rapta wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:59 pm
I wonder if Criterion UK are only releasing the 4K UHD 'Dual Format' edition to see how well it sells compared to other releases (they offered UHD+BD and regular BD releases for all the other recent 4K titles; including Thelma & Louise which was MGM-licensed, as Raging Bull was). Maybe they're not seeing the uplift in sales they were expecting and are trying to streamline the UK output. I feel like anything could change with them at this point, and one day they could just stop UHD in the UK altogether...
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Ah, interesting - thanks! I was thinking of MGM specifically when I typed that, just didn't realise it was only them doing it. I don't think they're doing that over here though as the titles I mentioned have been both UHD and Blu-ray (either in a Dual Format set or separate editions, if you look at recent 4K releases from Criterion, Arrow, Eureka and Capelight).
It could be a test to see if people are willing to just pick up the dual-format UHD/Blu-ray set. Or it could be licensing related, in the US, The Ranown Westerns are only available in the dual-format UHD/Blu-ray box and that strikes me as something that could be licensing related as Mill Creek released those on Blu-ray.
I know that MGM had kind of stopped licensing in the UK for awhile, and since they started again, they may have abandoned doing separate deals for UHD and Blu-ray. Those titles that Criterion released on Blu-ray and Kino on UHD were big enough that it is possible that MGM initially intended to release the UHDs themselves and thus excluded them from the deal with Criterion and later changed their minds and offered them to Kino for licensing so many lesser titles.
rapta wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:59 pm
I wonder if Criterion UK are only releasing the 4K UHD 'Dual Format' edition to see how well it sells compared to other releases (they offered UHD+BD and regular BD releases for all the other recent 4K titles; including Thelma & Louise which was MGM-licensed, as Raging Bull was). Maybe they're not seeing the uplift in sales they were expecting and are trying to streamline the UK output. I feel like anything could change with them at this point, and one day they could just stop UHD in the UK altogether...
.....
Ah, interesting - thanks! I was thinking of MGM specifically when I typed that, just didn't realise it was only them doing it. I don't think they're doing that over here though as the titles I mentioned have been both UHD and Blu-ray (either in a Dual Format set or separate editions, if you look at recent 4K releases from Criterion, Arrow, Eureka and Capelight).
It could be a test to see if people are willing to just pick up the dual-format UHD/Blu-ray set. Or it could be licensing related, in the US, The Ranown Westerns are only available in the dual-format UHD/Blu-ray box and that strikes me as something that could be licensing related as Mill Creek released those on Blu-ray.
I know that MGM had kind of stopped licensing in the UK for awhile, and since they started again, they may have abandoned doing separate deals for UHD and Blu-ray. Those titles that Criterion released on Blu-ray and Kino on UHD were big enough that it is possible that MGM initially intended to release the UHDs themselves and thus excluded them from the deal with Criterion and later changed their minds and offered them to Kino for licensing so many lesser titles.
I imagine it's probably the former, since as I said before, Thelma & Louise was also from MGM and they happily released both dual format UHD+BD and separate Blu-ray editions for that (and all other 4K titles, for that matter). I hadn't noticed Mill Creek had only released those Boetticher films just two years before Criterion...that does strike me as a bit odd for Sony, but yeah maybe that was agreed for the 4K bump. Either that or Mill Creek actually licensed them a few years before they actually released them, and their license expired a couple of years after releasing their set? Who knows...
Good point about the MGM situation Stateside, that would make sense that they probably kept 4K out of the initial Criterion license and later sold them to Kino Lorber instead (though I'm sure a lot of money was involved in that decision). Paramount and Warner Bros have been doing similar things with these labels too, but actually releasing some of them in 4K themselves.
Mill Creek seem to have not have any problem with titles they've licensed getting released by other boutiques which makes me wonder if their deal with Sony is nonexclusive. It really is two different markets.
Both titles I actually want! Great news. Tempted to pre-order the Sembene set in particular...it's obviously quite pricy but I'm really up for seeing more of his work.
