The Criterion Collection

[Shanghai Express]

This site’s obsession with 4K

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by Sifox211

According to GeoffD, the glass replication master for a UHD can cost north of ten grand, a vast amount more than for a BD. For any moderately sized outfit that must be the biggest stumbling block.

Imagine the outcry on the costs if Criterion put out a UHD! MSRP on UHDs seems to be $15-20 more than BR. So we're looking at $60 for a single movie ($30 at half off, and we all know Criterion rarely goes less than that). Something like the Bergman collection would probably have to have a $500 MSRP, more if it also included the BR discs...

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Frightener22

Just curious but, is the general consensus that Criterion has Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein? Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by BarnDoor

I thought it was that Scream had it, but no one really knows at this point.

Scream has announced Hammer titles up through August, but no Curse of Frankenstein yet. So...

It was released by Warner in the US, so either Scream or Criterion is a good bet, if not Warner Archive. It would seem weird if WAC was willing to release a three of Hammer's Dracula films, but not the the first Frankenstein.

[hariseldon]

Originally Posted by White Dang

Just doesn't make sense though. It doesn't cost that much more to buy a bluray disc vs a uhd disc. I've burnt a couple of my own hi res projects onto uhd discs.

They could even do something like TT and only make 3000 of them.

Mastered in 4k then converted to 1080p, that's the best Criterion can do?

I think you are missing a lot of actual costs involved

The extra work to do the new encode,, extra licensing costs, the actual master disc and the extra pressing costs, now running multiple lines of inventory.

Even if you sold all 3000 disc with a $10-15 premium (which wouldn't all go to Criterion) I'm not sure you do much more than break even. Honestly I'd be massively shocked if they could sell a 3000 lot on most of their items. I wonder what the unit average title sells on BD and more important ave price/unit

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by mrmikefern

This site’s obsession with 4K

There is a good reason behind it, though.

When a 4K release is done right, it has the potential to look like a brand new film.

[Egbert Souse]

Sony's upcoming UHD of Dr. Strangelove in the Columbia Classics V1 box has all the Criterion extras, so I wonder if that's a direction they're wanting to take.

While I'd love them to release 4K stuff, I'm not sure how many films I'd find worth it. I bought about half of their 2019 releases last year and the only titles I think would have been worth releasing in UHD were Do the Right Thing, Blue Velvet, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. So far for 2020, just Roma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and The War of the Worlds. Maybe The Great Escape?

I can understand why boutiques are hesitant to do UHD releases considering Kino Lorber apparently got burned on Hannibal, which had B&M exposure and was a popular film. Not to mention an excellent disc, so one can imagine Criterion losing their shirt on something you'd expect to be a high seller like Do the Right Thing or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

I'm waiting on a review of the BBC release, as well. The comps put up on DVDBeaver for the Acorn blu....ugh, no thank you. I'm dying to see Alec Guinness' interpretation, but have no clue where to see it with somewhat satisfactory PQ.

Hey, Criterion......

The official thread isn't much help.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=319826

A couple of comments that the PQ is an improvement over the DVD, and a couple of detractors. There was apparently an issue with missing subtitles during some Czech dialog, which the BBC addressed with a replacement program. No idea if this means all copies currently on sale include the corrected disc.

Despite the PAL speed-up, the BBC DVD might be your best bet. It's eminently watchable - especially for a show originally filmed in 16mm.

[theater dreamer]

Originally Posted by Scottie

There is a good reason behind it, though.

When a 4K release is done right, it has the potential to look like a brand new film.

For you young whipper snappers, I definitely see how 4k can potentially make a big difference in your enjoyment level. I get that, and I'm certainly not above upgrading. I've gone from VHS to DVD, and then blu-ray. For me, however, with my 48 year old eyes, I'll upgrade my tv and blu-ray player here over the summer to 4k, and for that occasional movie I truly love, where the 4k disc is an exponentially better release, I'll bite. I'm thinking The Natural is one such film, not because the PQ is necessarily leaps and bounds better, but because the 4k disc includes two different cuts of the film. I've heard, too, that the first three Mission Impossible films are like night and day. Either the picture quality is just a giant leap forward (I), or the color is greatly improved (III). That's a worthy expenditure in my book.

But for the overwhelming majority of the movies I own, or will own, the upscaling of what already looks pretty good to me will be plenty good enough.

[KubrickKurasawa]

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

For you young whipper snappers, I definitely see how 4k can potentially make a big difference in your enjoyment level. I get that, and I'm certainly not above upgrading. I've gone from VHS to DVD, and then blu-ray. For me, however, with my 48 year old eyes, I'll upgrade my tv and blu-ray player here over the summer to 4k, and for that occasional movie I truly love, where the 4k disc is an exponentially better release, I'll bite. I'm thinking The Natural is one such film, not because the PQ is necessarily leaps and bounds better, but because the 4k disc includes two different cuts of the film. I've heard, too, that the first three Mission Impossible films are like night and day. Either the picture quality is just a giant leap forward (I), or the color is greatly improved (III). That's a worthy expenditure in my book.

But for the overwhelming majority of the movies I own, or will own, the upscaling of what already looks pretty good to me will be plenty good enough.

#1 Get 2001 ASO when you do.

Also #1 New releases i.e. 4K SW Return of the Jedi etc., Bloodshot, Bad Boys For Life are only 5.00 USD more pre order / now/ at launch than their inferior standard Blu-Ray counterparts. 5.00 is worth upscaled res, WCG, and HDR room for more audio tracks and subs. Also you usually get a standard blu ray you can give to friends, nephews , niece, aunt, uncle, parent etc. 5.00 will futureproof your investment/collectors items. That's a bargain in my book.

So why defend non-progress again? Who cares . Not sure why i posted LOL oh Solaris looks terrible on Criterion Blu-Ray...

[jshaide]

Huh, at what point did the blu-ray for CRUMB go OOP? DVD still seems in print. Or is it just unavailable at the moment?

[dwk]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

Sony's upcoming UHD of Dr. Strangelove in the Columbia Classics V1 box has all the Criterion extras, so I wonder if that's a direction they're wanting to take.

While I'd love them to release 4K stuff, I'm not sure how many films I'd find worth it. I bought about half of their 2019 releases last year and the only titles I think would have been worth releasing in UHD were Do the Right Thing, Blue Velvet, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. So far for 2020, just Roma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and The War of the Worlds. Maybe The Great Escape?

I can understand why boutiques are hesitant to do UHD releases considering Kino Lorber apparently got burned on Hannibal, which had B&M exposure and was a popular film. Not to mention an excellent disc, so one can imagine Criterion losing their shirt on something you'd expect to be a high seller like Do the Right Thing or Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Sony gets the rights to the special features that boutique labels produce for their titles.

[hariseldon]

Originally Posted by jshaide

Huh, at what point did the blu-ray for CRUMB go OOP? DVD still seems in print. Or is it just unavailable at the moment?

Must be just unavailable like the Zatoichi box. Still up for order at BN and at backorder on several other websites. Also in most of my
usual B&N B&M stores

Usually Criterion specifically mentions OOP for discontinued titles that are sold out

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by jshaide

Huh, at what point did the blu-ray for CRUMB go OOP? DVD still seems in print. Or is it just unavailable at the moment?

It is not OOP. If it says "Currently Unavailable" (which is does), it means they are out of stock, and are waiting for more copies to be pressed. If it was OOP, it would explicitly say "Out of Print". For example: The Third Man.

[HipsterTrash]

I really hope the label picks up more Ang Lee films. It's a shame his Father Knows Best trilogy didn't get picked up.
I'm sure Focus (or Universal, I'm not sure if they exclusively release Focus titles) won't ever release Lust Caution, which is a wonderful film deserving of the Criterion C.
And hell, if Kino won't take Sense and Sensibility, and if SOny won't ever release it themselves, why not Criterion.

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

Must be just unavailable like the Zatoichi box. Still up for order at BN and at backorder on several other websites. Also in most of my
usual B&N B&M stores

Usually Criterion specifically mentions OOP for discontinued titles that are sold out

Sweet, yeah, I did some more pressing---I was just taken aback when I saw Amazon marketplace with a freaking 125 dollar copy! I saw it still on the BN website, though. Cool.

[tisdivine]

I just received a notice that my Criterion Channel subscription is about to renew. Couldn't come at a worse time lol I was a day 1 subscriber. Didn't we get it at a cheaper yearly rate bc of that? If I would let it expire for a few months Im trying to figure the difference lol I see that its $100 a year Now but I cant remember what the price was last year lol

[Reddington]

Originally Posted by tisdivine

I just received a notice that my Criterion Channel subscription is about to renew. Couldn't come at a worse time lol I was a day 1 subscriber. Didn't we get it at a cheaper yearly rate bc of that? If I would let it expire for a few months Im trying to figure the difference lol I see that its $100 a year Now but I cant remember what the price was last year lol

I'm not a member, but seems that Charter subscribers paid $9.99/month or $89.99/year, whereas the regular price is $10.99/$99.99. However, it looks like Charter Members locked in their ongoing discount at the beginning, meaning no switching between monthly/annual plans subsequently.

[regeyer]

Originally Posted by Reddington

I'm not a member, but seems that Charter subscribers paid $9.99/month or $89.99/year, whereas the regular price is $10.99/$99.99. However, it looks like Charter Members locked in their ongoing discount at the beginning, meaning no switching between monthly/annual plans subsequently.

I believe that is correct. $89.99/year, guaranteed not to go up. Ever. But if you end the subscription then you'll have to renew at the new price.

[bonehica]

Originally Posted by regeyer

I believe that is correct. $89.99/year, guaranteed not to go up. Ever. But if you end the subscription then you'll have to renew at the new price.

Yup. Mine renewed today at the $89.99 rate.

[jrsl76]

Originally Posted by bonehica

Yup. Mine renewed today at the $89.99 rate.

Mine renewed today as well for $89.99.