Why Won't They Release Only What I Want?

[Saturnome]

Well how do you calculate releases like the Golden Age of Television or the Painlevé set? Wouldn't that mean any bonus short is also thrown in the equation?

[Napoleon]

Just curious about how others have reacted to this year's releases.

Living in England my purchasing power has been crippled by the poor exchange rate which has tipped the $40 rrp's over the import tax threshold. Plus the region coding on the Blu releases has removed ANY temptation on that score, so the likes of El Norte & The Last Metro which in years past I'd have snapped have been put on the back burner. Can't justify paying £22/$36 (which is a lot for me) for the SD when a BR is also on the market.

This will be the first year where I've purchased more MoC's than Criterions.

It certainly hasn't been the sort of CC line up that has set me old ticker pounding.

[GringoTex]

Is that it for December? Can I now officially declare 2009 the worst year in Criterion history?

[med]

Is that it for December? Can I now officially declare 2009 the worst year in Criterion history?

Perhaps you can wait until the December release schedule is actually announced.

[aox]

Is that it for December? Can I now officially declare 2009 the worst year in Criterion history?

Perhaps you can wait until the December release schedule is actually announced.

Pretty sure the company is going to fold by New Years.

[GringoTex]

Pretty sure the company is going to fold by New Years.

Not much chance of that now that they're doing their Strand Releasing 2.0 impersonation.

[aox]

Pretty sure the company is going to fold by New Years.

Not much chance of that now that they're doing a Strand Releasing 2.0 impersonation.

haha

[Tom Hagen]

Is that it for December? Can I now officially declare 2009 the worst year in Criterion history?

No, I bet that they'll still release Stagecoach and one of their contemporary titles. And obviously the Kurosawa monstrosity.

Really? This year wasn't worse than 2008 was it?

[oldsheperd]

This is Criterion's worse year since the Great Debacle of 1953!

[Dr. Snaut]

As much as everyone complains that this is Criterion's "worst year," everyone on this board continues to purchase the films they release each month. Looking at the releases they have put out in 2009, a lot of films people have been really dying for have been released, particularly The Human Condition, My Dinner with Andre, The Exterminating Angel, Pigs, Pimps and Battleships, the Ophuls films, Z, Wings of Desire, Last Year in Marienbad, Repulsion etc. Some of the films have incited controversy regarding the transfer, but none of the transfers have been so abysmal that the film is unwatchable. Most of the time the transfer is a vast improvement over what was previously released on other labels, but people expected the Criterion release to be the most stunning transfers in the history of the medium. In my opinion, when Criterion releases a rare or not previously released in R1 film, and as long as the dvd/BR is above average-fair in terms of transfer, Criterion is doing there job.

As much as people expect for Criterion to put out every film they want immediately when they want it, this is never going to happen. I thought last month was a fantastic month in terms of releases because they surprised every single person on this board by releasing several contemporary films, and not releasing the expected Renoir, Bunuel, etc. Introducing Ritchie, Desplechin and Garrone I thought was wonderful because few people in the US have had an opportunity to watch the films of these directors previous to Criterion releasing them. And if it isn't a contemporary release, they surprise us with something like Homicide, a complete, and out of the blue classic that didn't even enter my mind.

I think right now people are criticizing Criterion for their choices, but in retrospect, the company is expanding their range of customers and are still probably making a fortune on sales.

[oldsheperd]

I just pick and choose. If I don't like it then..
But I am blind-buying Christmas Tale based on Matt's enthusiasm for a the BR release and if I don't like it then Matt will buy my copy.
As a matter of fact Matt should personally guarantee that everyone will like A Christmas Tale or he'll refund you money.

[Cabiria21]

the Ophuls films

2008

[Dr. Snaut]

Yea, well I guess my argument applies to 2008 as well, considering Criterion's "worst years" according to this forum are arguably this year or 2008, which will inevitably cause Criterion to go out of business.

