The Criterion Collection

[dkelly26666]

This past year, Criterion gave me some of my long time wishlist stuff.

"After Hours" and a Pasolini box set topped my Criterion wishlist for ages.

I don't have that much to pine for anymore, LOL.

I would like some things, but they're getting so obscure now, that I'm not sure they'd ever happen.

Would love, in the new year, to get some more Oshima, Masahiro Shinoda, Bertolucci, Ken Russell, and man, would I love a Criterion "Killers of the Flower Moon" without waiting several years on it.

[Godzilla@1]

I know this might be a long shot in the dark and will definitely never happen but... what if Criterion had the rights to the original Star Trek movies 1-6? What will the packaging look like? What about the extras? Directors cuts? Would Paramount be willing to go Criterion with their most famous franchise?

[Taylor3978]

If we're speaking of streamed shows we'd like to have on disk, I just do not understand why we are getting a 4K of Blood Simple (a film I love, make no mistake) but still can't get this:

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube

[Brian81]

Question on scratched Criterion discs. Picked up 5 Criterion titles and 3 have scratched discs. Is this the norm? Do members here exchange titles every time or just do it if they're really bad? Two of the 3 have the scratches on the BDs (all combo editions) with the UHDs being clean in both copies. The third copy has three discs with all three scratched.

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by Godzilla@1

I know this might be a long shot in the dark and will definitely never happen but... what if Criterion had the rights to the original Star Trek movies 1-6? What will the packaging look like? What about the extras? Directors cuts? Would Paramount be willing to go Criterion with their most famous franchise?

I'd expect it to be exactly like Paramount's 1-6 collection except with a "C" on the front cover.

[Mike0284]

Originally Posted by Godzilla@1

I know this might be a long shot in the dark and will definitely never happen but... what if Criterion had the rights to the original Star Trek movies 1-6? What will the packaging look like? What about the extras? Directors cuts? Would Paramount be willing to go Criterion with their most famous franchise?

Paramount isn't going to licence the Star Trek films.



Plus they already put out the definitive set.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by Taylor3978

If we're speaking of streamed shows we'd like to have on disk, I just do not understand why we are getting a 4K of Blood Simple (a film I love, make no mistake) but still can't get this:

Criterion caved to the 4k whiners, plain and simple. It's more important to them to keep this vocal minority happy than to dedicate their resources to releasing new material.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Taylor3978

If we're speaking of streamed shows we'd like to have on disk, I just do not understand why we are getting a 4K of Blood Simple (a film I love, make no mistake) but still can't get this:

Yeah, this is the Netflix film that I would most like to see on disc. I honestly expected it by now. Same with Mank.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Criterion caved to the 4k whiners, plain and simple. It's more important to them to keep this vocal minority happy than to dedicate their resources to releasing new material.

Except that's a completely false and inaccurate narrative. Of the 55 titles Criterion put out this year (boxsets counting as 1 title) 32 were completely new to the collection (as in no previous DVD or BD from them). And if we're counting Janus Contemporary titles, then that count goes to 36 of 59 titles. So in fact, the numbers show that they are indeed dedicating most of their resources to new material. You also act like Buster Scruggs wouldn't be 4K either, so it's not even like you can argue that these 4K releases are somehow stealing a spot from Buster Scruggs. The whole "new material" narrative also doesn't make sense given that at least 1/3rd of their 4K out are also brand new to the collection as well. It isn't some either/or thing like you're somehow making it out to be.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

[Show spoiler]Except that's a completely false and inaccurate narrative. Of the 55 titles Criterion put out this year (boxsets counting as 1 title) 32 were completely new to the collection (as in no previous DVD or BD from them). So in fact, the numbers show that they are in fact dedicating most of their resources to new materia You also act like Buster Scruggs wouldn't be 4K either, so it's not even like you can argue that these 4K releases are somehow stealing a spot from Buster Scruggs. The whole "new material" narrative also doesn't make sense given that at least 1/3rd of their 4K out are also brand new to the collection as well. It isn't some either/or thing like you're somehow making it out to be.

You're also the guy who wants WAC to divert resources to the reinstallation of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moth, so I'm not surprised you support this money dump.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

You're also the guy who wants WAC to divert resources to the reinstallation of a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moth, so I'm not surprised you support this money dump.

