What are Boutique Blu-Rays?

Summary

This video script explores the world of home video releases, contrasting standard editions with deluxe collector's editions, likening the choice to picking between a plain pizza and a stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut. It dives into the boutique Blu-ray market, highlighting the appeal of these releases with alternate box art, booklets, and special features. The script introduces various distributors catering to different niches, with a focus on horror. It also touches on the topic of region locking and its impact on collectors. The video encourages viewers to consider physical media as a way to support films they love and to think of collecting as a form of custodianship for future generations, emphasizing the unique experience and quality that physical media offers.

Takeaways

• 📀 There are two main options for home video releases: standard releases and Deluxe collector's editions.
• 🍕 The analogy of choosing between a plain pizza and a stuffed crust pizza is used to illustrate the choice between standard and collector's editions.
• 🎬 Boutique Blu-rays are special releases that often include alternate box art, booklets, posters, and additional special features.
• 🏆 The Criterion Collection is considered the gold standard for collectors, offering a wide range of important classic and contemporary films.
• 📚 Criterion also has a YouTube segment called 'The Criterion Closet' where celebrities discuss their favorite films in the collection.
• 🎥 Shout Factory and its sublabel Scream Factory offer special editions of a variety of films, including horror classics.
• 📽 Arrow Video specializes in cult cinema and provides deluxe versions of underground films.
• 🔒 Region locking is a practice that restricts DVDs and Blu-rays to specific geographical regions, which can be frustrating for collectors.
• 🛍️ Physical media can be found in stores like Barnes & Noble, as well as local independent shops.
• 🎞️ The appeal of physical media includes the tangible nature of the product, the unique cover art, and the high-quality restorations of the films.
• 📽️ Physical media is seen as a way to preserve films for future generations, as digital formats may not last forever.

Q & A

What are the two main options for home video releases mentioned in the script?

The two main options for home video releases are the standard release, which is typically found in the Bargain Bin at Walmart, and the steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's edition.

What is the analogy used in the script to describe the choice between different home video releases?

The analogy used is choosing between a plain old pizza and a stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut, with the latter being the more desirable and deluxe option.

What does the term 'Boutique Blu-ray' refer to in the context of the script?

Boutique Blu-ray refers to a special release of a film that includes alternate box art, booklets, posters, and more, typically offering a more premium viewing experience with additional features.

Why are the Criterion Collection releases considered the gold standard for film lovers?

Criterion Collection releases are considered the gold standard because they house important classic and contemporary films, offer extensive restorations, and include a wide range of special features such as director's commentary, deleted scenes, and concept art.

What is the Criterion Closet, and how does it relate to the Criterion Collection?

The Criterion Closet is a segment on the Criterion Collection's YouTube channel where celebrities discuss some of their favorite films in the collection, showcasing the breadth and appeal of the Criterion Collection.

Which genre of films is mentioned as having the biggest piece of the pie in terms of Boutique Blu-ray labels?

Horror films are mentioned as having the biggest piece of the pie among Boutique Blu-ray labels, with almost all of them carrying some form of horror content.

What is the significance of region locking in the context of physical media?

Region locking is a method used to control prices and distribution of certain releases by assigning a region code to the media, which is then read by the media player to determine if it's in its assigned region. This can limit the accessibility of certain films for viewers based on their location.

What is the advantage of the new 4K UHD format in terms of region locking?

The new 4K UHD format is mentioned as potentially doing away with region locking, which would allow for more freedom in viewing content regardless of geographical location.

Where can one find Boutique Blu-ray releases besides online?

Besides online, Boutique Blu-ray releases can be found in physical stores like Barnes & Noble, Second and Charles, or FYE, as well as independent shops.

Why do some people prefer owning physical media over streaming?

Some people prefer owning physical media because of the tangible experience, the unique packaging and art, the extensive restorations and quality of the films, and the sense of being a custodian of the films for future generations.

What does the script suggest about the future of physical media?

