Criterion Going Blu-Ray this Fall

The Criterion Collection goes next-gen this October as the company is set to release its first wave of high-definition Blu-Ray titles.

In a post on their website earlier this month, the company listed the following titles as "in the pipeline," with only a general October roll-out planned. No official release dates are set as of now.

The Third Man
Bottle Rocket
Chungking Express
The Man Who Fell to Earth
El Norte
The 400 Blows
Gimme Shelter
The Complete Monterey Pop
Contempt
Walkabout
For All Mankind
The Wages of Fear

Some interesting titles there, to be sure, including Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, long-rumored to be slated for a standard-def release from Criterion. Also worth noting that this will mark triple-dips from the company for The 400 Blows and Wages of Fear.

Known for lavishing attention on highly-regarded but often under-released films and filmmakers, the company is also widely recognized for sticking to price points that are antiquated at best, perhaps fiscally elitist at worst. Will they keep their promise to hold BR prices in line with their standard-def releases? If so, it would seem a small step in the right direction. Suppose we must wait and see. Criterion joins a growing number of boutique labels dipping their toes into the BR market, including Anchor Bay / Starz, Blue Underground, and BCI / Eclipse.