The Criterion Collection

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Thanks! I just took a few minutes to compile my collection on here. Scary that I've only had a Blu-ray Player and HDTV for a week and half, considering the collection, but I got a head start on a great many of these through the whole "BD/DVD combo" thing and I foresaw the future somewhat. I also found several of these at a used store for crazy cheap when I traded in a bunch of DVDs that I wanted to upgrade.

Compiling my DVD collection right now, but it's going to take a while. I'll come back to this task tomorrow.

You've only had a Blu-ray player for a few days, and you have a Blu-ray collection of 75.

I've had a Blu-ray player and HDTV for almost two years, and I barely got a collection of 77 (I bought two today). You did good.

Like I said in a previous thread: I'm a careful buyer. Especially with Criterions, even though I hadn't previously seen 20 of the 22 prior to buying them (so I guess you can say that I'm less careful in a way). What I meant about that last part is that many people that are Criterion Collectors buy Criterions like there's no tomorrow (). I buy them based on how good they look (picture quality), how nice the artwork is, and what the films are about (and to a lesser degree: who is in them/who they are directed by).

I think this is the best company when it comes to releasing titles on Blu-ray (and DVD).

[RojD]

Originally Posted by Cinemach

If you're talking about importing the French release...don't. It's one of the worst transfers in the history of the format. You're much better off just buying the Criterion DVD if you don't have it, or waiting for the inevitable upgrade.

Sigh....how can they DO that? Thanks for the warning. I have the Samourai DVD, but I was lusting for the blu detail.

Originally Posted by Banned User

Pick up The Music Room. Similar story of a old man stuck in his ways and the changing of the times around him. One of the best movies in the collection IMO.

It's on my shelf, and now I'm even more excited to see it. Planning to check it out with some friends coming in for the holidays.

[Oblivion138]

I may be alone here, but I think the cover art for Repo Man should be more or less exactly what we see in the clue image...but with a slipcase that has Repo Man artwork. Much like Videodrome's "videotape" cover art, with the poster art slipcase.

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by RojD

I'm waiting for Le Samourai, too. Santa might bring a region-free player, and if that happens, Le Samourai will be the first what could be a number of impatiently-awaited films. And Criterion will really have to wedge in the extras to get any more dollars out of this pocket.

But mostly wanted to say that The Leopard was my discovery of the year. Yeah, I knew everyone said it was great, but I didn't think they meant it was THAT great. There is a lot of beauty and wisdom in the film, and the last 1/3 is bravura film-making, not only Visconti's but also Burt Lancaster's. I started a list of good movies about old men on the Criterion web site, and The Leopard is right up there. (along with Friends of Eddie Coyle, which deserves blu-treatment, too).

Originally Posted by EddieLarkin

Yes, if you thought Pathe messed up Children of Paradise, wait until you see Le Samourai. Here's hoping Criterion get a chance to correct their wrongs, because if they don't they will very quickly cease to be my favourite label.

I still have not seen The Leopard. It also heard it was "great" and a "classic epic" (which usually means that's it's very highly regarded). I'm so excited to see it! I think I'll have an Alain Delon marathon this weekend.

As for Le Samourai, I'm pretty sure that will get a Criterion release this year. If you think about it, Criterion has been releasing one Alain Delon title for the past three years. And Le Samourai is one of their most requested titles. I'm sure it will get a late summer/fall release.

[DarkRyder]

Originally Posted by iScottie

What we need is a David Lynch Box Set with a bunch of his greatest work and Lynchianess:

I'm hoping someday, we have something like this:

Disc 1: Eraserhead
Disc 2: The Elephant Man
Disc 3: Blue Velvet
Disc 4: Wild At Heart
Disc 5: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Disc 6: Lost Highway
Disc 7: Mulholland Drive
Disc 8: Inland Empire
Disc 9: Shorts (The Alphabet / The Grandmother / The Amputee)

Eraserhead is guaranteed, Blue Velvet has a perfectly good US release supervised by Lynch, the Lost Identity Trilogy already has a good region free release from Germany that is not too expensive to order. Criterion has the ability to release some really great stuff, so I wouldn't be the least bit upset if they do not focus so much on all his films.

[R o d]

Originally Posted by Banned User

Pick up The Music Room. Similar story of a old man stuck in his ways and the changing of the times around him. One of the best movies in the collection IMO.

I agree completely. One of the most pleasant surprises of last year and a title I'm sure to revisit again and again.

[TheHighRoller]

Originally Posted by Ruemorgue10

The life of a repo man is always intense.

I'm pretty sure it's Repo Man (even though I haven't seen it and don't know what it's about). They're making a reference to the beer. I also thought The Thin Red Line, but I doubt it since it's a hardcore documentary. But The Thin Blue Line is also a real possibility since it has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and it was close to getting an Academy nomination.

Originally Posted by MikeyHitchFan

More Hitchcock, please!!

