The Criterion Collection

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by PBateman87

Another pop culture mention of the Criterion Collection:

On the HBO show Eastbound & Down, Kenny Powers was breaking into his girlfriend's house to dump their child on her, but she isn't there and he takes some stuff from her house, including a Season 6 DVD of the show Friends. He goes to his old friend Stevie's house and his Mexican wife is there, and as a "gift" he gives the Friends DVD he had stolen to her, telling her that it's "Criterion Collections."

I caught that as well

[ShellOilJunior]

In lieu of the recent Sony/Twilight Time announcement (As Good as it Gets) -- does anyone think Criterion might be able to secure more titles (a la Anatomy of a Murder) from Sony's Columbia library?

[Yami]

I think they will, if they want to. Sony doesn't have many "big" titles when you take away the ones that they'll likely release themselves like On the Waterfront but if you look at the 'lower tier' you've got The Lady from Shanghai, some Powell/Pressburger, In a Lonely Place, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T, Cassavetes' Husbands and, dare I say it, Born Free!

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

In lieu of the recent Sony/Twilight Time announcement (As Good as it Gets) -- does anyone think Criterion might be able to secure more titles (a la Anatomy of a Murder) from Sony's Columbia library?

I would hope so. There's quite a few good ones:

It Happened One Night
Gilda
All the King's Men
In a Lonely Place
The Member of the Wedding
The Caine Mutiny
Bonjour Tristesse
The Tingler
A Raisin in the Sun
The Guns of Navarone
Advise and Consent
Under the Yum Yum Tree
Fail-Safe
Cat Ballou
Bunny Lake Is Missing
The Silencers
Walk, Don't Run
The Wrong Box
Alvarez Kelly
A Man for All Seasons
The Night of the Generals
In Cold Blood
Berserk!
Cactus Flower
10 Rillington Place
The Stepford Wives - 1975
Murder by Death
The China Syndrome


Just to name a few.

[Wally Q]

I'd be down with Murder By Death.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I would hope so. There's quite a few good ones:

It Happened One Night
Gilda
All the King's Men
In a Lonely Place
The Member of the Wedding
The Caine Mutiny
Bonjour Tristesse
The Tingler
A Raisin in the Sun
The Guns of Navarone
Advise and Consent
Under the Yum Yum Tree
Fail-Safe
Cat Ballou
Bunny Lake Is Missing
The Silencers
Walk, Don't Run
The Wrong Box
Alvarez Kelly
A Man for All Seasons
The Night of the Generals
In Cold Blood
Berserk!
Cactus Flower
10 Rillington Place
The Stepford Wives - 1975
Murder by Death
The China Syndrome


Just to name a few.

The Caine Mutiny and Guns of Navarone have decent Sony releases available now. Guns is on sale at Best Buy this week for 9.99. The Stepford wives they have no rights to, they distributed the film in 1975 at theatres only. Recently Anchor Bay and Paramount released the film on DVD.

Personally, I'd love Criterion editions of Sony owned Columbia films; the Swimmer, Mickey One and The Front.

[ShellOilJunior]

I've went through the Columbia library up to and including 1959. Here's some I think that would make for interesting blu-rays. (this is not including the studio's gems like the Capra films, On the Waterfront, etc -- those probably won't be licensed).

The Awful Truth 1937
Only Angels Have Wings 1939
His Girl Friday 1940
Sahara 1943
Gilda 1946
The Lady from Shanghai 1948
All the King's Men 1950
In a Lonely Place 1950
The Harder They Fall 1956
1984 1956
Murder by Contract 1958

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I've went through the Columbia library up to and including 1959. Here's some I think that would make for interesting blu-rays. (this is not including the studio's gems like the Capra films, On the Waterfront, etc -- those probably won't be licensed).

The Awful Truth 1937
Only Angels Have Wings 1939
His Girl Friday 1940
Sahara 1943
Gilda 1946
The Lady from Shanghai 1948
All the King's Men 1950
In a Lonely Place 1950
The Harder They Fall 1956
1984 1956
Murder by Contract 1958

Two of my all time favorites

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Two of my all time favorites

The script for HIS GIRL FRIDAY is incredible (and long ).

