The Criterion Collection

[fkbrun]

For November, wouldn't it be nice to have a box set like a "Romantic trilogy" from Jacques Demy, with Lola, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg and The Mademoiselles from Rochefort? Lola and Mademoiselles have already been released in France and Parapluies is coming out in November over there. That'd be an announcement I'd cheer.

[NoirFan]

You can buy all Criterions for $15.xx or $20.xx four times a year - twice from B & N (not taking into account member coupons, which lower the prices even more), and twice from Criterion. Not sure how doing so makes one a 'high-paying' customer - the upper-tier Criterions cost only a buck or so more than people typically pay for Scream releases.

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by jayembee

But was On the Waterfront actually produced by Columbia, or just distributed by them? That makes a difference in determining who owns a film. For example, most of Bob Hope's movies from the late 40s onward were owned by Hope's own production company, not by Paramount, who distributed them. A number of Frank Capra's were owned by Capra's production company, not the studios that distributed them. And so on.

Sure was. Produced by their main man Sam Spiegel.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

^
You know that a company is the benchmark for quality when 3.5 stars for video is considered 'problematic' and as bad a rating as one will find for their Blu-ray product. Not that the (relatively minor) issues with those four transfers aren't legitimate - though with Design for Living they are likely inherent in the source material, and probably couldn't be improved upon without an expensive overhaul - it just shows how impressive their overall track record really is. Paradise and Earrings do both look dreadful though.

Yes, this is why I am in love with the Criterion Collection. They consistently offer excellent transfers and supplements on almost every film they release. I always buy with confidence. 3.5 stars being problematic for Criterion is above average for other studio releases. 2.5 stars on the other hand is serious and its too bad those 2 titles suffer from a poor picture quality.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by fkbrun

For November, wouldn't it be nice to have a box set like a "Romantic trilogy" from Jacques Demy, with Lola, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg and The Mademoiselles from Rochefort? Lola and Mademoiselles have already been released in France and Parapluies is coming out in November over there. That'd be an announcement I'd cheer.

The only "romantic trilogy" that I need Criterion to release is the "Before" trilogy.

[The Bronx Bull]

Originally Posted by Spire

Watched Cronos the other day. It was ok. I enjoyed the story, very much disliked the score, and some makeup effects kinda detracted from the movie, imo. I still think it was worth a watch though, might watch with commentary later. Annnnd today I picked up Sweet Smell Of Success, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Devil's Backbone, and Shoah.

I felt the same way about Cronos. I thought it was a pretty good movie, but was skeptical as to whether it should have been picked up by Criterion. Hopefully The Devil's Backbone will impress me a little more. Pacific Rim was garbage.

As for your pickups... both The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and Sweet Smell of Success are two of my favorite Criterions... excellent films! They're both hidden gems, as most [non Criterion] people I talk to have heard of neither.

[the sordid sentinel]

Been running a Malick marathon this week. 1st three titles are Criterions: Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line. Criterion really knocked these out of the park. This was my 1st time viewing Badlands on Blu. It is a striking upgrade from any version I had seen previously. Amazing 3 movies from a truly unique talent.

[Danchez]

Originally Posted by The Bronx Bull

I felt the same way about Cronos. I thought it was a pretty good movie, but was skeptical as to whether it should have been picked up by Criterion. Hopefully The Devil's Backbone will impress me a little more. Pacific Rim was garbage.

I just blind-bought Cronos today due to how much I enjoyed The Devil's Backbone, so hopefully you'll enjoy it!

[The Bronx Bull]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

My first Criterion was Chasing Amy (mainstream title, I know). When I was 10 or 11 I was introduced to Kevin Smith (a little young, I know ) so when I first rented Chasing Amy, I rented the Criterion DVD. It was the first Criterion I bought too. I sold the DVD when I bought the Blu-Ray, which was a bad idea. I'll have to buy the DVD again (it's very cheap now). A few years after is when I started to watch a few more Criterions (mainstream stuff, like Dazed and Confused and The Blob). Eventually, I got to where I am today, interested in more diverse films than I would have thought.

Back in college we screened Rififi. I wanted to see the film again, so I decided to buy it off of Amazon. In the same order, I also bought Two Lane Blacktop. Both arrived, and I was highly impressed - especially with the packaging [and the entire script] included with the latter.

