Press Release Criterion Press Release: Criterion's first 4k UHD releases (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Citizen Kane, Mul

This the great Mullholland Drive. Big difference!
….. not the dreary Mullholland Falls.

Yeah, I think you can make an argument for Mulholland Dr. being the best movie from this century. I'd imagine it will do quite well for Criterion or I'm hoping it does if only so they release all of their David Lynch movies on UHD.

I was never a fan of this movie for some strange reason. Perhaps, it isn't strange as I'm not generally a fan of David Lynch movies.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I'm aware, but they are more "enhanced mono" than stereo. Like I described, what a mono track would sound like in a theatre with the appropriate reverb, etc.

That's how the Miramax 5.1 track sounds, but the Criterion 5.1 definitely has real separation.

For example, during "I Should Have Known Better" you can hear Paul's dialogue at the beginning of the scene subtly shift from left to right as he walks across. Surround speakers have subtle vocal reverb and background effects of the train. During the song itself, it has a pleasing balanced stereo sound up front with the rear speakers providing reverb again. The stereo track does seem to keep the sound more towards monaural outside the songs and score, though.

 

[battlebeast]

I hate to think how expensive these are going to be in Canada, given that their standard blu-rays are $40-50 here.

I’m in the same boat. I need THE PIANO and KANE and RED SHOES…

 

[seangood79]

Hoping some Terrence Malick is included in the next batch of 4K.
Too bad Days of Heaven is OOR, but I would double dip on Thin Red Line and Tree of Life.

 

[Trancas]

I wonder if Criterion will revisit some of their DNR-ed flubs like Children of Paradise and The Earrings of Madame de...? Beauty and the Beast and The Leopard could also use fresher scans.
I'm also wondering if they can release films in 4k that other companies currently have a blu ray license for (do those licenses extend to UHD)? Like Kino's Under Capricorn - imagine a 4k release sourced from the Technicolor negatives.

 

[bujaki]

A fresh scan of The Last Emperor is its correct aspect ratio would be extremely welcome.

 

[David_B_K]

Have my Criterion lasers so the new release will be welcomed to my collection. View attachment 108363

I got rid of most of my laserdiscs once I had upgraded them to better editions, but I hung onto that Citizen Kane in the silver box. I still remember staying up that night in 1985 to watch it the movie and then go through the Robert Carringer visual essay (which I hope makes it in some form to the new version).

 

[MovieMan66]

I'm thrilled that Criterion is finally going to release 4K discs. I'm disappointed that one of their first 4K films is one of the most overrated and boring films in cinema history. Citizen Kane?!? Ugh! What will they choose next to bore us, 2001: A Space Odyssey?

Mark

Please, Criterion: BORE ME!!!

 

[Nelson Au]

This is great news, I know many here has expressed a desire to see 4K material from Criterion. I’m thinking now, I have many titles if not all that I have from Criterion on blu ray that will need to be upgraded! Of course this is the game we chose to play in this hobby. New formats means double/triple or more dipping.

I doubt MGM/Warner would allow Criterion to revisit 2001: A Space Odyssey. I have the original Criterion laserdisc of 2001. It would be interesting if that title is revisited. I have the Criterion laserdisc of Bladerunner and Forbidden Planet too. It would be neat to see a Criterion 4K Forbidden Planet.

 

[David Wilkins]

Based entirely on the difference between the prices of DVDs and Blu-ray, I'm guessing the UHDs will be $50 MSRP.

No...I'm guessing a fairly moderate price increase, based upon the rest of the UHD market. They would be foolish to price themselves out of the marketplace. We won't be getting Arrow-style limited editions bulging with extras (except for occasions like 'Brazil', if they still hold the rights).

 

[Mark VH]

I’ll be the first to admit to being dead wrong on this - always thought Criterion would eventually phase out physical media and focus on their streaming offerings rather than commit to a new (and niche) format. They still might ultimately end up there but kudos to them for continuing to try to serve the collectors’ market. Great lineup of films, too (I’ll give the “Citizen Kane is boring” dude the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s joking).

 

[Lord Dalek]

I wonder if Criterion will revisit some of their DNR-ed flubs like Children of Paradise and The Earrings of Madame de...? Beauty and the Beast and The Leopard could also use fresher scans.

1. Those are Pathe and Gaumont's flubs not Criterion's. It will be up to those studios to correct them.

2. Beauty and the Beast actually does have a fresher transfer used for the BFI blu-ray. Believe it or not, it looks worse than the Criterion and the film itself is pretty much brickwalled at sub-2k like a lot of pre-1950 French cinema.

3. There is a more recent scan of The Leopard. It was supervised by the DOP for the Film Foundation and (like the Criterion and BFI releases) is in the wrong aspect ratio.

 

[haineshisway]

I really am bored to tears of having to buy the same damn things over and over again.

 

[TravisR]

No...I'm guessing a fairly moderate price increase, based upon the rest of the UHD market. They would be foolish to price themselves out of the marketplace. We won't be getting Arrow-style limited editions bulging with extras (except for occasions like 'Brazil', if they still hold the rights).

With their Blu-rays having a $40 MSRP, I can't see any way that the UHDs aren't at least $50 but I guess $45 is possible.

I guess we'll know for sure on Monday when they announce the November titles.

 

[Mark VH]

I really am bored to tears of having to buy the same damn things over and over again.

I mean…you don’t HAVE to buy them. I probably won’t as I don’t see myself being 4K-ready any time soon and all the titles mentioned are on very nice Blu-rays.

 

[MatthewA]

Kane, Glorious Technicolor, and the Fab Four in 4k.

Mine.

 

[Bryan^H]

Other than 'The Straight Story' I'm not really a fan of David Lynch films. But I saw Mulholland Drive when it was released and thought it was so weird that I might give it a try again in 4K. Congratulations to Criterion for making such a positive decision in the world of home video. I will be purchasing lesser known titles to me as much as possible, and hope some favorites they have (many) make it to 4K. Those will be day one purchases for me.

 

[ShellOilJunior]

It's only fitting A Hard Day's Night will get a UHD. The movie's US premiere was on this date in NYC in 1964.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Have my Criterion lasers so the new release will be welcomed to my collection. View attachment 108363

Ha! Looks like my collection of Wizard of Oz, Lawrence of Arabia, and King Kong iterations!

 

[Noel Aguirre]

I don’t think I’ll be buying any of these cause I don’t see the visual gain being that much better w the exception of The Red Shoes.

But make available Barry Lyndon, The Last Emperor, It’s a Mad Mad etc World and Heaven’s Gate and I’ll pay right now!