Criterion and Dual Format

[domino harvey]

Or eighteen additional films for $100

[knives]

Aye, I forgot about that one. Still three discs with at least six films even barebones would add up quite a bit even without the DVDs.

[Yaanu]

It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see Criterion simply repackage an older, non-upgraded DVD with a new BD upgrade in a single dual-format release. They could sell the new dual-format release alongside the older DVD, then simply wait for the older DVD to sell out before quietly removing it from their website.
For titles with older logos, they could do the same, though they would most likely repackage the same content under new menus instead of packaging two different logos together. Then the same plan of waiting for the split-DVD package to sell out would still apply.

[swo17]

I wonder if they will eventually reissue all of their BD releases to be dual format (maybe when the separate pressings runs out) and I will feel compelled to buy all of them for consistency's sake.

[ShellOilJunior]

A great move as long as the price stays the same. Those who prefer blu-ray can give away or flip the frisbee on eBay for some dough.

[Gregory]

Putting aside what a 9 Blu-ray Criterion set might cost in some hypothetical scenario, it seem naive to assume that dual-format releases, even when they add 18 DVDs to a package, would not push up the price point. Or, from another perspective, adding 9 Blu-rays to a big DVD set. Again, I realize there's a cost savings to dual-format, but only within certain limits.

[Drucker]

I can't imagine I'm alone in having half a dozen friends who enjoy it when I bring a film over to watch and are without blu ray players. No longer will a large portion of my collection need to be watched at my house.

[Yaanu]

I wonder if they will eventually reissue all of their BD releases to be dual format (maybe when the separate pressings runs out) and I will feel compelled to buy all of them for consistency's sake.

If that ends up being the case, I only hope they have a trade-in system.

Though I wonder what they'll do for releases like SEVEN SAMURAI. That would be five discs in total, after all.

[matrixschmatrix]

Putting aside what a 9 Blu-ray Criterion set might cost in some hypothetical scenario, it seem naive to assume that dual-format releases, even when they add 18 DVDs to a package, would not push up the price point. Or, from another perspective, adding 9 Blu-rays to a big DVD set. Again, I realize there's a cost savings to dual-format, but only within certain limits.

I think what we're seeing is Criterion realizing a savings in manufacturing costs but not wanting to change their pricing structure- so instead of lowering prices, they add to what they give us. They've been really, really consistent in what their top tier core titles cost since the inception of DVD, and everything else appears to be based on that- and if that's not going to change, giving us extra free shit for the price is a lot better than just sitting on it.

[Matt]

I think we've seen the end of $29.95 Blu-ray releases, though.

[mfunk9786]

Then we've seen the end of a lot of us buying barebones releases, too. I don't think Criterion would be that crazy. After all, those same DVD releases were selling for a $20 MSRP, what's the difference between tacking a $30 disc onto a $40 release and tacking a $20 disc onto a $30 release?

[movielocke]

Because there's a new 4k restoration of Tokyo Story so the old DVD is irrelevant.

The first upgrade we see that's not a redo we will get our answer.

ah but this isn't really a redo--that is to say it's not an entirely new edition--just a new transfer/restoration, all the extras are the same as the DVD edition, even the essay looks to be the same, a David Bordwell penned piece.

This would probably be the standard for when they're just upgrading a title, rather than doing a completely new edition. If this were The Night Porter, then I'd expect a brand new dvd too. I expect these DVD discs will be exactly the same as the old DVD discs. or at the very least, the extras DVD disc will be the same. Perhaps they'll want to master new disc images and press new discs so they can have uniform branding on the disc silk screen and menus, but recycling existing stock might be the most cost effective solution for criterion. Particularly on the extras disc, which isn't going to have anything change.

A side benefit of just stuffing discs into the bluray case of upgrades is that it frees up labor from redundant releases, labor that can be allocated to more releases.

[Matt]

If that ends up being the case, I only hope they have a trade-in system.

If there's anything that's a safe bet it's that Criterion will never again attempt any sort of trade-in program.

