Criterion Collection DVDs

[mithrandir2001]

What are so special about Criterion Collection DVDs? I'm looking for the Time Bandits DVD and the "regular" DVD costs $15.99 whereas the Criterion DVD costs $29.49. Both are 1.85:1 widescreen and 115 minutes.

 

[mpitts]

Supplements!

 

[Jzero]

The Criterion DVDs are amazing. Loaded with extras, and beautifully mastered. The difference is pretty astounding. WHenever a movie I want is available from Criterion, I always fork over the extra for it.

 

[Yzzim]

I'm watching "The Rock" which is from The Criterion Collection. It's pretty amazing and well worth the $20 I paid for it.

 

[mithrandir2001]

Ah, so they are the DVD-equivalent of now-defunct Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs 24K audio CDs.

 

[diskop]

Does every studio put out Criterion collection? Or only one.

 

[mithrandir2001]

But wow, sometimes the price differential is very steep:

Buy.com pricing
Brazil (standard) - $20.49
Brazil (Criterion) - $46.49

That's a lot of money to pony up for a single film.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Ah, so they are the DVD-equivalent of now-defunct Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs 24K audio CDs.

Not really. The MFSL recordings didn't give you additional footage/commentaries/etc that the regular version of the album would give you.

Criterion collections are generally regarded as the most complete collection of information/footage available for a specific movie. They have been putting them out for a long time. I still have a few Criterion LD's over here, I think.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
Ah, so they are the DVD-equivalent of now-defunct Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs 24K audio CDs.

Not even. I'm still convinced that those were just a gimmick, and the only people they sounded better to were people who believed they sounded better. If you can't tell the difference in A/V quality, you can at LEAST see the difference in content. Time Bandits, for instance, has commentary with Gilliam, Cleese, and others. It's got a scrapbook and trailer too.

 

[mpitts]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
But wow, sometimes the price differential is very steep:

Buy.com pricing
Brazil (standard) - $20.49
Brazil (Criterion) - $46.49

That's a lot of money to pony up for a single film.

Sometimes it is and sometimes it is not. If you are are "put-the-movie-in-and-watch-it" person, Criterions are a waste of your time/money. But if you want to hear what the writers/directors/actors of the movie have to say about it, or learn as much as you can about what was cut or how it was made, Criterion's are the way to go.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: mithrandir2001
But wow, sometimes the price differential is very steep:

Buy.com pricing
Brazil (standard) - $20.49
Brazil (Criterion) - $46.49

That's a lot of money to pony up for a single film.

You should AT LEAST take note of the fact that the Criterion release of Brazil contains 3, count'em THREE discs including multiple cuts of the film, alternate endings, mad commentary and all sorts of other crap. I consider that to be one of the must-haves as the Criterion release.

 

[Atrail]

I have the Royal Tennenbaums DVD Criterion edition, thats they only way it comes AFAIK...

 

[geoff2k]

Originally posted by: mpitts
Criterion collections are generally regarded as the most complete collection of information/footage available for a specific movie. They have been putting them out for a long time. I still have a few Criterion LD's over here, I think.

My first laserdisc purchase ever was the Criterion Collection edition of se7en. It cost something like $150. I'm ruing the day when my LD player breaks down and I have to fork over big $$$ to either have it fixed or buy a new one. They don't make as many of them as they used to...