Criterion

699 films on Best Blurays

Based in United StatesFounded 1984criterion.com ↗

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.

Aliases: cc, criterion

Page 18 of 35

Nausicaa (1971)

Director: Agnès Varda

Video format: SD Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Channel Streaming

3.5

Macbeth (1971)

Director: Roman Polanski

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

3.7

Trafic (1971)

Director: Jacques Tati

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

3.8

Walkabout (1971)

Director: Nicolas Roeg

4K · Disappointing

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

English-Friendly Notes:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray poor compression, otherwise Second Sight has best Blu-ray

4.0

Death in Venice (1971)

Director: Luchino Visconti

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer

3.7

Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

Director: Monte Hellman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Less bitrate but MoC uses too much DNR

3.9

WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)

Director: Dušan Makavejev

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD

Best Video:

DVD only

3.6

The Canterbury Tales (1972)

Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray is vastly superior to the old BFI Blu-ray see caps

3.5

The Way of the Dragon (1972)

Director: Bruce Lee

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest 4K

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion Blu-ray

3.6

Fist of Fury (1972)

Director: Lo Wei

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Mandarin: Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion Blu-ray English: Criterion Blu-ray > Arrow 4K Blu-ray

3.6

Pink Flamingos (1972)

Director: John Waters

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4k scan

3.5

Sambizanga (1972)

Director: Sarah Maldoror

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Project, No. 4

3.9

Paper Moon (1973)

Director: Peter Bogdanovich

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Eureka UK is considering doing a 4K https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24363810&postcount=264

Video Notes:

Wonderful underlying remaster by Criterion and Resillion, but NexSpec encode has clipped highlights with the occasional blockiness. The Criterion Blu-Ray, sourced from their 4K remaster, ironically makes for a more consistent and overall pleasing experience.

4.4