Yeah I love my 2-disk Criterion Rebecca. That is actually IMO one of the most enjoyable and easy-to-watch hitchcock films.

off topic but the only Hitchcock I never really liked was Mr and Mrs Smith. ugh.

All the Criterion Hitchcock's are fantastic in my opinion. I need the new Lady Vanishes. And I wish they would get more of the Public Domain ones out.

Another (non film) forum I frequent, a poster called Two Lane Blacktop the worst film he had ever seen. I haven't ever seen it, but will get to it eventually.

Yes, it was in the eclipse line. As to how someone can hate so many great movies: just because they were well made doesn't mean they won't be boring as hell.

You get out what you put in

I'm embarrassed to say this, but I was very disappointed with Breathless.

I thought this film was going to have the same energy and impact as La Dolce Vita (yes, yes, different director, I know).

This is so often cited as a seminal or landmark film from that era, but it just went nowhere for me. It seemed a full third of the movie was that one scene where the two principals are engaging in dialogue in that small appartment.

Yes! It sounded like a goddamn robotic frog.

I will admit to hating Alphaville and Breathless as well.


And I generally like pretentious movies.

But aren't all films pretentious in some way?

I love A Bout de Souffle. I think Godard is an acquired taste, you have to pretty much expect all the characters to be terribly unlikeable.

That's why I like them.

I hardly ever buy a DVD without having previously seen the film (either in the cinema or on TV) so I don't have any complaints about the titles which I have. Nevertheless I think Criterion, as a label, is vastly overrated. Other labels issue DVDs of better quality and far more impressive extras yet for some reason don't receive the same sort of adulation. I particularly dislike their heavy reliance on text material for many titles - I don't want to read text on a TV screen.

You must still be living in '98. Take a look at any of their recent releases and you will find extensive video and audio interviews, documentaries, production photos, and sometimes a whole other film (stranger than paradise, threepenny opera, berlin alexanderplatz, lady vanishes, the upcoming The Sporting Life)

Which circle of Hell is this thread?

Although I love the movie, I was a litle disappointed that Unbearable Lightness of Being didn't have more special features. It has a commentary track, but that's it.

I don't have many Criterions, so I don't really know the answer to this question: are there many other Criterions lacking special features?

Yea, if criterion uses text stuff now, it's in a booklet. And all of their booklet's are great. I've never seen a single extra on a Criterion disc that wasn't valuable and great (now someone will post one).

How about the easter egg on Tin Drum?

Lots of work for not much payoff.

I sometimes enjoy the search in finding hidden nuggets on a DVD and find small things like a rare photo or a snippet of video that makes you smile or say 'cool' to be an appropriate payoff. I hate it when they hide something major, like a special cut of the film or a documentary. I spent my cash, i want to have easy access to the major bonus stuff.

CRITERION earned its stature during laserdisc's heyday; they were the only company doing quality work until much later in the game. More so than now, they had quite a few studio titles released in deluxe packages loaded with extras that paled the studio releases in comparison. At this point, they are pretty much working form the Janus catolog and picking up some studio films that seem to have fallin out of studio control (DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER was a RKO title) and some foriegn films.

They do a great job still, but most of the studios can do it just as well if not better these days. The recent release of WB's 1927 version of THE JAZZ SINGER is a package that is amazing in it's depth and quality of material and is the kind of thing that use to be sole territory of Criterion in the day.

The flip-side is Criterion can lavish attention on films that would otherwise see pretty substandard releases from other sources. Who else would have put out a package like MR ARKADIN which has 3 different cuts of the movie? Or superior versions of some public domain titles like CHARADE or MOST DANGEROUS GAME?

But there is no denying that the have put out there share of howlers too....

what's the easter egg on 'The Tin Drum' ?

There's a couple. The one I was referring to is a still of Schlondorff with his Oscar.

Even though it hasn't come out yet, I would put Walker at the top of my list. I was very disappointed when the film came out, and it still doesn't do anything for me. I wish Criterion would have gotten the rights to another, much better Cox film, Highway Patrolman.

