I do not know of a single person who solely watches the Criterion Collection.
Could you list some specific examples where the Criterion Collection is inserted into every single conversation we have about film?
Criterion exploits child labor.
but then, who doesn’t these days?
@RUS
I don’t, but my mom does….& I soon will too :)
I can’t say that I’ve ever experienced this. People on this site talk about a lot of films, not strictly Criterion releases. The problem a lot of people face is that they don’t have access to films because they’re not released in their area, they’re not currently on DVD, or whatever. I could talk about a whole slew of films that are superb that I recently saw in the theater but most people here would never of even heard of them. Should Joe Schmo living in Jackassville, North Dakota be excluded from the conversation because the majority of films he’s exposed to are the ones Criterion has released? I think it’s great what Criterion has done and it has given people who don’t live in major cities like New York and LA a taste for often overlooked filmmakers. As well, there are a lot of other great companies that do similar work and it seems like they get acknowledged here as well (except for Miramax – I’m not sure why you’d mention this company since pretty much everyone knows who Miramax and Disney are and the last thing we need to do here is prop up Hollywood studios).
@FREDO
My point had more to do with people just mentioning the film because of the studio or distributor. So if Miramax or Disney produced the film, people should not hesitate to mention both the film and the studio. I mean, from my own insular worldview, I could just as easily assume that everyone knows who Kino is, but that doesn’t necessarily make it so.
This site is not run by the Criterion Collection.
no but it has a very strong affiliation with the criterion collection.
that’s why these forums are also on criterions website.
I’ve not found this to be the case at all.
Alright, maybe I was reaching. Slightly irrelevant argument anyway…nevermind.
Shut up, Sam.
I didn’t even say anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFE2CCfAP1o
I like KINO films too. They’re kind of like the Criterion of the silent film world.
“I don’t think that I’m really speaking out of line here either because films that Kino, Facets, Miramax, etc. have the rights to, are on here. I mean Chaplin? Not one Criterion edition.”
http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9891
Not even he will be safe soon!
I really agree with you, Jimmy, but I’m also a slave to the Criterion Collection. I don’t watch only Criterion movies, but a movie being in the Criterion Collection is a major reason why I would want to watch it. It seems like most movies they put out are really good, and it’s hard for me to be a regular person and NOT be a slave to them… they just give me the best odds on movies I’ll like. Also, pretty frequently I’ll try a lot harder to like a film because I like the packaging and really want to buy it. And, yes, I was part of the Marienbad cover discussion.
The partnership between The Auteurs and Criterion includes sending discussion of Criterion releases from their site to our forums, which is why even though we are a general film forum, there is a great deal of discussion about Criterion releases.
“The partnership between The Auteurs and Criterion includes sending discussion of Criterion releases from their site to our forums, which is why even though we are a general film forum, there is a great deal of discussion about Criterion releases.”
(otherwise known as a reach-around)
Rich, you mean like all collaborations?
I liked criterion more before this forum introduced a buying community behind the product.
Criterion sponsors this site, so of course everything in their catalog is listed…. but so are many other films not licensed by Janus/Criterion/etc….
I find that the majority of discussion that takes place here is not related to the Criterion Collection. I don’t see what the big deal is, this isn’t Criterion Forum or something….
I appreciate the Criterion collection for what it’s worth but I recently discovered the British “Masters of Cinema Series” released by Eureka Video with 86 titles already available. If a significant number of these movies are also available in the Criterion Collection, you’ll find nonetheless in this collection little jewels of the German cinema of the 20’s and other masterpieces ignored until now by the American company. The copies are great and the bonus have no reason to be jealous of those found in the Criterion releases.
By the way, I would like to thank Nate here, for being slightly sympathetic to my superfluous complaint. That’s really all that I was getting at. I guess it read like a bit of a rant.
No, I think you were onto something. There is a bit too much worshipping of a brand name. The anger over certain title being included and the notion of trying to own every title just for completion purposes is rather sad. Obviously it could be said that all internet forum discussion is sad, but the idea of someone buying a film they hate just to fill in number 108 in a collection is more than silly.
Who says they hate #108? Perhaps its a way for someone to learn to love hundreds of titles they would otherwise never happen across. Assuming things isn’t always a good idea. Just sayin’
I have my Criterions separately organized by spines, because when I see certain gaps in numbers it is interesting to see if they are titles I don’t want or ones I haven’t heard of. Still I would never buy Armageddon or anything I didn’t want because of just a few missing numbers.
“Who says they hate #108? Perhaps its a way for someone to learn to love hundreds of titles they would otherwise never happen across. Assuming things isn’t always a good idea. Just sayin’”
The threads that pop up every so often lamenting why Bay is in the collection i what I’m referring to.
Being obsessive about Criterion dvds is certainly healthier and nobler than being obsessed with AK-47s or big heaps of diamonds. It’s a good brand and deserves some props. I collect and watch films from everywhere, though. Recently I found a dvd label I’d never heard of — Benten Films. They did a very loving 2-disc edition of The Guatemalan Handshake, with a nice booklet, lots of special features and short films, beautiful packaging, etc.
After I get spine number 11, 37, and 52 I have all the AK-47s!
Jimmy Cline
I understand that this site is run by the Criterion Collection. Of course there are several films on here that Janus does not have the rights to. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Criterion Collection. I love the fact that I rent a majority of their catalogue from the library. And I love most of the discussions and reviews on this website, but sometimes when I communicate with some of the people on here, and I feel like they are either tools who merely pick out selections from the catalogue because they always need a certain company to suggest “great films” to them, or people who are clearly working for Criterion in some capacity, well, I become a little bored and irritated. In fact, it’s insulting at times. I mean, do you want to discuss time and space in Last Year at Marienbad, or do you want to discuss the fucking cover art for the new Criterion DVD. Yes, it is great that they’ve finally transferred that, and the cover looks great, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the film itself. Yes, the company has done some excellent work, and I’m behind them…well at least 90%, but loving cinema is all about exploration, and if Criterion just starts turning people into zombies who only watch Criterion releases, then that’s ridiculous. It also tends to cheapen the act of discussing films. I mean, yeah, Armageddon was awful, but if the only reason anyone has for criticizing such a film is because it was because there was a Criterion Collection edition of it, then that is absurd.
I don’t think that I’m really speaking out of line here either because films that Kino, Facets, Miramax, etc. have the rights to, are on here. I mean Chaplin? Not one Criterion edition. So, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t ever discuss just how special the Criterion Collection is, but maybe we could try to avoid inserting it into every single conversation that we have about film?
Just a thought.