The Criterion Collection goes Blu!

[RedIsNotBlue]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

That is fantastic news!

How is that fantastic news?? I am looking on Amazon and a lot of these Criterion Collection films are in the $30 range. Like Rushmore for example is a movie I would love to buy on Blu-ray but the Criterion DVD is going for $32.99 on Amazon. There is no way I am paying anywhere near that much for one movie.

[FilmmakingFiasco]

Originally Posted by RedIsNotBlue

How is that fantastic news?? I am looking on Amazon and a lot of these Criterion Collection films are in the $30 range. Like Rushmore for example is a movie I would love to buy on Blu-ray but the Criterion DVD is going for $32.99 on Amazon. There is no way I am paying anywhere near that much for one movie.

If price is the sole factor for you buying a movie then Criterion DVDs/Blu-rays are not for you. Their price is directly related to how much effort and time goes into the restoration/rights/special features that are included.

There is not one Criterion title that I've purchased that I've thought 'wow, that's not worth the price'.

[RedIsNotBlue]

Originally Posted by FilmmakingFiasco

If price is the sole factor for you buying a movie then Criterion DVDs/Blu-rays are not for you. Their price is directly related to how much effort and time goes into the restoration/rights/special features that are included.

There is not one Criterion title that I've purchased that I've thought 'wow, that's not worth the price'.

Its not the sole factor but it is definitely a big one. I just am not paying that much for a single movie sorry. Guess I will just have to pass if the movies really are that high priced. Meh hope you guys enjoy them.

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by FilmmakingFiasco

If price is the sole factor for you buying a movie then Criterion DVDs/Blu-rays are not for you. Their price is directly related to how much effort and time goes into the restoration/rights/special features that are included.

There is not one Criterion title that I've purchased that I've thought 'wow, that's not worth the price'.

My thoughts exactly. For me:

$5 for a movie like "Eragon" is too much even if it's on Blu-ray.

$30 for having Buñuel's "The Exterminating Angel" restored, remasterized, packed with great supplements and perhaps even with a booklet essay worth every penny.

But maybe it's just me.

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by Octavio

My thoughts exactly. For me:

$5 for a movie like "Eragon" is too much even if it's on Blu-ray.

$30 for having Buñuel's "The Exterminating Angel" restored, remasterized, packed with great supplements and perhaps even with a booklet essay worth every penny.

I feel the same way. Content is king and this massively affects the value proposition.

I'd be very keen on The Third Man et al but for me $40-$50 is really more than I can afford to spend on a single title. $30-$35 I can manage if the content is good enough to justify the purchase, and even then I'd have to sacrifice some of my hi-res audio collecting which would be a shame.

It looks like I'll be missing out on these Criterion titles unless I can scrape them up secondhand (unlikely).

[Squozen]

Originally Posted by Teazle

I feel the same way. Content is king and this massively affects the value proposition.

I'd be very keen on The Third Man et al but for me $40-$50 is really more than I can afford to spend on a single title. $30-$35 I can manage if the content is good enough to justify the purchase, and even then I'd have to sacrifice some of my hi-res audio collecting which would be a shame.

It looks like I'll be missing out on these Criterion titles unless I can scrape them up secondhand (unlikely).

You've not heard of Amazon, then?

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by Squozen

You've not heard of Amazon, then?

Last time I looked at amazon.ca (I'm in the Great White North) the BD prices were just barely competitive with retail. I'll take your advice though and give it (and maybe amazon.com if importing doesn't prove too big a hassle) another look, especially if they can get the Criterion titles into my price range.

[WriteSimply]

Me and my boyfriend is excited about this. I'm sure he's looking forward to The Last Emperor and the Bergman films.


fuad

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by Teazle

Last time I looked at amazon.ca (I'm in the Great White North) the BD prices were just barely competitive with retail. I'll take your advice though and give it (and maybe amazon.com if importing doesn't prove too big a hassle) another look, especially if they can get the Criterion titles into my price range.

Most criterion titles I've bought didn't cost me more than 30 bucks (amazon).

The most I have paid for a criterion release was for Ingmar Bergman's "Fanny and Alexander 5 disc special edition". It costed me about $50 but believe me, It is one of the best purchases I've done.

Quality over quantity.
Why should I like to have 5 crappy movies on BD like "Alien vs Predator" instead one of the best movies ever made?

[CheapChildren]

Originally Posted by RedIsNotBlue

How is that fantastic news?? I am looking on Amazon and a lot of these Criterion Collection films are in the $30 range. Like Rushmore for example is a movie I would love to buy on Blu-ray but the Criterion DVD is going for $32.99 on Amazon. There is no way I am paying anywhere near that much for one movie.

With Criterion you're not just paying for the movie your paying for a celebration of the movie. You get every cent worth. The transfer, the special features and everything.

[b-coli]

Originally Posted by CheapChildren

With Criterion you're not just paying for the movie your paying for a celebration of the movie. You get every cent worth. The transfer, the special features and everything.

