The Criterion Collection

[celticmoon]

Great to see Fantastic Planet added to the collection.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I am not sure exactly what is the formula for someone to become a film buff, but I know that people who worked at video stores easily became one, I guess you have to be open to watch any movie that gets in front of you.

With the internet it is easier if you ever get interested in what are the best movies ever, you will probably find a list with some old movies, the problem is some people never cares to watch those no matter how famous they are, some people will never care to watch silent or black and white movies for whatever reason.

All I know is that for now the market is still in our hands since we are the ones deciding by purchasing stuff, at least with the physical video, but if new generations are indeed very different I guess it will be reflected in the next 10-20 years for sure, Hopefully even if streaming is the norm, there will still be new restorations and classics shown in those services.

Nowadays anyone with a Letterboxd account and 3 Criterion films in their collection is considered a film buff. Add 4 more Criterions and you're now a film aficionado. Another 10 and you're practically certified to be a film critic.

[Lepidopterous]

Glad Bicycle Thieves is not getting a clunky box. Love the uniform Criterion case.

Can't wait to pick up one of my top 5 films

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Glad Bicycle Thieves is not getting a clunky box. Love the uniform Criterion case.

Can't wait to pick up one of my top 5 films

I'm the exact opposite. It is my #6 film and I love the packaging on the DVD release. The inclusion of the book makes it one of my favorite releases in the collection. I was extremely disappointed when I saw the pics of the blu.
This is one film that I will not sell the DVD when I upgrade to blu. I'll keep both titles side by side.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Glad Bicycle Thieves is not getting a clunky box. Love the uniform Criterion case.

Can't wait to pick up one of my top 5 films

If it did, it would have possibly had a bigger booklet though. The booklet is more than half the size of the one from the DVD (76 vs 34 pages)

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I'm not sure sure what law you are referring to, but what killed off the local b&m video store was "progress". I remember going to the video store on Friday night, spending up to an hour trying to find just the right movie that wasn't already rented that day, and then having to rush back to the store two days later with the video so I wouldn't get hit with a late fee. Then Netflix came along and I could prioritize the movies I wanted in a queue, they would send them to my mailbox within one or two days with a postage-free return envelope and NO LATE FEES. I was in heaven, or so I thought. Then streaming came along and even going to my mailbox was too much work. There's nothing like instant gratification. Now, I don't have access to everything out there but between Amazon Prime, Netflix streaming, Hulu, TCM and my own video library, I have access to a lot. More quality films than my old video store, in fact. For a lot of people, including me, these are the good old days.

The video store hasn't completely died however. It survives as Redbox, which is the video equivalent of top 40 radio. It wasn't the government or even Walmart/Amazon that made it happen. It was consumer demand.

Amazon has quietly been opening B&M stores. There was rumor of 300-400 more to be opened.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Nowadays anyone with a Letterboxd account and 3 Criterion films in their collection is considered a film buff. Add 4 more Criterions and you're now a film aficionado. Another 10 and you're practically certified to be a film critic.

Great, with 171 I guess it's time to apply to get my reviews appear on Rotten Tomatoes

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Great, with 171 I guess it's time to apply to get my reviews appear on Rotten Tomatoes

A good way to get views is to submit the links as an external review on IMDB. When I maintained a blog I'd submit my links and they'd post them on each film's external review section which also included professional critics like Ebert.

[tama]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Nowadays anyone with a Letterboxd account and 3 Criterion films in their collection is considered a film buff. Add 4 more Criterions and you're now a film aficionado. Another 10 and you're practically certified to be a film critic.

What does that make a guy like me then?

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Glad Bicycle Thieves is not getting a clunky box. Love the uniform Criterion case.

Can't wait to pick up one of my top 5 films

After owning the DVD digipak, I was kinda expecting the Blu-Ray to be the same. I'm kinda glad it isn't, because now I can use one of the fancy new Scanavo 3-disc cases to combine the BD and DVDs together. Did this already with La Haine, M, and Naked Lunch -- they're all my own custom-made combo packs now.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I am not sure exactly what is the formula for someone to become a film buff, but I know that people who worked at video stores easily became one, I guess you have to be open to watch any movie that gets in front of you.

One thing remains.

Vader. You must confront Vader.

Then, only then, a film buff you will be.

And confront him you will.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

One thing remains.

Vader. You must confront Vader.

Then, only then, a film buff you will be.

And confront him you will.

In this analogy, does confronting Vader means watching Salo?

