The Criterion Collection

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by bbalff

Best Buy's website says Paris, TX isn't available for store pickup so I guess they won't be carrying it in-store at all.

Yeah noticed that also. Kind of odd, how they will stock certain Criterion releases and this one gets passed on. Esp lately they have been good about them, not price wise but stock wise.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by bbalff

Best Buy's website says Paris, TX isn't available for store pickup so I guess they won't be carrying it in-store at all.

It was either a page or two back, or on another forum, where a member posted about seeing "Paris, Texas" out in the Best Buy stores already... similar to how Best Buy put out both "8 1/2" and "Che" early.

CC

[captveg]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

All true. Let me just rephrase what I'm saying. WB and Criterion obviously operate under different standards. For the most part, Criterion depends on other studios and Warner does not. However when it comes down to the transfers and the treatment and everything thereafter Criterion would undoubtedly give better treatment to a film, extras and all, no matter what studio owns the rights 100% of the time. I'm not saying that Criterion should be doing all the work, just stating that the idea of a Warner title outdoing a Criterion (as stated by Warner to Linklater) is just laughable. I should've just said it that way in the first place. Sorry.

I see your point, but Warner's vast size in its home video division necessitates that they choose tentpole catalog titles. Those tentpole releases (Gigi, Wizard of Oz, How the West Was Won, etc.) stand up well against Criterion releases. It's just that Warner releases other titles that have a lower bar for bonus material quality, and to some degree HD transfer quality.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by captveg

I see your point, but Warner's vast size in its home video division necessitates that they choose tentpole catalog titles. Those tentpole releases (Gigi, Wizard of Oz, How the West Was Won, etc.) stand up well against Criterion releases. It's just that Warner releases other titles that have a lower bar for bonus material quality, and to some degree HD transfer quality.

Well said and good point. I don't really want to debate this. I'm just a little bitter toward Warner. I have to admit, you're right about the tentpole releases.

[aggienader08]

With 3 releases coming out next month all on the same day, I think I can only afford 2 of them on release. We have "Ravanche", "Hunger", and "Lola Montes" which two should I chose?

[fdm]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

With 3 releases coming out next month all on the same day, I think I can only afford 2 of them on release. We have "Ravanche", "Hunger", and "Lola Montes" which two should I chose?

My guess would be the first and the last, but haven't seen any of them.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

With 3 releases coming out next month all on the same day, I think I can only afford 2 of them on release. We have "Ravanche", "Hunger", and "Lola Montes" which two should I chose?

Originally Posted by fdm

My guess would be the first and the last, but haven't seen any of them.

actually it's even worse than I thought. "Ran" and "Contempt" will also be released on the same date. I'm completely torn, although pretty disappointing they aren't CC. Oh well. I'm sure Lionsgate will do a fantastic job nevertheless.

[kndy]

Personally, I don't have many Warner Blu's but I do purchase a good number of their classic box sets. But those Ultimate Collector's editions on Blu-ray that they had for gone with the Wind, Casablanca and Wizard of Oz are magnificent. I hope they continue to do this for more classic titles. Hell...if they re-release those Signature Warner releases on Blu-ray... Wow!

I think that other companies have taken notice of what criterion has done. Especially with what Kino and Masters of Cinema are doing...it's going to be interesting. Now if Paramount brings those Centennial Collections out on Blu ...that's another plus. But I would like to think that since the LD years and what Criterion did in bringing "Special features" on LD, that the other major Hollywood companies will follow.

But right now...Criterion releases are awesome. The only company I can see challenging them right now and the near future is Masters of Cinema (Eureka) especially with their thick booklets they are including with their Blu-rays. And the fact that they are making them mostly all-region and encouraging intl. fans to order from them and they have staff members on their Blu-ray.com thread answering people's questions as well. That's pretty cool!

Originally Posted by aggienader08

actually it's even worse than I thought. "Ran" and "Contempt" will also be released on the same date. I'm completely torn, although pretty disappointing they aren't CC. Oh well. I'm sure Lionsgate will do a fantastic job nevertheless.

I hope so. I was watching Jean Renoir set and the silent film "Charleston Parade" and I was thinking....man, if this was Criterion, they would have put an optional score included with this. Does anyone do that...when you watch a film and wish that they were released by Criterion.