Wilder's version was decent, too.

[Yami]

Twilight Time on In a Lonely Place: One of our faves, and of course we requested it, but were turned down. It's quite possibly been licensed to another label...

I don't think it takes a genius that Criterion might be involved here.

[RedIsNotBlue]

I went ahead and got me a black blu-ray case and used it for my Benjamin Button. I think it looks much better let me know what you guys think.

[Show spoiler]

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

In lieu of the recent Sony/Twilight Time announcement (As Good as it Gets) -- does anyone think Criterion might be able to secure more titles (a la Anatomy of a Murder) from Sony's Columbia library?

I really hope they can get The Last Detail.

[octagon]

Slam Dunks
In a Lonely Place
Fail-Safe
The Lady From Shanghai

Decent Enough Fits
All the King's Men
Advise and Consent
Bunny Lake is Missing

How Has This Not Been Mentioned Yet - Oops, It Was Mentioned
Husbands

Yeah, there's a lot of potential in the Columbia library.

In fact, I'd love to Kino elbow their way into that discussion.

The more the merrier, I say.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Yami

Twilight Time on In a Lonely Place: One of our faves, and of course we requested it, but were turned down. It's quite possibly been licensed to another label...

I don't think it takes a genius that Criterion might be involved here.

This is not a slap at TT (I really do believe they have their place) but that's very good to hear.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

I definitely am. I currently have over 300/325 between DVD/Blu/Eclipse/Essential Art House (of titles not in the mainline). I have ALL the OOPs except Withnail & I, Kind Hearts & Coronets & Touchez Pas Aus Grisbi. This includes ALL the blus (well until Vanya On 42nd Street comes out tomorrow).

I agree with the statement about Criterion being curators. I've been collecting Criterion since 1998/1999 with the start of their DVDs. I may like/love some titles more than others, I may get more excited for certain announced titles more than others, but Criterion often surprises me or shows me things I didn't know about or hadn't explored (and I have a pretty vast filmic knowledge compared to a lot of people).

I don't know when, but one day I will own them all. It is expensive, but I try to take advantage of every sale I can. The BN sales have been instrumental in this. In the end, I see Criterion as an incredible repository for the love of film and that, supplement by other great labels like Masters Of Cinema, Blue Underground, Synapse & such, which creates an interesting varied collection.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by RedIsNotBlue

I went ahead and got me a black blu-ray case and used it for my Benjamin Button. I think it looks much better let me know what you guys think.

[Show spoiler]

It looks cool But the price of those cases are outrageous

[rkish]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I thought World on a Wire was quite excellent. I'm surprised it was this good because SpiderBaby recommends it and he usually only champions mainstream classics.

Unfortunately, I only got through the first 15-20 minutes of it, before family interruptions forced me to stop. I'll start it again from the beginning this coming weekend...but so far, it has peaked my interest.

[*DrStrangelove*]

Anyone know if there's anyway to get posters of Criterion covers? I really wish they would make them available. I would love a poster of Vivre Sa Vie cover.

[Hayabusa85]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

Got into them too late on DVD since I got into DVD late period so with how many were out of print by then I only got a select few. With with jumping on the Blu-Ray bandwagon right away with the fresh start I made it a goal to by them all on Blu-Ray. Although I have fallen a few months behind since I usually get them from HMV even though it means overpaying for them and they have stopped bringing Criterion in all across Canada for no apparent reason. So need to start catching up through Amazon. Think Harakiri is the oldest one I am behind on so not too bad since that was October and did get some of the ones that came out after that.

[Show spoiler]

[octagon]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I thought World on a Wire was quite excellent. I'm surprised it was this good because SpiderBaby recommends it and he usually only champions mainstream classics.

Originally Posted by rkish

Unfortunately, I only got through the first 15-20 minutes of it, before family interruptions forced me to stop. I'll start it again from the beginning this coming weekend...but so far, it has peaked my interest.

Mine showed up today with Anatomy of a Murder but I've had a minor eye infection over the past few days so my vision is a little off.

So close and yet so maddening.

The cases are pretty freaking cool though