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med wrote:I recently got the Blu of Chungking Express directly from Criterion; it was in the original case. And that's how it's going to be until the initial pressings have sold out.

I wonder how many of these things (all nine titles) were printed up. Apparently The Third Man actually did sell out its initial print run, but that leaves eight other titles that are still sitting in stores and warehouses.

Chicken/egg maybe for them: they won't sell very well until they are re-packaged, they won't be re-packaged until they sell what's already sitting in stores and warehouses. Proof of that could somewhat be determined by how well post cardboard era blu-rays have sold vs similar cardboard era blu-ray titles. Or perhaps it hasn't really made a difference one way or the other.

I suppose The Man Who Fell To Earth going away will take care of some of that cardboard inventory at least, so seven titles left...

Bought the last Blu-ray copy of "Chungking Express" (a total blind buy!) from a local NYC retailer yesterday. I don't mind the cardboard packaging at all (am I the only one not bothered at all by it?) and won't waste time/money getting a replacement case. "CE" will sit proudly next to my other two cardboard Criterion Blu's ("Third Man" and "400 Blows") and any of the original batch of nine I eventually get through sales and bargains. As long as the disc is in one piece I'll make sure to handle my Criterion cardboards like I do my month-old newborn niece:

Another ho-hum, lackluster bed cover. That color scheme is all wrong and doesn't represent the niece at all

Frankly, I question the niece's inclusion in the household- do we really need another 'adorable baby' here?

They need to change the font on her (it's nearly unreadable!) and burp her, at least.

Isn't she a cutie though? And as her uncle I'll make sure she watches the right movies (ahem!) when it's my turn to babysit/watch over her at my place (or Mom's).

The wacky 'c' is sideways...

dad1153 wrote:... I don't mind the cardboard packaging at all (am I the only one not bothered at all by it?) and won't waste time/money getting a replacement case. ...

No you're not.

I wish they'd use the original ultrasound scan like MOC.

Pretty baby.

Bit of speculation, but it seems Sams Myth might be working on the cover art for Criterion's Tati rereleases. Adore the Hausu poster... not so much the Everlasting Moments art.

Flike wrote:Bit of speculation, but it seems Sams Myth might be working on the cover art for Criterion's Tati rereleases.

He does a lot of work for the Belcourt Theater in Nashville. I'm guessing that they're doing a Tati retrospective and he's doing a poster for that.

I sent an order for BR replacement cases for The 400 Blows, The Last Metro, The Last Emperor, and The Man Who Fell To Earth. I'm from Australia so the cost was more than double for international orders than if you were in the USA, but i really do not like the BR digipaks (They did look good in the photos). However, i was told that CC no longer sends cases outside the states (The home page STILL writes that international orders cost $15.... [-X ) so i had to search the net for a place that redirects mail in the US. I found one that wasn't to expensive and the overall costs came to be a little more than if the order came directly form CC. The Wait? Two Weeks.

I hope that all makes sense. So to summerise, CC no longer sends BR replacement cases outside the US (despite what their web page says) so you have to find a place that redirects mail in the US.

Looks like Bottle Rocket blu-ray may have recently made the transition to plastic cases. Ymmv wrt availability.

Re: 524-526 The Only Son and There Was a Father

Shouldn't that red kettle on the cover be located at the bottom right of the picture to be in keeping with Ozu's compositional preference?

Matango wrote:Re: 524-526 The Only Son and There Was a Father

Shouldn't that red kettle on the cover be located at the bottom right of the picture to be in keeping with Ozu's compositional preference?

Yes.
Or maybe no.
Or maybe it doesn't matter.

cdnchris wrote:The Only Son / There Was a Father

Finally some Tomine work that doesn't make me cringe. Very nice.

That's some incredible artwork.

Seconded.

It is marvelously peaceful, and fits quite well with the usual Ozu figures (even if There Was A Father is partly apart from these figures).

I didn't realize these where two separate cases, just thought it was a double feature. Cool indeed.

Received The Leopard today... cardboard slipcase, slightly creased on the outer spine. Just like By Brakhage. And Fontainhas. And just about every other release with similar packaging, regardless of where it was ordered from. Argh.

James wrote:That's some incredible artwork.

Agreed, looks great.

vertovfan wrote:Received The Leopard today... cardboard slipcase, slightly creased on the outer spine. Just like By Brakhage. And Fontainhas. And just about every other release with similar packaging, regardless of where it was ordered from. Argh.

Was your Leopard also missing the small blue "Sat on by Claudia Cardinale" sticker?

zedz wrote:

vertovfan wrote:Received The Leopard today... cardboard slipcase, slightly creased on the outer spine. Just like By Brakhage. And Fontainhas. And just about every other release with similar packaging, regardless of where it was ordered from. Argh.

Was your Leopard also missing the small blue "Sat on by Claudia Cardinale" sticker?

You owe me a new keyboard.

Probably old to most... As with most of Criterion's covers that I'm not really a fan of, they look a lot better "in person," probably because I could not care less once I have the film in-hand: