There I was, the lights low and the TV on mute, when a single shot from The Shining stopped me cold. You know the feeling—something in the frame rearranges your day. I read the press release at 2 a.m. and felt that same strange, small alarm.
I write to you as someone who has bought Criterion spines and argued about cuts with collectors. You care about sleepovers with Kubrick films and about owning the version of a movie that will outlast streaming rights. Let me walk you through what matters and what’s marketing fluff.
On a dim living-room shelf, a single Criterion spine leans forward — what’s inside the box?
Open the lid and the set is a museum in a shoebox: thirteen features, three shorts, 30 discs of restorations and extras. Criterion’s press materials list 4K restorations of every feature, original soundtracks plus new 5.1 mixes, and over 25 hours of interviews, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes materials.
- New 4K restoration of Vivian Kubrick’s Making “The Shining” and Kubrick’s international cut of The Shining
- New commentary tracks featuring Lee Unkrich and author Michael Benson, plus an essay by Nathaniel Rich
- Rare films from Graphic Films and John Whitney that seeded the special effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Unseen screen tests for Lolita and rare Full Metal Jacket behind-the-scenes footage
- Deluxe packaging with annotated documents and photographs inspired by Kubrick’s archive
You’ll also get new conversations — think Jonathan Lethem with film historian Kevin Wynter — and restored, remastered sound. Criterion is selling both preservation and context: the films themselves plus the breadcrumbs that explain why they’re still talked about.
What is included in The Complete Kubrick box set?
Short answer: every feature from Fear and Desire to Eyes Wide Shut, three shorts, multiple restorations, archival footage, essays, and newly recorded commentaries. The set bundles rare material (Graphic Films, John Whitney pieces) that ties directly to the technical artistry of 2001 and other productions.
At checkout, your finger hesitates over $600 — is it worth buying?
When the price flashes on-screen in the Criterion store, you feel a small jolt — that’s normal. The Complete Kubrick retails for $600 (€558), though pre-ordering drops it to $500 (€465). Factor that in against single-Disc 4K Criterion releases that often sell for about the same per film.
If you collect physical media, this is not a bargain-bin impulse; it’s a curated archive. Each restoration is a Swiss watch. If you value ownership, highest-possible transfers, and contextual extras from names like Lee Unkrich, Michael Benson, Vivian Kubrick, Jonathan Lethem, and Nathaniel Rich, the set is engineered to satisfy.
Is The Complete Kubrick worth the price?
“Worth” depends on what you want from movies. If you want pristine transfers for repeated viewing, source documents, and extras that scholars will quote, then yes — especially at the pre-order price. If you only stream when you’re in the mood, or you already own multiple releases in lesser formats, less so.
When will The Complete Kubrick be released?
Criterion ships the set on October 20. Pre-orders are live now at the Criterion Collection site and often include discounts, which is the clearest way to reduce the sticker shock if you’re leaning toward buying.
At a collector’s meet, people will argue about what matters — the case or the contents?
Packaging counts: this set comes in a single box modeled on Kubrick’s archive and includes annotated photographs and documents. For many collectors, that tactile element elevates the purchase beyond mere playback. For others, it’s the transfers and extras that justify the spend.
Criterion platforms its reputation on careful restorations and commentary-driven releases; platforms like Blu-ray.com, Dolby’s certification pages, and even software tools used in mastering (DaVinci Resolve, Dolby Atmos encoding) are part of that ecosystem. If you care about future-proofing a Kubrick library, physical 4K media with archival notes is a defensible hedge against streaming rot.
I can tell you which discs I’ll be rewatching on a loop, and which supplements I’d skip on first pass. You’ll decide whether this is a museum piece for your shelf, a research library, or a once-and-done splurge. Will you pull the trigger at full price or wait for a discount — or will you argue that films this curated deserve to be collected at any cost?