Criterion and UHD

[tenia]

I'd argue the question shouldn't be between adding a new main-feature-less BD vs recycling the older BD, but adding the extras on the UHD and doing UHD-only releases instead of not-really-DF ones.

In which case I do think it'd be cheaper for Criterion to have everything including on the UHD disc rather than turning a UHD-only release into a DF just for this. Several labels are choosing UHD-only releases instead of going their route (which is rather the US studios route). The only financial nuance I might see is when it requires to use a UHD-100 instead of a UHD-66 (though actually, with so many crap encodes already, they might just be able to compress even more the movie and the encode will still be crap anyway so would there be a visible difference ?), but they have several cases of UHD-100 with space left anyway (Time Bandits has 13.5 Gb left, Dreams has 11, Don't Look Now 13.5, etc). And they have cases like Branded to Kill, which has 5-6 Gb left and not much extra features.

Has there been a two-disc blu-ray release with the first dedicated to the main feature alone? If Criterion ever decides to upgrade it with a newly restored UHD then it would have served as a litmus test for the future-proof and for-extras theories.

I found those : Heaven's Gate, Seven Samurai, Brazil, A Brighter Summer Day, Short Cuts, Barry Lyndon and The Irishman.

[Matt]

Given their longtime problems with compression and trying to pack too much on a disc, I’d prefer to keep the extras off the UHD. The price will not go down, the package will stay the same size, so this all feels like inventing something to get upset about.

[hearthesilence]

Given their longtime problems with compression and trying to pack too much on a disc, I’d prefer to keep the extras off the UHD.

Same here. The ONLY complaint I have is that I wish they would put the commentaries on the UHD, just so I can watch the 4K version as I'm listening to the commentary. I'd like to at least enjoy the visuals in full resolution. I've had this problem with non-Criterion releases where a Blu-ray/DVD two-for will have the commentary on the DVD but NOT the Blu-ray, and it's kind of annoying that you need to put on a shitty DVD on a 4K screen in order to have access to the commentary. But otherwise, I'm totally fine with the extras being on a separate standard Blu-ray disc that happens to have another copy of the feature on there too. (At least that's how I think of it.)

[tenia]

Given their longtime problems with compression and trying to pack too much on a disc, I’d prefer to keep the extras off the UHD.

What I'm saying is that it's already bad enough that it's likely not to make a visible difference anyway, and in any case, plenty of their releases don't have filled discs to begin with.
And then again : maybe the issue isn't this but that they should get their stuff together regarding encodes, because plenty of labels are showing releases after releases that you can have both a good encode and extras on the UHD.

The price will not go down, the package will stay the same size, so this all feels like inventing something to get upset about.

Theoretically, switching from DF to UHD-only should be cheaper... at least to someone. Either prices would be the same and Criterion's finances would be better, which might have been good for their staff, or it'd go down while maintaining margins, which would be better for consumers (and possibly Criterion too at some point, since consumers might be incented in buying 1 addition title every, say, 4 purchases thanks to the money saved).

Not that I'm "upset" about it though, it just feels... cheap/lazy.

[dwk]

Given their longtime problems with compression and trying to pack too much on a disc, I’d prefer to keep the extras off the UHD.

Same here. The ONLY complaint I have is that I wish they would put the commentaries on the UHD, just so I can watch the 4K version as I'm listening to the commentary. I'd like to at least enjoy the visuals in full resolution. I've had this problem with non-Criterion releases where a Blu-ray/DVD two-for will have the commentary on the DVD but NOT the Blu-ray, and it's kind of annoying that you need to put on a shitty DVD on a 4K screen in order to have access to the commentary. But otherwise, I'm totally fine with the extras being on a separate standard Blu-ray disc that happens to have another copy of the feature on there too. (At least that's how I think of it.)

Criterion does put the commentaries on the UHD disc.

[hearthesilence]

Criterion does put the commentaries on the UHD disc.

Happily stand corrected, I think I mixed Criterion's up with other UHD/BD combos that do that.

[macaca]

It's more costly than the alternative, multiplied by however large the print run is. Also, that's not how coasters work

It's not multiplied. It's a one time cost (and a small one). The expense of the discs are the same.

If you already know all these answers why are you asking these questions?

Kind of weird giving people a coaster so they can just watch the extras. Either just make it the extras or don't bother, since like people have pointed out, no one will watch an old looking blu-ray when they have a brand new 4K.

You want them to include a Blu-ray that is exactly the same as the one they already include, just without the movie on it because that’s too weird for you otherwise. Please be serious.

And please can we not relitigate Dual Format releases? We’ve already had 28 pages of the “coasters” argument with Criterion’s DVD+BD releases in which you made these same complaints and arguments!

Many apologies, Mr. Criterion, I'll definitely only bring up things you find relevant and agree with from now on.
As for me "asking questions", no questions were asked or answered. That sentence literally has no questions.

Anyway, I don't care to get into a back & forth. You have your opinion, and I have mine.
Besides, I'm off to go listen to the newly remastered Revolver lp from the new Beatles box set.
It came with a cd so I can watch the remastering process, and they even threw the old 2009 remaster on there as a bonus.
It doesn't sound as good, but who cares!? I've got the vinyl! I'll just avoid listening to it in the car.

P.S Thanks for looking into my past posts from decade ago, I actually feel special!