Cinephiles and physical media collectors, this episode is for you! The Criterion Collection has been the premiere distributor of cinematic excellence for decades. Did they find room for horror? Yes, they did! It is a very select group of films, but you might be surprised at some of the inclusions. Here are our picks from their horror library.
Criterion’s Mission Statement:
Since 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium—from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD to streaming—Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film.”
When this company was founded, the world was just getting used to VHS. Having your own copy, or an available copy of a classic movie was now at your fingertips. Fans of classic films could now watch great films and create a library of their favorite movies. Important, but non-commercial movies rarely got shown in theaters, and by the eighties, the places where they did play, the small independent movie houses were being replaced by cineplexes that would present new releases and big blockbuster films.
The Criterion Collection focused on the collectors. They got on board early with laser disc technology and remastered copies of legendary movies for the cleanest and best archival quality available. Low volume, high-quality curation was the name of their game. Over the years, it established a bit of cinema elitism, but you could be assured that your copy of the movie would come with director notes, actor interviews, scenes from the cutting room floor, and behind-the-scenes footage.
Quite simply, it was the best packaging a movie could offer. The big question for horror fans would be: What about us? The good news is that the Criterion Collection is fond of SOME horror films. Thrillers make the cut, and foreign films are well-represented. You will find the collected works of David Cronenberg, Guillermo Del Toro, and Roman Polanski in the catalog. Val Lewton, David Lynch, Brian DePalma, and Alfred Hitchcock films are abundant here. And, oddly enough, Godzilla’s Showa era (1954-1975) is here in its entirety.
How Does the Criterion Collection Work Now?
Like LP records, the Criterion Collection’s physical copies still offer up the best in physical media. The movies now are in Blu-Ray 4K formats, but they still come with all the trimmings that a film historian would crave. They also have gone through the effort for many films to have new cover/poster art created for the DVD’s, much like what the Austin-based Mondo Posters has done. And, they continue to follow up with restoration, in bringing back old movies and restoring them to the most current production format.
If you want to avoid purchasing a DVD and want to stream the movies, you can to go straight to the source and subscribe to The Criterion Channe where you can have access to the full library. You can find these movies on other streaming platforms, but if you want the film extras that The Criterion Collection creates, you’ll want to get a subscription. Our recommendation? Get the DVDs! Create a library! Also, this would be a service if horror is part of your film preferences, but you also love other genres. You’ll run out of horror films before too long.
With competition like A24 and IFC Midnight supporting high-quality horror productions that would often be snapped up by The Criterion Collection, it will be interesting to see if any modern classics get the Criterion treatment. It is notable that the major studios are not usually represented in this process. Notably, there are no Universal monsters, for example… except for Shape of Water.
Mike, Liz, and Eric shared their favorite finds in the Criterion Collection. Give it a listen, why don’t ya?
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In our podcast, Eric went into brain freeze on a key quote that was very quippy, and he went into brain freeze. Here is the missing quote!
Mr. Peters: Got a question for you. Which magazine sells the most copies?
Mark Lewis: Those with girls on the front covers and no front covers on the girls.”Peeping Tom
What does it take to become a Criterion Film? These films are held in high enough esteem to be part of the cool kids club:
