The Criterion Collection

[CriterionBlues]

Hey All,

Forgive me for being out of touch with the thread and only showing up now to post this podcast, but, well, I've been busy as can be preparing this podcast with my good friend Mark Hurne.

Our podcast is launching! We have decided to bump up the release of CRITERION CLOSE-UP to next week. The first episode will be Broadcast News, plus we will explore how the News Media is portrayed in other films from the 70s until today. Click for the full schedule.

[SkyAntoine]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

If you haven't seen Ikiru or Red Beard, then I cannot even begin to tell you how much you've been missing.

I received Red Beard in today from B&N (my last purchase of the sale) and Stray Dog from eBay.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Can you understand that my criteria...

No, I cannot understand your criteria, and this is why I took the time to try and explain why your criticism is flawed.

If one of our members was looking for an opinion to decide whether the upcoming release of Dressed to Kill was worth buying and I took a series of screencaptures that appear properly framed without bothering to watch the disc and told everyone that this is a fine release, would you say that my "opinion" was credible?

Please understand that it is irrelevant whether you praise or dismiss a release. You are entitled to have as many opinions as you want. This is why we have the forum -- for people to exchange opinions.

But there is a right way to form an opinion and to pass it on to people who come to the site looking for an advice, and a wrong way.

If you don't think that this is the case, then so be it.

Pro-B

[pro-bassoonist]

NOTE FROM CRITERION:

In our haste to respond to customer concerns about the anamorphic compression on our release of Dressed to Kill, we posted incorrectly that the change had been made at the behest of the director. Brian De Palma did ask for a change to the geometry of the scan, but it was to address the distortion he saw in the image, not to apply it. Unfortunately, that change was never carried over in the final product, and the resulting discs are wrong. Therefore, we are reauthoring discs without the squeeze and will make them available to all purchasers of our release of Dressed to Kill free of charge. Simply e-mail Jon Mulvaney (mulvaney@criterion.com) with your name, address, and some proof of purchase, such as a receipt, and we will send you a corrected copy. We regret the inconvenience, but we hope that in the end all of our customers will end up with a copy of Dressed to Kill that accurately reflects the film as well as the director’s intentions.

Pro-B

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

No, I cannot understand your criteria, and this is why I took the time to try and explain why your criticism is flawed.

Pro-B

By the way, I don't know if it was you ( i don't notice who reviews BLurays), but I have often seen in reviews here that reviewers compare 2 releases and they say eg. compare this screenshot with that one of our review there and they say one is better than the other..

Of course you'll say they have seen the releases, but still..

Anyway, my suggestion would be this:
IF screenshots aren't representative of a Bluray's quality (obviously they aren't in your opinion), then you (plural) should stop posting screenshots of each release in reviews, but 1080p videos with extracts of the BLurays.
I guess this is difficult, but on the other hand everyone would be happy and would comment on what is "important" to notice.

Honestly Pro-B, I have seen so much worse comments in this forum, and I can't understand why you were so upset about my 3 negative comments about a Criterion as long as I'm in this site, about a release being better than another based on screenshots, and 2 releases that "could look better".
These were the worst comments that anyone has said ever about Criterion?

Anyway, let's leave it here..
I will stop commenting on (Criterion) screenshots, but I will expect you not to be upset when I have seen a disc and make a comment that doesn't agree with you.

[CriterionBlues]

That is going to be an expensive move for Criterion, but it was the right thing to do. They do have amazing service and care about the integrity of the film more than any boutique label I know.

[jmclick]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Don't know about "final shot", but my choice for greatest final scene in movies is the one in Daniel Petrie's 1980 film Resurrection.

Resurrection is a film that I have always wanted to see. I remember the rave review it received in Films in Review magazine, published by the National Board of Review; they went on to name it one of the Top Ten films of the year and gave their Best Supporting Actress award to Eva La Gallienne. If I'm remembering correctly, author Danny Peary wrote a very convincing piece detailing all the reasons why Ellen Burstyn should have received the Best Actress Oscar that year, instead of Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner's Daughter.

