The Criterion Collection

[StLouisRibs]

Hm - a DVD-only version of The Great Beauty has surfaced on Amazon and Criterion's website.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

Hm - a DVD-only version of The Great Beauty has surfaced on Amazon and Criterion's website.

Interesting. I guess they decided there's a market for an Oscar-nominated film for the DVD-only crowd. I wouldn't think that this suggests a re-thinking of their dual-format plans. It's most likely an aberration, like the bare-bones release of Blue Is the Warmest Color.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by smoss469

They really have to stop with the cardboard packaging. They just look so cheap and fragile. Almost like the old school cheap cardboard DVD cases that always stuck out on a shelf.

I agree. It seems like that in order to accommodate more space for the extra DVDs in the dual editions, Criterion compromised plastic cases in favor for the cardboard paper sleeve packaging. I believe this is going to be the new trend now with Criterion. Less plastic, more paper. Maybe its an eco-friendly thing too?

[smoss469]

Originally Posted by jw007

I agree. It seems like that in order to accommodate more space for the extra DVDs in the dual editions, Criterion compromised plastic cases in favor for the cardboard paper sleeve packaging. I believe this is going to be the new trend now with Criterion. Less plastic, more paper. Maybe its an eco-friendly thing too?

They have 3 disc plastic cases just like for their old 1 disc releases. The Samurai Trilogy comes in 1. I don't know why they feel the need to use those fragile horribly ineffective packages.

[The Great Owl]

With regard to the new Criterion cases and such...

The Dual-Format plastic cases are slightly more flimsy as well, in the sense that they do not close as easily with the two discs and the big booklets inside. Sometimes, the cases are good, but there are a couple of mine (City Lights and Thief) that do not snap shut quite as tightly as I'd prefer. It's nothing catastrophic, and the discs are still protected from dust, but it's annoying in that first-world-problem sort of way that we Blu-ray enthusiasts know all too well. I might order a batch of replacement two-disc Scanavo cases from one of the cheap case websites at some point in the not-too-distant future, but there's no hurry.

On a different line of thought...

On the way home from work today, I decided to take a short break from my preoccupation with older movies (Criterions, noir films, etc.) by renting two 2013 movies, Captain Phillips and Prisoners, from the Redbox down the street. They're both good movies, and I'd rank them both in the neighborhood of 3.5 stars to 4 stars. They're both missing that special something that would have elevated them from good movies to great movies, though. That's par for course with newer movies...or, I suppose, with most flicks over the years. I guess that I've been spoiled by watching so many Criterion titles and other classic universally-acclaimed films lately.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by smoss469

They have 3 disc plastic cases just like for their old 1 disc releases. The Samurai Trilogy comes in 1. I don't know why they feel the need to use those fragile horribly ineffective packages.

Samurai Trilogy blu-ray comes in a 2 disc plastic case, it seems the dvd comes with a 3 disc plastic case, but there hasn't been any 3 disc blu-ray case from Criterion that i can recall.

Anyway i also support the cardboard packaging so i think it is great we are getting some of them more often than before.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

With regard to the new Criterion cases and such...

The Dual-Format plastic cases are slightly more flimsy as well, in the sense that they do not close as easily with the two discs and the big booklets inside. Sometimes, the cases are good, but there are a couple of mine (City Lights and Thief) that do not snap shut quite as tightly as I'd prefer. It's nothing catastrophic, and the discs are still protected from dust, but it's annoying in that first-world-problem sort of way that we Blu-ray enthusiasts know all too well. I might order a batch of replacement two-disc Scanavo cases from one of the cheap case websites at some point in the not-too-distant future, but there's no hurry.

It wasn't just limited to the Dual-format edition plastic cases either but I remember buying Heaven's Gate in the regular blu-ray edition and it barely closed all the way with that massive booklet inside. Criterion should have Scanavo design a new unique plastic case that is only for dual-format editions. Otherwise, this is, like you said, a first world problem. No big deal.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by smoss469

They really have to stop with the cardboard packaging. They just look so cheap and fragile. Almost like the old school cheap cardboard DVD cases that always stuck out on a shelf.

I love the cardboard boxes, but it annoys me they are slightly taller than the normal bluray cases on shelf and also I don't like the markers and folds used, you get that annoying lip on spine... I don't know why they don't use a box like PLAIN Melancholia which is gorgeous, or something like Artificial Eyes tarkovksy boxset, they feel so solid and protective and feel like, luxury items, but still in same price range as Criterion.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by smoss469

They have 3 disc plastic cases just like for their old 1 disc releases. The Samurai Trilogy comes in 1. I don't know why they feel the need to use those fragile horribly ineffective packages.

