The Criterion Collection

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Does anyone's movie watching lead to reading relevant books? Any Criterions lead you to books covering the films/subject matter?

I was recently finally able to locate and purchase a First Edition of Graham Greene's The Third Man, published (as The 3rd Man) in the US in 1950 by Viking Press and preceding the British First Edition. There are a few copies out there; condition is, of course, everything and nice examples command serious money. After much patient searching, I was able to pick up a copy in fantastic condition for my target price - which was quite a bit lower than I had ever seen before...but still more than I paid for the OOP BD.

[Disturbed Blu 1]

Anyone have any updates on their Chungking Express order from Amazon. Mine still hasn't shipped and at this point I'm not sure it ever will, unfortunately.

[jbieste]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

well it's become tradition i think these last months to not announce them on the 15th but later..

Realized today that US Tax Day has been moved back to the 18th b/c of Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington DC.
Monday, April 18th is Patriots Day in Massachusetts & Maine, so maybe not until Tuesday, April 19th.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by jbieste

Realized today that US Tax Day has been moved back to the 18th b/c of Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington DC.
Monday, April 18th is Patriots Day in Massachusetts & Maine, so maybe not until Tuesday, April 19th.

Yipes! Might as well tack the following months announcements onto it then...

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by Disturbed Blu 1

Anyone have any updates on their Chungking Express order from Amazon. Mine still hasn't shipped and at this point I'm not sure it ever will, unfortunately.

I received an email whether or not I want to cancel the preorder since they're encountering a delay. They probably never existed in the first place.

[Disturbed Blu 1]

Originally Posted by silverlakephil

I received an email whether or not I want to cancel the preorder since they're encountering a delay. They probably never existed in the first place.

I'm disappointed, but not surprised.

[theater dreamer]

My Chungking Express order updated today to show "expected by April 13th". I've received no e-mail from Amazon regarding the movie being delayed.

[theater dreamer]

Watching my first few Hitchcock movies (Torn Curtain, Vertigo) led me to interest in the book I'm reading now, Hitchcock, by François Truffaut. I expressed an interest in it at dinner with my folks one night, so my mother ordered it, and had it sent to my Kindle. I started reading it a little over a week ago. He's just moved past discussing Blackmail, his first film with sound. Soon, he'll be touching upon the films in the Classic Hitchcock set Criterion has; my plan is to order that, and my region-free Blu-ray player, a bit closer to the end of the month, then I'll start watching the films as he discusses them. The book, thus far, is outstanding. There's this wonderful symbiosis that occurs between the two auteurs. Truffaut asks the questions, Hitchcock answers, then the interplay between them is fascinating. It's very hard to put down. I've found myself asleep next to my Kindle a few times with it still powered up, because I just keep reading until I pass out. Darned muscle relaxers just don't take long enough to get into my system.

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Does anyone's movie watching lead to reading relevant books? Any Criterions lead you to books covering the films/subject matter?

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

My Chungking Express order updated today to show "expected by April 13th". I've received no e-mail from Amazon regarding the movie being delayed.

My order for Chungking Express is also showing "Expected by April 13."

On the plus side, my VCI Blu-ray of The City of the Dead arrived in the mail yesterday, and I got free shipping for it, since I ordered it at the same time as Chungking Express. At least I got something out of the whole fiasco, but that was sort of my intention all along, to be honest.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

I saw a few comments some days (or weeks) ago about Hard to be a God and decided to check it out on Netflix even if it was marked as 2 stars based on my taste.

Man that Netflix algorithm does seem to work, I couldn't understand why someone would love that, is like if Marketa Lazarova was even more confusing with less plot points to grab on to, or like Andrei Rublev without any of it's great scenes, both of those I actually liked.

Even some critics that liked it mention it is a kind of endurance test, I almost failed it, but I don't like to leave movies unfinished, I mean even if it was well shot it's still no I am Cuba or (insert Lubezki film), or even those previous titles I mention in terms of cinematography.

Did anyone else watched it?

It makes a lot more sense if you have read the book.

I really like it, but it was confusing at first.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

Does anyone's movie watching lead to reading relevant books? Any Criterions lead you to books covering the films/subject matter?

I read Picnic at Hanging Rock after the film (I have the film on Second Sight's UK blu-ray, but had read the novel separately).
The Innocents turned me to Turn of The Screw by Henry James
Not books, but Battle of Algiers and Breaker Morant led me to read up articles on the subject matter.
And I've read film-maker analyses like Donald Ritchie's book on Kurosawa films and Andrew Robinson's appraisal of Satyajit Ray films.