The script suggests that while physical media may not be around forever, it is not likely to disappear soon. It also implies that owning physical media can be seen as a civic duty, preserving the experience of watching films for future generations.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Home Video Release Options and Boutique Blu-rays

The script discusses the two primary options for home video releases: standard releases found in stores and the more premium steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's editions. It uses the analogy of choosing between a plain pizza and a stuffed crust pizza to emphasize the appeal of the Deluxe edition. The video then delves into the concept of boutique Blu-rays, which are special releases featuring alternate box art, booklets, posters, and additional content. These are highly valued by film enthusiasts for their high-definition quality and extensive special features, such as director's commentary and deleted scenes. The script mentions various distributors that cater to different niches, with a significant focus on the horror genre. It suggests starting a collection with the Criterion Collection, which is known for its high standard and diverse range of important classic and contemporary films. The Criterion Collection also has a YouTube segment called the Criterion Closet, where celebrities discuss their favorite films in the collection.

05:01

🛍️ Exploring Physical Media and the Future of Home Video

This paragraph explores the avenues through which one can acquire boutique Blu-rays, mentioning online purchases and physical stores like Barnes & Noble, which is known for its Criterion sales. It also suggests visiting local media stores and independent shops for a more adventurous search. The script acknowledges the convenience of streaming services but highlights the appeal of owning physical media, likening it to the resurgence of vinyl records. It emphasizes the unique cover art and the quality of the film restorations that come with physical releases. The video also touches on the evolution of home entertainment, noting the drastic reduction in cost for high-quality viewing experiences. It discusses the collector's mindset, comparing the display of Blu-rays to trophies and the joy of discovering new films through their covers. The script concludes by reflecting on the transient nature of physical media and the importance of preserving it for future generations, quoting filmmaker Guillermo del Toro on the role of physical media custodians.

Keywords

💡Home video releases

Home video releases refer to the distribution of movies and television shows on physical media for home viewing. In the video's context, it contrasts the standard release with the more premium 'steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's edition,' emphasizing the value of the collector's edition for enthusiasts. The video uses the analogy of choosing between a plain pizza and a stuffed crust pizza to illustrate the preference for the deluxe edition.

💡Steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's edition

This term represents a high-end, special edition of a home video release, typically featuring enhanced packaging like a steelbook case, 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) video quality, and additional content such as behind-the-scenes footage or director's commentary. The video uses this as an example of the superior option for collectors compared to standard releases.

💡Boutique Blu-ray

Boutique Blu-ray refers to a niche market of Blu-ray releases that offer unique features such as alternate box art, booklets, and posters. These editions are often considered by film lovers as the definitive way to watch movies, providing a more immersive and comprehensive experience. The video mentions that boutique Blu-rays are often associated with high-quality restorations and special features.

💡Criterion Collection

The Criterion Collection is a well-known brand that specializes in licensing and selling important classic and contemporary films in special editions. The video highlights it as the 'gold standard' for collectors looking to expand their taste and offers a high-quality presentation. It also mentions the Criterion Closet, a YouTube segment that showcases favorites from the collection.

💡Scream Factory

Scream Factory is a sublabel of Shout Factory that focuses on special editions of horror films. The video mentions it as a source for collectors who are interested in horror movies, providing an example of how different distributors cater to specific niches within the film industry.

💡Arrow Video

Arrow Video is a company known for producing deluxe versions of underground and cult films. The video gives an example of how Arrow Video provided access to the film 'Oldboy' through their release, which was not available through other means due to region locking or other versions that were less desirable.

💡Region locking

Region locking is a technique used to restrict the use of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays to a specific geographical region. The video explains that this can be frustrating for collectors who may purchase media overseas only to find it incompatible with their local players. It also mentions that the new 4K UHD format may be moving away from region locking.

💡Physical media

Physical media refers to tangible forms of media like DVDs, Blu-rays, and vinyl records. The video discusses the preference of some collectors for owning physical copies of films, comparing it to the resurgence of vinyl records and the personal satisfaction derived from collecting and displaying these items.

💡4K UHD

4K UHD stands for 4K Ultra High Definition, a resolution standard for video content that offers a significantly higher level of detail than standard high-definition video. The video mentions 4K UHD as a desirable feature in home video releases, indicating a trend towards higher quality viewing experiences.

