Criterion in August
 

Spine 246 - I Vitteloni

-New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound
-The Making of I Vitelloni: an exclusive documentary featuring interviews with late actor Leopoldo Trieste, actor Franco Interlenghi, assistant director Moraldo Rossi, Fellini biographer Tullio Kezich, Fellini friend Vincenzo Mollica, and director of the Fellini Foundation, Vittorio Boarini
-Collection of stills, posters, and memorabilia
-Original theatrical trailer and movie newsreels from the time of the film’s release
-New essay by Grammy Award-winning writer Tom Piazza (Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey)
-New and improved English subtitle translation
-Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
-More!

Spine 247 - Slacker
-New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound supervised by director Richard Linklater and directory of photography Lee Daniel, made from the original 16mm film element

-Audio commentaries featuring Richard Linklater and members of the cast and crew

-It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988), Linklater's first full-length feature, with commentary by Linklater, available here for the first time on home video
-Rare casting tapes featuring select "auditions" from the over one hundred member cast
-Deleted scenes and on-set footage
-Footage from the Slacker 10th Anniversary Reunion in Austin, Texas in 2001
-Original theatrical trailer
-Stills gallery featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production and publicity photos, and early script versions
-History of the Austin Film Society, founded by Linklater with Lee Daniel, including early flyers from screenings
-Booklet featuring reviews, essays, production notes, an introduction to Plow by director Monte Hellman (Two Lane Blacktop, The Shooting), an essay by John Pierson (Spike Mike Reloaded: A Guided Tour Across a decade of American Independent Cinema) and a complete cast and crew listing
-English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
-Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
-Much more!

248 - Videodrome
-New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound and enhanced for widescreen televisions
-Audio commentaries by director David Cronenberg, actors James Woods and Deborah Harry, and director of photography Mark Irwin
-Camera, a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by David Cronenberg in 2000 as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Toronto Film Festival
-Forming the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by video effects artist Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s landmark video and prosthetic makeup effects, featuring new interviews with Rick Baker and others
-Samurai Dreams, the complete and unedited faux Japanese AV feature seen in the film
-Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris about censorship, special effects makeup, and horror cinema
-Original theatrical trailers, plus a promotional featurette
-Stills gallery featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos, many never before seen
-English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
-Essays by film critic Carrie Rickey and Videodrome expert Tim Lucas
-Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
-More!

Including Camera only makes Videodrome kick more ass. I can't wait!

this videodrome edition is
KICK ASS
I can't wait!

Videodrome is literally as excited as I can possibly get over a DVD. For me, it's like Star Wars for other people. Cronenberg is just a movie god IMO, one of the greatest living directors, I love this movie, & good lord those are some sweet extras.

I'm not a fan of Slacker, so that is one I'll pass on.

Good news about Videodrome but too bad Criterion still overprices their DVDs so much!

http://www.criterionco.com/content/i...ox_348x490.jpg

http://www.criterionco.com/content/i...ox_348x490.jpg

I couldn't find one for Slacker.

-rolleyes-
Can we never have a Criterion thread without that comment? If it's too expensive, please don't buy it.

Go roll your eyes else where. I like the film and i'm going to buy it but it sucks that it costs so much. If you don't like my comments than please don't read them.

It will be no more than 25 bucks at the site I buy from. I am not going to spam it, but that is not very much at all, considering how sweet a package it is...

Criterion does not overprice their DVDs.

He's going to have to read at least one of them, otherwise how's he going to know not to read any more of them in the future?

I'm all over Slacker and Videodrome.

those covers are awesome, especially for I Vitteloni

I've never seen I Vitteloni. Can anyone comment on how it compares to Fellini's other films?

...August might be a three-for-three Criterion release month for me.

Slacker is REAL?!!! I think some people on this forum and the Criterion forum owe someone an apology!

Unfortunately they do.

I find it funny that some American's complain that Criterion's are over-priced, when they're really just $5-10 more than other DVDs.

In Canada (unless you pre-order as soon as Amazon.ca has the title available) you can wind up paying anywhere from $20-$60 CAD more for Criterion's.

You have to understand whenever someone mentions how expensive they are, they will (usually) point to the MSRP. But, as Fed-Ex Pope pointed out, you can usually get Criterions for a lot less than MSRP. Let's take a look at an example for 2 recent releases from DVDPlanet:

Underworld 2-disc $24.47

Videodrome isn't listed yet but the MSRP should be typical at $39.95 for this type of release. DVDPlanet sells Criterions for 35% off ('m using the recent 3 Women as an example for the final price) so 3 Women $25.97

Yes, Criterions are more expensive ($1.50 in this case) but not that much more expensive... as long as you get them at the right places.

Decently priced criterion DVDs
 

Hey, Fed-Ex Pope! You can email me regarding the site you buy Criterion DVDs for $25, and so can anyone else that knows the site, in case I do not hear from him. Thanks!

As for I Vitelloni. I saw that once in the theater. I've seen most of Fellini’s films, read about him and even took a college course on him, and I can say it is one of his more marginal films. It's sort of like La Strada without the impact. It's good but packs a soft punch.

Of these three films, I am most interested in Videodrome. I'm glad I held off on the bare-bones release. "Death to Videodrome, long live the new flesh!" indeed. I love how it explores-- or maybe, better-put “fetisheses”-- videotape, a new technology for that time (1979-- I believe?), the way eXistenZ did virtual reality, a new technology for that time (1999). Though I think eXistenZ is the more accomplished film by a more mature director. Still, there is something to the mind-blowing fantasies of Cronenberg’s film, even the dated ones.

Well being in Canada, the prices are always much higher. Most Criterions are at least anywhere from 45 or 60 dollars here. I'd love to order from DVDplanet but the shipping is insane plus the convsersion to CAN funds, plus customs so it's not worth it, hence why i commented on the price.

Ah, okay... I understand, MSD. No Canadian sites with decent Criterion discounts? That would suck, though :(

slowcloud... look at my post above your :D

You have to pre-order from Amazon.ca as soon as the Criterion is available.

I pre-ordered Floating Weeds, The Tin Drum, Tokyo Story, Circle Rouge, La Strada and other 2-disc Criterions for $36 CAD at Amazon.ca. The single disc pre-order price can be a few bucks cheaper - I pre-ordered A Woman is a Woman for $27 CAD.

With the many $5 promotional gift certificates available to you, and the free shipping of orders over $39 - the prices are pretty sweet.

However, once you miss out on the pre-order - the price goes up anywhere from $10-20 at Amazon.ca

I avoid purchasing Criterions at retail, as they'll have Criterions with prices ranging from $50 all the way up to $90+ CAD. That's ridiculous.

yeah, that was the site I war talking about. 19.99 for the cheaper Criterions, 24.99 for the more deluxe editions. No tax, free shipping with orders with 3 items...I have bought about 20 from them so far, with no problems at all.

EDIT:(In Referrence of Tom's latest post.)

Even when pre ordering the price is still kinda high. It definitely stops me from checking out alot of their titles. I will pre order Viderdrome and any other C titles that i really want but it's a shame that they feel the need to continue to set such high prices.

www.dvdplanet.com has all Criterions for 19.99, or 24.99.

so let's stop complaining, eh?

(if you live in So.Cal. you can just buy them at their store)