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The Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection is an American home-video distribution company founded in 1984 and 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. It specializes in licensing, restoring, and distributing films with a focus on preserving their artistic integrity through state-of-the-art restorations, audio commentaries, essays, interviews, and other supplementary materials designed to enhance viewer appreciation. The company pioneered key innovations in home video, including the first audio commentary track on its 1984 laserdisc release of King Kong (1933), recorded by film historian Ronald Haver, and the standardization of letterboxing to present widescreen films in their original aspect ratios, beginning with titles like Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). Established as a partnership between Voyager Company founders Bob Stein and Aleen Stein and former Warner Bros. executive Roger Smith, the Criterion Collection initially focused on laserdisc releases before expanding to DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, and digital formats. In the early 1990s, it became closely affiliated with Janus Films, a distributor of international cinema founded in 1956, which provided access to a vast library of art-house and foreign films; the companies have since operated in tandem, with Criterion handling home video and Janus managing theatrical distribution. Owned and managed for decades by Peter Becker and Jonathan B. Turell—sons of Janus co-founders William Becker and Saul Turell—the collection was acquired in May 2024 by Steven Rales, founder of production company Indian Paintbrush, though its leadership and mission remain unchanged. Beyond physical media, Criterion launched The Criterion Channel in April 2019, a subscription streaming service offering a curated selection of over 1,000 films, along with exclusive programming, director interviews, and thematic series to foster deeper engagement with . Renowned for its rigorous curatorial standards and contributions to , the collection has released over 1,200 titles, influencing home entertainment by emphasizing quality over quantity and turning film appreciation into an accessible, scholarly pursuit.

History

Founding and Early Development

The Criterion Collection was founded in 1984 in as a venture dedicated to releasing high-quality editions of classic and important films, emphasizing technical excellence and artistic merit. It emerged from a partnership between founders Robert (Bob) Stein, Aleen Stein, and (later joined by Roger Smith), and affiliates of , a distributor of international classics established in 1956. The initiative was spearheaded by Robert Stein of Voyager, who envisioned combining film's visual storytelling with interactive elements enabled by the format, though the core focus remained on superior presentations of films as intended by their creators. The company's first releases were the 1941 film , directed by , and the 1933 , both issued on and sourced from original negatives to achieve optimal visual and audio quality. These editions pioneered supplemental features in , including audio commentaries—the disc featured the first such running commentary track ever on a consumer release, provided by film historian Ron Haver. This approach distinguished Criterion from mainstream video distributors, prioritizing historical significance and preservation over mass-market appeal, and quickly established the brand as a of cinema's canonical works. Leveraging ' extensive library of international and classic titles, Criterion built its initial catalog around films of enduring cultural value, such as those from the mid-20th century. Key early personnel included Jonathan B. Turell, son of Janus co-founder J. Turell and serving as Criterion's CEO, and Peter Becker, son of Janus co-founder Becker and later president of Criterion. Their involvement ensured a seamless integration of Janus's archival expertise, fostering Criterion's mission to enhance public appreciation of film through meticulously produced editions that highlighted both artistic and technical dimensions.

