High Prices for Criterion

[blankpage]

With my recent trip to Montreal, I was pumped. I was able to get some Criterion flicks that I probably wouldn't have been able to get in Ottawa.

Now, I know Criterion flicks are usually expensive. I once saw a copy of "Brazil" on sale for $110!

So, I bought two Criterion flicks.

$54 and $65...okay.

Now, they usually have these little booklets, from what I heard. So, I look in, and it shows prices for ALL Criterion flicks.

WOAH!!!

Those two new flicks I bought were $40! That's $14 and $25 cheaper!

I know on places like Amazon, they are also high.

This bugs me because Criterion shows us actual prices, and yet we're charged for so much more.

This is just a little rant...but does anyone else have this problem?

[Psychocandy]

I respect the movies Criterion put out and the treatment that is lavished upon them but I think most of their titles should be half to three quarters of the price they are. If they halved the price they would likely sell a lot more thus negating the difference and reaching a wider audience who would then upon seening the general high quality would no doubt go out and buy more. I know I would.

[Dignan]

I get my Criterions dirt cheap from this place: DIRT CHEAP CRITERIONS (http://www.criteriondvd.com/index.php?sid=70c710b649c493bb2cd3837f8af1c20d)

Free shipping, too. Thank me later.

[Murderous Squad]

Originally posted by Dignan
I get my Criterions dirt cheap from this place: DIRT CHEAP CRITERIONS (http://www.criteriondvd.com/index.php?sid=70c710b649c493bb2cd3837f8af1c20d)

Free shipping, too. Thank me later.


No i'll thank you now....Thank you.

[MacReady]

Originally posted by Dignan
I get my Criterions dirt cheap from this place: DIRT CHEAP CRITERIONS (http://www.criteriondvd.com/index.php?sid=70c710b649c493bb2cd3837f8af1c20d)

They don't have any OOP titles like Hard Boiled or The Killer, so it it's selection is actually WEAKER than the one on eBay, which is what I use for OOP titles. Costs a pretty penny, but they're for that are unavailable anywhere else (well, the two titles I mentioned above can found on amazon, but it costs 350$ Canadian for used copy of The Killer:eek:).

Originally posted by Dignan
Free shipping, too. Thank me later.

That's nice of you, but free shipping is only available to America. Blankpage is in Canada and it'll cost international shipping (which is probably more expensive than getting it at the store). Amazon Ca has free shipping for items that are over 40$ and there's only 2 Criterion DVDs that cost less then that.

Sorry to shoot down your reply. Anyways, I'll quote the FAQ page on The Criterion Collection website about why it costs so much:

Criterion DVDs generally retail for about $10 more than average, and we make every effort to make those extra dollars count. We've made a commitment to presenting each film looking the best it can, and wherever possible, we are scouring the world's archives for additional materials that will elucidate the process or significance of the film. That work is extremely complicated and expensive, especially when the films are not all located in a single vault (as at a major studio) but scattered around the world. Our films are drawn from an array of film libraries in about two dozen countries so far. Many of the filmmakers whose work are included in the collection live thousands of miles away. Others are no longer living, making the archival project that much more difficult. And, especially with the older films, the process of making a master -- first finding the best available film elements, making a high-quality transfer, and then rolling frame-by-frame through the picture and sound fixing scratches, tears and dirt, as well as audio pops, crackle, clicks and hiss -- requires the use of very expensive equipment and personnel for long periods of time.

We appreciate the support people show when they pay a little more for our discs, because that is what makes it possible for us to keep striving to meet the standards of our most demanding and well-informed customers.

[Dignan]

Originally posted by MacReady
They don't have any OOP titles like Hard Boiled or The Killer, so it it's selection is actually WEAKER than the one on eBay, which is what I use for OOP titles. Costs a pretty penny, but they're for that are unavailable anywhere else (well, the two titles I mentioned above can found on amazon, but it costs 350$ Canadian for used copy of The Killer:eek:).



That's nice of you, but free shipping is only available to America. Blankpage is in Canada and it'll cost international shipping (which is probably more expensive than getting it at the store). Amazon Ca has free shipping for items that are over 40$ and there's only 2 Criterion DVDs that cost less then that.

Sorry to shoot down your reply. Anyways, I'll quote the FAQ page on The Criterion Collection website about why it costs so much:

Ah, I forgot Blanky was Canadian. Sorry.

