The Criterion Collection

[mrjohnnyb]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

My own purchasing habits will be changing in the new year. I've thought about limiting my purchases to classic-era film noir releases, but I probably won't go that far with the self-limitations. I'll be more judicious with my blind buys, though, especially with the non-limited-edition stuff.

Yes, I made a similar New Year's resolution for 2016. It lasted about a month. I hope that you have more willpower than I do, Owl. I remember a time when you had less in your collection than I had, but today your totals blow mine away, so you must have spent a small fortune this year!

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Unless the number of releases are directly effecting profitability, what would be the benefit?

that's a given, no? that it affects profitability? or that they're thinking it does.

it costs less to produce less. and if the amount of consumer dollars out there stays the same - only now they figure that it will be spread out among fewer titles, then the distributors will be more profitable.

[Page14]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

As much as I love seeing favorite movies and intriguing blind buys out on the market right now, I think that it's become too much of too much in 2016, and that the market is collapsing under its own weight from multiple monthly releases by more and more specialty/cult studios. It's impossible these days to keep up with everything awesome that is being released out there now.

I wouldn't mind seeing fewer releases from distributors out there in 2017, just so I can catch up on unwatched Blu-rays and so that I can give my wallet a break.

My own purchasing habits will be changing in the new year. I've thought about limiting my purchases to classic-era film noir releases, but I probably won't go that far with the self-limitations. I'll be more judicious with my blind buys, though, especially with the non-limited-edition stuff.

It's not just me, though. Certain Twilight Time titles used to sell out almost overnight. These days, however, I'm seeing more titles staying on the market for months and months, even the cult horror titles that used to sell out quickly. Twilight Time is resorting to sales to move the items, as are labels like Kino Lorber.

Amen. I don't think it's a lack of interest that is keeping people from buying more ... it's more the difficulty in keeping up with the onslaught of great titles (classic, as well as cult films).

[pedromvu]

The more releases the better for us, that is unless those are limited releases were we will not be able to purchase them other than in the first few months of release.

I don't really see labels forcing themselves to release less stuff, unless they are thinking on cutting jobs too, otherwise there will be no benefit to them.

In the case of Criterion I believe they already have more films to release than they can handle, and since they have been releasing roughly the same amount of movies every year it seems they haven't been growing much in terms of number of employees over the years.

Maybe they some of their resources are currently being used for Filmstruck, still hoping we will see at least 5 titles next month.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by mrjohnnyb

Yes, I made a similar New Year's resolution for 2016. It lasted about a month. I hope that you have more willpower than I do, Owl. I remember a time when you had less in your collection than I had, but today your totals blow mine away, so you must have spent a small fortune this year!

I haven't done so well with the whole willpower thing when it comes to Blu-rays, so we'll see. Since I became a homeowner in 2015, I've had to keep more money aside for inevitable repairs or emergencies, but I've still overspent quite a bit on discs this year.

[theater dreamer]

Exactly.

I saw Steely Dan, I want to say it was about 12 years ago. The show was absolutely great, but they didn't do Reelin' in the Years, Do It Again, or Rikki Don't Lose That Number. They did Peg, and Hey Nineteen, but how can you skip all three of what are, arguably, your most popular songs?

Originally Posted by mja345

Well, it's one thing when Dylan plays new stuff because his new stuff is mostly good. It's another thing when Van plays mostly new stuff because his new stuff is pure shit. Not saying he has to play "Brown Eyed Girl" because we've all heard that song a million times, but throw the crowd a few bones.

[Abdrewes]

Speaking of music docs, if we can't get a CC Bluray of This Is Spinal Tap, I would not at all mind this:

Originally Posted by theater dreamer

Exactly.

I saw Steely Dan, I want to say it was about 12 years ago. The show was absolutely great, but they didn't do Reelin' in the Years, Do It Again, or Rikki Don't Lose That Number. They did Peg, and Hey Nineteen, but how can you skip all three of what are, arguably, your most popular songs?

Those are all among least favorite Steely Dan Songs and I love that band. Their early stuff is really their weakest (all three are pre 75-80 which is their high point in my opinion...the absolute height being Aja naturally)

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by pedromvu

The more releases the better for us, that is unless those are limited releases were we will not be able to purchase them other than in the first few months of release.

I don't really see labels forcing themselves to release less stuff, unless they are thinking on cutting jobs too, otherwise there will be no benefit to them.

In the case of Criterion I believe they already have more films to release than they can handle, and since they have been releasing roughly the same amount of movies every year it seems they haven't been growing much in terms of number of employees over the years.

Maybe they some of their resources are currently being used for Filmstruck, still hoping we will see at least 5 titles next month.

if this is indeed what will be happening in 2017, their line of thinking must be that their market is interested in more titles than they can afford.

if average Joe Blu-ray consumer spends $50 a month on titles and finds satisfaction from a limited number of titles (something they'd be betting on,) then production costs are lower. they still make the $50 in revenue; profit margins would therefore be higher.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

that's a given, no? that it affects profitability? or that they're thinking it does.

it costs less to produce less. and if the amount of consumer dollars out there stays the same - only now they figure that it will be spread out among fewer titles, then the distributors will be more profitable.

