The Criterion Collection

[jayputter]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

If I won the lottery or something I could see owning them all, but as it is I'm good with what I have. Its a pretty big month when I want even three of the announced titles. I'm with Joe, though, in that I want to at least try and see each film they release, even if not the actual criterion edition. Is been a nice way to broaden my film horizons.

I should mention I'm far behind at this point. I'm beginning to suspect/fear I'll leave a lot of films unseen by me when I eventually leave this world.

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Or a how-to-compete-with-an-already-released-$15-region-free-with-a-better-cover-UK-edition-after-our-director-basically-told-people-we-wouldn't-be-releasing-it "thing."

Either way this is great news .

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

I don't see a problem with collecting all of them but, like other posters already said, it is expensive and time-consuming. I always see some kind of value in what Criterion releases. They should not be your only medium to get films, though. Their catalogue is quite expansive, albeit lacking variety of all sorts. Quality, however, is always a given with them .

I think I kind of messed up above so, in short, you can get all of them but first you need to question yourself if you actually like what you are buying .

[rkish]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

World On A Wire has surpassed all of my expectations. A really great job by Janus and Criterion, plus Amazon for getting it to me a day earlier than expected and thus making my weekend. It's definitely one of my favorite Criterion Blu-rays.

I'm also mildly obsessed with the theme music just now ("Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac).

I've got my new silent Ozus from BFI in my region free player and World on a Wire in my region A player. I'll go silent first and save the Fassbinder for later. Glad to hear it's a major win, Joe!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

I got behind with the DVDs, and have trouble justifying the ones I put off buying to this point (I think I have the essentials for me) I am current however on the Blu-rays..... many that are the "warts" today, may become the "beauty marks" of tomorrow (in a positive light that is)

[buffetfroid]

Originally Posted by octagon

I'm not a big Altman fan but but I do have to give credit where credit is due.

Elliot Gould is hardly an obvious choice as Marlowe but it worked really well. Even more impressively, Chandler stories are notoriously hard to follow in print let alone to put on film but The Long Goodbye flowed very well.

I wouldn't put this on any wishlists but I'd snap it up in a second.

I'm a big fan. [see avatar] Not a perfect movie by any means but a lot of fun.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

There are too many that I am hardly compelled to SEE, let alone own. I wouldn't want to spend $1000's on films I hardly care about just so they could fit in some numerical order (which is impossible anyway, since the blu-ray collection will always have gaps in their spine #). I suppose if someone had all the DVD's and blu-rays, they would have all the spines. But that seems even more pointless.

[DLizzle]

Originally Posted by joie

There is no reason to do it, if you put the discs in 15mm, genuine blu-ray cases. To do that and get the cover art to fit the new case, you need to trim the bottom, which removes the spine number. The only reason to have them all is to display them in spine-number order, without any gaps, I think.

Amazon UK has 15 mm standard blu-ray cases.

I also have absolutely no idea what the quoted post means.

I plan to one day own all of the Criterion blu-rays. I see them as a curator of films I otherwise probably wouldn't have seen. There are an enormous amount of old, foreign, and obscure titles that I am/would be interested in seeing, so being directed towards 4-5/month works out perfectly.

I'm not too picky about subject matter, and take a director-centric approach to the movies I watch anyway, which is in line with Criterion's approach. I realize this is all a bit like drinking the Criterion Kool-Aid, but they've done a good job of releasing premium products that appeal to my sense of collecting. I'm not OCD about the spine numbers, so the blu-rays work fine for me. I'm a bit far behind now, having started late, but I'm slowly gaining ground. In the end, it's just something to collect; I gain quite a bit of pleasure from both watching the movies/supplements and the act of collecting them.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by DLizzle

I plan to one day own all of the Criterion blu-rays. I see them as a curator of films I otherwise probably wouldn't have seen. There are an enormous amount of old, foreign, and obscure titles that I am/would be interested in seeing, so being directed towards 4-5/month works out perfectly.

I'm not too picky about subject matter, and take a director-centric approach to the movies I watch anyway, which is in line with Criterion's approach. I realize this is all a bit like drinking the Criterion Kool-Aid, but they've done a good job of releasing premium products that appeal to my sense of collecting. I'm not OCD about the spine numbers, so the blu-rays work fine for me. I'm a bit far behind now, having started late, but I'm slowly gaining ground. In the end, it's just something to collect; I gain quite a bit of pleasure from both watching the movies/supplements and the act of collecting them.

