The Criterion Collection

[billzfan]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

They did not have the rights to begin with - so is impossible for them to have lost them.

Yes, I expect to see a Blu-ray release in 2011.

Pro-B

Phew! Thank God!

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Phew! Thank God!

It won't be a Criterion release though, a different distributor controls the rights in the U.S.

Pro-B

[rezpekt]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Phew! Thank God!

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4083

[billzfan]

Originally Posted by rezpekt

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4083

Such a shame Criterion isn't doing the blu....

[billzfan]

Anyone here own Pierrot Le Fou? I saw it's out of print and was debating getting it.

[BStecke]

Originally Posted by Dean L

I know folks who do, and seen many online peeps that do. Now I like the way they treat they're releases, but they do release a lot of shitty movies I would never buy nor have any desire to do so. And this is coming from a guy who was aware of Criterion back in the 1990's during the days of laserdisc.

There's people who like to eat poop . . . I don't, I don't understand it, but they do. I'll buy every single release that Nine Inch Nails has anything to do with, even if it's a single for a song that's no different than the full album version I already own, because it's NIN and I like having that sense of completeness and supporting something I appreciate. Crazy/stupid to some, important to me. Different strokes.

[Mahatma]

Vanity is the word which comes to mind. . . .

[The Theory]

Well, I have yet to collect every Criterion blu-ray, but I do actively buy a lot of Criterion titles and would enjoy eventually owning them all. The reasoning is kind of convoluted, but stick with me here:

1. In every medium of media consumption I tend to focus upon one smaller aspect to collect the hell out of. With music it is anything The Residents and Sonic Youth related. With anime it is anything Studio Ghibli. It just so happens with blu ray, the branch to catch my eye was Criterion.

2. What drew me to Criterion was the physical quality and care put into the releases. What kept me coming back were films that I had never seen the like of before and made me think more than most other films.

3. Through checking out Criterion releases I've discovered a number of beautiful titles I would have never known about or thought to check out before. Example: The Wages of Fear, Wings of Desire, Stagecoach, Last Year at Marienbad, Mystery Train... just glorious examples of filmmaking, and titles that have leapt into the position of some of my favorite movies of all time.

4. Even the titles that don't completely blow my mind have done something for me. I catalog all the movies I've watched on the Facebook movie application, and I think the lowest I've rated a Criterion title is 3.5/5, given out 3 times out of 23 Criterion blu rays watched. Those lowest ratest titles were Gimme Shelter, For All Mankind, and Red Desert. Two of the three are documentaries--so even though I though the director's vision and presentation were off, they still engaged me. Red Desert's characters simply didn't connect with me on any real level--although the movie kept my attention for the duration. It had great visual stuff and lots of neat little scenarios.

Basically I have yet to really hit a bonafide clunker from my Criterion purchases. Even when I do (and I have no doubt that there will be some titles--eventually--that will make me go whaa?), it will be fine. It'll give me a chance to gripe at how Criterion standards are slipping--and who doesn't love a good excuse to gripe now and then?? :-D

[P@t_Mtl]

Why do people buy movies like Halloween or Friday The 13th? Or buy stuff like Transformers or Avatar?

Because they enjoy it. Some people enjoy different type of movies, they may sound or look garbage for you but for others they are not. I like Criterion and other companies like Kino....They release movies that would just never see the light of days because they are old and boring for the majority of people today. It's sad for them as they miss seeing some incredible movies made at a time when story, cinematography and acting had more meaning then today with everything being surplant by CGI. I would not care to buy all Criterion releases but yes a lot of people like buying them. They like to complete their collection and I would not call them any stranger then those going nuts in finding slipcovers for their collection. At least when buying a movie you get more then just a piece of cardboard to put around your case I always love adding the latest releases of Criterion on my rental list, they make wonderful transfer to Blu-ray and I get to see different types of movie that don't need tons of CGI, explosions every 4 minutes and sexual jokes to tell a story.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Anyone here own Pierrot Le Fou? I saw it's out of print and was debating getting it.

Would this be your first Godard?

[billzfan]

Originally Posted by CassavetesGodard

Would this be your first Godard?

Yes, it would. I've watched other French New Wave but no Godard. I was thinking of getting it before it was no longer available.

[toddly6666]

My theory is that if Criterion released blu-rays with the crappiest cover art, less people would buy them.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Yes, it would. I've watched other French New Wave but no Godard. I was thinking of getting it before it was no longer available.

Criterion titles in general have good re-sale, so it's a pretty safe buy if you end up not enjoying it.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by Dean L

I know folks who do, and seen many online peeps that do. Now I like the way they treat they're releases, but they do release a lot of shitty movies I would never buy nor have any desire to do so. And this is coming from a guy who was aware of Criterion back in the 1990's during the days of laserdisc.

It's funny that you say that, because I was thinking the same thing about steelbooks.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Yes, it would. I've watched other French New Wave but no Godard. I was thinking of getting it before it was no longer available.

I love it alot. But being a Godard fan, no surprise.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by billzfan

Anyone here own Pierrot Le Fou? I saw it's out of print and was debating getting it.

CG is correct in that Pierrot is not the best entry film to Godard. Naturally, Pierrot is a great film but it's appreciated even more if one sees the films Godard made prior to it.

[SpiderBaby]

I say get Pierrot le fou, since you might not be able to get the Criterion anymore. But try to watch Breathless or something first. I love Pierrot le fou, but I don't want you to hate it because it's your first. I believe Band of Outsiders was my first Godard. Since Breathless is on blu, it would be easy for you to think about that. But yeah, go ahead and get Pierrot le fou (based off it's OOP). You might love it before watching another Godard.

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by The Theory

1. In every medium of media consumption I tend to focus upon one smaller aspect to collect the hell out of. With music it is anything The Residents and Sonic Youth related. With anime it is anything Studio Ghibli. It just so happens with blu ray, the branch to catch my eye was Criterion.

dude. obner?

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

CG is correct in that Pierrot is not the best entry film to Godard. Naturally, Pierrot is a great film but it's appreciated even more if one sees the films Godard made prior to it.

I'd agree with that assessment. Generally I like Godard's films, but Pierrot is probably his worst of his half dozen or so films that's I've seen. Even if you see Pierrot and don't like it I'd still recommend seeing some of his "better" films like Breathless and Vivre.

[jimonee78]

BEST CRITERION COLLECTION RELEASE OF 2010

519 Close-Up Abbas Kiarostami

BEST CRITERION COLLECTION BLU-RAY RELEASE OF 2010

519 Close-Up Abbas Kiarostami

BEST CRITERION COLLECTION BOX-SET RELEASE OF 2010

497-500 Roberto Rossellini’s War Trilogy Roberto Rosselini

BEST ECLIPSE SERIES OF THE YEAR (2010):

21 Oshima’s Outlaw Sixties