First of all, the sony president said that they don’t expect selling more blu-ray than dvds before 2011. Then, I wouldn’t say that the world has gone hi-def. Sadly, since the blu market is still very low compared to the dvd one I’m pretty sure that zentropa wouldn’t worth the effort… Just wait a couple of years criterion already made the HD restoration then it will probably be released but keep in mind that it must be a very low priority. If criterion want to make money with their blu releases, they have to release some very classics like Les 400 coups; The seven samurai, The seventh seal… or recent, popular movies like bottle rocket and Chungking express…
My understanding is that telecine transfers have been being made in much higher resolution than 480X640 for some time now. HD film transfers are in the box everywhere just waiting for a Blu-ray release. I see a movie or two a week in HD on Satellite that is not available on Blu-ray.
Criterion said that 90 percent of their collection was already in HD; when they restored their movies for dvd they made hd masters and did “downscaling” the picture for dvd release…
I only possess a handful Criterions, and I’m a completist so imagine my frustration. When the Criterion Blu-rays were announced, I was so glad because I thought that I was finally going to have the chance of starting the collection from #1 (this announcement happened to coincide with the time I stopped buying DVDs and shifted to Blu-rays). But I was wrong, and it appears that Criterion is not really that enthusiastic about releasing Blu-rays. . . . It seems threatened by the word “Blu-ray” for some reason.
On the other hand, Eureka!’s The Masters of Cinema Series has launched its first blu-ray disc enthusiastically — making that bold move to number its spines beginning with #1 — in spite of its DVD counterpart having a different #. That makes sense, as Bluray is different from DVD.
Chris:
Great point about watching films on TV—I am a huge fan of BODY DOUBLE—it was in HD a few months back via Universal on Direct TV! I doubt it will be ported to Blu Ray anytime soon—if at all……………….this whole distribution model is in hell. Many are still trying to wait til’ everything gets up to snuff via the internet to avoid the costs of actually pressing DVDs and packaging/shipping them…
The world is far from going HD. Blu-Ray is still way too expensive, so I don’t expect to see Blu-Ray selling better than DVD any time soon. Honestly though, I’m happy with my regular DVDs. They look fine.
But back to Criterion releasing Blu-Ray, I think for them to switch from DVD to Blu-Ray all of a sudden would make them lose money. If DVD is selling better than Blu-Ray, and they switched to Blu-Ray…Well, that wouldn’t be a wise move financially.
I think Chungking Express is, without a doubt, a perfect choice for a debut blu-ray from Criterion. And while Bottle Rocket could be seen as an odd pick, I love the movie, and will be buying it.
As for that initial list, that was never an “All of these are coming out at once!” situation. It was a list of the blu-ray releases they had in line, and so far that list has been followed perfectly. The order of the original list, and the order of the release dates are identical; Third Man, Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Last Emperor, and El Norte. This would mean that the February through May-ish releases will also follow that original press release exactly. And that means I’ll soon own The Complete Monterey Pop in 1080p, so I’m completely happy.
I have not yet gone “blu” but I do think that the way that Criterion is releasing Blu-Ray titles is alright. You get some newer films and some more established titles as well. With identical price points and special features, it gives the consumer that has supported Criterion the chance to continue to do so in either format.