[kndy]

It's bad when you start wanting everything you see from other companies to be released by the Criterion Collection...

[rocks off]

That reminds me, does anybody else keep the Blu-ray stickers for their criterions? I actually like to carefully peel it off the plastic wrap and stick it to the case. Am I the only one?

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by kndy

I hope so. I was watching Jean Renoir set and the silent film "Charleston Parade" and I was thinking....man, if this was Criterion, they would have put an optional score included with this. Does anyone do that...when you watch a film and wish that they were released by Criterion.

I absolutely do this! To a lot of films actually. I just wish that Criterion could regain the rights to some of the movies that they did LDs for, like "Citizen Kane" and "Wizard of Oz" and such. But with the way Warner is with their catalog, it just won't ever happen.

Originally Posted by bbalff

Lionsgate isn't doing any job at all. They're porting over the Studio Canal transfers of these titles. Contempt looks/sounds ok, nothing special, but Ran is pretty damn bad.

I was so afraid of this. I'll just keep my CC of "Ran" and probably buy "Contempt" since I don't have it at all. I did read that the AQ of "Ran" was terrible, and the PQ wasn't noticeable different from the CC edition. Very disappointing.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by rocks off

That reminds me, does anybody else keep the Blu-ray stickers for their criterions? I actually like to carefully peel it off the plastic wrap and stick it to the case. Am I the only one?

Nope! I do this as well. But only if it has the director's signature on it.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by kndy

It's bad when you start wanting everything you see from other companies to be released by the Criterion Collection...

Wow! Those are great! Did you do those? Where did you get the hi res of the criterion sticker? I'm working on some custom covers of the CCs and can't find a good one.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

I absolutely do this! To a lot of films actually. I just wish that Criterion could regain the rights to some of the movies that they did LDs for, like "Citizen Kane" and "Wizard of Oz" and such. But with the way Warner is with their catalog, it just won't ever happen.

Have you seen the Warner Wizard of Oz BD set? I can't imagine Criterion having much of anything to contribute to that package.

[aggienader08]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

Have you seen the Warner Wizard of Oz BD set? I can't imagine Criterion having much of anything to contribute to that package.

I was just using it as an example of the old days. I know. I actually own it and love it.

[kndy]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

Wow! Those are great! Did you do those? Where did you get the hi res of the criterion sticker? I'm working on some custom covers of the CCs and can't find a good one.

Yeah... just scan your sticker and mess around with covers...in fact, I hope people can start posting their custom Blu-ray fake Criterion covers on here. That would be fun!

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by kndy

Yeah... just scan your sticker and mess around with covers...in fact, I hope people can start posting their custom Blu-ray fake Criterion covers on here. That would be fun!

I hope not - there's a thread for that already. Scrolling down through huge images you aren't interested in is not my idea of fun.

[jacobsever]

I'm not interested in printing and using any custom covers, but I always enjoy looking at them.
It's...well...fun!

Those covers look great.
Viewing them, along with all the ones in the Custom Covers thread, makes me wish I didn't quit attending my photoshop/illustrator class.

[kndy]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

Nope! I do this as well. But only if it has the director's signature on it.

Hehe...I wish I was as careful when I first started buying Criterion Blu-rays and keeping those with the director's signature stickers.

Originally Posted by aggienader08

I absolutely do this! To a lot of films actually. I just wish that Criterion could regain the rights to some of the movies that they did LDs for, like "Citizen Kane" and "Wizard of Oz" and such. But with the way Warner is with their catalog, it just won't ever happen.

There are still quite a bit of Criterion LD titles that have never been released on DVD that I want. I was looking on wiki and I didn't realize they released over 300 LD's...let alone nearly 400.

[stobbart]

Originally Posted by aggienader08

I was so afraid of this. I'll just keep my CC of "Ran" and probably buy "Contempt" since I don't have it at all. I did read that the AQ of "Ran" was terrible, and the PQ wasn't noticeable different from the CC edition. Very disappointing.

Yeah, I was waiting for the blu of RAN as well, but from what I have read about them porting over the crappy transfers i opted to just buy the CC version, found a copy at a borders close to me and got it for $29.08 after tax with a coupon. Hell the cover alone is worth it haha. And on the plus side another OOP criterion added to my collection. Well worth it.