The Criterion Collection

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

That's what I've been trying to say, but somehow, people think I'm crazy for suggesting that they stop whining about this.

It's always dangerous on the Internet, for some reasons people will sometimes react unlike they would in real life. Look at the world of trouble I ended up with by saying in another thread that there members here who are impulsive buyers. I did not say stop it, I even mention that it's their money and they can do what they want with it but still I did ruffles some feeling and I suppose that since people are hidden they can react in a very nasty way. It was funny cause most of their replies pretty much confirm what I was saying on impulsive buying but still they were angry

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

This is one of the issues I have with their customer service, sterling as it usually is.

Whenever White or Carlos replacement discs get mentioned, more people come out of the woodwork asking about it.

If they were major studio releases, those discs would have been recalled, and there would be something on the website about the disc exchange. Instead, you have to learn it from some random person on a forum, if you even frequent forums. The majority do not.

It's as if they're hoping the problem will be ignored by most people who buy the discs.

Considering that most people didn't realise that there were issues until hardcore technophiles pointed them out, most people won't pick up on these issues. It's like the green tint issues that plague LOTR, a lot of people didn't and/or wouldn't have picked up on that until the technophiles pointed it out and made a big stink about it.

[italy12]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

This is one of the issues I have with their customer service, sterling as it usually is.

Whenever White or Carlos replacement discs get mentioned, more people come out of the woodwork asking about it.

If they were major studio releases, those discs would have been recalled, and there would be something on the website about the disc exchange. Instead, you have to learn it from some random person on a forum, if you even frequent forums. The majority do not.

It's as if they're hoping the problem will be ignored by most people who buy the discs.

Really? I think by now, Criterion realizes that word of mouth travels fast among the facebook and forum users. I bet they're smart enough to figure that they have a pretty big network of fans who communicate to each other and learn of the things that will generate satisfied customers. If Criterion had everyone's email addresses, I'm sure they would send out a mass email. Instead, they send it to those people who have accounts, and thus an email on record, and probably assume word of mouth will get the others to return their defective discs.

Criterion is not a big company like WB or Sony or Universal or Paramount, and could probably not handle the amount of returned discs that would come almost at once if they plastered a message on their website for all to see. You see what "word of mouth" and a couple million fans can do to their website when only their members get a promotional email with a sale announcement?

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

It's always dangerous on the Internet, for some reasons people will sometimes react unlike they would in real life. Look at the world of trouble I ended up with by saying in another thread that there members here who are impulsive buyers. I did not say stop it, I even mention that it's their money and they can do what they want with it but still I did ruffles some feeling and I suppose that since people are hidden they can react in a very nasty way. It was funny cause most of their replies pretty much confirm what I was saying on impulsive buying but still they were angry

Oh I know, this board is notorious for such reactions.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

Ah, thanks for the tip. I have given up on braving their FB page, so I missed that one.

I don't check it either. I gather the info from other boards.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I didn't see anyone here complain that $10 "wasn't enough," but whatever. It's finally dawned on me that this argument is futile.

See below:

Originally Posted by AreaUnderTheCurve

Indeed. That makes the deal worthless in my view. Buying two items means I'm still paying that retarded shipping price.

People were complaining about the deal and the shipping costs.

Also, it took you long enough to realise that. I think you need more coffee to wake up.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Maybe if they'd left that to word-of-mouth, they wouldn't have had such problems yesterday.

Pass the Kool-Aid.

They had problems yesterday?

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

And yet lots of people who have purchased the discs never noticed a problem, or haven't even opened their sets up, yet they hear about the $10 GC and it's "where do I send this defective piece of crap?"



Criterion is a bigger company than you assume, although maybe not since you mentioned "millions" of people hitting their website yesterday in an earlier post.

I think it's interesting that people aren't so concerned about Criterion fessing up to a defect in their product. You guys are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt or make excuses. Oh, let word-of-mouth take care of it. Really?

You may have noticed they plastered their 50% off promo code all over their site yesterday. Maybe if they'd left that to word-of-mouth, they wouldn't have had such problems yesterday.

Pass the Kool-Aid.

Just stop buying from them, because seriously, you say you complain occasionally, but most of what you post has been complaining that they aren't releasing what you feel they should be releasing, and that they're dishonest about defects. Go buy from MoC/Eureka/BFI if you have such issues with Criterion.

Stop supporting them if you dislike them and their business practices so much.

[P@t_Mtl]

Change of pace and I do have a question even if I suspect probably no one here got the set. Anyone got Eclipse Series 14 Rossellini’s History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment?

I am wondering what the set is like? The movies? Restoration? It's about $50 right now by sellers on Amazon and wondering if the set is OOP? If it is I might just get it now and take no chance to wait for the B&N sale.

