The Criterion Collection

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Vidya

I also agree; there is no debate. The issues spotted via "pixel peeping" are not a matter of opinion but fact. Many Criterion titles have sub-optimal compression. Whether or not the compression issues are noticeable during playback is another topic of discussion.

It is a very, very silly GAME, Vidya.

Following the same logic one could routinely pull up screencaptures with tiny scratches or stains and claim that the presentation is sub-optimal. Following the same logic any dated master that is used for a release where the grain fluctuates a bit and isn't resolved immaculately -- and you better believe that there are thousands of such titles -- would be deemed a failure.

Blowing up screencaptures -- one after another -- and examining pixels isn't the way films are meant to be seen. Just like in the music field you do not extract single notes from a harmonic structure and marvel them individually.

Pro-B

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Whether they [artifacts] exist or not, I don't care. The movie looks remarkable.

No offense, but that is an incredibly stupid, oxymoronic statement. You might as well say "This CD is completely brickwalled, but I don't care. It sounds fantastic."

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I've been prepping my list for the upcoming Barnes and Noble sale and will not allow myself to purchase more than five this time around. The sale six months nearly broke me.

I have four so far, which are absolute must haves.

Which leaves one left for a Hail Mary blind buy.

...any suggestions?

Here are the four I have so far:

1. Kwaidan
2. Mulholland Drive
3. Ikiru
4. In Cold Blood

And #5 will be...?

Tiny Furniture

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Following the same logic one could routinely pull up screencaptures with tiny scratches or stains and claim that the presentation is sub-optimal. Following the same logic any dated master that is used for a release where the grain fluctuates a bit and isn't resolved immaculately -- and you better believe that there are thousands of such titles -- would be deemed a failure.

Blowing up screencaptures -- one after another -- and examining pixels isn't the way films are meant to be seen. Just like in the music field you do not extract single notes from a harmonic structure and marvel them individually.

Pro-B

Yeah, here's the thing. I don't care if the source print is scratchy or stained or otherwise damaged. I want it to LOOK LIKE A FILM, not something made on a Fisher-Price PixelVision. Digital artifacts are ****ing repellant to the eye.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Vidya

I also agree; there is no debate. The issues spotted via "pixel peeping" are not a matter of opinion but fact. Many Criterion titles have sub-optimal compression. Whether or not the compression issues are noticeable during playback is another topic of discussion.

It's really not another topic though. If compression issues don't impact the image in motion then in exactly what way is the compression 'sub-optimal'?

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

No offense, but that is an incredibly stupid, oxymoronic statement. You might as well say "This CD is completely brickwalled, but I don't care. It sounds fantastic."

He's basically saying he doesn't care whether there's a pea under the stack of mattresses as long as he gets a good night's sleep. It's the whole 'a difference that makes no difference is no difference' thing.

What's oxymoronic about that?

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

Digital artifacts are ****ing repellant to the eye.

Are digital artifacts you can't see in motion also repellant to the ****ing eye?

Or are they much ado about nothing?

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Vidya

I also agree; there is no debate. The issues spotted via "pixel peeping" are not a matter of opinion but fact. Many Criterion titles have sub-optimal compression. Whether or not the compression issues are noticeable during playback is another topic of discussion.

If they don't show up in motion, which is how you watch movies, then who cares?

Debate over.

[D2Girls]

I can't take any of these people who shit on criterion's pq seriously...
they're the same people who go on caps-a-holic and make up all these claims.
I remember reading the Thief criterion caps comments on capsaholic, and seeing all these things being said. then I watched it and realized how completely wrong they all were, because the thief release looks and sounds amazing.

I have no doubt in my mind it will be the exact same case with mulholland drive or any other release coming out later this year that everyones claiming is muddled with artifacts

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

If they don't show up in motion, which is how you watch movies, then who cares?

Debate over.

Come on, bruh, I prefer gazing at screencaps than actually watching the movie.

Some of these guys who harp on compression make me laugh. Do you guys call the business off with the missus if her hair isn't exactly to your liking?

[D2Girls]

i dont purposely look for compression and artifacts, I find them actually difficult to spot, unless it's a scene where someone is talking while not moving much, and it just shows up randomly on the backdrop.

what I do often find is little specs and dirt, they're everywhere on a lot of releases, even when the review on this site says there isnt any.

and fyi, that doesn't bother me either. i actually think it gives movies some charm.