My most desired non-Hitchcock title would be Mikhail Kalatozov's The Red Tent (1969) with Peter Finch and Sean Connery. Filmed in 70mm and a Russian version that's 1/2 hour longer and reedited with a (mostly) different score.

If anything, Vertigo has the greatest chance of being released by Criterion at this point. Maybe followed my a mediocre release by Universal.

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by iScottie

What we need is a David Lynch Box Set with a bunch of his greatest work and Lynchianess:

I'm hoping someday, we have something like this:

Disc 1: Eraserhead
Disc 2: The Elephant Man
Disc 3: Blue Velvet
Disc 4: Wild At Heart
Disc 5: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Disc 6: Lost Highway
Disc 7: Mulholland Drive
Disc 8: Inland Empire
Disc 9: Shorts (The Alphabet / The Grandmother / The Amputee)

Missing The Straight Story, eh? (And Dune, but that's okay)

Originally Posted by DarkRyder

Eraserhead is guaranteed, Blue Velvet has a perfectly good US release supervised by Lynch, the Lost Identity Trilogy already has a good region free release from Germany that is not too expensive to order. Criterion has the ability to release some really great stuff, so I wouldn't be the least bit upset if they do not focus so much on all his films.

A Criterion edition of Mulholland Drive would sell gangbusters, and they know this. That doesn't make a Criterion release inevitable but you can be damn sure that they have - and are - exploring options to do so. And though the Studio Canal disk is one of the better Lynch blus out there it can certainly be improved upon.

Since the relationship between Lynch and Criterion seems to be on the up and up though, it would be great to see them tackle Lost Highway, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and Wild at Heart. None of these have had great release history, and the first two in particular have comparatively mediocre releases.

[Cinemach]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

If anything, Vertigo has the greatest chance of being released by Criterion at this point. Maybe followed my a mediocre release by Universal.

What makes you think that? This has practically no shot at all of happening, and there's really nothing that Criterion could add to the package as-is. You can expect a single release from Universal sometime soon, though, with everything that the box edition has (plus maybe the commentary they left off).

The next Hitch Criterion's got is Foreign Correspondent. After that, we're limited mostly to Hitch's pre-Hollywood period: look to the recently BFI-restored 'Hitchcock 9' for a list of prime suspects. Out of that bunch I'd wager Blackmail - with its status as the 'first' British talkie AND a silent version to boot - as the best bet.

But that is just an educated guess. Criterion would have to license the transfer, obviously.

[RojD]

Originally Posted by JHas

I just ordered this, it sounds like I will enjoy it. I know this is silent, but I love Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky and the two Ivan the Terrible films, is Die Niebelungen's style at all similar to these three Eisentstein's films?

Been awhile since I saw these, but I think the Eisensteins are lots later than Die Niebelungen. And film language was developing fast in the 20s and 30s. I think the Eisenstein films are faster than the Lang and perhaps more cinematic. All are theatrical, but Die Niebelungen the most. Frame for frame, though, if you like the visual stimulation in the Eisensteins, you'll certainly like Die Niebelungen. I love all these films and am patiently awaiting more Eisenstein on blu.

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

If anything, Vertigo has the greatest chance of being released by Criterion at this point. Maybe followed my a mediocre release by Universal.

Criterion will never release Vertigo, as Universal will never give it up. They would never trade away their best player and Criterion wouldn't pony up the kind of money to get it. It would be like Warner giving up Citizen Kane. It's not going to happen.

I assume you have the box set and have seen Vertigo? If so, I don't know what you were watching. Vertigo is one of the best looking discs in the set. There are definitely a few duds put out by Universal in the set (ie; Man Who Knew Too Much, although curious what the CC version will look like) but I believe, and many will agree, that Vertigo looks about as good as it could on BD...

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

That occurred to me as well, but since it has already been done, I doubt it will happen.

And even if they wanted to go that way there's a chance whoever they're licensing it from has put some restrictions (floating heads, cast billing, etc) on what has to appear on the cover.

Originally Posted by jcs913

Vertigo is one of the best looking discs in the set.

Agreed. Vertigo had its softer moments but when it looks good - which is most of the time - it looks very good.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by TheHighRoller

You've only had a Blu-ray player for a few days, and you have a Blu-ray collection of 75.

I've had a Blu-ray player and HDTV for almost two years, and I barely got a collection of 77 (I bought two today). You did good.

Like I said in a previous thread: I'm a careful buyer. Especially with Criterions, even though I hadn't previously seen 20 of the 22 prior to buying them (so I guess you can say that I'm less careful in a way). What I meant about that last part is that many people that are Criterion Collectors buy Criterions like there's no tomorrow (). I buy them based on how good they look (picture quality), how nice the artwork is, and what the films are about (and to a lesser degree: who is in them/who they are directed by).

I think this is the best company when it comes to releasing titles on Blu-ray (and DVD).