Andrei Rublev PLEASE
Some interesting points above for sure. But I have to take issue with one or two points. Ryan, you say the world is far from going HD and is still way too expensive. Maybe that was the case a year ago, but look how far things have gone in that time. Check the sales figures of Blu-rays vs. standard dvds on any of the sites like digital bits. Blu-ray is out-pacing the initial sales of dvds when that format was introduced. Every tv set sold today is pretty much hi-def capable. The prices of the players is about HALF of what it was about a year ago. As are the discs. I recently bought most of the Kubrick films on blu-ray and paid approximately $15 a piece for them. Chris, you bring up a good point: Criterion is releasing all of their dvds with high definition transfers already. So why not go that extra step and put it out in hi-def. If it is a matter of cost, then charge me for it. I’d rather pay it up front now, than to wait a year or two after I’ve bought it once on standard only to have it come out then and have to double dip for it. It almost seems like Criterion is punishing the people who have made the investment in the better format. I’m not buying ANY of their standard def releases, because I know damn well that they will come out eventually and I’ll have to buy it twice, or do some trade in deal down the road. No thank you. It was their bold attitude in releasing only product of the highest quality, and that attitude is gone. I’m not saying they should stop releasing standard def dvds. To the people who say that it’s not worth it to Criterion to release everything in hi def, I say BS. Obviously they are in business to make money. But it is also obvious that they they put quality higher on their priority list than do most companies. That’s why we love them so much. And that is why people are willing to pay more for their product.
I’ve seen Bottle Rocket and Chungking Express already (I get review copies) and I don’t think anyone will be complaining when they see these transfers.
When I say that they’re too expensive, I mean per movie. When I go to Best Buy, most of the blu-ray or HD DVDs I see are 30+ dollars. That’s a lot of money for one movie, especially when I could get two DVDs for that price. Another thing is, a lot of older movies aren’t available on blu-ray. I’m sure that they will be eventually, but that’s going to take quite some time I’m sure.
Most new criterion transfers on dvd already look like most blu-rays. Blu-rays don’t really make that big of difference in general (they certainly don’t make bad looking films look good) , but I think they should be reserved for films that are in 70mm, or that have an extreme contrast in color.
Ryan, I can honestly say I’ve only paid more than $20 for blu-rays once. That was Baraka I paid $21.99 for it. Criterions are the exceptions of course. I have pre-ordered them from Amazon at around $27 a piece. Unfortunately if you have to shop at Best Buy, you will pay more. I’m a very frugal shopper (call me cheap) and I have managed to get my Blu-rays used or online. I’m also willing to wait for the prices to drop. I don’t need to get anything the week it’s out and doing that saves a great deal. You are right when you say that there aren’t enough old movies on the format yet. Very true, but some of the ones that are, are mind blowing (The Searchers). I can’t wait for the Hitchcock stuff to come out. As far as I’m concerned, universal really messed up a lot of those dvds, and some have NEVER had a decent release, until only a couple of months ago, but I haven’t seen them yet because I know they will be out eventually on Blu-ray and were back to the frustration that Criterion is putting me through. KIFAH, I agree with you about the transfers. Most of them look stunning already. I can’t imagine DOWN BY LAW looking any better, but until you see it, you don’t know. I thought GOOD NIGHT NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK looked amazing on standard, until I saw the Hi-def. It is also true that many Hi-def dvds don’t look any better than their standard counterparts and here is where the studios have too make sure this doesn’t happen. If they can’t improve the picture, there is no point in putting it out in hi-def. I’m willing to bet that there will be a noticeable improvement on these Criterion releases. I just have to wait to find out.
“It almost seems like Criterion is punishing the people who have made the investment in the better format.” — VERY true.
I really do not understand why Criterion (and some posters here who say things like “The world is far from going HD”) seem to be threatened by Blu-ray.
I really don’t think Blu-ray has done a big enough takeover for Criterion to be focusing all their energy on it. It was only earlier this year that they beat out HD DVD in the format war. Blu-ray still has a long way to go before it has even established a strong enough foothold on the market. Plus, a lot of the players are still pretty basic. Until internet connectivity becomes a standard feature and the price drops a bit I won’t be buying one, and I know a lot of people who feel the same. Personally I think Criterion is taking the right measures in the way they release Blu-ray. If they focused any more energy on it they would lose money. Criterion’s regular DVD’s are still the highest quality on the market, it’s wrong to say that they aren’t offering high quality products. Many of Criterion’s regular DVD packages are better than some of the Blu-ray’s on the market. They’re still a business, and theyhave to make money. Focusing too much energy on Blu-ray, at least right now, would be a big mistake. After the holidays this year I think we will have a better idea of where Blu-ray stands. But the world hasn’t gone HD just yet. At this point it’s just another available format, not the new standard that some may think it is.