So, rather than have a constructive conversation, and actually admit you were mistaken, you resort to some ridiculous straw-man. You do you, I guess. There's clearly no point even debating this with you further. The facts are presented to you, accept them, or don't.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

So, rather than have a constructive conversation, and actually admit you were mistaken, you resort to some ridiculous straw-man. You do you, I guess. There's clearly no point even debating this with you further. The facts are presented to you, accept them, or don't.

There is no constructive conversation to be had, since the argument wasn't "most of their resources", it's the waste of any resources at at all to keep the handkerchiefs of the 4k criers dry.

I'd much rather have 20+ brand new releases in a given year as opposed to the superfluous upticks we're saturated with to keep a select few happy.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

There is no constructive conversation to be had, since the argument wasn't "most of their resources", it's the waste of any resources at at all to keep the handkerchiefs of the 4k criers dry.

I'd much rather have 20+ brand new releases in a given year as opposed to the superfluous upticks we're saturated with to keep a select few happy.

You do realize that uptick means more money for them, right? Like they're not just doing it to shut people up. Criterion almost certainly needs the added revenue from 4K sales to stay in business, and to continue to be competitive in this increasingly competitive market. There's a similar parallel happening in the Eureka thread where some look at their martial arts output like you look at Criterion's 4K, feeling like they shouldn't put any resources towards that, and should just focus on silent films, horror classics, etc... In both cases, it's been a major boon for the labels, and no doubt if it wasn't making them profitable, then they wouldn't continue to release them.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Like they're not just doing it to shut people up.

So Criterion is above the all the noise and doesn't cater to outspoken critics? You're seriously arguing that?

We both know where this is going, and I'm not prepared to go further. Happy New Year's!

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

So Criterion is above the all the noise and doesn't cater to outspoken critics? You're seriously arguing that?

We both know where this is going, and I'm not prepared to go further. Happy New Year's!

Another straw-man, but I'll play along..They will address blind spots in their collection where there are some, which in no way is remotely equivalent or comparable to them releasing 4K titles to simply quiet a "vocal minority" of people on some message boards. The last thing I'll say on the matter is not acknowledging that 4K is in all likelihood a profitable business doesn't make it any less true. Happy New Years to you as well

[koberulz]

Why do I suspect the next argument is a complaint about how "woke" they are after that NYT article?

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by koberulz

Why do I suspect the next argument is a complaint about how "woke" they are after that NYT article?

Well to be fair there's some degree of data that potentially backs that up. Although over the last year and a half I'd argue it's going to be harder for anyone to label their output as very "woke". Probably coincides with the mass layoffs they had to undergo. Like all companies they must have realized that wasn't helping things to be labeled that way.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

There is no constructive conversation to be had, since the argument wasn't "most of their resources", it's the waste of any resources at at all to keep the handkerchiefs of the 4k criers dry.

I'd much rather have 20+ brand new releases in a given year as opposed to the superfluous upticks we're saturated with to keep a select few happy.

I have no horse in this specific race, but will issue a fair warning: Whether you are right or wrong on an issue regarding Criterion, there is no winning any debate here if it involves criticizing the label in the slightest. The label has a lot of teacher's pets on this site who revel in being the first to break news about releases and then defend Criterion's honor like they're a huge breasted old maid librarian. It is hard to ever have a "constructive conversation" about the label when some are so quick to always believe the best about them, no matter big screw ups like RIOT IN CELL BLOCK IN 11, MILLER'S CROSSING and THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT.

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by NeilZ

Well to be fair there's some degree of data that potentially backs that up. Although over the last year and a half I'd argue it's going to be harder for anyone to label their output as very "woke". Probably coincides with the mass layoffs they had to undergo. Like all companies they must have realized that wasn't helping things to be labeled that way.

That's right and there is, of course, validity to the position, but the most absurd part of the equation isn't that Criterion buckled from it, but that the New York Times actually felt the need to bring about the ideas in the first place. It was ridiculous and Criterion only exacerbated the ridicule by running so scared from it. But the arguments have been said and no one wants to listen anymore. Maybe when they release "NORMAN...IS THAT YOU?" we can talk about it again.

[DukeTogo84]

I think at the end of the day Criterion simply has way too many licenses of films that they probably never release on physical disc. However, if they ever release Hunter in the Dark on Blu-ray I will NEVER, and I mean NEVER say a single bad word about them again. I'll just keep my mouth shut. Too bad they will never release the film, so I'll probably be complaining for the rest of my life. Either way, happy early New Year's everyone. Hopefully Criterion gives us some new HD to Japanese films in 2024.