Is there any way to spot a fake Criterion?
08-03-06, 11:06 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by dpz301
can you provide some ways to know which ones are fake? of course there is a way to tell, but not everyone knows.
http://kevyip1.blogspot.com/
08-03-06, 12:35 PM
#10
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The ones with the big C in the corner are fake. Some guy started up a bootleg company specifically to knockoff Criterions and he made up that stupid little logo and started an internet rumor to fool people into thinking Criterion changed their old logo.
08-03-06, 01:56 PM
#12
Here's the answer from Criterion's page:
Some other rules of thumb: Your DVD may be a bootleg if ...
... there's Asian lettering on the cover -- and it's not a Asian movie!
... the seller is offering thousands of a limited edition DVD.
... the DVD is not region coded, but instead region 0.
... the box art inset isn't sharp looking (looks more like a color photocopy) and is printed on cheap paper.
... your DVD order arrives and you discover the shipping address is in Malaysia.
... the DVD is advertised as new, but is more than 50% less than list price.
... the DVD itself has a generic-looking printing on it.
... the DVD is single-layer.
... you bought it on eBay or from a guy on the streets of a major city.
Personally, my rule of thumb is this ... I only buy DVDs from vendors I trust (at least those DVDs where I care about the authenticity).
How can I identify a bootleg Criterion DVD?
There's no sure-fire way to identify a bootleg Criterion disc. DVD bootleggers are extremely crafty and resourceful and they are not to be underestimated. A good thing to do is to make sure that the DVD's ISBN number, UPC code, and catalog number match those that appear on our website. In addition, look for our copyright and confirm that the audio, video, and features specs match up. Although this cannot definitively determine a disc’s authenticity, you can feel safer if this information is consistent.
Oftentimes, bootlegs will be advertised as official Asian Criterion DVDs. This is not to be trusted! Criterion has never released alternate Asian editions of any of our DVDs and we have no plans to do so.
There's no sure-fire way to identify a bootleg Criterion disc. DVD bootleggers are extremely crafty and resourceful and they are not to be underestimated. A good thing to do is to make sure that the DVD's ISBN number, UPC code, and catalog number match those that appear on our website. In addition, look for our copyright and confirm that the audio, video, and features specs match up. Although this cannot definitively determine a disc’s authenticity, you can feel safer if this information is consistent.
Oftentimes, bootlegs will be advertised as official Asian Criterion DVDs. This is not to be trusted! Criterion has never released alternate Asian editions of any of our DVDs and we have no plans to do so.
... there's Asian lettering on the cover -- and it's not a Asian movie!
... the seller is offering thousands of a limited edition DVD.
... the DVD is not region coded, but instead region 0.
... the box art inset isn't sharp looking (looks more like a color photocopy) and is printed on cheap paper.
... your DVD order arrives and you discover the shipping address is in Malaysia.
... the DVD is advertised as new, but is more than 50% less than list price.
... the DVD itself has a generic-looking printing on it.
... the DVD is single-layer.
... you bought it on eBay or from a guy on the streets of a major city.
Personally, my rule of thumb is this ... I only buy DVDs from vendors I trust (at least those DVDs where I care about the authenticity).
Last edited by brainee; 08-03-06 at 01:59 PM.
08-04-06, 09:00 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by brainee
... the DVD is not region coded, but instead region 0.
Bootleggers are getting better. The best rule of thumb is to not buy OOP discs from people or sources you don't trust 100%. If you use Ebay quite a bit, you'll see some sellers keep auctioning off the same OOP discs over and over again. Also, go with your gut. If it doesn't seem right, or anything is questionable, move along.
If you should end up buying a Criterion bootleg, I'd suggest contacting Criterion about it, and giving them all the details available, including the disc. They get a lot of mail, and so you might not get an immediate reply. Have patience, it's not that they don't think it's unimportant, it's that one person reads the hundreds of emails they get and it will take awhile before they read yours. They also reward the people that help them...
08-04-06, 11:53 AM
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I'm gonna buy Hard Boild Criterion and its sealed.
What concerns me is that the security sticker on it doesn't say Criterion Collection on it and just says the movie title.
