Totally agree that the Coppola approach is preferable.

Best bet is to look up the more high-profile, tech-savvy reviews of Chungking Express, but ultimately there isn’t much choice regardless. He tinkered with all of them in reverse-engineering his little ‘universe’ or whatever, so if you don’t have the earlier Blu-rays of the four that were released over here prior to that (ITMFL, Chungking, Happy Together, Fallen Angels), or the HK Blu-rays of the first two, and can’t pony up for them now, then you’re kinda stuck with what’s in the box and/or these singles that now appear to be emanating from it. And at this point, there has been so much debate for and against that it’s probably easier just to cave and “be happy you get anything” (which is my takeaway from his fiddling around and then removing the originals from the being re-acquired). Searching ‘Chungking Express Criterion alterations’ brings up an almost unbearable number of discussions, with probably an equal amount of gushing and dismay. Ditto for most of the others. But that’s the era we live in, unfortunately. If he decided to reissue them all looking like Derek Jarman’s Blue, there would absolutely be a substantial contingent claiming they never looked better, it’s the way they were always meant to be, etc.

I avoided the box for years and only sprang for it in the last Criterion sale, mainly for the extras and ‘collected’ presentation, after having signed out a few of the versions in it from the library here, including CE. I’m not into 4K so that’s where they end for me. On the four with pre-existing North American Blu-rays, if the mood hits me I’ll always go with those older discs. I guess at the end of the day, though, his storytelling and the performances by the top HK actors still shine through in all of the variants, especially Chungking Express, so there’s that.

This is somewhat of an aside since it doesn't apply to discs you can purchase, but on the Criterion Channel, for In the Mood for Love, there's an "alternate version" you can stream which is "the 2000 theatrical version of In the Mood for Love in its original color." It shows up as an extra in the In the Mood for Love collection on the streaming service. The same thing is true for Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, and Days of Being Wild. (2046 is not currently on the service.) It's frustrating that those are not on the discs in the box set, but at least they are available to stream still.

I've been wanting to see Anora, but I don't want to blow $25 on a blind buy. I'm beyond those days of spending money like that. Hopefully it comes on a subscription service I have so I can see it 1st. Wasn't able to see it in the theater.

Good to know they haven’t been completely mothballed, but yeah it would be even better if disc aficionados could have the same option without breaking the bank buying the older ones. I presume Wong was ok with that. Maybe even he realized the ‘debate’ he created was too strong to just lock the original versions away.

It’s Neon so it’ll be on Hulu.

I'm good on Chungking, my paper sleeve Blu-ray isn't going anywhere. I've been buying digital more these days, so Anora is in the Apple library now. That was worth the blind buy. I'm assuming Some Like It Hot is probably an obvious blind buy.

Titane, which was also a NEON hit at Cannes, didn't waste much time appearing on Hulu compared to this one. Hopefully, this will appear there prior to The Oscars!

Already have Some Like It Hot on 4K -- paid $7.99 for it when Kino had their OOP sale a few weeks ago, along with a few other 4K titles that I'm sure CC is getting back again. They'll be the same transfers, too.


I will get Anora but in a 50% off sale.

Nice.



(and an obvious nod to Franco and Miranda being mentioned in the closing credits)

It seems to be popping back up at theaters around me. I have to imagine it'll be playing in the coming weeks in LA.

Love the Soledad Miranda & Jess Franco tribute for the cover of Anora (2024).

Can't wait for the 4K!

Refresh my memory. Was the first Criterion Blu-ray release - the one in the cardboard digipak that was a Criterion Blu-ray launch title - the altered version of the film, or did that all happen later?

That happened later.

Between Criterion flash sales and Barnes & Nobles' sales, does anyone not wait for a 50% off sale before buying a Criterion title? They're not limited like other boutique labels, there's no reason to ever pay more for a Criterion disc.

I also recall the earlier CHUNGKING EXPRESS getting a replacement plastic case because those cardboard cases were kind of a bad idea. I remember mine came damaged, as did another of those early Blu-rays, and Criterion ended up sending plastic cases at some point. I’m assuming replacements were offered for other titles in that early run, too. So if you’re more keen on the older, unadulterated version of the movie, it might be worth comparison shopping to know which packaging you’re getting.

There are... just take a look at the "last Blu-ray you bought" thread. Or those "Day 1" types.
I don't get it.

They offered replacement cases for all the early blu-ray releases for like $5 or something, and I am kind of kicking myself for not getting the alternate cases for my copies of The Last Emperor, The Third Man, and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Thanks. I reserved a matinee screening next week. My local AMC is showing one afternoon showing per day at least through next Wednesday.

Sometimes prices get close enough to 50% off that I can see not waiting, like No Country for Old Men (UHD) at $27.99. I would pay the usual $34.99 for Godzilla vs. Biollante, but it’s a March release and may coincide with a flash sale anyway.

Yeah, I can wait for a sale to get Biollante since I was lucky enough to grab that Blu-ray that was out a while back.

If I didn’t have that, I might consider getting it outside of the 50% sale if I could find some kind of deal. I certainly wouldn’t pay MSRP.

New releases are listed for May (all 4K combos and Blu, except HOW TO GET AHEAD IN ADVERTISING and THE WIND WILL CARRY US). Nice to see the THREE / FOUR MUSKETEERS (and frankly more Richard Lester films) finally given some love over here. Just bought the newer UK editions in a Rarewaves two-fer sale to replace an earlier double feature UK Blu set. Looks like this one might be a future acquisition, too (even though there’s only one new supplement).

https://www.criterion.com/shop/brows...ar=coming-soon

Fingers crossed for Superman III to finally join the Criterion Collection!

Carrie Coon was in the Criterion Closet recently. For those who don’t know, she loves physical media. Her husband is also a big collector.

^ Wanda!

The Criterion Closet van is currently at SXSW film festival in Austin, TX. I think it's normally in NY.

X - Formerly Twitter

Anyway, apparently the demand is overwhelming and they had people waiting in long lines before they opened and had to cut off the lines for the day.

How does this work for the general public? They don't just give away BDs, DVDs and 4Ks for free right? That can't be sustainable.