Blind buys isn’t such a good idea at all… unless you’re very rich. I usually rent films that I haven’t seen before or see them on a television broadcast. I only buy films that I love or films that I havn’t seen in a long time but have a good souvenir of. Even with music, I always ask an employee to listen to the album first.
I enjoy buying blind buys, as most of my collection is blind buys. Im not going to waste the time to rent a movie, or order it on netflix to see if I like it or not. Any Criterion is part of a collection of DVDs, and that is why I buy most of my movies, is to add to my collection. Blood for Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein are some of the worse films I have ever seen, but Im proud to own them, especially since they are OOP and will probably never be released again.
Best blindbuy: Le Samourai or Battle of Algiers
Worst blind buy: Tokyo Drifter
Well Andy, either you buy second-hand or cheap pirated DVDS or you’re a damnt rich kid.
Well you cant go wrong with a Criterion release. Its either a classic or hidden gem. So its kind of never a blind buy :D
Do you work for the Criterion company or what? First, they sell movies that are 2-5X regular price! (other editions of the same movies are WAY less expensive). Then, they have movies like Armageddon (1998) and Robocop (year?); these movies are classic shitt. Hope the Criterion guys who fund this website in part won’t muzzle me!
No I dont work for them. I agree they are expensive but Criterion is a brand. You can always get the cheaper one without the extras and the C logo…As the name says, they have a certain criteria… Robocop and Armageddon are produced to primarily entertain (although Robocop is much more than just entertaining). Genre movies, both very important for mainstream cinema whether you like it or not.
Grafton!
If I’m not mistaken, since you started the thread, you have not said which film you purchased. I’d like to know.
I’m not sure if any of us make a truely blind purchase, of any movie, there is always, however slight, a reference in our head somewhere.
Since, recently, discovering ‘Criterion’ I have ‘blindly’ bought Godard’s " 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her
2 or 3 Things I Know About Her". But still with some knowledge, but also because I couldn’t wait until " Vivre sa vie" was released!
Never bought a DVD blind, probably never will.
If someone’s feeling especially daring I challenge you to blind buy The Human Condition Trilogy or Berlin Alexanderplatz. Both running near ten hours, both quite pricey, and both are brilliant.
Berlin Alexanderplatz is actually over 15 hours, but yes, I agree.. it’s a serious cinematic work by a major talent.
Most Criterion box sets would be worth a blind buy.. from Berlin Alexanderplatz to Eric Rohmer’s “Six Moral Tales” to The Adventures of Antoine Doinel to Fanny & Alexander, and many more.
I rarely blind buy, but I clearly recall that Contempt was a blind buy (online) for me maybe five years ago. I’d been told that I might like it, and I had a vaguely developing interest in Godard, but I knew very little of the film. I suppose that the artistic rendering of Brigitte Bardot on the cover was indeed quite seductive for me. Criterion release #171 arrived, and I was simply floored. The film is and has been for some time in my Top 5 All Time.
Take my cinema test: <a href= “http://helloquizzy.okcupid.com/tests/the-cinema-test-1”>The Cinema Test.
You’re right Francis, was confusing its runtime with The Decalogue (another legthy blind buy that I would recommend, although not on Criterion). My bad. I have to admit I have a little contempt for Contempt, it’s been years though since I last saw it and could probably go for a rewatch. I’m like that with Godard, probably love half of his films, think the other half are okay (usually a worthy effort that just doesn’t connect with me). I always respect the way he challenges film, though. Recently watched Notre Musique, can add that to the favourable side of the “Godard List” for me.
Sheeeet, I was just trying to bring up the Criterion site to see what else I would add but it’s down for some reason. First time I’ve seen that.
And yeah, throw Bardot on a DVD cover (artistic rendering or not) and I’d be tempted to break my no blind buy rule.
@ Taylor.
Well, Im not rich, that is for dang sure. Im a middle-class citizen much like most of us on this website. Most of the Criterions I have to blind-buy, because I wasn’t born when most were released in the theater, or they are all foreign films that I can’t exactly see at the nearest Marcus or AMC.
The majority of the films I buy are from used CD/DVD stores. Others I look for on Ebay or Amazon for cheap. Over the past ten years, I have loved perusing these mediums and finding movies that I don’t have to pay full price for. I always check to make sure they are in good shape, have the insert/booklet, and are not bootlegs. The only time I buy a Criterion movie brand new is if I get it the day it is released, it is buy 2 get 1 free or 1/2 off at Barnes and Noble, or have a 40% off coupon from Borders. Criterions are expensive, so I either save for the future releases I want, or pass on MOST of the collection. I only own about 135 Criterions, but Im proud of the collection that I have amassed, because I have never paid full price for any of them. Worse case I get the 10% off at Barnes and Noble for the $40 joints, and then the extra 10% off for the membership.
