Get BETTER versions of Criterion Collection films

Not all Criterions are created equal. These are the films within the Criterion Collection that have better discs elsewhere.

[@ElliotCoen]

Are you buying anything in the Criterion Collection FLASH SALE?

[@DerekPower]

Got The Apu Trilogy and McCabe & Mrs. Miller on 4K

[@roachman1412]

I got roaring 20s 4k blood simple 4k heroic trio executioners 4k citizen Kane 4k lone star 4k, several others blu-ray replacing the dvd ,also got anatomy of a murder,it happened one night blu-ray saw your video to late

[@NmDPlm31]

I went old school myself and snagged The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Lady Vanishes, The Lodger, and Foreign Correspondent. Had to close out my Chaplin and Hitchcock collections.

[@tjdw5251]

its an only US sale right ?

[@roachman1412]

@NmDPlm31 I didn't know about criterion sale until yesterday I already bought last picture show 4k, double indemnity 4k night of the hunter in 4k I'm in my 60s and now I can finally sit down and watch them all the way through

[@dangreen3186]

Criterion versions of 12 Angry Men, It Happened One Night and Anatomy Of A Murder are still worth buying as they have a ton of exclusive special features!

[@marcjohnson3553]

Night of the Hunter as well!

[@garyrichardson475]

In their defense, Criterion usually have superior bonus features. For example, I have both the Criterion and Kino versions of "Night of the Hunter". KL has something like an interview with the grandson of the caterer (I'm exaggerating). But the Criterion version includes a feature-length film loaded with outtakes from the film.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

i have to go through mine and see which ones have laser rot or whatever they call it, take advantage of the replacement program . I know Blow-Out is messed up and the Monterrey Pop Festival Box..i've got to get on that.

[@NmDPlm31]

Always look for the best picture but I have to admit that sometimes I like holding on to the weaker picture Criterions simply for the supplemental features. The vid features, commentaries, and their essays are usually well worth it.

[@ElliotCoen]

Oh definitely. That’s exactly why I have multiple copies of some of these films, for the extras. Cheers!

[@madhousestudios5214]

It’s refreshing to watch an honest recommendation video that doesn’t get diluted by corporate loyalty. Keep cooking, Elliot.

[@asupertramp3922]

Very well said 🎉 I’m hoping my favourite reviewers don’t do a ‘Stuckmann’ 😮😊 Love you Elliot!!!

[@beetle1087]

What's a stuckman​@@asupertramp3922

[@AndrewLaSane]

So people who have a different opinion are automatically not honest? That makes no sense.

[@madhousestudios5214]

@@AndrewLaSane smooth brain response

[@AndrewLaSane]

@@madhousestudios5214 you don't have to call yourself out like that, we know.

[@actualnotanewbie]

I only heard about the 4K release of 12 Angry Men a couple weeks ago. Through that release I learned that Kino Lorber has many 4Ks of older movies, some of which I had assumed had Criterion releases, but didn't. They'll be my new go-to for old movies, but I still have space in my heart for Criterion.

[@wright96d]

5:42 I can’t comment on the implementation of HDR, but I was actually shocked at how little of a difference I saw between the Criterion, the remastered BD, and the 4K. The two BDs are almost identical and the 4K is only slightly better than the remastered. I imagine it has something to do with them going with an IP instead of the negative. Edit: I’ve since watched it in Dolby Vision, and the HDR is splendid.

[@ryanbeanstalk]

The annoying thing about some of these Kino discs is that they don’t seem to carry the special features over from the Criterion releases!

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

#BB: To all my British brethren, thank you for giving the world Benny Hill, William Shakespeare, Charlie Chaplin, and Alfred Hitchcock... among others! All jokes aside, I've always appreciated reviews like this to give film fans a different perspective on viewing experiences. That being said, I've spent the last 23 years building my DVD Collection. With the whole streaming backlash of glorified digital renting and non-ownership of uncensored copies growing in the last 5 years, I've come to realize how important having my collection can be in this eerily Orwellian age. My first Criterion Dvd was THE RULING CLASS. A great satire on class and privilege that contains a creepy sequence which directly influenced Stanley Kubrick when he filmed THE SHINING. Let's just say, you'll know it shen you see it. Thank you. ❤

[@mrhoeivo]

Thank you for letting me know that the copy of 12 Angry Men on my shelf has another entire movie that I wasn't even aware of.

[@ElliotCoen]

You're very welcome. Enjoy it!

[@fredcostas1945]

Great video, I really appreciate the diligence, research and effort involved in your efforts.

