Classic Film Lover Resources - Part 3 - The Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection is one of my absolute favorite things. It’s not just one of my favorite companies, services or organizations. Amidst everything that makes up my world, Criterion is something I’ve discussed, kept up with, devoted resources to, and appreciated more than all but a handful of other interests. A discussion of their service is a natural conclusion to my short series on how best to acquire/view the films this blog is devoted to, but it’s important to clarify my bias upfront. I am a borderline Criterion fanatic.

With that personal endorsement/disclosure out of the way, what exactly is the Criterion Collection? In their own words, “the Criterion Collection is [an organization] dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality, with supplemental features that enhance the appreciation of the art of film.” In casual speech, they’re a company that restores significant movies and puts together cinephile releases that they charge an arm lesser known cinema that still has tremendous value.

and a leg for. Out of Criterion’s canonization of “worthy” films something of a circle jerk community of collectors has emerged as people spend thousands of dollars on movies they haven’t seen or flat-out dislike all for the sake of the company’s logo, but on the whole I believe Criterion has done a tremendous service in bringing attention to foreign, old, or simply

After all, without Criterion who’s to say I ever would have discovered the work of Masaki Kobayashi, or found Okamoto’s “The Sword of Doom”? Beyond samurai cinema, I’m almost certain it’s Criterion responsible for turning me on to some of my all-time favorite films including “The Seventh Seal”, “Mulholland Drive”, “Watership Down”, Kubrick’s “Paths of Glory”, the films of Charlie Chaplin and the work of Andre Tarkovsky. The company has been instrumental in using modern technology to make these masterpieces of cinema accessible like never before.

Specifically, there’s something to say for the image quality that criterion has helped provide. Although filmmakers of the pre-digital era couldn’t have expected to ever have their films screened with the clarity and stability that modern technology has allowed, it’s hard to imagine any of them being opposed to it. The crisp, high-definition transfers of these classic films highlight the art, even unveiling elements unperceivable in inferior releases. On a Criterion blu-ray, one can anticipate expressions to be as ridged and blades to be as sharp as the filmmakers hoped they would appear. And obviously there’s a basic satisfaction that comes with a higher quality image. Today’s ability to present old movies with the same lifelike quality that modern flicks provide topples a hurdle some face in not exploring classic films because they “look bad”. Of course, not all films were created equally, but, in my experience, Criterion’s restoration quality is unmatched, and one can always anticipate the highest quality possible from them.

There is a high standard that runs throughout all aspects of Criterion’s work even beyond restoration. The packaging and artwork they develop for each release has garnered significant praise of which I readily add my voice to. Common faults of “standard” disc releases including flimsy eco-cases, disc blu-ray release) don’t even cross my mind as a possibility when it comes to a Criterion edition. Across hundreds of releases they’ve delivered time and time again, all while maintaining consistent branding/format that results in a satisfying look to any series of spines from the collection.

scratching spindles, and poor to abhorrent artwork (see this cover for the “Groundhog Day”

However, the most praiseworthy element of any Criterion release, beyond the film/restoration itself, is almost always the wide array of supplemental material provided to inform and enrich one’s relationship with a particular film. There’s a clear effort to gather interviews, commentaries and

image galleries that provide more than just trivia, even offering insight that would be difficult to glean from a film without the added context. Specifically, Criterion’s “Seven Samurai” release, which I consider a golden standard for home video, includes among several featurettes the documentary “Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create” which provides enormous background on the style and thought process Kurosawa employed when approaching a film.

And I understand the inherent geekiness that comes with exploring a disc’s “bonus features”, but in the case of Criterion they are often so rich and significant that they tend to be what ends up meriting a releases hefty price tag. Realize that a standard Criterion blu-ray retails at $40, which is about four times the cost of a typical blu-ray. It’s not much of a hassle to cut that price down to about $20 (Barnes and Noble does a month long 50% off the Criterion Collection Sale every July and November), but we’re still talking about an expensive disc. And I suppose this is where my defense of that cost comes in. Purchasing physical copies of films, especially Criterions, is not for everyone, but I believe the standard the Criterion maintains merits that cost for those who are interested. In my experience, the supplements and picture quality of the company’s releases have taken my appreciation of many films to the next level beyond merely watching the movie and reading things that have been written about it online, and I take some pleasure in supporting the company that’s done the highest quality restorations on many of my favorite classic films. Everything about this organization screams passion for film as an artform.

And that wraps up my gush on the Criterion Collection. I’ve had a rewarding experience with the company since becoming aware of their existence nearly five years ago. They’re not perfect (*cough*, “Tiny Furniture”, *cough*), but it’s a service that may interest any who follow this blog and a crucial resource to collectors of world cinema.