The Criterion Collection was founded in 1984 by Roger Smith, along with Robert and Aleen Stein in the hopes that they may provide cinema fans a way to see the best in foreign and independent films at home.
Janus Films, the heroic distribution company responsible for releasing some of the most important foreign films of the 20th century to theaters in the United States, joined forces with the burgeoning company, thereby providing access to their incredible library.
Criterion Collection Crash Course
Criterion is now universally considered the gold standard in DVD; providing the best in independent and foreign language films, in the most exquisitely reproduced digital picture around, as well including the rarest of special features.
Not unlike comic book fans or video game enthusiasts, world cinema fans and independent film connoisseurs wait with bated breath for word on which classic Criterion will release next.
For those who may be starting a DVD library, or may be a young upstart in the realm of cinema appreciation, a crash course in Criterion may be the perfect thing.
There are indeed a few select choices that are absolutely essential: Akira Kurosawa's epic Seven Samurai (Japan), Ingmar Bergman's melancholy masterpiece Cries and Whispers (Sweden), Jean-Luc Godard's sexy Breathless (France), Carol Reed's intriguing crime thriller The Third Man (Britain), Preston Struges' comic opus Sullivan's Travels (USA), and of course Federico Fellini's magical 8 ½ (Italy).
Monsters and Madmen, Dazed and Confused
But, this is not to say that all the titles in the Criterion Collection are high-brow, high-concept works of art. Recently, Criterion has taken a stab at compiling some cult classics and experimental oddities. Such as the deliriously fun collection of monster and sci-fi movies entitled Monsters and Madmen.
Or believe it or not, the B-movie classic, The Blob, which has one of the most glowing and gorgeously color-saturated pictures for any DVD, regardless of grade level, released in the last 10 years.
One of the most popular cult classics in the Criterion canon is Richard Linklater's homage to potheads and slackers, Dazed and Confused; coupled with Linklater's equally quirky, and slightly more pretentious cohort in crime, Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore), the two auteurs make a nice Gen-X cocktail of postmodern angst and pathos.
Criterion Brings About Armageddon
When it comes to cinephiles, their intense love of film can sometimes result in a somewhat narrow view of what does and does not qualify as Criterion quality material. Case in point, the drop-jawed response many within the Criterion community had when action film maker Michael Bay received the Criterion treatment for the awful Armageddon.
And while it's more than understandable to trash the trash that Bay puts out most of the time; it's a bit disingenuous not to recognize a film from the action genre that truly does deserve praise; like Criterion's second Michael Bay release, the fantastically entertaining and perfectly photographed adventure flick, The Rock.
At the moment there's quite a ruckus being raised over at Criterion's social networking site, The Auteurs.Com, regarding Criterion's 1st ever new release, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher's underwhelming bid for mainstream acceptance. Many arguing that the fine label could have chosen a much more deserving title.
Extra, Extra - BLU-RAY Goodies
It goes without saying that the next wave in DVD, Blu-Ray, provides for an ever greater digital transfer; displaying a high definition picture and digitally enhanced soundtrack. The format also provides far more storage capacity, which means more room for extras, or special features. Below are a few of the more tantalizing goodies in the form of special features from Criterion's Blu-Ray releases thus far.
Francois Truffaut's The Last Metro:
- Une histoire d'eau, Truffaut's 1958 short film co-directed by Jean-Luc Godard
- French television excerpts of interviews with Truffaut, and actors Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu, and Jean Poiret
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Annette Insdorf, author of François Truffaut, and one with actor Gérard Depardieu, historian Jean-Pierre Azéma, and Truffaut biographer Serge Toubian
Truffaut's The 400 Blows:
- Excerpt from a French TV program with Truffaut discussing his youth and his critical writings
- Newsreel footage of Jean-Pierre Léaud in Cannes for the showing of The 400 Blows
- Bergman Island (2006), an 83-minute documentary on Bergman by Marie Nyreröd
- A 1989 tribute to Bergman by Woody Allen
- Bergman 101, a selected video filmography tracing Bergman's career
Roman Polanski's Repulsion:
- Audio commentary featuring director Roman Polanski and actress Catherine Deneuve
- British Horror Film (2003), a documentary on the making of Repulsion
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