And I don't regularly buy OOP titles, I was just trying to help the everyman-"generally-only-has-money-to-buy-what-is-still-in-print -schmoe" schmoe.

And in the process, I got owned. Thoroughly.

Thanks MacReady :)

[bankholdup]

Rififi for $22.23? Nice...


Good find, Dignan.

[MacReady]

Originally posted by Dignan
And in the process, I got owned. Thoroughly.

Thanks MacReady :)

Anytime Digs, anytime.;)

BTW Blankpage, I'm visiting Ottawa (where blankpage lives) as we speak and going on a Criterion spending spree (I've nearly doubled the size of my collection) and if you want there's a copy of Brazil at the bayshore mall. I'd also suggest CD warehouse (there's three of them). They have a an entire section dedicated to Criterion (one had 20, the other had around 50, and I'd estimate one has around 70!)

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by Dignan
I get my Criterions dirt cheap from this place: DIRT CHEAP CRITERIONS (http://www.criteriondvd.com/index.php?sid=70c710b649c493bb2cd3837f8af1c20d)

Free shipping, too. Thank me later.

Can I just say thanks and SWEET JESUS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? I'M HAEMORRHAGING MONEY!!! I JUST SPENT OVER $100. :eek:

[adamjohnson]

Iv never understood the big deal with Criterions.

[Dignan]

Originally posted by Psychocandy
Can I just say thanks and SWEET JESUS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? I'M HAEMORRHAGING MONEY!!! I JUST SPENT OVER $100. :eek:

Um.. your welcome? Hopefully?

:D

[blankpage]

Originally posted by MacReady
Anytime Digs, anytime.;)

BTW Blankpage, I'm visiting Ottawa (where blankpage lives) as we speak and going on a Criterion spending spree (I've nearly doubled the size of my collection) and if you want there's a copy of Brazil at the bayshore mall. I'd also suggest CD warehouse (there's three of them). They have a an entire section dedicated to Criterion (one had 20, the other had around 50, and I'd estimate one has around 70!)

That's some great news, Mac.

I don't live in the Bayshore area...however, I'll try and make the effort to get a drive out there and check it out.


Thanks for that info, my friend. :) :cool:

[Scarface98.9]

I'm actually glad and angry they have such high prices. On one hand, some of those movies are ones I really wanna see, but can't get them because they're overpriced. But on the other hand, I'm actually kinda glad. Their pricing is really unbalanced. Some movies get the multi disc treatment, with deleted scenes, commentaries, pristine transfers, documentaries, everything. They deserve the extra money. But many movies are the same price, and they're ones with shitty transfers, bad sounds, no extras, and bad movies on top of that. I'm also kinda glad they're overpriced since it gives me motivation not to get certain movies, since I like almost none of the Criterions I have, save for Life of Brian and Brazil, to an extent

[Mikey2Dope]

Originally posted by Dignan
I get my Criterions dirt cheap from this place: DIRT CHEAP CRITERIONS (http://www.criteriondvd.com/index.php?sid=70c710b649c493bb2cd3837f8af1c20d)

Free shipping, too. Thank me later.

Thanks man what a great site!

And right now it says shipping to Canada is Free off there from August 3 - August 7.

Might have to take advantage of that. ;)

[Ronaldinho]

I have to assume that the prices in the booklet were $us and the price you paid was $canadian.

[bluesbrother965]

Many thanks, Dignan, however I'd like to note that I've seen The Royal Tenenbaums at a shocking $10 at Circuit City. I'm almost positive it was the Criterion version, I don't think there is a regular version, so if you liked the movie and you're looking to save twenty bucks go for it. Then again, it might have just been the Circuit City I shop at (the Concord, CA one in case anyone's wondering).

[APzombie]

Problom with Criterion is that half of their great films are Out Of Print, making it hard and expensive ot obtain but it makes it awsome when you finally own one.

Double sided blade.

Some OOP criterions are going for almost $400 !!!!!!! (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=617&item=6316614067&rd=1) (note thats a single disc in a standard case)

Some of the ones I really want to get are damn expensive too...

I've been eyeing HARD BOILED for a while, it ranges from $30-60.

THE KILLER ranges from $75-120.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS go for about $20-25

all these prices are the average ebay bid. Its good to see Silence reletively cheap, concidering the more recent version has more special features.

I guess its just a collectors thing to get criterion...