+1 agreed ! they treat everything with the utmost care since they are true videophiles like us

even with title such as fishing with john. they can even make a fake fishing show into one of the funniest things out there... willem defoe and tom waits cracked me up, even dennis hopper.
damn... now i have the theme song stuck in my head (if you have seen it, you know what i mean) haha

[WickyWoo]

oh yeah... forgot the one i want most to come out with all the extras on north american format, and i hope they get the rights...

BATTLE ROYALE ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Battle Royale is unavailable for North American licensing. I was charged with acquring the film in both 2001 and 2004 by 2 seperate major lables. Toei wanted a Crouching Tiger size release for it, and refused to accept the reality of "Kids killing kids=NC-17. We either cut the film to ribbons to get an R (estimated 30+min cut), or it'll play in 12 theaters". In 2004 when I went to try again, they refused to even acknowlege the film's existence at the US office (seriously).

Armageddon will be released with the Criterion extras by Disney in the next year or so,they had to retransfer the movie, hopefully with the director's cut because the master tape got lost in a fire

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Battle Royale is unavailable for North American licensing. I was charged with acquring the film in both 2001 and 2004 by 2 seperate major lables. Toei wanted a Crouching Tiger size release for it, and refused to accept the reality of "Kids killing kids=NC-17. We either cut the film to ribbons to get an R (estimated 30+min cut), or it'll play in 12 theaters". In 2004 when I went to try again, they refused to even acknowlege the film's existence at the US office (seriously).

Armageddon will be released with the Criterion extras by Disney in the next year or so,they had to retransfer the movie, hopefully with the director's cut because the master tape got lost in a fire

I can't believe that Battle Royale would end up being NC-17, it wasn't THAT graphic when I saw it. *shrug* Would have been awesome to get a good copy of that and not the version I saw.

But to the initial topic, I've never heard of any of those movies, but I'm going to do a blind buy just to help support the future release of Criterion movies! I've had a couple on DVD, and they always blew me away, so here's hoping to Amelie, Brazil and Robocop done up nice!

[Zyclone]

i don't think they blocked it due to graphic violence its more the kids killing other kids aspect.

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by Zyclone

i don't think they blocked it due to graphic violence its more the kids killing other kids aspect.

"Voces inocentes" (Innocent Voices) by Luis Mandoki deals with a similar subject: 12 yo kids being forced to join the army during the civil war in El Salvador. But unlike "Battle Royale" it haven't been banned nor blocked in USA.

So I guess the reason must be other than that.

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by Zyclone

i don't think they blocked it due to graphic violence its more the kids killing other kids aspect.

Meh, I guess I'm too desensitized by the local news to be upset about kids killing kids. Just seems an asinine reason to block a very good and thought provoking movie.

[b-coli]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Battle Royale is unavailable for North American licensing. I was charged with acquring the film in both 2001 and 2004 by 2 seperate major lables. Toei wanted a Crouching Tiger size release for it, and refused to accept the reality of "Kids killing kids=NC-17. We either cut the film to ribbons to get an R (estimated 30+min cut), or it'll play in 12 theaters". In 2004 when I went to try again, they refused to even acknowlege the film's existence at the US office (seriously).

i actually beleive they refused to acknowledge its existance, with our administration and the puppets in office, i could see how they would want to ban battle royale 2 since they say in the movie that the USA is basically a terrorist state by going around bombing various countries, but if criterion can release lord of the flies, then i don't see why we can't get the original battle royale someday.

thanks for trying though ! hopefully it will come out on blu somewhere region free. i was just hoping that criterion could do it since i know it would be done right if they did unlike all the crappy versions going around the net.

[Deadset]

Good news, I only have about 30 er so Criterion's, would love to upgrade a few of my favorites

Kagemusha
Ran
Hard Boiled
Equinox

[erowe83]

Originally Posted by Deads3t

Good news, I only have about 30 er so Criterion's, would love to upgrade a few of my favorites

Kagemusha
Ran
Hard Boiled
Equinox

Ran on blu-ray... I think i just set myself.

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by b-coli

i actually beleive they refused to acknowledge its existance, with our administration and the puppets in office, i could see how they would want to ban battle royale 2 since they say in the movie that the USA is basically a terrorist state by going around bombing various countries, but if criterion can release lord of the flies, then i don't see why we can't get the original battle royale someday.

thanks for trying though ! hopefully it will come out on blu somewhere region free. i was just hoping that criterion could do it since i know it would be done right if they did unlike all the crappy versions going around the net.

Hey mate, I actually own it on region 4. Funny enough the cover of the DVD promotes it advertising that this movie is banned in USA!

But it doesn't contains english subtitles.

I wonder why that movie is banned but "Caligula", "Cannibal Holocaust" or "Nekromantik" are available on DVD.
Not that I want those movies being banned, but they are even more graphic in terms of sexuality and violence than "Battle Royale"

Or what about "Triumph of the Will" that infamous piece of Nazi propaganda filmed by Leni Riefenstahl. You can buy it online from amazon without any problem.

I don't understand the MPAA rating system.