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

I'm the exact opposite. It is my #6 film and I love the packaging on the DVD release. The inclusion of the book makes it one of my favorite releases in the collection. I was extremely disappointed when I saw the pics of the blu.
This is one film that I will not sell the DVD when I upgrade to blu. I'll keep both titles side by side.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

If it did, it would have possibly had a bigger booklet though. The booklet is more than half the size of the one from the DVD (76 vs 34 pages)

Don't the booklets vary in these upgrades regardless? (new/replaced essays, etc.) I guess it doesn't bother me as much because I already have the DVD as well. (And MifuneFan I think you meant the other way around) EDIT: Just kidding, the "more than half" threw me off

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

After owning the DVD digipak, I was kinda expecting the Blu-Ray to be the same. I'm kinda glad it isn't, because now I can use one of the fancy new Scanavo 3-disc cases to combine the BD and DVDs together. Did this already with La Haine, M, and Naked Lunch -- they're all my own custom-made combo packs now.

Great idea! Does the artwork slip fit the same on the slightly thicker case?

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Nowadays anyone with a Letterboxd account and 3 Criterion films in their collection is considered a film buff. Add 4 more Criterions and you're now a film aficionado. Another 10 and you're practically certified to be a film critic.

Not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek but I actually realized this after recently becoming more active on there. The sheer volume of films seen and discussed by most individual Letterboxd users is nowhere near reflective of the majority of society.

Originally Posted by pedromvu

All I know is that for now the market is still in our hands since we are the ones deciding by purchasing stuff, at least with the physical video, but if new generations are indeed very different I guess it will be reflected in the next 10-20 years for sure, Hopefully even if streaming is the norm, there will still be new restorations and classics shown in those services.

There will always be a culture of appreciation around classic cinema. I look at it the same as most other forms of art that are no longer "popular" but endlessly appreciated.

[jw007]

I wanted to weigh in on all the discussion on today's younger generation having "too much access" to media but putting out little effort.

I agree with Bates_Motel also that the amount of information available is remarkable, but its all dished out to us and provided by Netflix, AppleTV, Hulu, etc. I often search for some rarer and older movies on Netflix from time to time but realize Netflix is controlling which films to provide to audiences. A lot of films are unavailable, and many popular directors are not to be found (I tried searching for Robert Altman or Jim Jarmusch on Netflix and no movies showed up). I think this "programming" of information by Netflix is slightly authoritarian.

Additionally, I also agree with you, Bill, about Generation Z (Post-Millenials) having no regard for culture. Whatever that is "popular" is all children care about today, and that is provided by the major corporations (ever see Idiocracy?). Of course we still have libraries in most neighborhoods of every major city, but you often see students in there studying on their laptops as opposed to perusing the DVD movie section (or classical music section). Everything has been digitized so physical media is antiquated to them. Of course you still have that smaller minority of latter day Millenials and Z's getting into collecting vinyl, but they do it because its so "trendy" (kids might walk into Urban Outfitters and walk by a bunch of cheap Crosley turntables and a bunch of new wax sitting nearby and buy something).

mja345: I think that having video rental stores does increase one's appreciation for cinema. It's like a library strictly just for film buffs. Back then, while Blockbuster, West Coast Video and Hollywood Video were still around with stores, people used to congregate at these places to meet up and rent movies. How would we have gotten a director like Quentin Tarantino had he not been working in a video store for years? His exposure to films, by working in a video store, was his film education! He probably told his manager to put on Sergio Leone movies, or some grindhouse-style films while at work. I remember at my local West Coast Video shop, I saw a well crafted model of the Starship Enterprise some of the folks working there put together and displayed in the front window, in honor of 1991's new film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The video shop employees even put the decals on the plastic model and painted it too! That must have taken some time! They weren't busy on their smartphones back then, but assembling models with their bare hands. Now that's what I call culture and appreciation! Today's children are playing video games, not cementing models of cars and spaceships together in their free time. People are evolving in a more dehumanized fashion. We are becoming less SENSUAL.

Now I'm sure someone like jayembee will say I'm totally wrong when we refer to "ahhh, today's kids!", because every older generation always criticizes the younger generation, but honestly, with computer technology, its literally changing our physical and psychological nature in extreme ways never seen before in human history (I have a step cousin who rarely gets outside and sits in her room day and night playing video games and on the internet). It's pretty sickening and saddening, and children hundreds and thousands of years ago were NOT doing that, I assure you.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Great idea! Does the artwork slip fit the same on the slightly thicker case?

Even though the 3-disc cases are a millimeter thicker or so, the artwork still looks like a great fit to me. Any extra space between the paper and the edge of the case is negligible. Artwork on the spines still look great, and the cases are thick enough to accommodate all the books and discs without hurting anything.

