I am thrilled beyond words that a Walkabout re-release (my #1 Criterion want) is going to happen, with an all-new transfer and available in HD as well. I read the e-mail and was literally cheering at my computer screen.

Thank you, Criterion...you are the best!

I am extremely excited for Chungking Express. But I'm seriously considering getting them all. That might be bad.

I'm gonna collect all Criterion Blu-rays.

Well, we all knew that it was inevitable that Criterion would add Blu Ray to their releases. Once HDDVD was dead it was just a matter of time. I'm only surprised at how quickly this announcement was made!

I may very well upgrade Seven Samurai whenever they get around to that one. Ran is a no-brainer as it is a spectacular movie visually (and in every other way as well). As for the current releases The Third Man is particularly interesting (I've never seen it, and while I dislike the Harry Lime radio show with Welles, all the positive reviews and comments from film fans have made me want to see it), and The Last Emperor looks like a strong Blu Ray candidate.

No offense, but are you clinically insane?

As someone who has seen Casablanca probably 20 times on the original DVD, the 2-disc Special Edition and the HD-DVD, I feel qualified enough to tell you that there are few movies I've seen that so obviously and clearly benefitted from the loving HD treatment as this film.

Truly, if you can't tell the vast and obvious quality difference between the DVD and the HD-DVD of Casablanca, I suggest a good optometrist, a psychotherapist, a professional to fix your broken TV or a nice extended rest in the countryside, depending on circumstance.

I agree. This indeed, will be a first day purchase for me on Blu-ray, as soon as Warners gets around to re-releasing all of their HD-DVDs on Blu-ray.

How long did you stick to VHS exclusively?

It's the same "new" CC logo but with an extension so it also looks like a lowercase b.

You obviously didn't read the original post, the repost, or the post(s) where this is discussed. The BDs will be the same price as the DVDs. I know someone else answered this already, but maybe you didn't read their reply either.

This list was so good I didn't even see The 400 Blows or The Third Man on there, other must-haves. Once I was Bottle Rocket and El Norte and Chungking Express, I couldn't fathom there being more movies I would like.

Looks like KINO is joining the club as well

Kino to Begin Releasing Blu-ray this Fall

"Kino International, distributor of foreign and indie films in the United States, will begin releasing Blu-ray titles this fall. Sources tell us that the first high definition title they will release will be Wong Kar Wai's 'Fallen Angels'. No technical specs or supplemental features have been announced at this time.

One of the gems of the Kino's catalog is the 1927 silent film 'Metropolis', considered by many to be one of the most influential science fiction films of all times. It was recently restored in 2002 and would be truly a magnificent experience to see the film in high definition."


Chungking Express & Fallen Angels in HD should make a lot of folks happy.

What's the deal with Brazil? Are both Criterion and Universal eligible to release the Blu-Ray if they want? I saw this on the Comcast Uni-HD channel a few months back so Uni must have the trasfer done and waiting to go. I'd prefer to just get a single disk Blu release anyway and keep the criterion extras...

The idea of seeing The Third Man in high-definition -


I just bought the upgraded 2-disc SD DVD from Criterion very recently, and I'll still get the BD. I also have Walkabout and Wages of Fear, and I'll upgrade those too. Glad I help off on Last Emperor.

Black Narcissus is jaw-dropping even in standard-def, so I hope they release a hi-def version soon. The prospect is mind-blowing.

The difference between the Casablanca standard DVD and the HD-DVD version is night and day. The hi-def version looked like it was filmed yesterday. I sold it when I unloaded all of my HD-DVDs, but I'll definitely be rebuying that one in BD.

It's already due for Blu-Ray in the UK in June.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Narcis...0363819&sr=1-2

January 5 called. It urgently needs to speak with you.

That's very cool, but I'm going to hold out for the (hopefully) inevitable Criterion version with the Martin Scorsese commentary and excellent Painting with Light documentary about cinematographer Jack Cardiff.

