The Official Criterion Deals and Discussion Thread

I would research and look for what interests you. Just because it's on Criterion doesn't mean it's for everyone. I would say Antichrist, House, By Brakhage: Anthology, In The Realm Of The Senses, Last Year at Marienbad; films like these are an acquired taste, or for true cineastes.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Is it safe to assume I should blind buy everything that's Criterion on Blu-Ray? Or are there some stinkers still?[/QUOTE]

gonna second antichrist although i'll warn that it's an arduous but rewarding viewing experience
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Is it safe to assume I should blind buy everything that's Criterion on Blu-Ray? Or are there some stinkers still?[/QUOTE]

That's a tough question to answer. As the earlier posters said, it very much depends upon your taste in films, and to an extent, your level of knowledge of and interest in film as an artform. There are some films (particularly the ones that gojiboy listed) that are particularly graphic and/or controversial that probably won't be everyone's thing. If you don't like period dramas, you may want to avoid The Leopard or Howard's End. If slower, more cerebral films aren't your thing, you may find The Seventh Seal or Wings of Desire boring. And then of course there's the question about how you feel about foreign language and subtitles, since a good number of the films are foreign. And so on. So it's very YMMV. Some people might not even like any of the films, if their tastes run entirely to current Hollywood blockbusters.

That being said, objectively there are no true stinkers in the Criterion Collection. For the vast majority of films in it, it's pretty obvious why they've been chosen. Even with those for which it's less obvious, it's not really hard to make arguments for their inclusion.

I've bought nearly all of the blu-ray titles at this point (if I've counted correctly, I have all but 11 of the ones that have been released so far, and I plan to pick up at least a couple more before the current sale is over), thanks largely to these sales. I've enjoyed collecting them, getting some real classics, and exposing myself to some great films that I might have overlooked otherwise. Not all of the ones that I've watched so far have been my absolute favorite films ever (though I've enjoyed all of them in their own ways), but they've all been worthwhile additions to my collection, and I'm very much looking forward to watching the ones that I haven't gotten to yet.
 
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Can we use two coupons on one item? I'm thinking of getting the Brazil 3-pack DVD. It's $30, but with 10% member discount and 25% off, it comes to $20.25. Can I stack the $5 off $20 coupon on top of that??
 
[quote name='chuckywang']Can we use two coupons on one item? I'm thinking of getting the Brazil 3-pack DVD. It's $30, but with 10% member discount and 25% off, it comes to $20.25. Can I stack the $5 off $20 coupon on top of that??[/QUOTE]

Generally, no. The coupons usually say "cannot be combined with any other coupon" in the fine print, and that's one piece the cashiers generally know to enforce (if the system would even let them ring in two coupons).

$20.25 for the Brazil set is a bargain, though.
 
[quote name='chuckywang']I'm just asking because I've heard talk of people combining 25% off and $5 off $50.[/QUOTE]

Well, if you get a cashier who is actually willing to try it, you may get lucky. Hard to say.

That being said, in doing so you'd be pushing it down to the point that Barnes & Noble would almost certainly be taking a loss on the sale (even with just one of these coupons it's hard to believe they're not, but logically they wouldn't offer them if they were), which is kind of uncool. Yeah, I know, screw the man and all that, but at the same time, we want them to keep offering these sales, which is only going to happen if they're profitable.
 
I have never really bought anything from B&N and after reading every post in this thread, I'm still a bit confused. Can someone give me a bit of advice please?

I'm looking to purchase Seven Samurai & the Yojimbo/Sanjuro double feature. The total would be 24.99+34.99. I have printed out two of the $5 off a DVD coupon. Also I am not currently a member but I am going to join that free trial. What is my best course of action for the best deal?

As I understand it, I can either use separate transactions and use 2 $5 off/DVD coupons, or use 1 $5 off/DVD coupon and then the $5 off $50 coupon; either of those would be the same? Am I missing something here?

Thanks so much in advance!
 
[quote name='jling84']I have never really bought anything from B&N and after reading every post in this thread, I'm still a bit confused. Can someone give me a bit of advice please?

