DVDBeaver Comparisons

[HerrSchreck]

Hey Gary-- quick question.

I've been looking forward to a review of Frau Im Mond/Woman In The Moon from MoC (I've seen it reviewed elsewhere but never w more than a tiny grab or two, and no side by sides vs the Divisa & Kino editions).

Any comps planned?

[Gary Tooze]

Hi Herr Schreck,
Yes we will add to the existing comparison HERE, although we seem to be getting our product from MoC later and later...
Best,

New...

Sony (original) - Region 1,3,4 - NTSC "It Came From Beneath the Sea" vs. Sony Pictures (2-disc - b/w + colorized) - Region 1, 3, 4 - NTSC

3 new comparisons (El Cid coming soon!)...

Criterion (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC "L'Eclisse" vs. Optimum Home Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL

Anchor Bay - Region 1 - NTSC "Un Flic" vs. Optimum Home Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL

Cinema Club - Region 2 - PAL "Gregory's Girl" vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Tohokushinsha - Region 0 - NTSC "El Cid" vs. Miriam Collection (Weinstein/Genuis) 2-Disc Limited Collector's Edition - Region 1 - NTSC

Tohokushinsha


Miriam Collection


http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[Gary Tooze]

Sorry for the delay on this one...

Paramount (50th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1, 4 - NTSC "Funny Face" vs. Paramount (original release) - Region 1 - NTSC

Old release


50th Anniversary


New...

MGM (Cut version) - Region 1 - NTSC "Camille Claudel" vs. Optimum - Region 2 - PAL

Zeitgeist Films - Region 1- NTSC ‘The Draughtsman’s Contract’ vs. BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL vs. Fox / Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC

Zeitgeist Films - Region 1 - NTSC 'Climates' vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL vs. Imaj (2 discs) - Region 0 - PAL

and in our review of The Films of Sergei Paradjanov we have compared frames from the old Kinos vs. the new Special Editions. Example:

Original Edition


New Edition



http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

[Rich Malloy]

I wonder if Netflix will carry the new transfer of "Suram Fortress"? It's not looking to be the case.

On Netflix, only "Ashik" and "Shadows" indicate a release date of Feb. 5, whereas "Pomegranates" and "Suram" are available now (with waits, at least and most significantly with respect to the latter).

[jbeall]

I wonder if Netflix will carry the new transfer of "Suram Fortress"? It's not looking to be the case.

On Netflix, only "Ashik" and "Shadows" indicate a release date of Feb. 5, whereas "Pomegranates" and "Suram" are available now (with waits, at least and most significantly with respect to the latter).

I wouldn't be shocked if some people receive the old release from netflix and some receive the new release.

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Kino - Region 1 - NTSC "Frau im Mond (Woman in the Moon)" vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL vs. Divisa Red - Region 2 - PAL

Plenty more comparisons on the way this week - Wilder's The Apartment, Murnau's Der letzte Mann (aka The Last Laugh) and Greenaway's A Zed & Two Noughts. STAY TUNED!

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[hddvdreviews]

gary can certainly re-print, to the end of time, materials published at dvdbeaver.com. he doesn't even have to ask the authors for permission or to notify them. however, he still has to make proper attributions (i.e. this person wrote this, that person wrote that). there is a difference between publishing rights and authorial identification. as an english major, a film studies major, an employee of "the cornell daily sun", an employee of the "houston chronicle", an intern at startrek.com, etc., i would know.

[Gary Tooze]

That situation has been dealt with. Thank you.
***
New...

Eureka - Region 2 - PAL "Der Letzte Mann (The Last Laugh)" vs. Eureka 'Masters of Cinema' - Region 0 - PAL vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Films Sans Frontieres - Region 2 - PAL

MGM (Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "The Apartment" vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL

Wow.