I actually wish I could get a spare one of those. I'm trying to design BD-sized Criterion covers for my few remaining Criterion DVD editions (which are either OOP or haven't been upgraded to BD yet), and I'd love to be able to put my Complete Mr. Arkadin set in a 3-disc Criterion BD case. This way I can integrate my Criterion DVD's into my Criterion BD Collection without having to get taller shelves. haha

I'm sticking with my own SOTL design, since I always thought the "random photo collage" cover of the actual DVD release looked kind of cheap. So I just made some adjustments to my own design to reflect the DVD edition:

[Show spoiler]

After which, I whipped one up for The Vanishing, adhering much more closely to Criterion's original cover design:

[Show spoiler]

[smoss469]

My apologies on the Samurai Trilogy, I thought mine was 3 discs. I guess it being 3 movies makes that an easier mistake to make.

I still stand by the rest of my statement though

[The Great Owl]

We're getting Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil in April, but they are being released by Universal and not by Criterion here on these shores. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the transfers live up to what the rest of the world has seen on the MoC releases.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by jw007

It wasn't just limited to the Dual-format edition plastic cases either but I remember buying Heaven's Gate in the regular blu-ray edition and it barely closed all the way with that massive booklet inside. Criterion should have Scanavo design a new unique plastic case that is only for dual-format editions. Otherwise, this is, like you said, a first world problem. No big deal.

Really? I have no problem closing my case.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

With regard to the new Criterion cases and such...

The Dual-Format plastic cases are slightly more flimsy as well, in the sense that they do not close as easily with the two discs and the big booklets inside. Sometimes, the cases are good, but there are a couple of mine (City Lights and Thief) that do not snap shut quite as tightly as I'd prefer. It's nothing catastrophic, and the discs are still protected from dust, but it's annoying in that first-world-problem sort of way that we Blu-ray enthusiasts know all too well. I might order a batch of replacement two-disc Scanavo cases from one of the cheap case websites at some point in the not-too-distant future, but there's no hurry.

On a different line of thought...

On the way home from work today, I decided to take a short break from my preoccupation with older movies (Criterions, noir films, etc.) by renting two 2013 movies, Captain Phillips and Prisoners, from the Redbox down the street. They're both good movies, and I'd rank them both in the neighborhood of 3.5 stars to 4 stars. They're both missing that special something that would have elevated them from good movies to great movies, though. That's par for course with newer movies...or, I suppose, with most flicks over the years. I guess that I've been spoiled by watching so many Criterion titles and other classic universally-acclaimed films lately.

While I did not see or even read much about Captain Phillips, there was a Danish film that came out last year called A Hijacking that was really good. It would seem to me that the two movies are essentially the same, but I'm sure that I am wrong. In any regard, A Hijacking was a really good film that I haven't seen anybody name drop or put in any kind of 2013 favorites list either. Well worth your time.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_hijacking/

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

We're getting Double Indemnity and Touch of Evil in April, but they are being released by Universal and not by Criterion here on these shores. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the transfers live up to what the rest of the world has seen on the MoC releases.

Universal did a good enough job with the major titles from the Hitchcock box set and Shadow of a Doubt is one of the best B&W transfers I've seen, so I'm sure these will be 4 stars or better for PQ.

I'm more looking forward to Touch of Evil even though Double Indemnity is one of my all-time favorite movies. I've seen TOE only once. Double Indemnity, I know too well.

[amoergosum]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

A Hijacking was a really good film that I haven't seen anybody name drop or put in any kind of 2013 favorites list either.

A Hijacking is a movie from 2012.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by amoergosum

A Hijacking is a movie from 2012.

umm... ok. thanks for the clarification. in the U.S. it hit theaters mid summer last year.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

umm... ok. thanks for the clarification. in the U.S. it hit theaters mid summer last year.

I absolutely hated "A Hijacking", and while it did premiere last year, I still consider it a 2012 film as that was when it was initially made.

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I absolutely hated "A Hijacking", and while it did premiere last year, I still consider it a 2012 film as that was when it was initially made.

curious.. what didn't you like about it?

regarding release dates.. who cares? Army of Shadows got on many best of 2006 lists and it was made in 1969.

[blkhrt]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

While I did not see or even read much about Captain Phillips, there was a Danish film that came out last year called A Hijacking that was really good. It would seem to me that the two movies are essentially the same, but I'm sure that I am wrong. In any regard, A Hijacking was a really good film that I haven't seen anybody name drop or put in any kind of 2013 favorites list either. Well worth your time.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_hijacking/

A Hijacking was recently added to Netflix instant, if anyone is curious to see it.

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by StLouisRibs

Hm - a DVD-only version of The Great Beauty has surfaced on Amazon and Criterion's website.

DVD EMPIRE just listed DVD ONLY releases of MASTER OF THE HOUSE, RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11, IL SORPASSO and A BRIEF HISTORY IN TIME also.