I'm looking to purchase Seven Samurai & the Yojimbo/Sanjuro double feature. The total would be 24.99+34.99. I have printed out two of the $5 off a DVD coupon. Also I am not currently a member but I am going to join that free trial. What is my best course of action for the best deal?

As I understand it, I can either use separate transactions and use 2 $5 off/DVD coupons, or use 1 $5 off/DVD coupon and then the $5 off $50 coupon; either of those would be the same? Am I missing something here?

Thanks so much in advance![/QUOTE]

I believe those $5 off coupons are members only. In any case, don't use them for Seven Samurai and Yojimbo/Sanjuro. Use the 25% off instead. It's for everyone and it's a bigger savings.
 
[quote name='chuckywang']I believe those $5 off coupons are members only. In any case, don't use them for Seven Samurai and Yojimbo/Sanjuro. Use the 25% off instead. It's for everyone and it's a bigger savings.[/QUOTE]

Ah I see. So I should not use the 5 off 50 coupon and instead just do 2 separate transactions with the 25% off coupon?
 
I got the complete Monterey Pop for 23.62 today. Thought long and hard about Yojimbo, but passed for the moment. Wish I could find Brazil, but so far no dice.
 
Thanks for the help everyone. I know I asked a loaded question. Generally speaking, I've had limited to a lot of exposure to the genres typically represented in the Criterion collection, but I do want to expand my view of film making. Right now I'm just making stops in stores on the way home each day until the coupon expires. So far, I've went with Seven Samurai, Hunger, and In the Realm of the Senses. I'm picking up Antichrist that is on hold for me and I'm thinking about getting Days of Heaven. I guess I'll just keep buying as much as I can until they stop taking coupons from me.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Is it safe to assume I should blind buy everything that's Criterion on Blu-Ray? Or are there some stinkers still?[/QUOTE]

Definitely not; it's not that there are stinkers, but I personally don't think some of them have a lot of replay value and would benefit from owning; all are worth a view for sure, but maybe not owning. From what I've seen, Ride With the Devil and Bottlerocket are pretty safe bets, and Stagecoach is good if you like old Westerns. I've only watched part of Yojimbo on the computer, but that seems pretty safe as well.

There's just a lot of wacky and odd shit that they put out that you'd probably be better off renting/viewing before buying, lol.

EDIT: Hunger was pretty good too, but I watched it before I bought it, and I didn't see myself really watching it ever again. In the Realm of the Senses I have yet to see, but it just seemed like something that I wouldn't watch multiple times, but I can't say for sure.

[quote name='chuckywang']Can we use two coupons on one item? I'm thinking of getting the Brazil 3-pack DVD. It's $30, but with 10% member discount and 25% off, it comes to $20.25. Can I stack the $5 off $20 coupon on top of that??[/QUOTE]

I've been told the system will only allow one coupon and the member's discount, and nothing more. I tried to use two at the last sale, and the cashier had to ask his manager if it was possible, and the manager said only one would work; scanning two would override the previous one. Take that for what it's worth, but it seemed like he was telling the truth, and wasn't opposed to giving me both if the system would allow it.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']I guess I'll just keep buying as much as I can until they stop taking coupons from me.[/QUOTE]

Haha, that's what I'm doing, and they haven't stopped taking them so far. :lol:

One thing I will add -- most of the films come with commentaries, documentaries, or essays by academics, filmmakers, and others. One of my film studies professors from grad school did them for several Criterion films (though none of those are on blu-ray yet). If you want a good education on some basic film concepts, and to increase your appreciation of film as an art form, those are often well worth checking out. I find myself rarely bothering with special features on blu-rays, but the Criterion ones are worth a look.