Key Partnerships and Expansions

In the late and , The Criterion Collection formed key distribution partnerships to broaden its reach beyond LaserDiscs, notably with Home Vision Entertainment, which handled and later DVD releases through a that facilitated wider for Criterion's catalog of classic films. This collaboration, rooted in shared commitments to high-quality arthouse and international cinema, allowed Criterion to distribute titles via Home Vision's network until Image Entertainment acquired the company in 2005. A pivotal expansion occurred in 1998 when Criterion transitioned from LaserDisc to DVD format, launching with nine initial releases including Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion, which helped establish the viability of DVDs for premium film editions with enhanced audio-visual quality and supplements. By the end of 1998, Criterion planned around 25 DVD titles, pricing them at $29.99 to $39.99 to balance accessibility with the superior production values that defined its brand. This shift marked a significant growth phase, as DVDs offered broader consumer adoption compared to the niche LaserDisc market. Criterion built its catalog through strategic acquisitions of film rights, exemplified by securing distribution for John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) in 1994, releasing it as a special edition (spine #1399) with restored widescreen presentation and , which later informed DVD and subsequent formats. Such deals with studios enabled restorations of genre classics, expanding Criterion's appeal beyond foreign arthouse to American favorites. During the , Criterion pursued international growth by forging licensed partnerships for distribution in European and Asian markets, leveraging its focus on global cinema to introduce titles like Kurosawa's works to new audiences and vice versa. This era saw increased availability of international editions, aligning with 's mission to curate films from over 50 countries. By the early , internal expansions included hiring dedicated restoration experts and developing in-house production facilities to advance , as demonstrated in major projects like the 2000–2002 restoration of John Cassavetes's , funded by and involving advanced digital cleanup techniques. These enhancements allowed to produce higher-fidelity transfers and supplements, solidifying its role in film archival standards.

Ownership Changes and Recent Milestones

For much of its history, The Criterion Collection remained under the independent ownership of its longtime leaders, Jonathan Turell (CEO) and Peter Becker (president), who had steered the company since its origins in the era of the . This structure allowed Criterion to maintain artistic autonomy while relying on strategic distribution partnerships, such as the multi-year agreement with initiated in 2013 for Blu-ray and DVD manufacturing, marketing, and sales. These collaborations enabled efficient scaling without compromising the company's focus on restoration and curatorial integrity. In May 2024, billionaire , founder of the production company Indian Paintbrush, acquired Criterion and its sister distributor in a private transaction for an undisclosed sum. Rales, known for backing films by directors like , committed to preserving the companies' missions, leadership teams, and operational independence, ensuring continuity in their dedication to and distribution. A key technical milestone came in 2021 with Criterion's entry into 4K UHD disc releases, beginning with a slate featuring restored editions of classics like Citizen Kane and Mulholland Drive, which showcased advanced HDR mastering and high-fidelity audio to enhance home viewing experiences. In the 2020s, the company expanded its scope to embrace more contemporary cinema, exemplified by the 2020 edition of Bong Joon Ho's Parasite—the first South Korean film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture—and continuing with 2025 releases such as Sean Baker's Anora. This shift reflected Criterion's adaptation to evolving tastes while upholding its standards for supplemental materials and restorations. Facing industry disruptions from streaming services and the —which accelerated the overall decline in sales by limiting retail access and shifting consumer habits—Criterion sustained growth through diversified offerings, including robust physical editions and The Criterion Channel streaming service launched in 2019. The company achieved record release volumes from 2023 to 2025, with monthly lineups featuring over a dozen titles annually, bolstered by strong demand for upgrades among collectors. In 2025, The Criterion Channel continued its programming with curated retrospectives, such as the November showcase of Howard Hawks's oeuvre, highlighting films like and alongside new restorations.

Business and Operations

Licensing and Film Selection

The Criterion Collection's selection philosophy emphasizes films of significant artistic, cultural, or historical importance, prioritizing quality and lasting impact over commercial success. This approach allows for a diverse catalog that includes obscure international arthouse titles, such as early works by or experimental shorts, alongside more mainstream classics like Stanley Kubrick's . The curation process draws from staff expertise, fan suggestions, and scholarly input to ensure each addition exemplifies excellence in its genre or era, fostering a broad representation of global without restrictive genre biases. Licensing films involves extensive negotiations with major studios and independent rights holders, often spanning years to secure restoration and distribution rights for home video. Criterion typically pursues multi-year exclusive deals, submitting wish lists to entities like or to acquire titles that align with their curatorial goals, while also incorporating works to expand accessibility. For instance, recent acquisitions include comprehensive rights to Wes Anderson's early films through a major 2025 box set, highlighting ongoing partnerships with producers focused on auteur-driven projects. By November 2025, the collection encompasses over 1,200 titles, reflecting steady growth through strategic acquisitions and integrations of legacy catalogs. This scale underscores Criterion's commitment to building a comprehensive , blending vintage restorations with contemporary releases to maintain relevance in home entertainment. Acquiring high-profile titles presents significant challenges, including elevated licensing costs that have risen with the shift from low-fee eras to competitive digital markets dominated by streaming services. These expenses, coupled with competition from platforms like and Max for exclusive content rights, can limit access to properties and necessitate selective curation to balance financial viability with artistic priorities. Janus Films, as Criterion's sister company, plays a pivotal role in licensing arthouse imports, managing rights to an extensive library of international classics from directors like and to ensure diverse global representation in the collection. This integration facilitates seamless acquisitions of foreign titles, enhancing Criterion's focus on underrepresented cinemas without overlapping with domestic studio negotiations.

