The Criterion Collection

[Furley_Ghost]

Originally Posted by Ray_Rogers

Just wondering if Universal is going to have Criterion release a Blu-ray of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It'd give me an excuse not to buy the 2-Disc DVD and since Criterion is practically* porting over all SDVD material, it's a surefire.

Here's hoping for Brazil

*Isn't The Last Emperor BD just the Theatrical release version and re-cropped to 2:1?

+1 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas!!!!!!!

[KubrickFan]

If Criterion doesn't have the rights to release them on Blu you could be waiting a very long time. Anyway, BDs of both movies should look amazing, if done right. Especially Spartacus.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Elvis

God I so wish Criterion would get the rights to La Dolce Vita! It was last put out by Koch Lorber (2004/05). Are they not an offshoot of Fox?

Koch Lorber and Koch Lorber Films are two very different companies. Really!

Pro-B

[PowellPressburger]

a little off topic with BD talk but i did find a used CAV Criterion Collection laserdisc fro TAXI DRIVER that contains the commentary track and the isolated score track for 15.00 - wasn't bad.. been trying to track it down forever... never really trusted ebay on it since Criterion released several different versions of the film and most ebayers use stock pics for their sales. I wanted to make sure I got the one with the score track isolated and the commentary track - which is the only real reason the LD is worthwhile.

[kefrank]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

F&L looks great but for some reason I do not see it going Criterion. There choice of Films seem to be a different caliper this time.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If Criterion can obtain the rights to release Fear & Loathing on BD, I'm sure that they will. It's one of their best-selling DVD titles and has already been deemed "worthy" of the collection.

[BluPix]

I figure that, eventually, Criterion will have its entire collection available in the Blu-ray format, so I've been tending to wait for Criterion titles currently only in standard def to be given the BD treatment before I buy them. Two exceptions are "Ran" (which had a BD date that was cancelled before a question was raised of whether the title would remain in print at all via Criterion) and "The Human Condition" an epic three-part Japanese film with a total running time of roughly nine hours that's due out within a week (I was fortunate enough to see it in a theater last year and just couldn't wait the many months (or years?) before the four-disc set is treated to BD).

Anyway, my current list of Criterion BDs include: "The 400 Blows," "The Last Emperor," "The Third Man," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and "Chungking Express." There may be more that I missed.

Some Criterion BDs that are available now that I want to buy in the not-too-distant future include: "Kagemusha," "The Seventh Seal," "In the Realm of the Senses," "Repulsion," "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and "Monsoon Wedding" (that last would be an upgrade from my current non-Criterion SD DVD).

Some Criterion SD DVDs that I'd like to see upgraded to BD include "Ran" (of course), "Brazil," "Bicycle Thieves," "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeosie," "The Silence of the Lambs," "La Jetee/Sans Soleil," "8 1/2," "Fanny and Alexander," The Antoine Doinel box set and "Do the Right Thing" (all but the last three I have in SD already).

[Mr.White]

Originally Posted by BluPix

I figure that, eventually, Criterion will have its entire collection available in the Blu-ray format, so I've been tending to wait for Criterion titles currently only in standard def to be given the BD treatment before I buy them. Two exceptions are "Ran" (which had a BD date that was cancelled before a question was raised of whether the title would remain in print at all via Criterion) and "The Human Condition" an epic three-part Japanese film with a total running time of roughly nine hours that's due out within a week (I was fortunate enough to see it in a theater last year and just couldn't wait the many months (or years?) before the four-disc set is treated to BD).

Anyway, my current list of Criterion BDs include: "The 400 Blows," "The Last Emperor," "The Third Man," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and "Chungking Express." There may be more that I missed.

Some Criterion BDs that are available now that I want to buy in the not-too-distant future include: "Kagemusha," "The Seventh Seal," "In the Realm of the Senses," "Repulsion," "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and "Monsoon Wedding" (that last would be an upgrade from my current non-Criterion SD DVD).

Some Criterion SD DVDs that I'd like to see upgraded to BD include "Ran" (of course), "Brazil," "Bicycle Thieves," "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeosie," "The Silence of the Lambs," "La Jetee/Sans Soleil," "8 1/2," "Fanny and Alexander" and "Do the Right Thing" (all but the last two I have in SD already).

"For All Mainkind" is awesome on Blu! Very recommended!

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by BluPix

I figure that, eventually, Criterion will have its entire collection available in the Blu-ray format, so I've been tending to wait for Criterion titles currently only in standard def to be given the BD treatment before I buy them. Two exceptions are "Ran" (which had a BD date that was cancelled before a question was raised of whether the title would remain in print at all via Criterion) and "The Human Condition" an epic three-part Japanese film with a total running time of roughly nine hours that's due out within a week (I was fortunate enough to see it in a theater last year and just couldn't wait the many months (or years?) before the four-disc set is treated to BD).

Anyway, my current list of Criterion BDs include: "The 400 Blows," "The Last Emperor," "The Third Man," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and "Chungking Express." There may be more that I missed.

Some Criterion BDs that are available now that I want to buy in the not-too-distant future include: "Kagemusha," "The Seventh Seal," "In the Realm of the Senses," "Repulsion," "The Man Who Fell to Earth" and "Monsoon Wedding" (that last would be an upgrade from my current non-Criterion SD DVD).

Some Criterion SD DVDs that I'd like to see upgraded to BD include "Ran" (of course), "Brazil," "Bicycle Thieves," "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeosie," "The Silence of the Lambs," "La Jetee/Sans Soleil," "8 1/2," "Fanny and Alexander," The Antoine Doinel box set and "Do the Right Thing" (all but the last three I have in SD already).

