The Criterion Collection

[thompsonjohn]

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

I think most people here buy what they like. Not everything in Criterion is gold (Especially not this year) and most of us aknowledge that. Some people have all of them because they like all of them. You don't have to completely love a film to get it. A lot of people here are also blind-buyers who can't rent nor watch their Hulu titles before purchasing and it can backfire sometimes (Happened to me with Hunger). Criterion commonly releases solid stuff (Again, not everything is great but they don't need to) and so you have lesser chances of hitting a truly horrible film.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

Sorry, but that information is confidential, for your own safety. If we told you that, we would have to.....you know, make you take a dirt nap, the big sleep, a long walk off a short pier. You have no idea how dangerous a place this thread is.

[ElliesDad]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

I'm not sure but I think they call that 'projection'. Why on earth would you want to 'look down' on what someone enjoys doing. We're not talking crack cocaine here (unless you're referring to "Benjamin Button"). Incidently what are going to do to them if you find them?...

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

Matter of opinion and you're hugely presumptuous to infer that anyone interested in all Criterion release is smug.

[thompsonjohn]

One of those 'should've never said nothing at all.'

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

One of those 'should've never said nothing at all.'

What did you think the reaction would be coming into the Criterion thread and condescending Criterion collectors?

[octagon]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's...

Pretentious? Moi?

[oildude]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

One of those 'should've never said nothing at all.'

We also demand grammatically correct sentences from those who post here. I warned you this was a dangerous place.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by oildude

We also demand grammatically correct sentences from those who post here. I warned you this was a dangerous place.

I wish this were true

[retablo]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

You're absolutely right... they can't all be as great as 9-1/2 Weeks.

[tenia]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

Not of all them are masterpieces, of course, but out of 130 movies on BDs I have from Criterion (+ a few DVDs), only about 10 of them disappointed me (movies like Branded to Kill, Wages of Fear, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and especially some of the BBS set).

That's still a largely smaller % than what I buy outside the collection and disappoint me.

And I'm French so I don't have Hulu to test before.

But I agree : not of them are blind buy for sure.

[Lutz]

Originally Posted by oildude

Sorry, but that information is confidential, for your own safety. If we told you that, we would have to.....you know, make you take a dirt nap, the big sleep, a long walk off a short pier. You have no idea how dangerous a place this thread is.

You hate me don't you? Hate is a very exciting emotion. Haven't you noticed? I hate you too. I hate you so much I think I'm going to die from it. Darling...

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by jrsl76

Matter of opinion and you're hugely presumptuous to infer that anyone interested in all Criterion release is smug.

Agreed.

Many of us are just garden variety OCD. See also: slip covers, steelbooks, DigiBooks, and other "snobs."



Of course, there are also the genuine cinephiles who in an earlier age would have only the chance to read about these films, trade reels, etc.

Originally Posted by ElliesDad

I'm not sure but I think they call that 'projection'. Why on earth would you want to 'look down' on what someone enjoys doing. We're not talking crack cocaine here (unless you're referring to "Benjamin Button"). Incidently what are going to do to them if you find them?...

Call me cynical, but "looking down on people" is a pastime, isn't it? Right behind schadenfreude. Plus I also agree about your smartytalk Jungian projection of the shadow somethingerother (Man, if I didn't use that made up portmanteauish word there I might be pegged as a snobbish, smugly effete intellectual Criterion addict!).

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by retablo

You're absolutely right... they can't all be as great as 9-1/2 Weeks.

Hey don't be mean, it's 2/3rds of a good movie.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by tenia

Not of all them are masterpieces, of course, but out of 130 movies on BDs I have from Criterion (+ a few DVDs), only about 10 of them disappointed me (movies like Branded to Kill, Wages of Fear, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and especially some of the BBS set).

That's still a largely smaller % than what I buy outside the collection and disappoint me.

And I'm French so I don't have Hulu to test before.

But I agree : not of them are blind buy for sure.

What?!? Wages of Fear.... Bad?!?! It's definitely the end of the world

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Hey don't be mean, it's 2/3rds of a good movie.

6-1/3 Weeks? I'll take that ratio any day!

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

I'll assume this was meant to be sincere and I'll give an answer.
I don't buy all the Criterion blu-rays and never intend to have all of them.
I also watch them as soon as I can.
Many are blind-buys, but given I've been a film buff and studied cinema for years, many that are blind-buys are bought with a good idea of what to expect and many have been bought because I've been wanting to see the film for years.
I don't have access to Hulu (I'm in Melbourne, Australia), so sometimes blind-buying is the best option for seeing some of these films. The same goes for many of my blind-buys from Studio Canal, Kino and Masters of Cinema.
For example: I've enjoyed many a Godard film, particularly those from the 60s, but I've never had the opportunity to see Weekend. Thanks to the Barnes & Noble sale, I'll soon own this film for $20 (plus postage, which was split with ten other films). Even if I had the opportunity to see it in a repertory cinema (which I'd love), it would still cost me $15+ for a ticket and more if Mrs Drbikeshorts came along. Add the value of re-watching (which I usually do) and supplements, for me it's a pretty good way to spend my money.
Oh, and for the record, I could care less if a film I want to see or own is released by Criterion or any other distributor. It matters to me that care and attention went into producing the package. For the most part, Criterion do a very good job.

[kimkarlsson]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

I am very proud to tell you that I am a collector who has every Criterion on Blu-ray released so far. I don´t think it is stupid to waste money on every of these films although all of them are not great but many of them are very good and I loike to be surprised and discover films that I have never heard or seen before. I also like the design with the informative booklets.
Most of the Criterions that I own are Blind-buys and many of them I have bought on sales. I will still collecting Criterion Blu-ray releases even though there are people who thinks it is stupid to waste money on these.

[EddieLarkin]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

I'd like to find out who the people are that are wasting money on every single release Criterion put or actually buy films they've seen before and dearly love and got lucky that they are part of the Criterion collection. I have no plans on collecting every single Criterion title, I only buy the ones I like. I own exactly 25 titles, 23 on blu-ray, 2 on DVD which are blu-ray released yet.

Sorry to look down on the smug Criterion collector's but, I think it's an incredibly stupid waste of money try to get all these films which, please don't tell me they're all incredible. If you do you might end up saying some crappy movies are good.

I just don't get this point of view. I like to watch films a lot, it's my main hobby. I watch on average 8-10 films every week, and have done so since I was about 18 years old. Not surprisingly, watching films with that sort of regularity and thus buying Blu-ray/DVDs frequently enough to keep up with such habits, means I passed the "only buying films I've already seen" threshold many years ago.

Yes, I'm quite sure of it, barring some recent cinema releases, every (good) film I've ever seen I own on Blu-ray/DVD. So what now? Stop buying Blu-rays? Ha, not likely. I refuse to waste my time with inferior versions of films via Netflix or television. I'll happily buy a film I've never seen, based solely on its reputation, reviews or word of mouth. If that film happens to be in the Criterion Collection and is going to cost me $30, so be it. 99% of the time it's a fantastic cinematic experience, and thus a worthwhile purchase.