Twenty years ago, in a time when DVD products were just beginning to flourish, there was a private company called The Criterion Collection. Renowned for its unique selection of films, exceptional DVD audio-visual quality, and rich bonus content, it quickly gained a devoted following among cinephiles around the world. Among the various DVD offerings, the so-called CC version from this company is often regarded as the premier medium for cinematic works; even if the price for the same film is generally higher than that of other brands, there are still many who willingly splurge to add it to their collections.
Fast forward to this year, and The Criterion Collection celebrates a milestone of its fortieth anniversary. In commemoration, the company recently announced the upcoming release of a limited edition Blu-ray DVD set entitled CC40, which will feature 40 "significant classic and contemporary films." The pre-sale price on online retail platforms like Amazon has dropped from its initial listing of $559.99 to the current price of $399.98, which is approximately 2839 yuan; while the official retail price, without discounts, reaches as high as $799.95, or about 5678 yuan.
The DVD is packaged in a luxurious fabric cover.
The set includes 49 DVDs.
The steep price naturally corresponds to the consistently high quality that CC versions are known for. The collection features a total of 40 films, spread across 49 DVDs, all of which have been digitally restored in high definition. It also includes bonus features, commentary tracks, and is presented in a new luxurious fabric cover.
Among the 40 films included, two notable Chinese-language films are prominently featured: Edward Yang's Yi Yi and Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love. The complete list of films is as follows: 8½, Tokyo Story, The Selfish Giant, Bicycle Thieves, The Double Life of Véronique, Shame, Mother and Son, In the Name of the Father, Weekend, Hunter's Night, Pickpocket, The Taste of Success, Dock of the Bay, Clean Hands, The Mouse Trap, Bloody Sunday, Mirror, Barry Lyndon, Safe, Second Life, Friday Girl, The Life of Yukio Mishima, Like Father, Like Son, My Own Private Idaho, Love & Basketball, Night of the Living Dead, The Inverted Ace, Three Women, Red River, Criminals, Swamp, Wanda, The Haunting, Sullivan's Travels, The Battle of Algiers, Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Cléo from 5 to 7, The Mask.
