364-368 Monsters and Madmen

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Cinesimilitude · #26 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:01 pm

there are some cheap bastards in this thread...

If released seperately, these 4 films would be all at the 29.99 price point, or maybe the 24.95, so the boxset is reasonably priced at 80$. Even if they releases the double features seperately, they would be 39.95, maybe even 49.95, since criterion has been known to make 2 discers the higher price point. so It's FAIR or a BARGAIN, 2 words that are s good thing for consumers. besides, the actual cost to you is not 80$. It will be near 55$ on most websites with pre order discounts.

Napoleon · #27 Post by **Napoleon** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:29 pm

SncDthMnky wrote:If released seperately, these 4 films would be all at the 29.99 price point, or maybe the 24.95, so the boxset is reasonably priced at 80$. It will be near 55$ on most websites with pre order discounts.

As I mentioned in my post.

I know that Criterion can do no wrong in your eyes, but for 4 B movies that cost them NOTHING to put together Criterion are taking liberties with that price point.

toiletduck! · #28 Post by **toiletduck!** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:48 pm

Napoleon wrote:I know that Criterion can do no wrong in your eyes, but for films that cost them NOTHING to put put together Criterion are taking liberties with that price point.

As they are with any DVD in the collection, and as any production company is with their releases. As glorious as DVDs at cost would be, the market just don't work that way. Criterion has set up a rather specific pricing structure since day one and we have gone along with it since day one. Yeah, it's a bit spendy, but don't come along 350+ spines in and act like that's a surprise. Whatever your opinions on their selections may be, Criterion stand by their releases. Every film in the collection belongs there as much as the rest of them -- the pricing tiers come are based on inclusions to the DVD, not the quality of the film. I don't even want to imagine the shitstorm that would begin if they started pricing based on their opinion of the importance of the film. You thought the idea of a cult line ruffled some feathers?

Sonic was actually being generous with the lower tier pricing. These all have commentaries: technically they could individually qualify for the upper tier. Eighty bucks for four films is not outrageous by any means, especially by Criterion standards. A bit spendy perhaps, but all Criterions are a bit spendy -- you should be used to that by now.

-Toilet Dcuk

CSM126 · #29 Post by **CSM126** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:50 pm

Napoleon wrote:I know that Criterion can do no wrong in your eyes, but for 4 B movies that cost them NOTHING to put together Criterion are taking liberties with that price point.

How do you know how much they spent on those films? They have to A) license them B) clean them up C) commission an artist to make the covers D) press the discs...that's a lot of money.

So, unless you feel that they should not be allowed to make a profit off their product, I see no way you can claim they're taking liberties.

Gregory · #30 Post by **Gregory** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 1:36 pm

I think it's a safe bet that the licensing fees for this type of film were lower than for most of the films they release, which are in greater demand. Also, I remember reading somewhere that most of the extra features were put together for Criterion as a labor of love. Both of these things may not be true but if they are, their costs for this will have been far less than any other four-film set they've done and the price can be chalked up to Criterion wanting to maintain their "prestige pricing."

redbill · #31 Post by **redbill** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 1:42 pm

This is their 7th 4-disc release. Of the other 6, 3 were listed at 99.95, and the other 3 at 79.95. And I don't think any of those 6 had 4 commenteries.

Steven H · #32 Post by **Steven H** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:08 pm

I can just imagine that there would be more of a demand for a collector set with the individual releases sold seperately (or even the two two-discs sold seperately.) As promising as producer centric box sets sounds, ultimately you end up with a lot of ecclectic material that tastes and wallets might not be aligned for.

I'll buy the release. I can pretend that Corridors of Blood and The Haunted Strangler are higher tiered price point releases and the sci-fi films are extra features that might turn me onto something I didn't like before. I can so easily sway myself.

toiletduck! · #33 Post by **toiletduck!** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:17 pm

I haven't seen any of the four, but am I the only one just as excited (actually probably a smidgeon more) by the two sci-fi features? First Man Into Space sounds particularly fun.

