Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

How did I miss that announcement?! This just made my day!

Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

Here's a link to the blu-ray packaging of "Last Year At Marienbad" from over at criterionforum.org.

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Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

I really wish Criterion would stick with standard plastic packaging. Sure, the Marienbad package looks nice, but it will look dingy and grubby in no time, and will be easily damaged even with careful handling.

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Yeah, I understand Criterion chose the cardboard packaging so that they could do the embossed lettering, but I do so much prefer their clear cases that were used on "The Wages Of Fear" and "In The Realm Of The Senses."

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Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

So the September DVD and BD releases should be up by the end of the day. We know from a previous Newsletter that Wings of Desire was tentatively scheduled for September. Here's hoping for a Blu release.

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criterion should be releasing their stuff w/steelbook editions . that way it's "eternal", has embossing, color, the works.

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That's not far off the mark.

Criterion, especially, should release titles with durable outer packaging, if not inner packaging. An outer sleeve made of heavy stock, with a finish that doesn't attract dirt and grime, should be a minimum requirement. And white should be avoided altogether.

I'm saying these things with Criterion n mind, but the same idea applies to other studios, at minimum, with regard to those light-weight "eco" plastic cases.

The whole idea of "eco friendly", to my understanding, was to address the kind of short use inappropriate stuff that's packing our landfills with material that doesn't bio-degrade...ever. I'm thinking about fast food cartons in particular, but even worse are those damn heat-sealed plastic thingies that require a hacksaw to open, measure 8" x 6" x 3", and are used to sell a data card the size of a postage stamp.

Packaging for BD's isn't prone to being tossed in the garbage upon opening, much less with premium titles (and studios) that people are prone to collect long term. Purchasers would also like to protect their property. I'm as green as the next guy, and far greener than many, but this is an example of bull-shit eco that's designed for warm, fuzzy PR, not beneficial to the environment.

People need to send a message.

Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

A couple catalog titles have shown up with a Blu release:

Criterion Collection Blu-ray Discs - Coming Soon

Pierrot le fou
The Complete Monterey Pop Festival

You can also purchase the Monterey Pop discs separately.




No new September releases on the website yet. Here's hoping for Wings of Desire BD still.

Re: Criterion announces first Blu-ray titles

Homicide and That Hamilton Woman are getting DVD only releases it appears. Perhaps Wings of Desire got bumped further down the line by a month or two?

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I just checked the Criterion site as well...no sign of Wings of Desire for September.

At least I'll have Seventh Seal and Last Year at Marienbad to keep me busy.

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Indeed. Hard to complain, isn't it?

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oh Criterion, you had me at lossless mono

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I hope if they ever release Brazil, don't miss the "Love Conquers All" version, which really needs a new transfer (it's even fullscreen). I had the oportunity to see the 3-disc/2006 edition and it's really good. If a BD release was available, I'd order it in a heart beat.

Hopefully they will remember Time Bandits (1981) as well... unfortunatelly in this case, Anchor Bay released this movie in the Divimax edition missing the audio commentary from Criterion, which is not anamorphic, BTW, and only have a DD 2.0 track (Anchor Bay is DD 5.1 EX). The Anchor Bay also have some exclusive extras.

The same thing happened with Silence of the Lambs. Only the non-anamorphic DVD from Criterion features the audio commentary with the cast.

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I'd bet that only exists on tape. If there was a film element the studio people were working with, I wonder if they could even find it.

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Dreamchild (1985)

I think I'll just start adding this title to various threads, perhaps someday, someone will figure it out.

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I actually asked Criterion about Dreamchild back around 2002-2003. At the time the response was that they had no plans. Who has the US rights? Paramount perhaps....?

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Went looking for THE SEVENTH SEAL today. Came up empty. Best Buy told me it's an online-only item, and Fry's Electronics said they wouldn't have it till the 25th. It's my father's day gift to myself, dammit! Guess I'll be ordering online...

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still don't understand how "Howards End "could beat out" Picnic at Hanging
Rock?"
I do like Criterions new box design(wish my Thrird Man had one)
Most of those DVD Books from Warners(now Sony too) aren't much
they would make more sense for Criteron,who really have nice extra
notes for there releases

i dont like the new box. i'd rather them go w/the standard packaging. the new box is TOO THICK, a throwback to DVD days and PS3 game boxes. time to go slim, not THICK! i'm already out of spaces =(

I disagree - it's not that thick. Besides, it gives them room for their more elaborate booklets.

I don't mind the thickness at all.  Criterion discs tend to be the crown jewels of my collection, so I don't mind them drawing extra attention to themselves. 

Those thicker cases are the standard cases that all Blu-rays are sold in in Australia. I prefer the HD Slim cases U.S. Blu-rays come in, simply because they conserve shelf space.

yeah i have a tiny condo. and with 247 BD cases... anything that thick is a HUGE dent in space.

Love the thicker cases like the ones for Wages of Fear and Seventh Seal. They look awesome and they aren't that thick same as a DVD.. it isn't exactly a VHS box on the shelf.

I can't stand their paper style cases for Man Who Fell to Earth, Third Man etc... but I guess I have to deal with it.

For Criterion and the quality of those cases no matter what my space is ... I'd find the room. it isn't even an issue.

DVDBeaver's comparison of Criterion's DVD & blu-ray of "Repulsion."  Enjoy!

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thanks ccfixx,

i'm most excited about kurosawa on Blu-Ray!!!! i can't wait for his 'Masterworks' coming in October:
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=2026776

7 Sam in glorious 1080p!!! whoa

I hope you know Japanese.

I imagine most of those Kurosawa's will be released on BD by Criterion eventually anyway (with EN subs, of course). Kagemusha is already coming in August, and Seven Samurai is one of their bread-and-butter titles that will come out within a year, I'd wager.

Also, kinda odd that the Japanese box has Sanjuro but not Yojimbo.

Does anybody know what the title hinted at in the new Criterion newsletter from this after was? I haven't been able to guess any of them since Days of Heaven, and that was an easy one...

After what happened with Ran, I'm not holding my breath for any more Criterion Kurosawas.  I'm sure they'll come eventually but it could be quite a while.