I don’t understand why these new blu ray editions such as 8 1/2, Gomorrah, Wings of desire, Bergman’s films, don’t have spanish subtitles. Is there a problem with that? I don’t think is the prize since another blu rays cheaper than those Criterion Collection editions have a lot of subtitles to choose from. I would like an answer to this topic! Anybody?
Estoy de acuerdo con ustedes. No creo precisamente que la razón de carencia de subtítulos en español, sea la piratería.
with Spanish being spoken by more than 40 millions people in usa alone!
The more relevant question is how many Criterion consumers in the U.S. don’t speak English? The vast majority of Latinos in the U.S. who fall into Criterion’s demographic (well-educated) are fluent in English.
Dear Criterion Staff: you are losing a great deal of consumers by just not including one of the basic features in DVDs or Blu-Rays: Multiple subtitles in different languages. Whatever the reason is, it does not make any sense!
Are Criterion movies only sold in the U.S.?
Criterions are only licensed for U.S. and Canada.
I guess I just barely made it, then….
Now all I need is the budget to get them. ( :-o)
Puerto Rican makes you half American, right? ;)
That’s why they coded DVDs region 1 and the Blu-Rays region A (an absurd attempt against globalization, but whatever…) That doesn`t mean that 100% of USA & Canada consumers speak English, of course!, …a fact that Criterion seems to forget. Again I find no reason to not include subtitles at least in the main Languages: English, Spanish & French. There’s no marketing, licensing or monetary reason, this editions are expensive (and worth every penny), so why, oh why, not spanish subtitles?
I live in Costa Rica and they are sold here for ridiculously high prices… double the original price.
FortyFabio: Hollywood and other big budget films are subtitled because they will be distributed around the globe by the studio. Criterion only distributes in the U.S. Subtitling a movie is expensive. They wouldn’t realize their costs back.
Okay, subtitling may be expensive… but these are “special editions”!.
The market for the dvds/blus are clearly defined by the region coding, but other studios (big or small) that manufacture and distribute dvds/blus intended only for US & Canada release most of their titles with at least spanish subtitles. The movies on this discs (big/low budget, blockbusters or not) usually have those options, and it’s “added value” is an investment that will pay for itself not alienating those millions of viewers who whatever the reason need to watch a movie with subtitles in other languages. But sadly Criterion does not do that.
I have MGM’s region 1 DVD of “Wings of desire” (2003 edition), with spanish, french and english subtitles. Criterion`s 2009 “Wings of desire” will come with english only…
Good point on Wings of Desire.
“(an absurd attempt against globalization, but whatever…)”
An oversimplification if there is one.
I do not agree with regional encoding, but I understand why it’s there. Along with basically helping (limitedly) with overseas pirating of intellectual rights, at the most basic level it means that when Hero came out in theatres in the US, people actually went to the theatre to see it, since otherwise they could have just bought a foreign DVD of it already out on release in another country and seen it in advance. Mostly regional encoding has to do with the fact that distribution systems are chaotic enough as it is without trying to throw multiples of them together into one global mess of intellectual property rights.
Criterion is a decidedly Region 1 distributor, just as Artificial Eye is not Region 1 (they share many of the same titles, across seas. When I was in Europe I was really sad to find so many titles I wanted on Artificial Eye, none of which I could actually buy because I don’t have a regionless player). Yes, in the US and Canada there are millions of non-English speakers. But as Criterion basically subsists off of institutional sales, and are a decidedly niche market distributor, they do not focus on presenting to a wider audience than English speaking US and Canadians.
“I have MGM’s region 1 DVD of “Wings of desire” (2003 edition), with spanish, french and english subtitles. Criterion`s 2009 “Wings of desire” will come with english only…”
Because Criterion probably didn’t buy the rights to the French and Spanish translations from MGM.
—PolarisDiB
Thanks PolarisDiB for the explanation, I didn’t realize that subtitling have “rights” issues (which makes perfect sense). Its sad that Criterion have such specific niche inside the USA because their editions are recognized worldwide as one of the highest standards not only technically but in content, and actually you can find those editions outside USA, I dare to say, almost easily (if you know where to look) not to mention that they are available on Amazon, etc…
And yes, I oversimplified about the regional coding (which is another issue and another topic), I know the whys and I know that somehow it works but is a lost battle against the driving force of demand vs. supply. Anyway, I have mi region-free player and NTSC/PAL compatible system… but the lack of subtitles is not making me happy! :-(
come on!
just political reasons fellas
But other studios (big or small) that manufacture and distribute dvds/blus intended only for US & Canada release most of their titles with at least spanish subtitles.
This is not true at all. I work at a major studio in DVD and I can tell you that for North America discs, we rarely include Spanish subtitles. The only other language we might subtitle the feature is French but that’s b/c Canada might request it. Even if we have created Spanish subs for other territories, we won’t include them in the NA discs.
So Criterion is not doing anything out of the ordinary here.
And subtitling “rights”? I’ve heard this mentioned on this site before but I’ve never actually heard about this actually existing. A company may not have the rights to the original theatrical file but then they just a create a new translation. I mean, I guess it’s possible Criterion has a stipulation in their contract where they can’t translate the film in other languages but that sounds a bit off to me. Instead, I think it’s more a case of Criterion choosing not to b/c of the territory they are releasing.
Ok, guys, this sounds like a lost cause to me, I was very excited when Criterion’s Benjamin Button came with spanish subtitles, I thought it was a change of direction in their policy, but it looks like an exception due to the status of that particular movie. I have no problem with english only subtitles (at least) but some of my friends and family does, and I think that cinema is a joy to share and it’s sad that many people inside or outside the USA will not enjoy Criterion’s catalogue just for the subtitling issue.
I asked my gardener about this, and he turned to me with a blank look in his eyes and said, “Qué?” I docked him a day’s wages for his insolence.
Simon, seems to me that you think that the only person who talk Spanish is your gardener. Your judgement comparing things is rather poor.
OMG Simon!, don’t you see? your question to your gardener didn’t have subtitles in spanish! The poor guy will suffer because of Criterion’s elitist policy!
i hope somebody at criterion gets to see this tread, they should start using Spanish subtitles as soon as 2010, and mandarin subtitles as soon as 2012( or sooner) that’s where the market(and the world its going) multiculturalism; just watch “inglorious basterds”;
the only people in the world that consider themselves to be highly educated and speaks only their native language are the Americans (no offense, i love that country; the jazz, some of the best movies, hopper, the bomb)
the only people in the world that consider themselves to be highly educated and speaks only their native language are the Americans
You, obviously, have never been to France ;-)
actually i ve been to one small province of France, and some of the people were unfriendly, but almost all of them speaks or were learning another language; don’t know in the big cities like Paris or Lyons…but…
now we wont we getting English subtitles!
come criterion!
its the future!
multiculturalismo
please english subs is necesary… i CANT SEE MOVIES WHITOUT SPANISH SUBS!"!
Spanish is the 2nd most important language in the world next to english.
Personally, I think everyone who lives in America should learn it (I’m trying atleast).
And yeah, Criterion should fix this up.
juan jose namnun
with Spanish being spoken by more than 40 millions people in usa alone!
why has criterion forgetting that niche?