I agree. They certainly look better than regular cases. Criterion is going to do for Blu-ray what it did for DVDs.

To me they just feel cheap. It don't equate those cases with quality, even if they cost more to produce. And I don't think the Blu-ray cases are gaudy or ugly, so to each his own.

They should have gone with Warner style Digibooks instead of those digi-paks if they wanted their cases to standout. Digibooks look substantial and they are easy to open and close unlike these slipcase shod digipaks.

Just when I thought I might actually own a Criterion or two. WTF. Criterion, stop being retarded and get a typical Miramax Blu-ray case, darken it a little so it's dark-blue, which would still let people know this is a Blu-ray disc, but with a little distinction. Not this 'tard digipak crap. Create some fancy inserts and blah blah blah, but don't change the fucking industry-standard packaging of Blu-ray movies, thanks. Buncha idiots. Christ, I'm so pissed at studios who do this shit.

Yeah, they sure are...by keeping their titles out of 99.99% of Blu-ray collections worldwide. I thought we were PRO-EXPANSION of Criterion's presence in the HD market, not for constricting it.

That's not Criterion's fault. It's part of their contracts with the studios.

I'm one of the few who like the Warner digibooks....but not these types of cases. They are a pain in the ass to take the discs out. I was hoping, if they were cardboard, to atleast be like what they did for Fear and Loathing DVD with a nice plastic see-through slip case. This style...ick. Isn't there a few music BDs that have similar cases (Mariah Carey).

Anyway....how is Netflix with Criterion DVDs? I'd like to check some of the ones out that I'm not buying in Blu, but don't want to spend $30 on a blind-buy.

http://i37.tinypic.com/25u33oj.gif

So you won't own a movie if it doesn't match the half-inch of blue plastic on top that the rest do even though it's the same size dimensions as a normal case? "Uniformity or death!" It's a case that sits on the shelf: relax. Complaints about wear and tear always make me chuckle, too. What are you doing that destroys these things? Take it off the shelf, watch the mov-- ohh, shiiiit! Cardboard, plastic and blood everywhere! Not again!

You're saying the studios forced Criterion to use that packaging?

I think he was referring to the titles being Region coded instead of Region free.

I was referring to the packaging. Region coding is another #*@&$(^$.

Ahh. Well I don't think packaging will turn off 99.99% of buyers. I'm certainly not happy, but it won't keep me from owning Bottle Rocket.

These are apparently region coded so fans in other places of the world will not be happy especially since there is only one real Region Free BD player (LG 200).

I have my limits on retarded packaging. Blu-ray box sets, ok, I can understand. But when it comes to a single release which could easily be packaged in a standard case, yeah, I get pissy. It's just Criterion going out of their way to prove they are different. Well, they sure as hell are.

I'm not sure you're familiar with Digipacks. The fuckers will fade after time, making your cute new Blu-ray Criterion Collection look like a bunch of out-dated cardboard cutouts. I've owned these Digipacks (or Digipaks) before. They suck royale asse, and since I actually watch movies in my collection on a regular basis, the wear and tear will cause fine white lines to appear along the pivot points of the outer and inner case, enabling quicker degradation.

I'm assuming you're ok with a studio who comes out with standard DVD height Blu-ray cases. I wouldn't like that either.

When it comes to having a standard case size, it helps those who collect movies, to have a better shelving system. When you have a bunch of awkward-ass studios who want their own packaging, it makes the movie collection difficult to organize. Seems rather moot, but this is the case when you have several hundred movies, and you want to condense the shelving height as much as possible, and so forth.

Further, the Blu-ray casing protects the internal artwork from any "unfortunate events" which might happen when you bring the movie out for play. Like I said, for those who actually watch their movies, instead of looking at them on their shelves, we tend to place our movies all over and especially if friends and family come over, we could have several movies lying out. In the unfortunate chance somebody's liquid from a soda can or glass of water or whatever is slightly pooled on a surface and we put our case down on it...no problem. But with these Criterions, there isn't any protection at all. It's all cardboard. So, there actually is a method to my Standard Madness.

I'll more than likely end up buying some of these Criterions on Blu. However, I'm getting custom cases, and custom artwork so they will fit in standard Blu-ray cases.

:up: Already working on Bottle Rocket for myself. I'm assuming the BD will be identical to the DVD with the exception of the audio so I'm working it around that. Let me know if you want me to PM it to you when I'm done.

Thanks, Giz.

That's a load of hooey!

My Fight Club digi-pack (to use an example) is almost 10 years old, has been watched numerous times, been packed/unpacked for moving 3 times, and it still looks brand new - if I shrink-wrapped it, I'd be able to get away with selling it as "new". So you're either grossly exaggerating, or you treat your DVDs like shit.

You were? I guess I saw worldwide and thought region coding. Frankly, I think the only people that care about the packaging are us, DVDTalkers.

Well, that's great. Once Upon a Time in America, to site my own example, developed white lines and the color faded. Come to think of it, several WB Digipaks had some degree of color-fading. I guess if I would have kept my collection in my basement, where a nest of bats currently are residing, I wouldn't be complaining. But I like to see my collection without a UV light.

Probably. :)

I just checked my own copy of OUATIA (bought when it first came out), though I've only pulled it out a few time since I've bought it, it looks brand new too, along with all my other WB digipacks. So, :scratch2: But then I don't keep my dvds in direct sunlight either.

Well, I'm glad you have no problems. I do, and it seems others aren't so excited about the packaging, either.

Hate the packaging. Canceled my preorders. Can't believe Criterion would drop the ball like this.

You must really hate the packaging to pass on these great movies in hi-def.

I like the packaging :shrug:

I can deal with cardboard, but please let these be the same size as standard HD cases. The Warner books sticking up bug the hell out of me and those full DVD size Sopranos sets are probably going in with the DVDs. Can't stand having those monoliths stuck in the HD section.

Yep.