[HerrSchreck]

As much as everyone complains that this is Criterion's "worst year," everyone on this board continues to purchase the films they release each month.

That would be incorrect, sir. I've purchased less than three this year-- this down from always buying at least 24 Crits a year since the line first busted out on dvd.

For me a films got to be better than good for me to go for a CC-- to want the supplements, the higher price, etc. Netflix is for "good" films, even "very good" films. CC for me was always all about films you literally could watch every year for the rest of your life... films you could strike up a fucking religion around.

It's alright though. There are still co's out there who put out the stuff I personally love, and there's other ways to get ones hands on the rare stuff.

[Dr. Snaut]

There have been more than 3 worthwhile releases this year. Clearly this is just my opinion, but there were definitely more than 3 films that I consider masterpieces released by Criterion this year, with transfers that far exceeded anything else out on the market.

[Cinephrenic]

What was the first release for this year?

[cdnchris]

What was the first release for this year?

I believe "Taking of Power..." was the first one.

And btw, in case anyone missed the post above, the Gimme Shelter Blu-ray is up on the site.

[Flike]

I think your perception of this year's releases largely hinges on whether you're region-free, or have 'upgraded' to Blu-ray. I've been really pleased with what they've re-released on Blu-ray this year while I haven't been head-over-heels excited about anything new to the collection aside from The Human Condition, Repulsion and the Jean Painleve set.

Funny if Gimme Shelter is the only announcement today.

[Dr. Snaut]

Which means that:

Exterminating Angel
Danton
Pigs and Battleships
The Insect Woman
Intentions of Murder
Last Year at Marienbad
My Dinner With Andre
The Human Condition
2 or 3 Things...
Jeanne Dielman
Wings of Desire
Z

...were all released this year. Although I consider all of these films masterpieces, I think that as a general matter, there are at least 5 generally accepted masterpieces among what I thought were the greatest films of this year so far.

And not including these films, I consider almost every single one of Criterion's other releases this year great great films (with the exception of Benjamin Button and several others).

[movielocke]

There have been more than 3 worthwhile releases this year. Clearly this is just my opinion, but there were definitely more than 3 films that I consider masterpieces released by Criterion this year, with transfers that far exceeded anything else out on the market.

indeed, I've bought more criterion releases this year than any year in recent memory. But I don't buy many dvds, so *shrug* I do buy all the eclipse sets, but I've also picked up the 400 Blows and Seventh Seal Blus, the eclipse sets, In the Realm of the Sense Blu and I'll get the Television set and probably the stagecoach blu if it comes out on blu.

from the 2008 releases all I bought were the eclipse sets and Chungking Express (but I bought the latter this year in the B&N sale)

[oldsheperd]

Gotta take into account that one man's trash is another man's treasure. The idea that Criterion had a good or bad year is compeltely subjective and should be a moot argument.

[HerrSchreck]

I think your perception of this year's releases largely hinges on whether you're region-free, or have 'upgraded' to Blu-ray. I've been really pleased with what they've re-released on Blu-ray this year while I haven't been head-over-heels excited about anything new to the collection aside from The Human Condition, Repulsion and the Jean Painleve set.

Bingo-- so many of the releases which came out this year were only slight upgrades from editions which were already out in R2... in some cases the HD transfers used by CC were the source for the editions already out on the other side of the pond.

Snaut, you're perfectly entitled to think every film on your list are all masterpieces. My point was primarily to dispute your allegation that "everyone on this board continues to purchase the films they release each month." It's simply not true in my case (and given the frequently expressed opinion by others, their cases as well) for a combination of reasons: the films are, imo, good or very good but not great, or that CC was late to the region-free global marketplace with the title, etc. Their global premieres for key titles has slowed vs their previous track record.

[jmj713]

So where's Che?

[bamwc2]

So where's Che?

Uh...Bolivia?

[Matt]

This is exactly why Criterion never used to unofficially announce titles and we had to wait until they appeared on the website.