[wali]

I'm glad to see so many Kurosawa fans in here.

 

[Fizzmix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 I agree with HiWire, the Superbits are a much better if you want top notch DVD pic and audio

I'm not sure I agree. First of all, many, if not most movies that are under the Criterion label were released before the '70s, which almost necessarily means that the original film stock for most of these films was kept in relatively poor shape. Criterion does miracle work when considering the astounding restorations of films like Fritz Lang's 'M' (1931), and Powell and Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going! (1945).

Secondly, since Criterion and Superbit have never made DVDs for the same film, it is impossible to directly compare. But I would wager that the transfer for Naked Lunch, Battle of Algiers, and Naked could compete with any Superbit DVD for top honors.

Thirdly, and I concede that it does not pertain to your claim, Superbits generally have no special features at all. They say that it is to maximize audio and video quality, but I'm skeptical*. Criterion on the other hand generally collects an astounding amount of supplemental material to pack each disc with, usually including what I consider to be the best of all special features: Audio commentary.

I suppose Superbits do look/sound more impressive by nature, given that they are usually films that have a lot of action, with booming audio.

*I will readily admit that I have a bias against Superbit, as I've paid extra for their versions with no bonus features, and found negligible difference in audio and picture quality (even on superior set-ups). Also, I have a bias towards Criterion, and my undying support for them stems from the fact that they have done for some of my favourite movies what I thought was impossible in their restorations.

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fizzmix I'm not sure I agree. First of all, many, if not most movies that are under the Criterion label were released before the '70s, which almost necessarily means that the original film stock for most of these films was kept in relatively poor shape. Criterion does miracle work when considering the astounding restorations of films like Fritz Lang's 'M' (1931), and Powell and Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going! (1945). Secondly, since Criterion and Superbit have never made DVDs for the same film, it is impossible to directly compare. But I would wager that the transfer for Naked Lunch, Battle of Algiers, and Naked could compete with any Superbit DVD for top honors. Thirdly, and I concede that it does not pertain to your claim, Superbits generally have no special features at all. They say that it is to maximize audio and video quality, but I'm skeptical*. Criterion on the other hand generally collects an astounding amount of supplemental material to pack each disc with, usually including what I consider to be the best of all special features: Audio commentary. I suppose Superbits do look/sound more impressive by nature, given that they are usually films that have a lot of action, with booming audio. *I will readily admit that I have a bias against Superbit, as I've paid extra for their versions with no bonus features, and found negligible difference in audio and picture quality (even on superior set-ups). Also, I have a bias towards Criterion, and my undying support for them stems from the fact that they have done for some of my favourite movies what I thought was impossible in their restorations.

It's hit and miss with both IMO. I've seen Superbits that looked like poop so it's not with everyone but when they come out looking like The Fifth Element and others that have turned out so well the Criterion can not compete IMO.

It's also subjective like anything... for the most part I could care less about extras because I watch 25% of them once or twice and then forget about it. So it depends on the buyer and what they value most. I think both have a lot to offer it just depends on what is most important to the buyer.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

I own Tarkovsky's Solaris and Andrei Rubelev. I really admire Criterion's dedication to putting together great versions of classics of world cinema. If I had more disposable income, I certainly would have more of their DVD's in my collection, especially the Kurosawa films.

 

[blessingx]

Hell yeah, I'm a fan.

I have the following:
The 400 Blows
A Story of Floating Weeds / Floating Weeds
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
Band of Outsiders
The Bank Dick
Closely Watched Trains
Coup de Grâce
The Cranes Are Flying
Diary of a Country Priest
Fanny and Alexander
Grand Illusion
Great Expectations
Grey Gardens
Hamlet
The Hidden Fortress
High and Low
Hiroshima mon amour
In the Mood for Love
Kwaidan
L'avventura
The Lady Eve
The Lady Vanishes
Le Corbeau
Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne
The Lower Depths
Oliver Twist
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Pépé le Moko
Pickup on South Street
Port of Shadows
Ratcatcher
The Red Shoes
Rififi
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Rules of the Game
Sanjuro
Seven Samurai
The Seventh Seal
The Shop on Main Street
Solaris
Straw Dogs
Sullivan's Travels
That Obscure Object of Desire
The Third Man
Tokyo Story
The Wages of Fear
... and seen many of the others

Basically became really interested with Criterion with The Third Man (possibly my favorite film). Fell in love with Hiroshima mon amour and Grey Gardens. Most recently impressed with In the Mood for Love.

If anyone is interested in viewing, don't ignore your local libraries. I found a San Francisco suburb (Mt. View) which carries most of the titles. It was like being in a candy store.

 

[Thinduke]

Don't have any of those, but I've been thinking about getting a Laserdisc-player just to watch the original Star Wars trilogy with the best quality version there is available. Then I'll just have to get hold of the Laserdisc copy of the movies.

I just can't enjoy the dvd-releases 'cause they are edited, I want the original versions.

They even touched the Lightsaber-effects.

Yes, I am kind of a Star Wars geek.

 

[LFF]

My Bro is a huge movie buffs. Knows more than most college film professors and he is only 17.

Anyway he has about 70 + criterions including Robocop, Sid & Nancy, All the Hitchcocks, The Killer and Hard Boiled.

 

[vibin247]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiWire Err... no, but I'm a Sony Superbit buff... I'd like to be a Criterion buff when Blu-Ray/HD-DVD grow up

It's probably going to be a while before Criterion will switch to Blu-Ray/HD-DVD. I wrote an email to Jon Mulvaney (to whom the usual FAQs and similar emails are sent on the website) about the possibility of the collection being released on Blu-Ray/HD-DVD, and he said that they're following the development of the data format.

 

[Oistrakh]

anyone know which stores sell criterion dvds? Best Buy/Circuit City/FYE do not sell them... I don't even know of Barnes and Nobles does

 

[blessingx]

Old thread revival. Amazon does. My local Borders does. Probably B&N. Also GreenCine. They're not difficult to find. Also check your local library. That's how I've watched a ton. Or just order the Essential Art House collection.

 

[TimSchirmer]

I heard they are re-releasing Salo by Pasolini.

Anyone know when?

 

[Oistrakh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessingx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Old thread revival. Amazon does. My local Borders does. Probably B&N. Also GreenCine. They're not difficult to find. Also check your local library. That's how I've watched a ton. Or just order the Essential Art House collection.

yeah, I've been finding a lot of good films in the library network (like yojimbo/sanjuro/kagemusha, etc)... I just rarely see them in retail stores like target, walmart, best buy, circuit city, newbury comics

 

[trains are bad]

So what's the deal. Are they like the video equivalent of MFSL remasters or something?

 

[blessingx]

They tend to restore films and often include a second disc of interviews, etc. They also tend to pick great world wide titles out of print or rarely publicly shown.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif So what's the deal. Are they like the video equivalent of MFSL remasters or something?

Criterion invented the bonus feature back in laserdisk days. Also their picture quality was held to a higher standard than the big studios for many years. It is only in the last few years that getting a very good transfer has become the norm.

In its heyday my Criterion DVD collection was around 110 titles, but I Ebay'd them all a month or so before the "official" release of Toshibas HD-DVD format, because that was going to destroy any value of Criterions DVDs. And it did. I'm lucky to get $1 store credit on trade-ins now.

Now I just rent DVDs on Netflix (and won't buy either new format till the war is over).