![]() ![]() One of the Criterion Collection's more unique qualities is that it exposes its audience to well-made films that might not have received a major theatrical release or even been released in the United States. It might be baffling to some that a prestigious film library can contain a film featuring Jay and Silent Bob alongside Jonathan Demme's Silence of the Lambs, but that is one of the reasons why it's so beloved. However, unexpected projects like Michael Bay's Armageddon, John Hughes' hotly debated The Breakfast Club, and the Kevin Smith 1990s classic Chasing Amy are notable examples of the Criterion Collection's diverse catalog. Films such as Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and The Seventh Seal by Ingmar Bergman are no-brainers. One look at the catalog, and this is proven as some of the most iconic and influential films of all time have made their way to the Criterion Collection at some point in time. "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." Even though numerous other film distributors quickly adopted the practice of adding special features and commentaries to their LaserDiscs, Criterion already firmly cemented its status as the originator of this concept.Īccording to the official mission statement found on the Criterion site, While special features are expected today, it was a luxury in the 1980s, and this Criterion LaserDisc is where it all started. The LaserDisc offered not only the best quality version of the film at the time, but it also contained special features that had never been seen before. This was known as a dead side, and in 1984, Criterion found a use for these dead sides.Ĭitizen Kane was the first film released by The Criterion Collection in 1984. Furthermore, a film would need both sides of several discs thus most films would fit on an odd number of sides, meaning the final disc would have nothing on one side. Discs also offered more storage than standard tape despite most moderate-length films needing several discs. Although owning a movie on LaserDisc meant the film was available in the best visual and audio quality at the time, it also likely meant you were financially well-off enough to spend disposable income on movies - a luxury not many people had in the early 1990s. While it was in steady competition with VHS for a while, VHS eventually won out as it was cheaper than LaserDisc. LaserDisc was one of the first attempts to put movies in a disc format. ![]()
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