PolarisDiB, it wouldn’t really be worth my effort to try and explain that to him. The two people I know that would honestly care I told anyway.
Not to mention, if it is ever important to promote a sale before hand, it’s this one because people who (as we all know) watch criterion collection movies usually know what they are looking for. People who aren’t interested in them/don’t know what they are aren’t going to buy them on impulse. Oh well though, I guess.
BookWibble — just give them some random phone numbers… chances are one of them will be a member. “Oh, not that one either? Okay, try my third cell phone. Hmm, no? Maybe I was here with my aunt when I bought it, try her house number…”
Lona, any idea if the sale is online too?
I would guess it most likely is since the buy 2 get the 3rd free sale was online and in store. Usually every sale in the store now is available online… it’s just more so that some online sales don’t apply in store.
SO:
Lona’s guess: definitely online too
Lona’s positive answer: n/a
Does anyone know if this works for boxsets as well? I was thinking of getting John Cassavetes- Five Films if it was. With 50% off, it’d only be 50 bucks.
What I plan on getting with my $157.24+$30 allowance:
-The Battle of Algiers $25
-Berlin Alexanderplatz $60
-Brazil $30
-Olivier’s Shakespeare $30
-Repulsion (Blu Ray) $20
Soooo worth painting my house.
Yes, it works on box sets, Michael… anything that says “Criterion” on the tag.
This three weeks is going to be the end of my bank account… I might just have to request off work the entire time.
This comes one day after my birthday. I hope my relatives are generous this year.
mmm I already know what I’m going to get: Sam Fuller box set :)
I posted this in the LA Screening thread but I’ll also post it here for any LA area folks:
For any of you interested in cheap DVDs, including Criterion, I’ve noticed that the last two holidays (Memorial Day and Fourth of July), Rocket Video in Hollywood (on La Brea, across the street from Pink’s Hot Dogs) has been having 50% sale on everything in stock from 10am to 12pm. Rocket Video is a rental store however they have some DVDs for sale and have a handful of Criterion. Even normally, their Criterions are cheap, like $27.99. So with the 50% discount, you can score yourself a Criterion DVD for under $15. Please keep in mind they only have a dozen or so different titles (I remember seeing Ace in the Hole, Insomnia, Fanny & Alexander, The 400 Blows – stuff like that) but if they have what you’re looking for it’s pretty damn cheap. So keep that in mind as the next holiday where they could have the sale is Labor Day.
Man, I’m looking forward to this sale. I’m planning on getting Ikiru and Shoot the Piano Player – maybe the new Seventh Seal as well.
Looks like the Loof-man opened a can without meaning to. I was just so shocked to hear about the sale. I mean, come on.. half off? Lona, I’ve been with BN for 9 years (this week as a matter of fact). I do just about anything I can to do drive sales. I want my customers to get the best deal they can. I don’t care if its books, cds, or dvds/blu-ray. My job is to make sure they come back and buy. The more they buy the better it is.
I’m planning on buying the Brasil three disk, Wise Blood, Seventh Seal as well as a few others, I’m sure. My collection needs some adding to! The reason I bought the member card was to get Criterions cheaply.
Fredo, If you have ever looked at the prices of Criterions on the Criterion homepage and then compare the prices in the stores, more often than not BN is selling them for roughly the same amount. If the dvd/bluray is over 30 bucks, it is automatically given 10 percent off (that’s for any dvd, btw). So don’t tell me that BN “overprices” their DVDs that’s a bunch of bunk. If you have a member card you’ll get another 10 percent off and if you use the coupons that are sent you’ll get even more off.
Loofrin — Fair enough. I’ve only worked with BN for a little over 2 years… so, I just do what I’m told to do and that was part of it.
Although interestingly enough, our DVDs are only automatically 10% off unless they are $39.99 or above, as opposed to $30. Hm.
“So don’t tell me that BN ‘overprices’ their DVDs that’s a bunch of bunk.”
I beg to differ. If you are referring to criterions only, then I agree 100%.. the prices are just the same as they are elsewhere, primarily. However, ANY new release from Barnes & Noble is undeniably more expensive than practically everywhere else.
I’m confused, BN employees – the website lists most Criterion DVDs for $39.99. How is that not overpriced when I can walk down to Rocket Video and pick up Criterion DVD for $27.99. That’s over ten bucks less! Or if I wanted to order online, DeepDiscountDVD.com lists Criterions for $25-$30. I’m not talking about sales, I’m not talking about member discounts, I’m talking about standard list prices for a Criterion. Forty bucks is too much. Overpriced.
Borders does the same thing. With my fifty percent off coupon I used the other day, the two Blu-Ray discs that I bought only ended up saving me $7 from what I would have paid had I bought them from Amazon – meaning two DVDs that normally cost $75 at Borders cost $45 at Amazon but b/c I had the coupon, I only paid $38. You really need those coupons or you’re hosed.
Then you are correct, Fredo. All the DVDs are overpriced. (many are 29.99 though)
Although, technically… DeepDiscountDVD.com criterions are discounted. :)
I don’t mind the minor savings. Gives me an excuse to engage in heavy materialism.
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39.99, that’s what i meant. it was late and i’d just gotten off work. :D and i probably shouldn’t have "spilled the beans,’ but alas, i did.
Let’s face it, Criterion collectors are a niche market. I think its pretty cool that BN is throwing us a bone. How many of you/us go right to the CC section as the first stop in music/dvd section?
whispers like I really need any more… I haven’t watched all the ones I own already… they look cool on my bookshelf, though.
So many I haven’t watched……but I like how they look. agreed.
excited. the only barnes & nobles i know is in rancho cucamonga by Best Buy. damn i cant wait
I thought I was the only nerd who thought his CC films looked beautiful just sitting on his shelf. I cannot wait for this sale, I am finanlly going to get my hands on more of Godard, Do the Right Thing and Carnival of Souls.
boycrumb, and since CC tweaked their presentation on the spines the newer ones look very good next to each other. i’m gonna spend so much money, i’m already starting to wince. lol
Gawd dammit, why did I have to total my car THIS month?!
What are people’s strategies for this sale? Hit lower priced Criterions as well as some popular titles? Or are people just going for box sets?
I’m thinking of doing one boxset and then 2-4 single titles. That or 4-6 single titles if I decide against the boxset.
What box set?
Would an Eclipse count? I might hit one of those.
I’m just getting the Criterion DVDs that I want – that is to say, all the Melville’s they have in stock! No box sets for me. Speaking of which, why doesn’t Criterion package and release a box set of all their Melville titles (since there are seven of them)? That would look a lot fancier on my shelf than just the individual titles.
Melville box set would be pretty sweet.
I kind of want to do what will mostly be a blind buy on the Cassavetes Five Films. I’ve only seen A Woman Under The Influence but was utterly blown away by it.
bookwibble
These things always seem to happen when I don’t have money. This particular one happened a couple of days after my membership expired, and I can’t renew that until if/when I get a job.