The Criterion Collection

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by Knapsack

Hmm... I just might be pulling the ol' trigger on The Man Who Fell To Earth before the price skyrockets. I have mixed feelings about the film but quite adore Bowie. I've only seen it on DVD thus far--it'd be fun to be blown away by the Blu-ray.



Hopefully they will step up the quality. They have a lot of great titles.

Yes, too many great titles and too much control.

[captveg]

Well, at the top of the Netflix queue they go.

[PowellPressburger]

I love Diary of a Chambermaid, Moreau is brilliant in this, and has a brilliant cast. I was surprised how much I loved the film.

For those wanting the Buy 2 Get 1 Free at Barnes & Noble you can still do those titles in STORE. Plus they are good about doiing an order into the store and then letting you come in and buy them part of the sale. As long as the sale is completed before the sale is up.

[angrywolf]

Great, just as I suspected, it looks like Studio Canal/Lionsgate will be releasing Luis Buñuel's movies on BD...oh well, they're going from being a must-buy to a Netflix rental for me when they do release them on BD. I'm watching their BD of RAN and the quality is of an up-converted DVD at best. I know that supposedly that was a limitation of the source material but I'm having trouble believing that.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by angrywolf

Great, just as I suspected, it looks like Studio Canal/Lionsgate will be releasing Luis Buñuel's movies on BD...oh well, they're going from being a must-buy to a Netflix rental for me when they do release them on BD. I'm watching their BD of RAN and the quality is of an up-converted DVD at best. I know that supposedly that was a limitation of the source material but I'm having trouble believing that.

I don't care what some will have you believe. Their best releases are mediocre at best. Their bad releases are terrible and have no place on the store shelves, like Ran and Contempt.

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Originally Posted by italy12

The SC Blu releases thus far (the US only got 3) have not been all that great. Ran was a disgrace, and Contempt, while I had nothing to compare it to, didn't look so hot. I think The Ladykillers is the only one that looked pretty good.

The Deer Hunter, The Elephant Man, Belle de Jour and Breathless look pretty good.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by Aristide Massaccesi

The Deer Hunter, The Elephant Man, Belle de Jour and Breathless look pretty good.

Id say they look ok. It would be fine if we were dealing with a small company and they didn't have stinkers like Ran and Contempt in the line up but with the resources they have I expect better releases. The worst Criterion Blu doesn't touch the awfulness of Ran and Contempt. Same goes for MoC...and they are a 3 man team...

[Aristide Massaccesi]

Originally Posted by Volume11

Id say they look ok. It would be fine if we were dealing with a small company and they didn't have stinkers like Ran and Contempt in the line up but with the resources they have I expect better releases. The worst Criterion Blu doesn't touch the awfulness of Ran and Contempt. Same goes for MoC...and they are a 3 man team...

I'll agree that SC have been underperforming with their blu-rays. Hopefully the next batch will show more consistency.

[JediFonger]

is man who fell to earf good?

[Knapsack]

Originally Posted by JediFonger

is man who fell to earf good?

Why don't you try searching for it in the Blu-ray.com database and find the review? Or is that just a crazy idea?

[Knapsack]

Well, let's try to stay somewhat positive here regarding Studio Canal. After all, look at the turn that Kino has made. Their post-General BDs have been very, very good (and even The General ain't bad). They still make some eye-bleeding artwork decisions, but the point is they have apparently heard our cries and are stepping things up to an acceptable level. Maybe they'll even start including booklets someday!

I don't expect to ever see Criterion or MoC levels of excellence from Studio Canal, but hey, if nothing else, we can try to simply support Criterion and MoC as much as possible so that they may continue to give us what we crave.

EDIT: In other news, I just got an email from Deep Discount saying that my copy of Stagecoach, which I preordered, has finally shipped--17 days after it was released. Ridiculous. Never again.

[JediFonger]

i DID already read reviews. but i wanted to see what criterion FANS here think, not just 1 single review. duh... that's 1 of the point of these threads.

[Sukuri]

Originally Posted by Volume11

Studio Canals release of Ran is horrible.

Every time I read this I cry a little.... on the inside...

I really wouldn't be boycotting SC if they would have let CC release Ran on blu.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

I love Diary of a Chambermaid, Moreau is brilliant in this, and has a brilliant cast. I was surprised how much I loved the film.

I agree. Having a film with Jeanne Moreau and Michel Piccoli alone is worth watching this. Let alone Buñuel as the director.

