The Criterion Collection

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by dsman71

So ? I was just throwing out there, I wasnt being overly serious, but that's my favorite Nolan film not named Batman. I could have said The Prestige as well. You never know what Criterion can do and how do you know no one would *double dip* on it
Buyers double dip all the time. And others would wait for the infamous Barnes and Noble 50% off deal.
If I had to pick a Nolan movie for Criterion it would be Memento, if its David Lynch Id want Mulholland Drive , if its Woody Allen , Id watch Match Point. Just preferences really

what's wrong with that? (some of us live off of raman noodles just to save up and buy a boatload of titles during that sale)

...

[oildude]

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Criterion Collection 2012 - Stats

Note:
1 Spine = 1 Film
1 Spine w/ 2 or 3 different Years = Credit for those decades (e.g. Gold Rush). Only exception is Hollis Frampton (too many years to note) which gets credit for 1960's and 1970's.

Directors with multiple Blu-ray Releases
4
Lean
3
Soderbergh
Inagaki
Pasolini
2
Bergman
Stillman
Dardene Brothers
Carne

Charts

Only one film from the Soviet Union (although it was a good one). Maybe next year will bring a couple more.....hopefully, at least upgrades of Kalatozov's The Cranes are Flying and Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood. But there are many great films from Russia/Soviet Union that are not in the Criterion Collection, or in Region 1 at all, for that matter.

[dsman71]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

what's wrong with that? (some of us live off of raman noodles just to save up and buy a boatload of titles during that sale)

...

Absolutely nothing wrong with that. I am all for it. I did the B&N 50% off for some blind buys this year. and Raman Noodles is my friend until I get a heart attack. Again, just saying people double dip on movies and buyers wait for the 50% off sale at B&N.

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by oildude

Only one film from the Soviet Union (although it was a good one). Maybe next year will bring a couple more.....hopefully, at least upgrades of Kalatozov's The Cranes are Flying and Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood. But there are many great films from Russia/Soviet Union that are not in the Criterion Collection.

Agree, The Cranes are Flying is probably my most requested upgrade. I am sad because judging by Criterion's recent actions it may not get released in a lifetime as it isn't one of the most "requested" on FB or whatever . I want more Russian cinema on Criterion. Grigori Kozintsev's The New Babylon would be a dream come true. What else could you wish for? Russian, Kozintsev, silent and Shostakovich in the same film .

Also, I NEVER get good deals so I want to brag a bit about my last one . Got Eclipse Series 28: The Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara for $21 new on Amazon. Can't wait for it .

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

[Show spoiler]Criterion Collection 2012 - Stats

Note:
1 Spine = 1 Film
1 Spine w/ 2 or 3 different Years = Credit for those decades (e.g. Gold Rush). Only exception is Hollis Frampton (too many years to note) which gets credit for 1960's and 1970's.

Directors with multiple Blu-ray Releases
4
Lean
3
Soderbergh
Inagaki
Pasolini
2
Bergman
Stillman
Dardene Brothers
Carne

Charts

That Diversity!

[georgec]

I've seen and enjoyed Koyaanisqatsi, but not the other two films in the series. How are they compared to the first one?

[EnigmaticWarrior]

Finally, Following on Blu-ray!! Bring on the next Barnes and Noble Criterion sale already! I wonder how long it'll take for Terrence Malick's Badlands to finally show up...

Originally Posted by oildude

Only one film from the Soviet Union (although it was a good one). Maybe next year will bring a couple more.....hopefully, at least upgrades of Kalatozov's The Cranes are Flying and Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood. But there are many great films from Russia/Soviet Union that are not in the Criterion Collection, or in Region 1 at all, for that matter.

I'm still waiting for those two to get upgraded as well. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I saw both films in my Russian film course earlier this year and loved them both.

[BluPix]

I just saw Criterion's December lineup and have to say I'm quite pleased, to put it very mildly.

All the packages are of films I've seen (a somewhat unusual phenomenon ) and thoroughly enjoyed but have long waited to appear on blu-ray either as an upgrade of an existing Criterion title or as a blu-ray release by any studio. It's terrific they're coming to Criterion, and I'm sure to buy all of them on their release days.

In particular, the sight of both Brazil (an upgrade to blu for me) and The Qatsi Trilogy, both milestones in cinema, made me smile as their arrival on Criterion blu is almost like a dream come true. Purple Noon (for me, another blu-ray upgrade) and Following should both be solid additions to Criterion as well and, I hope, find larger audiences through their respective releases.

It seems Criterion is really giving many viewers what they want with these releases, all four being films that have long been wanted on blu.