Why would the consumer dollar stay the same? Does someone think Criterion (as an example) would sell more copies of the 4 releases they *do* release because there isn't a 5th release in a month?

[mja345]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Speaking of music docs, if we can't get a CC Bluray of This Is Spinal Tap, I would not at all mind this:

There's a pretty decent version of the Rutles anthology currently out. Really recommend it if you're a fan.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-R...Blu-ray/85709/

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

Why would the consumer dollar stay the same? Does someone think Criterion (as an example) would sell more copies of the 4 releases they *do* release because there isn't a 5th release in a month?

Yes.

[shadedpain4]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Yes.

As someone who buys each Criterion release each month, I can verify that if they start releasing less things, I will not buy multiple of copies of what they *do* release, I would just buy single copies of what they are releasing.

[BixmanJ]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

As someone who buys each Criterion release each month, I can verify that if they start releasing less things, I will not buy multiple of copies of what they *do* release, I would just buy single copies of what they are releasing.

Do you have pictures of your collection? Not that I don't believe you, I would just really like to see that many lined up.

[Abdrewes]

Originally Posted by mja345

There's a pretty decent version of the Rutles anthology currently out. Really recommend it if you're a fan.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-R...Blu-ray/85709/

Thank you so much. This release completely flew under the radar for me.

[Lastyear]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Speaking of music docs, if we can't get a CC Bluray of This Is Spinal Tap, I would not at all mind this:




Those are all among least favorite Steely Dan Songs and I love that band. Their early stuff is really their weakest (all three are pre 75-80 which is their high point in my opinion...the absolute height being Aja naturally)

I have seen Steely Dan about 3 times and they never do Showbiz Kids or Dirty Work. My 2 favorites of theirs.
Last time I saw Van he did mostly a best of including a finale of Gloria with Elvis Costello.

[MikeZ.]

I've posted this question on their Facebook page, and I just scanned thread search results to no avail...

Do the Criterion folks have any plans to release M*A*S*H ?

[bwdowiak]

Originally Posted by shadedpain4

As someone who buys each Criterion release each month, I can verify that if they start releasing less things, I will not buy multiple of copies of what they *do* release, I would just buy single copies of what they are releasing.

that's true, but do you figure that you are the average consumer?

taking it to an extreme hypothetical, if an announcement were to be made that every film we ever wanted on Blu-ray will be released in January, will you buy everything?

the average consumer for just about any consumer good has a set budget for those products. in an over-saturated market, he/she has to decide which titles to spend his/her money on.

I already do that because a) I choose to not spend a fortune on Blu-ray movies even though I love them so and b) there just isn't enough time in a lifetime to watch all the films in an enormous collection.

at some point, consumers are drawing a line and saying that they won't buy more than x titles or spend more than y dollars - regardless of the selection.

keep in mind, too, that you can't look at it one month at a time because 4 titles is not the market. the market is everything out there in print and even out of print with secondary marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by MikeZ.

I've posted this question on their Facebook page, and I just scanned thread search results to no avail...

Do the Criterion folks have any plans to release M*A*S*H ?

None currently.

[pedromvu]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

that's true, but do you figure that you are the average consumer?

taking it to an extreme hypothetical, if an announcement were to be made that every film we ever wanted on Blu-ray will be released in January, will you buy everything?

the average consumer for just about any consumer good has a set budget for those products. in an over-saturated market, he/she has to decide which titles to spend his/her money on.

I already do that because a) I choose to not spend a fortune on Blu-ray movies even though I love them so and b) there just isn't enough time in a lifetime to watch all the films in an enormous collection.

at some point, consumers are drawing a line and saying that they won't buy more than x titles or spend more than y dollars - regardless of the selection.

keep in mind, too, that you can't look at it one month at a time because 4 titles is not the market. the market is everything out there in print and even out of print with secondary marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.

I don't know about the average consumer, but it seems from this forum, the average collector does end at some point purchasing all the movies they really love, so if they release more, maybe they don't buy everything at once but eventually.

At least I see it working this way for movies we have already seen, blind buys are probably different.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

A friend and I went to see Bob Dylan perform at a small 1,000-capacity venue here in Atlanta back in 1997. We stood near the stage, and we were about 10 feet away from Dylan the entire time.
Just before Dylan took stage, we saw a bunch of people around us pointing up at the balcony, and we looked up there to see that President Jimmy Carter and his entourage had appeared, and were taking up the first two balcony rows. A couple of times during the show, I saw Carter dancing to the music.

Incidentally, I saw Echo And The Bunnymen in concert last night. This was the fifth time that I've seen them in concert. They were playing Dylan songs on the loudspeakers before taking stage.

I saw Dylan in 2008 great show played virtually a best of set.

Interesting I saw Echo and the bunnymen once and it lasted like 4 songs Ian was wasted and that was too bad I wanted to see full set...