criterionforum.org

Gregory wrote:Marforio

thanks!

Nice Autechre name/avatar, btw

Anybody know about the recent "Night of the Hunter" release? Most people are assuming it's a repackaging from a digipak to a plastic case, but there's no actual confirmation of this yet.

Soothsayer wrote:Nice Autechre name/avatar, btw

Me too! Me too!

Criterion just posted a proof for "Judex" to their Tumblr page.

It's a neat preview for the full cover artwork, of course, but note the "Criterion modified" date of April 19, 2013. Either Criterion releases take an average of one (1) year before coming into fruition, or they've been planning this one for a while.

ArchCarrier wrote:

Soothsayer wrote:Nice Autechre name/avatar, btw

Me too! Me too!

I know this isn't the place to discuss our favorite musicians at length, but it's good to know others here recognize fine-quality electronic music.

Yaanu wrote:Anybody know about the recent "Night of the Hunter" release? Most people are assuming it's a repackaging from a digipak to a plastic case, but there's no actual confirmation of this yet.

Stopped by Barnes and Noble yesterday and I saw a Night of the Hunter in a plastic case. I guess this is the new release? (Then again, Blu-ray.com lists the April release as 'digipak' so it's a bit confusing)..

I was disappointed to see it since I hypothetically wanted to see if they had the digipak to buy, and they didn't. It looks far too plain in that case. I personally can't see the bulk slipcase digipak and then settle for the plastic haha, but that's just me.

Was it a DVD or a Blu-ray in a plastic case? The DVD has been that way for a while.

swo17 wrote:Was it a DVD or a Blu-ray in a plastic case? The DVD has been that way for a while.

It was in the Blu-Ray section so I can only assume it was a Blu-Ray in a plastic case. Smaller case with Blu sticker and all. I forgot to simply check the edition label because I was only in the frame of mind of expecting to see the digipak. I'll have to go back and double check. I probably sound like a total novice haha but the inconsistencies just throw me off a bit.

Speaking of inconsistencies, since you've responded I figure I'd ask you since you've been on here for quite some time.. I recently read a thread on the hometheaterforum around 2010 (in reference to the then new Lola Montes' Blu release in a plastic case as opposed to the DVD digipack of the other Ophuls releases) that Criterion "dropped" digipaks as a response to customer feedback, yet there have been many slipcase/digipaks released since then, Night of The Hunter included and most recently Foreign Correspondent, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc. Am I simply confusing terms here or are these just exceptions to the rule because they are more 'box-like' packages? Not entirely sure.

I believe the DVD was always a plastic case and only the blu ray got the digi, and that was probably due to the lack of two-disc blu ray cases at the time. Wouldn't be surprised if they repackaged it in the new plastic cases as a cost-cutting measure for future printings.

vladding wrote:I recently read a thread on the hometheaterforum around 2010 (in reference to the then new Lola Montes' Blu release in a plastic case as opposed to the DVD digipack of the other Ophuls releases) that Criterion "dropped" digipaks as a response to customer feedback, yet there have been many slipcase/digipaks released since then, Night of The Hunter included and most recently Foreign Correspondent, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc. Am I simply confusing terms here or are these just exceptions to the rule because they are more 'box-like' packages? Not entirely sure.

They only dropped the flimsy O-sleeve digipaks that all of their first Blu-ray releases came in.

swo17 wrote:

vladding wrote:I recently read a thread on the hometheaterforum around 2010 (in reference to the then new Lola Montes' Blu release in a plastic case as opposed to the DVD digipack of the other Ophuls releases) that Criterion "dropped" digipaks as a response to customer feedback, yet there have been many slipcase/digipaks released since then, Night of The Hunter included and most recently Foreign Correspondent, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc. Am I simply confusing terms here or are these just exceptions to the rule because they are more 'box-like' packages? Not entirely sure.

They only dropped the flimsy O-sleeve digipaks that all of their first Blu-ray releases came in.

Gotcha. Cheers, man. Appreciate the quick response.

Also Digis are only used when they absolutely have to.

Scanavo didn't have a 3 disc case in Blu size ready so all 3+ disc sets since the Dual Format switch have had to revert to Digis, as well as titles with a book or large booklet included.

Whenever possible with 2 disc sets, they go with the custom Scanavo case, and hopefully that 3 disc case will be here soon so we can cut back on all these Digi releases.

swo17 wrote:Was it a DVD or a Blu-ray in a plastic case? The DVD has been that way for a while.

