Criterion Collection - Online Cinematheque

Tue 25 Nov at 04:51 AM

jamesonnephi

That’s one more giant step ahead…of me.

Tue 25 Nov at 07:17 AM

Great ideas!
You might be able to compete with piracy with this approach

Tue 25 Nov at 11:38 AM

jw bolton

i like the instructional videos. very much a tribute to lee lefever’s “commomcraft”.

Tue 25 Nov at 05:44 PM

Tom

You guys just keep pushing the boundaries for what is possible with film distribution/releasing. If it wasn’t for companies like Criterion the great films of world cinema would long have been forgotten and/or lost.
Great idea!

Tue 25 Nov at 08:19 PM

Jose Joao

congratulations for the great ideas!

Tue 25 Nov at 08:49 PM

omichalek

It is symptomatic to see real progress happening elsewhere than in hands of the big recording “industry”. I hope Criterion will continue in direction that gives people better access to the movies and not opposite.

One last thing though, is this not an US-only thing, right?

Tue 25 Nov at 09:13 PM

Will

The future is now!

Tue 25 Nov at 09:22 PM

Shawn

I don’t think I would be able to see straight after going through that much permanent ink fumes. Fantastic new site though! Viva la Cinematheque

Tue 25 Nov at 09:53 PM

AV Club

This is a totally rad demo and idea! Thank you for all of your hard work.

Tue 25 Nov at 10:05 PM

T.J. Royal

About the nicest looking, most concise introduction I’m seen for a Web site. Actually makes me want to check back to the site often to see what clips are going to be streaming, what written content is going to be added, and maybe even to check out a $5 rental if I get a hankering to watch Ivan’s Childhood or Symbiopsychotaxiplasm.

Wed 26 Nov at 12:48 AM

jrb

Wow…what a lovely and bold new website. I can’t wait to check back often.

Wed 26 Nov at 12:50 AM

Kevin

Brilliant! And I completely agree with SHAWN re: the ink fumes.

Wed 26 Nov at 02:11 AM

Alison

This is so so so great.

Wed 26 Nov at 03:14 AM

s.

Congratulations, this is exactly the sort of forward thinking we have come to expect from you guys, but I must admit, all of this came as a massive pleasant surprise to me.

My only negative comment is in regards to international licensing. I wish you could get the rights to more international territories. I tried to ‘rent’ a movie this morning only to find that the majority of titles are limited to viewing in Northern America. I live in Australia and would love to have unlimited access this ‘online cinematheque’ but can’t. I was quite disappointed find this out, but completely understand why it isn’t possible (at least at this stage).

Please make this a serious consideration going forward.

Best regards,
sj.

Wed 26 Nov at 05:15 AM

Solaris

OK, international film licensing is a complicated matter. So it is frustrating but no big surprise that most of the rentals are restricted to US residents.
But that Criterion is not able to ship a coffee mug from the store to any other country but US and Canada is completely beyond me!
I’d hoped that this shipping policy would have changed with the new site, but no luck :-(

Wed 26 Nov at 09:47 AM

Mustafa

This is so great, I love the digital rental idea. Pure genius, fairly priced and most of all, progressive! Between this site and The Auteurs, my winter break is going to be magical. Thank you!

Wed 26 Nov at 10:20 AM

Michael

I can honestly say this is one of the coolest, most innovative ideas in releasing digital content out there. Kudos to you all!!

Wed 26 Nov at 10:54 AM

Stephen

The new site looks fantastic! I am thankful for The Criterion Collection. Wishing for a few more titles in my stocking this year.

Wed 26 Nov at 01:18 PM

Matthew Bradley

The new site is fantastic. The layout is very easy to navigate and it feels so vibrant and alive. The previous incarnation feels static in comparison. Posting the essays online is a welcome addition for those who have to rent and may not get the full package. Having select films available for download is what I always felt the collection is truly about: getting the greatest films of all time available for everyone. Keep up the great work. I can’t wait to see what you guys will come up with next!

