DVD Talk Forum - Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

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Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

• Last Year at Marienbad will be released on Blu-ray (and DVD) "this Spring."

http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakin...-excellent.jpg

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccfixx (Post 9310357)

Blu-ray.com's review for "The Last Metro" is now up! Still not enough posts, though, to post the link.

Here it is.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giles (Post 9310586)

• Last Year at Marienbad will be released on Blu-ray (and DVD) "this Spring."

Good news since I sold my DVD last year for $270.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry P. (Post 9310968)

Good news since I sold my DVD last year for $270.

:jawdrop:

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

If Criterion did use BD-50 for the movie w/ commentary and added a second SD DVD to hold the special features and used the same booklets for BD that they use for the DVD, and improved their case designs for the BD, and charged a few dollars more for it, would you guys pay for it or would you prefer the current model?
I, for one, would pay a few bucks more to get a better product.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I'd have no problem right now paying $30 for any of Criterion's blu-ray releases if I were to get exactly what I wanted from them, which is pretty much what you are talking about.

CC

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Its been shoved in our faces numerous times that Blu-ray is a PREMIUM product and I have no qualms paying a bit extra if Criterion takes that extra step. But making the DVD superior to the Blu-ray in terms of Special Features is just wrong in so many ways. We've dealt with this crap with Fox, Universal, Sony before.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

has there been any rumours if the upcoming 'Trilogy of Life' Pasolini films will be released on both standard DVD and HiDef, since 'Salo' was DVD only - don't necesarilly want to preorder the BFI blurays (yes, I know they will be region B locked), only to hear that Criterion does plan on a dual release.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I emailed Jon Mulvaney about the Ran BD and got the same response as posted above. I emailed him again for added clarification.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD (Post 9311615)

Its been shoved in our faces numerous times that Blu-ray is a PREMIUM product and I have no qualms paying a bit extra if Criterion takes that extra step. But making the DVD superior to the Blu-ray in terms of Special Features is just wrong in so many ways. We've dealt with this crap with Fox, Universal, Sony before.

yeah! :mad:

http://www.diabetoboy.com/images/angry_mob.gif

shape up Criterion!

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I figured I'd write to Mulvaney as well, as I do find a couple things about Criterion's approach to be pretty concerning.

Here's my email. Feel free to borrow, cut and paste, whatever... but I do think Criterion should know some people are taking issue with some of their current decisions.

________

To Whom It May Concern:

I'm potentially worried about Criterion's present approach to blu-ray, which I understand to be as "We won't put anything on blu-ray which is not on the corresponding DVD."

This pledge to current DVD customers is surely appreciated from your (admittedly large) camp of customers who have yet to adapt, or do not plan to adapt, blu-ray. However, from a technological (i.e. film experience) standpoint, that same pledge seems foolhardy. Is your promise not analogous to the following? "Don't worry customers. We won't put anything on DVD which is not on the corresponding VHS." With a little perspective, it is clear how silly the statement is.

I find Criterion's stance to mean, essentially, "Outside of 1080p video, we will not take advantage of the technological abilities that blu-ray offers, so as to appease our loyal DVD enthusiasts."

I understand that blu-ray is still in its infancy (hopefully), but -- if Criterion's goal is truly to support and promote the best presentation of a film through audio, video and supplemental excellence (while remaining true to the creator's/creators' intentions) -- then Criterion is defeating their own mission by failing to promote the technological capabilities that blu-ray offers.

I hope that in the future, as blu-ray continues to gain momentum, Criterion can find its way into effectively using and pushing the medium to new limits. For now, I am disappointed that Criterion is not already at the forefront of discovering the possibilities of blu.

(It should go without saying that the blu-ray should include at least the features/extras that are/were included on the DVD -- with exceptions for rights issues. What is going on with the Ran disc and its special features??)

I will say, however, that I am extremely pleased of Criterion's early endorsement of blu-ray at all, and that seeing these films in 1080p is extremely exciting.

I look forward to any comment or response you feel is appropriate.

Sincerely,

/./

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Thanks for that great letter! I totally agree.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Is there any Blu-ray other than The Last Emperor that doesn't have the extras from the DVD?

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt (Post 9318611)

Is there any Blu-ray other than The Last Emperor that doesn't have the extras from the DVD?

Actually, I believe Last Emporer has all the extras. It does not have the TV version of the film, which isn't really an "extra".

