re: The Criterion Collection 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
 

Another Criterion annoyance - takes forever to release a disc.

re: The Criterion Collection 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
 

Jason Polan, the artist who does the clues. died of cancer: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/a...olan-dead.html

I wonder if that had something to do with the lack of the traditional NY drawing.

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Well now I feel kind of bad for scoffing at how ridiculous some of those clues were.

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Honestly, I would have preferred almost any other Scorsese movie than The Irishman to be on Criterion.

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Yeah I keep hearing people are very lukewarm on the Irishman. I'm surprised it's getting a release.

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I'm not sure Criterion is the proper home for any of these Netflix titles, at least not yet. The vast majority of titles in Criterion's library have earned their spot by demonstrating their 'importance' over time; importance to film history, to a particular cultural, political or social history, or to the career of the director, performer or other key filmmaker(s) behind the production, in the latter case preferably because it was a first or early film that showcased styles, philosophies or statements that became hallmarks of their later work. Now the barrier to entry seems to be nothing more than being a brand new "prestige" movie with little to no studio backing and no disc-based distribution deal from the get-go, and getting nominated for and/or winning a bunch of awards. The time factor is gone.

These are all excellent films, granted, and obviously the mutual benefits to both companies were considered significant enough to override any grumbling from nobodies like me: Netflix gets the prestige aura of the Criterion brand; Criterion gets first dibs on buzzy (though not necessarily worthy) movies that score award nominations and/or wins now that the whole playing field has evolved. As much as I believe these films would have been more appropriately divvied up among a diverse array of disc distributors, and not just Criterion which instantly gives them an air of "importance" they might otherwise not have earned over the long term under the old system, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Netflix (not to mention the other streamers) announces "deals" with Kino, Shout, Film Movement, etc., or even cult-ier labels like Severin or Vinegar Syndrome for their less-high-profile homegrown, foreign and genre titles currently swimming in the ether with severely diminished visibility and discoverability. I don't know, maybe that's a good thing all around when you consider that the 'dialogue' surrounding the majority of Netflix and other streamers' movies pretty much dies within days or weeks of their being posted for streaming. Discs still provide a different kind of shelf life and physical presence that films lose when they're buried in a constantly enlarging digital wasteland. But I do think Criterion, specifically, will undermine their own mission statement if they keep this up and remain the only distributor tied to Netflix.

re: The Criterion Collection 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
 

It's overlong and repetitive as hell. I have no idea why it gets the praise it does. It's a good movie, nothing more.

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Criterion has been releasing new titles for years both through their IFC arrangement and relationships they have with various directors. Their "mission statement" is mostly marketing, but even then I'm not sure something like the Irishman, a best picture nominee from an industry legend, is any less important than the 23rd best film by Kurosawa.

As for the Irishman itself, it is long, and it is slow, but I also think it's thematically richer than something like Goodfellas. Also, it's a big deal for the Irishman to get released, by Criterion or otherwise, because unlike every other film in Scorcese's filmography, there was legitimate concern that there would be no release anywhere.

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Them releasing mainstream, commercial titles like The Irishman helps them to be able to release the 23rd best Kurosawa film.

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Yea, no one should take Criterion's mission statement seriously. They've released MANY films that don't really meet the criteria set in their mission statement.
Releasing Netflix films doesn't do anything extra to tarnish their reputation - regardless of the quality of the films. It's probably tarnished already anyway.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EC1u75nXsAEwdS8.jpg

(The damn forum software here won't let me upload an image. It keeps freezing at 90%. Anyway, this is from a random Twitter user I found through Google Images.)

re: The Criterion Collection 4K/Blu-ray Discussion and Release Thread
 

I feel like some of y'all haven't read the mission statement in awhile.
Now, I think most people take issue with the contemporary films more than the classic ones, and what makes those contemporary films "important" is usually under more scrutiny than the classics. It's a vague enough mission statement that there's obvious room for Criterion to release whatever they want. I think that's by design. Criterion could release Freddy Got Fingered or Good Burger, and they could make a case for why those films deserve to be there. :shrug:

All of this is to say... The Irishman (and the other Netflix films) seem to fit right in with the mission statement, and pretty uncontroversially at that, but because they're newer, they're under more scrutiny by folks who aren't involved in the process.

edit: IMO, of course, Armageddon and The Rock absolutely 100% belong in the collection (and deserve Blu-ray upgrades, goddammit). Armageddon, if for no other reason, than the Ben Affleck commentary, which is priceless.