What concerns me is that the security sticker on it doesn't say Criterion Collection on it and just says the movie title.
08-04-06, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Celpacius
I'm gonna buy Hard Boild Criterion and its sealed.
What concerns me is that the security sticker on it doesn't say Criterion Collection on it and just says the movie title.
What concerns me is that the security sticker on it doesn't say Criterion Collection on it and just says the movie title.
08-04-06, 02:31 PM
#17
Originally Posted by brainee
Some other rules of thumb: Your DVD may be a bootleg if ...
... there's Asian lettering on the cover -- and it's not a Asian movie!
... the seller is offering thousands of a limited edition DVD.
... the DVD is not region coded, but instead region 0.
... the box art inset isn't sharp looking (looks more like a color photocopy) and is printed on cheap paper.
... your DVD order arrives and you discover the shipping address is in Malaysia.
... the DVD is advertised as new, but is more than 50% less than list price.
... the DVD itself has a generic-looking printing on it.
... the DVD is single-layer.
... you bought it on eBay or from a guy on the streets of a major city.
... there's Asian lettering on the cover -- and it's not a Asian movie!
... the seller is offering thousands of a limited edition DVD.
... the DVD is not region coded, but instead region 0.
... the box art inset isn't sharp looking (looks more like a color photocopy) and is printed on cheap paper.
... your DVD order arrives and you discover the shipping address is in Malaysia.
... the DVD is advertised as new, but is more than 50% less than list price.
... the DVD itself has a generic-looking printing on it.
... the DVD is single-layer.
... you bought it on eBay or from a guy on the streets of a major city.
... there's no insert, even though the official version is supposed to have one. (Do bootleggers bother with inserts? Criterion's usually have very nice ones.)
... there are grammatical/spelling mistakes on the box.
I know its easy to get in-print DVDs from trust-worthy sources, but I can understand how its a lot tougher to get the OOP ones. Again, to be safe only go with sellers you can trust. And a very good eBay feedback rating should NOT be taken as a sign of trustworthiness. Some of the worst bootleggers on eBay have fantastic ratings because most people just don't know any better. Though they'll have a few negatives/neutrals sprinkled in their 99+% feedback score -- pay attention to these. What makes it even harder is that some sellers will retaliate with their own negative feedback on the buyer (or at least threaten to do so) -- since they have thousands of comments the negatives are hidden, but sellers will have their overall rating affected much worse by individual negatives.
08-04-06, 03:38 PM
#18
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This doesn't specifically relate to Criterions, but often I notice that printed on the inner ring of the DVD is a series of numbers and that typically part of those numbers match the catalog ID number listed somewhere on the DVD case. If I buy something off Ebay or Amazon Marketplace, that's usually one of the first things I check.
EDIT: (And I also verify the catalog ID number is correct by checking a site like IMDB or DVD Empire that might have it listed or display it in a photo of the back cover.)
EDIT: (And I also verify the catalog ID number is correct by checking a site like IMDB or DVD Empire that might have it listed or display it in a photo of the back cover.)
Last edited by rennervision; 08-04-06 at 03:42 PM.
08-04-06, 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted by KFelon
I know I have at least 1 single layer Criterion... Sword of Doom
although it doesn't say on the back, if you look at the disc it is.
08-04-06, 08:10 PM
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I have a sealed "Hard Boiled" Criterion Collection DVD and the top white security sticker has a DVD logo on the left, the words HARD BOILED in the center and a barcode on the right. Nowhere does it say Criterion Collection on the white security sticker on the top. I'm sure my copy is legit since I bought it at Best Buy before it was out of print.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
08-05-06, 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by dick_grayson
depends on the disk. which Criterions specifically are you talking about?
i always wondering how to go about looking them up, but never got to comparing the serial numbers.
08-05-06, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by fender69
I have a sealed "Hard Boiled" Criterion Collection DVD and the top white security sticker has a DVD logo on the left, the words HARD BOILED in the center and a barcode on the right. Nowhere does it say Criterion Collection on the white security sticker on the top. I'm sure my copy is legit since I bought it at Best Buy before it was out of print.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Awesome, thanks. That just helps finalize the sale for me.