The Criterion Collection is reissuing The Third Man on DVD. Normally this wouldn’t be news to me. Movie companies are forever releasing then re-releasing films on DVD, adding features, anamorphic encoding, commentary and other goodies to entice fans to purchase the movie multiple times. And the cycle renews itself as studios push new Blu-ray and HD DVD technology.
Criterion has long been the gold standard of DVD releases of snotty films, particularly those from outside the U.S. “Film school in a box,” I’ve heard their releases called, due to their riches of scholarly commentary, documentaries and other highbrow extras. Even their crisp and uncluttered package design calls to mind the classic posters of Saul Bass. Criterion’s most revered and fearful releases remain their works by infamously fussbucket directors. My favorite is their brick-like three-disc edition of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil which contains a lifetime of extras and two separate versions of the entire film.
In short, Criterion is renowned for its definitive editions. I already spent like $50 bucks on the first “definitive edition” of The Third Man in the early ’00s (Criterion’s luxury treatment on disk is reflected on pricetag). The new version contains a bonus disk of juicy new extras, a documentary and commentary by director Steven Soderbergh. I weep zither-sweetened tears.