The Criterion Collection

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by JoelGoodsen

Seeing some really hypocritical comments. It’s between $18-30 for most discs, so if someone is paying that per disc, how would someone not be able to afford a region free player when you can buy them for $100? In that case, you are better off streaming.

Exactly.

And my point is, if you're gonna be dropping X amount of money on a BD player anyway (because let's face it, you NEED a BD player to play BDs lol) why wouldn't you just spend that same amount on a player that's region free and call it a day? My first BD player was region free. Was the same price as other players that you could buy in-store at Best Buy. This is not some elitist expensive piece of machinery.

If you can afford to buy 1200 BDs at $30 a pop, surely you can drop $100 on a region free BD player lol.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Poya

Where are the announcements? I stayed up all night for this.

You should’ve gone to sleep.

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Exactly.

And my point is, if you're gonna be dropping X amount of money on a BD player (because let's face it, you NEED a BD player to play BDs lol) why wouldn't you just spend that same amount on a player that's region free and call it a day? My first BD player was region free. Was the same price as other players that you could buy in-store at Best Buy. This is not some elitist expensive piece of machinery.

If you can afford to buy 1200 BDs, surely you can drop a bit of cash on a region free BD player lol.

lol exactly. Doesn’t make sense to not have one. I’ve had region free players all the way back to the DVD days. Nothing to do with financial status either. Region free players have been affordable for years and years. They are not out of reach to the casual movie lover.

To each their own!

[Poya]

Originally Posted by JoelGoodsen

Do Criterion do weekend announcements? Had a complete brain blank.

Last Saturday the 15th:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=33715

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by Poya

Last Saturday the 15th:

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=33715

That was a Friday mate.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

Why do you let strangers bother you? Just ignore them.

I would argue that because an online community is only as good as the discourse members collectively choose to accept as valid. Otherwise all you are left with are statements which are solely intended for entertainment purposes which not only don't add any insight, they are misleading.

In that context, I would consider the question differently specific to this thread, as in why be silent when members repetitively bash Criterion and those who choose to purchase their titles with statements such as this one:

Originally Posted by RevolverOcelScott

Criterion releasing sloppy seconds as usual? I know different territories, but the Arrow versions are almost always better in every possibly way.

Beyond the reasons I and others have already stated, a US Blu-ray, cost, rewards and a retail purchase point, there are a number of other reasons, such as supporting a label that balances classic cinema from all genres with titles that are under appreciated and less known. The simple truth of the matter is that the sales from high profile releases subsidize the sales of low profile, lesser known titles. Or that Criterion support specific to returns and packaging damage is typically responsive and accommodating.

Setting all of the above aside, who needs to comes into a thread specific to a label and reads posts from those who apparently take issue with Criterion and those members who for whatever reason, choose to purchase a US Criterion over a non-US release?

As far as this New Yorker and first year Criterion supporter is concerned, you're welcome to post anything you choose, in this thread or any other, as well buy and support any label you choose, but don't take exception when you are called out for your words as nothing more than inflammatory rhetoric.

Otherwise, the next thing you know is someone who doesn't know the difference between VC-1 and HEVC is posting that everyone should pay a premium for an imported FIM encode even if screened on a $500 55" TV.

[Jaymole]

Everyone has different tastes and opinions so I will not be getting into any argument over region free players.

However I must say I simply cannot do without my player. There are so many movies that are only available in other regions and I am so happy that $100 or a ratings logo never stopped me from buying an enjoying these films over the years. Melody is one of my favorite films of all time and I am so thankful that I have gotten to watch it so many times over the years thanks to my player.

[Bradsdadg]

I have a region free bluray player, but it isn't plugged in at the moment. I have the PS5 in there for now. I can understand not wanting to go region free in general though. It can sometimes cost more money to get these titles, some don't like the ratings logo on the cover, and if you end up not wanting to keep a title~it's harder to resell it down the line. I think the most convenient option is to get the title in your own region, though it's not always available. I can see both sides of the discussion...



Anyway, looking forward to Repo Man on 4k, and whatever else is announced!!

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by Jaymole

Everyone has different tastes and opinions so I will not be getting into any argument over region free players.

However I must say I simply cannot do without my player. There are so many movies that are only available in other regions and I am so happy that $100 or a ratings logo never stopped me from buying an enjoying these films over the years. Melody is one of my favorite films of all time and I am so thankful that I have gotten to watch it so many times over the years thanks to my player.

I hope it isn’t an argument! Just a healthy discussion.

Well put, Jay. Ironically, I got a region free DVD player all those years ago to get Criterion DVD titles, amongst others, such as the Halloween lenticular cover Anchor Bay release. And that was when they were really expensive! They are cheap as chips today compared to then.

Makes me feel old when I look back on how long I’ve been collecting

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Jaymole

However I must say I simply cannot do without my player.

Agreed, so much so that both of my setups feature a distinct, Blu-ray region-free player.

That said, as a US resident I do believe there is a downside, in that once my collection passes to my children they may not wish to own two players and or have difficulty with ID of which titles are US as opposed to non-US, combined with the experience US titles are easier to sell/offload then non-US titles.

[Jaymole]

Originally Posted by cgpublic

Agreed, so much so that both of my setups feature a distinct, Blu-ray region-free player.

That said, as a US resident I do believe there is a downside, in that once my collection passes to my children they may not wish to own two players and or have difficulty with ID of which titles are US as opposed to non-US, combined with the experience US titles are easier to sell/offload then non-US titles.

I only own 1 player, a Sony UHD player that is region free for DVDs & blu-rays. Cost me $259 and worth every penny.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Jaymole

I only own 1 player, a Sony UHD player that is region free for DVDs & blu-rays. Cost me $259 and worth every penny.

Happy to read the Sony is a good solution for you, as it's great when one player can handle every trick.

Unfortunately, I've haven't had the same success with Sony UHD players, and I've had quite a few, including two original X800s now in storage, one of which was given to me by my father after he banished it from his home in a fit of rage.

The X700 in my sig is never used for UHD unless there's an issue with the Panasonic; it's inferior when it works and sometimes doesn't even do that. But it's a dandy for Blu, both regions, and DVD, where it excels, as is the 3700 in my bedroom.

With the two Panny's, my feeling is when you are spending upwards of $500 for a player, keep it simple. Mods are great when they work, a disaster when they fail.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Warm Gun

Toho's UHDs are mastered much too bright. Wonder if Criterion would be able to fix them while keeping HDR.

doubtful, Toho wouldn't let them fix the splices on the Showa transfers.

Originally Posted by JoelGoodsen

Do Criterion do weekend announcements? Had a complete brain blank.

Not really, they apparently did it once ages ago, but if the 15th falls on a weekend, they usually wait for the following Monday.

For a while, pre-social media, they used to just put the upcoming titles on the site without announcing them.

[starsteam]

Originally Posted by dwk

doubtful, Toho wouldn't let them fix the splices on the Showa transfers.

They did allow color-correction on some films. Though I heard it took a little push.

I'm expecting DNR to stay on 7S but we'll see.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by starsteam

They did allow color-correction on some films. Though I heard it took a little push.

funny, that reminds me of Lee Kline talking about having to negotiate with the Japanese companies to have actual black or near black in the masters for B&W films instead of just grey. They never make it easy.

[bergman864]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Who said anything about getting a region free 4K player? Even I don’t have a region free UHD player. There are a total of what? Maybe 5-10 region locked UHDs?

The point is region free BD players aren’t expensive. And you can get one or much less than $150. You can get one for half that.

I'm not sure where you buy your region free players from but I haven't seen any for less than $100. There are a few things to take into consideration. First, if someone is buying a new player, should they buy a 4K player, a region free blu-ray player, or a region free 4K player? A regular 4K player is a lot cheaper than buying the others. Why spend the extra money?

The people who have to make these decisions don't make them lightly. I bought my first blu-ray player for $30. That's still significantly less than your estimate for a region free player. I don't know how many times I have to say this but not everybody is spending hundreds of dollars on movies a month. Some people buy 4Ks to future proof and would like a blu-ray they can play now. Or won't buy a 4K only release because they don't have a player.

I'm very happy that I got my region free player when I did. But I don't presume to believe the people who haven't bought one yet are just wasting their money buying tons of discs when they could be buying a new player.

[Poya]

Originally Posted by JoelGoodsen

That was a Friday mate.

My mistake. I meant to post a different date. Friday is still a weekend though.

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by starsteam

They did allow color-correction on some films. Though I heard it took a little push.

I'm expecting DNR to stay on 7S but we'll see.

The new restoration making theatrical runs via Janus is a brand new 2024 4K DCP.

[starsteam]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

The new restoration making theatrical runs via Janus is a brand new 2024 4K DCP.

from Toho. It should look better than the previous restoration but they do like to use DNR. Maybe it will be better managed this time though.

[Shane Rollins]

Originally Posted by postmodel

I just hope we get some Desperate Living to round out the early Waters.

Originally Posted by CelestialAgent

I’d like them to release his early shorts or later New Line titles like Pecker and Cecil B. Demented. Or Hairspray 4K? I remember Mondo Trasho being confined by music rights.

Originally Posted by postmodel

I would love that so much! Similar to Mondo Trasho I think music rights prevent his early shorts from being released, which is why he only shows them at his art shows/exhibits. Hope to one day catch one of those.

There's a lot jamming up the OG versions of Waters' films.

1. The music they can license would cost them millions, and at some point they'd have to start cutting music by choice.
2. The music they can't license is either set too expensive as a deterrent, or permission is outright refused.
3. If they half-assed the soundtrack just to get it out there, no one would buy it. A lot of the mood of his films was set by the original music he picked between 1964 and 1974. When he/his current team are forced to pick new music, it destroys the original film. It's not like he's picking the best music to fit the film. He did that on his first go-round, and what he's giving us now is the next best thing since he legally can't release his original versions.

At the current moment, this is the ETA for the OG versions of all his early stuff on home video:
Hag In A Black Leather Jacket - 2060
Eat Your Makeup - 2062
The Roman Candles - 2064
Mondo Trasho - 2065
The Diane Linkletter Story - 2066
Multiple Maniacs - 2066
Pink Flamingos - 2068
Female Trouble (I'm unsure if the OG music got authorized or changed with this one) - 2070

Someone, likely Criterion, will do the OG versions as soon as they're legally able. The problem is that we'll all either be ancient or dead by the time these discs drop.