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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Criterion?!

Posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

button criteron

You know a filmmaker has a lot of pull when he can force a big movie studio to allow him to release his film on DVD/Blu-ray through The Criterion Collection — the distributor and label of choice of film snobs around the world. Paramount Home Entertainment has announced that David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be released in a two disc Criterion edition dvd and blu-ray on May 5th 2009. Full press release after the jump.

BRAD PITT STARS IN DIRECTOR DAVID FINCHER’S SWEEPING EPIC NAMED BY OVER 150 CRITICS AS ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

One of the Year’s Most Critically-Acclaimed Films Arrives May 5, 2009 On Two-Disc Special Edition DVD and Two-Disc Blu-ray Brimming with Over Three Hours of Fascinating Special Features
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – A thrilling adventure and captivating story of one man’s unusual and enchanted life, director David Fincher’s Academy Award®-winning film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON debuts as a two-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray on May 5, 2009 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Called “a monumental achievement” that “must be experienced” (Rex Reed, New York Observer), the film stars Academy Award nominee Brad Pitt who “does his best work ever” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post) and Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett who “is simply dazzling” (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal) in an exhilarating adventure that takes viewers on a breathtaking journey filled with romance and redemption. Nominated for 13 Academy Awards and winner for Best Visual Effects, Art Direction and Makeup, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON also stars Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow), Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) and Julia Ormond (Legends of the Fall)) in a grand tale of a not-so-ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys and romance of life and what lasts beyond time.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON two-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray boast over three hours of enthralling special features including interviews with stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with behind-the-scenes footage of their astonishing on-screen transformations, an in-depth documentary revealing the unusual journey of the film itself including the secrets of its award-winning visual effects and an exploration of the groundbreaking computer wizardry that brought the magical world of Benjamin Button to life.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON DVD & Blu-ray

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON two-disc and single-disc DVD are presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The two-disc Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The two-disc Criterion Edition DVD and two-disc Criterion Blu-ray include the following special features:

o The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button—four-part documentary:
o Academy Award-nominated director David Fincher introduces the surprising beginnings of what would become an epic masterpiece including the casting of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, the decision to change the location of the story to New Orleans and more.
o Follow the production from day one including the challenges of aging Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, designing over five thousand costumes and creating the animatronic baby.
o Explore the incredible visual effects techniques created specifically for the film that allowed Brad Pitt to play the title character at virtually every age. Also includes a visit to the scoring stage with composer Alexandre Desplat.
o Walk the red carpet at the film’s premiere in New Orleans, with final thoughts from cast and crew.
o Audio Commentary by director David Fincher

There is also a single-disc DVD presentation that includes the feature film.

About Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

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  • Lpfanaddy
    I'm not sure this is all that great of a move if the studio is trying to get a big push with dvd sales to get their money back on Benjamin Button but it's still cool to it get that type of recognition by Criterion.
  • richard
    thats cool, but its now going to be expensive as hell
  • Gordon
    Not if you have Blu-Ray.

    Criterion's Blu-Ray discs cost the same as their regular DVDs ($30–40) — meaning their Blu-Rays cost about the same as everybody's else's Blu-Rays. :1
  • amazing, but it's gonna be expensive and I don;t want to splurge money on this, as much as I want to. Bad, bad economy...
  • This reminds me of another film that doesn't deserve a Criterion release....does Dave Chen's precious Criterion Collection of Armageddon ring a bell?
  • I'm happy for Criterion because it'll help pay the bills (heard they aren't doing too hot) and it'll expose more people to Criterion releases. But this movie isn't deserving in the slightest.
  • DRF
    Where did you hear that Criterion wasn't doing too hot?
  • loretta johnson
    yeah i dont think it deserves one either. thought the movie pretty much flattlined through out. no highs no lows, just mildly watchable. pitts performance was one note only enhanced by the good sfx
  • That's too bad.

    Movie was total garbage.
  • Well...I liked the film, and maybe now I can finally say I have a Criterion movie in my collection!
  • I am the New Jesus
    If Armageddon can be a Criterion film, I don't feel they have a high enough standard that (the admittedly lousy) Benjamin Button could be left out. The bar was already lowered... or dropped off a bridge.
  • Yeah but Armageddon captured the attention of the public, or something...
  • Isnt this something that is usually done a while after the dvd has been out in order to boost sales? This seems like desperation to make tCCoBB a big epic that it cannot quite be. Its really kinda sad
  • Jeff Danielson
    This is an attempt to "mainstream" Criterion Collection's label and attract a significantly broader audience. This has been attempted numerous times before with the Criterion Collection releasing such mind numbingly awful titles as Armageddon and The Rock. The selection of Benjamin Button does not surprise me, but it does disappoint me. Now, if the Criterion Collection would only release Forest Gump, then the modern movie goer could track the genesis of Benjamin Button... in a stunning high-definition transfer!
  • Justin
    If buying Criterion Collection dvds makes me a film snob, then I wear that label with pride.