[quote name='lolwut?']There's just a lot of wacky and odd shit that they put out that you'd probably be better off renting/viewing before buying, lol.[/QUOTE]

And that's where it becomes YMMV. To me, the wacky and odd shit is some of their best stuff! ;)
 
The main reason I have no problem blind buying Criterion's isn't just because the movies are typically good, but because there's always that 'What if it goes OOP' factor that can strike itself up at any time. I still to this day regret not buying The Third Man on Blu before it went OOP. I know that's no excuse to go around just buying up everything if you don't have the funds for it, but if you can afford to make blind buys (like I have done for this sale), I don't see a problem with it.
 
That's my thought about this sale as well. Criterions hold up in value remarkably well. And you won't find cheaper Criterions than this sale. You don't have anything to lose blind buying right now.
 
One thing I will add -- most of the films come with commentaries, documentaries, or essays by academics, filmmakers, and others. One of my film studies professors from grad school did them for several Criterion films (though none of those are on blu-ray yet). If you want a good education on some basic film concepts, and to increase your appreciation of film as an art form, those are often well worth checking out. I find myself rarely bothering with special features on blu-rays, but the Criterion ones are worth a look.
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I have a film professor as well whose essays/book excerpts have been used for some Criterion releases. It's pretty cool to open the booklet and see who the essay is written by, and actually know exactly who it is. :)
 
Since none of my stores are cool and don't let me use multiple coupons, I dragged my girlfriend along. Snagged:
Bigger than Life
Days of Heaven
Repulsion
Chungking Express
Wings of Desire (which looks reshrunk wrapped wtf)
Antichrist
Unfortunately the fourth store I went to didn't sell movies. :( I told her that I plan on heading out each day because the three stores are in a eight mile radius of each other and my gf is down. She's so swell!
 
For those who are still debating on stuff to pick up, I've watched a few of my blind buys in the past few days, and I completely recommend Bigger Than Life, Paths of Glory, and I hesitantly recommend Crumb. That might be the least rewatchable of the 3 because it's SOOOOO rough to get through at times.
 
[quote name='chimpster1313']For those who are still debating on stuff to pick up, I've watched a few of my blind buys in the past few days, and I completely recommend Bigger Than Life, Paths of Glory, and I hesitantly recommend Crumb. That might be the least rewatchable of the 3 because it's SOOOOO rough to get through at times.[/QUOTE]

I haven't gotten around to watching my Crumb blu-ray yet, but I remember seeing it in the theater when it came out. That one definitely falls within the category of YMMV. Because it's a documentary on Robert Crumb's work, and spends a fair amount of time just following him around, it can kind of drag at points. If you're interested in Robert Crumb, independent/underground comics, outsider art, or something along those lines, you'll likely enjoy it. If not, you'll likely want to steer clear, or at least rent/netflix it first.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Wings of Desire (which looks reshrunk wrapped wtf)[/QUOTE]

I've noticed that a number of the titles that I've picked up this time around have looked re-shrink wrapped. I think they must have started getting the discs pressed/packaged somewhere else, or otherwise started using a new shrink wrap machine rather than the Y-fold wrapping they had been using. Anyway, at first I was suspicious of it (I actually avoided The Darjeeling Limited in two stores before finally deciding in the third that they must just all be that way), but now I'm pretty sure it's normal and they haven't been opened.
 
Oh okay, Arcane, that's good to know. I ran into a Wings of Desire that had Y-Folds and I seriously thought about doing an exchange, but I figured they'd need another coupon to do that and I was running short on coupons.

Also, oddly enough, I found a Bottle Rocket that is in a normal case. Every other Bottle Rocket I've seen was in the cardboard packaging. I wonder if that Bottle Rocket is a later printing-- I kind of wanted it in the normal case, so maybe I'll go back for that one.

Man, there's so many more titles I want. I hope Barnes and Noble doesn't start to give me trouble over using the coupons. I luckily haven't ran into the same clerk with some of the stores I went twice into, but I can't keep getting new clerks I figure.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Also, oddly enough, I found a Bottle Rocket that is in a normal case. Every other Bottle Rocket I've seen was in the cardboard packaging. I wonder if that Bottle Rocket is a later printing-- I kind of wanted it in the normal case, so maybe I'll go back for that one.[/QUOTE]

Yup, that's a later pressing. Criterion started with blu-ray in the cardboard packaging, but a lot of people complained about it, so they ditched it and started using cases instead. They said at the time that future reprints of the older titles would be in cases, and I've seen some, but that's the first report that I've heard of Bottle Rocket in one.