Of those I own, I was disappointed the most by Sanjuro. Although I like the film, it just didn't have the impact on me like the other Kurosawa Samurai pics.

And for presentation, I was disappointed that Kwaidan was not the full length version. Sold mine and picked up the "Masters of Cinema version".

well, I think disappointing Criterions is a redundant statement. There seems almost always something that makes me feel I didn't get my monies worth. If it's not the movie itself, it's the transfer, the supplements, or maybe the packaging (I still think their menus and navigation is one of the worst out there. I have seen $1 DVDs with better menus).

95% of the time I sell my Criterions and if the movie is really good, I use the money to get another version (just as good, if not better transfer/supplements) from another company and have $ left over to buy 1 or sometimes 2 other DVDs.

My rule now is Criterion is my LAST resort. Only if a) no other studio is releasing this film in any region, b) it is one of my favorite films, c) reviews for the A/V are stellar that I will put it on my wish list. Even then I hope a friend or family will get it for me : )

Too many sales for SD lately. I think Criterions (at least the ones that I want) run an average of 2 to 4 times what other studios are charging. Sometimes the ratio is even higher. I got the Passenger from Big Lots for $2. If Criterion would have released this, it would have cost me literally 10 times more - probably for the same transfer and supplements!

I don't think ANY movie is worth $24 on SD. (that's what I typically see these on sale for). High Def? Even then I think that is high, but I might accept that as we are in the early adoption phase of that format. But for SD?

Just my 2 cents...

I wish Criterion would go back to rescuing more PD films.
I desperately crave a decent edition of The Scarlet Pimpernel, and I know MGM isn't going to be putting it out. Most Dangerous Game is a great movie, beautifully presented, at a killer price. Very well worth the slight premium C charges.

My copy of Breathless just came in today from the DVD Planet sale back in Nov.
I expect to not really dig the film. In fact, I never before even wanted to bother renting the film out, because I knew that most of its rep, and lasting stature was not built on a great story with amazing characters but rather storytelling traits that were radical at the time, but have since been homogenized and filtered down thru to much of what I've seen in my lifetime.
The sole reason I bothered to buy it was because of Jean Seberg. I had just watched her in Bonjour Tristesse, and thought she was impressive, and Breathless was one of the few titles she was in that I could buy.
Also, being a criterion, after I do get around to watching it-which may take a while- it should hold its resale value pretty well.
That was the motivator for that purchase.

Just sold off my copy of La Dolce Vita. had for about 2 years and never made it past the 30 minute mark. Didn't hate what I saw- just wasn't compelling enough to keep around when I have such a backlog of things I want to watch more right now.

I am sure you are probably going to get a lot of shit for this post and I would like to defend Criterion but you are right on many points. I love my criterions but I have been disappointed with the extras many times (not that they are bad but i wish they'd put together some all new in-depth documentaries for some of the films. For the price we are forced to pay we should get this kind of stuff. Also, i do think it is time they cut some of those prices. I'm sure it wont happen but i know if I could find some of those titles for $10 i would pick em up.

Thank you. One other thing I should mention about the high price is that is INHIBITS me from blind buying some films. Like you, for $10 I am willing to try something new and different. But for $24? And, as we all know, just because something is foreign does not mean it is inherently a great film..

Moving to high def really scares me.. How much will Criterion charge for those? $70 list?

My thoughts, as well. I would really have liked a commentary or something, although I did know there wasn't anything when I bought it. I still enjoy the film, and think it's worth it for that alone.

that's why I sign up for Netflix about a month before each sale.
Usually it helps me in general sate my curiousity on certain movies so I don't spend a lot of money on impulse blind buys. This year it kind of backfired though. Both Robinson Crusoe and A Canterbury Tale were so good, I not only felt compelled to own those, but to blind buy more in the hopes of repeating the same pleasant experiences.
The last of the order came in today. Haven't watched em , so I can't say I'm disappointed yet :)

I can understand the criticism regarding Criterion's pricing but compare that to Warner's magnificent The Jazz Singer set; dvdpricesearch.com's cheapest price is $27.07.