Thu 27 Nov at 01:01 PM

Mark Kaiser

Dear Criterion,
It really saddens me to have to begin with negative criticism.
If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!
It’s reasonable to remodel a web site now and then, but it’s incomprehensibly mysterious to make it worse. You need to know that the overwhelming majority of visitor activity on a site like this is for checking out the list of products (=your dvd:s) and to be updated on the new releases. It may not seem that important to you because you’re on the inside of things, but believe me it is to the ones on the outside – the customers. It’s a classic pitfall when building a website, therefore one might expect you to know it. But: The list of films is still there but it’s less accesible and need more clicks, while to stay updated on the new releases is now near impossibla at a single glance. It really is NOT difficult to improve a site withous sacrifcing those basic functions. Therefore: why, why, why…???
Sincerely
/Mark

Fri 28 Nov at 10:10 PM

Todd Sklar

this makes me happier than anything else in life. this is just phenomenal. endless thanks.

Sat 29 Nov at 09:28 AM

SYLVIA ANTONIER-SCHER

WHEN WILL " VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED" BE PUT ON DVD? AND HOW ABOUT “VIENNA 1900”, THE DRAMATIZED SHORT STORIES BY ARTHUR SCHNITZLER WHICH WERE AIRED BY PBS IN THE 1960’S? AND THE LITTLE-KNOWN “THE BACHELOR” WITH MIRANDA RICHARDSON IN A DUAL ROLE? THE LIST GOES ON AND ON…

Sun 30 Nov at 04:41 AM

marclze

the new site is amazing! the whole concept is new and revolutionary! props to all of you guys!

Sun 30 Nov at 06:25 PM

sally

What a waste of Paper. But it is an interesting idea.

Mon 01 Dec at 01:31 PM

Chorch

The rarest treasures of cinema finally available online … for those living in the U.S.
Sad greetings from Germany :(

Tue 02 Dec at 11:28 AM

Christian

Please, please, PLEASE make this available outside of the US, and seriously consider offering a subscription model. I would love to be able to pay a monthly fee to watch anything I like in your collection, or to get a set of tokens per month allowing me to see certain films.

Tue 02 Dec at 07:12 PM

Georg Boch

AWESOME!!!!!!!

Wed 03 Dec at 01:36 PM

Jack

Congratulations! this is an awesome site.

Thu 04 Dec at 09:13 AM

Karlos

The new site is indeed a fascinating work of design, and I’m thrilled to see an increase in written materials available in the blog/current section. However, I’m sad to see that availability for international customers is still curtailed – I guess I can see the sense in your website not shipping discs overseas (even if they still find their way abroad in other ways), but why would a distributor not want you having universal online rights? Madness, I tell you.

Sun 07 Dec at 03:44 PM

Steve Rhodes

I’m sure that Criterion would love to be able to get the worldwide rights forever for all

their films, but that isn’t the way things work now.

So unless you have a lot of capital to invest in them, so they can try to buy those rights for films they
choose in the future, there is not much you or they can do.

Wed 10 Dec at 04:48 AM

Crisan

Hi
I was wondering if I can buy films if I am based in Bucharest Romania?

Nice day

Marian

Wed 10 Dec at 05:03 AM

Gwenda Helsham

What ! Only two Orson Welles ! May I put in a special request for you to put on DVD Chimes at Midnight , Welles’s masterful study of the character of Falstaff by combining Excerpts from Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 and Henry V to give a definitive rendering of the character which could become indispensible to any teacher of Shakespeare. Please, please,, please ! If you do I would be an immediate purchaser as undoubtedly so would many others, not only teachers but admirers of his great talent.

Sun 14 Dec at 03:38 PM

Michael Danziger

That was a great clip. Really nicely done.

I must voice my commiseration with the other international customers. Despite all the talk of “universal” and “global community” and all that, it’s a real pain to obtain Criterion discs outside the US and the auteurs has a rather weak collection of free streamable movies internationally as well.

We ex-pats and non-Americans have been waiting for a long time…but it looks like we’ll have to wait even longer.

Sat 20 Dec at 05:37 PM

brad harris

well done peter…..looks amazing.

Wed 24 Dec at 10:59 AM

Jon Wagner

Excellent presentation……..