Marketing Strategies and Online Ventures

The Criterion Collection has cultivated an iconic brand identity since its inception in , emphasizing elegant packaging, spine numbering, and scholarly booklets to position its releases as premium collector's items. Spine numbers, assigned sequentially to each title upon release, create a catalog-like system that encourages collectors to build comprehensive sets, fostering a sense of completion and community among enthusiasts. Packaging features high-quality, artist-designed artwork that varies by film but maintains a cohesive aesthetic, often incorporating custom typefaces and illustrations to evoke the film's era or themes, such as the inky black motifs for Zazie dans le métro. Accompanying booklets include original essays by film critics and historians, providing contextual depth that elevates the physical product beyond mere entertainment. Criterion's online ventures began with the launch of Criterion.com in the late , enabling sales and establishing a hub for its catalog. The site has since expanded to include detailed information, exclusive content, and for physical media, supporting the brand's shift toward accessible online engagement. campaigns, notably the "Criterion Closet" series launched in 2010, have become central to these efforts; the videos capture filmmakers and selecting favorite titles from the company's stockroom, blending appeal with cinephile discourse to humanize the . By 2024, the Closet initiative evolved into a mobile van touring festivals, further amplifying its reach through live events shared on platforms like and . Marketing innovations include limited-edition releases and collaborations that enhance exclusivity and artistic value. Special box sets, such as the 40-film CC40 collection marking the company's 40th anniversary in 2024, bundle titles with unique packaging to drive collector interest. Fan events, like the mobile appearances at festivals such as the , create immersive experiences that generate user-shared content and buzz. Cover art collaborations involve commissioning artists and filmmakers directly, as seen in designs for with input from director , ensuring artwork aligns with creative visions and contributes to the brand's reputation for thoughtful curation. In the 2020s, Criterion has targeted younger audiences via and , posting short-form videos on film analysis and highlights to introduce classic cinema in an engaging, bite-sized format. The evolution of Criterion's advertising reflects broader shifts in , transitioning from print ads in film magazines during the LaserDisc era to digital strategies. Early promotions appeared in publications like Film Comment to reach niche audiences, emphasizing restoration quality and supplemental features. Today, targeted email newsletters announce new releases, sales, and essays from the Current blog, allowing personalized outreach to subscribers. Partnerships with retailers such as expand physical distribution, with dedicated sections in stores showcasing Criterion titles alongside related merchandise. Revenue diversification includes merchandise sales, such as apparel, posters, and totes featuring iconic designs, available through the Criterion to extend beyond . These items, including T-shirts with motifs and anniversary collectibles, complement core product lines and appeal to fans seeking tangible expressions of cinephile culture.