-Toilet Dcuk

Cinesimilitude · #34 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:26 pm

I didn't remember the commentaries from the specs list, so yeah, I was being generous. Depending on what my cash situation is after my Florida vacay after christmas, I may be tempted to pick up the yojimbo/sanjuro set and this boxset.

numediaman2 · #35 Post by **numediaman2** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:15 pm

toiletduck! wrote:I haven't seen any of the four, but am I the only one just as excited (actually probably a smidgeon more) by the two sci-fi features? First Man Into Space sounds particularly fun.

Everybody probably has a movie that they saw when they were very young that just scared the shit out of them -- well, this was my movie.

I don't remember much about it other than the image of the astronaut walking around like a raving mad human beef wellington (you'd have to see the movie to know what I mean).

I don't know whether that means I will buy this set or simply record it when it inevitably shows up on TCM -- but if you haven't seen it I would recommend a viewing, preferably in an altered state.

#36 Post by **zedz** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:31 pm

redbill wrote:This is their 7th 4-disc release. Of the other 6, 3 were listed at 99.95, and the other 3 at 79.95. And I don't think any of those 6 had 4 commenteries.

Fair enough, but remember that the complaint about the price for the set arose when Criterion's site announced this as a two-disc set, for which 80 bucks is indeed unprecedented and arguably extortionate.

Napoleon · #37 Post by **Napoleon** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:58 am

zedz wrote:remember that the complaint about the price for the set arose when Criterion's site announced this as a two-disc set, for which 80 bucks is indeed unprecedented and arguably extortionate.

And which made it look as if Criterion were acknowledging that these were 'lesser' films, but were still charging the Earth for them knowing that us saps will pay out for anything with Criterion written on it.

As a 4 disk release it looks more enticing.

HerrSchreck · #38 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:22 pm

80 bananas is extortionate, absolutely positively. For an equivalent look at the Warner Legends of Horror. 6 legendary films restored to absolute magnificence. Commentaries, trailers. Paid a bit over 30 bucks.

This set (lets face it) from CC couldn't touch the Warner box in tyerms of sci fi/horror with a ten foot pole. Why should I pay twenty dollars more minimum for two less films, none of which are on the level of FU or MAD LOVE, or DR X, and for bullshit B-paradise what on earth can beat MARK OF?

The answer is I'm a numbnuts freak for cheeseball eisenhowerian sci/horror, and will pay more for a certain kind of really really bad old film. The problem with many of these cheesomatic releases is I get disappointed as most of them turn out to be not half as bad I hoped they were.

I swear though there are some dudes round here would defend CC if they shit in a box and gave it four spine numbers and charged 90 bucks for it.

Anthony · #39 Post by **Anthony** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:37 pm

HerrSchreck wrote:I swear though there are some dudes round here would defend CC if they shit in a box and gave it four spine numbers and charged 90 bucks for it.

Hmmm, that's funny... I thought that's what Monsters & Madmen was.

Antoine Doinel · #40 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:48 pm

To all the people bitching on here about the price point: no one is holding a gun to your head to buy them. If you're just buying it to "complete the collection" than your inability to curb your obsessive tendacies in the name of making your DVD shelf look nice really isn't Criterion's fault is it?

It's clear with the Janus book/set and the cult titles that they are branching out to other customers than the "where's my Ozu/Jarmusch/whatever" crowd. Cult movie fans are notorious for spending oodles of money on stuff other people would deem crap. Also, the high price point is probably a response to make up for the fact that this won't sell as many copies as say a Kurosawa or Tati film and an effort to break even on the project.

Get used to titles showing up in the Collection you might not like (jeez, with 350 plus titles and Armageddon you would think you got the picture by now).

Cinephrenic · #41 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:51 pm

Not like you have to pay $80 to buy these. It is easily available around $50 dollars for four films on online merchants. Is it really that bad?