These cases are great for doubles and triples. I got a few four-disc ones too, thinking about movies where I have 3 DVDs and 1 BD or 2 of each or something. But I realized that some already came as combo packs (Scanners, Ace in the Hole), and others are digipacks (Battle for Algiers, Seven Samurai), so I find these unnecessary. On top of that, the 4-disc cases are huge, and the artwork will surely come up way too short for them.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by jw007

I agree with Bates_Motel also that the amount of information available is remarkable, but its all dished out to us and provided by Netflix, AppleTV, Hulu, etc. I often search for some rarer and older movies on Netflix from time to time but realize Netflix is controlling which films to provide to audiences. A lot of films are unavailable, and many popular directors are not to be found (I tried searching for Robert Altman or Jim Jarmusch on Netflix and no movies showed up). I think this "programming" of information by Netflix is slightly authoritarian.

I hate that about Netflix, there are great titles hidden in there, but you rarely see them scrolling through their "Customized for you" categories, you need to do a search to find them, luckily once you add it in your "My List" you can't lose it until it expires.

[Vinyl]

Originally Posted by belcherman

I'm not sure sure what law you are referring to, but what killed off the local b&m video store was "progress". I remember going to the video store on Friday night, spending up to an hour trying to find just the right movie that wasn't already rented that day, and then having to rush back to the store two days later with the video so I wouldn't get hit with a late fee. Then Netflix came along and I could prioritize the movies I wanted in a queue, they would send them to my mailbox within one or two days with a postage-free return envelope and NO LATE FEES. I was in heaven, or so I thought. Then streaming came along and even going to my mailbox was too much work. There's nothing like instant gratification. Now, I don't have access to everything out there but between Amazon Prime, Netflix streaming, Hulu, TCM and my own video library, I have access to a lot. More quality films than my old video store, in fact. For a lot of people, including me, these are the good old days.

The video store hasn't completely died however. It survives as Redbox, which is the video equivalent of top 40 radio. It wasn't the government or even Walmart/Amazon that made it happen. It was consumer demand.

First national bank of Boston vs. Bellotti (1978) where corporations have the first amendment right to make contributions to ballot initiative campaigns.

The case of hobby lobby having religious liberty to not support their employees use birth control, and have their medical insurance not pay for it. Hobby lobby was arguing that it had the religious liberty to not give its employees access to birth control through their health insurance.

In 2010 where the Supreme Court gave companies the possibility of nearly limitless funds they could use as campaign contributions.

Slowly but surely corporations are getting more and more rights.


As for the Red Box thing, most people going there know exactly what they want and get it. The small group who browse only see the narrow view of what Red Box supplies them. Most of what is available are the new releases and a few very popular older releases from 1-3 years ago. As I said in my post, it is a narrow look at movies.

Sorry for the geek out.

[belcherman]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

First national bank of Boston vs. Bellotti (1978) where corporations have the first amendment right to make contributions to ballot initiative campaigns.

The case of hobby lobby having religious liberty to not support their employees use birth control, and have their medical insurance not pay for it. Hobby lobby was arguing that it had the religious liberty to not give its employees access to birth control through their health insurance.

In 2010 where the Supreme Court gave companies the possibility of nearly limitless funds they could use as campaign contributions.

Slowly but surely corporations are getting more and more rights.


As for the Red Box thing, most people going there know exactly what they want and get it. The small group who browse only see the narrow view of what Red Box supplies them. Most of what is available are the new releases and a few very popular older releases from 1-3 years ago. As I said in my post, it is a narrow look at movies.

Sorry for the geek out.

No apology necessary, but I guess I'm missing the part where those laws, or any other, led to the demise of the b&m video rental store.

[Scottie]

Maybe it's just me, but when I think of a "film buff," I simply think of an individual passionate about all types of film.

I was born in 1991. I spent many childhood days at Blockbuster where I would rent various films and video games. I also used to also VHS tapes from local grocery stores and the library. I think most of my exposure to film, though, was through watching new releases on television and/or blind buying films on DVD at f.y.e, Walmart, etc.

I will definitely say I grew into a film buff. Most of the films I watched were films others told me were good. While I always did my own thing, I started being my own independent voice several years ago when I stopped merely watching the latest release and delving into world cinema and the most highly rated films of all-time. It was the best decision of my life and I've never looked back. I've taken several college courses in film history, which have made me more passionate about film and I'm also finishing up journalism studies where I hope I can use my degree to write film reviews in the future.

I can see both sides of the argument about becoming a "film buff" today. On one hand, it is impossible for an individual to go to a rental store and experience the sensation firsthand of browsing the aisles, reading jackets, being told when to return a movie by, etc. On the other hand, though, with video rental services, such as Amazon Instant Video and Netflix, it is very difficult to not find a film today. This looser availability offers much more variety and allows anyone to see what they want.

In short, be your own person. If you think restricting yourself to superhero movies makes you a film buff, so be it. If you think traveling the world and finding the most obscure films ever made makes you a film buff, so be it, as well.