And perceptive fans of the distributor knew that something spectacular would be happening. Criterion was one of the first companies to use spine numbers on its releases, and after 35 years it was about to reach spine number 1000. What would that release be? Would Criterion continue unperturbed, or would it give us all a party?
This summer, the news got out what the old C had in store for us: a new Godzilla release. And not just the original 1954 Godzilla (which was already out with spine number 594), but the 15 Godzilla films released between 1954 and 1975, the so-called "Showa-Era". Hot damn!
Well, this monster of a boxset is now upon us, so here is a gallery of shots, to show what it looks like. Click on the edge of the pictures to scroll through them, or at the center of each to see a bigger version.
Here it is: an extra-large hardcover book, with bright colors reminiscent of Criterion's Zatoichi-boxset. In the book, we get 40 pages and 15 films.
And indeed: it has spine number 1000. Congratulations to Criterion (and us movie collectors in general)!
The 15 films are spread over 8 Blu-ray discs, housed in the back-end of the book.
A look at the index. The book starts with a great essay by historian Steve Ryfle, and is a great extra, detailing the political and historical climate in which the first film was made.
After that, each of the 15 films gets two pages of attention. One page with notes by historian Ed Godziszewski, and one page of newly commissioned drawings by a variety of famous artists. Yes, that's a Bill Sienkiewicz illustration on the top left, and a Geoff Darrow illustration on the bottom left.
The back-end of another great Criterion release... but is it "The End"?
As Godzilla wanders off into the horizon, we wish Criterion a happy future.
On to spine number 2000!