Criterion sets five titles for a (now) December release

[theblueboat]

Criterion recently announced an Blu-ray upgrade program described in a newsletter. It's described below.

Originally Posted by Powell&Pressburger

Dear Criterion viewers,

Why should I buy regular DVDs when I don't know if Criterion will release a Blu-ray version six months from now?

If you love these films, keep buying DVDs. It is going to be quite a while before the Blu-ray marketplace can support many of the titles Criterion releases on DVD. For new releases, if we think a title has a shot of succeeding on Blu-ray, we aim to put out both editions at the same time, so you can make an informed choice. Where classics from our catalog are concerned, to give you a little extra comfort we'll be offering a $20 Blu-ray upgrade program for customers who have already bought the equivalent edition on DVD. You send us the movie disc from your DVD edition, and for $20 (plus tax and shipping) we'll exchange it for the Blu-ray version, simple as that. For more on how this works, click here.*

How will the Blu-ray upgrade program work?

Just mail your disc to:

The Criterion Collection
Attn: Jon Mulvaney
215 Park Avenue South, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10003

Be sure to include your U.S. or Canadian mailing address inside the package, as we cannot ship outside of North America. Please also include your e-mail address in case we need to contact you. You can send in your disc for exchange anytime, but we won’t be sending out the Blu-ray discs until their release dates.

You can pay the $20 plus tax (New York State only) and $5 shipping and handling by a check or money order made payable to the Criterion Collection. You can also pay by PayPal by making a payment to store@criterion.com (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover welcome). If your shipping address is in New York State, the total is $26.50 for the upgrade of one DVD. If your shipping address is in any other state or in Canada, the total is $25.

We’ll mail the Blu-ray disc in a sleeve, and you'll be able to place the new disc in your existing packaging. This doesn't give you the new Blu-ray packaging, but it does give you an option if you want the Blu-ray version but don't want to buy the entire set again. This offer only applies to "like" editions. For example, you can return disc 1 of the rerelease of The Third Man but not the earlier, out-of-print edition.

If you have any questions about the Blu-ray upgrade offer please e-mail Jon Mulvaney at mulvaney@criterion.com. We reserve the right to change or discontinue this program at any time.


*Rebate offer subject to change.

$25 to upgrade seems steep. You can buy a new blu-ray on Amazon for only a couple dollars more and still keep the DVDs (and have cases for both). I'd like to keep the DVD for my non-HD sets. What do you guys think about this upgrade program described by Criterion?

[tranzishun]

yeah this is kind of odd there really is no incentive unless you don't care about the case and that you might possibly get a price break. The price must run a little steep because $25 hardly seems worth it when you can just buy blu-ray with case and all for close to the same cost.

[krendevil]

Originally Posted by tranzishun

yeah this is kind of odd there really is no incentive unless you don't care about the case and that you might possibly get a price break. The price must run a little steep because $25 hardly seems worth it when you can just buy blu-ray with case and all for close to the same cost.

MAN BITES DOG!!!!!!

YAAAHH!!! YAAAHH!!! On to the next town!!!

[Beta Man]

I'll keep my DVDs and buy all of the blu-rays

[PNF]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I'll keep my DVDs and buy all of the blu-rays

same.


this offer program is a joke.

[diamondfoxxx]

I just looked at amazon.com, and the prices for all 5 BD titles are $ 27.95--not cheap, but when compared to their DVD conuterparts which are well over $30.
I think it's a good move.

[Blu Titan]

I noticed the same. Great news for Blu-ray owners. Can't wait to buy and view my first one.

[cathexist]

Can't wait for their next announcement of titles.

[Beta Man]

Not bad..... I'll be picking up the first five on pre-order for sure now! Now I just have to anxiously await the Neil Young releases

[Deadset]

Yep, I'll be getting the Third Man fo-sho

[TheForce8686]

Originally Posted by diamondfoxxx

I just looked at amazon.com, and the prices for all 5 BD titles are $ 27.95--not cheap, but when compared to their DVD conuterparts which are well over $30.
I think it's a good move.

That is good news but 28 bucks is still a lot to spend for Blu Ray, especially a catalog title.

[FilmmakingFiasco]

Originally Posted by TheForce8686

That is good news but 28 bucks is still a lot to spend for Blu Ray, especially a catalog title.

You made me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair! Thank you for starting my day off right.

[TheForce8686]

Originally Posted by FilmmakingFiasco

You made me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair! Thank you for starting off my day right.

? What is so funny? Most people, myself included have problems spending more then 20 bucks a disc. Did I miss the joke?

[Deadset]

Originally Posted by TheForce8686

? What is so funny? Most people, myself included have problems spending more then 20 bucks a disc. Did I miss the joke?

Criterion's have a long history of being expensive on DVD, so in high def we'll get these cheaper than the DVD releases.....Win Win!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by TheForce8686

That is good news but 28 bucks is still a lot to spend for Blu Ray, especially a catalog title.

Chungking Express is a new movie.... it just didn't get released in the U.S.... it actually stars Johnny Depp disquised by one of the best make-up transformations in recent memory.....

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by diamondfoxxx

I just looked at amazon.com, and the prices for all 5 BD titles are $ 27.95--not cheap, but when compared to their DVD conuterparts which are well over $30.
I think it's a good move.

The Blu-releases have the same MSRP as the DVDs on Criterion's website...... They are true to their word.... they give us the best, and are priced at the set rate for "best" regardless of format.... very nice. They charge $32 each on the site based on the time/$$ put into it.... the physical disc cost is an after-thought for them.

[DarkClown]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

The Blu-releases have the same MSRP as the DVDs on Criterion's website...... They are true to their word.... they give us the best, and are priced at the set rate for "best" regardless of format.... very nice. They charge $32 each on the site based on the time/$$ put into it.... the physical disc cost is an after-thought for them.

This isn't actually that surprising. Since all Criterion releases are mastered in HiDef, even the DVD releases, the majority of the work is already done. So re-encoding for Blu and creating the BD menus is a minor task. Under those circumstances the title should cost about the same for either format. If it doesn't, then the studio is price gauging. Seems as if Criterion is not going to play that game, and being that their titles are already at a premium price they really shouldn't need to.

The fact that Amazon has the Blus for less than the DVDs is probably just an attempt to promote Criterion on Blu-Ray. That pricing policy may not last.

[littletrickceo]

Without reasons stated, criterion has pushed back the release dates of their Blu-ray lineup...

December -

Bottle Rocket
Chunking Express
The Third Man
The Man Who Fell To Earth

January -

The Last Emporer

[mikejet]

Hopefully to make the releases more AWESOME!

[benricci]

Search first, there is already a very long discussion on this:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=60375