The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

A little Criterion historical data...

This info may have been posted in some replies already, but I don't feel up to going through the last 30 pages or so of replies. Sorry if this duplicates.

Originally Posted by BillyJack

it might have been "Seven Samurai" (the ultra-rare 1st printing that has the restoration demo) Armageddon was the last CC Laserdisc.

The first Criterion LD was Citizen Kane and the last was Armageddon, thereby being a perfect example of the phrase "from the sublime to the ridiculous".

Actually, Citizen Kane and King Kong -- spine #1 & 2 respectively -- were issued simultaneously in late 1984. Armageddon -- spine #384 -- was released on 16 Mar 1999.

Their first DVD releases had a street date of 31 Mar 1998. The first titles released on that date were Amarcord (spine #4), The 400 Blows (#5), and The Killer (#8).

The three last LDs were released almost simultaneous with the DVDs: High and Low (LD #382, 23 Sep 1998; DVD #24, 14 Oct 1998), Picnic at Hanging Rock (LD #383, 3 Nov 1998; DVD #29, 21 Oct 1998), and Armageddon (LD #384, 16 Mar 1999; DVD #40, 20 Apr 1999).

By the way, as should be obvious, while Criterion is using the same spine numbers for DVDs and BDs, there's no correspondence between the LD and DVD spine numbers. There are also several unallocated spine numbers amongst the LDs. I thought perhaps they decided to skip some to account for some numbering irregularities (e.g. if they issued a title in both CAV and CLV format, the CAV was #nn, while the CLV was #nnA), but I can't seem to make the numbers balance no matter what. There are no skipped spine numbers among the DVDs.

The first BDs were released on 16 Dec 2008, with the first titles being The Third Man (#64), The Man Who Fell to Earth (#304), Bottle Rocket (#450), and Chungking Express (#453). The DVDs for the latter two came out about 3 weeks earlier, so those are the first (almost) simultaneous DVD/BD releases.

It looks like they began releasing each new title in both DVD and BD format starting with #551: Cronos, street date 27 Dec 2010.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

a man as ugly as me must have charm, otherwise I wouldn't be married!

So you're telling me that not only do I have to charm the ladywife into letting me purchase more movies, but I also have to charm the cashier (him/her) into letting me use a coupon!?

The first part is easy..... Old married-guy-tricks.

You: "I got this $8 off coupon, I can use this during the sale they're having, with my membership discount, and I can get $40 movies for $10 each! "

Wife: **something that resembles an apprehensive response of acceptance**

You: (worst case scenario) "They said something about small print on the coupon and wouldn't take it....... but while I was already there..... "

Piece of cake

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

I accidentally didn't cancel my amazon pre-order for High and Low, and ordered it via B&N also.... I need to return the Amazon one, but they're charging me shipping

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Bob on the extras literally equates the Monkees with the manufactured Justin Bieber and High School Musical teens of today.
Bob...the Monkees were NOT the High School Musical teens. (Although the HSM'ers sure act like they came out of a mid-60's sitcom. )

Although to be fair, it was Mike Nesmith who wrote and directed the sour, snarky deconstructionist 30th-anniversary TV special to promote the "Justus" album/tour, so Bob's not the only one with too many personal demons.



Leading to the funny in-joke in Ep. 56(?) where the boys try to disrupt an amateur-hour show, and Mike pretends to be a nervous folksinger:

[Show spoiler]‪The Monkees - "Different Drum" from "Too Many Girls"‬‏ - YouTube

It's even funnier if you know Frank & Mike were deliberately heckling Davy's interminably episode-stopping Smalls interview the week before: (5:15)

[Show spoiler]‪The Monkee's Interviews part 3‬‏ - YouTube

The Monkees were trying to get out of their dying kiddy-show format, and wanted to move the series into more of a network variety-show format with guest interviews and comedy sketches, but it was too hard to break out of their image.

(That's what I like about this board, you can find expert-defender fans of just about anything. )

I was being sarcastic with my comments about Bob. The man may have made good films, but he's an arrogant jackass.

Mike singing his own song was episode 15, Too Many Girls. Reta shaw plays the crazy stage mom who wants Davy to sing with her daughter, played by Kelly Jean Peters. That episode is hilarious, because the censors had an issue with Kelly Jean Peters in a bikini, so they blurred out her clevage! She also pretends to be a girl scout selling cookies, and Micky slams the door in her face and ad libs the line, 'Girl Scout, my ass," although they cuckooed out ass.

The Zappa bit is comedy gold regardless of them lampooing the Lancashire Midget Greenie and his guest: "No, it's the other way around. You're a popular musician, I'm dirty, gross and ugly."

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

ACO is good, but the book is so, so, so, so, so, SO much better.