If you've bought any of the cardboard packaging ones and really want a case, Criterion has offered to send replacement cases (with cover art) for $5 per title to cover the cost of the case and shipping. I've got all of the early titles in the cardboard packaging, and I've been thinking about it, but I'm not sure whether it really bothers me that much or not, since it would cost me around $45 to do all of them.
 
[quote name='arcane93']Yup, that's a later pressing. Criterion started with blu-ray in the cardboard packaging, but a lot of people complained about it, so they ditched it and started using cases instead. They said at the time that future reprints of the older titles would be in cases, and I've seen some, but that's the first report that I've heard of Bottle Rocket in one.

If you've bought any of the cardboard packaging ones and really want a case, Criterion has offered to send replacement cases (with cover art) for $5 per title to cover the cost of the case and shipping. I've got all of the early titles in the cardboard packaging, and I've been thinking about it, but I'm not sure whether it really bothers me that much or not, since it would cost me around $45 to do all of them.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I have a couple myself including the Chunking Express I picked up yesterday. I wonder, are the UPCs the same? You could just buy a full price one in the normal case and return it. It would be some trouble but you'd probably be doing it in bits and pieces as you found the normal cases.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Yeah, I have a couple myself including the Chunking Express I picked up yesterday. I wonder, are the UPCs the same? You could just buy a full price one in the normal case and return it. It would be some trouble but you'd probably be doing it in bits and pieces as you found the normal cases.[/QUOTE]

Not sure whether the UPCs are the same or not, though I would assume they probably are. Since these were the earliest titles and I bought them all a long time ago, though, all of mine have long since been opened, so exchanging them like that isn't really an option for me. Also, some of the titles (The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Third Man) are out-of-print now and never got a case release (though Criterion has said they can still do replacements through their program), and for some (like Last Year at Marienbad), it'll more than likely be a while until they sell through the first pressing.

Since the cases are normally stored on my shelf anyway, I figure that for the most part the cardboard ones aren't a big deal. The biggest downside to them was that they weren't always handled well by the retailers, so sometimes finding them in stores or ordering them from Amazon could be dicey because they weren't always in the best condition.
 
Fair enough. Luckily for me I haven't watched the particular titles I have early printings of (though I will probably be forced to open The Man Who Fell to Earth at some point and watch it since I'm such a huge Bowie fan)
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Fair enough. Luckily for me I haven't watched the particular titles I have early printings of (though I will probably be forced to open The Man Who Fell to Earth at some point and watch it since I'm such a huge Bowie fan)[/QUOTE]

Yeah, you're not going to find that one in a plastic case anyway (actually, you'd be pretty lucky to find it at all at this point), so you might as well go ahead.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Oh okay, Arcane, that's good to know. I ran into a Wings of Desire that had Y-Folds and I seriously thought about doing an exchange, but I figured they'd need another coupon to do that and I was running short on coupons.[/QUOTE]

i'm pretty wary of shrinkwrap versus factory-sealed myself, and although it's not a 100% guarantee, i draw solace in the fact that the shrinkwrapped wings of desire i picked up had the circular blue sticker on it.

but if you want to torture yourself: on the contrary, the sticker on it isn't specifically 'signed' by wim wenders so, if so inclined, someone could've slapped it on it from another BD.
 
[quote name='arcane93']Not sure whether the UPCs are the same or not, though I would assume they probably are. Since these were the earliest titles and I bought them all a long time ago, though, all of mine have long since been opened, so exchanging them like that isn't really an option for me. Also, some of the titles (The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Third Man) are out-of-print now and never got a case release (though Criterion has said they can still do replacements through their program), and for some (like Last Year at Marienbad), it'll more than likely be a while until they sell through the first pressing.[/QUOTE]

The Third Man actually did come both in first in the cardboard case and later in the plastic case before it went out of print. I never saw a plastic case Man Who Fell to Earth, though.
 
