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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

Page 7 of 35

Director: John Huston

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray 2k scan

Best Audio:

1993 MGM LaserDisc

Director: Nicholas Ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray. New master unreleased

Best Video:

Criterion, 2k transfer. 4K master unreleased

Best Audio:

2003 R2 Columbia DVD

Directors: Federico Fellini & Alberto Lattuada

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Essential Fellini Blu-ray

Director: Anthony Mann

4K · Excellent

Director: Roberto Rossellini

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion DVD or unreleased restoration

Sources: film-foundation.org (opens in a new tab)

Director: Jean Cocteau

Best English-Friendly:

BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI > Criterion

Director: Roberto Rossellini

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion or BFI Blu-ray?

Sources: caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion

Video Notes:

Criterion darker and more contrast than BFI and Plaion Germany see cap https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=2461

Director: Jean Renoir

Director: Albert Lamorisse

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Sources: ibb.co (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion Albert Lamorisse Collection Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Criterion Albert Lamorisse Collection Blu-ray is AI upscale: https://ibb.co/album/ZBdHH8

Director: Billy Wilder

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 2k resto

Best Audio:

2008 Paramount DVD

Director: Vittorio De Sica

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion new 4k transfer > Arrow

Director: Orson Welles

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4k resto

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Theatrical: Image Entertainment LaserDisc International: Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2000 Image Entertainment DVD

Director: Vittorio De Sica

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray vs Cult Films?

Director: Federico Fellini

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Essential Fellini Blu-ray or StudioCanal Blu-ray

Video Notes:

No comparison

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Toho Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2023 Toho Blu-ray is new 4K restoration. No English subs.

Best Audio:

R5 Triumph Video DVD

Director: Roberto Rossellini

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion, 2k transfer, source can't be improved

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Video Notes:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray worse than Blu-ray with poor encoding (review)

Director: Samuel Fuller

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray source features proper gamma and black levels with a superior contrast. MoC Blu-ray source features improper gamma and black levels and too bright a contrast, making the picture appear washed out. See caps

Additional Info:

Caveat:  MoC Blu-ray has slightly better encoding than Criterion

Director: Fritz Lang

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

English-Friendly Notes:

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"

Audio Notes:

Twilight Time Blu-ray slightly better than Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Columbia Hi-Fi VHS probably significantly better (not been checked)

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