I can't understand it when people complain that there are better versions in other countries because that simply isn't true. I check out DVDBeaver religiously and do as much research as I can when purchasing titles, very few Criterions are bested by other regions' releases.

So, yes Criterions are expensive but they aren't ridiculous. I can imagine if you expect to purchase great movies loaded with tons of features for only $2 than yes Criterions are astronomically priced.

Steve,

Some of your claims are unfounded. Bad menus? Maybe the early discs, but that was a time when all DVDs had wacky menus. I really appreciate there menus because they use as little as possible. Often the "play film" option is right with the bonus features on a page.

Their transfers, let's say within the last 5 years, have all been the best of the best. PopcornTreeCt, brought up DVDbeaver, and that's enough proof for me.

Let's also not forget that they will put much more effort into certain lesser known and appreciated films then a studio might. Studios only match Criterion discs when it's a very famous and popular film.

I also really think people value the length of an extra much more than the actual content. A 15 minute extra could tell you everything you need to know, why extend it further if it isn't necessary? They don't pad out their extras like every studio does and that alone makes it worth it.

In the end price is irrelevant, if you love a film enough you'll pay whatever it takes. That's who Criterion makes these for, and they price their discs fairly in my opinion. Especially when you consider the crazy deals on the net. I really don't understand your grips with price, Steve, when you seem willing to go out of the Region to purchase the best disc. That has the potential to be more than the 24 dollars you're willing to spend.

And whenever Criterion decides to move to high def you can bet it'll be when the prices drop are about the same as DVDs, which is rapidly approaching. They've all ready produced a number of high-def transfers so that shouldn't factor into a more expensive disc.

I've been on the fence about several of their films, but to be honest, the only Criterion that I've really disliked was Brazil.

Yup. I'd like to hear some examples of these "better versions".

Here is a thread of "better versions" of criterion titles.

I have about 90 Criterions and only a couple are available in other editions.At least in Region 1.My biggest disappointment was Berlin Alexanderplatz.I've never been a big Fassbinder fan but this a big bore.And I know it's the best print that exists but it's still terrible.

I'm trying to keep out of this thread but the BA print looks spectacular for a 16mm TV print that was neglected for years. Why in the world would you spend copious amounts of bucks on BA if you didn't even like Fassbinder?

You don't even have to leave the country to find one -- Anchor Bay's The Long Good Friday.

The Criterion edition is non-anamorphic and bare-bones apart from a trailer. AB's is anamorphic, has a commentary, a substantial documentary, a Cockney-English dictionary, and the screenplay. It even comes with an essay.

DVD Beaver says that the Criterion is slightly sharper, but other reviewers (including DVD Savant and Preston Jones) give AB the clear edge.

I didn't buy it-I rented it.

Ah, my mistake.

I just saw Eyes Without A Face, a great film. Reminds me of "Zombie Holocaust" almost.

Days of Heaven

I read the reviews thought it would be an interesting film. Terrible is all I can say....

Andrei Rublev
 

ANDREI RUBLEV was ponderous, monotonous and ugly. Add to that some excruciating and always unnecessary animal cruelty and you have a very sad experience watching this DVD.

RUBLEV himself was a fascinating historical enigma and I normally enjoy exhaustive tales of Russian history that drag on as long as their winters, but this film was just too weary and bleak. I think the depiction of the period is quite vivid and realistic and I appreciate the efforts to make it so, but the expression of it lacked any soul, completely negating the purpose of RUBLEV's actual art.

The trouble with Criterion is that like most pretentious cinephiles they invest nothing but blind faith in the oft misinterpreted auteur theory that claims EVERY film by an auterist is worthwhile.

Extending that same sort of misguided trust in every single Crterion DVD is equal folly. Although they like to perpetuate the impression that they are not a business entity, they do have a bottom line and are not above releasing crap under the guise of something more significant. On the whole I think they do a fine job and adhere to a mission statement of quality, even if it's only one imposed by its most fervent fanyboy acolytes. But at the end of the day I wouldn't place them on the pedestal many do if only because no company deserves that kind of implicit devotion, especially one that too cleverly exploits the OCD of collectors with silly things like spine numbers. It's all part of the show, folks!