The Criterion Collection

Credits

Descriptions by
Michael Bass

Captures by
Eric S., Stephen Cezar and Derrick Anderson

Video captures courtesy of
Eric S. and LogosForTheWin

Background

The Criterion Collection (or just "Criterion") is a company owned by Jonathan B. Turell and Peter Becker, sons of Janus Films owners Saul J. Turell and William Becker, respectively. It was founded in 1984 as a partnership between Janus Films and Voyager Press (also owned by Turell and Becker, along with Robert and Aleen Stein); the latter company was dissolved in 1997. In May 2024, both Janus and Criterion were acquired by Steven Rales (founder of Indian Paintbrush), although they continue to be managed by Turell and Becker.

The Criterion Collection produces direct-to-video documentaries and distributes DVDs of art and important films. They were one of the first home video companies to add special features to Laserdisc releases, which would later become the standard for the DVD market.

1st Logo (December 3, 1984-1996, 1999)

Visuals: On a black background, a thick white line is seen, curving from a backwards "C" into a diagonal line that goes downwards on the far edge of it. Several smaller white curves can also be seen in varying heights also forming, which appear to form pages of a book. Below it is "Criterion" in a thin Courier font, along with a line. The stacked text "THE CRITERION COLLECTION a joint venture of JANUS FILMS and VOYAGER PRESS" can be seen in a smaller print.

Variants:

• A version exists on Blade Runner with the logo and byline inside a black rectangle with a dark grey background.
• The logo may be seen on a black square against a dark grey background.
• Some releases have the logo smaller, without the line and text below it, and placed inside a white box with a white drop shadow below it. This is the print logo seen during the time.
• On later releases, the logo is placed on a blue/black gradient background and is colored in a metallic silver. The entire thing is also surrounded in a silver border, leaving a shadow on the bottom right.
• On the LaserDisc release of Robinson Crusoe on Mars, the Criterion logo is shown as a planet in a starry background with a rocket swooping from the left, turning twice around the logo.

Technique: A still graphic designed by Pentagram.

Audio: None.

Availability: This only appears on LaserDisc releases. Look for the Criterion heading on the sleeve for this logo.

• Examples include Akira, The Killer, Citizen Kane (the very first Criterion release, along with King Kong), and Hard Boiled, among others.
• This was also seen on the 1999 U.S. DVD release of Fishing With John by going through the disc's VOB files (the 4th logo appears during normal playback).

2nd Logo (October 26, 1994?)

Visuals: On a black background, the word "CRITERION" flips to the left and stops in place at an angle. As this happens, a gray background, which has several titles of Criterion releases sliding to the left, fades in.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None.

Availability: Appears on the Criterion LaserDisc of Halloween (1978).

3rd Logo (May 17, 1995)

Visuals: On a scratched metal background, a laserdisc appears and spins while zooming out, being partially transparent. As it collides with the background, the whole logo flashes, revealing an engraving of the Criterion logo (which glows for a bit before dying down) and a warped red object. The object then unfolds itself out into the word "CRITERION" with a white shadow.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Whirring sounds, ending with a cymbal crash.

Availability: Appears on the Criterion LaserDisc of RoboCop (1987).

4th Logo (1996-September 28, 1999)

Visuals: On a black background, an eye-like symbol is seen, formed by a semicircle and 2 C's nestling within each other. "CRITERION COLLECTION" is seen above and below the eye.

Variants:

• A widescreen version exists, where the logo is just zoomed in to have the name cut off.
• A special variant exists on the laserdisc and the 3-disc box set of Brazil. It starts off zooming into a wall of drawer cabinets on the right, poorly illuminated by overhanging lights. As the camera rotates into them, a single one opens up, revealing a TV tube suspended inside it displaying a black Criterion Collection logo on a white background, and the camera pans to show it straight on. The image constantly moves.

Technique: A still graphic.

Audio: None. The Brazil variant has some eerie ambience, the opening of a file cabinet, and a TV whirr.

Availability: Appears on LaserDisc and early DVDs from this era. DVD examples include And The Ship Sails On, Summertime, Alphaville, RoboCop, The Nights of Cabria (Le notti di Cabria), Andrei Rublev, and the releases of the John Woo films The Killer and Hard Boiled.

5th Logo (March 16, 1999-December 4, 2007)

Visuals: On a black background, the white text "THE CRITERION COLLECTION" is seen. Below the text, a white line wipes in from left to right which causes the logo to slowly shine as well.

Variants:

• A 4:3 version exists.
• A version with "Widescreen Digital Film Transfer" beneath the logo exists. It was seen on a July 16, 1999 IFC airing of And the Ship Sails On.

Technique: Computer animation.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on Criterion DVDs from this era. Examples include Chasing Amy, Seven Samurai, Kagemusha, Three Women, Making Close Encounters, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Ruling Class, and RoboCop, among others.

6th Logo (December 11, 2007-)

Visuals: On a black background, a ring made of several tones of grey spins around, with the shapes shifting in sizes. As they spin, "THE CRITERION COLLECTION" slides up on its side before entering the ring, turning black as it enters. It curves along the top edge and then disappears under one of the layers. As the ring slows to a halt, the darkest grey section splits and all the sections slide into each other, forming the current logo (which is a "C" tilted at about a 45 degree angle) in a solid grey color.

Variants:

• A matted 4:3 and 2.35:1 version exists.
• A version without the text and sped up also exists. This was seen on Criterion's trailers of their older titles.
• On newer videos from Under the Influence, the Criterion logo is shortened and moved to the left with "THE CRITERION COLLECTION" beside the logo.
  • A version with "CHANNEL" replacing "COLLECTION" also exists.
• On Three Reasons videos, similar the previous variant, the Criterion logo is shortened, moved to the left, and superimposed into a scene.

Technique: 2D animation designed by Paula Scher at Pentagram.

Audio: None.

Audio Variant: On the Blu-ray release of Quadrophenia (1979), a portion of the 1997 Universal fanfare is heard, due to goofy plastering. It does fit the logo, somehow.

Availability: Appears on DVD, Blu-ray and UHD releases from Criterion.

• Such releases include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Paris, Texas, Blow Out, Videodrome, The Honeymoon Killers and The War Room, among others.
• It first appeared on the 2007 release of Two-Lane Blacktop, while the print logo debuted on the single disc reissue of Faces.
• The textless variant was seen on Criterion's film trailers on YouTube.
• The 2.35:1 version appears on the 2012 Blu-ray release of The Game (1997), before both the 1997 Universal and the prototype version of the PolyGram Filmed Entertainment logos.
• The 4:3 version can be seen on releases of their older films or ones released in that aspect ratio, such as The Squeaker, High Sierra (part of the Colorado Territory Blu-ray release), Merrily We Go To Hell, Make Way For Tomorrow, The Lady Eve and other titles.
• The plaster variant can be seen on a Blu-ray release of Quadrophenia (1979).
• The Three Reasons variant can be seen on Criterion's YouTube channel, along with the Under the Influence variant.
• The version with "THE CRITERION CHANNEL" of the Under the Influence variant is shown on some Criterion Channel promos (albeit at the end), Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie on Frownland (on said film's Blu-ray release), and some of Criterion's YouTube videos.