Question:
we all know criterion for their quality and their high prices.. it's the high price part thats's holding me back.. but being on a exploration of international cinema it seems criterion keeps popping up (:
it's not a rule criterions are always the best version avaliable of a movie..
so i thought it would be a good idea to make a list of good alternatives for criterion releases.. looking at the quality of the movie itself... it must be (amost) identical or better.. extras don't matter since criterion will almost always win in this department..
my additions:
the seventh seal
korean version is exactly the same but half the price..
http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/7seal.htm
branded to kill
the r2 uk release is anamorphic and a HUGE improvement over the letterbox criterion.. and it's cheaper too..
tokyo drifter
the r2 uk release is anamorphic and a HUGE improvement over the letterbox criterion.. and it's cheaper too..
i've heard rumors the some buena vista releases are sometimes identical to criterion releases.. no facts tho..
keep them coming (:
Answer:

Chasing Amy
The Rock
Royal Tennebaums (Missing Commentary though)
Beastie Boys Anthology
Have all been released over here either under different distribution or on cheep import (ie beasties)
All available cheeper than their Criterion conterparts i think.
Answer:

Originally posted by Jon Cybernet
Chasing Amy
The Rock
Royal Tennebaums (Missing Commentary though)
Beastie Boys Anthology
Have all been released over here either under different distribution or on cheep import (ie beasties)
All available cheeper than their Criterion conterparts i think.
quality is the same?
Answer:

There are plenty of Korean ports of Criterion discs, often with exactly the same extras - minus the sleevenotes - released by a handful of different DVD distributors. Off the top of my head -
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Notorious - missing the radio-play
Rebecca - 2 discs, might even have the sleevenotes
The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Brief Encounter
In the Mood for Love
Charade
And God Created Woman
Wild Strawberries - minus the Bergman interview
Cries and Whispers
Autumn Sonata - very cheap, seen it for 5 quid
The Magic Flute
Oliver Twist
Ivan the Terrible
Henry V
Hamlet
A Night to Remember
The Red Shoes
Chasing Amy
Commentaries are always there, whether they've been Korean-subbed or not - menus have often been jigged around a little. Prices in the shops are around 10 pounds.
Answer:

Originally posted by Earl Jolly Brown
There are plenty of Korean ports of Criterion discs, often with exactly the same extras - minus the sleevenotes - released by a handful of different DVD distributors. Off the top of my head -

Anywhere these could be sourced online ?
Phil
Answer:

Interesting, this is the reason I don't own any Criterions, with the exception of the Royal Tenenbaums (£11) they are just not worth the extra expense - I don't care how much I love a film, paying £25-£100 and beyond (for OOP) is just ridiculous and a classic case of more money than sense! They are only a short-term investment as they wont be mainstream forever...(DVDs that is).
Answer:

I'd argue that Life of Brian and Brazil are well worth the money as you'll never be able to get these sets anywhere else.
And Kontkommer, these discs are absolutely identical to the criterion releases with just a few very minor changes (extra idents, or removal of commentary in the case of the RTs.)
Answer:

The Long Good Friday AB UK release
Anamorphic
Commentary with John Mackenzie
Interview with John Mackenzie and Bob Hoskins
Time Bandits Ab UK release
Anamorphic
Commentary
plus loads of other extras
Both can be picked up quite cheap in the AB sales. Id also argue that most of the titles are worth the extra money.
Answer:

Straw Dogs is another debatable one, the UK release is very good with excellent commentaries. :)
Answer:

I've just bought Fellini's 81/2 on a Korean Label but its actually a criterion port at half the price ... been waiting a year to get this too ...
Answer:

Originally posted by Cirrus888
I've just bought Fellini's 81/2 on a Korean Label but its actually a criterion port at half the price ... been waiting a year to get this too ...
Can you buy these korean/criterion ports online? :)
Answer:

Originally posted by balstino
Straw Dogs is another debatable one, the UK release is very good with excellent commentaries. :)
The main attraction would be the "Man Of Iron" documentary which is fantastic. I've got a copy of it. On the other hand, the commentaries on the UK release are brilliant, not least for involving people who knew Peckinpah first hand. I'd also happily forego Criterion's commentary for the vast number of text extras on the UK disc, notably the BBFC letters.
On the other hand, the sound quality of the Crit is apparently much improved. So you pays your money &c.
Answer:

Walkabout and Riffifi from Madman on R4 appear to be identical to the Criterions at a fraction of the price; Walkabout is also said to be a better transfer.
---
So many films, so little time...
Answer:

Mike, I would also say that the transfer is better on the Criterion Straw Dogs. I noticed just before David ties Scutt to the window, something appears which I can best describe as a scratch and the frame seems to slightly jump on the Fremantle DVD. I noticed it in other parts of the film but cant remember where. On the Criterion DVD the mentioned problems dont appear.
Answer:

The Momentum UK release of Sid & Nancy is a good alternative to the OOP Criterion. Good, clean anamorphic transfer, a book on the making of the film and audio commentary from Alex Cox and actor Drew Schofield (Johnny Rotten in the film).
Answer:

Originally posted by kontkommer
quality is the same? I have The Rock both on Criterion and the UK 2-disc special edition. They use different transfers, and while both are good, the Criterion has the edge. The Criterion transfer actually LOOKS like film, something I consider very important in a transfer, whereas the UK version has a flat, filtered, "digitized" look.
Answer:

All those Korean discs are bootlegs, it should be added. Criterion was asked about them and said they knew absolutely nothing about them.
Answer:

DVD Beaver (http://www.dvdbeaver.com/) :norty: is a good site that does graphic comparisons of a lot of Criterion DVD's and their other region counterparts.
Answer:

One of the things I like about buying Criterions, apart from the excellent transfer, sound, and overall package, is that I will almost always be able to sell them for the same or more than I bourght them for.
Instead of an R1 release that came out a year ago and was going for £14 on the classifieds then but only £6 now, a criterion bourght a year ago will still be worth the same.
You don't see 'old' criterions going for £5 on ebay or fs/t!
:)
Answer:

yeah check comparisons for Straw Dogs
the R2 (or R0 Freemantle) is appaling compared to the Crit, and even the older R1 version !!
Answer:

Originally posted by KeyserSoze
yeah check comparisons for Straw Dogs
the R2 (or R0 Freemantle) is appaling compared to the Crit, and even the older R1 version !!
It's better than the original Anchor Bay release. I did a side by side comparison on them and the picture quality of the Fremantle is vastly superior. I'll agree that the sound isn't especially good in comparison but it's no worse. But considering what they had to work with they did a fantastic job and it's still one of my favourite DVDs.
I've also just listened to the Crit commentary by Stephen Prince and while it's well argued, it's nothing like as enjoyable as the two on the R0 disc. His assertion that "Straw Dogs" is Peckinpah's best film is particularly bizarre. What is particularly highlighted is the difference between an academic who has a thesis to argue and people who actually knew the man and have an insight into what made him tick.
Answer:

Straw Dogs is actually one I bourght blind and have yet to watch. I read some reviews which stated it was very good. Is it? :)
Answer:

Originally posted by snow patrol
Straw Dogs is actually one I bourght blind and have yet to watch. I read some reviews which stated it was very good. Is it? :)
It is very good. Straw Dogs is my favourite Peckinpah movie. It still disturbs me after watching it many times.
Answer:

Originally posted by Mike
What is particularly highlighted is the difference between an academic who has a thesis to argue and people who actually knew the man and have an insight into what made him tick.
Well, in all fairness, the Criterion disc has an 80-minute documentary that provides just that from a whole range of people!
Here's (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/strawdogs.htm) the three-way Straw Dogs screengrab comparison which would seem to suggest that the Fremantle transfer is the poorest of those yet released (which certainly surprised me). I'd guess it's from the vast amount of material that had to be squeezed on the single disc that causes the softness.
Answer:

Originally posted by Narshty
All those Korean discs are bootlegs, it should be added. Criterion was asked about them and said they knew absolutely nothing about them.
Not entirely surprising in some cases (the small DVD-labels who'd never be able to afford licensing), but the majority of the discs are released by Spectrum who're the legal distributor of MGM, Ruscico and Anchor Bay titles in South Korea. They're one of the few domestic companies I'd think would be above-board - apparently not.
Answer:

I bow to superior wisdom on the "Straw Dogs" matter
Answer:

