Criterion Collection on DVD. Recommendations please.

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rififi is ace!

maura (maura), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

nobody has said "Peeping Tom" yet. One audio track features noted film theorist Laura Mulvey!!! I felt like I was back in a Berkeley rhetoric class, yay!

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

six months pass...
The three films I most wish Criterion would issue:
1) Kurosawa's "Ikiru"
2) Bunuels's "Exterminating Angel"
3) Powell & Pressburger's "Tales of Hoffman"

Believe it or not, Ikiru and Tales of Hoffmann are each set to be released sometime in the next 18 months.

Girolamo Savonarola, Monday, 14 July 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

"8 1/2" and the stellar "By Brakhage".

Jay Vee (Manon_70), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:38 (twenty years ago) link

I wanna get that Brakhage but I don't think it's even out in video-hating Quebec yet.

s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:40 (twenty years ago) link

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls with a Russ Meyer/Roger Ebert commentary is coming soon!

amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:41 (twenty years ago) link

NO SHIT!!!

s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:43 (twenty years ago) link

My friend once called Russ Meyer's company to order something. Russ himself answered the phone and talked his ear off for an hour.

s1utsky (slutsky), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:43 (twenty years ago) link

the Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas 2discer is terrific. In The Mood For Love is pretty decent, I wish they'd do the same for more of Wong Kar Wai

Millar (Millar), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:44 (twenty years ago) link

I actually like Disc 2 of Fear and Loathing more than Disc 1!

Girolamo Savonarola, Monday, 14 July 2003 20:49 (twenty years ago) link

Yum, the fact that Criterion has both Sid and Nancy and Roshomon available is making my mouth water!

(*crossing fingers* Now, you know I'm hoping my luck holds and I get the job I'm up for, just so I can say I've a budget to break!)

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Monday, 14 July 2003 20:53 (twenty years ago) link

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls with a Russ Meyer/Roger Ebert commentary is coming soon!

Oh, beyond sweet.

Recheck that catalog again, Nichole -- Sid and Nancy has been OOP for a while. There are a number of DVDs no longer available (the John Woo selections, the original Spinal Tap release)...

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 July 2003 21:45 (twenty years ago) link

Well, as I won't need to worry about that for a while (money comes first, o'course), I'm not dying.

Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Monday, 14 July 2003 22:24 (twenty years ago) link

oh, i love criterion, i have about 40 of em and they are all stellar. it, however, can become addictive.

my faves are
contempt
band of outsiders
hiroshima, mon amour
discreet charm of the Bourgeoisie
george washington
ratcatcher

i am sure there are more i cant think of

todd swiss (eliti), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 02:12 (twenty years ago) link

i like most of the commentaries, but they can be a bit dry sometimes. it would be nice for someone with sense of humor to talk you through 4 hours of Andrei Rublev. I also wish they would do some Jaques Demy movies.

ryan (ryan), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 02:27 (twenty years ago) link

five months pass...
The Rules of the Game is coming! January 20. Two discs. Amazon has it listed already for $27.97. HELL YEAH.

According to the CC discussion board, they might re-release The Seven Samurai as a 2-disc (from better sources), which is both great news and sucky news 'cause I HAVE THE OLD ONE-DISC, DAMMIT.

I really love the Brakhage collection, more than I thought I would (though I might never watch The Act of Seeing... ever again, except to gross people out, which actually I did a few days ago). If you take stills from Dog Star Man, then you have a year's worth of 4AD album covers (and that year would be 1984). According to Brakhage, Eye Myth was made over the course of one year. One year! For a 9 second film! The transfer looks great, but maybe some of the source materials could've been in better shape. I mean, Mothlight had all sorts of crud on the film that they didn't sweep off, like grass, insect parts, etc.! (heh. *grin*)

Ernest P. (ernestp), Friday, 2 January 2004 07:56 (twenty years ago) link

The only negative I have on Criterion is the emphasis 'extras' and the extra money charged for them w/ extra-disc sets.

Aside from a few commentaries and making-ofs - especially if it's an in-depth thing, like the Three Colors trilogy - I don't care about extras. I'd much rather have a $24.95 one-disc version of Brazil w/ the Criterion transfer and a commentary or two than the $50+ three-disc box set.

miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 2 January 2004 08:42 (twenty years ago) link

Rebecca, Notorious, and Spellbound are going out of print. But Playtime should be coming back with the new transfer later this year...

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 2 January 2004 08:50 (twenty years ago) link

the criterion release i want the most (and the one i most doubt will ever happen, because of problems with the welles estate): chimes at midnight

the criterion release i saw most recently (and loved more than anything i've seen lately): band of outsiders

J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 2 January 2004 09:03 (twenty years ago) link

Band of Outsiders? More please.