[MacReady]

First off, I'd like to thank Mikey2Dope for informing us that there's free shipping to Canada from that website Dignan told us about. Helped me save a pretty penny. Now, on with my originaly planned post...

Originally posted by APzombie
Problom with Criterion is that half of their great films are Out Of Print, making it hard and expensive ot obtain but it makes it awsome when you finally own one.

Double sided blade.

Some OOP criterions are going for almost $400 !!!!!!! (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=617&item=6316614067&rd=1) (note thats a single disc in a standard case)

Some of the ones I really want to get are damn expensive too...

I've been eyeing HARD BOILED for a while, it ranges from $30-60.

THE KILLER ranges from $75-120.

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS go for about $20-25

all these prices are the average ebay bid. Its good to see Silence reletively cheap, concidering the more recent version has more special features.

I guess its just a collectors thing to get criterion...

True, but let it be said that on rare occasions, nearly-impossible to find OOP Criterion have gone for (relavitely, compared to some) low prices. There are sealed copies of Hard Boiled that have gone for around 100$ Canadian (about 80$ US). Not bad, when you consider it's about less than twice the amount for most Criterions (and it's an Factory Sealed OOP). I swear to god, I saw a copy of an authenic (I'm around 90% sure it was a "white ring") go for sale for about 120$ Canadian! (about 100 US). That's about 1/5th the amount it can go for in some bids (I believe those bootleg facet copies are starting to "draw away the fire" from some bids. We'll just have to wait and see). The Killer, on the other hand, is a DVD I don't think I've seen be sold for under 140$ Canadian. That being said, I'll try my damndest to have all three films before the year is out.

[someguy]

I found that the Chasing Amy DVD goes for quite cheap in Canada actually. Last I checked it was 25-32 dollars which is shocking for a Criterion DVD in Canadian currency.

I agree that they're too expensive but if Criterion raked in giant sales I'm sure it would probably drop somewhat. That won't happen though since the price is so high.

Don't forget the Robocop Criterion which is OOP and always goes for over 20 dollars US on eBay.

[APzombie]

Ok, after doing some research, I found out that the rarest of all Criterion dvd's is a film called SALO (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/).

http://www.toldyouso.net/images/CoverArt/1576.gif

Natorious for being extreamly obscure and very discusting, its the final vision of controversial filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Its extreamly rare because it was pulled off the shelves days after its release due to Criterion not having lagit copyright. Bootlegs of it are all over but good conditions of the DVD with the "white ring around the hub" (a note of criterion authenticity) can easily sell for $600+. There isn't much evidence of alot of sellers carrying sealed cases of it... who knows how much people would pay for sealed copy.

[MacReady]

Originally posted by APzombie
who knows how much people would pay for sealed copy.

1000$US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/offer-listing/1559408855/ref=olp_tab_new/104-9791628-5267903?%5Fencoding=UTF8&startIndex=0&condition=new) (A mind blowing 1300$ Canadian)

I've seen cars sold for less than that.

:eek:

[someguy]

WHAT THE HELL IT'S FOR 43 DOLLARS?!??!?!?!?


I mean.......someone should buy that :)

[MacReady]

Originally posted by someguy
WHAT THE HELL IT'S FOR 43 DOLLARS?!??!?!?!?


I mean.......someone should buy that :)

Don't get your hopes up. It's a "facet" (a cute, pleasant little term sellers have come up with rather than use: Cheap, homemade bootlegs). I found out about the difference between the two the hard way.:(

[MacReady]

Originally posted by Mikey2Dope
Thanks man what a great site!

And right now it says shipping to Canada is Free off there from August 3 - August 7.

Might have to take advantage of that. ;)

Just thought I'd bump this thread and tell you guys that there's another deal like that going on righ now (sept 3- sept6).

[APzombie]

Mac, I see you just got the Hard Boiled Criterion (in the dvd forums), you lucky bastard :)

[MacReady]

Originally posted by APzombie
Mac, I see you just got the Hard Boiled Criterion (in the dvd forums), you lucky bastard :)

Thanks.:cool: But what I'm really working on getting is a copy of The Killer and Salo. I'm stoping myself from buying anything else on either Amazon or eBay in order to be ready whenever a copy shows up. My plan's to have all three of the aforementioned movies before the year is out, but wiht luck and determination I might have them in just a couple of months.