[AreaUnderTheCurve]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

See below:



People were complaining about the deal and the shipping costs.

Also, it took you long enough to realise that. I think you need more coffee to wake up.

When I can spend $3 more and get two day shipping on Amazon for the same product, the deal is nonsense. I have never ordered from Criterion's website, so there's no need for me to know what they charge for shipping.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Criterion is a bigger company than you assume, although maybe not since you mentioned "millions" of people hitting their website yesterday in an earlier post.

I think it's interesting that people aren't so concerned about Criterion fessing up to a defect in their product. You guys are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt or make excuses. Oh, let word-of-mouth take care of it. Really?

You may have noticed they plastered their 50% off promo code all over their site yesterday. Maybe if they'd left that to word-of-mouth, they wouldn't have had such problems yesterday.

Pass the Kool-Aid.

Joe, Criterion is a business, just like an automaker. They want to sell items, not return them. The automaker is bound by law to disclose its recalls, a film distributor is not. Even though it may be the 'right' thing to do, seems like a losing proposition to advertise it. I don't think Criterion needed to fess up about a disc problem, as they never discovered it in the first place. As BG said, the techies found it and brought it to their attention. I think the fact that they are replacing it and giving people a $10 credit is very generous. As I recall when WB or Sony has a problem, you have to send the disc into them for a replacement, but I do not recall any compensation for your trouble being offered.

[BluPix]

For me, the titles announced for blu-ray each month by Criterion can be grouped into three categories:

1. Titles that are expected (e.g., popular titles already on Criterion DVD; films that have been hinted at or rumored, etc.)
2. Titles that are fairly obscure or not as well known, but welcome
3. Titles that are relatively popular but completely unexpected to be released from Criterion (no previous signs of an upcoming Criterion release).

I like all three types of announcements, but my favorite is the third kind, just because it’s such a pleasant surprise. I recall feeling that way about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, 12 Angry Men.and, later, Harold and Maude.

I can only guess what titles will be in today’s announcement, but here are some I think may be announced sooner rather than later — or which I just want to have on Criterion Blu.

Bicycle Thieves, Umberto D. or another Vittorio De Sica film

Short Cuts, Tanner ‘88, Nashville or another Robert Altman film.

Knife in the Water, The Tenant, Tess, Rosemary’s Baby or another Roman Polanski film.

La Luna, Before the Revolution, The Dreamers, The Sheltering Sky or another Bernardo Bertolucci film.

The Royal Tennenbaums or Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Wes Anderson.

The Decalogue, directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

Kayyanisqatsi (probably with the other two films in the “Qatsi” trilogy)

Berlin Alexanderplatz

L’Avventura

Brazil

[italy12]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

And yet lots of people who have purchased the discs never noticed a problem, or haven't even opened their sets up, yet they hear about the $10 GC and it's "where do I send this defective piece of crap?"

Anyway, I still don't see where that makes it OK, just because some people couldn't identify the issue. If you buy Carlos or Three Colors today, it's defective, with no corrected version in sight save for a word-of-mouth trade-in program. Most would skin WB or Sony alive for such a thing.



Criterion is a bigger company than you assume, although maybe not since you mentioned "millions" of people hitting their website yesterday in an earlier post.

I think it's interesting that people aren't so concerned about Criterion fessing up to a defect in their product. You guys are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt or make excuses. Oh, let word-of-mouth take care of it. Really?

You may have noticed they plastered their 50% off promo code all over their site yesterday. Maybe if they'd left that to word-of-mouth, they wouldn't have had such problems yesterday.

Pass the Kool-Aid.

Criterion, with 1 fan or 20 billion, is still Criterion in terms of size and resources. I understand that the more $ they have, the more they can try to do. But don't assume that just because I acknowledge the fact that they may have millions of fans, that they're as big as, or can do as much as, a company like Warner Bros. who spends millions on restoring classics like Ben Hur, Citizen Kane, North By Northwest, etc., major major classic films.

I do remember them putting the code on the website, however, I do remember seeing people announce that they got an email and a credit first, well, after I got my email.

And just to prove my point, those that did not get the email, nor the credit, were coming out in droves wondering where their credit/email was. Now, if word of mouth is nothing, how did all of those people who didn't get emails, and maybe potentially saw the banner on the website, know about the $10 credit? I think it was word of mouth.

I don't think the kool-aid remark is warranted. So I am defending a company I continue to support...what of it? I have been pleased with the service I have personally received over the few short years that I have been purchasing their products.

Ooooh, so now I'm part of some Wacky C cult. That's real mature of you to assume. I guess that means you won.