Outside of Criterion, I read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy after watching the film with Gary Oldman and then the TV mini-series with Alec Guinness (yes, in that reverse order )

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by jbieste

Realized today that US Tax Day has been moved back to the 18th b/c of Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington DC.
Monday, April 18th is Patriots Day in Massachusetts & Maine, so maybe not until Tuesday, April 19th.

This site is down for maintenance on 4/19. Surely Criterion would wait one more day so members of this site, which post to a thread with over 10 million views, can register their approval or complaints on that day.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

This site is down for maintenance on 4/19. Surely Criterion would wait one more day so members of this site, which post to a thread with over 10 million views, can register their approval or complaints on that day.

I'm surprised that Criterion.com hasn't implemented its own forums. I thought that was the next logical step after starting the pseudo social media aspects of "My Criterion". Maybe they'll use the 19th as chance to announce new titles, launch a forum, and poach all the conversations.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

I'm surprised that Criterion.com hasn't implemented its own forums. I thought that was the next logical step after starting the pseudo social media aspects of "My Criterion". Maybe they'll use the 19th as chance to announce new titles, launch a forum, and poach all the conversations.

I'm pretty sure it would be moderated to the point that only 60% of the posts would survive.
I know a lot of people use another forum, but I find it cumbersome and not very active. I like that this thread is a hodgepodge with twists and turns each day.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by SkyAntoine

I'm pretty sure it would be moderated to the point that only 60% of the posts would survive.
I know a lot of people use another forum, but I find it cumbersome and not very active. I like that this thread is a hodgepodge with twists and turns each day.

Mulvaney would moderate such a forum with an iron fist.

[Leonidas King]

Something I've always been curious about Criterion releases. How come 99% of their titles lack multi-language options? For example: French, Spanish subtitles. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button carries three dubs and subtitle languages (English, French and Spanish), yet I think the reason being was because it was a new release when put on Criterion and not a catalog title. Yet, I don't understand why its always been English SDH subtitles all the time. If anyone know's the reason behind this it would be really helpful.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Leonidas_King

Something I've always been curious about Criterion releases. How come 99% of their titles lack multi-language options? For example: French, Spanish subtitles. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button carries three dubs and subtitle languages (English, French and Spanish), yet I think the reason being was because it was a new release when put on Criterion and not a catalog title. Yet, I don't understand why its always been English SDH subtitles all the time. If anyone know's the reason behind this it would be really helpful.

Apparently it would drive the costs up for some reason, that's what I have heard.

Even their re-releases of blu-rays that already came with lots of subtitles or Audio options come without them when re-released by Criterion.

[Leonidas King]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

Apparently it would drive the costs up for some reason, that's what I have heard.

Even their re-releases of blu-rays that already came with lots of subtitles or Audio options come without them when re-released by Criterion.

Weird, considering how pricey their titles are you would think they would have diversity in foreign languages. I would even think they would increment sales if they would add French for parts of Canada and Spanish for the vast majority of hispanics in the US. The norm for every other major studio is English, French and Spanish for Region A titles.

[MifuneFan]

It's partly (if not mainly) the licensing costs, but I also feel like Criterion wants the audio to be presented as close to how it was originally. That's why you don't see English dubs for something like Seven Samurai for instance. While additional subs options would be welcomed, they would probably increase the cost more than the revenue they would get back from that.

Benjamin Button is a Criterion release in name only. Paramount basically paid for that branding, but it's a standard Paramount release, which is why it has multiple audio/sub options.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by Leonidas_King

Weird, considering how pricey their titles are you would think they would have diversity in foreign languages. I would even think they would increment sales if they would add French for parts of Canada and Spanish for the vast majority of hispanics in the US. The norm for every other major studio is English, French and Spanish for Region A titles.

I Agree it would be better, but not sure if it would be enough depending on the costs, I would prefer that every movie had Spanish subtitles since reading in English is another small extra barrier specially with foreign movies with lots of quick dialog, but I assume the vast majority of hispanics living in US would be able to read or hear English fine.

Also I think their excuse is usually that they only license to US territory (and now UK), so there is no need for other subtitles, and even if we considered their possibilities for people from other countries importing them, I think that market is not big enough, or at least they don't admit it or don't have solid numbers of how many people do it.