[Marlow27]

All this talk of Val Lewton and older horror flicks has just made me sad that I Walked With a Zombie and Cat People are still not on bluray. I can't even get a decent DVD copy where I live, but I've been desperate to see them for so long.

One day, hopefully.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by Marlow27

All this talk of Val Lewton and older horror flicks has just made me sad that I Walked With a Zombie and Cat People are still not on bluray. I can't even get a decent DVD copy where I live, but I've been desperate to see them for so long.

One day, hopefully.

Yeah, I really wanted to watch them both this Halloween and was frustrated that I wasn't able to.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by Bob Kramer

No offense, but that is an incredibly stupid, oxymoronic statement. You might as well say "This CD is completely brickwalled, but I don't care. It sounds fantastic."

Pro-B summed it up extremely well above and Bates_Motel below. We are not meant to watch films frame by frame.

My apathy is more about the debate. I don't care to argue about something that ultimately doesn't impact the presentation. I wish the narrative was about how amazing that Criterion has brought this treasure of a film back to us.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by D2Girls

i dont purposely look for compression and artifacts, I find them actually difficult to spot, unless it's a scene where someone is talking while not moving much, and it just shows up randomly on the backdrop.

I'm a big fan of the Scream Factory Blu-ray line. Most of these titles get thoroughly napalmed on this site for bad encoding, compression artifacts, and such, but none of these maladies have ever interfered with my enjoyment of any of the movies. I do notice the issue, especially on my new television setup, but, in all honesty, it just seems to make a 1970s or early 1980s movie look like a 1970s or early 1980s movie. I'm inclined to think that many of us who grew up watching our favorite movies in pan-and-scan versions on VHS are, in general, more likely to give a pass to this sort of thing. I swear to God that I'm going to pistol-whip the next person who tells me to go region free and buy the Arrow Blu-rays instead of buying the Scream Factory Blu-rays.

I have looked at the screencaps of Mulholland Drive, and, if we are to judge from those, then the Criterion disc looks miles better to my eyes than the previous Blu-ray release does.

[GC Riot]

Just got myself this one second hand for $20

Never seen it, but seeing how it's OOP, it felt worth taking a risk at that price.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I'm inclined to think that many of us who grew up watching our favorite movies in pan-and-scan versions on VHS are, in general, more likely to give a pass to this sort of thing.

Always crosses my mind when people start obsessing about the minutiae of PQ.

DVD was a godsend; BD a revelation. Film buffs have never had it so good.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I swear to God that I'm going to pistol-whip the next person who tells me to go region free and buy the Arrow Blu-rays instead of buying the Scream Factory Blu-rays.

Is there that much of an overlap between SF and Arrow releases? Apart from the Vincent Price movies, I would have thought Kino had more common releases with Arrow. But yeah, you ought to go region-free and buy the Arrow releases

[KubrickKurasawa]

I want more Kenji Mizoguchi on Blu-Ray. I only have DVD/Book stuff lmao!!



I will buy Sansho The Bailiff and The Life of OHaru soon on Blu-Ray!! But then what?

[Show spoiler]Shit!! Best director imho along with Stanley Kubrick for my taste.

Watch more Hulu..... Oh yeah I can pick up Tokyo Story too, that one is pretty good. Maybe Persona I liked that one too.

[SkyAntoine]

Before fall got away from me I popped in All That Heaven Allows last night. Beautiful film enhanced by the Technicolor. I have not seen any of the Fassbinder films, but I'm planning on watching Ali: Fear Eats the Soul next as it was inspired by ATHA. Or, I may follow up with Seconds that may be a more appropriate October title.

[InTheMood]

Originally Posted by KubrickKurasawa

I want more Kenji Mizoguchi on Blu-Ray. I only have DVD/Book stuff lmao!!



I will buy Sansho The Bailiff and The Life of OHaru soon on Blu-Ray!! But then what?

[Show spoiler]Shit!! Best director imho along with Stanley Kubrick for my taste.

Watch more Hulu..... Oh yeah I can pick up Tokyo Story too, that one is pretty good. Maybe Persona I liked that one too.

1) https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Late-...Blu-ray/82430/

2) https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-M...Blu-ray/36699/

[prior]

I was about to post the exact same. Go region free, it's worth it.