[italy12]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Change of pace and I do have a question even if I suspect probably no one here got the set. Anyone got Eclipse Series 14 Rossellini’s History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment?

I am wondering what the set is like? The movies? Restoration? It's about $50 right now by sellers on Amazon and wondering if the set is OOP? If it is I might just get it now and take no chance to wait for the B&N sale.

How dare you.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by italy12

How dare you.

What can I say, I am a daring type of guy

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Change of pace and I do have a question even if I suspect probably no one here got the set. Anyone got Eclipse Series 14 Rossellini’s History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment?

I am wondering what the set is like? The movies? Restoration? It's about $50 right now by sellers on Amazon and wondering if the set is OOP? If it is I might just get it now and take no chance to wait for the B&N sale.

Pat, I have the set and do not think it is OOP. I love Rossellini and am a history buff, so it was an easy pickup for me. His take on this history is very insightful, especially from his own country's perspective. The Age of the Medici is 4 hours or so and is fantastic. PQ is very good for a dvd, hence the 2 discs. IMO, Cartesius is the best of the 3 as it is insightful in ways only books can give.

You could have got it for 1/2 price yesterday, but we all know how that went....

[italy12]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Joe, Criterion is a business, just like an automaker. They want to sell items, not return them. The automaker is bound by law to disclose its recalls, a film distributor is not. Even though it may be the 'right' thing to do, seems like a losing proposition to advertise it. I don't think Criterion needed to fess up about a disc problem, as they never discovered it in the first place. As BG said, the techies found it and brought it to their attention. I think the fact that they are replacing it and giving people a $10 credit is very generous. As I recall when WB or Sony has a problem, you have to send the disc into them for a replacement, but I do not recall any compensation for your trouble being offered.

To further that, WB and other companies usually take longer to either respond or take action. Remember Gladiator?? Maybe their small size was its saving grace. Bigger companies probably have more to "assess" before they decide whether or not to go ahead and offer a program which may cost them money. Gladiator had to have a whole new master, I think. And Criterion PAID us to send the discs, albeit in THEIR money, but at least customers who shop from them can buy something from their site with their compensation.

Criterion was also super quick to send out emails, and answer those who emailed them first who might not have received an initial email.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Pat, I have the set and do not think it is OOP. I love Rossellini and am a history buff, so it was an easy pickup for me. His take on this history is very insightful, especially from his own country's perspective. The Age of the Medici is 4 hours or so and is fantastic. PQ is very good for a dvd, hence the 2 discs. IMO, Cartesius is the best of the 3 as it is insightful in ways only books can give.

You could have got it for 1/2 price yesterday, but we all know how that went....

Thanks for the info. I would not have order it yesterday anyway. The shipping charges for sending the stuff up here pretty much kill any deal they might offer and you do get hit at the border for other fees as well. It's really not worth it for Canada. I can either get it now for $50 or take my chance with the sale in July? I might take my chance, the David Lean set will be costing me an arm and leg anyway

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Change of pace and I do have a question even if I suspect probably no one here got the set. Anyone got Eclipse Series 14 Rossellini’s History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment?

I am wondering what the set is like? The movies? Restoration? It's about $50 right now by sellers on Amazon and wondering if the set is OOP? If it is I might just get it now and take no chance to wait for the B&N sale.

Amazon.com has it for 36 bucks, directly from them. Which Amazon are you looking at? I know a lot of sellers like to jack up prices on Criterions. The reviews on Amazon seem to look favourably on it.

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Yeah, never mind all the breath I wasted on defending their decision to release Lena Dunham's film, or my excitement for the Czech New Wave Eclipse, or the 1500 other non-negative posts I've made since I first started coming here.

Anyway you're missing the point. I'm as sick of the sycophants as you are of the whiners. You said yourself Criterion aren't the be all and end all, yet you can't seem to allow anyone to criticize them.

As it stands I have been patronizing MoC and other companies more and will continue to do so if I don't see anything I like from Criterion. Just like I always have done, just like you suggest people do.

I have no issues with people criticising Criterion, I just don't agree with some of the reasons people are criticising them for, and it seems that no matter what they do, people have to *****. First they ***** when they don't release a title, then they ***** when a title's released because it doesn't have enough extras or some minute flaw than only people who are looking for flaws find, and then people complain when it takes forever for them to fix the flaw they wouldn't have noticed unless someone had pointed it out to them.

You're acting awfully defensive for some reason. As I said before, go have a coffee. Maybe add some kick to it.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Anyone know of a thread where they discuss films and know how to use the search feature?

How long have you been on Bluray.com? You should know that talking of the films themselves is verboten, as packaging, amount you paid for a disc, how many discs you own, if it comes with a DVD, and whether or not it's tinted green or in DTS is more important.