I have to disagree with you - I don't think the entire Criterion collection will ever be on Blu-ray. There are many titles they no longer have distribution rights for, and almost definitely never will again - Silence of the Lambs, This is Spinal Tap, Hard-Boiled, The Killer, etc. Others they still have DVD rights to, but the actual owner of the film has elected to release a BD on their own without the Criterion branding - see Disney's release of The Rock, Universal's Do The Right Thing, etc. Considering that Criterion does not own films, only licenses them under certain conditions, this is not surprising. I expect the DVD-to-Blu transition to share some elements with the prior Laserdisc-to-DVD transition: some titles will make the jump, and others will not.

Hopefully the films Criterion cannot release on BD will be released by whoever is currently handling them. Of the titles you mentioned, Silence of the Lambs and Do The Right Thing are already out on BD, though obviously not by Criterion. I suggest you take a look at them, as the odds of Criterion ever releasing their own BD versions of them are slim to none.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by BluPix

I figure that, eventually, Criterion will have its entire collection available in the Blu-ray format, so I've been tending to wait for Criterion titles currently only in standard def to be given the BD treatment before I buy them.

I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you. There are TONS of Criterion laserdiscs that never got the Criterion treatment on DVD, and I'm sure there are bound to be tons of Criterion DVDs that Criterion doesn't get to handle on BD for one reason or another....

[KubrickFan]

Criterion said themselves they wouldn't release everything again. That's why they didn't start all over with the spine numbers, they don't think of it as a new collection but as an additional one next to the dvd collection.
But of course you can count on the major movies they own to hit Blu.

[Beta Man]

Is there a section on Criterion's site, or perhaps somewhere else, where you guys check to see if Criterion still owns the rights to a particular film????


Thanks,

[benricci]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

But of course you can count on the major movies they own to hit Blu.

Maybe not. Universal released "Do The Right Thing" themselves on blu-ray, and that was one of Criterion's bigger DVD titles. To Universal's credit, they did a phenomenal job.

And Miramax is releasing "Chasing Amy" themselves this November, in what appears to be a kick-ass special edition with most of the bonus features (sans commentary)

I hope Criterion gets to release my favorites on blu-ray (Fear and Loathing, Dazed and Confused, Brazil, La Haine, Seven Samurai), but if not, my other hope is that the original studio takes as much care as Criterion originally did.

If Do The Right Thing and Chasing Amy are any indicator, they will.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Is there a section on Criterion's site, or perhaps somewhere else, where you guys check to see if Criterion still owns the rights to a particular film????


Thanks,

No, other than that they indicate when a particular title goes OOP. Rights info comes from Criterion e-mails and forum posts.

On a completely unrelated note, I think it would be great if Criterion released In Bruges on Blu-ray as part of their deal with Focus Features, since Universal doesn't seem to care.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Criterion said themselves they wouldn't release everything again. That's why they didn't start all over with the spine numbers, they don't think of it as a new collection but as an additional one next to the dvd collection.
But of course you can count on the major movies they own to hit Blu.

Very dumb thinking on their part! Lets have a different medium and have numbers to a set that can never be completed.

Hey I have an idea.....how about no numbers on the blu's! What a concept!

[pro-bassoonist]

Screendaily:
http://www.screendaily.com/news/ifc-...e?referrer=RSS

IFC Films teams up with Criterion Collection for prestige DVD (BD)* series

IFC Films has signed a deal with The Criterion Collection licensing the prestige DVD label sell-through home entertainment rights for select IFC titles.

Under the terms of the deal, Criterion acquires the rights to distribute select IFC Films’ titles on DVD in the US and will release sell-through special editions of each film.

The partners have already lined up three films from Cannes 2008 – Arnaud Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale on November 10, Matteo Garrone Gomorrah on November 24, and Steven Soderbergh’s Che.

Upcoming 2010 releases include Jan Troell’s 2008 Golden Globe nominee Everlasting Moments, Olivier Assayas’ 2009 hit Summer Hours, Steve McQueen’s Hunger (pictured), Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Still Walking, and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Cesar Award winner The Secret Of The Grain.

Criterion will also release special editions of films from IFC Films’ library including Alfonso Cuaron’s Y Tu Mama Tambien, and Christopher Nolan’s Following.

“From the inception of IFC Films, we modelled our acquisition strategy on Criterion’s but with the intent on focusing on the auteurs of today,” IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring said. “It’s a great honour and thrill for us to embark on this partnership with them. They are the golden seal of approval.”

Criterion’s Peter Becker added: “IFC Films has been on an incredible roll, hunting down daring international films and spotting film-makers whose work will stand the test of time. Criterion has always presented a mix of international classics and director-approved editions of important contemporary films, so this new slate of releases fits our mission perfectly.”

**(Blu-ray releases are part of the deal)

Pro-B

[Seretur]

See, now this makes me inordinately happy.

For every title mentioned (I mean, "Hunger" and "Still Walking", seriously!), but also for the possibility of getting a true gem like "My Winnipeg".

Quickly now to acquire the few Criterion BD's I still don't have, since 2010 is going to have significant wallet-related demands. And I couldn't be happier.

[horseflesh]

Good news Pro-B

BTW, did you get your review copies of the September titles yet??

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Screendaily:
http://www.screendaily.com/news/ifc-...e?referrer=RSS



**(Blu-ray releases are part of the deal)

Pro-B

See...we could have a Binoche interview now, or maybe even a joint audio commentary...

[Pyoko]

I wonder, what are the chances that we'll see a Criterion release of Mad Detective as well?

[Beta Man]

I wonder if they will release these in addition to their normal 2 a month (heck.... coming from a single release month, anything is possible)