I know Resurrection is now available on MOD from Universal, but I've long had hopes that maybe Criterion would release it on DVD (and of course, more lately on blu-ray), giving it the treatment it apparently deserves.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

OK, it seems I was veeeeery lucky and despite the capital controls we have here and not being able to purchase anything from abroad, my order went through and they have shipped 1 item already.

So what happens when your order arrives in country and customs notices you imported goods?

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

So what happens when your order arrives in country and customs notices you imported goods?

Hmm.. I didn't think that I would have any problem. I didn't have any problem ever with customs.
And there are cases now of people purchasing things, and noone reported any problem with customs, during this period.

I'm not good at economics, but I assume the CC is because they don't want us to send money out, so that the banks can recapitalize.
Now, if something comes in it's another story.

[Reddington]

Final haul for the B&N sale. Almost all blind buys, which is what makes collecting Criterion releases so exciting, enjoyable, and educational.

Also have the BD of Last Year at Marienbad en route from a fellow forumer. Another blind buy, but a good price compared to elsewhere so decided to take the plunge.

Plenty to be getting on with before November.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by Reddington

Final haul for the B&N sale. Almost all blind buys, which is what makes collecting Criterion releases so exciting, enjoyable, and educational.

Also have the BD of Last Year at Marienbad en route from a fellow forumer. Another blind buy, but a good price compared to elsewhere so decided to take the plunge.

Plenty to be getting on with before November.

[Show spoiler]

The Spy and Picnic are great!!!
(although I haven't purchased them yet).

I didn't like L'Avventura so much, but after I finished it I was thinking about it for a couple of days, so I guess it left an impression on me.
So, I think I should re-watch it.

[popcorntreect]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

That is going to be an expensive move for Criterion, but it was the right thing to do. They do have amazing service and care about the integrity of the film more than any boutique label I know.

They're not recalling any discs. Simply replacing them if someone asks. I doubt they'll even get a 100 requests.

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by popcorntreect

They're not recalling any discs. Simply replacing them if someone asks...

I imagine future pressings will be the "corrected" version, as well.

Chris

[DaBargainHunta]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

I imagine future pressings will be the "corrected" version, as well.

Hopefully there will be an easy way to tell.

[hoytereden]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Don't know about "final shot", but my choice for greatest final scene in movies is the one in Daniel Petrie's 1980 film Resurrection.

It's more of a scene than a shot but the fade-out from Michael Curtiz's The Breaking Point is just heartbreaking.

[CriterionBlues]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

I imagine future pressings will be the "corrected" version, as well.

Chris

So if we wait for the next flash sale or B&N sale to get the disc, then I assume we will get the corrected disc. Hopefully clarification is coming.

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

Is Koyanisquatsi better than Baraka?
I've only seen that one.

Baraka is hippie garbage. Koyanisquatsi is brilliant.

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

People have different levels of eyesight.
I see it in that picture.
Perhaps you woudl see it when we zoom in?
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich

I think it's clear that the Criterion has a worse encoding than Arrow, that results in worse depiction of grain..

That's a perfect example. I also noticed similar problems on the Heaven's Gate and Thin Red Line discs. I'll notice just the slightest shimmering (?) while playing, I'll pause the picture and the compression problems will be pronouncedly obvious, even on my 46" screen. Most of those films look good throughout, but there are bad spots for sure. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't my player or setup, who knows.

[Bob Kramer]

Originally Posted by InTheMood

This post is from several pages back but I have to ask.

Care to elaborate why you said "all male, of course"?

Just interested.

Never met a girl in my life who liked Clockwork, that's all. C'mon, that's a film for males, for better or worse. I worked in an "Art House" video store in a college town for five years, not once did a woman rent it (or most of Kubrick's films for that matter).

[WonderWeasel]

I just received my final two purchases from the sale. Somehow, I managed to keep my spending under $200, though with a bunch of films that I want being released between now and the November sale, I don't think my wallet will be so lucky next time.

My haul:
The Sword of Doom
Gate of Hell
A Hard Day's Night
The Fisher King
Jubal
Badlands (my 50th Criterion blu-ray!)
The Bridge
Orpheus
The Rules of the Game