just ugly in execution.

[llj]

Originally Posted by jshaide

I mean, I get the metaphor. But it’s just ugly in execution.

Cover design looks more like boutique brand blu ray covers specializing in b-movies (Vinegar Syndrome, etc). Not very Criterion-like.

[lexx2.0]

Looking for 2 4k's suggestions before the sale ends. What are 2 early 4k releases from Criterion that one should look at getting?

[Werdsniper2]

I've been going through all 50+ pages of the Criterion sale, and while I've added 8 titles to my cart, I'm ultimately not sure what I actually want.

I'm mostly into 70s/80s horror, 50s and up sci-fi, and 90's flicks of any genre. Except for comedy, I don't collect (primarily) comedy at all. I like Asian cinema as well.

Criterion's selection isn't usually what I go for, but I'm well aware that the majority of their library consists of highly acclaimed films, and I'm trying to broaden my horizons. To be clear, I like these types of movies, I just don't often collect them. The only title I've ever purchased from them is No Country for Old Men. I definitely enjoy the occasional modern offering as well.

I hesitate to even ask for recommendations, since I'm not even sure what I'm looking for. So far, I have the following in my cart:

Malcolm X
Cronos
Thelma & Louise
Videodrome
The Game (Great movie)
The Thin Red Line (Great movie)
Bull Durham (Great movie)
The Devil's Backbone

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by llj

Cover design looks more like boutique brand blu ray covers specializing in b-movies (Vinegar Syndrome, etc). Not very Criterion-like.

The artist is extremely iconoclastic. He previously did The Killing, Mikey and Nicky and the bazonkers cover for Scanners. Whatever you think of the execution - and looking at his portfolio makes this clear - he zigs when people think he’s gonna zag.

[CRASHLANDING]

Originally Posted by lexx2.0

Looking for 2 4k's suggestions before the sale ends. What are 2 early 4k releases from Criterion that one should look at getting?

Here are some relatively early Criterion 4Ks that I highly recommend:


This one isn't really "early" but is still a must buy :

[fdm]

Originally Posted by Scottie

OCD, my friend, is a curse.

In that case, can you fix the Anora blu-ray entry? It's not a digipak.

[MovieBuff647]

Originally Posted by fdm

In that case, can you fix the Anora blu-ray entry? It's not a digipak.

Ditto for SORCERER, as an owner of the BD.

And based on photos from eBay, same applies to PAPER MOON.

[jw007]

WOW! The October releases are earth shatteringly awesome! Two new David Cronenberg releases including his new film, The Shrouds, that came out last year (and A History of Violence to boot). Plus one of my favorite all-time sci fi mind-benders from Ken Russell: Altered States. Then to top it off, a 4K upgrade of David Lynch's Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. And if that's not enough, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley (!), a dark, macabre Mexican film (Deep Crimson), plus an upgrade of Eyes Without a Face. Literally the best month in years!

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by fdm

In that case, can you fix the Anora blu-ray entry? It's not a digipak.

Originally Posted by MovieBuff647

Ditto for SORCERER, as an owner of the BD.

And based on photos from eBay, same applies to PAPER MOON.

Done. If there's any other discrepancies, feel free to PM me.

Over the past couple of years, I've essentially just been creating the initial database entries for announcements and then checking out. I had every entry in the Criterion portion of the database accounted for at one point in time, but some members kept messing with some of the entries, and they were allowed to get away with it, so I stopped caring.

I'll make a pass through the database entries when I tighten up this thread and make any necessary changes that I can spot.

There are currently 1,914 entries listed under the "Criterion" umbrella on here.

I'm currently in the midst of a discussion with another moderator about how we should treat the original Criterion DigiPack releases from a database perspective. The 400 Blows, Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express, The Last Emperor, The Last Metro, Last Year at Marienbad, The Man Who Fell to Earth, El Norte, and The Third Man were released in DigiPacks with a Slipcover before a replacement program was offered/the films started to be released exclusively in the plastic Scanavo cases. Ordinarily I'd say that there's no reason to have multiple entries to account for this, but some members really take advantage of the different features this site has to offer, like displaying spine view. There are currently some entries dedicated to the first and second pressing (despite having the same UPC code/Amazon ASIN), but some are missing. The only one of these nine films that, to my knowledge, was reissued with a new UPC was Chungking Express. The original/replacement UPC was 715515033329 but somewhere around 2011/2012 it was reissued with 715515068413 (the version I have). So I guess this could mean three entries dedicated to the OOP version of Chungking Express.

And on a similar note, this is the (funny) potential for The 400 Blows.

The 400 Blows (2009) - first pressing DigiPack
The 400 Blows (2009) - second pressing Scanavo
The 400 Blows (2014) - BD+DVD dual format release
The 400 Blows (2017) - Criterion realizes dual-format BD+DVD is dumb and re-releases it
The 400 Blows (2025) - HD remaster in Antoine Doinel set
The 400 Blows (2015) - 4K DV in Antoine Doinel 4K set

[jshaide]

Excited for Maria Bello as a cheerleader in glorious 4K

[PurpsMcNuggets]

Originally Posted by Werdsniper2

Malcolm X
Cronos
Thelma & Louise
Videodrome
The Game (Great movie)
The Thin Red Line (Great movie)
Bull Durham (Great movie)
The Devil's Backbone

I love all these films! I would suggest adding Sorcerer and Night Moves. Also if you like The Thin Red Line, maybe grab some more Terrance Malick, The Tree of Life is phenomenal, Badlands is a very rewatchable and enjoyable film, Days of Heaven has the most gorgeous cinematography.

[Werdsniper2]

Originally Posted by PurpsMcNuggets

I love all these films! I would suggest adding Sorcerer and Night Moves. Also if you like The Thin Red Line, maybe grab some more Terrance Malick, The Tree of Life is phenomenal, Badlands is a very rewatchable and enjoyable film, Days of Heaven has the most gorgeous cinematography.

I was looking at grabbing Sorcerer, but the 4K is sold out on the B&N site. I see it's available on Amazon though. Might pick it up.