There's a European UHD release but without English subtitles. Maybe the UK will release it on UHD?mfunk9786 wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:15 pmHell of a bittersweet way to find out that Parasite isn't going to be getting a UHD disc release.
I can imagine Netflix wanting to strike while the iron is hot and get their Bong film on disc to capitalize on his Oscars success.Ribs wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:26 pm I can imagine that very easily, given there’s no evidence they can “go back” in the Netflix catalog beyond what they’re probably approached by them to handle.
Artificial Eye haven't announced one and they've never released one before, so it looks like it's not happening here either.
Is South Korea a big market for UHD discs?Calvin wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:45 pmArtificial Eye haven't announced one and they've never released one before, so it looks like it's not happening here either.
The last hope for an English subtitled UHD disc is probably a domestic South Korean release, which is yet to be announced despite being released in theatres there 9 months ago!
Maybe I've got their market all wrong, but you'd think the kind of person who buys Criterion discs is also someone who prioritizes having a relatively top-of-the-line television, etc. I'd also imagine the cost of manufacturing UHD discs has come down in the past three years.RitrovataBlue wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:44 pmAt this point, I’m surprised that no filmmakers have tried to persuade CC to go UHD. Guillermo Del Toro was apparently instrumental in getting the Hellboy films and Pan’s Labyrinth upgraded by major studios; surely he’s spoken with Criterion about it as well.
I can't say for sure, but the fact that there are more Korean films on UHD in Germany (two) than Korea itself (zero) suggests it's not not a market local studios feel any compulsion to pursue. But if they wanted to, Parasite would be certainly the best title to start with.
This is the best thing written about Criterion and UHD.kcota17 wrote:Nope they’re not going to budge. Or else it would’ve happened with Roma and Cold War. Tell everyone you know to stop buying DVDs and maybe it will have a chance.
Funny you didn't mention this whenever Neon announced only a BD releasemfunk9786 wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:15 pmHell of a bittersweet way to find out that Parasite isn't going to be getting a UHD disc release.
So last I read, it’s actually the opposite - a lot of Criterion customers are DVD/SD onlyford wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:56 pmMaybe I've got their market all wrong, but you'd think the kind of person who buys Criterion discs is also someone who prioritizes having a relatively top-of-the-line television, etc. I'd also imagine the cost of manufacturing UHD discs has come down in the past three years.RitrovataBlue wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:44 pmAt this point, I’m surprised that no filmmakers have tried to persuade CC to go UHD. Guillermo Del Toro was apparently instrumental in getting the Hellboy films and Pan’s Labyrinth upgraded by major studios; surely he’s spoken with Criterion about it as well.
Nothing to indicate if this will be two separate releases or a double-title set.New York, NY (February 13, 2020) – NEON and the Criterion Collection are excited to announce that Criterion will issue special editions of two Bong Joon Ho masterpieces, the four-time Academy Award-winning Parasite and the breathtaking crime drama Memories of Murder. Parasite just made history as the first foreign language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the first Korean film to win Best Director, Best International Film, and Best Original Screenplay. Parasite was also Nominated for Best Production Design and Best Editing, and previously won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale. The film is set amidst the two families, the Parks, the picture of aspirational wealth, and the Kims, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, Parasite showcases a modern master at the top of his game.
Memories of Murder was released in 2003 and marked the first of Bong Joon Ho and Song Kang Ho's collaborations, and has gone on to be considered one of the most thrilling and haunting crime dramas released this century. NEON recently acquired the rights to the film and will be re-releasing the film in theaters before its home video release.
Parasite debuted at Cannes where it became the first Korean film to win the coveted Palme d'Or and has since gone one to play at festivals across the country, including Telluride, Toronto, and New York Film Festival. Parasite is being hailed by critics as the best film to emerge this past fall, earning 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. NEON released the film in theaters on October 6, 2019 where it has gone on to gross over $35 million, becoming one of the Top 10 highest grossing foreign language films ever released in the US.
Parasite was written and directed by Bong Joon Ho and features a SAG Ensemble Award-winning cast including his long time collaborator Song Kang Ho, Choi Woo Shik, Park So Dam and Jang Hye Jin.
Because it didn't have any bonus features. Was a rush job that was going to be double dipped after the Oscars one way or another.
Separate releases, I'd sayClose The Door, Raymond wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:29 am Press release:
Nothing to indicate if this will be two separate releases or a double-title set.New York, NY (February 13, 2020) – NEON and the Criterion Collection are excited to announce that Criterion will issue special editions of two Bong Joon Ho masterpieces
I've read last year that UHD still costs at least 3 times the cost of a BD to manufacture, with very high glassmaster fixed costs. Since the market for UHD is at best 20% of the BD market, itself at best 30% of the physical market (going up solely because the DVD is dropping so much), these higher costs will need to be recouped on a much smaller market. In France, UHDs are 1.2% of the overall market.ford wrote:Maybe I've got their market all wrong, but you'd think the kind of person who buys Criterion discs is also someone who prioritizes having a relatively top-of-the-line television, etc. I'd also imagine the cost of manufacturing UHD discs has come down in the past three years.RitrovataBlue wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:44 pmAt this point, I’m surprised that no filmmakers have tried to persuade CC to go UHD. Guillermo Del Toro was apparently instrumental in getting the Hellboy films and Pan’s Labyrinth upgraded by major studios; surely he’s spoken with Criterion about it as well.
Also remember two big lessons Criterion learned from going BD/dual format, which are surely making them more hesitant to take the UHD plunge:tenia wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:24 amI've read last year that UHD still costs at least 3 times the cost of a BD to manufacture, with very high glassmaster fixed costs. Since the market for UHD is at best 20% of the BD market, itself at best 30% of the physical market (going up solely because the DVD is dropping so much), these higher costs will need to be recouped on a much smaller market. In France, UHDs are 1.2% of the overall market.ford wrote:Maybe I've got their market all wrong, but you'd think the kind of person who buys Criterion discs is also someone who prioritizes having a relatively top-of-the-line television, etc. I'd also imagine the cost of manufacturing UHD discs has come down in the past three years.RitrovataBlue wrote: Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:44 pmAt this point, I’m surprised that no filmmakers have tried to persuade CC to go UHD. Guillermo Del Toro was apparently instrumental in getting the Hellboy films and Pan’s Labyrinth upgraded by major studios; surely he’s spoken with Criterion about it as well.
Look also at how pretty much no indie label have institutionalised UHD releases. Some are only going to released their first one in 2020, while others have only released a handful, and most, including some big indie labels like Arrow or Criterion, have released none.
I understand some people are eager to see these movies on the best possible format, but I think it's clear the market sales potential is what it is for this : extremely low, and thus very delicate financially to go into.
As for SK physical market : it heavily dropped and many households dont even have a DVD player anymore. BD never caught up since most consumers basically dropped the physical market altogether. I guess UHD is not going to. This explains why the KFA chose to upload so many of their movies on YouTube rather than focusing on BD releases (source : the KFA itself).
If #2 is truly part of their hesitation I'm quite satisfied to see all that unnecessary whining from collectors come back to bite them.swo17 wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:16 pm
1. The Criterion collector expects every release to be in the superior format
2. The Criterion collector does not want dual format releases
