Why are Criterion Collection DVDs so expensive??

Chris Keth · December 26, 2004

I was at Bestbuy the other day looking to get "7 Samurai" and I found a "Criterion Collection" copy of it, but it's $40!

Anyone know why it's so expensive? All the other Criterion Collection DVDs were expensive, too.

I'm a poor student, $40 for one movie is a lot, especially when I can save for a while longer and get the Kurosawa collection (4 movies, I believe) for $80.

DavidSloan · December 26, 2004

7 Samurai

It's only $30 on Amazon...and it's free shipping, too. You can even get it on the used section for $11.99.

Criterion DVDs usually come with the best extras, and have the most meticulous DVD remasters on the market. When Criterion puts out a DVD you can be sure painstaking work has been put to make it the absolute best viewing experience possible...short of a print, of course. Personally, I love Criterion, especially since they've decided to release all the Bresson films. It's about time! :)

Chris Keth · December 27, 2004

7 Samurai

It's only $30 on Amazon...and it's free shipping, too. You can even get it on the used section for $11.99.

Criterion DVDs usually come with the best extras, and have the most meticulous DVD remasters on the market. When Criterion puts out a DVD you can be sure painstaking work has been put to make it the absolute best viewing experience possible...short of a print, of course. Personally, I love Criterion, especially since they've decided to release all the Bresson films. It's about time! :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do they find the better existing prints and clean them up and stuff like that, I guess? It's the only way I've found some films so I'll pay it, I was just curious as to why. If there's good reason they're more expensive and they're worth it, then fine. I'm kind of a sucker for good looking movies.:P :D

Edited December 27, 2004 by Mr. Bunnies

Michael Nash · December 27, 2004

I ran out and got the remastered re-release of Angel Heart, even though I have the "old" copy that's still decent. The new one is only marginally better, but only because the old one was good to begin with.

There are some movies I really want but refuse to buy because the DVD is so BAD. Black Rain comes to mind; the DVD looks terrible. And I can't wait until a better version of Blade Runner becomes available, but I watch my existing copy anyway...

DavidSloan · December 28, 2004

Here is a site that is dedicated to art cinema DVD releases:

http://www.mastersofcinema.org/

Phil Rhodes · December 28, 2004

Hi,

I imagine they're expensive because you're paying for someone to go and find the best possible film media and retransfer it, which is incredibly expensive.

I watch a lot of Japanese stuff, and a great deal of that is just terrible, because it's been put to DVDs from the Beta SP tapes used to make orginal VHS releases from the 80s. Of course a lot of that was only out on video to begin with, and the finished product only ever existed on SP - so I'm watching an heavily-compressed NTSC to PAL transcode of a twenty-year-old SP. If someone didn't hassle the owners of Blade Runner for access to some near-original media and rescan it on a Spirit, that's what you'd be watching for that production too.

The region 2 retail release of "Battle Royale" was unbelievably terrible, transferred from a print with burned-in subtitles. You're paying for someone to redo it all so you don't get that, basically.

Phil

Robert C. Weber · December 28, 2004

Keep in mind that all of their titles are licenced from studios/production companies. I'm also sure that some of their special features are from other sources and they probably have to pay for the rights to include that stuff on the dvds.

Max Jacoby · December 28, 2004

Check on www.dvdpricesearch.com for the best deals. I always buy Criterion dvds through there (in the US), because in the UK they are even more expensive.

Keith Mottram · December 28, 2004

"Keep in mind that all of their titles are licenced from studios/production companies"

This is just about the nuts and bolts of it. With Criterion you are effectively paying twice, once for the rights and the profits to the studio, second for the new work and profit for Criterion. However in my opinion it is always worth it, Criterion always make their own scans where possible and although the studios are now getting better for a long time Criterion were the only one with that level of quality control. They also have to pay for the licensing and/ or creation of extra content. The other thing to remember is that Criterion invest a lot of money in releasing niche product, without the volume of sales suply and demand dictates a greater cost. My advice- take out a loan, the four Samurai classic collection is a must.

Keith

Bill DiPietra · December 29, 2004

Bottom line - it's worth it. Just look at the picture on the "Contempt" DVD. I saw a re-release of it in the theater and even the print didn't look that good!