Criterion Collection on DVD. Recommendations please.

Black Narcissus
Branded to Kill
Brazil
Cries and Whispers
High and Low
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Rebecca
The Red Shoes
Rushmore
Seven Samurai
Shock Corridor
Wages of Fear

Also highly recommended--I haven't seen all of these specifically on Criterion, but they're great (or at least very interesting) movies:

Band of Outsiders
Contempt
Diabolique
Double Suicide
Elements of Fear
The Grand Illusion
The Hidden Fortress
I Know Where I'm Going
K(w)aidan
The Lady Vanishes
Last Temptation of Christ
M
Rashomon
The Shop on Main Street
Seventh Seal
Straw Dogs (when it comes out in March)
Time Bandits
The Vanishing (original movie)
Wild Strawberries
Yojimbo

High and Low, one of my favorite s, looks *fantastic*.

I keep thinking about picking up the CC version of 'The Rock' because I wonder WTF every time I see it and my curiosity just keeps growing and growing.

Also: Tokyo Drifter. Fucking GREBT or whatever the kids are saying these days. I wish CC would go back and do all of Wong Kar Wai's flicks. And some anime, too.

I'd also recommend the new Trouble in Paradise Criterion DVD as it is not only a wonderful film, but an additional Lubitsch film (a silent one) is tacked on. Likewise Under the Roofs of Paris: a great film, and the DVD also includes René Clair's Paris qui dort. Really it depends what your tastes are. My favorite Criterion is the Dreyer box set, but I understand many people would find his later films too slow, or what have you.

If you see the three Jacques Tati Criterions, snatch them up. They are not only wonderfully films and nice DVDs (all with additional short Tati films), but they are now '"rare," having recently gone out of print.

Also, be on the lookout for a 2-DVD set of films by Stan Brakhage, coming out in February I believe.

Also love Sullivan's Travels, Hidden Fortress, Le Trou, Le Million and Vagabond. I AM PSYCHED to see that they're releasing Band Of Outsiders

1) Kurosawa's "Ikiru"
2) Bunuels's "Exterminating Angel"
3) Powell & Pressburger's "Tales of Hoffman"

and (not that it will ever happen, but...) Peckinpah's "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia".

hmm. why not? I wouldn't be surprised at all if this were Criterion'd.

Pretty much my thought. To my sheer delight, I've been able to find a number of Critierion releases used...at a local outlet of the Wherehouse, no less! (Picked up Black Orpheus there recently.) This is especially important in that the one problem with the company are their ridiculously high prices new -- have they ever offered an explanation as to why? I've seen just as fine discs (mastering, bonus stuff, etc.) from small companies at much cheaper prices.

Because the expense of licensing the films, obtaining the best available prints, doing digital restoration, etc. is very high. Not to mention hiring someone to do new subtitles as they often do, plus all the bonus materials that come with many of their releases. I think their DVDs look and sound on average much nicer than those from such companies as Fantoma, etc. I think Fantoma tends to license more obscure films, and the costs are lower as a result. Anyway, Criterions aren't really much more expensive than, say, Kino's DVDs, which tend to be mastered poorly by comparison.

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

(*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!)

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)...

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

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*)

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.

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

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.

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.

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

I can lose a whole evening just trying to decide what to watch.

The number of Golden Girls episodes I use to stall while mulling whether I should tackle Tarr's Damnation, Damon Packard's Fatal Pulse or three unseen Fassbinders is considerable

re: flash drives, I actually listen to hi-res music that way. Put the FLAC's on a flash drive, organized in a folder, plug it into my Oppo, select that folder, and it just plays. I still prefer a disc though which is more user friendly.

Terrible timing for this big NYT feature to run after the flash sale but hey (gift link). Michael Bay will not surprise you. Neither will Wes Anderson.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/magazine/criterion-collection.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ZE0.Rm7i.80CdVj5IE1Sl

meanwhile, who scored the complete Kate & Allie DVD box? you're looking at him!

Anderson, who asked that verbal tics like “uh” and “um” not be excised from his quotes ...

Really puts his whole deal into sharp focus there

Not Wes, his brother!

“I learned it from you, bro!”

modified all region 4K player

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!

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

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

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).

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

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

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.”

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.

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

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

yessss Bound

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.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSD7Kpr7XxqaxyAFSU1wvyiMczNIA7oZGQJUKnZdksDPg&s

"Whatta 'bout me, Ned?"

I have no thoughts on the matter.

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

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

https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/438230209_7400901270037141_1008300569344314893_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=tDQpJPz8oUcQ7kNvgHxykhl&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AfD_BWMLDkJ0T-PUWPqIj8d50RwjsT4vY9cJ-_p7XmUR8g&oe=66375592

https://bit.ly/3JH5BYg

what's a charter subscriber? like the channel?

People who signed up when it first launched.

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?

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.

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

<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?

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

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

Criterion now owned by Indian Paintbrush. Wonder what that will mean. Hopefully it’s a god thing. Hope they don’t move to the west coast though.

40 Film Greatest Hits Blu Box In November: https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/7646-cc40

Nana Mouskouri!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qAT_K_YQOA-

So now it is in a van...: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/8593-the-criterion-closet-is-hitting-the-road

bring it to Mississippi you cowards

xp That just sounds creepy. "Hey you, do you like movies? Want to get in my van?"

The cover art to Divorce Italian Style, by Love & Rockets co-creator Jaime Hernandez, is amazing:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/films/1fe503bed44263b70f7636796068ff8a/hTb7NjbnH3PFkEGB3AeotNhiyR4Wrg_large.jpg

The Tubi Van is a 1998 Plymouth Voyager with the TV/VCR/DVD combo upgrade, 4 storage tubs of VHS tapes, and a binder full of bootleg DVDs. pic.twitter.com/eT0pmYKFL3

— Nathan (@Humanstein) September 13, 2024

No Country For Old Men and Eastern Condors coming in December

50% Flash Sale live at criterion.com until midday tomorrow.

Picked up the Lady Snowblood two-fer and the Todd Haynes VU doc.

B&N sale running now through December 2nd.