Yes, either could release it, although Criterion would retain the rights to the extras they produced.

As far as having an HD transfer ready, that really doesn't mean much. There are thousands of movies with HD transfers, but that doesn't mean they're being worked on for BD release.

They probably wouldn't need 3 discs with BD anyway, as the extras are almost certainly in SD. I'm not even sure they'd want to do a new HD transfer of the edited version.

BTW, I think alfonsosoriano meant that he was waiting to see if this turns out to be widely adopted or a niche. That is still uncertain.

The Brazil remaster just came out last year right? Or was it 2006? Either way, it looked great on DVD, and any BD based on this new transfer would be quite good I think.

this is no joke but i finally got around to ordering "the third man" and less then 5 seconds after placing the order i got the email from criterion, and quickly went to cancel it, man that was close!! VERY HAPPY about the news!!

I don't understand your first point...

I love movies and own over 4000. I love the DVD presentation. I think where I'm coming from is that I am not interested in buying new technology to view movies. I'm content with what is there and am happy with the price and library I have invested in. I am also eagerly awaiting all of the obscure titles that have not yet been released. All I see Blu-ray as, is a chance for companies to sell the next hot gadget at a higher price, the same movies over again at a higher price and at the expense of new movie releases that aren't out yet, and frankly, I'm still not convinced it will emerge as the dominant format in the next 5 years.

I really don't want to go back to paying 20-30 bucks per disc and as I said before, I hate the blu-ray cases. They're a gimmick and they look horrible. Criterion is a huge part of my movie collecting interest and I will not be following them into blu-ray. This is why I think that my movie collecting will be greatly limited in the future.

Look what happens when you go on vacation!!!

Well, I take it you've never upgraded any title you had on DVD that was non-anamorphic or barebones to a better edition (including to a Criterion edition), because that would be buying the same movie all over again. I also assume you're using the same player you had when you started, because you wouldn't want to buy new technology to take advantage of things like progressive scan or upscaling to watch the same movies. Surely you don't have an HDTV, because you can watch most channels on an SDTV anyway.

Okay, I'm sort of kidding about that. If you're content with DVD, fine, but there's no need to just dismiss BD as merely a gimmick. Of course it's more expensive, but it will come down in price, just as DVD did.

BTW, there is no indication that Criterion is going to stop releasing new titles. Look at it this way: maybe the poor suckers who buy these BD editions will help fund other titles.

I keep seeing these....well....cavemen, I guess, all over the forums. Here, the Criterion forums, etc. People who seem, on some obscure principle, to object to the idea that somebody (in this case Criterion, a label built on technical excellence and true love of film) would want their films available in the best format available today.

They seem to take it as some sort of personal insult, and I just don't get it. I can't help questioning the motives of someone who thinks that their favorite films can ever be presented "well enough". There is no such thing as good enough.

I personally won't be satisfied until I'm watching the future Criterion Collection Doomsday-Ray version of Seven Samurai in my home with the smiling ghost of Kurusawa standing behind me telling me that finally somebody got it right.

And you're posting in this forum for what reason exactly?

Early on I had the "DVD is good enough" attitude but I really saw the light after I watched Kingdom Of Heaven.

I would say HDM has been the biggest revelation for me since getting into DVD and discovering OAR was predominant (I had already been buying widescreen VHS).

I spend good money annually to have my displays calibrated so to me it's a no-brainer to seek out the best presentation available.

The biggest threat to this generation of home video is definitely DNR IMO. The most exciting thing about HDM is getting closer to a film-like presentation, and that's something I think any film enthusiast would be excited about.

This is the only part of your post I agree with. The blue cases look like shit, though I like the smaller size. Hopefully somebody (maybe Criterion?) will have the nerve to break away and release some black cases.

The blue cases are awesome. Wouldn't mind some new colors though. DVD cases look like artifacts from the 80s in comparison.