John Cassavetes Collection (Optimum)
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Features across the set include:
High definition digital transfers
Audio Commentaries from Peter Bogdanovich, Seymour Cassel, Producer Al Ruben, critic Tom Charity, sound recordist Bo Harwood and cameraman Mike Ferris
Audio interviews with Cassavetes
Filmed interview with Seymour Cassel
Booklet containing interviews with Gena Rowlands and Cassavetes, biogs
Faces alternate opening, which features 17 min of footage not included in the final cut
Two versions of The Killing of A Chinese Bookie Cassavetes' original 135 minute cut as well as his subsequent 108 minute re-edit
Shadows (1959/B&W) Running time 81 mins approx
Audio Commentary by Seymour Cassel and Tom Charity
Silent rehearsal footage
Faces (1968/B&W) Running time 124 mins approx
Alternative Opening sequence
Audio commentary on alternative opening sequence by Peter Bogdanovich and Producer Al Ruban
Interview with Seymour Cassel
A Woman Under The influence (1974/Col) Running time 140 mins approx
Interview with Elaine Kagan (Cassavetes' assistant)
Audio interview with John Cassavetes
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976 Original Version/1978 Re-release version/Col) Running time 135 (1976) & 108 mins (1978)
Two versions of the film, Version 1 1976 and Version 2 1978
Audio interview with John Cassavetes
Audio commentary on selected scenes by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban
Opening Night (1977/Col) Running time 137 mins approx
Audio interview with Cassavetes
Audio Commentary by Tom Charity, cameraman Mike Ferris and sound recordist Bo Harwood
UK gets audio commentaries on all the films except WOMAN while Criterion has a commentary only on WOMAN.
well, this will be out Sept 12 for £49.99
High definition digital transfers
Audio Commentaries from Peter Bogdanovich, Seymour Cassel, Producer Al Ruben, critic Tom Charity, sound recordist Bo Harwood and cameraman Mike Ferris
Audio interviews with Cassavetes
Filmed interview with Seymour Cassel
Booklet containing interviews with Gena Rowlands and Cassavetes, biogs
Faces alternate opening, which features 17 min of footage not included in the final cut
Two versions of The Killing of A Chinese Bookie Cassavetes' original 135 minute cut as well as his subsequent 108 minute re-edit
Shadows (1959/B&W) Running time 81 mins approx
Audio Commentary by Seymour Cassel and Tom Charity
Silent rehearsal footage
Faces (1968/B&W) Running time 124 mins approx
Alternative Opening sequence
Audio commentary on alternative opening sequence by Peter Bogdanovich and Producer Al Ruban
Interview with Seymour Cassel
A Woman Under The influence (1974/Col) Running time 140 mins approx
Interview with Elaine Kagan (Cassavetes' assistant)
Audio interview with John Cassavetes
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976 Original Version/1978 Re-release version/Col) Running time 135 (1976) & 108 mins (1978)
Two versions of the film, Version 1 1976 and Version 2 1978
Audio interview with John Cassavetes
Audio commentary on selected scenes by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban
Opening Night (1977/Col) Running time 137 mins approx
Audio interview with Cassavetes
Audio Commentary by Tom Charity, cameraman Mike Ferris and sound recordist Bo Harwood
UK gets audio commentaries on all the films except WOMAN while Criterion has a commentary only on WOMAN.
well, this will be out Sept 12 for £49.99
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- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 6:12 am
- mingus
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 7:04 pm
- Location: Vienna
-
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm
- Location: London, UK
I e-mailed Optimum and asked about an individual Bookie. I was told they would put them out separately in the future, but were pushing the boxset for now.Will the discs be available separately? I'd like to have The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, but I don't want to have to buy the rest (again). Yes, I bought, watched, and sold the Criterion Cassavetes set. I'm a cretin.
- Gary Tooze
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:07 pm
- Contact:
On Beaver now...
Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC "Shadows" vs. Optimum (6-disc - The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs - Cassavetes- 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Faces" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "A Woman Under the Influence" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC (*DVD10) vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs) - Region 0 - PAL
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection - Long) - Region 2 - PAL "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Opening Night" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion (John Cassavetes: Five Films) - Region 0 - NTSC
The image quality of the Optimum's compares favorably with the Criterions and they have some different extras including scene select commentaries by Bogdanovich. But our 'bone of contention' is that Faces is stretched to suit anamorphicity from 1.66 ratio to 1.78. Our reliable source has backed this up.
Criterion (1.66)
Optimum - (stretched from 1.66 to suit 1.78)
We hardly ever point the finger at other reviewers as I'm sure we make a fair share of errors, but:
From DVDTimes:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Gary
Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC "Shadows" vs. Optimum (6-disc - The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs - Cassavetes- 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Faces" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "A Woman Under the Influence" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC (*DVD10) vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs) - Region 0 - PAL
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection - Long) - Region 2 - PAL "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Opening Night" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion (John Cassavetes: Five Films) - Region 0 - NTSC
The image quality of the Optimum's compares favorably with the Criterions and they have some different extras including scene select commentaries by Bogdanovich. But our 'bone of contention' is that Faces is stretched to suit anamorphicity from 1.66 ratio to 1.78. Our reliable source has backed this up.
Criterion (1.66)
Optimum - (stretched from 1.66 to suit 1.78)
We hardly ever point the finger at other reviewers as I'm sure we make a fair share of errors, but:
From DVDTimes:
This is probably more of a accolade for DVD comparisons than a jab at a fellow reviewer who obvioulsy missed this large flaw. I guess Optimum missed it too... (are there no quality controls?)We get the film anamorphically enhanced at a ratio of 1.78:1 and looking near perfect. ... clarity of the image and its cleanliness which is important, and both are flawless, as are the contrast levels. Rather, the only problem to speak of is some intermittent flicker.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Gary
- Ben Cheshire
- Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:01 am
Re:
UK gets Bogdanovich. US is spared Bogdanovich.manicsounds wrote:UK gets audio commentaries on all the films except WOMAN while Criterion has a commentary only on WOMAN.
- stereo
- Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:06 pm
Re: John Cassavetes Collection (Optimum)
For all of Carney's griping at Criterion for not taking his early version of Shadows, I wondered if he ever offered it to Optimum or anyone else for that for matter? I always found his fear of lawsuit quite silly.