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Criterion

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

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Director: Rob Reiner

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1998 Criterion DVD Stereo

Director: Rob Epstein

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray 2K transfer on 4K scan

Director: Ivan Reitman

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

2022 Sony Ultimate Collection 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Only 2022 'Ultimate Collection' has dolby vision. 2022 ‘Ultimate Collection’ also has a higher average bitrate.

Best Audio:

1989 Criterion LaserDisc

Director: John Cassavetes

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2K transfer, not sure about France

Director: Alan Rudolph

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Alex Cox

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Not sure about foreign

Director: Jūzō Itami

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan Toho Blu-ray

Director: Elem Klimov

Best English-Friendly & Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

Not really noticeable difference to Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray

Best Video:

Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Germany Bildstörung Blu-ray marginally better encode than Criterion

Director: Terry Gilliam

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Director's Cut: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
US Theatrical Cut: Universal Blu-Ray

Love Conquers All Cut: Criterion Blu-Ray

Director: Héctor Babenco

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Tim Burton

4K · Excellent

Director: Paul Schrader

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

See Chris's review

Best Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

Their 4K Blu-ray has minor additional filtering.

Director: John Hughes

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion 4K see caps

Criterion Blu-ray and Universal 30th anniversary both use same 4K scan, Universal has more bitrate but looks the same, Criterion has more extras https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=11241&d2=9287&c=3754

Director: Martin Scorsese

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2004 WB DVD

Director: Edward Yang

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: siff.net (opens in a new tab)

Director: Agnès Varda

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Varda Set

Director: Claude Lanzmann

Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC > Criterion

Best Audio:

R2 Video Film/Express DVD

Director: Leos Carax

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: David Lynch

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

 Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray

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

Upcoming Release:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray in December

Video Notes:

Subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking

Best Audio:

1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD

Audio Notes:

Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110

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