The Criterion Collection

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

The big mainstream films will still get their releases and the smaller films will have a chance to live a better life elsewhere. Yeah, not trying to spark outrage, but sometimes it just feels better for Criterion to just vanish into the air.

Ugh. No. The most reliable label for a title to stay in print and gain relevance? Something that's more than just another brand, but the closest thing we have to a long-term, curated living film library? They are precious to me. I believe in permanence.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

Ugh. No. The most reliable label for a title to stay in print and gain relevance? Something that's more than just another brand, but the closest thing we have to a long-term, curated living film library? They are precious to me. I believe in permanence.

It's not something I would want to happen, but if it did, I don't think I'd shed much of a tear. Would be great for other labels. Criterion isn't the winning horse it once was and sometimes being put to pasture could be the answer?

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Personally think the Brazil Blu-ray is a thing of beauty. 20 year old master or 1000, if it's look amazing, it looks amazing. There are plenty of crummy 20 year old masters, and Brazil isn't one of them. I knew it was coming, but really wish it was in a month with 6 new to HD upgrades, and not 3.

I'm thinking of adding a signature to my profile that simply says "I hate Criterion."

Criterion's in-house HD/2K masters from the mid-2000s held up remarkably well, but I rewatched the Blu recently and it's definitely time for an upgrade. Especially for its 40th anniversary and it's not like the film isn't aging like a fine wine.

They're putting out quite a lot of "long wait" titles like Midnight, The Three/Four Musketeers, Killer of Sheep, Withnail & I, The Long Good Friday, etc. that I'm pretty optimistic the rest of the year is going to have a lot of exciting titles. Given the rumor, I'm crossing my fingers for those Kurosawa and Ozu box sets.

[Will G]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

smaller films will have a chance to live a better life elsewhere.

You say Criterion is holding these films hostage, but they're actually giving them a wider audience by having them available on the Criterion Channel for only a small monthly fee.

[themp3000]

Looking forward to upgrading Mishima to 4K. One of my all time favorites!

And really excited for a good release of Sorcerer to 4K as well!

I love movies!

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Will G

You say Criterion is holding these films hostage, but they're actually giving them a wider audience by having them available on the Criterion Channel for only a small monthly fee.

Don't know about that. A small streaming service limited to a couple of countries doesn't scream accessible to me. Us old folks like a nice physical disc too and gives film a chance to reach people in different countries and all over the world too.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by themp3000

Looking forward to upgrading Mishima to 4K. One of my all time favorites!

And really excited for a good release of Sorcerer to 4K as well!

I love movies!

[The Great Owl]

Holy cow... The Wiz

"Ease on down, ease on down the road
Ease on down, ease on down the road"

lol!

I would love to see this one again.

[mclellandj]

I can’t remember the last time Criterion had a “bad” month — when it comes to the movie selection. They are probably the most consistent in giving an interesting slate of good movies every single month. But this month is particularly good.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by Will G

You say Criterion is holding these films hostage, but they're actually giving them a wider audience by having them available on the Criterion Channel for only a small monthly fee.

Excellent point. I can only imagine how my early film education would've been served by having dozens of full Criterion editions available online for only 10 bucks a month, not to mention all the thousands of films cycling through.

Also, you know, I'm not Mr. Moneybucks. I have a ton of Criterion discs, a big bookshelf full after more than a quarter century of disc releases, but I couldn't even *begin* to afford buying all the releases in a certain month. I'm exponentially more likely to take a chance on a film on the channel than spend $30 on a film I've never seen. Give me 6 obscure films new to disc and, honestly, it's more than likely those will be 6 discs I never buy unless I see them first and fall in love. And honestly, it's an unfair expectation that most people are going to spend $30 or $40 regularly to take a flyer, which is what DukeTogo's passionate and well-intentioned advocacy calls for. Even $15-$20 would be a lot!

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Don't know about that. A small streaming service limited to a couple of countries doesn't scream accessible to me.

500 million people having access to a gorgeous online library of thousands of titles from all over the world, including a huge chunk of complete sets from the collection itself, for the price of a cup and a half of coffee, is one of the most accessible things I can think of and I personally appreciate it almost daily.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

500 million people having access to a gorgeous online library of thousands of titles from all over the world, including a huge chunk of complete sets from the collection itself, for the price of a cup and a half of coffee, is one of the most accessible things I can think of and I personally appreciate it almost daily.

Dumping a film on a streaming service that isn't exactly lighting the world on fire where it can easily get lost is not what I would exactly define as accessible. Movie fans come from all over the world and certain films CAN'T get released because Criterion literally has them hostage with blocks in other countries.