[phantomforce]

They've also been releasing about 5 titles per month and November we only get 4 releases (including the zatoichi box). Perhaps by going Dual Format they will also be releasing less titles which would also cut down on costs and they may still end up making a profit. Stoked on the Dual Format though.

[mfunk9786]

You realize that boxset is far from "one title" in their eyes, right?

[georgec]

I really like the idea.

I wonder what sales statistics are for movies with DVD and BD releases? I'm guessing DVD sales are good enough that Criterion thinks people won't mind paying a little extra for a dual package since it's a good investment for the future and eventuality of upgrading to BD.

On the contrary - this says to me that DVD sales as a percentage of the whole have fallen to the point where it's not worth doing separate releases.

This is the first step towards elimination of DVD releases period, it will all go to Blu exclusively next, but don't look for that to happen for a few more years at least.

Yea you could definitely be right. It's probably shades of both. Dual packages give people enough motivation to buy anyway if they think they'll have BD in the future, and it saves CC some packaging costs. I guess they figured that saved packaging costs would outweigh any potential losses from people who don't want to buy a dual pack just for the DVD.

[Shrew]

I imagine that savings on the cost of separate packaging offset the extra packaging that might be needed, if in a big box.

I wonder if City Lights got moved up ahead of The Kid because they wanted a more bigger title to kick off the dual releases?

[matrixschmatrix]

They've also been releasing about 5 titles per month and November we only get 4 titles (including the zatoichi box). Perhaps by going Dual Format they will also be releasing less titles which would also cut down on costs and they may still end up making a profit. Stoked on the Dual Format though.

They've released box sets of increasing size every month since September- I don't know what the actual numbers are, but that strikes me as being a fairly ambitious stretch, if you assume that they're putting similar levels of work into blu upgrades as new releases.

[Lowry_Sam]

I do think Criterion is a bit late into the dual format game. The time to start was 2 or 3 years ago. And to start it with such a gigantic release is a particularly odd choice. I've stopped buying DVDs for the most part, even though there are a number of (dvd-only) releases I'd like. I rationalize why spend money on it, when I'll only have to do it again when I want to upgrade. So now is when I expect some companies might be phasing out DVDs altogether & relying on streaming instead. People who aren't tuned into hi-def & aren't connected to the internet are also the people who aren't likely to buy something new and are just happy with the old dvd or (gasp) vhs.

[Anthony]

I HATE dual format releases. Great, so now I get a free coaster with every BD release I buy starting in Nov. I hope they reconsider this horrible idea.

[gcgiles1dollarbin]

Anthony! (Then again, you are the second.)

[Jeff]

The funny thing is, if Criterion started including actual collectible cardboard coasters with their Blu-rays, these same folks would be delighted.

[andyli]

If it's not enough of a re-do/re-issue Criterion could have simply released it as Blu-only. If they want to release, say Z or The Exterminating Angel next month with the same HD transfer they could (and should) just make them Blu-only. So the fact that they do Tokyo Story dual-format style means they consider it more of an re-issue than upgrade.

[captveg]

Then we've seen the end of a lot of us buying barebones releases, too. I don't think Criterion would be that crazy. After all, those same DVD releases were selling for a $20 MSRP, what's the difference between tacking a $30 disc onto a $40 release and tacking a $20 disc onto a $30 release?

Yeah, I don't see $29.95 releases necessarily going away. The larger cost for the DVDs at this point had to be for packaging, including booklets, rather than pressing a run of DVDs.

I suspect this change also means that the DVD in the dual releases will be barebones, with all the bonus content only on the Blu-ray discs. That's typically what other combo releases are like (unless an older DVD version is re-purposed).

[cdnchris]

I would suspect that separate versions would each be priced lower than the big box is. Not that we'll ever know.

I seriously doubt it. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say (considering Shoah was $100) both the DVD and Blu-ray sets separately would be $225 each. They're now covering both markets with the exact same release and I'm pretty sure they're saving a shitload of money doing it this way.