HerrSchreck · #42 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:54 pm

I love it-- this numbnuts complains about my post complaining about another's post that was complaining about somebody else's post. Let's all tank up on helieum and see how far out into the atmosphere we can drift by extrapolation.

Eat my hamper-crust, Antoine.

EDIT: not you cinephrenic.

Cinesimilitude · #43 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:11 pm

What they should do is release it for a few days, recall it, and then sell it themselves through ebay. It would make mad money.

toiletduck! · #44 Post by **toiletduck!** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:05 pm

HerrSchreck wrote:I swear though there are some dudes round here would defend CC if they shit in a box and gave it four spine numbers and charged 90 bucks for it.

My turn!

I'm not saying they should charge $80 by any means, but extortionate? Drop all the release names you want and I'll agree, this set could be cheaper, but don't tell me that in today's marketplace $20 for a DVD plus commentary is unthinkable.

And I'm not so much defending Criterion as I am uselessly flailing against the persecution complexes that run rampant around here every time something (subjectively) unappealing is released. I'd love to pay $30 for this as much as the next guy. I'd also love for Paris Hilton to actually be, ya know, good-looking. But I'm not going to act surprised when it doesn't happen. And I'm certainly not going to refer to Criterion as fucking thieves because they follow a pricing structure that I have willingly gone along with for years. I just enjoy a little level-headedness now again. (I know, I know, I'm on a fekking web forum.)

Shit, I hope you were referring to my post.

-Toilet Dcuk

Cinesimilitude · #45 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:44 pm

I completely agree (except for when I'm drunk, Paris Hilton is hot when I'm drunk).

HerrSchreck · #46 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:52 pm

It's not only extortionate, it tastes terrible. It's a Nazified, bile-soaked, communist whore-tonguing, jew-baiting, brain eating, KKK-afiliated, Kahane Chai sourced, child-raping tissue of shit. And now toiletdcuk if you uh can't see my Nourishing Good Wisdom clear as thin mountain air, well then, uh, there's just nothing I can do for you. You can lead a fat man to the pot but you can't make him poop. I got The Education here to give but if you are not prepared to automatically and without hesitation yeild to my Truth well then I guess I just can't help you.

Cinesimilitude · #47 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:59 pm

Nazified, eh? SOLD! Honestly though, these 4 films sound like a lot of fun, Karloff is great, the fact that its from Criterion does add some allure, and the cover art is great. If I've got the money, I think it's worthy.

PS. yield.

denti alligator · #48 Post by **denti alligator** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:16 pm

redbill wrote:This is their 7th 4-disc release. Of the other 6, 3 were listed at 99.95, and the other 3 at 79.95. And I don't think any of those 6 had 4 commenteries.

And most of those had only three films:

Three Bergman films
Three Renoir films
Three Malle films
Three Dryer films
Three Wajda films
Three Fassbinder films

Actually, these are all $79.99, I think

At least here we're getting four films!

HerrSchreck · #49 Post by **HerrSchreck** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:50 pm

Dreyer Box:

DAY OF WRATH
ORDET
GERTRUD

plus

MY METIER makes 4 films.

also KURO SAMURAI CLASSICS had 4 films. LIT ADAPTATIONS had 4 films. The REBEL SWORDPLAY had four films.

Cinesimilitude · #50 Post by **Cinesimilitude** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:03 pm

HerrSchreck wrote:Dreyer Box:

DAY OF WRATH
ORDET
GERTRUD

plus

MY METIER makes 4 films.

also KURO SAMURAI CLASSICS had 4 films. LIT ADAPTATIONS had 4 films. The REBEL SWORDPLAY had four films.

Kurosawa Samurai Set 99.95

Lit Adaptations 99.95

Rebel Swordplay 99.95

Antoine Doinel Boxset 99.95

Monsters and Madmen 79.95.

also,

Hitchcock 5 film, 6 disc box 124.95

Rohmers Moral Tales (5 films, since the first two together have a feature length running time, 6 discs) 99.95

the new collectors sets sure look reasonably priced to me, based on that information.