💡Civic duty

In the context of the video, 'civic duty' is used metaphorically to suggest that by purchasing physical media, collectors are preserving a part of film history for future generations. The video quotes filmmaker Guillermo del Toro to emphasize the importance of physical media as a legacy that can be passed down.

💡Collecting

Collecting, in the context of the video, refers to the hobby of acquiring and storing physical media like Blu-rays. The video touches on the personal satisfaction and sense of ownership that collectors derive from their collections, comparing it to other forms of collecting like books or comic books.

Highlights

Home video releases come in two main options: the standard release or the steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's edition.

The video compares choosing between a regular DVD and a collector's edition to choosing between a plain pizza and a stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut.

Boutique Blu-rays are special releases of films that include alternate box art, booklets, posters, and more.

Criterion Collection is considered the gold standard for film lovers looking to expand their taste in movies.

Criterion also hosts 'The Criterion Closet' on YouTube, featuring celebrities discussing their favorite films in the collection.

Shout Factory offers a massive library covering genres from horror to family-friendly films.

Arrow Video specializes in cult cinema, providing deluxe versions of underground favorites.

Region locking prevents DVDs bought overseas from working in a different region, which can be frustrating for collectors.

4K UHD format is moving away from region locking, potentially benefiting collectors.

Physical media stores like Barnes & Noble, Second and Charles, or FYE are good places to find boutique Blu-rays.

Some boutique labels offer their own dedicated streaming services as an alternative to physical media.

Physical media provides a more intimate relationship with the film, similar to the resurgence of vinyl records.

Each boutique Blu-ray release is unique in its cover art and stylistic direction, unlike regular Blu-rays.

Physical media often undergoes extensive restorations, providing the best possible viewing quality.

Collecting physical media is akin to having a 'little museum of rectangles' and can be a fun and engaging hobby.

Guillermo del Toro emphasizes the importance of physical media as a way to preserve films for future generations.

Owning physical media is seen as a civic duty, preserving the experience of watching films as they originally were.

Transcripts

when it comes to home video releases you

essentially have two options the

standard release that you can find in

the Bargain Bin at Walmart or the

steelbook 4K UHD Deluxe collector's

edition if you're confused on which one

you think you should buy I'll make it

easy for you do you want a plain old

Douro or do you want a stuff crust pizza

from of the Hut power to the

pizza of course you want the stuffed

crust Edition stupid that's what today's

video is all

about Jesus Benny this is embarrassing

can't leave with that put it in the bag

Benny look at my bag if you are a

collector of physical media then there's

a chance you've come across the boutique

Blu-ray

although the area is a little gray on

what constitutes as Boutique generally

it's a release of a film that has a

little more juice to The

Squeeze alternate box art booklets

posters and more to most film lovers

these are considered the definitive way

to watch movies delivering Timeless

Classics in ultra high definition while

simult multaneously jam-pack them with

tons and tons of special features I'm

talking director's commentary deleted

scenes concept

art in layman's terms this some serious

G maze [ __ ] now there are a number of

Distributors out there each having their

own Niche that they specialize in you've

got art housee Noir be movie you like

jazz though the biggest piece of the pie

belongs to horror

I mean holy almost all the Bluetique

labels I researched carried some sort of

form of

[Music]