I have the opposite opinion. I think Burgess's novel is good, but not great. I think Kubrick's movie is one of the few near-perfect films ever made.

As far as Kubrick's other films go, I'm benignly indifferent to The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. The only Kubrick film that I really dislike is Lolita (talk about a situation where the novel is "so, so, so, so, so, SO much better"!).

[bthoma]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I accidentally didn't cancel my amazon pre-order for High and Low, and ordered it via B&N also.... I need to return the Amazon one, but they're charging me shipping

Tell them that the item missed the expected delivery date, and this problem will go away. I've done this numerous times to get free shipping on returns, and they never seem to check to see if the item really did miss the expected delivery date.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by jayembee

I have the opposite opinion. I think Burgess's novel is good, but not great. I think Kubrick's movie is one of the few near-perfect films ever made.

As far as Kubrick's other films go, I'm benignly indifferent to The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. The only Kubrick film that I really dislike is Lolita (talk about a situation where the novel is "so, so, so, so, so, SO much better"!).

Ha! I'm the opposite yet again, Nabokov irked me to no end, but I loved the Kubrick film. It could be because of my insane love for Peter Sellers and James Mason though.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

The first part is easy..... Old married-guy-tricks.

You: "I got this $8 off coupon, I can use this during the sale they're having, with my membership discount, and I can get $40 movies for $10 each! "

Wife: **something that resembles an apprehensive response of acceptance**

You: (worst case scenario) "They said something about small print on the coupon and wouldn't take it....... but while I was already there..... "

Piece of cake

You need to write a book Beta!

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I accidentally didn't cancel my amazon pre-order for High and Low, and ordered it via B&N also.... I need to return the Amazon one, but they're charging me shipping

You referred to High and Low as a samurai film.

C'mon, we don't want to turn away SB

[Tom Hiddleston]

I just picked up Topsy-Turvy and The Furies. If The Furies gets a blu ray release next year I will be so po'ed. (I don't think it will but with my luck.) I purchased ten titles, and I still want to get at least four more. I really need to quit.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

You referred to High and Low as a samurai film.

C'mon, we don't want to turn away SB

No need to worry about that.

[keldons]

Excited for Cronenberg, Lanthimos, and McQueen in the Venice lineup. Lanthimos and McQueen in particular being younger filmmakers with very bright futures.

[keldons]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Again... it depends on the store/cashier/etc... Basically the "system" will accept the coupon for any title that was $39.99 before the sale.... if you can get the employee to scan it, then it will work.

that easy, eh? I'll try this when I pick up Two Lane Blacktop tomorrow.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

You referred to High and Low as a samurai film.

C'mon, we don't want to turn away SB

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm fairly certain "Life During Wartime" isn't a feature length film about a Talking Heads' song

[BluPops]

I had the old Warner (?) set, but sold it some months back, so can't (and never do) a direct comparison. Have only seen the Great Dictator blu on the small 26" set in my studio, but I thought it looked beautiful. You shouldn't worry about picture quality.

Originally Posted by blu_brian

How does the picture quality of the Criterion DVD version of The Great Dictator look? I checked DVDbeaver and I was going to assume the Criterion will look like the Warner Bros DVD.

I picked up the blu version for me and I'm wanting to get the DVD version for a coworker who's very much into WW II. It seems all of the blu's extras are on the second dvd.

[Cocophone]

Originally Posted by Cocophone View Post
I keep thinking I should buy Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence during this sale.

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Watched this again last night...... less thinking... more ordering is in store for you.

Thanks. I'll make a payment on my visa and then order Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence and probably add White Material to the order

[monque]

Just placed my order for the last two of the Criterion sale at B&N

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-has been shipped

Pierrot Le Fou (which has not shipped) This is a blind buy and my 1st ever Godard film. I hope I enjoy it.

[Jamnperry]

Just finished Naked. What a great film. Performances outstanding. Really happy with this BB.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by BazMoney81

Yes you should give it another go, you owe it to yourself. I fully agree what you're saying about great appreciation for films comes with maturity, yeah I like the avatar too, where did you find the full size pic?

I did a google image search for "Seven Samurai" and scrolled down til I found it.
It seems to have come from the Deviant Art website:
http://fc04.deviantart.net/images/i/...vie_Poster.jpg

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm fairly certain "Life During Wartime" isn't a feature length film about a Talking Heads' song

However, Naked is the title of their 1988 album. I thought that's what you were referring to.

My copy of High & Low still hasn't shipped. I am sad. I haven't even received any e-mails telling me why it wasn't shipped yesterday.

[Beta Man]

I'm actually really surprised B&N keeps doing this sale without ensuring other coupons don't overlap it.....

Reading the deals thread, the number of people cashing in on the $8 coupons is amazing.