[@ElliotCoen]

Thanks for the very kind words! I really appreciate it.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

I was a bit disheartened about his crapping all over my Criterion Collection. I bought mine when some of these other boutiques didn't exist. @@ElliotCoen

[@tompoynton]

Speaking of The Manchurian Candidate, Demme’s very underrated remake is getting a 4K soon

[@ElliotCoen]

Yes! I can't wait to get that 4K eventually.

[@vincezom]

I usually greatly enjoy your videos but this time, however, I need to take issue with a couple of your statements. More than once, you suggested not buying Criterion versions if you want "good" picture quality. As opposed to what, bad quality? You may be perfectly correct that another presentation may be of higher, or better quality, but I can't ever recall a "bad" Criterion video presentation. Also, I own both of the editions of 12 Angry Men which you featured and wouldn't want to part with either. The Criterion release also has a second version of the main presentation, namely Schaffner's Studio One 1955 teleplay. Absolutely worth watching. Besides that, Criterion offers completely different (and more abundant) special features, although Kino's features, in this case, are also numerous and quite good. In short, I don't see this as an either/or situation. So keep up the good work and if you read this, thank you.

[@ElliotCoen]

You answered it right there - I just mean that there are better quality options. Some of Criterions discs are from dated masters at this point, and discs from 2011 from an HD master just don’t stand up to modern 4K restorations. Thanks for watching!

[@nathanthomas5133]

Yeah because saying 10 & 11 year old criterion transfers aren’t as good as newer restorations is REALLY controversial - you sound like a shill for Criterion 😅

[@brunomachado7279]

The Thin Red Line restoratiin is 14 years old and is jaw dropping!

[@Slask7]

to be fair there are some Criterion discs that could be considered “bad” due to poor compression

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

higher resolution isn't always the answer, I don't want The French Connection to look like Pixar put it out. @@brunomachado7279

[@skeller61]

Now you tell me….lol. I’m setting up my retirement library, including books and movies. I’ve just spent $1000 at the Flash sale (2/27/2024), including Paths of Glory. Anyway, I watched your video of the first 10 CC you should try, and went ahead and ordered the complete Fellini set. Many of the movies I got are adaptations of books, which I’m also collecting (e.g., The 39 Steps). This will allow me to read the book, then watch the movie. I’m psyched!

[@Leif_sauce]

Criterion's Fellini set is amazing. I wish they could have included everything, but you can get the others for pretty cheap now.

[@SamDavies94]

I always find this kind of video interesting. Being a UK collector, Criterion is a label that very little crosses my mind. One of the main reasons is the inflated price of them... Often many of the other labels have released the same films, and as you say, some of the new 4K's are better than the Criterion ones. Bfi have been doing really well recently, Naked is fantastic.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

I have quite a few Arrow Video's releases.

[@ConradSpoke]

I recently saw the Criterion Naked Lunch and was really surprised by the archaic image quality.

[@ElliotCoen]

Yep, it's a very old disc at this point!

[@cheebagardens1759]

Better versions keep coming out right after I buy something. I have most of the Criterions you listed. I hate it. I’m not going to double dip if I have the Blu Ray unless it’s one of my all time favorites.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

that's rabbit hole with no bottom.

[@bacarandii]

There's a moment from the Coens' masterpiece "Miller's Crossing" (1991) that is cut from the Criterion version. It's one of many "Jesus, Tom," moments in the picture, and I don't know whose decision it was to cut it, but I feel the movie's incomplete without it.

[@olavbjortomt1596]

It was the Coen brothers. I can see why they cut it, but it's a funny moment and I miss it.

[@huwprofitt8250]

Just watched 'Paths of Glory' on 4K, all I can say is Wow, just Wow.

[@ElliotCoen]

Yes, breathtaking! I'm glad you enjoyed.

[@griffin2674]

Hi Elliot, thanks for a very informative video. I am starting to build up my 4k collection but have noticed a lot of my favourite upgrades are only available in the USA. Could you recommend any websites where I can import Discs from the USA to the UK. Thank you.

[@CultureDTCTV]

I'm sitting out on Seven Samurai...waiting for the 4K, hopefully I can get that in July during the B&N Flash Sale

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

what a film!

[@Lanosrep]

So many of these films locked behind those box sets which are going out of print. Products like Columbia Classics is what is killing home media at the moment.

[@MAFion]

Just picked up Trainspotting 4k, All About Eve, The Comfort of Strangers and the Whit Stillman trilogy box set. I'm thrilled. It'll be months before the next sale.