2012 will be one of the most remarkable years for Criterion's blu-ray library.

[Yami]

Nothing for me in the December lineup but there's more than enough from other sources to keep my Christmas List stocked! I wasn't always happy with Criterion's output in 2012 but, looking back, there's about 5 new releases and 2 upgrades which I have/will pick up which is still better than most companies. Perhaps Criterion's most interesting releases were DVD-only: the Pearls of the Czech New Wave and Gremillon During the Occupation. Hopefully, Criterion release more 'obscurities' on Blu-Ray in 2013.

[Al_The_Strange]

I only discovered the Qatsi trilogy earlier this year. I found "Koyaanisqatsi" at a flea market for a whoppong $2; it might have been the best $2 movie I ever bought. I watched it twice in one evening: it was that awesome. I rented the other two films and thought they were alright, but I was wondering for the past several months if Blu-Rays would be possible for all of these.

Thank you Criterion for making my day.

I might have to also give "Following" another chance. I didn't like it at first glance, but I might want to be a Christopher Nolan completist.

I already have like three copies of "Brazi" all shoved into one case: the Universal Blu-Ray, the UK Blu-Ray (I believe it's the same cut as the Criterion edition), and the 3-disc Criterion DVD. The big question should be, do I dare replace the DVDs with Criterion's Blu-Rays?! I might wait for a sale on that one.

Between all this and "Rashomon," this winter is looking like an awesome season for Criterion.

As if that's not enough, I'm seriously contemplating blind-buying the Trilogy of Life. Has anybody seen those movies? Are they any good?

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Yami

Nothing for me in the December lineup but there's more than enough from other sources to keep my Christmas List stocked! I wasn't always happy with Criterion's output in 2012 but, looking back, there's about 5 new releases and 2 upgrades which I have/will pick up which is still better than most companies. Perhaps Criterion's most interesting releases were DVD-only: the Pearls of the Czech New Wave and Gremillon During the Occupation. Hopefully, Criterion release more 'obscurities' on Blu-Ray in 2013.

I managed to find at least one title per month:

January:
Gojira

February:
Three Outlaw Samurai
Anatomy of a Murder
World on a Wire

March:
Letter Never Sent

April:
Late Spring
The Organizer

May:
Summer Interlude
Summer with Monika

June:
The 39 Steps
Shallow Grave
The Samurai Trilogy
Harold and Maude (yeah I know it was supposed to be April)

July:
Le Havre

August:
La promesse
Rosetta
Quadrophenia

Spetember:
Children of Paradise
Les Visiteurs de Soir

October:
In the Mood for Love
Forgiveness of Blood
Rosemary's Baby

November:
Rashomon
Week end

December (as soon as preorders are up):
Purple Noon
Brazil


Eating Raoul and Alambrista are also high on my wishlist. Trilogy of Life is there too, but lower. I'm thinking about grabbing Raoul along with a couple older titles like Vivre sa vie, Breathless, and Black Orpheus when I go to Portsmouth on the 5th of October. There are also several Eclipse sets I want.

So the year wasn't a total wash for me. I can see why others might be upset though, since it wasn't as diverse as previous years.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

So forget about the aforementioned auteurs, you just don't appreciate any rapid fire editing ala Bay, Tony Scott, or even Michael Mann? Do you prefer your action unbroken, clear and fluid like say.... Guillermo Del Toro?

Have you looked at my collection? I don't stock a ton of "action" titles. My DVD collection is rather incomplete, but that's only because the database is really lacking because the focus on this site is BD. Even then, I really don't own a lot of "action" titles, except for the "classics" like James Bond, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, several films within the samurai genre, and a few newer ones like LOTR, the Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Narnia, and Zombieland. Some of those fantasy films are stretching it a bit though.

I will never buy anything Michael Bay made. The only Tony Scott film I've ever purhcased (and was subsequently reimbursed for) was Top Gun, and that was only because I was in the store, and my mother asked me to pick it up for her, as she needed something else to give my brother for Christmas. Mann is ok, I liked Public Enemies, and I grabbed The Last of the Mohicans for my mom (big fan of Natty Bumpo, I swear she owns every interpretation of this), and I admittedly haven't watched a lot of Del Toro, half watched Hellboy when it was on TV, as I was reading a book at the time and not really paying any attention to it.

[ShellOilJunior]

There are still a few more months left but I'm leaning towards Belle de Jour as release of the year or maybe even Certified Copy.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

There are still a few more months left but I'm leaning towards Belle de Jour as release of the year or maybe even Certified Copy.

