Criterion Crazy: October 2026 Releases
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Good afternoon, dear readers. I hope this article finds you safe during these Thunder Bay wildfires and the sepia skies and cindery breezes that they bring. In case you needed the pick-me-up on such a peculiar day, it is the fifteenth of the month, meaning that it is also the day of the latest Criterion Collection announcement. The October titles are now here, and we have a bit of a quieter slate this time around. This includes four new titles, a fantastic option for a 4k upgrade, and a new Eclipse set. I won't be covering the other October release — the jaw-dropping The Complete Kubrick box set — since I have already done so here. Nonetheless, I am still mentioning it because it paints a bit of a fuller picture of how October will go with the Criterion Collection; once you incorporate that behemoth of a set, the month isn't too shabby at all. Let's get down to the latest from the Criterion Collection.
The Favourite: Christiane F. (1981)
For the best film of the four newly-added titles, I'm going with Uli Edel's Christiane F.. Seeing as it is the most memorable title of the batch to me — outside of my allegiance to David Bowie (and his musical contributions to the film) — this unnerving tale about an adolescent heroin addict and her brutal salad days is one that will likely stick with you for quite some time as well. Available on both 4K and Blu-ray, Christiane F. doesn't come with too many features, but they may be enough for you. There's an interview with filmmaker Edel, a talk with director Sean Baker (who is clearly at least slightly indebted to this film), an interview with star Natja Brunckhorst, a classic Criterion essay by (this time by scholar Hester Baer), and some screen tests. That isn't a hell of a lot to work with, but I do believe that each feature was carefully handled so as to add to this visceral film's legacy without going overboard.
Best Newer Release: Frankenstein (2025)
Seeing as Guillermo del Toro has a majority of his films in the Criterion Collection by now, his version of Frankenstein making the cut isn't the biggest surprise to me. While I think his adaptation is quite good albeit flawed (the creation's storyline is far stronger than that of Dr. Frankenstein), you cannot deny how well packaged this release is. That cover art alone is gorgeous, and the release is stuffed to the brim with bonus content; from making-of documentaries and audio commentaries, to a slew of interviews and conversations (del Toro has always been great at sharing the creative processes of his motion pictures). This one is mainly for fans of the auteur, and they will certainly get their money's worth, here. Frankenstein will be available on all three primary formats (4K, Blu-ray, and DVD); considering how visually and audibly rich this film is, if you are enough of a fan to want to pick this title up, you may as well go all the way with the 4K option.
Under-Seen Choice: The Shout (1978)
When Criterion released Eo as one of its contemporary selections, I was wondering when the next Jerzy Skolimowski title would make its way into the Collection. That day has finally arrived with The Shout: the Polish auteur's answer to the influx of horror films of the seventies (it is a British production as well, starring Alan Bates, Susannah York, Tim Curry, and John Hurt). If you are a fan of the psychological, unnerving films of the seventies (like, say, Straw Dogs or Deliverance), The Shout may scratch that itch a little bit for you. Available only on Blu-ray here, The Shout is also quite slim on content. It comes with a couple of interviews, snippets of the film's presentation at the 1997 Midnight Sun Festival, a making-of documentary short, and an essay by scholar Leo Goldsmith. For this film, it might be wise watching it before blindly picking it up, but I do think that there is an audience for The Shout waiting to be stunned by it.
Don’t Watch Channel Zero: Welcome II the Terrordome (1995)
The tragedy of post-apocalyptic works is how frequently the world catches up to these warning signs. Enter Ngozi Onwurah's Welcome II the Terrordome: a hip-hop-infused science-fiction affair that blends Black sociopolitics with a vivid, creative, bleak dystopia. Available just on Blu-ray, Welcome II the Terrordome is also quite thin on its bonus content, but I do find it more plentiful than what we get with The Shout. Here, there is audio commentary, an interview with Onurah (this one is conducted by the Criterion Channel, which is different, to say the least), an essay by critic Kadish Morris, and — the staple, in my eyes — three of Onurah's short films (Coffee Coloured Children, And Still I Rise, and Hang Time). This could be your foray into the works of a criminally unsung director.
It’s Time to Upgrade: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Jonathan Demme's magnum opus, The Silence of the Lambs, is always a popular Criterion pickup for collectors. Now, his crime-thriller masterpiece is available on 4K. As great as some sequences are on gritty formats (especially all of the procedural moments), just imagine the aesthetically brilliant shots of horror on 4K (especially the climax that plunges us directly into madness). This one is a must for me to upgrade, and I will be sure to do so at my earliest convenience.
Let’s Not Forget About Eclipse: The First Films of Samuel Fuller
While you can't expect Criterion to put out an entire box set for the lo-fi, indie director Samuel Fuller (it would be too extensive and niche, I would assume), getting an Eclipse release is the next best thing. For those who are wanting to discover the works of low-budget, American filmmakers, there's The First Films of Samuel Fuller. Sure enough, you have his first trio of releases (I Shot Jesse James, The Baron of Arizona, and The Steel Helmet) that may get the ball rolling for you. Most importantly, preserving such titles is the biggest draw here for Criterion, and I am thrilled whenever they protect and spotlight another career that may be greatly overlooked by many.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.