Tue 06 Jan at 10:11 PM

The Pirates

Allow rental’s to be viewed by friends or swapped during those 5 days, Arrr!!
-

Wed 14 Jan at 08:06 PM

David Walcutt

I second Gwenda Helsham’s request for Orson Welles’ “Chimes At Midnight”. I just read a synopsis of the film in the Cambridge Shakespeare edition of Henry IV Part One. Orson Welles plays Falstaff. Sounds like a winner.
David Walcutt
Eugene, OR

Mon 26 Jan at 09:33 PM

Robin E. Simmons

“DAYS OF HEAVEN” and “THE SORCERER” in Blu-ray with director’s commentaries. Such visually rich films deserve the Criterion treatment.

Sat 07 Feb at 01:28 PM

Chris

I would really, really, really really really really really appreciate it if Criterion added the 1938 classic “VIVACIOUS LADY” to their collection (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030944/). The movie is a fantastic screwball comedy along the lines of The Lady Eve, The Awful Truth and Brining Up Baby and is not currently available on DVD in the U.S. It stars Jimmy Stewart and Ginger Rogers and was nominated for 2 Oscars. I’ve been telling people about this movie for years ever since I saw it on Turner Classic Movies more than 6 years ago and it really deserves to be brought to DVD.

Sat 07 Feb at 04:52 PM

Paul Goode

How about a Criterion edition of One-Eyed Jacks, the only film directed by Marlon Brando. The version that’s out there now has been butchered and is of such poor quality that Monterey Bay looks like a cesspool.

Tue 24 Feb at 02:29 PM

Al Hirst

I would love to see the following movies added to your offerings:

The Dead – John Huston’s final film
Night Train to Munich – Carol Reed
Les Miserables – the 1995 Belmondo version set mostly during WW11

and others but too numerous yo mention.

Wed 25 Feb at 05:40 PM

serge jean charles szabo

Well, thanks a lot to being herein such an accommodative way.
Had I wishes for the future collection, I would suggest:
-John Huston’s “Wise Blood”,
-the last Ingmar Bergman works for tv (“In the presence of a clown”, etc.)
-two still unreachable Robert Bresson’s last movies: “a gentle woman”, & “the four nights of a dreamer”.
have a nice night.

Thu 12 Mar at 10:00 PM

Richard

Why can’t I watch the video tour… all I get is "Oops… trouble in the protection booth… I have refreshed my browser but it still won’t play. I recently downloaded AVG (FREE). Could that be the problem… I really can’t figure it…

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks,
Richard

Tue 17 Mar at 11:07 PM

Max Tello

There are three unreachable Robert Bresson’s movies: Les anges du peché (1943), Une
femme douce (1969) and Quatre nuits d’un reveur (1971). It would be a Criterion
Collection great contribution

Fri 27 Mar at 07:54 AM

Laird Wilcox

I became acquainted with Criterion about 3 years ago and there have been few web sites I have enjoyed as much. Our local Barnes & Noble has a great set of Criterion DVDs in a separate section. About half the Criterion movies I own have been purchased directly from the site and half from B&N. I realize that the production of Criterion quality movies is expensive and labor intensive. I think your prices are realistic and probably wouldn’t object if they went up a bit. Keep up the good work.

Sun 05 Apr at 10:27 PM

Jim Player

I would love to see two titles that were on Image Ent. several years ago but are out of print:

Kobayashi’s The Human Condition series, and Mizoguchi’s The 47 Ronin. Being taken out of the catalogue, I was hoping that those titles would be “up for grabs” and that a decent restoration, print and packaging would be given to them…

Thanks,

Jim P

Sun 19 Apr at 11:14 PM

Denise Paget

I find this site utterly amazing and found it because of Drew Barrymore. Her extremely stimulating portrayal of Small Edie was a light in my cinema journeys. Keep growing Criterion!

Tue 05 May at 10:22 PM

Ada Scott

Here I am, just getting around to checking out your new site, and, altho’ I’m a never-read-the-manual-type of person, I decided to take your Tour. I loved it, but it’s NO GOOD as a tour of your website: because the visual is so enthralling, who’s paying attention to the voice-over?

Wed 06 May at 03:36 PM

Hayden

How about One Eyed Jacks! If Criterion could find the Marlon Brando full version of One Eyed Jacks and bring that to the collection, I know Martin Scorsese (One Eyed Jacks is his favorite western) and many more people would be thrilled to say the least!

Thu 07 May at 12:23 PM

Richard Couch

Well done. Y’all should acquire Bergman’s THE MAGICIAN.