This fits pretty well with my mindset about it. I enjoy filling in the gaps in my collection, and doing it provides me the motivation to purchase a movie that maybe would not have appealed to me normally. I've already really enjoyed a lot of films that i may have never given a chance if i hadn't purchased them on a quest to complete the collection.

On an unrelated note (or maybe it's related, as i never thought I'd be watching silent films, but i do now since i own a few), I watched People on Sunday for the first time today. I liked it a lot, but what was with the scene with all the

[Show spoiler]spanking

?

[keldons]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Or a how-to-compete-with-an-already-released-$15-region-free-with-a-better-cover-UK-edition-after-our-director-basically-told-people-we-wouldn't-be-releasing-it "thing."

though I was complaining about Criterion putting out Certified Copy earlier, this addition at least makes it somewhat worthwhile.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

I don't collect. The most lame thing to do is start treating films like baseball cards.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

I am. I buy the DVDs I'm really interested in and haven't gotten to buy yet, and with the Blu-rays I usually buy the titles that I want most first, and pick up the ones I don't know as well when I can buy them at a lower price. So I guess I'd say I'm a blu-ray completist, but I won't wait on an upgrade for a DVD title that I really want. I like the idea of having a complete collection, but it's not a priority or anything...just when I get the chance...and I'm not close to it either (I have about 70-ish out of the 150-ish blu-ray releases). It may sound strange...but I'm actually rarely ever disappointed with them. There's always films I enjoy more than others, but I prefer having been exposed to a much more diverse variety of them than only stick with a few I find sound most interesting to me, or at least when it comes to more highly-regarded films.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

Or a how-to-compete-with-an-already-released-$15-region-free-with-a-better-cover-UK-edition-after-our-director-basically-told-people-we-wouldn't-be-releasing-it "thing."

It's probably gonna work, too. I had pretty much decided the AE release would be going in my next Amazon.uk order and at the very least I'll be rethinking that.

Originally Posted by rkish

Factor in I also found The Godfather in-store at B&N and Apocalypse Now on their website for a ridiculous price...these domestic releases are killing me...but you've got to buy them, when they are discounted like this.

Please tell me you jumped on The Conversation when it was six bucks.

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

I certainly wouldn't mind owning them all but I wouldn't go too crazy (read: actually pay) to make that happen. The same goes for Kino, Eureka/MoC (and sometimes even Blue Underground depending on my mood).

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

I don't collect. The most lame thing to do is start treating films like baseball cards.

Is it even lamer than sniffing about other people's hobbies?

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

I don't collect. The most lame thing to do is start treating films like baseball cards.

so, Is Metropolis Fritz' rookie card ?

[rkish]

Originally Posted by octagon

It's probably gonna work, too. I had pretty much decided the AE release would be going in my next Amazon.uk order and at the very least I'll be rethinking that.



Please tell me you jumped on The Conversation when it was six bucks.



I certainly wouldn't mind owning them all but I wouldn't go too crazy (read: actually pay) to make that happen. The same goes for Kino, Eureka/MoC (and sometimes even Blue Underground depending on my mood).



Is it even lamer than sniffing about other people's hobbies?

Unfortunately...I have neither bought this or seen this film yet. When was it 6 bucks and I wonder where it is now?

No matter...I'll get to it before I die...

[Abdrewes]

Totally agree. 100%. Best deal ever to snag a Masterwork for 16.99. First Criterion digs up Harakiri now this!! Just killer, it explores a sci fi world and its philosophical implications thoroughly.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by octagon

Is it even lamer than sniffing about other people's hobbies?

I gave my answer. Not for anyone else.

[ShellOilJunior]

I thought World on a Wire was quite excellent. I'm surprised it was this good because SpiderBaby recommends it and he usually only champions mainstream classics.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm curious how many of the regulars around here are interested in collecting all Criterion releases as a collection, or at least all the Criterion Blus as a collection.

Obviously we discuss which movies we like and which are looking forward to, but i was wondering who, if any, sees value i having the whole collection, warts and all.

No way. I take a few risks here and there but there are some titles that a)I'm in no hurry to see or b).I've seen them but probably wouldn't watch again (Four Feathers).

[PBateman87]

Another pop culture mention of the Criterion Collection:

On the HBO show Eastbound & Down, Kenny Powers was breaking into his girlfriend's house to dump their child on her, but she isn't there and he takes some stuff from her house, including a Season 6 DVD of the show Friends. He goes to his old friend Stevie's house and his Mexican wife is there, and as a "gift" he gives the Friends DVD he had stolen to her, telling her that it's "Criterion Collections."