Lionsgate - Region 1- NTSC "First Name: Carmen" (from Jean-Luc Godard Box Set) vs. Raro Video (Eccentriche Visioni) - Region 0 - PAL vs. Warner Bros. (3 Films by Jean-Luc Godard Vol. 2) - Region 2 - PAL

Raro


New Lionsgate


http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[martin]

The Lionsgate Prénom Carmen looks good. The version from the Scandinavian 11 disc Godard Box last year was also very good. I've added some screenshots in the "Screen Captures" thread just for comparison.

[Gary Tooze]

New...

Optimum - Region 2 - PAL "Detective" vs. Lionsgate (from Jean-Luc Godard Box Set) - Region 1- NTSC

Criterion (Theatrical and Television) - Region 1 - NTSC "The Last Emperor" vs. Artisan - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Gaumont / CTS - Region 2 - PAL

Artisan - Region 1 from 2003


Criterion NOTE: aspect ratio is 2.0:1


Have a great weekend,

P.S. Ohh btw, our next 'name the clip' contest posted Sunday/Monday will have three great prizes - first a sealed Eclipse Lubitsch (reviewed HERE) and 2 sealed Joan Crawford Vol.2 boxsets (reviewed HERE).

[Gary Tooze]

New....

Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" vs. Sony Pictures (2-disc - 40th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1, 4 - NTSC

Original release (from 1999)


New Anniversary Edition


Fox/Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC "Pierrot le Fou" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Studio Canal - Region 2 - PAL

Fox/Lorber


Criterion


http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

[Gary Tooze]

Added the Paramount, which appears to be the best...

Paramount (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL "Johnny Guitar" vs. Kinowelt - Region 2 - PAL vs. Universal - Region 2 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[Hashi]

Added the Paramount, which appears to be the best...

Paramount (Spain) - Region 2 - PAL "Johnny Guitar" vs. Kinowelt - Region 2 - PAL vs. Universal - Region 2 - PAL

Is it just my monitor or why it looks to me that the Paramount is covered under a layer of grey haze which makes it look quite awful. In the end neither the Paramount nor Kinowelt look entirely satisfying. I'm left quite baffled.

[ellipsis7]

Gary - Minerva Classics' R2 Italy DVD of L'AMORE IN CITTA is the real goods... You should check out in a comparison... Lovely transfer of restored print, great optional English subs on the feature, nice DVD package - commentary (different speaker for each ep) and extras in Italian (no subs), while booklet is in Italian & English... Much superior to the Optimum disc as reported...

[Gary Tooze]

Gary - Minerva Classics' R2 Italy DVD of L'AMORE IN CITTA is the real goods... You should check out in a comparison... Lovely transfer of restored print, great optional English subs on the feature, nice DVD package - commentary (different speaker for each ep) and extras in Italian (no subs), while booklet is in Italian & English... Much superior to the Optimum disc as reported...

Thanks ellipsis7
***
New...

MGM (50th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "12 Angry Men" vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2 - PAL

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,

[Gary Tooze]

One more...

Eureka 'Masters of Cinema' (2-disc) - Region 0 - PAL "Rocco and His Brothers" vs. Medusa - Region 2 - PAL vs. Image - Region 0 - NTSC vs. C'est La Vie - Region 2 - PAL

2 New...

Criterion (2-disc) - Region - 1 - NTSC "The Ice Storm" vs. Twentieth Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Buena Vista (UK) / Sandrew Metronome Region 2 - PAL

Image Entertainment (Milestone Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC "Antonio Gaudí" vs. Criterion (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC

Image Entertainment Antonio Gaudí


Criterion


http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Cheers,

[justeleblanc]

Okay, seriously now, Criterion's version is much darker, and Joan Allen looks green. It's comparable to when Fox re-released All That Jazz and the image looked worse. Remind me, why does Criterion always get the benefit of the doubt?

[miless]

Remind me, why does Criterion always get the benefit of the doubt?

Because Ang Lee and Frederick Elmes did the color correction.

