The black bars create a potential burn-in issue for plasmas and all that dead space could at least have something pretty going on... it could always be made optional.

The Third Man
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The 400 Blows

Ho. Lee. Crap.

Uh, please no textured pattern (though I guess it could be optional). I still don't understand why some people eagerly accept letterboxing but hate side bars. Both can cause burn-in.

Anyway, back on topic, I'm not that surprised they're charging the same price. I think their DVD pricing was outdated anyway. It will interesting to see what Amazon prices these at, as they don't discount Criterion DVDs as much as they do titles from studios and other distributors.

I hope Brazil is in the works. Surely they wouldn't need 3 discs this time, would they?

Great news. Also wishing The Ice Storm was in the first group.

excellent news but make sure you realize that they said they will START rolling out in October and not that all of these will be in October. I expect 2-3 at most for october.

This is amazing news. After all these years, finally Bottle Rocket. Time to upgrade my VHS.

The Third Man
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The Man Who Fell to Earth
The Last Emperor
El Norte
The 400 Blows
Gimme Shelter
The Complete Monterey Pop
Contempt
Walkabout
For All Mankind
The Wages of Fear

And El Norte too! I haven't seen that movie in 11 years. That one's even out on R1 DVD.

Crap, I just bought The Last Emperor in SD. I'll get that, Third Man, and Gimme Shelter.

Great news, no doubt.

I'm guessing if this wave of announced titles don't sell well, they may not do more.

I cannot buy 13 titles in one month...
well, I can... but the girlfriend won't be happy...

I'm surprised that "Seventh Seal" isn't on the list, given the region-free release by Tartan in the UK (which I suppose I'll order now)... "Black Narcissus" is also about to get a BR UK release, which I believe will also be region-free. Ah well, the more quality titles available overall the better. This is definitely welcome news... now to decide which "Last Emperor" to purchase (theatrical or box set).

Will we get Bottle Rocket SD? That's my only question from this.

Yeah, Great Expectations is also coming to BD in the UK.

Seventh Seal is well worth the import, btw.

Oh, I forgot about the most important issue: spine numbers.

Will these just use the same numbers as the DVDs? I think they'd be better off starting over. A collection would look awfully strange if lined up. That won't change in the future, since they probably won't get to do some of the DVD titles again, like This is Spinal Tap or Robocop.

Yes, "they will be priced to match our standard-def editions."

Unless that's a clever way of hinting that they'll be raising their DVD prices.

A great selection of titles to come out swinging with. I want almost all of them.

Gonna be sooooooo broke!

But so happy for this!

The Wages of Fear? Chungking Express!? GIMME SHELTER!?!?!?!?

Precisely the news I was waiting for.

And now Good Burger looks closer to happening!

I'm also wondering what kind of packaging they will be using. I can't imagine Criterion releasing Blurays in the regular BD packaging. Maybe they'll go for something classy and have the same BD packaging but clear instead of blue.

I'll probably buy all of them, and I don't even own a BD player yet.

PS. Why does everyone else get their newsletters before me dammit.

Sounds like you need a new girlfriend!

I'm sure its because of those releases that Criterion won't release them. It would make sense to test the waters with never before released titles. I think blu-ray collectors are more open to importing foreign releases than DVD collectors.

I can't see myself re-buying Criterions for blu. The only one that interests me that I already have is Contempt. I'll probably pick up Walkabout but that's a new transfer.

One has to wonder does this mean Criterion will stop with their window boxing?

CHUNGKING EXPRESS?? I think I just shat myself.

Great news all around that many have been waiting for.

Wow, 400 Blows, Third Man, and Wages of Fear ALONE make me want to get into the high def game. Still waiting to see how it all plays out though.

Oh man...The Third Man...time to upgrade.