How does Criterion determine spine numbers? (1 Viewer)

[Jake Lipson]

According to Criterion's website, Boyhood (releasing October 11) is spine #839.

But Pan's Labyrinth, which actually releases a week LATER on October 18, is spine number #838.

If the numbers are assigned based on when they are released, it seems to me like those two should be switched. So that beg the question, how does Criterion determine spine numbering?

 

[Tino]

A better question is.....why is this in the MOVIES section?

 

[TravisR]

I just assume that the spine number is determined before the release date is definitively set. When they assigned spine numbers for, say, the September releases, they knew that they'd be putting out Blood Simple, Cat People, Valley Of The Dolls, Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls, etc. but they didn't know the exact dates for each one when they gave out the numbers.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I agree Travis; it sure looks like the spine numbers are assigned when they've obtained the rights, even if they don't have a release date locked down.

The other quirk is that while the Laserdisc releases had their own numbers (and, occasionally, multiple numbers if released in both CAV and CLV) Blu-Ray shares the spine numbers that were started for DVD. So if they re-obtain the rights to a title that was previously issued on DVD, it will often have a much lower spine number than a truly new release.

 

[Jake Lipson]

A better question is.....why is this in the MOVIES section?

Because I thought I was putting it in the Blu-ray section but somehow didn't in error. The mods are welcome to move it.

 

[Ruz-El]

So if they re-obtain the rights to a title that was previously issued on DVD, it will often have a much lower spine number than a truly new release.

That's the bit I like best. It's as much a "Film" number in the curated collection as opposed to a simple spine number.