The Criterion Collection has an unrivalled reputation (in my house at least) for producing top quality DVDs, brimming with extras both on the discs and in the form of sleeve notes. I've got several of their titles, including Salesman (possibly my favourite film, see the pic at the top of the post), Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter (yes, I'm a Maysles freak), Hoop Dreams and Battle of Algiers. All discs are region 1 only, so you need a multi region player.
(Trivia fans may also want to know that Criterion effectively invented the Director's Commentary, including an additional audio track on their second laserdisc release, King Kong, in 1984)
Now they have a site to match. The new site is the sort of place than any film fan could spend hours in. They have:
Sections on themes (cult films, new German realism etc)
Profiles of key directors
Celebrity top 10s (inc Steve Buscemi, and Diablo Cody - a great place to go to get inspiration for what to see next)
Lots of merchandise
& best of all, if you live in the US, films to watch online.
There are currently 19 films available from Au Revoir Les Enfants to The Thief of Baghdad, each for $5. The best bit is that if you then want to buy the film on DVD or Blu-ray you get the $5 discounted from the purchase price.
Excellent - but when can we see the films online in the UK?
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