[@MadMartysMovieReviews-gv6hk]

Excellent video Elliott, only have a few Criterion editions, getting the best quality of any film is my main aim 😊

[@lurcharoni]

Always enjoy your videos Elliot ... I wanted to know what TV and Player (Brands / Models) you use for your reviews? I feel it's very important to divulge a reviewers hardware for playback as it's more important than the software itself. I myself have 3 different tiers of 4K TV's around the house (a low end Samsung, a mid tier Sony and an OLED Sony) and while they are all technically 4K as you can imagine the picture quality varies tremendously between them. Can you possibly do a brief video on your hardware you use for your reviews? Keep up the great work!

[@jeremypowell9260]

Would love to see a follow-up video suggesting alternatives for Criterion discs where it’s not a matter of general picture quality but substantial flaws with the Criterion presentation, like missing scenes (“Leon Morin, Priest”) or poor color timing (the dreaded teal transfers)

[@MerryRaven]

thanks for the video, I'm a new subscriber but loving your content ☺

[@ElliotCoen]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)

[@johnfunderburg6225]

Great video - thanks, Elliot! I had Kino's 4K release of Night of the Hunter, but I did double dip on the Criterion disc as well due to the extensive special features.

[@nealkurz6503]

Thanks! I AM tempted by the 4k Night of the Hunter, but would never part with the extras on the Criterion Blu….anyone who loves the film needs both!

[@DrMetalpin]

Yes, some of the films have minuscule improvements on these versions, but sometimes it’s worth it to just get the ones that have the better bonus additions. The picture quality is excellent on all the ones you mentioned.

[@ElliotCoen]

If you think the new 4Ks of Paths of Glory and The Wages of Fear only present minuscule improvements over the ancient blu-rays, I don’t know what to say… it’s night and day to my eyes. If you’re happy with your old Criterion discs, more power to you! Enjoy

[@DrMetalpin]

@@ElliotCoen I shouldn’t have said minuscule but that wasn’t really my point. Unless you want to just keep on buying the same movies over and over (which I’ve done many times), sometimes I make the judgement call to weigh out which package has the best overall presentation when also factoring in the bonus material. I grew up watching all of these movies on film. The new presentations are all better than that, but honestly some of the character of these films can rest in their original presentation, which was on actual film.

[@jknuttel]

I'll give you a good one: Cecil B. DeMille's silent classic _The King of Kings_ (1927). There is a far superior version from France under the title _Le Roi des Rois._ It's region-free and has a beautifully restored print with two-color Technicolor scenes, color tinting, and Hanscheigl sequences. The titles are in English.

[@ElliotCoen]

I didn't know about that French disc. I will have to investigate. Thanks for the tip!

[@FilmBloggerSam]

Great video pal, lots of alternative and often superior editions of great films out there. Cheers 👍

[@ElliotCoen]

Thanks so much Sam!

[@modestyblaise4167]

As a huge Mike Leigh fan I jumped on BFI’s Blu-ray the week it was released. It’s a fabulous transfer and no need to be region free. On that note, I will always favour local releases over imports and rate the packaging/booklets as well as supplemental material just as important. With recent 4K transfers on standard Blu-ray, it’s sometimes the HDR that’s making the biggest difference when played back from a decent 4K player. I do agree though, some of those older Criterion releases are looking a bit ropey now. Oh, where’s the Criterion sale?

[@ElliotCoen]

You’re absolutely right about HDR - it can make a huge difference! Cheers as always

[@raystroud]

Great Idea for a video. I have been buying the Columbia Classic sets so I have a couple of the 4K discs you mentioned. I added the Criterions I bought during this sale on your pinned comment.

[@Mayday73]

Thank you for the video. Do you think the Criterion versions are worth picking up for the extras? If not new maybe on the used market?

[@romanclay1913]

From Kirk Douglas' autobiography "The Ragman's Son":
 I met the director, Stanley Kubrick. He said he had a script called PATHS OF GLORY. I read the script and fell in love with it. "Stanley, I don't think this picture will ever make a nickel, but we HAVE to make it." 
I got financing. It wasn't easy. When I arrived in Munich, I was greeted with a completely rewritten script. 
"Stanley, did you write this?" 
"Yes." 
"Stanley, why would you do that?" 

He very calmly said, "To make it commercial. I want to make money."
 I hit the ceiling. "You come to me with a script. I love THAT script. I got the money, based on THAT script. Not this shit!" I threw the script across the room. "We're going back to the original script, or we're not making the picture."

