The Criterion Collection

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by jayembee

As much as I love The Hidden Fortress, there are at least 3 films that Criterion has done on LD and DVD that I'd like to see on Blu-ray first: The River, Kwaidan, and Ugetsu.

ugetsu is already released by MoC


is the Korean release of Ran really the better release? i thought they have all the studiocanal master

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

i wonder why they dont release more kurosawa blurays. its not like his movies wouldnt sell well, and since criterion released all his movies on dvd already in a awesome box set i hoped for a bluray upgrade that box.

maybe they are waiting for such a release till they get the rights back for ran (i know thats most unlikely)

Well, they could release his other films on Blu-ray, but then people would likely complain that they weren't giving time and attention to releasing a lot of other worthy films on Blu. I'm certainly itching for them to do more Kurosawa and Bergman (and Mizoguchi and Tarkovsky and Renoir and Tati and Suzuki...) but I appreciate the variety of their releases just as much.

On the other hand, they really need to get off their asses and put out more Yasujiro Ozu films on Blu.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I just counted movies that I watched when I was younger before I even knew that the Collection existed.

Making lists is always fun, no matter what you decide, though.

Well that's a little hard for me since the collection has existed all of my life and I've known about it one way or another since I was 10 or 11.

But some films that I've seen before knowing about the collection or knowing that they were in the collection (not counting laserdisc only releases) include:

-The Silence of the Lambs
-Robocop
-Armageddon
-Life of Brian
-Chasing Amy (I saw it first from the Criterion DVD but didn't know what Criterion was)
-Dazed and Confused
-The Blob (I had a big box VHS copy)
-Gimmie Shelter
-The Uninvited (never saw all of it though)
-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (rented the Paramount one disc DVD and didn't completely know what Criterion was yet)

Eventually City Lights, The Kid and The Circus will join that list, and hopefully Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive will as well.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Good choices. There's some really great ones to choose from, but I think my favorites are High and Low, and The Bad Sleep Well.

I'm going to go with Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and Stray Dog.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Well, they could release his other films on Blu-ray, but then people would likely complain that they weren't giving time and attention to releasing a lot of other worthy films on Blu. I'm certainly itching for them to do more Kurosawa and Bergman (and Mizoguchi and Tarkovsky and Renoir and Tati and Suzuki...) but I appreciate the variety of their releases just as much.

On the other hand, they really need to get off their asses and put out more Yasujiro Ozu films on Blu.

Before I read your last sentence, I hit reply to say we need more Ozu too . Tokyo Story, Floating Weeds (my personal fav.), Late Autumn, etc.. all need some Criterion love.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by starman15317

Well that's a little hard for me since the collection has existed all of my life and I've known about it one way or another since I was 10 or 11.

But some films that I've seen before knowing about the collection or knowing that they were in the collection (not counting laserdisc only releases) include:

[Show spoiler]
-The Silence of the Lambs
-Robocop
-Armageddon
-Life of Brian
-Chasing Amy (I saw it first from the Criterion DVD but didn't know what Criterion was)
-Dazed and Confused
-The Blob (I had a big box VHS copy)
-Gimmie Shelter
-The Uninvited (never saw all of it though)
-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (rented the Paramount one disc DVD and didn't completely know what Criterion was yet)

Eventually City Lights, The Kid and The Circus will join that list, and hopefully Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive will as well.

Nice! I forgot about Robocop, so I added that to my list.

[jayembee]

Thinking about Kurosawa, I'd love it if Warner would release Akira Kurosawa's Dreams on BD. Or let Criterion do it. The outstanding color palette on that film would be well served by Blu-ray.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Thinking about Kurosawa, I'd love it if Warner would release Akira Kurosawa's Dreams on BD. Or let Criterion do it. The outstanding color palette on that film would be well served by Blu-ray.

I haven't seen it in forever. I did try my DVD in VUDU's disc to digital and it does provide an HDX copy (1080P) for $5. I haven't actually bought it yet, so I can't say how good the transfer is. Warner could do an Archive Collection release of it at the very least.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Hartley

Maybe e-mail Mulvaney before you buy saying you've purchased a copy with a damaged and/or missing booklet to find out if they have any spares lying around that they can send you (highly unlikely but you never know, they do still sell replacement case artwork).

If I still had my spare mint copy I'd sell it to you now for what I sold it for here, $35. I just don't believe in the aftermarket pricing on all these OOP titles, it just seems so unfair to people who are genuine lovers of the films.

Thanks...good idea. I just emailed J. Mulvaney and Claire from Criterion to see if they have any spare booklets I can buy. Seeing that they still have the TMWFTE artwork replacement case for sale, they might have booklets too.

Originally Posted by sc1957

You could:

a) Cut down the booklet with scissors to fit the digipak.

b) Put the Blu-ray disc in the DVD box (toss the DVD).

Seems easy (if you don't treat the cases like holy relics).

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

or buy a empty criterion case (dvd size) for 2 discs and keep the DVD and the bluray.

Well, I won't cut the booklet, that is certain. The 2nd option is a good idea but I'd rather keep discs separate and definitely not toss the DVD (if I can get $10-20 for it by selling the OOP DVD alone). The 3rd option is good if I have the replacement artwork that is currently selling on the Criterion site (but the DVD booklet probably will not fit in there).

