The Criterion Collection

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

In this case, the potential added costs would probably be more negligible than in any previous format transition. Many times, UHD rights are included with Blu-ray rights, with no additional licensing fees required. In the case of a movie already mastered in 4K, the cost of adding a single UHD Blu-ray disc to the package is pretty low, as well. Meanwhile, this is all weighed against the invisible cost that comes from the progression of the marketplace ie. customers like me who are buying fewer and fewer Criterion Blu-ray releases because we're holding out for UHD and we would spend big again on releases that include UHD.

It's all guess work on our part, and it's even, to a certain extent, guess work for Criterion. But even if the UHD rights are free, there is the cost of the additional disc, which will require a more expensive case to hold the additional disc. Will added sales make up for that? And while any loss of revenue might be minimal, Criterion is probably working with very tight margins. A loss of $1.00 per item might be significant to them.

The fact that UHD discs in general sell for more than Blu-Ray's leads me to believe that there is a cost factor between the two formats.

[Kakihara]

Originally Posted by jonsax201

I can relate to this. I still subscribe to netflix DVD to watch modern films that I don't want to spring for to see in theaters, and for a film I'm just going to "rent" and only watch once, I don't care much what the quality is. If I'm buying a film (to watch multiple times in the future), then I'm buying blu ray obviously.

One thing I do and that I've encouraged some of my more discriminating customers who are BD/UHD or bust is to check out our diverse DVDs of movies they haven't seen instead of blind-buying. I even have a sign out that pretty much says why blind-buy when you can check these DVDs out to see if they're worthy of adding to your BD/UHD collection. I still blind-buy many titles we would never have in our collection (extreme stuff like A Serbian Film), but this method has saved me money and my customers have told me the same thing.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by Kakihara

One thing I do and that I've encouraged some of my more discriminating customers who are BD/UHD or bust is to check out our diverse DVDs of movies they haven't seen instead of blind-buying. I even have a sign out that pretty much says why blind-buy when you can check these DVDs out to see if they're worthy of adding to your BD/UHD collection. I still blind-buy many titles we would never have in our collection (extreme stuff like A Serbian Film), but this method has saved me money and my customers have told me the same thing.

I completely agree with this. My public library system has an excellent collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays, including almost all of the Criterion Collection. Many of them are DVD only, but it allows me to check a film out before I buy. There are so many movies that, while I enjoyed watching them, are not something I want to add to my collection.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by regeyer

But even if the UHD rights are free, there is the cost of the additional disc, which will require a more expensive case to hold the additional disc. Will added sales make up for that? And while any loss of revenue might be minimal, Criterion is probably working with very tight margins. A loss of $1.00 per item might be significant to them.

Yes, but again, this is weighted against the declining sales they are experiencing now while they fail to offer a competitive product.

Originally Posted by regeyer

The fact that UHD discs in general sell for more than Blu-Ray's leads me to believe that there is a cost factor between the two formats.

It certainly indicates that there's an opportunity the distributors see to position UHD as a "premium" product, offering additional perceived value; whether or not that relates to actual increased production costs to release in the format is another matter.

[GeoffOliver]

I subscribed to Netflix's disc rental service for a while, but I had a bad habit of keeping discs out for months at a time and forgetting about them. When it came time to cut my monthly services, guess what got the chopping block first? I never blind buy anything anymore unless I feel like I want to own it regardless of quality (like any Hitchcock or De Palma film). YouTube has a TON of movies available for streaming at low prices (usually $2.99 for a 48-hour viewing window), and between that and similar services on Vudu and Fandango, along with my access to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Starz, and free services like TubiTV and FilmRise, I can watch basically any Hollywood film before I buy it on Blu-ray. It's more challenging for some obscure stuff.

[dex14]

Does anyone know if you can use two CC gift cards in one transaction?

[SuperFlyHighGuy]

When I needed to save money on services the first two things I chopped were cable tv then internet. The prices are absurd. Now I use an antenna for the tv and I use Netflix disc-service for films I don't want to blind-buy. Though as I've mentioned before, it looks like Netflix is no longer getting new Criterion blu-ray releases.

I need to check out my local library though, keep forgetting about that outlet.

[Gacivory]

I have Netflix Streaming and DVD, and I utilize the DVD much more! It has helped on cutting back on blind buys!

[Mike0284]

YouTube

[Mose Harper]

Already received the two titles I ordered from Target in their buy 2 get 1 free sale this week.

The third freebie is a pre-order for I Wanna Hold Your Hand- and the ability to PO that as part of the sale , plus the 5% off with the RedCard, made this a much better deal for me compared to the direct from Criterion flash sale I was waiting for.

[Jexes23]

Originally Posted by Mose Harper

Already received the two titles I ordered from Target in their buy 2 get 1 free sale this week.

The third freebie is a pre-order for I Wanna Hold Your Hand- and the ability to PO that as part of the sale , plus the 5% off with the RedCard, made this a much better deal for me compared to the direct from Criterion flash sale I was waiting for.

Thanks for the heads up on that. Target didn’t have La verite like I wanted so I will use the Criterion Flash sale for that, but I was able to snag Notorious and get Detour for 20 bucks essentially because the flash sale will obviously not include unreleased titles.

[alvarez468]

Originally Posted by dex14

Does anyone know if you can use two CC gift cards in one transaction?

Yes you should be able to. I used 3 different gift certificates on one transaction one time in the past.

[critterdvd]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Yes, but again, this is weighted against the declining sales they are experiencing now while they fail to offer a competitive product.



It certainly indicates that there's an opportunity the distributors see to position UHD as a "premium" product, offering additional perceived value; whether or not that relates to actual increased production costs to release in the format is another matter.

Honestly I don't know how much 4K discs would improve Criterion's sales. 4K is still very much a niche product and only probably 10% of the movie purchasing community is even able to play a 4K disc... And at a loss of $1 a unit, that could be the difference between profit and loss with such a small company.

[DaBargainHunta]

Criterion sale on Amazon CANADA.

Don't know how good these prices are, but I figured it may be of use to someone.

https://www.amazon.ca/s?i=dvd&bbn=18...g_browse-bin_1

Credit: milfilm2 on r/criterion

[alull]

Thanks for the tip!
(They're "WowHD every few weeks good" prices.)

[zw94]

Originally Posted by DaBargainHunta

Criterion sale on Amazon CANADA.

Don't know how good these prices are, but I figured it may be of use to someone.

https://www.amazon.ca/s?i=dvd&bbn=18...g_browse-bin_1

Credit: milfilm2 on r/criterion

This sale has been going on for a week or so, I have no idea how much longer it will last!

[Lordy]

Isn't there usually a Criterion Flash Sale sometime in February? My memory is telling me YES.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Lordy

Isn't there usually a Criterion Flash Sale sometime in February? My memory is telling me YES.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by Lordy

Isn't there usually a Criterion Flash Sale sometime in February? My memory is telling me YES.

Yes.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...stcount=184081

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by Lordy

Isn't there usually a Criterion Flash Sale sometime in February? My memory is telling me YES.

It may also pop up in March. In 2015, the winter flash-sale occurred on March 10th.