How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

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bfaison
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:22 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#201 Post by bfaison » Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:33 am

Can any of you who own a copy of Alphaville confirm the numbers on the disc rings for me? On the bottom of the disc, inner ring: IFPI LB75 90121001N as well as: ALPHAVILLE Made In Taiwan. Top inner disc ring says F2 but it's backwards. Everything about it looks legit down to the paper used for the insert and booklet but I own a few of these old OOP DVDs and none of them say Made in Taiwan or have so little etched into the rings. Thanks for your time.

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Lemdog
The Man with no Title
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:43 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#202 Post by Lemdog » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:52 am

My copy of Alphaville says FN72701 and ALP030DVD

bfaison
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:22 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#203 Post by bfaison » Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:36 am

Thanks for taking the time to do that. Looks like I got got, then. I will say that if that's the case this is one of the most impressive bootlegs I've ever received. From the printing on the disc to the paper/case used to the menus I would never have been able to tell if I didn't check out the numbers. Here's some pics for anyone curious.

bfaison
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:22 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#204 Post by bfaison » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:22 am

So thanks to Lemdog's info I bought a copy on eBay that has matching 'FN72701' and 'ALP030DVD', but this disc does not have a clear center ring and has a much different printing on the disc art itself (the words are not shiny/metallic and it is overall much more blurry). Here's some pics.

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#205 Post by Minkin » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:32 pm

bfaison wrote:
Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:22 am
So thanks to Lemdog's info I bought a copy on eBay that has matching 'FN72701' and 'ALP030DVD', but this disc does not have a clear center ring and has a much different printing on the disc art itself (the words are not shiny/metallic and it is overall much more blurry). Here's some pics.
Your Alphaville looks identical to the one that I bought directly from Criterion. Same code on the bottom; the center ring is mirrored (+the small central ring that is clear). The printing on the disc looks the same blurry / wonky too. Your 2nd copy is legitimate.

bfaison
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:22 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#206 Post by bfaison » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:05 pm

Thank you!

black&huge
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2017 5:35 am

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#207 Post by black&huge » Tue Dec 03, 2019 5:19 am

Are criterion bootlegs still a major problem? I'm eyeing a dual format copy of L'eclisse on amazon for around $34 and I have no idea if that version still gets sold for ridiculous prices but it is from a third party seller but sold and shipped directly from Amazon and I hear even in those cases a bad product can still go through to the customer. Seller feedback is overall 99% but negative feedback seems to be consistent though not outweighing positive feedback and I only saw one 1 star rating for the past month or so for a "fake copy" but stretching back a few months it's all 4-5 star ratings

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#208 Post by tenia » Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:28 am

The one I'm seeing at $34.5 on Amazon is noted as "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com". It looks like this is what they're currently selling the movie since the 2018 BD-only re-release also is currently at $37.13.
I don't know if there is a specific reason for you to be looking for the DF release, but you would probably have been better off buying the re-release during the B&N 50% sale.

blueyes
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 7:35 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#209 Post by blueyes » Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:17 pm

Hello forum. Sorry if this has been answered above, I searched but wasn't fully satisfied...
If one receives a Criterion (in this case, shipped and sold by Amazon ) that raises some suspicion, is there a way to be sure that it is fully legit, and if so, is that way the same for every disc?
I have two discs that have made me have some doubts, mainly because of something off with the wrapping and the absence of the "director approved" sticker: Dead Man and The Confession. The latter was already under suspicion, since I bought it last October, when amazon had it miraculously back in stock, an oop title. (Both play perfectly well.)
Thanks!

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#210 Post by domino harvey » Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:19 pm

Could be whoever you purchased from bought their copy from BN.com— Barnes and Noble has a bad habit of resealing any returned discs and selling as New (or your seller resealed themselves). I doubt anyone has bootlegged either

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Slaphappy
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2018 5:08 am

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#211 Post by Slaphappy » Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:12 am

San Francisco Amoeba Music had bunch of mock Criterion releases for sale like Eclipse Doris Wishman boxset and Toshio Matsumoto’s Demons. I asked the clerk if picture quality on Demons bootleg was any good. The dude looked me like I was an idiot and said, that of course it’s good, it’s a Criterion bootleg!! I’m still not 100% sure if he was serious of just fucking with me. :shock:

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DeprongMori
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:59 am
Location: San Francisco

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#212 Post by DeprongMori » Thu Dec 19, 2019 2:28 pm

Slaphappy wrote:
Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:12 am
San Francisco Amoeba Music had bunch of mock Criterion releases for sale like Eclipse Doris Wishman boxset and Toshio Matsumoto’s Demons. I asked the clerk if picture quality on Demons bootleg was any good. The dude looked me like I was an idiot and said, that of course it’s good, it’s a Criterion bootleg!! I’m still not 100% sure if he was serious of just fucking with me. :shock:
I haven’t yet watched the “Criterion” release of A Page of Madness I got there. Looking forward to the Benshi narration by Crispen Glover and Alloy Orchestra accompaniment.

Kind of hard to judge the PQ on the bootleg Begotten though.

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Slaphappy
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2018 5:08 am

Re: How to identify (and avoid) Criterion bootlegs

#213 Post by Slaphappy » Fri Dec 20, 2019 5:48 am

DeprongMori wrote:
Thu Dec 19, 2019 2:28 pm
Slaphappy wrote:
Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:12 am
San Francisco Amoeba Music had bunch of mock Criterion releases for sale like Eclipse Doris Wishman boxset and Toshio Matsumoto’s Demons. I asked the clerk if picture quality on Demons bootleg was any good. The dude looked me like I was an idiot and said, that of course it’s good, it’s a Criterion bootleg!! I’m still not 100% sure if he was serious of just fucking with me. :shock:
I haven’t yet watched the “Criterion” release of A Page of Madness I got there. Looking forward to the Benshi narration by Crispen Glover and Alloy Orchestra accompaniment.
Now that’s an extra! [-o< I wonder if Glover has managed to keep What Is It? and It’s Fine! Everything Is Fine away from bootleggers and pirates. They would make a fine Eclipse boxset too.

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