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There is a reason I said 'vast majority' rather than 'all', since I'm well aware of the Bay films, which were really the first two that started people questioning Criterion's choices (hell, I even justified them myself for awhile, but obviously the fact that Criterion made no efforts to keep them speaks to them being temporary sales boosters and little else). I also agree that they've released other, fairly recent films through various arrangements, and I've sometimes questioned some of those as well even as I've enjoyed the hell out of the experience of watching them. Let's face it, it's all marketing at the end of the day, and if some of these boutique labels are going to survive, they'll need to release content from streamers, and Netflix clearly just shot for the top. I just hope Criterion doesn't become the automatic dumping ground for everything Netflix considers 'prestigious'. Plenty of their films, arguably including some of these, are just as well if not better suited to labels like Kino and others. But hey, whatever gets them out there, I guess. I don't have to agree with where titles have end up; if I really want to own them, and the supplements are more than just fluff, I'll buy them eventually. :)

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soooo, digressing from the 'Netflix' conversation - did anyone watch this week's release: "All About My Mother" - holy sh*t !! uprezzed on my 4K player/monitor - the colors are simply gorgeous !! wow, just wow~!!

but back to the Netflix titles - I watched "American Factory" I don't think I'd ever have the desire to rewatch it, let alone, own it.

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I generally don’t buy any documentaries.

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Likewise.

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I feel the same. good doc,but surprise it is getting release by Criterion.

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I'm guessing the fact that it is from the Obama's production company makes it a gem for their collection.

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I think Hoop Dreams Criterion is fantastic. I think I even saw this with a friend who was a b-ball star growing up in our town and it was great. Hopeful, tragic. I admit I haven’t seen it since theater and bought Criterion DVD and have the Crit Blu. Tbh docus don’t have much replay value and this was nearly 3hrs if I remember. But I would like to see again with the extras that catches up with kids now or few years ago when produced for physical media. Not sure if blu adds any from dvd but I’ll check it out again eventually.

Am looking forward to getting to Matewan and just got All About My Mother. Love that one. Volver turned me on to Almodovar and loved this, Talk to Her. Loved The Skin I Live In. Can’t wait to watch Pain and Glory.

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I own a few documentaries -- including a handful of Criterions -- but they're all shows where the subject matter is dealt with thoroughly enough that they can stand as a reasonable 'final word' on the topic , making further exploration optional even if there are plenty of other materials out there. You don't necessarily feel like a sequel is needed. It also helps if the 'style' of the documentarian is as crucial as the subject matter. Among Criterions, though, I only own (and can easily revisit) F FOR FAKE, THIN BLUE LINE, GREY GARDENS, FOR ALL MANKIND and HEARTS AND MINDS (I've seen most of the others on the label, but didn't find them worth owning). They're all films that lived long, respected lives before Criterion ever entered the picture, though, which makes me wonder why AMERICAN FACTORY is so special (aside from that obvious Obama connection), particularly when it's not entirely the first of its kind, and there are other, equally socially conscious, exceptionally well crafted and critically-acclaimed documentaries dealing with the often troubling contradictions of "Chinese manufacturing and modernization" that might warrant consideration before something just posted online by Netflix (and yes, I'm aware that some of these already have DVD editions and/or can be found on paid or free streaming).

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Don't mind The Irishman at all, I thought it was good. If they can release every Wes Anderson film (sorry not all of them are good), then why not.

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And to see some Scorsese extras, especially if he had someone do a bts would be great...

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The Irishman is fucking great.

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Apparently at an event, Jim Jarmusch confirmed that Criterion is going to be putting out Ghost Dog and Coffee and Cigarettes.

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I think in the near future any catalog titles that aren't blockbusters will be made available to Criterion to license.

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I have been hoping Criterion would release Ghost Dog on blu.

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Looking forward to the Irishman and the Jarmusch titles.

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That's good news. Love Ghost Dog, can't say the same abut C & C.

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I need Criterion to get NF films like Buster Scruggs and Okja. I would prefer those to the Irishman any day.

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I keep hoping for some John Duigan films.

Particularly Flirting and and Lawn Dogs. The Year My Voice Broke would be nice, too.

Also, The Station Agent by Tom McCarthy.

Doesn't feel like it'll ever happen.

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Oscar Winner 'Parasite' to Join Criterion Collection

Memories of Murder also.

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https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...ac9922a12c.gif

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Nice! I can retire my Memories of Murder Korean import.

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Wish they'd also gotten Mother. The existing Blu-ray for that from Magnolia is kind of crap.

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I watched Mother the other night. I agree. It's not terrible. But it is very soft and the black levels are just totally off.

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Ooh, nice. I have the limited first-press blu of Memories, which seems to be going for around $200 right now.
Guess I'll try to sell it now before word of the Criterion edition gets out

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As I recall, it was also filled with aliasing artifacts and some color banding. A real mess of a transfer and encode.

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May:
Scorsese Shorts
Dance, Girl, Dance
Husbands
The Great Escape
Wildlife
Six Moral Tales - upgrade

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I'm down for more Cassavetes. Interested in the others and might pick them up during the next sale.

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:banana:

I've only owned the Region 3 DVD (Edko Release) of Memories of Murder, so I'm definitely looking forward to upgrading!