I just got my first Criterion, Silence of the Lambs (used obviously, being OOP). I was quite shocked when it immediately went to the DVD menu. Not even an FBI warning. My first thought was "Bootleg!!! No!!!" but I checked the UPC and spine # and catalogue number and all match, so I assume this is normal. Are all Criterions like this?

pretty much...

You definitely got a bootleg.

I have the Criterion version of Silence of the Lambs - I bought it in store when it first came out.

And it does indeed go directly to main menu - I don't think you got a bootleg

I have checked few of my other criterion and they also go directly to main menu.

yeah it's probably to do with the fact some are unrated. or just the fact that big studios like all that crap in their big war against piracy..

bit of a joke really when i could find them 1000's of ebayers in minutes that are selling fake dvds. yet they dont stop them. it drives ebay prices of official dvds and rare videos down. i've owned things like monster squad and hearts of darkness which would have sold more had ebay not been flooded with fakes.

rant over.

Surprised there hasn't been more confirmation of this from other hardcore Criterion collectors here.
Yes, one reason why Criterion is so coveted, is that you don't have to deal with FBI crap,forced trailers,forced PSA's,etc...Pop the disc in and BOOM, you're ready to go.

Everything looks identical to the cover picture on Criterions site, and the photos in this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Silence-of-the-L...QQcmdZViewItem

The barcode, ISBN #, spine #, and catalogue # all match Criterion's website. There are no Asian characters on the cover, and there is an insert, a 2-page booklet.

Anything else I should do to check if it is legit? Should the ISBN number be somewhere on the disc? What does the text around the inner ring of the DVD say?

Looking around the inner ring of my DVD on the bottom of the disc - it says CC1530DVD two times (once normal, once inverted), L1 (D0711) (also inverted), and L0 (D0712) (normal). There's also two instances of a larger bit of text, written over those other numbers and the barcodes in an odd font - it looks kind of like 'nimbus' but I really can't say due to the peculiar font.

I have nearly 100 Criterions, and I don't ever recall one that didn't go directly to the menu. It's a class act all the way.

marty: Some of them have "The Criterion Collection" line animation.

bevil: My disc has different, but similar, numbers on the disc.

I have well over a hundred Criterions, and none of them make you sit through an FBI warning when you put the disc in - goes straight to the menu.

bevilacq12: Nothing to worry about. By all looks, that disc's completely legit.

I believe that animation usually plays at the start of the movie itself, not before the menu. May be wrong, though.

I may be wrong, but all Criterion DVDs have nothing in front of the main menu.

You are correct, sir.

The interesting question I'd like to pose is what non-Criterion dvds from major studios go straight to the main menu?

The only one I can think of right now is the new Apocalypse Now set.
I'm sure there are others.