[Gary Tooze]

Remind me, why does Criterion always get the benefit of the doubt?

Just where is Criterion getting the benefit of the doubt? How about you remind me. I said it was darker but you plainly see it is anyway. I said it was greenish-yellow but again - thanks to my captures - you can see that. I even suggested that it was a slowly failing telecine. Did you read the review?
Gary

[justeleblanc]

Remind me, why does Criterion always get the benefit of the doubt?

Just where is Criterion getting the benefit of the doubt? How about you remind me. I said it was darker but you plainly see it is anyway. I said it was greenish-yellow but again - thanks to my captures - you can see that. I even suggested that it was a slowly failing telecine. Did you read the review?
Gary

Gary, I wasn't aiming my complaints at you. I was just putting it out there rhetorically. Yes, I read the review.

I have a friend at Criterion who worked on If..., and said when they were working with the cinematographer, he didn't remember whether the black and white scenes were supposed to be tinted or not nor did he know what the preferred aspect ratio was, so Criterion guessed. With ICE STORM, it's been over ten years since this film was made, and it's very possible that Lee and Elmes didn't know what they were doing, especially when it comes to DVD transfers, for which maybe the two didn't have high standards. Or maybe they didn't have side by side comparisons such as what Gary provides. Or maybe they do, they just felt like this was an opportunity to go back and make the film darker and greener, just like they always wanted... like George Lucas and Star Wars.

I know many people think it means something when they see that director approved or cinematographer approved sticker on the box, and Criterion loves to use it not only for marketing value but just general sign value for the perfection of their product, as if the director and cinematographer really remember and think about all those details that dvd aficionados care about. Maybe a few times here and there the director or cinematographer does add value to the disc, but people give their presence in the production of a DVD too much credit, especially if neither director nor cinematographer knew the film they were making at the time was going to be viewed as a "masterpiece" later on.

[HerrSchreck]

With The Last Emperor followed by Ice Storm back2back, (not to mention Gertrud), the whole Director Approved spiel should be retired. In some cases it's an obstacle to historical accuracy by allowing "memory" to trump unvested hard evidence... not to mention vanity-driven revisionism. I still hold that in many cases the director and cinematographer should be the parties specifically BANNED from the telecine process.

[bearcuborg]

Remind me, why does Criterion always get the benefit of the doubt?

Just where is Criterion getting the benefit of the doubt? How about you remind me. I said it was darker but you plainly see it is anyway. I said it was greenish-yellow but again - thanks to my captures - you can see that. I even suggested that it was a slowly failing telecine. Did you read the review?
Gary

It's good thing you added your name at the end of your post, otherwise we'd have no idea who wrote it...

[skuhn8]

With The Last Emperor followed by Ice Storm back2back, (not to mention Gertrud), the whole Director Approved spiel should be retired. In some cases it's an obstacle to historical accuracy by allowing "memory" to trump unvested hard evidence... not to mention vanity-driven revisionism. I still hold that in many cases the director and cinematographer should be the parties specifically BANNED from the telecine process.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to suggest retiring it--to be honest I find it somewhat comforting to know that Ingmar was keeping an eye on the store shelves while the CC were doing inventory--but you guys are right to press the point that Director or Cinematographer Approval is far from putting the final word on the 'correctness' of a transfer. In light of Becker's recent blog entry I am curious to know to what extent there is creative revisionism going on with the Last Emperor transfer. There are any number of motivations behind the creative eye in revising a finished work at this point in the process--so it certainly pays to be wary.

[Zazou dans le Metro]

I still hold that in many cases the director and cinematographer should be the parties specifically BANNED from the telecine process.

Hey, sounds like you used to work in an advertising agency.

I think you're right about revisionism though.
Vittorio's mania for the 2:1 ratio and general downward spiral into crankiness stepped up a pace post Emperor methinks.
And judging from the look of his Caravaggio the old coot should have banned from behind the camera let alone at Telecine stage.