I've had ridiculous luck with a number of Criterion releases turning up used in my neck of the woods -- most recently, Andrei Rublev and The Third Man.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 January 2004 14:43 (twenty years ago) link

band of outsiders is pretty wonderful

s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 2 January 2004 16:58 (twenty years ago) link

The recent Ingmar Bergman boxset is absolutely grebt, esp the documentary with Vilgot Sjoman.

As for prices/extras: keep in mind that Criterion has to license the rights to these films and then does their best to work with the top of the line prints, people, and equipment to make the best transfers possible. This costs a lot of money for discs that generally don't exactly fly off of a standard retailer's shelves. That is why the discs are expensive, not the extras. The extras are added both because the hard-core cineastes appreciate them and because they help justify the price a bit more. But most of those extras cost very little extra to produce or obtain. It's the transfers themselves that are the largest expense. Take Playtime, for example. It's going to be re-released in a few months, but the delay is because they have finally gained access to a 65mm telecine machine - something that is extremely rare and not at all cheap. The transfer will be that much better for it, but if you think that the CC is raking in the dough, I can assure you that they are not.

That all being said, don't trust the prices on the official site. I highly recommend buying through Deep Discount DVD, who generally have the best prices on most titles and offer free US shipping.

Oh, and just as a matter of point, Straw Dogs also just went out of print last week.

Girolamo Savonarola, Saturday, 3 January 2004 00:35 (twenty years ago) link

seven months pass...

My girlfriend gave me Criterion's Band of Outsiders for our 4-year anniversary. Great gift.

webcrack (music=crack), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:27 (nineteen years ago) link

Steven Seagal's Nico is now top of my wishlist.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:43 (nineteen years ago) link

http://www.dvdclassik.com/images/untitled/rayontvert.jpg

amateur!!st, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 20:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Quand sortent-ils Taxi 3 ???

s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:01 (nineteen years ago) link

http://www.dvdclassik.com/images/untitled/fullcontactcriterion.jpg

Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:03 (nineteen years ago) link

Steven Seagal's Nico

Steven Seagal: auteur.

miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:03 (nineteen years ago) link

ihttp://www.filmliberation.org/TheNunPathfinder.jpg

amateur!!st, Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:04 (nineteen years ago) link

if anyone cares im selling Jubilee, Unbearable Lightness of Being and Robocop (all out of print on ebay) and they're only at 5 bucks right now

big chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:33 (nineteen years ago) link

The Critierion Jubilee? HMMM. Drop me an e-mail.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:36 (nineteen years ago) link

Jubilee's already out of print? That was fast.

miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:37 (nineteen years ago) link

oops i guess that ones not out of print? i duno my bad.

big chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:39 (nineteen years ago) link

Jubilee is not OOP.

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:39 (nineteen years ago) link

OOPS

dean? (deangulberry), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:40 (nineteen years ago) link

btw im selling it because that movie is completely boring and sucky

big chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:48 (nineteen years ago) link

I may sell my Criterion Harder They Come - the cheaper version I bought looks just as good and has better subtitles.

The recent HVE (Criterion parent comp.?) releases have been more interesting to me than a lot of the Criterions. I don't need ANOTHER Bergman box set, and extras are meaningless.

miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 1 September 2004 21:50 (nineteen years ago) link

two months pass...
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls with a Russ Meyer/Roger Ebert commentary is coming soon!
-- amateurist (amateurist@h...), July 14th, 2003.

Apparently, Ebert recently said on his TV show that this will be coming out next year - hooray!!

Enjoy MP3s from the movie here.

Ernest P. (ernestp), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 02:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Hahah, beautiful. Can't wait.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 02:56 (nineteen years ago) link

Meantime, I asked for a slew of Criteirion goodies for Xmas. I'm quite shameless.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 02:59 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
So, who here wants to own up to harrassing Criterion via e-mail about titles you really, really, really wish they'd add? Bonus points if the movie is basically completely out of print and unavailable anywhere due to bizarro licencing etc meaning that it's probably an enormous bitch for Criterion to get anyway.

(Also, would TOMBOT like to add for the third time that he wishes they'd do more WKW?)

Allyzay Rofflesbot (allyzay), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:20 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm sure he would.

I haven't harrassed but it's tempting. But more often I'm content to see what rabbits they randomly pull out of hats.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:22 (eighteen years ago) link

even though i don't much like the film, godard's 'tout va bien' is an incredible, delightful, consumer package.

'life and death of colonel blimp' is notable cos michael powell is on the commentary (aged like 85) which might be a record.

the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:24 (eighteen years ago) link

i've harassed them about getting on their media list to no avail :(

s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:25 (eighteen years ago) link

I think I've harrassed them twice now over Messer im Kopf. :\

Though I do know people who e-mail Criterion every random release thought they have so they probably don't notice, that I e-mailed them twice.