Innovations and Influence

Technical Innovations

The Criterion Collection pioneered the use of letterboxing in releases to preserve the original aspect ratios of , beginning with their early editions in the mid-1980s. Launched in 1984, the company introduced this format with titles like (1956), their eighth release, which presented the 's image in its intended 2.35:1 ratio rather than cropping or stretching it to fit standard screens. This approach, which added black bars at the top and bottom of the frame, addressed the limitations of analog video formats and set a new standard for visual fidelity, influencing broader industry adoption despite initial consumer resistance to the reduced image height. In audio innovation, debuted the first-ever track on their 1984 release of (1933), featuring historian Ronald Haver discussing the film's production and special effects. This multi-track capability of the format allowed for isolated scholarly and creative insights overlaid on the film without interrupting the original soundtrack, a feature that became ubiquitous in home media. By the late , expanded this with commentaries involving directors and critics, such as on (1990), solidifying the track as an essential tool for contextualizing cinematic works. Criterion's in-house restoration processes emphasize high-resolution digital scanning from original film elements, typically at 2K or , followed by meticulous digital cleanup using specialized software for dust removal, scratch repair, , and . Starting in the early , the company upgraded its workflows to incorporate scanning for select titles, such as the 2014 restoration of Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940) from its original 35mm negative, which involved frame-by-frame correction to enhance contrast and stabilize faded colors while preserving the director's signature visual style. These techniques, often employing tools like Digital Vision's Phoenix for automated defect detection and manual for complex artifacts, ensure archival-quality presentations that reveal details lost in prior transfers. On the encoding front, Criterion utilized (CAV) mode for many editions in the 1980s and 1990s, enabling to individual frames, chapters, and supplemental materials at full video speed without the compression artifacts of Constant Linear Velocity (CLV) discs. This was particularly evident in elaborate sets like the three-disc CAV edition of (1982), which allowed pausing on any frame for detailed study of . Transitioning to formats, Criterion adopted the BD-50 dual-layer Blu-ray specification for high-bitrate encoding, maximizing data capacity to around 50 gigabytes per disc and supporting uncompressed or lightly compressed audio tracks alongside video, as seen in releases like The Red Shoes (1948) restoration in 2010, which delivered superior over single-layer alternatives.

Supplemental Content Features

The Criterion Collection's special editions are typically structured as multi-disc sets that incorporate a variety of non-film content designed to deepen viewer engagement with the featured works. These often include lavishly produced booklets containing critical essays written by prominent film scholars, critics, and historians, providing contextual analysis, historical background, and interpretive insights into the film's themes and production. For instance, essays by renowned critic have appeared in booklets for releases such as Do the Right Thing (1989), where he explores themes of race and community in Spike Lee's work, and Walkabout (1971), examining its portrayal of cultural clash and survival. Featurettes and interviews form a core component of these supplements, offering behind-the-scenes documentaries, director Q&As, and conversations with and that illuminate the creative process. Notable examples include the extensive extras accompanying (1979) on the Criterion Channel, which feature the documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse detailing Francis Ford Coppola's tumultuous production, alongside interviews with key collaborators. These materials are curated in collaboration with filmmakers to ensure authenticity and depth, enhancing appreciation of the film's artistic and technical challenges. Archival elements such as trailers, deleted scenes, and alternate versions further enrich the editions, preserving historical variants and providing comparative perspectives. Releases like (1950) include the original Japanese version alongside an English-dubbed alternate cut as a supplement, allowing viewers to explore differences in and cultural from its release. Other editions incorporate cuts, promotional trailers from various eras, and outtakes that reveal editorial decisions, all sourced from studio archives to maintain fidelity to the film's legacy. The evolution of these features reflects advancements in technology, beginning with simple printed inserts and audio commentaries on laserdiscs in the 1980s—pioneered in releases like (1941)—and progressing to interactive menus, video essays, and high-definition featurettes on DVDs and Blu-rays by the . Early supplements focused on basic contextual aids, such as in booklets, while modern editions leverage digital formats for dynamic content like branching timelines for alternate versions. A key aspect of their appeal lies in the collectibility fostered by these elements, where detailed , original artwork by designers like Sarah Habibi, and bespoke packaging transform each release into a tangible artifact of film scholarship. By 2025, virtually all Criterion editions incorporate such supplemental content, with over 1,200 titles featuring essays, interviews, or featurettes to varying degrees, emphasizing the company's commitment to comprehensive curation over mere reproduction.