[quote name='exRounder']i'm pretty wary of shrinkwrap versus factory-sealed myself, and although it's not a 100% guarantee, i draw solace in the fact that the shrinkwrapped wings of desire i picked up had the circular blue sticker on it.

but if you want to torture yourself: on the contrary, the sticker on it isn't specifically 'signed' by wim wenders so, if so inclined, someone could've slapped it on it from another BD.[/QUOTE]

Haha. I've also taken the attitude that as long as everything looks new and there are no signs of handling when I open it, I'm not going to worry about it. ;)

[quote name='sirhansirhan']The Third Man actually did come both in first in the cardboard case and later in the plastic case before it went out of print. I never saw a plastic case Man Who Fell to Earth, though.[/QUOTE]

Oh, huh, I don't think I ever saw a plastic case copy. I know that it was the first title that they offered a replacement plastic case for, but I never saw one in the stores.
 
Things are looking even better for me with regards to BBS. They called me and said they won't receive the collection at all if I don't actually pay for it, so they'd like me to come in and pay in advance to ensure that it ships. The reassured me I'd get the discount. Now I'm also bringing in the 25% off coupon and seeing if that will stack. While I'm there, I will also try to preorder another title using this method. Should it be Cronos or Videodrome? I've seen neither, but I know I will love both.
 
[quote name='Indiana Jones']Anyone own Seven Samurai? How is it?[/QUOTE]

It is an "experience". I absolutely loved it. It's a bit of a long movie to watch over and over again but I do own it and have not second thoughts about buying the blu version of it.



M
 
Seven Samurai is classically epic. I said classically because the word epic is thrown around these days for movies like 300, etc.. Seven Samurai has a bit of everything in it and is well worth seeing. I'm not sure if it's my favorite Kurosawa movie but it's def. in my top 5.
 
I was there as the B&N employee opened the box with Antichrist in it and all of the copies were "shrink wrapped" not the y-fold. It just depends on the shipping plant.
 
I wasn't able to use the 25% off coupon on the preordered BBS set, not for lack of trying though. The employee who helped me took no personal offense to my wanting to use it (which is all-too-common) and was more than happy to try, but because he had already forced the 50% off discount on the BBS set (which comes out after the sale ends and therefore needed to have it manually applied) the 25% coupon would override it, so the system would only let me use one or the other. Ultimately I walked with the BBS set getting delivered to my house for $44 paid.

I then asked if I could preorder another movie, and successfully purchased Videodrome on Blu, released early December, for $16. No hassle, no convincing, no trouble at all. Just very courteous and accommodating assistance. This is the best Criterion sale for me yet!
 
[quote name='arcane93']Haha. I've also taken the attitude that as long as everything looks new and there are no signs of handling when I open it, I'm not going to worry about it. ;)[/QUOTE]

srsly, i had to admit i had problems when i was willing to drive out somewhere just to see if a factorysealed version of a title existed.

it's just so erratic - case in point being 8 1/2. some have no top sticker label, some do.

i wish they would just be consistent with the top stickers just as an insurance policy for OCD people like myself.
 
Well guys, I either did something incredibly stupid or incredibly awesome. I went out to store #1. Typical experience, me and my Girlfriend grabbed a movie piece. Store #2, was however different. I was buying my one movie and out of the blue, the cashier said, "You know, if you want to grab more, I'll use the one coupon you gave me."
:shock:
I ask her, "Really?"
"Sure," she smiles.
"Do you want to have my children?"
"Hmm?"
I say never mind and go and grab a massive stack. She scans each and every movie individually (to the point that the fraud protection in my credit card kicked in and I had to switch to my debit card) while I tell her, "thank you" profusely every so often for her help. I definitely want to go back tonight to see if I can get some preorders in at the 50% off.