Allyzay Rofflesbot (allyzay), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:25 (eighteen years ago) link

i've harassed them about getting on their media list to no avail :(

This, I admit, would be a dream for me.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:26 (eighteen years ago) link

sir norman wisdom recorded some commentary tracks when he was v. v. old (and boy does it show, senile old fule)

Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:46 (eighteen years ago) link

and not to brag but a certain someone DID also recently score a SEALED DVD box of the complete run of The Facts of Life. that someone? it was me! that someone was me!

scott seward, Friday, 1 March 2024 01:03 (two months ago) link

xpost -- good thing too! (I hadn't had a 4K player before this, so it was a good investment all around.)

Ned Raggett, Friday, 1 March 2024 01:24 (two months ago) link

The all-region part, of course, is still pretty handy for the old Blu-rays if you've started collecting those from multiple regions

Rich E. (Eric H.), Friday, 1 March 2024 01:41 (two months ago) link

Especially if you live in a region B backwater like me. One of our chain stores was doing a clearance on budget bluray players which were all-region DVD and menu-switchable for BD regions, I bought 3 so if one fails I have a backup. About 30% of my collection is region A and my Sony 4K player is hard locked to region B BD, region 4 DVD (which I believe is illegal in Aus, but whatever).

assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 March 2024 01:55 (two months ago) link

Yeah my player automatically plays any region DVD and Blu-rays, just have to select a button on the remote. A saviour.

Ned Raggett, Friday, 1 March 2024 04:02 (two months ago) link

(Should be a comma after 'DVD' there. You get the drift.)

Ned Raggett, Friday, 1 March 2024 04:04 (two months ago) link

on brand Wes Anderson from that NYTimes article

Anderson, who asked that verbal tics like “uh” and “um” not be excised from his quotes, told me that he had always admired how Criterion covers tended to be “more adventurous than, uh, what a movie studio would be inclined to go with.”

Western® with Bacon Flavor, Friday, 1 March 2024 04:19 (two months ago) link

I'd argue Region B is actually a better region than A to be in these days! But yeah I own a multi region player.

Daniel_Rf, Friday, 1 March 2024 10:46 (two months ago) link

There are even region B Criterion discs, I own a couple

assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 March 2024 11:31 (two months ago) link

two weeks pass...

In 'not at all of interest to ivy and others' news, some of the forthcoming releases in June:

https://www.criterion.com/films/33670-bound

https://www.criterion.com/films/27974-querelle

https://www.criterion.com/films/33289-victims-of-sin

Ned Raggett, Friday, 15 March 2024 16:35 (one month ago) link

yessss Bound

I painted my teeth (sleeve), Friday, 15 March 2024 16:37 (one month ago) link

one month passes...

Another good batch for July:

https://www.criterion.com/shop/browse?popular=coming-soon

Preordered Perfect Days, Le Samourai, Farewell My Concubine and Black God, White Devil.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:31 (two weeks ago) link

I have no thoughts on the matter.

Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 April 2024 17:43 (two weeks ago) link

That's a helluva set for a movie I have almost no interest in owning

Rich E. (Eric H.), Monday, 15 April 2024 17:48 (two weeks ago) link

XP Haha, I already forgot they were also doing Risky Business too...thought it was funny you were slighting just one title.

two weeks pass...

what's a charter subscriber? like the channel?

a (waterface), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 13:37 (four days ago) link

People who signed up when it first launched.

Chris L, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 13:42 (four days ago) link

i'm not sure but in 2018 I got an email about being a charter subscriber and have been one since. I think it was from people who had filmstruck subscriptions and then became initial members of the Criterion channel?

dan selzer, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 13:43 (four days ago) link

Kerry Condon being brill in the Criterion Closet...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kII05HTS6c

Would almost rather they held contests tho for people to do raids of the Criterion closet like notables do on their YT channel.

― Norse Jung (Eric H.), Monday, September 28, 2015 4:40 PM (eight years ago) bookmarkflaglink

"Stand in the same spot as Michael Cera!"

― Love, Wilco (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, September 28, 2015 5:02 PM (eight years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Charter members are ones who got a membership in the first month. I got a membership card for being subbed for the first 3 months.

adam t. (abanana), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 14:47 (four days ago) link

All right, I joined in out of the gate, I can enter. And I will!

Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 14:57 (four days ago) link

<You Will Stand In The Same Spot As Michael Cera!>

Have I mentioned lately that I've been in the closet and got Night of the Hunter blu-ray?

dan selzer, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 15:57 (four days ago) link

Thievery. You broke in under cover of night. (Well maybe not.)

Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 1 May 2024 16:05 (four days ago) link

I entered too but honestly I would pay good money to hack it so Ned wins

Rich E. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 16:10 (four days ago) link


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