Impact on Film Preservation

The Criterion Collection has played a pivotal role in through extensive restoration projects, often in partnership with major archives. Collaborations with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, for instance, have resulted in the digital restoration of landmark titles such as (1984), combining archival expertise with Criterion's technical resources to safeguard on film. Similar partnerships have enabled the recovery of underrepresented works, including damaged classics like Satyajit Ray's (1955–1959), whose original negatives were destroyed in a 1993 nitrate fire, allowing Criterion to reconstruct and revive these humanistic Indian epics from surviving elements. By 2025, these efforts had encompassed hundreds of restorations, ensuring the survival and accessibility of global cinematic heritage. Criterion's supplemental materials—ranging from scholarly essays and director interviews to visual essays—have significantly influenced film education, integrating seamlessly into university curricula to provide analytical depth. For example, scenes from Criterion editions are embedded in textbooks like Film Art: An Introduction by and Kristin Thompson, where they illustrate key concepts in storytelling and technique for introductory courses. The company's sponsorship of festivals, including as a new corporate partner for the 62nd in 2024, further extends this educational reach by funding screenings of restored prints and fostering public discourse on cinema history. Culturally, Criterion has revitalized interest in overlooked directors and narratives, notably through the painstaking restoration of Ray's , which reintroduced his exploration of modernization's impact on Indian society to new generations and theaters worldwide. Post-2010, the collection has advanced canon formation by prioritizing diverse voices, as evidenced by initiatives like the "Black Lives" series launched in 2020, which curates 89 films delving into Black communities' experiences across genres and eras, from Spike Lee's (1989) to contemporary works. This shift has broadened the perceived scope of essential cinema, amplifying marginalized perspectives in and streaming. On an industry level, Criterion's commitment to superior transfer quality and comprehensive extras has established benchmarks that pressure major studios to elevate their own releases, standardizing practices like high-resolution scanning and letterboxing for preservation. Its restorations, often supervised by filmmakers or cinematographers, have influenced broader trends, encouraging investments in archival work to meet cinephile expectations for authenticity and detail. These preservation achievements address formidable technical challenges, particularly in digitizing prints, which are prone to degradation and flammability. A notable case is the 2020 recovery of Arzner's Dance, Girl, Dance (1940), where Criterion's team navigated the final-hour salvage of surviving elements, employing automated cleaning tools and manual frame-by-frame repairs to mitigate scratches and chemical instability. For color-faded films, precise grading restores intended palettes without over-correction; in Maurice Pialat's L'enfance nue (1968), restorers preserved subtle tones by isolating and enhancing faded hues like yellows, avoiding the loss of the film's naturalistic grit. Such methods, applied in 2020s upgrades like the edition of Shoeshine (1946), demonstrate Criterion's ongoing adaptation to evolving digital standards while honoring original artistic visions.

Distribution Formats

Early Physical Media

The Criterion Collection launched its home video endeavors in 1984 with the format, debuting with and quickly dominating the premium segment through the 1990s. The company released over 200 titles on during this period, earning acclaim for their exceptional audio and video fidelity derived from transfers of original film prints to meet and PAL broadcast standards. These releases set a benchmark for quality, often featuring meticulously restored visuals that captured the intended cinematic experience far beyond contemporary VHS offerings. A hallmark of Criterion's LaserDisc editions was the use of Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) mode in many special releases, enabling advanced interactive features such as precise chapter stops, still frames, freeze-frame capability, and variable-speed playback including slow motion and reverse. Complementing this, Criterion was an early adopter of Dolby surround sound, incorporating technologies like Dolby Pro Logic to deliver enhanced multichannel audio from sourced film elements, immersing viewers in richer soundscapes. To reach a broader audience, Criterion supplemented its LaserDisc lineup with more accessible VHS and Betamax releases under the budget-oriented Home Vision imprint, which handled distribution for titles. Despite the analog format's inherent constraints on resolution and runtime, select Home Vision tapes preserved compositions through letterboxing—a technique Criterion helped popularize—even as most VHS releases defaulted to pan-and-scan cropping. Notable examples include the 1985 initial series comprising , , and . The format's niche status posed significant market challenges, as LaserDisc players cost over $500 and individual discs ranged from $50 to $100, appealing primarily to affluent cinephiles rather than mainstream consumers. This limited widespread adoption, confining Criterion's influence to dedicated enthusiasts amid competition from cheaper VHS tapes. The company's final major LaserDisc output arrived in the late 1990s, with the 1999 release of , signaling a pivot to more affordable and versatile optical media.