Also, back in maybe 2003-2008, I used to rent Criterion titles from my local library all of the time. It seems like libraries love the significance that Criterion films offer.

Since then, I've taken advantage of several B&N sales in each of the states I've lived in.

[RipleyLV426]

Originally Posted by UNCMT9

I Married a Witch and The Uninvited up for $19.99 preorder.

Good price, but I can wait for Married a Witch and get it for $15 at the B&N sale in Oct.

[Figster]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

I discovered Criterion when they released The Man Who Fell to Earth on laserdisc. I was a huge Bowie fan back then. And my first Criterion blu ray was Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.



Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[The Bronx Bull]

Originally Posted by Danchez

I just blind-bought Cronos today due to how much I enjoyed The Devil's Backbone, so hopefully you'll enjoy it!

Thanks. The way I felt about Cronos was that it could have been an "Are you afraid of the dark?" episode.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

The first Criterion I ever saw/bought was The Last Temptation of Christ when it was released in 2000, soon after I bought my first DVD player. I gazed in wonder at the accompanying catalog, filled with films I had never seen or even heard of before. I had watched many of the Hollywood classics, but was almost entirely ignorant of foreign cinema, other than a few then-recent films and Bicycle Thieves.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by RipleyLV426

Good price, but I can wait for Married a Witch and get it for $15 at the B&N sale in Oct.

The 50% sales are July and November. You might be able to get close to that if they have a 40% sale in October (I don't remember when they do those) but if you're banking on having it by Halloween you might want to lock in the Amazon price just in case.

[Majin Blu]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

I would have to be on the same boat as you. "Chasing Amy" was the first for me on DVD (Honestly, at that time, I didn't really know or pay much attention to the Criterion Collection). I got the Blu-ray of C.A. and I put the Criterion DVD in that (because of the original commentary). As for my first Blu-ray that got me more into them, they were "Godzilla" and "Charade". After those two, I started blindly picking titles and experimenting and I've liked everything I've picked up so far.

Next (planned) two CC pick-ups: "I Married a Witch" and "The Uninvited" in October

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

I understand . However, look at the review and the screencaps. It is really not a matter of opinion but knowledge. Not all opinions count, only informed ones. If a reviewer states that this transfer is "gorgeous" the he/she is delusional at best...my opinion of course .

No doubt about it. I just use the word opinion because reviewing is, by definition, a subjective process. (I recognize that there are probably better words out there.) When Children of Paradise was released, some people argued that they didn't mind the transfer because it added a fantasy-like sheen to the film. In other words, they looked at the same evidence, and came to a different conclusion. I would never argue, however, that all opinions are equal. Some opinions are much easier to defend. I am a teacher, and a lot of the classes I teach are about argument. What I always tell my students is that when you are evaluating something, you can say whatever you want, but unless you can provide evidence to support your conclusion, no one will ever be persuaded.

[Danchez]

Originally Posted by The Bronx Bull

Thanks. The way I felt about Cronos was that it could have been an "Are you afraid of the dark?" episode.

Haha, well I was a huge fan of the original seasons of AYAOTD, so hopefully I'll enjoy it.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

When Children of Paradise was released, some people argued that they didn't mind the transfer because it added a fantasy-like sheen to the film.

Anyone who would actually make that claim lives under a fantasy-like sheen.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

Definitely DVD.

I'm not sure about the first one I saw. A Seven Samurai rental sounds right but I'm not positive. The first one I bought was probably Notorious and I absolutely fell in love with them after seeing the work they did with Mr Arkadin.

Prior to that I looked at them primarily as a source of better than average looking DVDs but Mr Arkadin was when I started to appreciate them as an educational resource as well.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by starman15317

So here's a little question for everyone: when were you introduced to the Criterion Collection? Was it in the Laserdisc days? DVD era? Or were you introduced with Blu-Ray? And what was the first Criterion you saw or bought?

DVD.

Around late 98 or so I saw the ads for Seven Samurai being released. I remember getting a release guide from Suncoast or some such talking about the Laserdisc release of Armageddon, which if I remember correctly was one of the last of the LD releases. I don't remember which CC I got first, but among my earliest Criterions were The Killer, Hard Boiled, Robocop, Spinal Tap, Seven Samurai (1st DVD version) and The 400 Blows (1st DVD Version).