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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 07 Jul 2014, 00:48 
Young Padawan
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Last year at marienbad got screwed due to criterion switching from digibook to plastic case (due complaints) digibook version is beautiful. Its the same art but have to see it in real.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 07 Jul 2014, 04:52 
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hauntmedoitagain wrote:
There's still some half-assed ones (Harakiri and Last Year at Marienbad come to mind), but overall I think they've moved forward, not backward.

I don't really get the Godzilla "controversy" either, the cover is based off a silhouetted segment from Tokyo's nighttime destruction which is one of the most visually iconic segments in the whole film along with Godzilla's drowning which forms the basis for the foldout digipack.


The issue is that what era a G film takes place in is really important to such fans. The Godzilla they show is clearly not 1954. It's as least as modern as hesei era, if not even millennial era. It's 40+ years too early for spikes like that.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 08 Jul 2014, 03:54 
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I dunno, it's one of my favorite post-war Japanese films and it doesn't bother me one bit.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 14 Aug 2014, 17:51 
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Well I personally love the original Godzilla and I think the Criterion cover looks awesome.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 23 Aug 2014, 00:56 
Young Padawan
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Criterion % 50 off sale at best buy online and stores. Bby stocks a handful of titles in store so most you will have to order online. This matches the barnes and noble sale twice a year (november and july). Bestbuy sale end 8/30.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 23 Aug 2014, 07:00 
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substance wrote:
Criterion % 50 off sale at best buy online and stores. Bby stocks a handful of titles in store so most you will have to order online. This matches the barnes and noble sale twice a year (november and july). Bestbuy sale end 8/30.


Repo Man is now mine. :clap:
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 23 Aug 2014, 14:50 
Young Padawan
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I picked up,

Y tu mama tambien
Tie me up tie me down
Love streams
The big chill

I already have all the others so these 4 completed my collection until next weeks new releases. I wish I could preorder eraserhead at this price.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 24 Aug 2014, 05:59 
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substance wrote:
Criterion % 50 off sale at best buy online and stores. Bby stocks a handful of titles in store so most you will have to order online. This matches the barnes and noble sale twice a year (november and july). Bestbuy sale end 8/30.


Barnes and Noble sale was the other week. I got Scanners, City Lights, Persona, Blue Is the Warmest Color, Thief, The Hidden Fortress and Throne of Blood from it.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 12 Sep 2014, 19:47 
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I have seen both Naked Lunch as well as Videodrome on Blu Ray and they are both fantastic releases.

The audio quality on Naked Lunch during the intro is just off the hook. Videodrome looks absolutely fantastic.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 28 Apr 2016, 09:53 
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As a prior laser disc owner (who just tonight joined this forum because of fond memories of what in the 80's and 90's was a beautiful format, plus the desire to learn more from others about the good old days) I owned probably 800-900 discs over the years which got bought, sold, replaced, etc. until, right now, I have none. But here are my thoughts regarding the current Criterion output:

First, I completely LOVE their most recent opening logo, perhaps even more than I love the old Geffen revolving ball. It's a brilliant graphic and I would love to know who designed it...he/she wasn't paid enough. How so-o-o much I prefer seeing this as a lead-in to a classic movie than, say, the too-loud MGM logo for all those wonderful United Artists films.

Next, up until a couple of years ago, I was anxious as hell for each month's coming release announcements. Lots of great Blu-ray upgrades from prior laser and DVD releases. More recently, I am more ambivalent. With so many of the company's presumed foreign language holdings gathering moss, such as SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, THE VIRGIN SPRING, FIRES ON THE PLAIN, etc., I just can't be quite as excited by the more recent titles they are seemingly prioritizing (I admit, this may just be me, because there are just so many classics I owned from Criterion on earlier formats that I would love to see upgraded and which only dribble out a few every year now). Plus, I keep hoping the company will acquire personal favorite foreign films that have only been given mediocre DVD release, if even that, such as JU DOU, THE OFFICIAL STORY, JOURNEY OF HOPE, the Karel Zemen collection, LE GRAND CHEMIN, BEAU-PERE, BURNT BY THE SUN, NOWHERE IN AFRICA, GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS, SMALL CHANGE, etc. etc. I do acknowledge the company's superb recent release of THE EMIGRANTS/THE NEW LAND and the Jacques Tati set. Many thanks, if you're reading this, Criterion!

The quality of their transfers is, with a few exceptions, without argument, unimpeachable. It never ceases to amaze me how superb a film made during the silent era through the 40's can look as uncannily recent as many of these restored classics look. Anyone who thinks an older film can't really be improved by Blu-ray (and, for sure, not all do) ought look no further than Criterion. I continue to swear by this company in that regard.

As for bonus materials, I think Criterion probably continues to do its best to provide us with interesting and informative supplementary archival features. I have, however, noticed a relatively recent decrease in the number of audio commentaries provided (which is my favorite added-value feature on any disc, as long as it isn't just a bunch of idiots sitting around the proverbial campfire and describing/joking about everything we are watching). The historian commentaries have been generally excellent if occasionally a bit dry, as are a good number of the director contributions. But lately, only one or two of the announced discs each month have these commentaries, which seems ironic to me, considering Criterion was responsible, via laser disc, for the world's very first such track (KING KONG).

Packaging is not a huge issue for me. What I physically see of these discs almost all of the time is the spine on the case as it sits on my shelf, period. I don't know about anyone else, but I do not have enough wall space to display hundreds, if not thousands, of DVD/Blu-ray cases on my walls for all to admire. I may not like some of Criterion's more recent cover designs as well as the old laser disc ones, but, hey, they sit unseen on my shelf until I am ready to watch the movie inside, at which time....who cares about cover art? I think that the booklets/fold-outs included with all of their Blu-rays and previous DVD's are informative and well-designed, and that is what matters most to me.

So, I love Criterion for the quality of its transfers and essays, but am lately finding its choice of releases a bit blase (for my personal tastes, of course). I wait for the B&N sales twice a year to stock up on the titles I want at prices even a bit below what I pay at Best Buy for most new Blu-ray releases, so I have no reason to complain. Great company, great logo, just wish we had more upgrades from the older DVD's
  
 
 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 28 Apr 2016, 11:04 
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hauntmedoitagain wrote:
I dunno, it's one of my favorite post-war Japanese films and it doesn't bother me one bit.


Fans of the 50s Godzilla are very different to fans of the 70s-90s G.
  
 
 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 22 Jun 2016, 18:23 
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I guess my only beef with Criterion (I only have 5 titles), is they do not take advantage of remastered soundtracks that are clearly available. Of the 5 titles I have (Tootsie, A Room with a View, A Night to Remember, Brazil & Broadcast News), 3 of them (Tootsie, Room & Brazil) all have 5.1 soundtracks available on the studio's own versions. I can see the reason to maintain the "original" sound mix, but not offering the other seems ... like a missed opportunity. Perhaps that is the price that Criterion has to pay for being an 'off-studio' label.
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 Post subject: Re: What do you think about Criterion today?
PostPosted: 02 Jul 2016, 13:25 
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Shame, you probably missed out on some excellent movies. Most of Kurosawa's output was in b&w.
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