Tue 12 May at 11:43 PM

JOhn D McMahon

Criterion! Too great for words!
I’d love to work with you guys.

Wed 13 May at 04:40 AM

andrew Miles

Keep up the great work. Looking forward to the Benjamin Button edition ! While I’m here, what’s the possibility of Ken Russell’s THE DEVILS getting the Criterion treatment? That film’s gotta have a new transfer. Other movies worthy – THE MIRROR, cool weirdo film THE CAR !

Fri 15 May at 12:27 PM

RICK

I love Criterion quality DVDs, but people working should have a heart to listen to peoples requests’ that go unheaded and on deaf ears……Please release the following:

1) One Eyed Jacks (Brando)
2) Viva Zapata (Brando)
3) Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (Gordon Scott)
4) Tarzan the Magnificent (Gordon Scott)
5) Samson and Delilah (Victor Mature)
6) Hercules (Steve Reeves)
7) Hercules Unchained ( Steve Reeves)
8) Bhovani Junction (Stewart Granger and Ava Gardner)

Thank you.
Rick…………..

Sat 16 May at 12:17 PM

Bob Jenks

Out of print films badly in need of the Criterion Treatment:

John Sayles “Matewan”
John Huston’s last film “The Dead”
Stephan Frears “Sammy and Rosie Get Laid”
Wim Wenders “Paris Texas”
Franklin J. Shaffner “War Lord”

I’m sure there are plenty more but I can’t believe these are not currently available!
Bob Jenks

Thu 21 May at 05:27 PM

Denis

I rented a copy of ‘The Magic Flute’, (Mozart, Bergman) from a movie rental shop.
Where can I buy a copy?

Fri 22 May at 12:10 PM

Richard

I rented a copy of ‘The Magic Flute’, (Mozart, Bergman) from a movie rental shop.
Where can I buy a copy?

Here’s the link:
http://www.criterion.com/films/613

Also found a copy at Barnes and Noble Books but that was a while ago.

Fri 22 May at 02:54 PM

Jim Tarleton

Criterion is a great collection with superb quality. PLEASE bring out on DVD “Two Women” subtitled, “A Taste of Honey”, “Borsalino”, “Jamon, Jamon”, “Sandakan 8”, “Madame Rosa”, “Viva Zapata”, “The Gold of Naples”, “America, America” and the 1946 “An Ideal Husband”.
Thank you

Fri 22 May at 02:58 PM

Jim Tarleton

To Rick from May 15th – Go to www.warnerarchive.com. They are releasing top 100% superb quality DVDs of MGM/Warner Bos/RKO films on DVD. “Bhowani Junction” is available on that website alongside 193 other great movies. The two Hercules movies are available on one DVD through Amazon.com

Fri 22 May at 06:02 PM

J.R.V.

I’d also would like to see Welles “Falstaff” (Chimes at Midnight ) as well as Etorri Scola’s “La Nuit de Varennes”, The Taviani Brother’s “Good Morning Babaloyn”, Wadja’s “Lotna” and Bergman’s “The Magician” as well a new edition of Weir’s "Picnic at Hanging Rock "…with more extras.

Sun 24 May at 03:22 PM

Ross

It would be great if the following films were to be added to your beautiful library.

Sands of the Kalahari
Peppermint Soda
Alice in Wonderland (with Charlotte Henry and W.C. Fields)

Thu 28 May at 03:47 PM

filmyandy

Jason Polan, You are a genius…..

Thu 28 May at 06:14 PM

Bruce Merwin

I have looked to Janus Films and Criterion for quality films for many years. Now that the on-line web distribution of media is taking shape it is a relief to see your company in the forefront. Nice work, thank you.

Sun 31 May at 12:18 PM

Robert

Will you please add THE GREY FOX written by John Hunter to your collection. I found your DVDs at Rasputin’s in Concord, CA.

Sun 14 Jun at 04:17 PM

Steve

Great site. Hope every Criterion Blu-ray isn’t going to be region-locked. A lot of Criterion buffs in Europe.

Sun 28 Jun at 12:33 PM

Anthony

Thank you so much for such great films presented in such a beautiful format, but one question.. are their any plans of releasing some of the films that were on laserdisc onto dvd or blu-ray?