[Omi]

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[NobleRabbit]

Read about it here:
http://criterionco.com/asp/

~!~ Noble ~!~

[Michael Scrutchin]

From www.criterionco.com:
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The Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, is dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Criterion began with a mission to pull the treasures of world cinema out of the film vaults and put them in the hands of collectors. All of the films published under the Criterion banner represent cinema at its finest. In our seventeen years, we've seen a lot of things change, but one thing has remained constant: our commitment to publishing the defining moments of cinema in the world's best digital editions.

The foundation of the collection is the work of such masters of cinema as Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Buñuel, Powell and Pressburger. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. For every disc, we track down the best available film elements in the world, use state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, and take time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Whenever possible, we work with directors and cinematographers to assure that the look of our releases does justice to their intentions. Our supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director's cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. To date, more than 35 filmmakers have made our Director Approved library of laserdiscs and DVDs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.
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Browse the collection: http://www.criterionco.com/asp/browse.asp

Criterion FAQs from www.criterionco.com:
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How does Criterion decide which films are to receive the "Criterion Treatment"?

Many factors enter into our decision to release a particular film. At the outset, we must ask ourselves: Do we consider the film interesting, important, and worthy of the other films in the collection? Is this film something we believe our loyal customers will appreciate? Are the rights available? Is it cost effective? Are there quality available prints/elements/supplements? These questions and many others must be answered before we begin production on a DVD. Every title is different and each undergoes a unique process as it finds its way into the collection.

Does Criterion continue to produce laserdiscs?

We do not.

The Criterion Collection began publishing laserdisc editions of important classic and contemporary films in 1984. This continued for 14 years. In 1998, Criterion ceased producing laserdics and dedicated itself exclusively to the production of DVDs.

Why hasn't Criterion re-released its entire laserdisc catalogue on DVD?

While we would like nothing better than to release our entire laserdisc catalog on DVD, we are unable to do so due to rights issues. DVD and laserdisc rights are often discrete entities and ownership of one does not necessarily imply ownership of the other.

Why do Criterion DVDs often cost more than other DVDs?

Criterion DVDs generally retail for about $10 more than average, and we make every effort to make those extra dollars count. We've made a commitment to presenting each film looking the best it can, and wherever possible, we are scouring the world's archives for additional materials that will elucidate the process or significance of the film. That work is extremely complicated and expensive, especially when the films are not all located in a single vault (as at a major studio) but scattered around the world. Our films are drawn from an array of film libraries in about two dozen countries so far. Many of the filmmakers whose work are included in the collection live thousands of miles away. Others are no longer living, making the archival project that much more difficult. And, especially with the older films, the process of making a master -- first finding the best available film elements, making a high-quality transfer, and then rolling frame-by-frame through the picture and sound fixing scratches, tears and dirt, as well as audio pops, crackle, clicks and hiss -- requires the use of very expensive equipment and personnel for long periods of time.

We appreciate the support people show when they pay a little more for our discs, because that is what makes it possible for us to keep striving to meet the standards of our most demanding and well-informed customers.

Why have certain Criterion titles been taken out of print? Will they ever be back in print?

All unavailable Criterion titles were taken out of print solely due to rights issues. Our distribution licenses expired and, despite our best efforts, we were unable to renew. Should Criterion ever recover the DVD rights to any of our out-of-print titles, we will surely re-release them.

Where can I find out-of-print Criterion DVDs?

To the best of our knowledge, all out-of-print Criterion titles are completely unavailable. Some retailers may have retained copies of certain releases, but your guess is as good as ours.

I live outside of North America. Will Criterion DVDs play on my machine?

The vast majority of Criterion DVDs are released with North American rights only. While there are DVD players that have been altered to allow various region discs to play on them and while many of our releases do not carry region encoding, we can not ship to addresses outside North America, nor can we provide technical support to customers outside of this territory.

Does Criterion sell DVDs directly?

We do not. Criterion DVDs are available through DVD retailers only.

Are Criterion DVDs available outside of North America?

Criterion Collection editions are generally available throughout the US and Canada. From time to time, certain of our editions are distributed internationally, usually by our studio licensors' and their international partners, but at present we have no international distribution arm of our own.

Does Criterion accept ideas and suggestions from fans?


Absolutely! If you have any requests or suggestions for Criterion, please feel free to e-mail them to our own Jon Mulvaney.
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I hope all that information helps. The Criterion Collection produces their own DVDs ("a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films," as they say), while a company called Home Vision Entertainment (www.homevision.com) serves as their distributor.

[Eric Bialas]

Criterion has the effect on critics that when any movie becomes part of the Criterion, it's rating goes up at least one star.