The Criterion Collection

[theater dreamer]

First off, thank you all for the replies. Easy to miss things when the discussion gets going, so I appreciate everybody who took the time to give me some info. I'll open The Last Metro tonight, and mull over a replacement Scanavo, depending on the condition. I'll still keep the original packaging, regardless. I think the old digi would stick out like a sore thumb in my collection otherwise.

-----

Holy crap, no kidding. I'm guessing he dropped $500 on those three films, alone.

Marienbad is next on my hit list. I'll start looking for that one soon.

Originally Posted by starman15317

My one friend, who is a film major, has finally begun his Criterion Collection, but he's been starting with the OOP titles. He just ordered The Third Man, Last Year at Marienbad and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

He also bought Nashville, The Graduate and Godzilla during the B&N sale, and I think he ordered Modern Times and something else.

I don't want to look at his bank account right now.

The StudioCanal import of Ran is highly recommended for a Kurosawa enthusiast that's region free.

I'd still double dip if Criterion got distribution rights again. Kurosawa and Ozu are, with Marienbad, very high on my want list. I still can't believe that I didn't buy Rashomon, Kagemusha, or Late Spring during the sale. I almost picked up Rashomon at my local B&N this weekend, but it was a re-wrap. I still might get it tonight online.

Where's Ray? I need him to talk me out of any more buys, lol.

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Ran (OOP from Criterion) but a 4K version is available. (Akira Kurosawa)
The Human Condition (Masaki Kobayashi)
Sansho the Bailiff (Kenji Mizoguchi)
The Samurai Trilogy (Hiroshi Inagaki)
Zatoichi Box-set (various)

Many more out there. Let us know your tastes in the genre as you view more.

[Bandit Tajomaru]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

After reading the Ran's BD review, I don't understand how can Ran have a so-so video transfer if it got a 4k restoration. Did StudioCanal botched the transfer?

Because some people think it is too teal. I don't have a problem with the 4K transfer. It looks gorgeous to me.

[theater dreamer]

The 2010 StudioCanal issue was done before the 4k scan. The only issues I'm aware of with the new release is some of the color timing appears different. I haven't had the chance to see it on my flat screen yet, as I don't have a region free Blu-ray player yet. I'll check it tonight on my laptop, and see if I see any other issues with it.

Originally Posted by zoodermin

After reading the Ran's BD review, I don't understand how can Ran have a so-so video transfer if it got a 4k restoration. Did StudioCanal botched the transfer?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by zoodermin

After reading the Ran's BD review, I don't understand how can Ran have a so-so video transfer if it got a 4k restoration. Did StudioCanal botched the transfer?

Not SC, but the company that handled the restoration, Éclair. The safe company responsible for the similarly affected colors in Fantastic Planet. With that said, the color changes weren't as pronounced when I saw Ran in theaters, but that's probably because of the added brightness, etc..that you get when a film is projected.

A 4K restoration doesn't automatically make it good. Other poor examples include the French release of Plein Soleil (Purple Noon), and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

[Bandit Tajomaru]

Originally Posted by AlphaNoodle

I'm sure this had been covered before but I I would rather just ask again rather than scroll through many pages to possibly find info, what samurai films would you guys suggest? I have every Kurosawa film through criterion so far, but that's the extent of samurai films in my collection so far.

Sansho the Bailiff
The Samurai Trilogy
Harakiri

[Feiereisel]

Tongue-in-cheek, but not really: Le Samouraï

[diskspinner]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

[Show spoiler]First off, thank you all for the replies. Easy to miss things when the discussion gets going, so I appreciate everybody who took the time to give me some info. I'll open The Last Metro tonight, and mull over a replacement Scanavo, depending on the condition. I'll still keep the original packaging, regardless. I think the old digi would stick out like a sore thumb in my collection otherwise.

-----

Holy crap, no kidding. I'm guessing he dropped $500 on those three films, alone.

Marienbad is next on my hit list. I'll start looking for that one soon.






The StudioCanal import of Ran is highly recommended for a Kurosawa enthusiast that's region free.

I'd still double dip if Criterion got distribution rights again. Kurosawa and Ozu are, with Marienbad, very high on my want list. I still can't believe that I didn't buy Rashomon, Kagemusha, or Late Spring during the sale. I almost picked up Rashomon at my local B&N this weekend, but it was a re-wrap. I still might get it tonight online.

Where's Ray? I need him to talk me out of any more buys, lol.

Ray cannot help...but I can...since we live in the same metro...and you can help me...I can lock you up first, then you can lock me up till store close (ok, midnight) tomorrow...Do you think we can do something like that?

[jw007]

On the final day of the Criterion sale, I ended up buying The Manchurian Candidate. That's a total of only 3 Criterions for me during this sale, which is incredibly few. In sales past I think I bought 30-35 Criterions during one particular sale.

I wanted to buy The New World but it was sold out in-stores and on the B&N website. I can just wait until the Criterion flash sale in September I'm thinking now.

The thing that sucked though was the 20% coupon this weekend didn't work either at the cash register.

But anyway... my grant tally of 3 Criterions were:

The Manchurian Candidate
Dr. Strangelove
Fantastic Planet

Not much of a haul...

but...

I guess, less is more!

[rocknblues81]

Originally Posted by jw007

On the final day of the Criterion sale, I ended up buying The Manchurian Candidate. That's a total of only 3 Criterions for me during this sale, which is incredibly few. In sales past I think I bought 30-35 Criterions during one particular sale.

I wanted to buy The New World but it was sold out in-stores and on the B&N website. I can just wait until the Criterion flash sale in September I'm thinking now.

The thing that sucked though was the 20% coupon this weekend didn't work either at the cash register.

But anyway... my grant tally of 3 Criterions were:

The Manchurian Candidate
Dr. Strangelove
Fantastic Planet

Not much of a haul...

but...

I guess, less is more!

When is the sale in September?

[jshaide]

Does anyone know if Criterion is planning on doing something with DumbLand?

[starman15317]

I had a good run for this sale. I filled in a lot of empty spaces in my collection this time around.

My final haul this sale:

-On The Waterfront
-Modern Times
-The Darjeeling Limited
-Dressed to Kill
-The Game
-The Player
-Dr. Strangelove
-12 Angry Men
-Fantastic Mr. Fox

Originally Posted by jw007

On the final day of the Criterion sale, I ended up buying The Manchurian Candidate. That's a total of only 3 Criterions for me during this sale, which is incredibly few. In sales past I think I bought 30-35 Criterions during one particular sale.

I wanted to buy The New World but it was sold out in-stores and on the B&N website. I can just wait until the Criterion flash sale in September I'm thinking now.

The thing that sucked though was the 20% coupon this weekend didn't work either at the cash register.

But anyway... my grant tally of 3 Criterions were:

The Manchurian Candidate
Dr. Strangelove
Fantastic Planet

Not much of a haul...

but...

I guess, less is more!

That was me during past sales, but this time, I actually bought 9 titles, which is unbelievable for me.

[Arawn]

Originally Posted by Roninblues

Ran (OOP from Criterion) but a 4K version is available. (Akira Kurosawa)

Is it available in the US?

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by Donnie D

I remember, while watching the film, thinking that it was made during the war. I can't even imagine the context and what it must've been like. Of course the other unforgettable thing

[Show spoiler]Carole Lombard's tragic death, at that point in her career. The reaction must've been understandably tremendously emotional.

Another film that was very bold for Hollywood was The Mortal Storm (1940) that tells the story of how the Nazi rise to power affects the lives of one family in particular. A wonderful film.

Regarding To Be or Not to Be: Doesn't Lombard's character at one point make a comment on the danger of air travel? I haven't seen the film for awhile but I recall her saying it in one of her later films and remembering the sad irony.

[WonderWeasel]

Slowly whittling my to-buy list down, one sale at a time. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing Fantastic Planet, though.

[Sifox211]

This was my sale haul; sadly with the lack of coupons (apart from the great fireworks) and the low Pound it has not worked out very cheap (but still a lot cheaper than normal)!

Unit cost on first order was basically £12.60 odd; for the second order, without coupons, about £16 *. For reference, a UK Criterion can be got for £17.99 (curiously the standard price in the good old days of PlayUSA), which I think is a fair price to pay.

[Show spoiler]

Sadly all other routes for US Criterions in the UK cost £20 - £25

* Assuming I escape customs...

Cases: my Bottle Rocket comes in the digistyle cover but my Chungking Express is in a Scanavo. Normally I prefer digipacks but these slim digistyle ones are not that nice - I prefer the Scanavo in that case. Marienbad is in another style of cardboard packaging - quite nice though like a lot of these it doesn't sit straight.

[theater dreamer]

Your question was answered earlier on this page.

Originally Posted by Arawn

Is it available in the US?

[theater dreamer]

Did you give the cashier the coupon, or just give them the code? Because, when I used the 20% code on Saturday, I just gave them the code, and showed them the coupon saved on my phone as a backup. Entering the code gave me 20% off The Apu Trilogy.

Originally Posted by jw007

The thing that sucked though was the 20% coupon this weekend didn't work either at the cash register.

[bwdowiak]

I watched Kings of the Road yesterday and found things to like about it. I suspect it could be better on a second watch, though, as it is kind of a vague film. Has anyone had the chance to watch any of the supplements on the disc? Anything there that sheds light on any of the film's themes?

[RojD]

I think we started talking about this in May, but tix for the general public are finally going on sale......TODAY.

I'm so excited about this performance that I changed Thanksgiving plans to be in New England and make it down for it. JW007 set up a forum for people who wanted to try to meet up.

Anyway, today's the day for tickets.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by RojD

I think we started talking about this in May, but tix for the general public are finally going on sale......TODAY.

I'm so excited about this performance that I changed Thanksgiving plans to be in New England and make it down for it. JW007 set up a forum for people who wanted to try to meet up.

Anyway, today's the day for tickets.

I hope everyone here can get a ticket