
At this year's South by Southwest festival, in Austin, film premieres weren't the only major events. The buzziest affair, arguably, took place inside a truck: a facsimile of the Criterion Collection's fabled office closet, bursting with select editions of its deep and idiosyncratic film catalog. For three minutes each, movie lovers could enter the Criterion Closet truck to rifle through the company's expansive archive of canonical works, plucking DVD and Blu-ray copies to purchase and take home. Part of the fun is that the experience is captured on video, giving visitors their own personal installment of the beloved 'Criterion Closet Picks' YouTube series, which features famous artists explaining their favorite selections. The hundreds of festivalgoers waiting their turn suggest a draw beyond the physical pleasures of picking out and buying a handful of Criterion films, though. The real appeal of the Criterion Closet is emotional. It's a place to let your movie obsessions'your...
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