The Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jshaide

Love me some doom and gloom.

I'm going to predict that we observe very little to no discernible change.

Yeah, same. I think there's plenty more upside here than down. It doesn't feel the same as The Hut Group, a big retailer corporation buying Arrow for instance. Now if Amazon bought Criterion then I'd be worried.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Lost-in-time

It’ll be a shame if Criterion does end but providing WAC continues that’ll be me happy.

...of that I'm sure, so enjoy life and live in the present. Criterion has enjoyed a great run well beyond exceptions, set the standard for the multitude of boutique labels which now exist, and those who have supported them over the years will still have their collections.

Perhaps the future of home media, streaming, required deeper pockets and or a greater tolerance for risk, but whatever the reason, like I said, life goes on.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Yeah, same. I think there's plenty more upside here than down. It doesn't feel the same as The Hut Group, a big retailer corporation buying Arrow for instance. Now if Amazon bought Criterion then I'd be worried.

Yep, this is not bad news, rather quite positive.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Asking questions about what comes after death? I don’t know if the Criterion thread is the best place for this.

There's probably a film or two in the collection that could answer that.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Asking questions about what comes after death? I don’t know if the Criterion thread is the best place for this.

haha. I of course mean with this estate, will his heirs tear apart the companies and sell them off? Will one of them be interested in keeping it going?

[MifuneFan]

Meet the future owner of Criterion

[JupiterMission]

The only thing that struck me after a quick look into this Rales character is that he's the founder of Indian Paintbrush. Obviously I don't know much about nothin', but I don't think we should be too quick to despair if the guy that has bankrolled Wes Anderson for two decades buys Criterion.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Kenneth M

If this Steven Rales cat buys/builds Criterion their own private 4K and Blu-Ray film transfer and pressing plant Stateside, with state-of-the-art QC, it would be a phenomenal start to this acquisition.

If there is no move to improve their film transfer and physical media production, then this buyout would belie my hopes and expectations for the future of Criterion.

It's a pipe dream most likely. I'm worried quantity will go up and quality will go down with this new owner. Criterion was always the benchmark for video/audio restorations but I'm not sure if Rales will keep that philosophy intact. Selling more to make more profits at the cost of quality is what usually happens with greedy CEOs.

[Scottie]

Tim Blake Nelson’s Closet Picks - YouTube

Also, Janus/Sideshow has acquired All We Imagine As Light.

https://variety.com/2024/film/global...ht-1236010439/

[stvn1974]

I'm sure this new billionaire owner has a heart of gold and will be slashing the prices for Criterion discs.

[Bradsdadg]

Originally Posted by jw007

It's a pipe dream most likely. I'm worried quantity will go up and quality will go down with this new owner. Criterion was always the benchmark for video/audio restorations but I'm not sure if Rales will keep that philosophy intact. Selling more to make more profits at the cost of quality is what usually happens with greedy CEOs.

Their quantity is already pretty solid when you think about it. Their quality isn't exactly the pinnacle of boutiques anymore. There are other companies that put out work that some would say is even better.

I don't know what will happen, but I'm hopefully it will still mean good things for all of us

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

What comes after death? - Your family sell or give away all your discs & books & clothes, & life goes on

I suppose Criterion must be in a good state, or they wouldn't have been bought.

Like Steven Rales, I'm 73 & am very healthy & fit, but who knows about tomorrow...

Same here… other than the very part.

[goodnitesteve]

Hopefully, the extra financial backing will bring The Heartbreak Kid to the Criterion collection and out of the greedy clutches of an evil pharmaceutical company.

[Egbert Souse]

Rales' only acting credit is the voice of Beaver in Fantastic Mr. Fox, so I'm optimistic. Better someone who cares about art than some vulture like Steve Mnuchin.

Maybe having a wealthy owner means Criterion can put more care into their encodes and not endlessly reprint old discs

[dwk]

Originally Posted by goodnitesteve

Hopefully, the extra financial backing will bring The Heartbreak Kid to the Criterion collection and out of the greedy clutches of an evil pharmaceutical company.

Or free the Golden Princess Films catalog give the world John Woo classics on UHD.

[Rayjg]

Now we need Musk to buy Shout and rename it Xcratch.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by dwk

Or free the Golden Princess Films catalog give the world John Woo classics on UHD.

The man is a billionaire. Not sure how much money he's willing to invest in this, but man would be nice to have Hard Boiled and The Killer in the collection again.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Rayjg

Now we need Musk to buy Shout and rename it Xcratch.

Are you secretly one of the Deadpit Radio guys and trying to put Shout out of business?

[slop101]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I'm sure this new billionaire owner has a heart of gold and will be slashing the prices for Criterion discs.

LOL, I appreciate the sarcasm, and while it is true that there's no such thing as a "good" billionaire, this guy is a huge movie fan.
Hopefully, enough of one to not really care if Criterion loses him money (as compared to the rest of his wealth, it's no more to him than what a collection of some discs are to us), as he sees it as more of a hobby that he enjoys, rather than a business venture that's supposed to make him money. Though if he did think that, it's a horrible investment, which is why I'm sure he bought them mostly because like movies, and he already has plenty of money.

[MrGarmonbozia]

Hi all
Just snagged the By Brakhage set at our local used record shop and getting home to see this odd black ring around the first disc in volume 2.

Did a quick google search and it’s not the bronzing issue
Just a perfect black ring like a groove in a record. Any ideas?