The Criterion Collection

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by biglou114

December is usually a light month.

Shouldn't be a heavier month due to Christmas and shopping?

[schlock]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I haven't seen Safe, but Far From Heaven is a masterpiece and I'm Not There is very good. Definitely in for it.

I'd rate SAFE as a masterpiece as well. Quite disturbing, too, plus Jessica Harper has a small role. Easily one of Haynes' best films.

Also in for THE NIGHT PORTER upgrade. Never liked TIME BANDITS.

[themp3000]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Not really. It's typically 5 releases most months, 4 at the least. Feel free to condescend though.

But my point stands, people expect a full slate in December when historically they only have 2-3 mainline releases every year in this month. I know they have 5-6 mainline every other month, I'm not stupid like you imply I am.

[ShellOilJunior]

I'll pass on December. Maybe Time Bandits during a sale but I can wait.

[alien2010]

So that's it for Criterion this year (until next month of course where we'll get the January releases) Overall its been a great and fulfilling year.

The new Criterion releases I bought this year were;
January: Thief, Throne of Blood
February: Tess
March: Nothing
April: Il Sorpasso
May: Nothing
June: Judex
July/August: Nothing
September: Eraserhead, Macbeth
October: La Dolce Vita (pre-ordered)
November: Tootsie, L'Avventura (Both Future Purchases)
December: The Night Porter (Future Purchase)

Other Future Purchases: The Hidden Fortress, L'Eclisse.

Back dated purchases: The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Paths of Glory, 12 Angry Men (2nd Hand Copy), The Game and Shallow Grave.

Also bought 2nd hand copies of both Branded To Kill and Eyes Without A Face (both of which I sold on) and The Third Man (Overpriced like hell, but a small price to pay for one of my top five favorite films of all time)

Wishlist: The Tenant, Mulholland Drive, L'Samourai, The Passenger, Knife In The Water, A Generation, Kanal (already own the Arrow edition of Ashes & Diamonds)

Crazy Wishlist: The Abyss

What did everyone else buy from Criterion this year? And what do you all wish for, for 2015?

[tisdivine]

Yes. Got La Dolce Vita & the Night Porter. Now if they could just upgrade Youth Of The Beast, Knife In the Water and more Melville I would be happiest customer Criterion ever had lol : )

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by themp3000

But my point stands, people expect a full slate in December when historically they only have 2-3 mainline releases every year in this month. I know they have 5-6 mainline every other month, I'm not stupid like you imply I am.

It's not every other month either:

January - 6 titles
Feb - 5 titles (plus Breathless re-package)
Mar - 6 titles
April - 5 titles (plus Night of the Hunter re-package)
May - 5 titles
June - 6 titles
July - 10 titles (including Demy boxset)
Aug - 5 titles
Sept - 5 titles
Oct - 10 titles (including Tati boxset) (plus Foreign Corrsponsdent re-package)
Nov - 5 titles (plus Leopard re-package)

December 2013 had 3 normal releases, plus the WCF boxset which had another 6 films, making 9 BD releases total. December 2012 had 3 films plus the Qatsi trilogy, making 6 total. in 2011 they had 4 titles. So it's not even 2-3 for December usually. It can be argued that December is light, but this is by far one their weakest months, not only for the year, but even by December standards. And with regards to me thinking you're stupid, go back and read your first response and then ask yourself who here was making it seem like others were stupid. You were condescending, and without actually knowing what you were talking about.

At the end of the day, it's not a big deal (nor was it my intention with my previous post on the matter). Criterion has had another great year overall, and they've earned enough respect to take a month off so to speak.

[themp3000]

Originally Posted by alien2010

What did everyone else buy from Criterion this year? And what do you all wish for, for 2015?

Oh man, I've bought so much from them this year (I haven't kept track, but my favorite is Jacques Demy and Breaking The Waves) but thankfully the last 3 months of the year have only 5 certainties I'm buying: La Dolce Vita, Jacques Tati, L'Avventura, Time Bandits and Safe.

My wish for 2015? With 2014 knocking out both of my wish list titles (Demy, La Dolce Vita) I would need to think hard on it. The immediate desires would be some Bela Tarr and Jacques Rivette films. I wouldn't mind seeing Stalker and/or The Mirror from Andrei Tarkovsky either.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I've got no problem with Shia LaBeouf as an actor, but he just happens to star in some abysmal movies. Michael Bay's Transformers films are an insult to those of us who watched the cartoons as a kid. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is not bad, but it's just unnecessary. My personal favorite LaBeouf movie is Lawless (2012). I'm also partial to Disturbia (2007), because it's a surprisingly fun takeoff of Hitchcock's Rear Window. Not spectacular by any stretch, but fun.

I thought Eagle Eye was enjoyable when I saw it, though I've never felt compelled to watch it again.