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A few words about my latest enjoyable Criterion purchase and last night's viewing...

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I really did enjoy Identification of a Woman, and I'm glad that I gave in to shelling out $14 more during this sale. It's quite funny and appropriate that this Criterion spine looks almost identical to the spine of Red Desert, and they're back to back in my collection now.

For all interested, here are the images from Identification of a Woman to which I was referring. Simply awesome.

[Show spoiler]

[Show spoiler]

Wow, so glad to hear you enjoyed that film I recommended to you! Even better you enjoyed it thoroughly.

[dmarvin]

Originally Posted by Mansinthe

if you liked the kurosawa style you should defintly get "rashomon" too...
and always watch the background in kurosawa movies.. incredible amount of small details !

and i liked Ran a lot ! great acting , loved the story and the style.
its sad that criterion didnt release that movie since the stduicanal release is only "watchable"

I just bought Rashomon about an hour ago. Was going to get Seven Samurai but the only copy there had a spine with some creasing on it, so I was turned off. Yojimbo was REALLY tempting. I have two more 20% off coupons to use before the sale ends, so I'll probably wind up getting it if I like Rashomon well enough. About the details in the background, my professor stopped the film to point out a lot of those things...the wind, rushing water with light reflecting off it, tree shadows on the actors' foreheads, etc.

Also, I think I would like The Hidden Fortress...really wish they would upgrade it to BD.

[brandon_260]

Criterion needs to add another Wong Kar Wai to the collection, it's been way too long. Maybe 2046?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Criterion needs to add another Wong Kar Wai to the collection, it's been way too long. Maybe 2046?

2046 would be the best possible choice

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

2046 would be the best possible choice

Absolutely. Of the 5 WKW films I've seen, I think it's my favorite. Just picked up the Kino 2 Pack today as well as the UK release of My Blueberry Nights (my least favorite, but still worth owning). I've got 4 of his films I've not seen yet, as well as the upcoming The Grandmaster, but I think after I've seen his entire filmography he could easily replace Terrence Malick as my all time favorite director.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Absolutely. Of the 5 WKW films I've seen, I think it's my favorite. Just picked up the Kino 2 Pack today as well as the UK release of My Blueberry Nights (my least favorite, but still worth owning). I've got 4 of his films I've not seen yet, as well as the upcoming The Grandmaster, but I think after I've seen his entire filmography he could easily replace Terrence Malick as my all time favorite director.

It would have to be my 2nd or 3rd favorite...Chungking Express is ahead of the rest for me. It could really benefit from a blu-ray though..

[Mansinthe]

Originally Posted by dmarvin

so I'll probably wind up getting it if I like Rashomon well enough. About the details in the background, my professor stopped the film to point out a lot of those things...the wind, rushing water with light reflecting off it, tree shadows on the actors' foreheads, etc.
.

its defintely worth to check out the commentary tracks and other bonus features on the kurosawa release. same for his Book "Something Like An Autobiography"

found that to be pretty interessting to read, and you learn alot about history , movie making as well.


Wong Kar Wai: in the mood for love is probably one of the most beautiful films ever made

[SammyJankis]

I wouldn't mind if they released my favorite Wong, Days of Being Wild. Though the chances of that happening are slim.

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

It would have to be my 2nd or 3rd favorite...Chungking Express is ahead of the rest for me. It could really benefit from a blu-ray though..

There are some stunning visuals that I would love to see in HD. Chungking comes very close to 2046 for me, same with Happy Together. I just noticed there are Region A/Free releases of Ashes of Time, Days of Being Wild, and As Tears Go By, so I'll have to order those in the near futures.

[Mansinthe]

its years since i have seen 2046. probably my second favorite of his movies.
still have to see "the grandmaster" and the two kino releases

[Yami]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I wouldn't mind if they released my favorite Wong, Days of Being Wild. Though the chances of that happening are slim.

I wonder what's taking Kino so long to upgrade it? The only real problem with the HK release is (or so I've heard) the poor English subtitles.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

My first Criterion was Chasing Amy (mainstream title, I know). When I was 10 or 11 I was introduced to Kevin Smith (a little young, I know ) so when I first rented Chasing Amy, I rented the Criterion DVD. It was the first Criterion I bought too. I sold the DVD when I bought the Blu-Ray, which was a bad idea. I'll have to buy the DVD again (it's very cheap now). A few years after is when I started to watch a few more Criterions (mainstream stuff, like Dazed and Confused and The Blob). Eventually, I got to where I am today, interested in more diverse films than I would have thought.

For me, around 1999-2000, so it was on DVD. I had seen some of their titles on the shelves at my local Virgin Megastore and they were impressive but they were too pricey for me at the time. But I really, really wanted to get Charade on disc but my choices were extremely poor quality public domain or Criterion, so I ponied up and paid the sixty (SIXTY!) bucks to get it. I didn't buy too many of their titles on DVD. I do remember getting the big, bulky Two-Lane Blacktop release from 2007 which was a great disc but I hated that packaging. I've purchased a lot more of them since the introduction of blu ray because they seem to be more affordable nowadays.

As an aside, I was a big seller/buyer on E-Bay about ten years ago and the OOP copy of Salo was the holy grail of OOP titles, routinely selling for about $300!