    Seems like Paramount handed out a few bills.
  • Being a film snob is not a bad thing... i think :)
  • blackmothra
    13 days early
    april fools !
  • This film should go to the 3.99 bin at Wally World. It isn't Criterion worthy.
  • yourmomspussy
    [polldaddy 1469631 http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1469631/ polldaddy]
  • Lawdog
    I don't get the Criterion Collection=film snob thing. I have probably 20-25 Criterion DVDs and at least 150-200 more that aren't. I buy movies I know I'll want to watch again. I don't care what they call their Editions or Collections. I care about a. the movie and b. the bonus features...however, I do wish Doomsday Unrated Edition had come with a sexy Rhona washing the Bentley in black latex deleted scene. Maybe they could go film that some afternoon and add it to the next Edition? Please? I'll pay.
  • /ambient
    True. Kind of like Armageddon?
  • Eric Houtman
    And Robocop and The Rock...
  • hey, hey, hey!
    what's wrong with robocop?
  • /ambient
    I agree. Criterion releases some great films.


    ...and a couple of duds.
  • /ambient
    I'd have a change in heart if this was Zodiac ,but Paramount already released the epic 2-disc set.
  • Please don't ever abbreviate Benjamin Button again.
  • Another to add for my historic collection of "Criterion DVD's".
    This one looks like a goodie!
  • Looks fake to me based on the cover art alone. Criterion art tends to be highly original and sometimes more esoteric.
  • theuglyspirit
    I have to agree, Criterion has been on top of their game for years and this doesn't look like if fits.
  • Andrew
    All of Wes Anderson's films have had Criterion releases, but The Royal Tenenbaums had a wide-release Criterion edition, for sale and stocked for rental.
  • AlexanderSupertramp
    Did anyone else think that was Face/Off upon first glance? Talk about disappointment…
  • Haha! def saw 'Face/Off' for a min...
  • You should get Salo instead.
  • theuglyspirit
    I don't find a reason in owning Salo.. I only needed to watch it once.
  • not the Darjeeling Limited
  • rob
    this spinenumber should have gone to let the right one in instead imo
  • Stephen Grim
    I have a feeling this is a joke....there's nothing about Benjamin Button being released on the Criterion Collection website....
  • Sweet!!!!! At first glance I thought this was a rumor, but I'm happy to see that it's true! This will be my second Criterion, sitting in my DVD collection next to Ran.
  • Infrafan
    Seriously. Robocop is a sci-fi classic.
  • ????
    whoah whoah whoah. People have been repeatedly saying Armageddon is part of the Criterion collection. I can't believe it. I won't. Where is the blue pill?
  • This is a genuis move by Criterion. Outside of the film buff world no one knows about their brand. This could introduce a lot of people to the Criterion name.
  • I don't think TccoBB deserves to be a criterion film...at least not yet....I don't see where the real charm of the movie was, and I don't think they used to the full extent the backwards aging in the movie...there simply was a lack of care for the characters.
  • Joe
    this can't be right, criterion art NEVER has the names of the actors on the cover, and ALWAYS has the name of the director. This has to be fake.
  • Actually, Criterion's edition of "Short Cuts" had the entire cast listed on it. And a number of their discs have not had the director credited on the front, for example: "Equinox", "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold", "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". Their "Silence of the Lambs" had the actors and no director credit just like Button. So you're wrong.
  • Branden
    WTF is the Criterion smoking that "Button" is on Criterion in the first place? Just because it was an 18 hour movie doesn't constitute this honor.
  • I really hated this movie. No soul and a borefest. It doesn't deserve to be on Criterion.
  • Oh man. I can't remember what article it was. But it basically said their business model wasn't particularly stellar when it came to making the big bucks. It made it seem like they made enough to be operational but not too much more than that. Wish I could find the link! Really though, can't recall where I read it. Also talked about switching to another format (blu ray) and how that's a strain on the business as well as the advent of digital downloads.
  • the reason why Criterion price their dvds so high is because the dvds aren't in high demand, so they make up for it by adding extra costs.
  • I don't believe this is some sort of joke. I got the same press release.
    http://www.dvd-dweeb.com/dvd-new-releases/the-cur...
  • Frankly, Benjamin Button being put on Criterion is very fitting. I can't wait to get it.
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