Criterion Collection

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of what it considers important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to publishing those films in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. The foundation of the collection is the work of Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Buñuel, Powell and Pressburger.

Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its creator intended it to be seen. Every time a project begins, they track down the best available film elements in the world, use state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting their rigorous standards, then take time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Whenever possible, Criterion works with directors and cinematographers to ensure that the look of their releases does justice to their intentions.

Supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director’s cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts and storyboards. To date, more than 150 filmmakers have made the Criterion Collection’s library of Director Approved DVDs, Blu-ray discs and laserdiscs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.