[@niallcnghm]

Ghost dog is one of my favourite films, its really annoying because i imported the criterion bluray, then a month later the 4K comes out. Is it worth the upgrade? I love the criterion one

[@alysshart7522]

This is very interesting! I likely won’t buy any of these films on disc, but this gives me an idea of which version to rent from Scarecrow!

[@slc2466]

I'm been enjoying your videos alot. For "The Night of Hunter," I did upgrade to the 4K Kino-Lorber, but I'm definitely hanging on to the Criterion Blu-Ray, due to the great extra features not found on the 4K.

[@paultrout.mp4]

I grabbed “the roaring 20s” and “the others” on 4K and “cure” on blu ray!

[@ElliotCoen]

Nice! I’m looking forward to getting The Roaring Twenties.

[@jameshorton7496]

@Coen , I ordered The Roaring 20's 4K yesterday during the Criterion 50% off flash sale.

[@johnnyjetlag]

Do you think we'll be getting a 4K release of Brazil (1985) from Criterion next year, for it's 40th anniversary?

[@ElliotCoen]

I don’t know but sure hope so!

[@NickPiers]

I REALLY want to get some stuff for the flash sale, but income tax hit me this year, so I don't have a lot of extra spending money. Totally off topic, but have you ever reviewed or talked about the Wong Kar-wai collection? I started watching his films on the Criterion streaming service, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

0I moved this year from California to Texas even after donating boxes of titles I still hauled 9 of those 27 galllon storage bins full of film across the country...madness

[@Zoinksss]

Do you feel the same way about In the Heat of the Night from Kino? I’m thinking about picking that one up

[@ElliotCoen]

I haven’t got the Kino 4K yet so I can’t say for sure, but I have to imagine there’s an upgrade there. Cheers!

[@m.dorado6966]

Elliot, you strike again. Thanks for putting out superior content.

[@ElliotCoen]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed.

[@m.dorado6966]

@ElliotCoen You mentioned two Criterion BR titles I planned to purchase but had no idea they were out in 4K. This video was worth my viewing.

[@princesmith8008]

Great job mate. Please consider making more videos like this There are multiple versions of many more movies out there and people need to know which one's the best

[@sexymonkey-zw5zq]

"better" is of course entirely subjective. Out of all of the examples of films that you showed as examples, 'Wages of Fear' is the only one for which I chose the BFI blu-ray over the Criterion, but, that's because I found out that the Criterion one has the image cropped, and, that BFI blu-ray transfer is perfect. My point is though, that "better" is a matter of opinion and I'm of the opinion that 4k is not the be all and end all.

[@ElliotCoen]

Of course it’s a subjective opinion. That’s what you get in all of my videos, my opinions. If you’re fine with your blu-rays then not a problem. People like myself do take interest in getting discs with greater resolution, HDR grades, etc. Enjoy and thanks for watching!

[@JesusSavesSinners]

I Absolutely Agree 👍🎯💯.

[@Leif_sauce]

Night of the Hunter is def worth owning on Criterion for the bonus features. The 4K looks fantastic but it feels a little weird to see it in a widescreen aspect ratio. Manchurian Candidate also looks great on 4K, but Kino botched the stereo track and didn't include the original mono, so you have to settle on the 5.1 track which is good, but not great. I'm surprised the Bruce Lee set wasn't mentioned, I haven't seen it myself, but the screencaps show Arrow's set looking vastly superior.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

I need everyone's opinion...I haven't made the switch from 1080p to 4K, I am pretty happy with my Panasonic Plasma . What I am curious about is if you have a 4K player and Television How much better does a native 4K release look compared to an upconverted 1080p blu-ray? also if it is an older film made before digital.

[@RhaheimHilliard]

Sometimes the 4K is significantly better, and sometimes the original source material was in such bad quality that even a 4K upgrade can't really help. What's also more relevant when it comes to 4K is the HDR, which can tap into significantly more colors than a Blu-ray. More colors means a more accurate and saturated visual image. HDR also greatly improves the contrast in most cases. The quality of your player, and especially your 4K TV are also important. Some higher end TVs are brighter and tap into a larger portion of the color spectrum, giving you the much improved picture that 4K Blu-ray has to offer. I'm leaving out other positives. In short, I'd say 90-95% of the time, the 4K option is the better one.

[@RhaheimHilliard]

I didn't even answer your question! A native 4K does look a little more crisp and detailed than an upscaled movie, but sometimes the combination of the upscale and the HDR looks just as good. Older films sometimes look absolutely amazing, mostly because many were shot on 35mm. 35mm when converted to film is around 3.4k, a little beneath 4K, so upgrades look amazing.

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

@@RhaheimHilliard very good, thank you sir. I remember getting my first laserdisc player and seeing Alien, and Aliens in WS for the first time, or the Criterion laser of Taxi Driver and hearing an Director's Commentary for the first time, or hearing Arnold's shoot out with the skiers in True Lies in Dolby Digital or the Tyrannosaur scene in Jurassic Park, it all seems like diminishing returns. Having access t6 so much is great but so was going over the TV guide looking for gold. Some thrills you only get once.

[@danielthegeek4582]

Do you know what the Masters of Cinema version of Paths of Glory is like? I was going to get that one, as I wasn’t aware of the others. Cheers!

[@ElliotCoen]

The new 4K is brilliant! Highly recommended. If you mean the older Blu-ray from Eureka, that’s still a fine disc. Just not as good as the latest!

[@danielthegeek4582]

Didn’t listen properly! Missed the bit where you said Eureka was MOC.. DUH! 😂

[@harrisonsmovietributes1689]

The question is if you already have a lot of these criterion discs and still buy the new 4Ks would you say keep the criterions or sell them? I know that is a personal choice but would you keep them?

[@Martinmd-zt7vu]

Do you think Criterion will release a 4k of Barry Lyndon anytime soon? I'm trying to decide if I should just get the blu ray or not.

[@ScruffyWarlord]

Barry Lyndon is 100% coming to 4k either by Criterion themselves or a different label. Hold off on that one.

[@ElliotCoen]

It's definitely a case of when, not if, but I don't have a read on exactly when. I'd like to think we'll see a 4K Barry Lyndon this year, but who knows!

[@Martinmd-zt7vu]

@@ElliotCoen good to know. Thanks!

[@kennethmikkelsen6506]

Is there a link for the german version of Anatomy of a Murder? I cant find it anywhere.

[@ElliotCoen]

I don't have a direct link to hand but it was within the Columbia Classics Volume 2 that was available in many different regions.

[@kennethmikkelsen6506]

Was that boxset also available in a german version? I thought you meant it was out as seperate release in Germany :)@@ElliotCoen

[@ElliotCoen]

@@kennethmikkelsen6506yes the boxset was released in Germany too, no single releases for the films as far as I know

[@Mo-jw6of]

Is there any website where every differen version of a movie ist listed? So I don't need to look up each store.

[@dimitrimerritt7641]

DVDBeaver is a great site for its reviews and discs format comparisons!

[@tom_reagan]

I know you’re focusing on video quality here, but I would add Miller’s Crossing as a Criterion to avoid, as the Coen Bros butchered it for some crazy reason and edited several lines of dialogue and other trivial edits from the movie.

[@blurayffan66]

You missed the German 2011 Universum release of Fritz Lang's 'M'...their bluray bests all other version (Criterion and Eureka) as it had some further restoration work done on it. Did a quick overview on my channel if you want to see it.

[@DerekPower]

I will throw in Dr. Strangelove as well. Columbia/Sony issued it on 4K and, in fact, ported over all the Criterion-produced supplements onto it. Criterion’s does have the film-inspired packaging design such as the Plan R packet, complete with combination miniature Russian phrase book and Bible. I think it’s still in print but if you are in the UK or region free, there are better versions of The Passion of Joan of Arc and Dekalog, from Eureka Masters of Cinema and Arrow respectively. I also recommend Arrow UK’s 4K/Blu of The Last Emperor. The 4K has the theatrical version and the Blu (R-B) has the extended/television version. Both are presented in the 2.20:1 aspect ratio, which was how it was shown in theatres originally (the 2:1 was a post-facto revision on the part of Vittorio Starraro). It’s also not jam-packed with features and thus the image encoding is able to breathe more.

[@brunomachado7279]

I own both Strangelove discs and, honestly, I don't see much difference between them. Sure, I pick the 4k edition whenever I feel like watching it, but the Criterion blu ray is very solid too.

[@NoCreamedCorn]

I like that floor lamp. Can you tell me about that? I need something like that

[@ElliotCoen]

It’s one of the reasonably cheap IKEA ones. Can’t remember the exact name of it!

[@coreykneedler4110]

I wish the 4K of boyhood was available in the U.S. That is such an underrated film and the song that plays near the end when he’s driving some the road gives me goosebumps, it’s so good!