I see your Belle de Jour and Certified Copy and raise you:

World on a Wire
Anatomy of a Murder
Samurai Trilogy
Letter Never Sent
Rashomon

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

I see your Belle de Jour and Certified Copy and raise you:

World on a Wire
Anatomy of a Murder
Samurai Trilogy
Letter Never Sent
Rashomon

Rashomon should be an excellent transfer. I own the others and have seen them all except Letter Never Sent.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Rashomon should be an excellent transfer. I own the others and have seen them all except Letter Never Sent.

You really need to get onto that. Of course, I'm a fine one to talk since I still have cheapo James Bond films I bought over a year ago I haven't viddied yet on BD. whoops. I'm getting better about that though, and I will watch them before Christmas. You just have to be in a certain mood for them.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by BohemianGraham

Have you looked at my collection? I don't stock a ton of "action" titles. My DVD collection is rather incomplete, but that's only because the database is really lacking because the focus on this site is BD. Even then, I really don't own a lot of "action" titles, except for the "classics" like James Bond, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, several films within the samurai genre, and a few newer ones like LOTR, the Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Narnia, and Zombieland. Some of those fantasy films are stretching it a bit though.

I will never buy anything Michael Bay made. The only Tony Scott film I've ever purhcased (and was subsequently reimbursed for) was Top Gun, and that was only because I was in the store, and my mother asked me to pick it up for her, as she needed something else to give my brother for Christmas. Mann is ok, I liked Public Enemies, and I grabbed The Last of the Mohicans for my mom (big fan of Natty Bumpo, I swear she owns every interpretation of this), and I admittedly haven't watched a lot of Del Toro, half watched Hellboy when it was on TV, as I was reading a book at the time and not really paying any attention to it.

I just mentioned those auteurs as an aside. I wanted to know what the haters were hating on ;( For example Nolans shot lengths (and Fincher's) last on average two seconds (I know Insomnia is closer to 1.7), is this what bugs many here or is it the actual content of the films...

But anyways I think you'd like Del Toro, in what Nolan takes 6 edits to do, Del Toro takes 1. His films are clear, not frenetic, unbroken and wondrous to look at.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I just mentioned those auteurs as an aside. I wanted to know what the haters were hating on ;( For example Nolans shot lengths (and Fincher's) last on average two seconds (I know Insomnia is closer to 1.7), is this what bugs many here or is it the actual content of the films...

But anyways I think you'd like Del Toro, in what Nolan takes 6 edits to do, Del Toro takes 1. His films are clear, not frenetic, unbroken and wondrous to look at.

For Nolan and Fincher, it's definitely content. I admit Fincher is more successful in this regard as I liked Seven and Fight Club enough to buy them once they dropped into the DVD bargain bins, although now I find that they aren't good for repeat viewing. My tastes have changed obviously. but Nolan's films have never really been all that enjoyable to me. I find them dull. Inception was boring. Interesting concept but for me, it fell flat.

I admit I'm a poor film critic as I tend to focus more on content, such as plot, acting skills, and to a certain extent, costumes and historical accuracy, rather than technique and PQ quality.

[ROclockCK]

D'oh, I just got it...the non-chronological construction thing.

Neat.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Yami

I wasn't always happy with Criterion's output in 2012 but, looking back, there's about 5 new releases and 2 upgrades which I have/will pick up which is still better than most companies.

Through July I've picked up fifteen or so of this year's releases. I was somewhere around forty for all of 2011.

Granted that's a significant dropoff and there have been times I've felt this year's lineup has been weak or disappointing.

But yeah, 2/month isn't exactly a bad year either.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

I just mentioned those auteurs as an aside. I wanted to know what the haters were hating on ;( For example Nolans shot lengths (and Fincher's) last on average two seconds (I know Insomnia is closer to 1.7), is this what bugs many here or is it the actual content of the films...

But anyways I think you'd like Del Toro, in what Nolan takes 6 edits to do, Del Toro takes 1. His films are clear, not frenetic, unbroken and wondrous to look at.

To the extent there are haters at all I would say they (sometimes we) hate mostly on fanboys (and no, that's not directed at you). It hasn't (yet) gotten to the point where people are lobbying Criterion to do a Batman retrospective but it gets close.

As for Nolan and Fincher themselves, I like a lot of their stuff - some of it quite a bit. But I also think it's all pretty standard Hollywood fare (aside from being good, of course) and I also think it's more alike than not. Memento/Fight Club, Dragon Tattoo/Insomnia, The Prestige/The Social Network...are these indistinguishable? No. But are there any real differences between them? Eh.

If one defines extraordinary to include making better mass-market Hollywood movies then most of the other people making mass-market Hollywood movies then sure, one could consider them extraordinary.

But aside from that...