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I Love The Criterion Collection! (1 Viewer)

Rob Tomlin

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I really do!
My last four Criterion purchases have been nothing less than superb. This includes not only great transfer quality, but extremely good, informative, and interesting extra features as well.
My last four Criterion purchases that meet this standard:
8 1/2
Solaris
Down by Law
Brief Encounter
Although Brief Encounter doesn't have quite as many extras as the other discs, the commentary track is excellent!
Keep up the great work, Criterion!
:emoji_thumbsup:
 

george kaplan

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Mar 14, 2001
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My last 4 criterions (that I've got around to watching) are also great:

Hopscotch
The Horse's Mouth
Diabolique
Spellbound
 

Jim_K

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Aside from the rare dubious title most of the films in their collection are must-see's for any serious film buffs.
I'm especially thankful for the Kurosawa, Powell/Pressburger & Sturges films. All of which probably wouldn't have gotten released by a major studio.
My last Criterion I purchased was The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. :emoji_thumbsup:
Looking forward to The Killers & Straw Dogs & the rumored Devil and Daniel Webster.
My only complaint is I want more titles from Kurosawa, Sturges, Powell/Pressburger, Melville, Peckinpah, Hitchcock, etc.
Also I've said it before but Criterion needs a representation of some classic Westerns. There are plenty of unreleased worthy titles out there from Anthony Mann, Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone, Budd Boetticher, etc.
 

ReggieW

Screenwriter
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Mar 6, 2001
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My last four Criterions:
-Pepe Le Moko
-Band of Outsiders
-Black Narcissus
-The Red Shoes
I've yet to watch "Band of Outsiders" but hope to get through it later today:emoji_thumbsup:.
-Reg
 

Jan H

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I've been collecting 'em like gangbusters, too.
Within the last month I've picked up:
The Horse's Mouth
The Ruling Class
Brief Encounter
Solaris
L'Avventura
My Man Godfrey
Hamlet
Henry V
Pygmalion
My total is now at 65.
My wallet ain't happy, but I am! ;)
 

Jon Robertson

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May 19, 2001
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I've been picking up plenty recently (with all that leftover Christmas dough), including The Bank Dick, Pepe le Moko, Trouble in Paradise, Band of Outsiders, Contempt, Solaris and W.C. Fields: Six Short Films.
It's extremely rare Criterion will release something that I don't care for (the only two Criterions I've sold have been And God Created Woman and Man Bites Dog), and you can rest assured you'll be getting a good, if not great, transfer and truly worthwhile supplements to boot (something becoming far too rare nowadays).
Two of the great Criterion word-of-mouth sleeper hits are Le Trou and Tokyo Olympiad. I don't know anyone who's seen these two and hasn't been utterly blown away by them.
 

Patrick McCart

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8 1/2: Criterion Collection is without a doubt, one of my top 5 favorite DVDs.

Perfect movie, excellent video & audio quality, and great supplements. Even cosmetic stuff like the cover art, menus, and disc artwork is dead-on in staying in tone with the movie.



My only other Criterion is Notorious, which is just as great. It's not my favorite Hitchcock, but I'm finding it to be a much better movie than I originally thought it was. Criterion's disc has excellent video and audio quality and plenty of useful supplements.
 

Bill J

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Rob, definitely check out the Traffic Criterion. In my opinion it's one of their best so far. I think you would be especially pleased with the extras.
 

ChuckDeLa

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I've been getting a lot of Criterions from the library lately. I've just recently watched:

Cries and Whispers
8 1/2
M
The Seventh Seal (will probably buy this one)

With these waiting to be watched:
Wild Strawberries
The Red Shoes
Children of Paradise
L'Avventura

I'm loving this library thing. Also recently got Aguirre, The Wrath of God and Breaking the Waves, both of which could be called "Criterion-esque" films.
 

LarryE

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Jan 22, 2002
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Is the Monterey Pop DVD from criterion? I saw it used today for 40.00, and didn't know if this was a reasonable price.
 

Scott Calvert

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Another Criterion fan here. My only complaint is the lack of Ozu and Bresson titles. I was gonna buy the Floating Weeds LD on ebay about a year and a half ago, but I figured it would surely get a DVD release. I'm still waiting.
 