Yep. I saw this coming a ways off, and had some money set aside. I had a good head start with a lot of my Blu-rays (Jaws, The Grey, John Carter, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, The Tree of Life, etc.) that I have owned as Blu-ray/DVD combo packages for several months before I even got the Blu-ray player. The rest was thankfully inexpensive, thanks to the used store down the street and to some great Christmas deals. My "essential movies" were pretty much all upgraded from DVD to Blu-ray this week...except for Le Samouraï, hrmph. I can level off and, in coming months, go back to grabbing two or three a month.

Criterion is my favorite company by far for this sort of thing, and they never cease to amaze me, but I do not think of myself as a "Criterion Collector", because there are so many releases that I have no intention of buying.

While I will not buy something simply because it is a Criterion release, I will say that I am intrigued by movies that are released through Criterion, and that I will give each of them the once-over-twice when browsing the website.

I simply go by whether or not I liked the movie (if it's not a blind buy) or whether or not I think that I'll like the movie, based on review summaries, etc. I pick them pretty carefully (except for that one time when I went to a Barnes & Noble sale and grabbed That Hamilton Woman because I thought that Vivian Leigh looked pretty on the cover art, but, hey, I ended up loving that movie.), and my Criterion blind buys have all been spot-on. There are some that I watch a lot more than others, but the vast majority are revisited frequently. I take out Seven Samurai every four months or so, and I learn something new each time. I watch The Vanishing quite often.

My favorite three Criterion releases, the "awesome Melville trilogy" of Le Samouraï, Army of Shadows, and Le Cercle Rouge, all go into the player even more often, and I sit there transfixed every time. When I bought the Blu-ray player a week and half ago, in fact, the first thing that I did, aside from looking up cheapest ways to secure the individual Bond films, was to grab Army of Shadows and Le Cercle Rouge from Amazon.

[Wizard-of-Wars]

Just bought PARIS, TEXAS! Really looking forward to watching it
I love how fat the booklet is!!

Brings my Criterion blus to 27!!

You know what movie should get a Criterion release??:

MACBETH(Orsen Wells version)!! It was released recently bare-Bones, but it really needs some love!!

The also need to put Thorn Of Blood on blu ray! It's a great Akira film and needs to be transferred form their DVD version.

[zoodermin]

Do you think we’ll ever see a BD edition of Kobayashi’s The Human Condition? I haven’t seen it but I love Harakiri and Human Condition looks to be a monumental achievement and an epic film. I would blind buy that one in a second if it a BD edition is released.

[Beta Man]

One of the greatest months in terms of announcements (if you look at what people always want.... The Blob, Badlands, more Chaplin, etc..) with a total of 8 BDs, and people are clamoring over 'what we really need now is...'

Haha... Some things never change!

[Wizard-of-Wars]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

One of the greatest months in terms of announcements (if you look at what people always want.... The Blob, Badlands, more Chaplin, etc..) with a total of 8 BDs, and people are clamoring over 'what we really need now is...'

Haha... Some things never change!

Amen!!

March is going to be fantastic!!

There's NO NEED to be asking for more at the moment. Sure later on, but now, just enjoy the plethora of upcoming releases

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Criterion will never release Vertigo, as Universal will never give it up. They would never trade away their best player and Criterion wouldn't pony up the kind of money to get it. It would be like Warner giving up Citizen Kane. It's not going to happen.

I assume you have the box set and have seen Vertigo? If so, I don't know what you were watching. Vertigo is one of the best looking discs in the set. There are definitely a few duds put out by Universal in the set (ie; Man Who Knew Too Much, although curious what the CC version will look like) but I believe, and many will agree, that Vertigo looks about as good as it could on BD...

The only way Criterion would get Vertigo, along with Rear Window, Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much (remake) and The Trouble with Harry is if Universal lost the rights to them. Those titles with I think Psycho are owned by the Hitchcock estate and are not property of Universal. Essentially all the titles in the collection with another studios logo at the begining of the film are owned by the estate (except North by Northwest which is owned by WB).

Universal obviously has a long standing relationship with the family so that is unlikely in the near future.

[Brad1963]

I did not realize Repo Man was under the radar with Criterion. Perhaps they will release U.S. BD versions of Touch of Evil, Silent Running, and some of the other Universal titles MoC released this year.

[broganreynik]

Originally Posted by jcs913

Criterion will never release Vertigo, as Universal will never give it up. They would never trade away their best player and Criterion wouldn't pony up the kind of money to get it. It would be like Warner giving up Citizen Kane. It's not going to happen.

I assume you have the box set and have seen Vertigo? If so, I don't know what you were watching. Vertigo is one of the best looking discs in the set. There are definitely a few duds put out by Universal in the set (ie; Man Who Knew Too Much, although curious what the CC version will look like) but I believe, and many will agree, that Vertigo looks about as good as it could on BD...

I can't quite tell by the wording, but you're aware that the two are actually different films, yes?