Modern Physical Media

The Criterion Collection launched its DVD releases in 1998 with Akira Kurosawa's as the inaugural title, establishing digital optical discs as a primary format for delivering high-quality restorations and extensive supplemental materials. Throughout the DVD era, which extended into the , Criterion standardized interactive branching menus to integrate supplements such as audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and alternate audio tracks, enhancing viewer engagement with the films. These features set a benchmark for extras, emphasizing educational depth alongside the main feature. In 2008, Criterion introduced Blu-ray discs, beginning with titles like Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express, and Nicolas Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth. By 2025, the lineup encompassed over 800 Blu-ray editions, offering and lossless audio formats such as , which provided superior clarity compared to DVDs. Many releases included combo packs pairing Blu-ray with DVD versions to accommodate varying player compatibility, while retaining the full suite of supplements on both discs. Criterion expanded to Ultra HD Blu-ray in November 2021, starting with Orson Welles's as the lead title in its inaugural slate. These editions support advanced HDR formats including and for enhanced color and contrast, alongside high-dynamic-range audio like where applicable. Key releases, such as derived from a new digital master of the original nitrate negative, exemplify the label's commitment to cutting-edge restorations that reveal previously unseen details in classic films. Packaging innovations have evolved alongside technical advancements, featuring sturdy slipcases with original artwork, limited-edition steelbooks for select titles, and elaborate multi-film box sets that collect director-centric oeuvres. A prominent example is the 2009 AK 100 box set, a linen-bound collection of 25 films by , complete with an illustrated book of essays and notes. These designs prioritize archival quality and aesthetic appeal, appealing to collectors who value the physical artifact as an extension of the cinematic experience. Despite the growth of digital distribution, physical media remains central to Criterion's operations, reflecting sustained demand from enthusiasts for premium disc-based viewing. This focus underscores the collection's role in preserving films through tangible, high-fidelity formats amid broader industry shifts toward streaming.

Streaming and Digital Services

The Criterion Channel, launched on April 8, 2019, marked The Criterion Collection's independent entry into subscription-based streaming, acquiring the content library and programming assets from the shuttered FilmStruck service—a prior with . At debut, the platform offered a curated selection exceeding 1,000 feature films from the Criterion and catalogs, alongside 350 shorts and over 3,500 supplementary materials such as interviews and restored trailers. Priced at $10.99 per month or $99.99 annually (with a 7-day free trial), it targeted film enthusiasts with ad-free access across devices including , , and mobile apps. The service's content strategy prioritizes thoughtful curation, featuring a rotating catalog of classics and contemporary works organized into themed playlists like Blackout Noir and Family Reunions, alongside in-depth filmmaker spotlights. For instance, November 2025 programming included a retrospective on , highlighting his eccentric masterpieces such as and . Original programming enhances this approach with exclusive audio essays, commentaries by critics and filmmakers, and short-form series exploring cinematic techniques and histories. Complementing the subscription model, The Criterion Collection has provided digital ownership since the early through video-on-demand (VOD) rentals and purchases on platforms like and , allowing users to download or stream individual titles indefinitely. These options, starting with over 40 films available for $14.99 purchase or $2.99 rental in , support flexible access without subscriptions and often include bonus features. Key technological features include offline downloads for up to 25 titles on mobile devices, enabling viewing without , and adaptive streaming in full HD with UHD support for select restored titles. are offered in English and additional languages for many films, with downloadable SRT files available to accommodate diverse audiences. Since its inception, The Criterion Channel has grown steadily among cinephiles, emphasizing quality over quantity in a crowded streaming landscape, though the company does not publicly disclose subscriber metrics.

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