[alien2010]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I thought Eagle Eye was enjoyable when I saw it, though I've never felt compelled to watch it again.

Saw that movie in the cinema, and I laughed throughout the whole film due to the split second appearance of Ronald McDonald on a tv screen.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Shouldn't be a heavier month due to Christmas and shopping?

You might think so, but the "boutique labels" like Criterion, Kino, Olive, and the like tend to be light. I suspect that they don't feel they can compete during the shopping frenzy during the holidays.

[TomN245]

That Kinoshita box-set looks phenomenal (none of them has been released with English subtitles before), but I feel they should have put more known films into the set like 'A Japanese Tragedy', 'Immortal Love', 'Carmen Comes Home', 'Children of Nagasaki', or 'She Was Like a Wild Chrysanthemum'. Still I'm very happy with the box-set and may buy it next year.

[Mr. Eddy]

Originally Posted by alien2010

What did everyone else buy from Criterion this year? And what do you all wish for, for 2015?

Not only is Eraserhead my first Criterion purchase of the year it's my first Criterion Blu-ray purchase, but I'm definitely getting The Night Porter. Held off on the old DVD for a long time given how poor the reviews were for it.

For 2015, Mulholland Dr., Le Samourai, The Long Good Friday (might be possible since the original Blu is OOP) and for some wishful thinking nobody has released Hard Eight on Blu-ray yet.

[themp3000]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It can be argued that December is light, but this is by far one their weakest months, not only for the year, but even by December standards.
...
You were condescending, and without actually knowing what you were talking about.

I don't count re-releases and I count box sets as one title/release. I don't see single releases of Criterion box set movies. I don't see Criterion listing re-releases in the Coming Soon section. I don't like to inflate or cook the books. I like a common sense approach. It's on par with past months, past Decembers of past years. Please, use common sense. Not sense that inflates or favors your argument.

And please don't talk down to me like I'm a grade schooler. That's very rude and shows your own childishness when you should be an intelligent and reasonable adult.

[Polaroid]

What a MEH christmas...

I'll get Safe, not seen Night Porter but going to check out trailer and stuff...

Time Bandit.. meh meh I love his imagination and stuff but I find Terry Gilliam only ok, his film are there to sit back and enjoy, they date really easily, I'll probs buy more for packaging artwork more than anything haha - but seriously, ill probs buy cause I like his creativity and where he takes his films, but they aren't for me, memorable or mind blowing.

Meh!

If BITWC was announced then ti would have been a bit better, but oh well!

[StLouisRibs]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Shouldn't be a heavier month due to Christmas and shopping?

Nope. Much like publishing (where most Holiday books come out this time of year), there needs to be time for stocks to arrive and be sold. It's not being poised as a Holiday product if it's coming out after Thanksgiving.

In Criterion's case specifically, I imagine December is just a weak sales month in general given November is the big sale every year.

Last year BN followed the sale with a BOGO on all Criterions which may have changed things, but probably given there was no companion release at the same price (to make the sale worthwhile) I can't imagine it helped the sales of the WCF sale especially well.

[StLouisRibs]

Also, I think it's really nice to see two such low spine numbers get upgraded. You don't see that happening too often the same time.

Again, I'll posit this; if Handmade films are back on the map, is there any chance of a BD release of Withnail and Advertising to go with the Arrow release? I think this is very likely for sometime early next year.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by themp3000

I don't count re-releases and I count box sets as one title/release. I don't see single releases of Criterion box set movies. I don't see Criterion listing re-releases in the Coming Soon section. I don't like to inflate or cook the books. I like a common sense approach. It's on par with past months, past Decembers of past years. Please, use common sense. Not sense that inflates or favors your argument.

Um, I specifically put the re-packages in parentheses saying "plus TITLE repackage" for a reason, they weren't part of any total I listed above.

Originally Posted by themp3000

And please don't talk down to me like I'm a grade schooler. That's very rude and shows your own childishness when you should be an intelligent and reasonable adult.

Oh you mean like you did here?

Originally Posted by themp3000

It's been a 3-4 releases a month for the last few of years (2009-now), I don't know why people expected a full 5-6 releases slate. You'd think they would honestly know by now the pattern and how it works.

and here?

Originally Posted by themp3000

Please, use common sense. Not sense that inflates or favors your argument

Please do us all a favor, and try and follow your own advice. You're clearly not worth anymore of my time so welcome to my ignore list.

[Tin Drum]

Wonderful film. A great allegory on HIV/AIDS (although the topic is brought up). Julianne Moore is phenomenal.

[StLouisRibs]

I am also chuffed to bits to see reports of Eclipse's death have been greatly exaggerated. I'm likely never going to buy it but I'm very happy to see it continue (and the films do sound great; I might have been tempted had 4/5 of them not already on Hulu in HD)