I was on my way back from Borders today after scouting out the 2 new Criterions today (way too high $36.00 for Early Summer for my taste) and it just hit me - I wish I could subscribe to their monthly releases, kind of like TIME-LIFE but without the option to return and at a discounted price. It would be great to pay Deep Discount DVD prices and not have to search around every month but just have it delivered to my door.

I'm a completist and I suppose this would only work for people collecting the collection and not individual titles, but I for one would sign up. I know I can order them online, but I just thought this would be one step easier.

Agree or disagree?

If I could get them at prices lower than DDD I would do it. As much as I love Criterions I do think they are priced a bit high. And if I had no choice but to buy every release I would expect a lower price.

No, I only buy the movies I want. If it happens to have a Criterion label on it, then I buy a Criterion but I'm not going to buy a movie just because it's Criterion. I wish I could say I was cultured enough to just love every movie that Criterion releases, but I'm not and I'm not going to try to fool myself or anyone else. If you do like them all though, that's cool and more power to you.

Kinda like a book-of-the-month club only better!

I'd pass. I do blind buy them sometimes, but only if it sounds like something I'll really like (lately, I've just been checking them out from the library).

Nay. A subscription doesn't mean it's cheaper than buying online.

I'm not interested in owning a film merely because it has the "Criterion Collection" seal of approval, so no I'd not be interested in committing to buying every DVD Criterion releases.

I wouldn't be interested. First of all, Criterion does indeed release some titles that I don't want. Secondly, taking advantage of sales such as the DDD 20% off and last year's DVD Empire Criterion sale is one way to keep the cost down.

Incidentally, Border's prices on Criterion are only 10% off MSRP, so I never would consider them as a place to buy these.

Yes i would, but.. with good discount let's say 50% off :-) (with free shipping everywhere not just North America).

So it's not happening.

I totally would do this, and even suggested it to them once via their site. From a business standpoint, they could easily offer us competitive rates since they would be getting whatever retail they charge--hence still making more than what they sell them to stores for. I would even pay a little bit more if subscribers were sent the discs early, like magazines.

An e-mail newsletter would be another great idea for the company.

There are several problems with this -
First DVDPlanet is selling most of the titles for 35% off with shipping (This is cheaper than the regular DDD price) With this rate of discount, it would be very hard to match.
Second what do you do with the very expensive CCs? There is a box set of CC coming out this Sept for over $100. At what point do you include this in the club?
Austin

I love Criterion, but I would never subscribe to the CC even if it were possible and I was able to get the discs at DVDPlanet proces.

That's because I'm only really interested in about 40 percent, maybe fewer, of the titles they release. Interested enough to immediately buy them, I mean. Since, even at 35% off, buying 2 or 3 Criterions eats up a goodly portion of my monthly DVD budget., many Criterions I prefer to rent first, rent only, or skip altogether.

Nevertheless -- I think a Criterion subscription service is a hell of a good marketing idea. I imagine a lot of people WOULD sign up for it. I'm surpised that DVDPlanet or Amazon or somebody hasn't already started this. All they would have to do would be pre-order a copy of every upcoming title in the collection for those people on the subscription list and then mail out the discs once they're released.

It's a nice idea, but it wouldn't happen.

Criterion's a niche business. Most fans buy up Criterions because they trust the brand. Criterion depends on those people who buy their movies just because of who's producing them. They can't depend on someone just picking up Floating Weeds in a shop and impulsively buying it. As a result, a subscription would only cut into the profits they're making from those who already buy up every Criterion.

I wouldn't do it.

Just because it has "Criterion Collection" on the cover, doesn't mean I'll enjoy the film.

There are around 30 stinkers (that I know of) that Criterion's released so far. The though of paying for these, and future stinkers is a total turn-off.

Nah unless they sold them for 50% off. I'm generally very happy with the collection having rented a bunch but I wouldn't buy every title unless I got some ridiculous deal. In contrast to Coral, I have only seen 3 that I didn't really care for but he has probably seen more than I have.

I do love Criterion, but I'm only interested in around 30% of their titles. Furthermore, I've probably on heard of 60% of their titles.

YEA!!! Tell em Ex-PowersWhippingBoy!

Jaime does has a point though... I'd love to be able to do this.

Another "No" vote... Aside from not needing to own every Criterion released, I hate the whole idea of "automatic shipments for your convenience."

A Criterion-produced email newsletter, informing subscribers of upcoming releases, new OOPs, etc..., is something I would be interested in!

1. But what if it were dvdplanet who actually decided to do this?

2. Do you actually think there is anyone who would be signing up for this in order to get everything who would not want to be included in the box sets? This is not a problem.


If I had the money, I would definitely do this.

Have you considered Film Movement? They do offer the subscription model as well as titles that are likely to appeal to a frequent Criterion buyer -- although they tend to do titles from the last 10 years, and usually much more recent. If you search around you can find yourself a 10% discount code to further sweeten the pot.

Sounds like the majority would not do it, just as I thought. However, I would think that if Criterion did do something like this, that all of those who collect every release might do it, and some of those who may be on the fence may be lured as well.

Those of us who collect every release generally don't have money as an obstacle (or don't let that obstacle stop us) and don't care if it's a popular film or if we've 'heard of it'. If it came to the door early, with a newsletter (nice touch!), and at a discounted rate I know more than a few collector's who would do it.

Not to start the whole 'Criterion Stinks' argument, but I do remind some of those out there that some of the movies show film history or some achievment in the advancement of film and aren't just really good movies. Some of us out there are really interested in that stuff and that interest should be respected.

I wouldn't be interested because I am only interested in probably 1 out of every 3 or 4 titles.

Hell no!

I'd definitely do it. I haven't heard of most of their titles before, but it only gives me the opportunity to see a potential "classic" I would have otherwise missed.

If only I had Salo for completists' sake....