criterionforum.org

ianungstad wrote:I wonder if Sony would let Criterion release Life of Brian on blu. They just discontinued the Sony blu ray. So far they've let Criterion keep their lousy dvd in print.

this is sure to happen. Sony probably knows how much money Criterion would make off upgrading it.

I'll have to look at my copy but I think there were new extras in the Sony release too, hopefully that would carry over, and knowing the Pythons there would be some other new thing for a Blu upgrade as well.

Moe Dickstein wrote:I'll have to look at my copy but I think there were new extras in the Sony release too, hopefully that would carry over, and knowing the Pythons there would be some other new thing for a Blu upgrade as well.

The last Sony release (DVD and Blu-ray) contained everything from the Criterion issue apart from the 1979 BBC on-set documentary THE PYTHONS - a notable exception. The two additional bonus features were significant: an hour long "making of" and a 110 minute "table reading" of the script. I honestly don't know if Criterion could add much more besides the original BBC documentary.

ianungstad wrote: Moe also shared that Criterion picked up over 50 titles from Sony.

50?!?

I mean, I can't be the only one who is getting a little frustrated with Criterion securing the rights to so many titles and not increasing their output. At the rate they release films, with everything we know they have the rights to plus other surprises, it will take them a decade to release everything. I just don't understand why they've increased the amount of films they license tenfold but not the output of films. I no longer get enthusiastic when I hear Criterion has the rights to something because the likelihood I'll see it in less than five years is slim.

Guess who has way more titles than Criterion that they don't release? Sony.

Brian C wrote:Guess who has way more titles than Criterion that they don't release? Sony.

Ha yes, true. But Criterion secures rights to films to make them available. Sony just happens be the original rights holder. I don't think this is an apt comparison.

I think they do a deal on a big package of films as a multi-year strategy, not to simply shove everything out at once. Gotta think long-term guys, they have to have things to release every month so that they're not scraping the barrel in 3 years.

And if you want to talk about someone sitting on a catalog, might I suggest Warner Bros?

Moe Dickstein wrote:And if you want to talk about someone sitting on a catalog, might I suggest Warner Bros?

While WB may be sitting on a shitload of films, they also have released many, if not more than any other major studio. Part of the problem though is that so many films get relegated to the Archive Collection.

They also have a far larger catalog, do a bizarre amount of reissues and are the only major studio not to regularly license back catalog...

Moe Dickstein wrote:It's my favorite of his though, and the only one of the 3 Poltergeists not on Blu yet.

It's coming out in the UK on October the 7th: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Poltergeist-III ... st+blu+ray" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but the lack of Carl Th. Dreyer on BD is a little surprising to me. I think his films would be great additions to the BD catalog.

I would bet on that being the next box set upgrade

rather see Passion of Joan than that boxset

I consider the Dreyer 3-film box-set to be the most desirable upgrade to Blu Ray at this time. I prefer it to an upgrade of The Passion of Joan of Arc because (1) the latter is already available in an excellent MoC Blu Ray version, (2) each of the 3 films in the box set is a classic, and (3) none of the films in the box set is available in an English-friendly Blu Ray format.

Some of us don't import.

By choice, though. No one's stopping you.

Passion of Joan of Arc isn't as good a film as the three in the box, either.

MongooseCmr wrote:I would bet on that being the next box set upgrade

If Criterion is making their decision based on sales, then I wouldn't expect to see that any time soon.

http://dvdlist.kazart.com/queryDVDList2.php3?id=154196" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Criterion discontinued the blu ray of The 400 Blows today. The Adventures of Antoine Doinel box is also not available to buy directly from the Criterion website. I think this is getting an upgrade in the near future. Probably December.

Ouch, I had a chance to buy The 400 Blows and passed on it. Maybe I should order a copy with just a few hours left in the sale.

It might just be worth waiting if you have any interest in the rest of the Doinel films. This is one of their earliest BD releases and there is room for improvement in the transfer.

Noted, perhaps I will wait and see! Amazon's price is reasonable so if the news spreads one could order a copy from there.

FWIW 400 Blows is still showing as available on the CC website

ianungstad wrote:http://dvdlist.kazart.com/queryDVDList2.php3?id=154196

Criterion discontinued the blu ray of The 400 Blows today. The Adventures of Antoine Doinel box is also not available to buy directly from the Criterion website. I think this is getting an upgrade in the near future. Probably December.

I think this is like what they did with the BRD Trilogy (stop the run of the original, while focusing on an upgrade in the future), and we are still waiting for that to be upgraded. I doubt it will be that soon for this.

Do Criterion still have the rights to Fassbinder's Lola though? I believe it was licenced from a different company than the other two in the trilogy and since those two are up on Hulu and Lola is not, I'd like to know.