Great to see they're doing Godzilla individually, as I haven't been confident enough to get the Showa Era set (both too pricey and unwieldy). Am I right in thinking this is another rare case (like In the Mood for Love) of a particular film receiving a 'UK exclusive' Blu-ray only edition? Note it mentions the new 4K restoration in the specs, whereas the US still have the older release (and only get the new Blu-ray disc as part of the UHD package).
Anyway, might cancel my pre-order of Happiness and go for Godzillla instead (since I've been waiting to upgrade from the BFI DVD for what seems like forever). I'll definitely get Happiness, the Val Lewton double-bill and Scarface as soon as I can afford to, but I don't think I can ignore a fresh Toho restoration like this.
PS: Not sure on Gummo, made me feel a bit sick all those years ago. I'd actually be more up for Julien Donkey-Boy, Mister Lonely, Trash Humpers; or perhaps my favourite Korine so far, The Beach Bum.
Yes, but my point was that the specs for the upcoming 4K UHD/Blu-ray dual format (both US and UK) and Blu-ray (UK only) both say the presentation is from the new 4K restoration in the specs, but no US equivalent for the latter has been announced (just the regular 2012 Blu-ray release 'High-definition digital restoration'). Of course you can still get the Blu-ray disc as part of the 4K dual format release, but not on its own.
Just thought that was interesting, and they've done the same thing once before here (In the Mood for Love).
UPDATE: Somebody on BR.com contacted Jon Mulvaney for clarification, and he confirmed it was a typo and the UK Blu-ray is the same as the old 2012 US Blu-ray after all.
Last edited by rapta on Fri Oct 04, 2024 7:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Also big 40% sale about to start (and has already started at Rarewaves, with 10% off extra 'til tomorrow night at 9PM GMT). Only a selection of titles, but a lot of recent ones, including 4K and boxsets (much to my chagrin; I've been pre-ordering a lot of Criterion titles, naïvely thinking we wouldn't get a big sale like this).
Anyway, thankfully lots of titles I do want, and one I actually got last week and will be returning imminently (Le Samouraï 4K). Will dive in tonight/tomorrow morning when HMV list titles and see what I can get from them as I trust them more to get things to me in one piece (Rarewaves are more hit-and-miss).
Anyway, great news about Mickey and Nicky especially! Might actually pre-order that, have always wanted to see more May films.
rapta wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2024 8:02 pm
Also big 40% sale about to start (and has already started at Rarewaves, with 10% off extra 'til tomorrow night at 9PM GMT). Only a selection of titles, but a lot of recent ones, including 4K and boxsets (much to my chagrin; I've been pre-ordering a lot of Criterion titles, naïvely thinking we wouldn't get a big sale like this).
Anyway, thankfully lots of titles I do want, and one I actually got last week and will be returning imminently (Le Samouraï 4K). Will dive in tonight/tomorrow morning when HMV list titles and see what I can get from them as I trust them more to get things to me in one piece (Rarewaves are more hit-and-miss).
Anyway, great news about Mickey and Nicky especially! Might actually pre-order that, have always wanted to see more May films.
Just to note, the extra 10% SPOOKY10 code doesn't seem to work in conjunction with the offer. Or at least it doesn't for me.
Edit: Never mind, I just realised the code only works on orders over £20. Silly me!
Drugstore Cowboy 4K UHD + Blu-ray / Blu-ray
Performance 4K UHD + Blu-ray / Blu-ray
Godzilla vs. Biollante 4K UHD + Blu-ray / Blu-ray
In for Drugstore Cowboy, and will get Performance in one of the next sales (and maybe the Godzilla sequel too, price dependent). Figured we'd get Performance and Godzilla, being that they're Warner Bros and Toho, but Drugstore Cowboy is a pleasant surprise (Lionsgate have UK rights, I believe).
PS: Really hoping for Choose Me and Night Moves next month though. Good chance we'll get the latter, and maybe on the former (I know Radiance tried to get it, so it's at least possible).
