Options for Renting Criterion BDs and Eclipse DVDs

[Matt]

On a side note, let's just hope libraries will embrace blu ray in the next five to ten years.

Many have, but it's unlikely to be widespread. It just doesn't make economic sense for most libraries (especially cash-strapped public libraries) to buy something on a second format that has been less widely adopted and is more expensive than the previous format. I suspect most libraries are just waiting for a streaming video model that works for libraries in the way that OverDrive does for ebooks and audiobooks.

Also, I'll be pleasantly surprised if Blu-ray is still a viable format in 5 years, let alone 10 years.

[rrenault]

Well hopefully by the end of the decade perfect 1080p streaming without any hangups will be perfectly viable

[Jun-Dai]

Well hopefully by the end of the decade perfect 4K streaming without any hangups will be perfectly viable

Fixed that for you.

[swo17]

And right at the last minute, Netflix's Blu-ray listing for Battle of Algiers went from "available 8/9/11" to "availability date unknown." Hey, at least they're being consistent.

[swo17]

Orpheus and The Complete Jean Vigo had been no shows at Blockbuster but they're on the site now. For the time being, the Vigo set is only available on DVD though.

[jwd5275]

Like GreenCine, Facets also has all this year's Eclipse sets and no Blu-rays. It even has the new Leningrad Cowboys Eclipse listed as forthcoming.

[mfunk9786]

We should all band together and start a company to fill this void, guys

[swo17]

Netflix actually claims that it will carry the BDs of My Life as a Dog and the two Chabrols next month, though I'll believe it when I see it.

[Ishmael]

And it looks like Netflix will start carrying Zazie dans le Metro starting 8/31. On DVD anyway, I'm not sure about the BD.

[swo17]

Netflix actually claims that it will carry the BDs of My Life as a Dog and the two Chabrols next month, though I'll believe it when I see it.

BD availability status on the Chabrols is already back to "unknown."

[Perkins Cobb]

Is it me, or has Blockbuster gotten sloooooow since I joined them last (maybe 3-6 months ago)? I'm experiencing occasional throttling on check-in and 2-3 days for delivery on almost every disc rental (all newish catalog titles not carried by Netflix).

[swo17]

I can't ever seem to get anything from the top of my queue, or anything with a wait, but what I do get usually comes quickly.

[swo17]

It's only fair to mention that Netflix is currently offering for rent its very first Criterion Blu-ray of the year that isn't a film from the last few years: My Life as a Dog. Salo and Harakiri are also presently scheduled to be available, though that's no guarantee of anything.

Also, Blockbuster has finally added the Vigo set on Blu.

[SamLowry]

Well I just started looking online to check out Netflix's blu-ray selection (I want to sample the Criterion blu rays before the next B&N 50% off sale), & stumbled upon this discussion. So are all those titles listed as available @ Blockbuster really available? If so, I guess I should have taken that rental coupon (free for a month or something) I was offered at my local BB before it went out of business. I'm disappointed to find out Netflix isn't stocking Criterion blus or Eclipse titles.

This is a primo business opportunity for Green Cine. I thought they were supposed to be the hipsters of the disc rental market. Someone needs to pickup all the indie/oldies/art house/cult blu rays. I'm not streaming because my Comcast internet service is terrible (ie. throttled) & when my year contract runs out in Nov., I'm canceling as the poor service is not worth $35/mo., let alone $65/month (the non-introductory price). ...and I bet with the current economy many others will stop their internet/tv service, which is why streaming will not be a boom (unless there's a federal plan to provide everyone with broadband).

My library only just started carrying blu rays this past summer, but only has a handful of commercial titles. The wait list for the blu rays (often single digits) is shorter than for regular DVDs (double digits) for many newer titles (ie. last year's Academy Award winners). Charade is the only Criterion title they have on blu so far. While I don't want to see those wait lists get longer, it's probably what the library is using to measure how much they should buy in blu.

[Perkins Cobb]

Greencine always blew. Back when Netflix got almost everything, whenever there was a conspicuous omission, I'd check Greencine and they were missing it too. I became convinced that they were just using some kind of software to mirror Netflix's inventory rather than doing any kind of shrewd "indie" buying on their own. GC stocked some off-brand martial arts DVDs, and porn, but everything else was duplicated by Netflix and took six times as long to arrive. I can't believe they're still in business. Now that Netflix is vulnerable, GC could cut into their market share, but I expect they're too clueless to even try.

Yes, for now Blockbuster has a lot of the newer Criterion Blus but, you know, in six months or a year if you want to see a CC Blu, you're just going to have to buy it. The rumor is that BB is about to announce a streaming service, and as soon as they do that, their disc selection will probably go in the crapper too. They'll try to compete with Netflix rather than counterprogram. Idiots.

[chrisandy]

Netflix lists Complete Jean Vigo as coming out Sept. 27th (on DVD - no Blu).

[Jun-Dai]

Netflix lists Complete Jean Vigo as coming out Sept. 27th (on DVD - no Blu).

Maybe Qwickster will have it on Blu?

[Cinephrenic]

lol. Just wait until they separate their Blu service from DVD.

[swo17]

I'm starting to get concerned about Blockbuster again. The Chabrols have been in "On Order" status for three weeks now and Harakiri for a week. The rest of the September releases have entries on the site but I'm no longer confident they'll have them in stock eventually. This is all (hopefully only coincidentally) timed with the introduction of Blockbuster's streaming service. I sincerely hope this isn't going to be Netflix all over again.

[domino harvey]

Just buy Les cousins, dude

[Perkins Cobb]

I'm starting to get concerned about Blockbuster again. The Chabrols have been in "On Order" status for three weeks now and Harakiri for a week. The rest of the September releases have entries on the site but I'm no longer confident they'll have them in stock eventually. This is all (hopefully only coincidentally) timed with the introduction of Blockbuster's streaming service. I sincerely hope this isn't going to be Netflix all over again.

Sadly I think you're right. The Shout Factory Cormans and the Code Red/Scorpion acquisitions all started following this pattern months ago.

Pretty soon I'll have to buy every disc I want to see, watch them on the weekends, and then spend all my weeknights selling them on eBay so I can buy the next round....

[swo17]

Just buy Les cousins, dude

Don't worry, I will at the next sale. For the record, I'm trying to keep track of everything Criterion releases in this thread, not just the titles that I am personally attempting to rent.

[swo17]

BB is now showing The Four Feathers as available for rent.

[aox]

So, I guess Netflix hasn't even heard of Ray's The Music Room on DVD or BD.

Also, I'll be pleasantly surprised if Blu-ray is still a viable format in 5 years, let alone 10 years.

Do you mean because you see all physical formats dying? or do you mean that in five years when more and more people have bought HD TVs, they will begin wanting an inferior format (DVD) of 480p and stop buying BDs?

[Matt]

The former. Gimme a little credit, sheesh.