I added these to my collection over the last couple of weeks all for lower than retail.
Ran (factory sealed) $24.99
Sid and Nancy (factory sealed) $19.99 (I saw it at the used store and was jumping up and down)
A Women is a Women (used) $14.99
Variety Lights (used) $14.99
Wild Strawberries (used) $15.99
Nights of Cabiria (used) $34.99
i blind bought Trafic, Alphaville and Peeping Tom as part of the recent OOP sale. no regrets.
ugh i do this all the time – most recently – CRAZED FRUIT – worst idea
Most of mine – about 30 – are blind buys. About one fifth were just not to my taste at all and I sold them….but often I keep thinking about the films, reading about them, etc, and wind up re-buying them! Lesson learned: keep your Criterions.
i just blind ordered Andrei Rubelev from DeepDiscount.com (which has some good deals on Criterion DVDs right now) because i’ve had such good luck with Tarkovsky in the past.
I blind pre-ordered the Red Desert criterion blu ray from amazon; haven’t blind bought before but my instinct told me it was worth it, since I am a fan of antonioni’s alienation trilogy if you want to call it that
^^You shouldn’t regret it. It’s a great film and visually influential. In many ways it’s superior to his older films imo, because it’s more concrete and intellectually/conceptually ambitious. Can’t wait to see it on blu-ray.
As for blind purchases, i used to make them in the old days when it was next to impossible to borrow them first, but now i’m more conservative.
next to impossible to borrow films in general or simply more obscure films like the ones that are discussed on this site
?
^^next to impossible to borrow quality arthouse fare. i’m talking between 99-2004 here. A few local companies have sinced endeavored to plug the gaps in the market, with a reasonable degree of success. What that means for Joks is that he no longer has to spend between 40-50 Australian dollars(35-45 U.S), or possibly more, to get a complete dud of a film!! :-)
Now i get to check the film out first before i buy, which is awfully convenient and easier on the wallet.
i’m assuming there’s a netflix equivalent in australia
I make blind buys all the time in Chinatown. Sometimes there’s no English at all so I have to judge entirely on the image/design. It actually works pretty well. Who says you can’t judge a book by its cover?
^^where are you from Ari?
CHARLES: no! :-)
I live in Canada.
Put the blindfold on and purchased Solaris and Rushmore.
I just bought (earlier today, actually) Godard’s “Vivre sa vie” on Blu blind… I recently re-fell in love with Godard and realized I hadn’t seen this one and “Made in U.S.A.” so bought them both without thinking (I probably would’ve watched them on Netflix, now that I have it… but they aren’t on streaming and my mailer queue is for new releases). I often make Criterion blind buys, though… if I like the director or have heard that a film is good, I buy it. I’ve found some great films this way and haven’t really had any regrets as I try to find deals (I got “Vivre sa” vie for $20, and “Made in U.S.A.” for $16) or buy used (I just got “Armageddon” in really good/excellent condition for $10… I know, I know… but it’s fun, mindless escapism, plus… $10!!).
I blind buy all the time.
I’m breaking this habit as of now, I blind bought around 30 Criterion blu rays so far.
some were great but for every great film there was couple total misfires.
I just snapped last night after seeing Bigger Than Life and The Leopard,
beside that Criterions are too expensive to blind buy.
To those who know… is Bigger than Life worth a blind buy on Blu?
Michael W.
i guess i’m going to resurrect this old topic for my first post here.. i probably have more films to add to the list, but this is all i can think of now.
-Band of Outsiders – i enjoyed this one. i’d have to say it’s a pretty ‘fun’ film.
-Shadows – i didn’t care too much for this, but i’d be willing to give it another chance. there are certain parts that stuck with me.
-Pierrot le Fou – didn’t really care for it
-Bad Timing – the first Roeg film i’ve seen. very interesting editing, but very hard for me to watch. this is one i’d like to go over again.
-Contempt – probably my favorite Godard film.
-Mamma Roma – my least favorite Pasolini film (so far).. another one to watch again.
-Beauty and the Beast – least favorite Cocteau film. Still good though.
-Knife in the Water – i really like this one. a good buy.
-Andrei Rublev – one of the few i still have not watched yet. i hope to get too it soon..
-Wise Blood – good film. i’d already been pretty familiar with John Huston’s work before i bought it, so i kind of knew what to expect.
-F is for Fake – i love Orson Welles, but this one may take another viewing. the one and only time i saw it was just a bad time for me. i felt very distracted by other things..
-The Night Porter – another film i have yet to watch..
-every Dusan Makavejev film and every Bunuel film released – loved all of it. every Bunuel film is great, and the same goes for Makavejev. the only film i’d seen before buying these films is Bunuel’s Discreet Charm..