Ran is missing 1 extra. And several are missing essays in the booklets, which are instead being made available for free online.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgray (Post 9318353)

And a response. I think it is a reassuring response without getting into any of the nuts and bolts of present releases. Anyway, Mr. Becker does seem to understand the point of my letter, and some of the other general concerns that have been aired here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Becker

Hi Chris,

Thanks for taking the time to write. My name is Peter Becker and I'm the president of Criterion. I totally understand your concern. When we say that features of our Blu-ray discs will also be available to DVD users, it is more in the spirit of reassuring longtime DVD collectors that when we find or create great new material or remaster a film, we will upgrade the DVD edition at the same time, not that we will leave supplements off the Blu-ray. In any case, it's a principle, not a policy, and we will be flexible about it. In some instances, we may decide to make the additional supplements available to DVD users through the web, for example, if the existing edition is otherwise up to date. We don't intend to hobble our Blu-ray effort by hitching it to a prior technology.

Of course our Blu-ray discs already have features that we could never produce on DVD, like the Timeline navigator that gives the user control of the movie timeline, audio tracks, chapters, and bookmarking, all from one screen. Ours is not the flashiest implementation of Blu-ray -- because the menus pop up during the movies, we've decided to strike a decidedly transparent and understated tone with those designs -- but it is extremely sophisticated from a Java programming perspective, which means we are actually pushing the format's capacities quite hard behind the scenes. So fear not. We are committed to making these films available in great editions that make full use of the format, and we have only just started out...

All the best,
Peter Becker

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Oh boy...we get bookmarks and a time menu. Woo hoo...

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Hey man, those achievements are stretching Blu-ray to their limit!

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suprmallet (Post 9320241)

Hey man, those achievements are stretching Blu-ray to their limit!

Is the on-screen menu that big of a pain in the ass? HD DVD (yeah, yeah) could do this from Day 1 and it never seemed like it was that important since most players have the ability to tell you not only how long you have watched into a movie, but the time left (via the display and the TIME button on the remote). I know Sony calls it the "Blu-meter", but it seems like it would be very easy to implement.

I still have never figured out how to bookmark a movie and go back to it later...never felt the need to. And rarely do I touch the color buttons on my remote.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I never use the color buttons on my player. That's some real weak shit, telling us that a timeline and semi-transparent on-screen menu is a technological achievement of some merit. Nothing new, so Becker needs to stop playing up a weak hand. Too bad he can't just shoot straight. Notice how he didn't even acknowledge the Ran question.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I'm sorry I don't get all the fuss with Criterion. Are you expecting Monica Vitti to give you a blowjob?

I don't get what other studios have achieved that Criterion hasn't implemented. BD-Live is a big freakin' joke. Disney has included some games, which are actually pretty entertaining but I haven't seen anything else that really Wow-ed me.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

I don't really understand why anyone would be upset over extra features not being in HD. Criterion's featurettes by and large consist of simple video interviews or clips from 30-year-old television interviews, and occasional archival footage. Hardly the sort of things that need to be reworked to be enjoyed. I can understand a bit more if there's a substantial documentary feature included, but honestly, would you rather Criterion spend the time and money required to transfer them into HD or use those resources on putting out more films? I know which I'd choose...

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

We're not arguing that the special features need to be in 1080p (at least I'm not arguing that). The argument is to make sure that not only is Criterion porting over all the special features from the DVD, but also that they're taking advantage of Blu-ray as a format by adding in things that can only be done on Blu-ray, such as PiP or BD-Live.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Yes, I think mainly PiP commentaries, etc., are what is being discussed. It took several years to figure out what "good" DVD extras actually were. How to use the new format? Criterion's earlier statements have seemed to indicate that they are opting out of that exploration ("Don't worry, DVD fans! You won't be left behind."), which is the part I was disappointed in.

If blu-ray is to succeed as a new format, DVD (or at least considerations of the DVD crowd when producing a blu-ray and its features) has to eventually be left behind.

I don't want to get into any argument about whether blu will supplement or replace DVD, etc.; I'm just explaining what the qualms with Criterion are about.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suprmallet (Post 9320617)

I am going to add a +1 here. Not having the extras in 1080p doesn't bother me at all. But what is the point of upgrading if my DVD has more features? There should be no reason (text stuff aside...I can always read my DVD one if needed) why they can't port it all over.

Re: Criterion releases on Blu-Rays

Last Year At Marienbad - to be announced tonight.

Pro-B