thetao

Is there a more complete list of Criterion serial numbers somewhere, beyond what appears at http://kevyip1.blogspot.com ? I recently had the displeasure of buying a counterfeit of Hitchcock's Notorious from an Amazon seller. I didn't have an original on hand, obviously, but compared the front and back covers to the pictures uploaded to Amazon, and could not tell them apart. After removing the (also counterfeited) security labels, the DVD-R with a sticker on top, and single sheet chapter list were supremely obvious. The seller responded quickly, apologized, and readily refunded all of my money.

Today a copy of Spellbound arrived, and I have really no reason to think it's a counterfeit...the packaging is all there, the booklet is gorgeous, and there's even a security tag inside the case. The only thing I noticed is that the DVD manufacturer appears to be different, as the data on the inner ring of the disk has a different layout from my copy of Rebecca, which does match the serial numbers on the above site. If just for my personal curiosity, I'd like to match up Spellbound as well. Any suggestions? Thanks.

mdnitoil

I happen to have an original Spellbound. Tell me what you want to know and I can pull it off the shelf. I'm going to bed, so I won't get to it until the morning.

thetao

Cool, thanks! And I'll make it easy for you. Do these numbers match the inner ring on your DVD:

DVDL-063720A1 1
DVDL-063720B1 2

Neil M.

That matches my copy.

mdnitoil

Just so other people don't get freaked out because they have different numbers, my copy's numbers are:

DVDL-061670A1 1
DVDL-061670B1 2

The DVD was originally released on 9/24/2002 and I purchased my copy on 10/27/2002, so it would seem very likely that I have a first pressing.

thetao

Thanks, everybody! And the various pressings probably explain the different ring layouts between my Spellbound and Rebecca disks.

bse

I just received bootlegs of Alphaville and Ordet from ebay, the seller showed a location of New York but indeed my package was shipped from Korea. I e-mailed the seller about it and he said "All I do is refund shipping these real dvd no copy" - they are the worst bootlegs I have ever seen... now to file my multiple claims and wait.

Randy Miller III

One of my first accidental Criterion bootleg purchases was Silence of the Lambs back in 2001. It was obviously a fake due to the disc label (rather than the silver/black design), but the exterior was pretty convincing. I think it cost me $20-$25, which was the real annoyance...if you're gonna sell me a bootleg, at least make it cheap!

On a happier note, I found a legit copy at a used DVD store the following year for $10.

Regulus

I've seen it on sale for $5.00 at Wally's!

bse

Yet again I got screwed, thank you ebay - this time it was Ivan's Childhood. It came in a cardboard sleeve with totally different artwork...

I give up on anyone but personal sellers on ebay.

thetao

FYI, I since bought a proper copy of Notorious and can compare the covers. The counterfeiters did a really good job, as the layout seems identical. But they failed in the printing process: the official cover insert is a much deeper black, the small b&w photos on the back (and to some degree, also the cover photo) have better definition, and upon removing both inserts, the counterfeit has a dull appearance and plastic-like feel (laser printer, no doubt) vs. the original which is highly glossy and on standard paper.

I'm sure this is old hat to some of you, but I've never had the opportunity to compare a counterfeit to an original before, and wanted to post a few more details. Thankfully at least the next several Criterions on my list are still in print.