Based in New York, Criterion has released classic and contemporary films since 1984, giving each title a spine number and adding commentaries, essays and supplements. Many discs use new restorations it supervises, and 4K UHD releases began in November 2021. North American Blu-rays are Region A locked, with a smaller Region B UK line since 2016; Janus Films is a sister company, and Steven Rales has owned both since 2024.
Criterion
636 films on Best BluraysBest video release: 222 in 4K405 in HD9 in SD38 more for audio only19 more announced
- Excellent141
- Solid55
- Superior Imports1
- Good Imports1
- Good in DV Only1
- Disappointing3
- Worse Than BD1
Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made
222 of 636 films match · Page 2 of 12
Films where Criterion's release is the pick. How picks are made
Director: Billy Wilder
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
1991 MCA LaserDisc
Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
& Pathé 4K Blu-ray have different gradings (preference). Opening scene on Criterion looks significantly worse, but similar elsewhere.
2024 Criterion 4K Blu-ray/2017 Criterion Blu-ray/2005 Criterion DVD
2023 Criterion 4K Blu-ray (meh compression) / Curzon 4K Blu-ray (visible chroma noise)
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Theatrical Cut: 2022 Sony 4K Blu-ray
Director's Cut: 2023 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Better compression than Sony
Criterion/Sony 4K Blu-ray
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Kino BD has original stereo mix.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Criterion Blu-ray
Criterion Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · blah-ray.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
For Blu-ray Criterion Demy Set > StudioCanal
Director: Terrence Malick
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Lovely underlying remaster by Criterion and Resillion but encode is sadly low-pass filtered by Pixelogic, and even then, the encode is still less than ideal. Still easily obliterates any prior disc release, but certainly wouldn't hurt to have a UK or German label take a crack at this same master.
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
A new 4K restoration from a 35mm nitrate print from and a 35mm composite duplicate negative.
Spain Universal Blu-ray is from a very soft DVD-era transfer; caps
Director: Terry Gilliam
Director's Cut: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
US Theatrical Cut: Universal Blu-Ray
Love Conquers All Cut: Criterion Blu-Ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Robert Altman
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
2024 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Criterion Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray
Director: Brian De Palma
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
2022 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Wes Anderson
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Fritz Lang
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
See nicolas review: https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=841703#p841703 "The new master is simply gorgeous. Beautifully fine-grained, even the opticals don’t look that much less defined than the OCN-shots. Highlights are very nicely graded and the encode preserves them virtually flawlessly. The HDR / DV grade itself is tasteful and makes the film look tasteful. Velvety, silvery and just satisfying to look at. Furthermore, I don’t think NexSpec applied any filtering"
Twilight Time Blu-ray slightly better than Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Columbia Hi-Fi VHS probably significantly better (not been checked)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Criterion Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Rob Reiner
Criterion US 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · blah-ray.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)
Director: Ishirō Honda
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
> Curzon, see caps https://slow.pics/c/mbpnweKM and see grade reference from promo images https://slow.pics/c/TfGmRNDL
Almost every source has an entirely different look. Only two that match promo images are Criterion and CG Entertainment's Italy 1080 release (for 4K they did their own HDR regrade)
Director: Al Reinert
Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
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