I’m sure if you’re able to get them used you’ll be able to get them cheaper, but there are only a couple of places around here that sell used Blu-ray, and they only get a few in each month.
I’m sure that the films look great on Blu-ray, and once more older ones start coming out I’ll probably be tempted to get a blu-ray player. But until then, I’m happy with my DVDs. By the way, Universal released Rear Window, Psycho, and Vertigo through the Universal Legacy Series, I bought all three of them and they look great. They came with a bunch of cool bonus features too.
Criterion. Blu-ray. I realized just now that those two words should never be put in the same sentence. Criterion will never embrace Blu-ray fully long after the world has gone Blu-ray Hi-Def.
As for Criterion’s eternally-upcoming five or six pathetic Blu-ray releases….will we actually get to see them see the light of day? I doubt it. I attempted to order the 5 coming on the 16th, but Amazon says it won’t be available until the 29th. Oh, well…
Blu-ray is stupid to me. I already get a certain amount of quality with DVDs and I am not interested in new formats.
Criterions dvds are somewhat expensive anyway, but I can always justify the ones I buy.
Moving to Blu-ray is a smart move, even if it is slow at first. I just know I won’t buy a Blu-ray player until more titles come out and the prices come down. It is an expensive system, and I think more people will take the Blu-ray idea more seriously when they can’t compare it so easily to cheaper alternatives like dvds.
One thing that’s going to be a huge pain in the ass, I have all of these DVDs, but I’m going to want them in Blu-ray. So I either will have to have DVDs and Blu-Ray, or buy the movies I own in Blu-ray too.
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?id=1195&show=review
If this review doesn’t make you salivate for Criterion Blu-rays, nothing will. I’m starting to shake with excitement.
At my work, we just got the new Criterion blu-rays. I have to say, they are really well done. They make me want to save up for an expensive tv and blu-ray player. They are that nice. Even the presentation alone, they should package all their standard releases in neat cardboard sleeves. You’ll see what I mean. Good work, Criterion.
Someone mentioned BR’s being too expensive – if you buy them on Amazon, you won’t pay much more than you would for a DVD.
I agree, Sacredchao, I’ve spent only a couple of dollars more than DVD prices for most of my Blu-ray collection thus far. The sales are out there and Amazon has been pretty decent. I can understand some of the reasons for waiting or choosing not to upgrade, but the comments disregarding the format altogether (Alison :P) I find rather interesting coming from film fans…
The change from DVD to Blu-ray is significant but seems kind of underwhelming when compared to VHS to DVD. Blu-ray offers nice video quality and some nifty menus and interactive features, but it just doesn’t seem like its worth being in the vanguard when you have to upgrade to an HDTV, Blu-ray player, and then buy discs which retail at 30+ dollars. The price may not be a big deal to some of the people here, but it can become very pricey, quickly and serves as a deterrent to a lot of people. Then of course there are those like me that own hundreds of DVDs, which represents a sizable investment. My personal view on high definition is that the movies that Blu-ray is designed for are mainly hollywood blockbusters, and others that rely on fantastic picture and sound to convey an audio-visual “experience” rather than stimulating thought. I think that as great as blu-ray is for films, both old and new, the film sometimes gets lost in the technology. I love film and love the DVDs that I own, and I feel that a new kind of sentiment is beginning to emerge by enthusiasts who say that if something isn’t High-Def, its automatically worthless or less of a genuine viewing experience. I think DVD offers the amount of visual information necessary to convey the message and intent of a movie, while Blu-ray goes beyond this to add a bit more immersion. I’ll upgrade to Blu-ray like everyone else, but will wait until it becomes relatively inexpensive. I don’t think that by testing the waters, rather the unleashing the floodgates, that criterion is doing a disservice to its customers. It is, after all, about the films and not the resolution.