[jimonee78]

My problem with StudioCanal isn't so much the transfers or quality of their blu-rays which is certainly unfortunate. My problem is the lack of releases here in the states compared to Europe. How many months has it been since the last StudioCanal blu-rays? More than 7-8 months since they released their first three releases and nary an announcement for future releases in the U.S. Does anyone even know if they are continuing with the StudioCanal line here?

[tyrone_slothrop]

The Studio Canal hate in this thread is absurd. Their Ran and Contempt blu-rays are just fine - neither film has ever had a reference quality home video release on any format, including the Criterion DVDs. The SC blus represent each film's best looking video release. To suggest anything else is demonstrably incorrect.

I feel like a lot of the negativity directed at Studio Canal is from Criterion fan boys who feel bitterness because their favorite films will no longer be released under the Criterion banner. This saddens me as well, but it's no reason to boycott Studio Canal or any other company that obtains the rights to a particular film. The film itself endures from label to label. It's not like Studio Canal have panned and scanned Ran here, folks. It's a 25 year old film whose elements aren't in great shape. All things considered I'd say it looks damn good on blu.

I have been collecting Criterion releases since the laserdisc days and feel that their work is important beyond just the home video world - it in fact represents a significant contribution to the cultural and cinematic literacy of many film fans in this country. That said, they aren't the only game in town. Plenty of other production houses are capable of releasing quality special editions of important films. The Ran and Contempt blus have valuable special features and video quality that is perfectly adequate. I would hate to think that a film lover who has yet to come across these movies might miss out on them because of an aversion to Studio Canal due to a perceived lack in quality.

In short, these blu-rays are fine, fans of the films or those interested in cinema should not hesitate.

I understand this opinion won't be popular here, and it's not directed at any one poster in particular. Anytime Criterion's out of print titles are discussed those conversations inevitably turn into a Studio Canal pile-on and I just wanted to make sure the minority opinion was expressed.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by tyrone_slothrop

Their Ran and Contempt blu-rays are just fine - .

I watched "RAN" at a local Cinematheque at the end of May/Beginning of June, and this release has issues beyond the condition of the source....

I do own the SC Blu-ray, and Criterion DVD, and I will continue to enjoy them both, but I feel a better release is possible.....

That being said, I think it's a "pretty good" Blu-ray..... I just think there was some head-room available for a better release......

[rkish]

Weeeeelllll...I've only got about a week left on my Amazon Prime trial and I've managed to order Mystery Train, Animation Express (Film Board of Canada), Steamboat Bill Jr., and at $25.99, I figured I'd get "The Man Who Fell..." before it gets ridicuously expensive. I'd wait until the B & N 50% sale, but got a feeling that it might get scapped up quickly...but ya never know...

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by tyrone_slothrop

I feel like a lot of the negativity directed at Studio Canal is from Criterion fan boys who feel bitterness because their favorite films will no longer be released under the Criterion banner.

I can't speak for everyone, but my "negativity" towards Lionsgate is not being a fanboy towards Criterion. I'm not the one trying to collect every blu-ray Criterion puts out. So I'm far from being a Criterion fanboy. I could counter your "fanboy" speech and say I'm not a blu-ray fanboy, so I don't care to double-dip for an average transfer of a film when I have the dvd already. That's my answer.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by tyrone_slothrop

I feel like a lot of the negativity directed at Studio Canal is from Criterion fan boys who feel bitterness because their favorite films will no longer be released under the Criterion banner. .

You couldn't be more wrong with your take. I collect films from Criterion, Masters of Cinema, Kino (A company just a few months ago I lambasted for terrible DVD releases over the years whom I now support due to all of the post General blus looking fantastic), and, well, any movie I want from any label. I love these collections as much as the next guy but when I want a movie I buy it irregardless of who put it out IF its a solid release. For example, I pre ordered the OZU BFI and MoC Vengeance Is Mine blus knowing that its highly likely Crtierion would eventually get around to them.

The Ran blu looks terrible, period. Perhaps it is source related and the very best it will ever look...who knows? But in the back of my mind I cant help but think they are culling the blu from an old master. For a title with the weight Ran has you would think at some point a full restoration would be in order...If not, why release it when the Criterion DVD can give it a run for its money?

And Contempt...some parts look great...other parts look like a Fox Lorber DVD...

And most of their "solid" releases have noise and consistency issues...which I can swallow...but when you add the aforementioned titles to the mix its hard to take them seriously when they have 4 to 5 competitor's whom they often license to that do a much better job.