horror with all these different brands

and categories it can be a little

overwhelming so where do you start if

you're looking to establish your own

collection the easiest place to start is

with the Criterion

Collection while they house many

different categories the double is home

to quote important classic and

contemporary

films with a huge repertoire of movies

and documentaries Criterion is

considered the gold standard for people

looking to expand their taste and make

it look pretty while they're at it they

also host a segment on their YouTube

channel called the Criterion Closet in

which they have celebrities of various

walks of life go over some of their

favorites in the collection

it's this movie is like a fine wine it

gets better and better now genuinely in

my top 10 of all time all the while

spawning a few memes along the way

that's that's me call me we can talk

more about it if you want something a

little more palatable Shout Factory has

a massive library that covers everything

from horror to

familyfriendly you can find special

editions of movies like Invasion of the

Body Snatchers or the fog on their

sublabel Scream

Factory not a fan of the classics no

okay why not try out AO video

specializing mostly in cult Cinema the

fine folks at Arrow have been dishing

out Deluxe versions of underground

favorites such as chud old boy and even

Water

World fun fact the only way I was able

to even watch old boy was through Arrow

video because all the other copies

online were either region locked or that

Josh broland version that nobody really

watched what you want me to explain

region locking okay fine but real

quick basically when you buy dis rated

media it's assigned a region code that

code is then read by the media player

and determines whether or not that copy

is in its assigned region while many

reasons exist exist for region locking

it's mainly used to control prices and

the distribution of certain

releases this has drummed up a lot of

criticism for region locking one of them

being if you buy a DVD overseas there's

a good chance it won't work when you get

home this sucks for people who want to

experience a show or movie but because

of the region lock they aren't able to

watch

it so if you thought for one second you

were going to watch those Top Gear

specials you got off eBay

well you're [ __ ] out of luck

pal the good news is it seems they are

doing a way with region locking with the

new 4k UHD format so we'll see if that

has any effect in the coming

years so now that we've learned what and

where to watch only one question remains

where did you get those While most

require you to buy online there are some

instances where you can find these out

in the wild most notably Barnes & Noble

is popular for its bi-yearly criterion

sale however if you prefer to be a

little more adventurous I would suggest

combing through your local physical

media store places like Second and

Charles or FYE are a good place to start

but don't be afraid to check independent

shops

too why would I want to do all that

couldn't I just stream it very true in

fact a lot of Boutique labels have their

own dedicated streaming service and it's

a lot cheaper than trying to buy their

whole

catalog but to some folks nothing beats

having that tangible piece of

merchandise in your hands it's the same

reason vinyl saw such a Resurgence in

the last decade or so people like having

stuff there's a more intimate

relationship there there's an undeniable

thrill that comes with opening a new

Criterion seeing all the art book or

maybe just the disc itself is

cool I think another thing I enjoy is

that each release is unique in its own

right no one cover looks the same and

it's clear that each one has a stylistic

direction looking at my regular Blu-rays

it's definitely a lot of blue and not

too many jump out at you the other

benefit of owning it physically is the

quality if the fancy covers and Extras

are the sizzle then the actual film

itself is the steak these films go

through extensive Restorations so you

can see them in their absolute best form

seriously though the way we watch has

changed substantially over the years now

practically everyone has a big old 4K TV

in their living room you see back in the

day if you wanted to have a premium

atome movie experience you had to Shell

out like

$3,000 for a big screen TV that would

play Lord of the Rings in 720p I could

do that now you can go down to Best Buy

get a 43 in and a soundbar for less than

500 bucks just don't plan on buying any

DVDs or Blu-Rays while you're there

because

uhuh yeah

oh

oh with any hobby that involves

collecting things there is a little

sprinkle of snobby I mean there's a

reason people display these like

trophies in their home and I am no

exception I don't know it's fun it's

like having a little Museum of

rectangles a lot of people collect

Blu-rays the same way others collect

books or Comics I love just going in

blind and buying a movie based off the

cover or maybe what a friend told me it

leaves you in suspense for what the

movie is going to be

oh that's really what it's all about

bring a film out to the mainstream that

you otherwise wouldn't have

seen of course while these brands are

considered tast makers what you like is

what you like if you like a movie you

should support it regardless if it has

one of these special

stamps ultimately we know physical media

won't be around

forever I don't think it's going to

leave anytime soon but as things move

further into the digital realm one can

only Wonder in a recent quote from guel

Del Toro he had this to say about

physical media if you own a great 4K

Blu-ray or DVD you are the custodian of

those films for generations to

come and it's true one day we will be

far away from all of this and only those

who held on to such things can show us

what it was really

like so think of it more as performing a

civic duty when you buy that game you

could have easily bought on digital or

maybe that scratched up DVD that nobody

seems to

remember whatever the case when someone

comes over to visit and says why do you

have all this stuff you tell

them

me I'm just the janitor

[Music]