[@benpascall4297]

Why don't you just import it then... A lot of the discs Elliot shows in this video he imported to the UK from the US and other countries. 4k discs are region free (bar a few). I have over 100 imported discs personally.

[@1977Suspiria]

Even before 4k took off BFI & Arrow Academy were putting out some titles that surpass or that of Criterion. Titles like La Belle Et La Bete & Madame de with the BFI delivering newer transfer of the films compared to Criterion's earlier releases of them. Then you got titles like My Darling Clementine & One-Eyed Jacks that although I believe sourced exactly the same master of the film for both Criterion & Arrow Academy releases, I think Arrow provided the more preferable extras, though that might divide opinion. BFI have also fairly recently released a lot of Bresson's filmography on BluRay sk I assume much like the Naked release is a much more updated & better transfer.

[@ElliotCoen]

Very good points mentioning those Arrow Academy and BFI titles. All of those releases are treasured in my personal collection. Thanks for watching as always!

[@JohnJohnson-bo5sv]

One thing I have appreciated about Arrow releases is their willingness to give some room for critics, authors and scholars ect to do video essays, good content need not cost a bundle to produce.@@ElliotCoen

[@84paratize]

"Better" in terms of A/V perhaps, but not always in terms of special features

[@nathanthomas5133]

And the opposite - many recent Criterion releases have had hardly any special features

[@endresee]

Oh no! Just picked up Anatomy of a Murder in the sale before I saw this 😩

[@ElliotCoen]

It's still a great presentation, so don't worry - just not the best available!

[@662292]

the trial, elephant man, the servant by studiocanal

[@leonmusic1699]

It‘s very relevant to make such a video! Thank you, Elliot! I always feel it‘s all quite over when I see that cringe form of collectivism in the CC subreddit, where people fantasize about a certain movie entering the collection, so they can FINALLY see it. Thats just dull elitist talk. Other labels very often do much better work, and besides the classy make-up, Criterions carry much less for 40$. And other labels sure seem to not be in the situation to add some $$$ for their own name, and can do their releases in a much more fair price range. The Naked Lunch from Turbine is close to the best UHD I‘ve ever seen! Good guys over at Turbine!

[@olavbjortomt1596]

I watched a video with four guys going on about films they wanted in the Criterion Collection and it was as if they had no idea what Criterion really do and just wanted their faves in there for validation. One guy said he really wanted to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the CC, but since this was just after Second Sight's whopping cinder block of a 4K release, I was wondering how Criterion could come anywhere close to that release, especially when they're not horror experts and don't go in for bundling specially commissioned books (not booklets or fold out posters, actual books) with their releases. What would be the point? Apart from getting the Criterion Collection-designed packaging? Criterion isn't a greatest films of all time label; it's a curated collection with particular restoration/pedagogic focusses.

[@leonjurdzinski5669]

@@olavbjortomt1596 Yeah, exactly! Its very puberty driven collectivism. The good Criterion have done to educate people on foreign films and film history in general is unmatched. Although I feel nowadays, especially in regards to people that dont know that many movies or much about them, Criterion has been merely diminished to a status symbol for lonesome movie folk. When I think of seeing movies, I think of closing gaps, I think of consuming another person's view on life. And to do that I have to see as much of them as I can. When I would do that solely on Criterion, I would be poor and about three movies richer. I just think that we've reached a time in physical media, where being deluxe and curated and expensive is no longer the best way to have an experience. What I'm seeing now are VHS prices when VHS was big, or not as big anymore. Paying up to a 100$ for three movies (or even one in some cases) doesnt mean that its worth it, it speaks to me about the fact, that boutique labels have to think about their role in preserving cinema.

[@JesusSavesSinners]

​@@leonjurdzinski5669 Outstanding Analysis!!!

[@johannesbowman5327]

I see Paths of Glory on the thumbnail. I was not disappointed.

[@anthonymurillo4106]

Just bought Husbands by John Cassavetes and Onibaba. Excited

[@brunomachado7279]

Good video! Most of these titles I own the criterion blu ray and that's fine. For instance, I dont need a high end transfer to enjoy 12 Angry Men, a film that takes place entirely in a room. It's not Lawrence of Arábia. 😂

[@henrykujawa4427]