Get those Korean bootlegs while you can ... :nuts:
Answer:

Originally posted by Narshty
All those Korean discs are bootlegs, it should be added. Criterion was asked about them and said they knew absolutely nothing about them.
Ahhh, I won't be buying them then. :nono:
Answer:

Ruscico's <I>Ballad of a Soldier</I> and <I>The Cranes Are Flying</I> both have very good transfers and some decent extras (particularly <I>Ballad of a Soldier's</I> long and fascinating interview with its director). The Criterion transfers are reputedly <U>slightly</U> better (though as the Ruscico prints and transfers are absolutely fine to my eyes, I doubt I'd be too bothered at the difference), but there's no question Ruscico's overall packages are superior.
With <I>Solaris</I>, though, I think Criterion wins by a short head: slightly better transfer (Ruscico's is very good but Criterion's is a notch above, and also has the original mono sound) and significantly better extras - and they don't split the film over two sides.
As for <I>Andrei Rublev</I>, I'm calling it an honourable draw: the Criterion has a longer cut of the film, the original mono soundtrack, just one disc is required (though the bitrate is very low as a result) and the extras are more in-depth and scholarly - but it's also a non-anamorphic transfer from a less than stellar print. By contrast, the Ruscico/Artificial Eye has the cut that Tarkovsky claimed to prefer, an anamorphic transfer from a superior print with a much higher bitrate, plenty of extras (mostly to do with the historical background) - but only offers a 5.1 remix and splits the film over two discs. With a gun to my head, I'd probably go for the Ruscico - but I ended up buying both!
Answer:

Originally posted by Michael Brooke
The Criterion transfers are reputedly <U>slightly</U> better
If these screengrab comparisons are anything to go by (Ballad of a Soldier (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/ballad.htm), The Cranes are Flying (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/cranes.htm)), the Criterion transfers are way ahead - both Ruscico look slightly blurry and washed out in comparison.
I went for the Criterions after a lot of 'umm'-ing and 'ahh'-ing, not because of any slavish devotion to the label, but because the photography is so stunning in both I felt it needed to be presented in the highest possible quality. I'm also fairly dubious of Ruscico's 5.1 remixes and would rather avoid them when there's the option. Admittedly they are both barebones, which is a great pity, but the film's the thing!
Answer:

About the so called pirate Korean releases.
This is taken from the criterion website:
Are Criterion DVDs available outside of North America?
Criterion Collection DVDs are generally available throughout the U.S. and Canada. From time to time, certain editions are distributed internationally, usually by our studio licensors and their international partners, but at present we have no international distribution arm of our own.
Remember not all releases by criterion are actually mastered and restored by them.
Those Korean releases are legit.
Answer:

Originally posted by Narshty
If these screengrab comparisons are anything to go by (Ballad of a Soldier (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/ballad.htm), The Cranes are Flying (http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/cranes.htm)), the Criterion transfers are way ahead - both Ruscico look slightly blurry and washed out in comparison.
Just to make things absolutely clear (to avoid misleading anyone, for starters), those comparisons are based on the NTSC versions of Ruscico's DVDs, which by all accounts are noticeably inferior to their PAL transfers.
It looks as though they master in PAL and downconvert it to NTSC, with all that that implies in terms of picture degradation (this probably explains the blurriness, for starters): people have cited problems with the NTSC discs that I simply haven't been able to match with the PAL equivalents.
If I can find the relevant frames, I might well do screengrabs of the PAL versions to see how they compare - because I thought the transfers were far more satisfying visually than that site is implying - indeed, Ruscico's <I>Ballad of a Soldier</I> is one of the better black-and-white transfers in my collection.
Answer:

I've the captures for the PAL version of "Ballad of a Soldier" here (http://www.dvd-basen.dk/compare/soldier/ballad.htm), and it's better than the NTSC.
Criterion:
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/compare/soldier/crit.jpg
Ruscico PAL:
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/compare/soldier/pal.jpg
Ruscico NTSC:
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/compare/soldier/ntsc.jpg
Answer:

Aha! Thanks, Ole. It appears the only real problem with the Ruscico disc is the contrast levels are too high combined with what looks like some pretty nasty artifacts (on the left, shadowed side of her face). The Criterion is still superior, but not by that much.