Criterion puts out "The Rock" and "Independence Day" Why?

[Joe Taylor]

... why would they put out Michael Bay crap? Someone please help me understand.

[Tim J Durham]

... why would they put out Michael Bay crap? Someone please help me understand.

Because they have to make money and unfortunately, that's the sort of thing people actually buy. Look at the stuff they show on AMC (American Movie Classics) on any given day. Stretching the term "Classics" nearly to the breaking point.

[Jason Debus]

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.

When looking at those names I also wonder what the reasoning is, when I saw 'The Rock' on their list it stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

Not to defend Bay, but I just watched The Island on DVD last night (I also saw it in the theater), and the cinematography is really pretty good for an action film. Lots of wide shutter action looks giving it that surreal feel. It also has some good anamorphic compositions, especially considering how fast they shot that movie.

 

The guy is good at what he does, especially the sci-fi/action 'hollywood' style genre (Armageddon comes to mind). But Pearl Harbor really does suck.

[Steve Wallace]

When looking at those names I also wonder what the reasoning is, when I saw 'The Rock' on their list it stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

Not to defend Bay, but I just watched The Island on DVD last night (I also saw it in the theater), and the cinematography is really pretty good for an action film. Lots of wide shutter action looks giving it that surreal feel. It also has some good anamorphic compositions, especially considering how fast they shot that movie.

 

The guy is good at what he does, especially the sci-fi/action 'hollywood' style genre (Armageddon comes to mind). But Pearl Harbor really does suck.

 

Criteron's response to putting out Michael Bay movies was, it was to fulfill the blockbuster genre. Criterion is committed to putting out significant releases in all genres. Also, from the get go, Bay worked closely with Criterion so they would have lots of extras for the DVD release.

 

Don't get me wrong, I thought the same thing as you guys when I saw Bay on the list..

Edited December 18, 2005 by teadub

[Joe Taylor]

Criteron's response to putting out Michael Bay movies was, it was to fulfill the blockbuster genre. Criterion is committed to putting out significant releases in all genres. Also, from the get go, Bay worked closely with Criterion so they would have lots of extras for the DVD release.

 

Don't get me wrong, I thought the same thing as you guys when I saw Bay on the list..

 

 

I always thought Criterion stood for quality. I can think of a blockbuster or two that far surpass the merits of "The Rock" and that other one. Action adventure blockbusters doesn't mean typical Hollywood crap.

 

Damn, man. This was sort of a heavy blow for me, but I'll get over it. Still, what a sell out.

[Craig Knowles]

Look at the stuff they show on AMC (American Movie Classics) on any given day. Stretching the term "Classics" nearly to the breaking point.

 

I find it very difficult to watch anything on AMC. Too many disrupting commercials and pan-and-scan nonsense. I find myself watching TCM (Turner Classic Movies) all the time now, when not watching my Netflix DVDs.