I appreciate this video, as, it seems like every time I'm buying an old movie on disc, I try to do as much research as I can to find what is the latest and BEST version of any given movie available. The sad truth is, I've run across a growing number of "brand new restorations" that sometimes don't look as good as decades-old videotapes I recorded myself off cable channel. And that's a problem. HORROR OF DRACULA (1958), DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) and TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1969) all have "dark" scenes that are TOO DARK. D:POD comes with 2 different prints: the UK print, the colors don't look right, but, the film is at a far-better brightness. (All the other Hammer-Draculas look PERFECT.) THE OBLONG BOX (1969), after the first 25 minutes, the entire rest of the film is WAY too dark, making it difficult to see what you're looking at, especially at the climax. And that's the "new improved" version from Kino Lorber. Both JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD from Indicator, dark scenes are TOO DARK, though with these 2, at least I can adjust my TV a bit so they're still watchable. By comparison, I had 3 different versions of the 1977 THE FABULOUS JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, and they were 3 different levels of "too dark" in some scenes. But the brand-new Severin Films Blu-Ray, said to be the 1st-ever "high res scan of the original negative", looks PERFECT. I've never seen such a huge upgrade between discs. Even in the darkest scenes, I can see every detail. And, on top of the that, both the picture and sound are MUCH sharper, less fuzzy. THAT's the way you do it.

[@henrykujawa4427]

Then there's the MPI box, "THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES", with all 14 Basil Rathbone films. The 12 Universals are all extensively restored, and while a few defects show up, they undoubtedly look better than they ever have in my lifetime. Definitely the only versions of those films worth buying at all. However... the Fox film THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, the entire last act, mostly in the dark, there's parts where you can't even see wat you're looking at, it's so dark. My 90s videotape COPY of a rental tape looks better there.

[@colinmichels]

also worth noting the BFI blu ray of La Haine is significantly better than the old criterion blu ray (i’m not sure if criterion redid the blu ray with their new 4k release, or how that new release compares to BFI’s)

[@dannysavage8929]

I picked up 4ks of The Roaring Twenties, Mean Streets, Days of Heaven, The Last Picture Show, and a Blu-ray of Election.

[@XenomorphLV426]

What about Silence of the Lambs criterion vs 4k kino

[@ElliotCoen]

That's one of the Kino 4Ks I don't actually have yet but I'm hoping to pick it up soon!

[@jexes23]

You missed Beauty & The Beast. The BFI is a million times better. It is region B but everyone who's a film fan should own a regionless blu ray player.

[@ElliotCoen]

Yep, that's a brilliant disc from BFI. And I agree about having a region free player!

[@Dan89201]

Sometimes I’d rather just stick with criterion cos it’s the only boutique label I really collect, I buy arrow and second sight from time to time and I’m thinking about going for a full set of mubi but my criterion shelf display is the centrepiece of my collection

[@robsavage3217]

Another title to note is Some Like it Hot. The Kino Lorber 4K is much better than the Criterion Blu-ray.

[@themoviefan9990]

Just wait for criterion 4K releases

[@Lopoerik]

Thank you videoflimdunkey

[@southendonseaarts]

I’m afraid I’m one of those people you mentioned I’ve got all the better versions you featured but I originally bought the Criterion version first. Just got the Columbia Classics Vol 4.

[@benpascall4297]

Easy Rider is another one here. Sony released the 4k several years ago here in the UK.

[@ShanghaiRooster]

Criterion win on the extras with Easy Rider surely. Sony, as with many big studio/labels put little effort into extras when it comes to older films and just recycle what they put on as far back as DVD days. Yes, the movie itself is the primary factor of course, but extras are important - to some people anyway. The best route for this, as for some others , is to have both.

[@benpascall4297]

@@ShanghaiRooster horses for courses. I very rarely have the time or interest to watch extras. I'd rather have the best picture and sound quality over extras, as the movie itself it the overriding reason why I buy a disc in the first place.

[@ShanghaiRooster]

@@benpascall4297 Which is fine. Whatever works for you, works for you. :-)

[@jaymacintyre1777]

Thanks for these. The main one for me is THE WAGES OF FEAR. I just looked at the Criterion bluay and it's disappointing. Now I need to rationalize the cost of the BFI 4k

[@geraldmartin7703]

If it makes you feel any better, I owned Wages of Fear on a public domain VHS issue where the images were almost transparent.

[@jaymacintyre1777]

@@geraldmartin7703I go way back to the early VHS days when this film was available only with the first half cut...so it started with the trucks pulling out....I never saw the long first part until years later

[@roachman1412]

I have BFI Proposition 4k looks great had to buy a region free blue ray player to watch the xtras

[@ElliotCoen]

The Proposition is such a great film and the BFI 4K is stunning! Cheers

[@ReVision..]

While yes there are better versions out there, but comparing regular Blu-rays to 4K UHD movies is just unfair and wrong. I would love and see you do a direct comparison of Blu-Ray vs. Blu-Ray or 4K vs. 4K

[@floydianpink2524]

Another huge upgrade to the criterion release is the eureka version of A touch of zen, still a 1080p bluray but a HUGE uograde

[@nowproducing]

columbia classics vol 2 is still in print afaik

[@GA-1st]

Too late! I have most of those Criterions BD releases! And thanks for helping to reduce their resale value!

[@sylvaniaboi]

shouldn't this be called 'don't get the Blu - get the 4K' - as this is all that's been said. Many of these Blu-rays I own, i'm not going out spending more $$ just for a 4k 'upgrade'. Thanks.... but not this time

[@ElliotCoen]

and that's fine, absolutely your prerogative to not upgrade to the 4Ks. Many people do like to be informed of when there are A/V upgrades available and that is the purpose of this video. Thanks very much for watching!

[@adoor3712]

I don’t currently have a 4k TV or a 4K player, so I tend to buy movies based off the look of their bindings and box art. Criterion for the most part always kills it.

[@user-mx9zk9gb6y]

for at least 5-10 years criterion are not even top 3 anymore. still love their artwork on the covers

[@JesusSavesSinners]

You are Correct 💯🎯👍.

[@bigmoviefreak]

But that would mean I’d have permanent gaps in the running spine numbers on my Criterion shelf. 😂 I’m kidding, no way I’m able to collect every single Criterion. Already gotten 12 Angry Men, Night of the Hunter, etc. from other labels and studios.

[@ElliotCoen]

Haha! I know the struggle of wrestling with spine numbers but I got rid of the notion of collecting every single one years ago.

[@NN-gw7qc]

Don't buy anything," things are going 8k soon"...We have to stop looking for perfection, I have never bought a crappy Criterion......be happy with what you have and if you dont have a movie yet and theres a choice decide then, if you happen to "only" own the BD of 12 Angry Men don't sweat it its perfectly fine on BD.

[@rsolsjo]

12 Angry Men, literally one of my only Criterion discs..😂 😭

[@ElliotCoen]

Ya gotta upgrade then! 😂

[@devononair]

If you have lots of Criterion Films, is that a Criteria Collection? LOL

[@donsimpsonshead8809]

There are two Criterion Blu-ray’s that are better than the newer 4K’s: Pan’s Labyrinth and The Great Escape. Both have much better color timing on the Criterion’s and look closer to the original theatrical versions. Both 4K’s are just bland.

[@rike889]

I prefer the remake, Sorcerer, to Wages if Fear.

[@ElliotCoen]

Great film too - Friedkin famously hated when people called it a remake, as he said he was just adapting the source novel for his film.

[@geraldmartin7703]

Nothing wrong with owning both. I saw both in the theater, the original when I was a kid.

[@whenindoubt1000]

Buy replace. Buy replace...I can't justify the cost for perfection.

[@ElliotCoen]

That's a fair point, I agree! I would say focus on the films you really love that are worth upgrading.

[@mckeldin1961]

I purchased the Kino 4k of The Night of the Hunter… I was unimpressed… to my eyes the picture was not a big improvement over Criterion’s Blu-ray… *and* it was in the wrong aspect ratio! That’s a deal breaker for me!

[@nathanthomas5133]

There is a reason for the different aspect ratio (not ‘wrong’ aspect ratio) if you spent 5 minutes actually researching before typing

[@mckeldin1961]

What an unpleasant response. I did the research as soon as I saw the different AR.

[@tfpp1]

So basically buy 4K.

[@antisora13]

Don’t buy the Godzilla blu-ray book from Criterion for these reasons: 1. English dubs are inconsistent between movies 2. The glue causes the blu ray discs to sink into the inserts 3. They’re Godzilla movies

[@connorstephens7467]

Criterion versions are still worth owning if you care about special features. I doubt the Kino 4K’s come with everything the Criterion version does.

[@donsantos8798]

SMH. Should of posted this like at least 2 days before the flash sale 🤦‍♂️

[@NoCreamedCorn]

Criterion’s “director approved” transfers are driving me nuts lately. So many films from pre-2002 have been given a green sheen that didn’t become all the rage until The Ring came out. I will die on the hill that The Virgin Suicides never looked the way it looks now and it’s utterly infuriating. Same goes for the coloring on new Trainspotting release.

[@JesusSavesSinners]

Great Analysis. 👍🎯💯

[@donotworryatall]

The cover saying Kirk Douglas Paths of Glory is no way a good presentation of the film