The Criterion Collection: The Gucci of Film Lovers

The Criterion Collection, sold in droves at Barnes and Noble, takes high quality films and gives them a high quality physical form complete with commentaries, essays and beautiful cover art.

What do the films “Do The Right Thing,” “Rushmore” and “The Big Chill” have in common? Besides being incredibly good, they are all films I own on Blu-Ray from The Criterion Collection. If you’ve ever been to Barnes and Noble, you’ve probably seen the wall of Criterion films that can be found in the music and movies section. That wall is a gathering place where film lovers make their pilgrimages to slowly increase their collection of Criterion films. 

Founded in 1984, the Criterion Collection is a company focused on the consumer appreciation of quality cinema. It restores films, packages them in stunning physical packages and adds all sorts of special features with each film including a booklet of essays written by film scholars, audio commentaries and a behind the scenes look at what makes this film so good. 

With the exception of the essays, this seems like any other Blu-Ray. But the Criterion Collection is so different because it not only focuses on really good films but also takes special care when bringing films to physical mediums. When most tvs were still in 4:3 aspect ratio, the Criterion Collection preserved the aspect ratio of widescreen films by adding black bars on the top and bottom of the screen which is now commonplace. 

They also created audio commentaries which are now on nearly every film and are the sign of a true film lover. That you love a film so much that you are willing to watch it with someone connected to the film talking over it the whole time. 

For many filmmakers, getting one of your films picked for a Criterion release is just like being preserved in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. It’s an incredible honor.

But why do movie fans love it? Part of the massive following of the Criterion Collection is because of how exclusive they are. Most films, good or bad, get a Blu-Ray release no problem but Criterion films have to earn that release. There’s a sheek nature to them that drives cinephiles nuts the same way the 1% love Gucci. 

From the cover art to those essays, there’s just an amazing brand which is elevated by the fact that these movies are critically acclaimed and are some of the greatest films of all time. There’s a lot of diversity within the collection including foreign films, Old Hollywood classics, more modern films and they’re all amazing. Especially considering a lot of the silent films and foreign films are hard to come by otherwise. 

Movie sections of most retail stores have what’s popular. As we know, what’s popular isn’t always what’s good. I can’t find a copy of foreign films like “Seven Samurai” or “Day For Night” in Target. But I can find them in Barnes and Noble no problem.While streaming services have helped make independent films and foriegn films more apparent to the average consumer, it’s hard to get them physically which is essential for someone like me who loves holding a movie in my hands. 

What Criterion prides itself on most is introducing people to more low key films. Films that are good but you might never have been heard of.​​ Through the collection, I have been introduced to the work of Kurosawa and Fellini as well as enjoyed timeless American classics like “12 Angry Men” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”

The Criterion Section of Barnes and Noble is essentially replacing that niche part of the video store that had more artsy films and you could always depend on for something good. But with that quality comes exclusivity. Most Criterion releases are $40 minimum with collections like “The Before Trilogy” being more. So, unless you’re incredibly rich, getting these films is a luxury. Something that should only be done once in a while. This burden is made easier when Barnes and Noble has them for 50% off in July and November. 

The Criterion Collection is more than a brand, it’s a style that cinephiles, including myself, have a profound love of. I follow them on social media and I eagerly await the new releases each month to see what film I can’t possibly live without. This March, one of my favorite documentaries/concert films, “The Last Waltz,” is getting the Criterion treatment and I can’t wait to one day have it on my shelf.