Anyway, here's what I picked up.
El Norte
For All Mankind
The Last Emperor
The Leopard
Playtime
The Seventh Seal
Gomorrah
Paths of Glory
By Brakage An Anthology volumes one and two
Walkabout
The Magician
Charade
M
Bottle Rocket (which mysteriously turned into a cardboard case, or I hallucinated the plastic case version)
The Darjeeling Limited
Black Narcissus
8 1/2
House
Revanche
Paris, Texas
The Wages of Fear
Yojimbo/Sanjuro dual

I honestly don't know what's left to buy. There's some french romantic looking movies that don't really look interesting to me. Passed on Red Shoes.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Well guys, I either did something incredibly stupid or incredibly awesome. I went out to store #1. Typical experience, me and my Girlfriend grabbed a movie piece. Store #2, was however different. I was buying my one movie and out of the blue, the cashier said, "You know, if you want to grab more, I'll use the one coupon you gave me."
:shock:
I ask her, "Really?"
"Sure," she smiles.
"Do you want to have my children?"
"Hmm?"
I say never mind and go and grab a massive stack. She scans each and every movie individually (to the point that the fraud protection in my credit card kicked in and I had to switch to my debit card) while I tell her, "thank you" profusely every so often for her help. I definitely want to go back tonight to see if I can get some preorders in at the 50% off.

Anyway, here's what I picked up.
El Norte
For All Mankind
The Last Emperor
The Leopard
Playtime
The Seventh Seal
Gomorrah
Paths of Glory
By Brakage An Anthology volumes one and two
Walkabout
The Magician
Charade
M
Bottle Rocket (which mysteriously turned into a cardboard case, or I hallucinated the plastic case version)
The Darjeeling Limited
Black Narcissus
8 1/2
House
Revanche
Paris, Texas
The Wages of Fear
Yojimbo/Sanjuro dual

I honestly don't know what's left to buy. There's some french romantic looking movies that don't really look interesting to me. Passed on Red Shoes.[/QUOTE]

wow, i do believe that's a record for a single trip
 
Somebody please buy me House and Seven Samurai on Blu-Ray. I don't live near a Barnes & Noble and I would be really grateful. Will PayPal full price + shipping, of course.

Edit: Nevermind. Didn't realize the sale is online too. $48 shipped for both movies beats Amazon's current prices handily.
 
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[quote name='eastx']Somebody please buy me House and Seven Samurai on Blu-Ray. I don't live near a Barnes & Noble and I would be really grateful. Will PayPal full price + shipping, of course.[/QUOTE]

Go to your local BN store & ask the cashier "possible" she/he" can do online order & use 25% off coupon If you have BN membership the shipping is FREE but your BN membership discount will not stack up with 25% off coupon. I end up getting Paths of glory and Thin red line for 16.XX each after taxes & 25% off coupon.
 
I can't go to my local B&N store because no store is local to me. That's why I would like some help. But yeah, if somebody with a membership would offer to pick the titles up, that'd be nicest.
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Well guys, I either did something incredibly stupid or incredibly awesome. I went out to store #1. Typical experience, me and my Girlfriend grabbed a movie piece. Store #2, was however different. I was buying my one movie and out of the blue, the cashier said, "You know, if you want to grab more, I'll use the one coupon you gave me."
:shock:
I ask her, "Really?"
"Sure," she smiles.
"Do you want to have my children?"
"Hmm?"
I say never mind and go and grab a massive stack. She scans each and every movie individually (to the point that the fraud protection in my credit card kicked in and I had to switch to my debit card) while I tell her, "thank you" profusely every so often for her help. I definitely want to go back tonight to see if I can get some preorders in at the 50% off.

Anyway, here's what I picked up.
El Norte
For All Mankind
The Last Emperor
The Leopard
Playtime
The Seventh Seal
Gomorrah
Paths of Glory
By Brakage An Anthology volumes one and two
Walkabout
The Magician
Charade
M
Bottle Rocket (which mysteriously turned into a cardboard case, or I hallucinated the plastic case version)
The Darjeeling Limited
Black Narcissus
8 1/2
House
Revanche
Paris, Texas
The Wages of Fear
Yojimbo/Sanjuro dual

I honestly don't know what's left to buy. There's some french romantic looking movies that don't really look interesting to me. Passed on Red Shoes.[/QUOTE]


Damn, dude. By the end of this sale, I'll probably have picked up around that many (I'm at 19 so far), but I couldn't get that many all at once. Regardless, good haul. Not sure if you've seen all of those, but I can tell you that For All Mankind, Paths of Glory, The Magician, Bottle Rocket, Darjeeling Limited, Black Narcissus, House, Revanche, and Sanjuro are all great movies. Not the biggest fan of 8 1/2, but it's still good. The others I haven't seen but own most of. Hopefully they'll be purchased next week before the sale ends.
 
So far i got The Thin Red Line, Seven Samurai, Antichrist , Paths of Glory, Charade, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, The Magician, Black Orpheus, Repulsion, The Wages of Fear, and Lola Montès. Will pick up The Darjeeling Limited and Everlasting Moments today. Looking forward The Night of the Hunter and
Modern Times and Crumb on Tuesday :)
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']I honestly don't know what's left to buy. There's some french romantic looking movies that don't really look interesting to me. Passed on Red Shoes.[/QUOTE]

Holy shit, dude. I've got most of those titles, but I've spread them out over several B&N sales, a Borders 50% off blu-ray coupon, and a couple of Amazon purchases, not all at once. :lol: Along with your other trips, how many does that put you at for this sale?

Actually, come to think of it, I have bought sixteen titles myself this sale (not counting my pre-orders for Modern Times and Night of the Hunter, so technically eighteen I guess), so I guess I've come pretty close, but I've been spreading them out because I know that if I go and buy a bunch all at once I'll still end up doing separate trips as well anyway, and end up buying a lot more.

I was passing on The Red Shoes for a while as well, but then I was told by enough people that it's a really good movie that I ended up buying it after all the other day. Haven't gotten around to watching it yet, though, so I can't comment on it myself.

[quote name='Friend of Sonic']Bottle Rocket (which mysteriously turned into a cardboard case, or I hallucinated the plastic case version)[/QUOTE]

Maybe someone bought the plastic case one, and they also had a cardboard one in stock. I've seen that several times now with titles that have been reissued in the plastic cases -- stores have had both versions on the shelf.
 
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I just counted them, looks like I've purchased 30. I really, really regret not getting a membership card. Assuming the 10% is after the 25% off coupon, it would have paid for itself plus 10-15 dollars more.
How does the 10% membership work with the 25% coupon? How much were people saving on the 19.99 titles?
 
[quote name='Friend of Sonic']I just counted them, looks like I've purchased 30. I really, really regret not getting a membership card. Assuming the 10% is after the 25% off coupon, it would have paid for itself plus 10-15 dollars more.
How does the 10% membership work with the 25% coupon? How much were people saving on the 19.99 titles?[/QUOTE]

Again -- holy shit, dude. :)

The membership discount gets taken off before the coupon, so it comes out as follows:

$20.00
- $ 2.00 10% member discount
--------
$18.00
- $ 4.50 25% off coupon
--------
$13.50 total

It actually comes out the same either way whether you do the member discount or the coupon first, but that's the way the B&N registers calculate it.

With 30 titles purchased with the 25% coupon, you'd have saved an additional $20 over the cost of the membership.

Also, with a new membership, you'd have definitely been eligible to legitimately use the $5 off new member coupon instead of the 25% off coupon, resulting in another $0.50 off per title -- which would have been an additional $15 savings.

I've also found my membership useful for getting CDs, blu-rays, and books online (with membership, you get free express shipping on any order, and even though you don't get an additional discount, their online prices are actually often lower than Amazon), as well as the occasional additional member coupons (which always stack with sale prices, so you can get some good deals with them). And you get 10% off in the B&N Starbucks as well. I originally bought my membership for this sale last year, but I've actually used it a good bit otherwise as well.

So, uh, yeah, definitely should have gotten the membership. ;)
 
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