I was running errands at lunch and wound up next door to a Barnes and Noble, I stopped in and checked out Night of the Hunter. The bluray is indeed in a plastic case now, and it is definitely just the 2 disc bluray edition in a bluray case, it isn't the DVD edition.

If criterion puts the night of the hunter plastic case on it's website before the next sale, I'll probably buy it and trash the digipack, if not, I'll buy it again and sell the digi version on amazon.

I hadn't been in a barnes and noble since before thanksgiving, and the only DF release at that time was Tokyo Story. While at the store I collected several of the releases I was planning on getting next sale and held them at once, I was appalled at the grotesque amount of space all those digis together take up. I decided I'll only buy the DF digipak releases of the academy ratio films I really want and of Persona (because it's Persona and my collection cannot be without it). Maybe I'll get A Hard Day's Night as well.

That meant I've scratched the following off of my to-buy list for the July sale (though I may consider getting the DVD only editions of some of these:

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
World Cinema Project
Jules and Jim
Fantastic Mr. Fox
King of the Hill
The Great Beauty
Breaking the Waves
Master of the House
Red River
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Hearts and Minds

So the only DF purchases I'll be making will be Foreign Correspondant, the Freshman and Persona, and the former two only because Criterion shits on the DVD transfers of academy ratio films.

That's enormously slashed my purchase list for the July sale, so it looks like I'll be really hitting the back catalog hard this sale.

So you determine which format to buy based primarily on aspect ratios of both the films and the boxes that they come packaged in? :-k

swo17 wrote:So you determine which format to buy based primarily on aspect ratios of both the films and the boxes that they come packaged in? :-k

It's called prioritizing. Me, I've run out of shelf space in the TV room and will have to store all my new purchases in the bathroom, so from now on I'm only buying discs with turquoise spines.

Or you could repaint the bathroom a less hideous colour. But that's just me.

movielocke wrote:If criterion puts the night of the hunter plastic case on it's website before the next sale, I'll probably buy it and trash the digipack, if not, I'll buy it again and sell the digi version on amazon.

I'll buy it off of you. I like digipaks. A shocking statement to make in these hard times, yes, but whatever.

zedz wrote:I've run out of shelf space in the TV room and will have to store all my new purchases in the bathroom, so from now on I'm only buying discs with turquoise spines.

So, several hundred copies of I Married a Witch?

Yaanu wrote:

zedz wrote:I've run out of shelf space in the TV room and will have to store all my new purchases in the bathroom, so from now on I'm only buying discs with turquoise spines.

So, several hundred copies of I Married a Witch?

Actually, I suppose my first move should be to relocate all the discs I already own with turquoise spines to the bathroom, then I can refill those vacated spaces. Oh, being an idiot is so complicated!

cdnchris wrote:Or you could repaint the bathroom a less hideous colour. But that's just me.

But. . . but. . . it's like you're taking a bath - underwater!

I have no idea how Breaking the Waves arrived to me in a bubble mailer in perfect condition. Despite my general adoration of Criterion's digis, between this, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and a few others, it does seem like the materials being used have gotten much cheaper than they once were (or the outer sleeve just isn't reinforced as much as it once was), coupled with less hefty booklets on the inside in most cases (so if you hold the entire digi in your palm, it seems evident that it's much easier crushed than a similar release put out a few years ago). Perhaps it's all my imagination, though!

No, I agree. I don't have many digis, but when I compare Fantastic Mr. Fox or IAMMMMW with, say, Last Year at Marienbad or even PlayTime, it certainly seems like different--and cheaper--material. The new stuff is much more cardboard-y, stiff and flimsy.

I haven't been to a B&N in a while (damn this dry spell between sales!) to check other copies, but the packaging of my IAMMMMW is just plain awful, and not only for being made of flimsier materials -- the outer slipcase isn't even squared off (!), the inner piece doesn't quite square up and doesn't quite fit in it properly, and it's just a great big comedown from virtually all of their past efforts. IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DAMAGED IN SHIPMENT, but upon examination I knew it wasn't.

No one loves this company's ideals and output more than I do, but this new trend toward shoddy design and construction is shameful. It's something I'm not seeing from other quality labels, and it's just got to be reversed.

Thats really too bad. I haven't been following the discussion too closely, as I don't otherwise mind digipacks. Is there an effort in place for them to get their typical plastic cases updated to updated to accomodate the extra discs?

Zot! wrote:Thats really too bad. I haven't been following the discussion too closely, as I don't otherwise mind digipacks. Is there an effort in place for them to get their typical plastic cases updated to updated to accomodate the extra discs?

Scanavo announced a while ago that they were working on standard-width three-disc plastic BD cases, but so far nothing else has come of that.