Working at a major electronics retailer, I see the interest customers have in Blu-Ray every day. Whether these people are tech enthusiasts, early adapters, or just bandwagon-riders, the fact that everyday people are interested to see what the fuss is about is promising for such a new (and yes, expensive) format.
Although Blu-Ray is in better shape than DVD was at this point in its adaption, it’s still a format that for at last another 2-3 years is marketed mainly to a) people that have money, and b) people who love movies.
Right now, it’s about $150-200 more to get a Blu-Ray player than a decent upconverting DVD player. Blu-Ray movies are $5-10 more than DVDs. Clearly, this is something that is on more wish lists than shopping lists.
But for us that have made the jump from Blu-Ray… when all the flashy logos and sparkling colors subsides, what is it that we gain?
A presentation that is as close to “film” as possible
For cinephiles, this means being able to own your favorite films (classic or contemporary) in the most accurate home presentation possible.
For classics like “The Third Man” and “The 400 Blows”, the result is an image not just free of digital artifacts, but full of natural film grain in all it’s glory.
I enjoy comparing the image of a DVD release to it’s Blu-Ray counterpart. I find that unless the Blu-Ray transfer/encode has been merely thrown together from less-than-2K elements completely unrestored, the results are striking. That’s not to say every Blu-Ray looks great, neither does every DVD, but Criterion is in the business of releasing great films in amazing editions that are exemplified by their impeccable video/audio presentation. What better way than Blu-Ray to make this truly possible.
I don’t think Criterion should release all new titles on both DVD and Blu-Ray. It’s not because I don’t think every title deserves to look glorious in 1080p, it’s because not enough people would buy lesser-known (and less revered) titles.
While it pains me to have to wait so long in between each release (I’d much rather see 2-3 Blu-Ray releases each month, 1 new title and 2 upgrades), it’s great to know Criterion has a Blu future.
The real question remains why did studios go standard def in the first place since blue laser technology was available more than 10 years ago. Many companies had figured out that blue laser CD players had significantly improved sound reproduction in high end audio equipment back then. The studios could have gone for that tech without ever releasing regular DVDs, but no….they were conspicuously short sighted and figured the consumer would buy a new format down the line and the studios would make more money that way.
I took the plunge in BD, and I’m happy I did, however I still hold a grudge for the manufacturers not bringing this out 10 years ago as they should have in the first place.
I agree that HD will give a more “filmic” experience. I just disagree with the fetishization of technology that a new format will inevitably bring about. This is less an argument about superior or inferior technology and more about the experience of seeing a film. Does a film need to be in 1080p for it to speak to your emotions, and inspire thought? I see the trend of people buying movies simply because they look nice rather than the excellence of the film itself. It becomes more important to have a showpiece that demonstrates the superiority of your audio/visual setup than to give some thought as to how the added resolution affects your appreciation of a film. I don’t disagree that there is a worthwhile increase in the experience of watching a good blu-ray transfer on a decent setup. I just tend to feel put off by some of the snobbery that inevitably results from early HD adopters looking down on the lowly masses of SD folks. I think this gets to the heart of the pro and anti blu-ray debate that inevitably rages, or that occurs with the appearance of any new format. If in 5 years time we have the infrastructure to download HD quality movies quickly to a set top box in the living room (and with adequate backup features/options), I feel some of the blu-ray folks will be in a similar position.
strawdawg
I couldn’t have been happier when Criterion announced that they would be releasing blu-rays. The initial list was a great selection. But the effort has become half-assed at best. Look at all the releases that won’t be getting the high definition treatment. They only plan to release 1 or 2 hi-def releases a month? Come on Criterion, you guys were the pioneers of releasing classic films digitally, what happened to that spirit? If everyone emails and raises a stink, then maybe they won’t tease us anymore. To see one of my all time favorite movies- Zentropa, finally get released by criterion at a time when they are releasing blu-rays only to have an inferior copy on standard def is a crime. The world has gone hi-def. It is time Criterion did too.