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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: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray, 2K restoration

Best Audio:

2004 New Yorker DVD

Director: Kon Ichikawa

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Japan 4K Blu-ray not EN friendly

Director: Nicholas Ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2005 Carlotta DVD

Directors: Marika Beiku & Andrei Tarkovsky & Aleksandr Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion The Killers set Blu-ray extras

Sources: criterion.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Student film, available in Criterion The Killers set as extras or Streaming

Director: Douglas Sirk

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion

Video Notes:

Criterion is new 2K restoration, but wrong aspect ratio (1.85:1 instead of AR 2.00:1)

Director: Satyajit Ray

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Artificial Eye DVD

Audio Notes:

Artificial Eye DVD probably better

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni

Video format: HD Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion HD Streaming

Video Notes:

Criterion HD Streaming is a new restoration

Director: Alexander Mackendrick

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion or Arrow Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Not sure about France

Best Audio:

1989 MGM LaserDisc

Director: Sidney Lumet

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber US / Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray

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

Best Video:

1.85:1: Kino Lorber 4K  / Capelight 4K

1.66:1: Criterion 4K

Video Notes:

1.85:1: Kino Lorber 4K  / Capelight 4K

1.66:1: Criterion 4K but low pass filtered

Comparison between the 4Ks, Criterion on the AR choice

Audio Notes:

Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible

Director: Delmer Daves

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

Carlotta Blu-ray

Additional Info:

All audio tracks originate from the same DVD-era master, no real audible differences between them, but Carlotta is least filtered out of all

Director: Jack Arnold

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray is a newer 4K restoration

Best Audio:

MCA LaserDisc

Audio Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray generally has more noise reduction than the DVDs and the other two blu-rays, but its EQ more closely matches the LaserDisc - though dialogue still sounds a bit comparatively hollow. See blah-ray review

Director: Peter Glushanok

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Martha Graham: Dance on Film DVD

Best Video:

Criterion Martha Graham: Dance on Film DVD HD transfer

Director: Budd Boetticher

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Indicator Blu-ray has better presented extras plus additional unique extras.

Director: Budd Boetticher

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Indicator Blu-ray has better presented extras plus additional unique extras.

Director: Akira Kurosawa

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray for video or Criterion Blu-ray for subtitles

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

Video Notes:

See detailed review However Criterion has better subtitles

Best Audio:

Old BFI Blu-ray

Director: Federico Fellini

Best English-Friendly & Video:

StudioCanal Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

> Criterion, contrast is more accurate according to my (vanshady) viewing of 4K DCP as well as this post

Best Audio:

1999 R1 Criterion DVD

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

BFI has boosted contrast and crushed blacks

Best Audio:

Tartan DVD

Director: Mikhail Kalatozov

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

2019 Potemkine France Blu-ray

Video Notes:

2019 Potemkine France Blu-ray less processing than Criterion. Need to adjust luminence from 16-235 (limited) to 0-255 (full) to fix crushed blacks

Director: Andrzej Wajda

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2021 Criterion Blu-ray

Director: Roy Ward Baker

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

All releases uses the old 2012 ITV 2K restoration, but from caps Criterion Blu-ray > UK ITV

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