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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Detour (1945)

Director: Edgar G. Ulmer

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4k transfer

3.8

Notorious (1946)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray

4.1

A Day in the Country (1946)

Director: Jean Renoir

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2023 BFI Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2005 StudioCanal DVD > Criterion

Additional Info:

The 2023 BFI Blu-ray and Criterion Blu-ray are similar, from the same restoration.

The audio on the 2005 StudioCanal DVD is still the best version of the audio.

Cluny Brown (1946)

Director: Ernst Lubitsch

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2004 R2 Carlotta DVD

3.9

Gilda (1946)

Director: Charles Vidor

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (review)

Audio Notes:

A new transfer from the optical soundtrack negative.

Additional Info:

the older Blu-ray is included in the Criterion 4K Blu-ray

3.8

Shoeshine (1946)

Director: Vittorio De Sica

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2006 R2 Eureka! DVD

4.1

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Directors: Emeric Pressburger & Michael Powell

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer

4.3

School for Postmen (1947)

Director: Jacques Tati

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Jacques Tati Boxset Blu-ray

3.6

A Ship to India (1947)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Artificial Eye Blu-ray

3.1

Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 2k transfer

4.0

Black Narcissus (1947)

Directors: Emeric Pressburger & Michael Powell

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion HD transfer

4.0

Red River (1948)

Director: Howard Hawks

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion/Capelight. MoC uses older master

Best Audio:

Theatrical Cut: France Wild Side Blu-ray

Pre-release Cut: ?

4.0

The Naked City (1948)

Director: Jules Dassin

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray is a newer 4K restoration, and much better than older Arrow Blu-ray and the Arrow reissue is slightly more cut-off than the Criterion Blu-ray too

Moonrise (1948)

Director: Frank Borzage

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

3.7

They Live by Night (1948)

Director: Nicholas Ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 2k transfer

3.9

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

Director: Robert Hamer

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2024 StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2006 R1 Criterion DVD

4.1

Stray Dog (1949)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, caps

As with other Kurosawa 4K's, Criterion has a less processed master than Toho and BFI.

Best Audio:

Criterion NTSC DVD

Audio Notes:

Criterion NTSC DVD overall. The 4K restoration's track is denoised and sounds muffled, but has a few of moments where it edges out in detail

Audio analysis between the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, BFI Blu-ray and Toho 4K Blu-ray

4.0

The Heiress (1949)

Director: William Wyler

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

4.2

Bitter Rice (1949)

Director: Giuseppe De Santis

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: filmforum.org (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray HD restoration

Additional Info:

4K restoration is done https://filmforum.org/film/bitter-rice

3.9

Jour de Fête (1949)

Director: Jacques Tati

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion for 1949 and 1964, BFI for 1964 English Variant and 1994/5

Best Video:

Jour Germany fete (1949) - Criterion only, HD Jour Germany fete (1964) - Criterion only, HDThe Village Fair (1964, English variant) - BFI only, HDJour Germany fete (1994/5) - Criterion SD, BFI HD

3.6

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