[DimitriL]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Dumping a film on a streaming service that isn't exactly lighting the world on fire where it can easily get lost is not what I would exactly define as accessible. Movie fans come from all over the world and certain films CAN'T get released because Criterion literally has them hostage with blocks.

So you're saying Criterion is holding foreign rights hostage? That makes no sense.

[Watershipdownisgood]

Wow just got back from a funeral for my grandma, and have a lot on my mind currently, and it has nothing to do with movies. However, just like May there’s some great stuff here not just a few 4K upgrades, but some new to Blu-Ray stuff too including a jazz documentary that I’ve been wanting on Blu-Ray for a number of years as Thelonius Monk is one of my favorite music artists of all time. Anyways, I’m probably going to just lurk on this forum for a couple of weeks, instead of posting anything right now.

Excited for
Sorcerer
Midnight
Thelonius Monk Straight no Chaser documentary more African American films yes please
The Wiz speaking of African American films we have another one right here that I don’t own in any format yet not even the old Blu-Ray also yes I really enjoy this film more than The Wizard of Oz

Hmmmmmm, I wonder if this means we might get Dead Presidents, Rage in Harlem, Above the Rim too from Criterion as well this year. Alongside Brother from Another Planet, which we already know is coming later this year it seems like a big year for African American cinema this year on Blu-Ray, which is exciting. Anyways, time to disappear for a bit

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Watershipdownisgood

Wow just got back from a funeral for my grandma, and have a lot on my mind currently, and it has nothing to do with movies.

My condolences.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

So you're saying Criterion is holding foreign rights hostage? That makes no sense.

It does make sense. Other labels can't gain the rights to films in other territories because Criterion has blocks on them. So certain films can't be viewed period in the UK, etc.

[Driver78]

Brazil and Sorcerer. Amazeballs.

[SanCarolina59]

Saw this elsewhere, on the most recent episode of Eddie Muller's "Ask Eddie" podcast on YouTube, he mentions that Criterion is doing a 4K release of The Big Heat (1953) and had asked him to do a commentary for it, but he declined - he feels he doesn't have the time anymore to do a proper commentary.

Here's the Ask Eddie episode in question - Eddie comments on it at around 13:00 in:

ASK EDDIE - March 13, 2025 - YouTube

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

It's not something I would want to happen, but if it did, I don't think I'd shed much of a tear. Would be great for other labels. Criterion isn't the winning horse it once was and sometimes being put to pasture could be the answer?

I think the answer may be that other labels have upped their game and there are more options than ever so there's not as much separation between Criterion and the field.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by DimitriL

I would like specific examples of that. Because BFI and StudioCanal seem to be snapping up rights at will.

Also, you know where great books can get lost? A library. That doesn't make it valuable as all get out. The point of the Criterion Channel is that it's THERE for hundreds of millions of people for a damn pittance. I'm a filmmaker and I would do ANYTHING just to have a film of mine there. Because the chances of a person like me discovering it would exponentially improve.

I never saw a Joan Micklin Silver film until her spotlight hit the channel. Now she's one of my favorites. I am Ground Zero for that kind of cinematic interest. And I feel like, with due respect - and I mean that, I hope you're taking this as the friendly bantering I intend - you're saying, "no, this is why the things you've discovered and the way you've discovered them mean NOTHING because Janus theoretically blocks Smithereens in Luxembourg."

Nearly all of the Japanese Shochiku films Criterion has? A LOT of them they have world wide rights to outside of Japan. Not all, as some other labels got in before Criterion did, but certain labels like Radiance and Eureka were told straight from Shochiku that the BIG C got you blocked.

I feel like international film makers might not get the chance to get inspired by certain films that are simply being blocked by Criterion. It's one thing to get the rights for one territory, but it seems rather selfish to get world wide rights and not sub license doesn't it?

Criterion to me is that company was once the best, but now is one of the last horses in the race with their methods when it comes to physical media. It seems their concern is more of the getting those big boy titles out there to make some money. Sure they do release more obscure stuff, but it's the really obscure stuff that almost no one even knows what it is. I just wish there was more of a middle ground with them.

Seems like a lot of people are happy with their 4K upgrades, but I'm not one of their fans with this. They will release stuff I like maybe once every other month, but the days of where I would feel truly excited with their monthly announcements seems to be a thing of the past.

And yeah, I consider this friendly banter. If anything it helps me release some steam that's been building up. I really wasn't going to go on one of my Criterion rants this month, but man there was some really strong bait this time around.