Christ Reynolds

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CJ
Is the Monterey Pop DVD from criterion? I saw it used today for 40.00, and didn't know if this was a reasonable price
thats a pretty good price, i'd grab it if its still available.

i love the criterion collection as well, without their help, i never would have seen such movies as 8 1/2, solaris, seven samurai, rashomon, brazil, man bites dog, and many others (especially foreign)

CJ
 

Jon Robertson

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Another Criterion fan here. My only complaint is the lack of Ozu and Bresson titles.
Well, Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne is imminent in March, and Au Hasard Balthazar and Mouchette are coming in the future.

Criterion are going to release at least one more Ozu this year, apparently.
 

Rob Tomlin

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M Grand Illusion High and Low Sullivan's Travels The Third Man Rebecca said:
I completely agree. There are exceptions, of course, but generally speaking, if Criterion has it, the chances are that I am really going to enjoy it. In fact, I own all but the last two movies you mention.
If it wasn't for The Criterion Collection, I wouldn't be the huge Kurosawa fan that I am now!
 

Edward Schatz

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Jan 6, 2003
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Criterion has had some lousy DVDs though, lest anyone forget. The Killer DVD came from the LD transfer of a lousy, worn print. I watched it the the other day with my new equipment and I never realized how much distortion there is on the audio track. A couple of other bad ones include Tokyo Drifter and Branded to Kill. Then again, there have been some great DVDs, like Brazil, Robocop, etc.
 

Scott Leopold

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Nov 21, 2001
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Nice! My wife would kill me if I did that!
Luckily, my wife likes Criterion as much as I do. We're only up to 42, but we've been thrilled with all of them. Our most recent CC is Spellbound, which she got me for Christmas. I had heard mixed reviews of this in the past, but was very pleased with the movie overall. I need to watch the extras this week.

Prior to that were Red Beard (perhaps the best Kurosawa I've ever seen, although Seven Samurai is still my favorite), 8 1/2 (we haven't watched it yet, but I'll try to get to it this week), The Unbearable Lightness of Being (we couldn't get through this one, will try again eventually), and Mona Lisa. I had heard of Mona Lisa, and saw about 5 minutes of it on IFC several months ago, but hadn't gotten around to seeing it since. We found it used for around $15 or so, and watched it that night. This was just one fantastic movie. Definitely a hidden gem in the collection.

Around Christmas, I finally got around to watching The Passion of Joan of Arc, even though I've had it for a year or so. This is truly an amazing film. I just wish I'd gotten around to watching it sooner.

I'm eager to pick up some more Criterion discs. I'd love to see a slew of Kurosawa releases this year (I've got all their current Kurosawa releases). Otherwise, I'm most looking forward to picking up The Lady Eve. Sullivan's Travels was great, so TLE is high on my list of must buys.
 

Dome Vongvises

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I still believe to this day that the Criterion Collection does some of the finest work ever on DVD's. They may have been slow in the beginning in certain departments (eg. anamorphic 16x9 transfers), but they're now IMHO at front and center for best DVD production company. While I don't care for most of the films on list, I applaud CC's efforts to bring the best possible presentation of films beloved by many.
 

Brook K

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Feb 22, 2000
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A New Year's Eve trip to a casino put the kibosh on getting Band of Outsiders, Pepe Le Moko, and Trouble In Paradise. I'll have to pick them up down the road.

The last few Crit's I've gotten I haven't had a chance to watch - Contempt, Solaris, Col. Blimp, the Rene Clair's, Red Beard.

I echo the praise here and look forward to seeing my first Robert Bresson film. I would love more Ozu and a Mizoguchi disc. Also can't wait for Ali: Fear Eats The Soul and The Marriage of Maria Von Braun.
 

ThomasC

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Thomas
I already have the non-Criterion disc, and really enjoy the movie. I have considered adding the Criterion for the extra features, wondering if it would be worth it. Based on your recommendation, as well as my experience with Criterion, I believe it is!
I also have the Criterion disc (it's my only CC set), and I would definitely recommend it for fans of the film. My favorite extra contains drug warehouse footage with commentary by Traffic consultant and former DEA Chief of Intelligence Craig Chretien.
 

Phil Nichols

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Sep 7, 2000
Messages
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Is Criterion's Solaris using English subtitles?

I have their Armageddon and it is indeed superb for non-A. A copy of their The Rock hung my DVD player, but I'll try another copy soon. I'd sure like to pick up their Picnic At Hanging Rock ...... which I recorded off Satellite onto Super VHS and this hauntingly beautiful movie is even enthralling viewed from Super VHS!
 

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