Criterion Blu-ray

[domino harvey]

Eclipse blu-ray?

You mean the forthcoming BlOzu-ray line?

[kaujot]

I've always been somewhat iffy on Wong Kar Wai. I've enjoyed In the Mood for Love and 2046, but they never really did for me what they seem to do for so many others. Though, many of those others have implored me to check out Chungking Express, so with a new transfer, etc., I guess it'll finally be time.

And as for its (and Bottle Rocket's) release, I'm positive that there'll be an SD (probably first, if not at the same time).

[Tribe]

It says Walkabout is coming out in a regular Criterion edition

Yes, but without extras. Damn, I gotta go buy a Blu Ray now...

Where does it say without extras? I imagine that both discs will contain the same extra content.

I assumed no extras from this: "Our Blu-ray release of Walkabout will be an all-new edition, featuring new supplements as well as a new transfer; we will also release an updated anamorphic DVD of Nicolas Roeg’s outback masterpiece at the same time." It seemed the "new supplements" was limited to the Blu Ray edition...I hope I'm wrong.

[kaujot]

I assumed no extras from this: "Our Blu-ray release of Walkabout will be an all-new edition, featuring new supplements as well as a new transfer; we will also release an updated anamorphic DVD of Nicolas Roeg’s outback masterpiece at the same time." It seemed the "new supplements" was limited to the Blu Ray edition...I hope I'm wrong.

I don't see Criterion stiffing those of us without Blu-Ray players for a rerelease of a pretty famous title.

[domino harvey]

Don't worry, you're wrong Tribe.

[Tribe]

Don't worry, you're wrong Tribe.

I'll take being wrong over this...I just want to hold out on buying new tech appliances. Hell, it took me what...six? seven? years to buy a region-free player. I was hoping I could get away without Blue Ray until say...2020s?

[sidehacker]

Eclipse blu-ray?

You mean the forthcoming BlOzu-ray line?

Oh, I get it.

Great news, though. Roeg and Faye Wong are a great way to start out my (or anybody's) blu-ray collection.

[mteller]

Where's the love for El Norte?

Right here, baby, right here. Although I recognize it has some flaws, it's been one of my favorite films for like 20 years. I'm over the moon about this annoucement.

[Gigi M.]

I wonder if I should stop buying their new releases in hope for future upgrades down the road. This really got me thinking now that they have some exciting discs comming in the next months.

[kaujot]

I don't think that every new release will have a corresponding Blu-Ray version.

[MilkManX]

Well now a Blue Ray player is a definate must in the near future.

When they announce Seven Samurai on Blue Ray its over for my bank account.

[Feego]

I hope and assume Criterion has some sort of strategy to prevent the "I'll wait for it to come on Blu-ray" consumers.

Indeed. I myself will be very cautious in considering which Criterions to buy from now on. It seems a bit risky announcing Blu-Rays for October when they still have a slate of SD titles for the next five months. I was looking forward to the new Mishima, for example, but now, the idea of that film in 1080p for the same price has cooled my enthusiasm for the upcoming SD edition. But then again, no Blu-Ray edition has been announced and may not appear for a long time. Frustrating.

I see how this can be a dilemma. I, too, am a bit leery about picking up a film like Mishima on standard def only to have a BD come out sometime in the future. On the other hand, I have absolutely no qualms about buying Vampyr on standard def.

[miless]

On the other hand, I have absolutely no qualms about buying Vampyr on standard def.

especially since the film has always looked damaged and fogged. No use in seeing all the details when they barely exist, anyway.

[fdm]

What no Berlin Alexanderplatz? #-o

Guess the two that excite me the most are Contempt and Walkabout, not that the others aren't of interest as well. (I've yet to see Chunking Express... although actually I'd hoped that In The Mood For Love was going to be one of the first, so perhaps it will tie me over...).

(At least now I know not to import an El Norte from anywhere...)

[s.j. bagley]

i would dearly love to see 'vampyr' on blu ray.
or any dreyer for that matter.
as to 'berlin alexanderplatz,' i don't imagine there's much more they can do with it, given the source material.

[Cabiria21]

I got a follow up newsletter stating that all the Blu-Rays will be picture-boxed.

[domino harvey]

How many of you children have ever watched real repertory cinema in 16mm, let alone 35?

Well when I turn fourteen, Pa says he'll lend me the cowcatcher to drive to town and see one of them flickers we do hear about on the radio show

[fdm]

as to 'berlin alexanderplatz,' i don't imagine there's much more they can do with it, given the source material.

I dunno, I read a lot of reviews of blu-rays and hd-dvds where it's claimed that some of the hi def versions aren't much better than the DVDs (usually informal off the cuff reviews rather than the more formal kind). While sometimes true, a lot of times I've seen that it's not been true at all, the hi-def versions that are dissed are frequently significantly better. A lot of it depends on what you're watching them on. A small TV yeah why even bother with hd if you're not even going to be able to see much difference regardless of what you're watching...

Anyway perhaps true regarding B.A. But it was mastered in hi-def so I bet it would still look a lot better. (Although, I guess I should watch the DVDs one of these days.)

Something I have watched recently, Ikiru, I'd like to see how well that would look in hi def. The DVD was digital artifact city...

[Tribe]

Quite apart from the excellent work done on this restoration, the whole point of HD is to make the image far more film-like, regardless of the print quality. I would much rather watch a 35/16mm or HD transfer of an older "damaged" print (tramlines, nicks, tears, blobs etc) of something I love, like Mizo or Grem or Renoir than any fucking plasticized piece of new shit. These statements are liking saying it's worthless transferring Black and White to HD.

People have said this here over and over, but it's always worth repeating (like a good cast): I never tire of my battered print old bootleg of Dainah la Metisse, my foggy TV boot of Nuits du Carrefour and the ragged, jumpy and scratchy prints of Actress Sumako or Life of O Haru. And I would fork out max dinero right now for the very same prints in 1080p.

How many of you children have ever watched real repertory cinema in 16mm, let alone 35?

David, I know nothing about Blu-Ray...but I had always thought that older (quite older like Vampyr) b & w films in 1.33:1 AR wouldn't benefit all that much from something like this, just like upconverting a digital signal (which, if I remember correctly, is the set up you have...unless you've modernized since). My point is that I always thought Blu Ray and the like is typically going to make more than a smidgeon of difference in visual quality when applied to modern made films.

If this is twaddle...please let me have it.

[Jeff]

Very exciting and, for me, surprising news. This is a major financial risk for Criterion. It will also probably be just the push I needed to go Blu.

That said, there is no way that Bottle Rocket, El Norte, Chunking Express, or any other titles will be "Blu-Ray Exclusives" for quite a while. Not even the billion-dollar corporations that own the major studios have that kind of cash to throw away. There isn't enough of a market for a Blu-Ray edition of any of those titles to pay for the substantial costs of replicating the discs. Blu-Ray will serve as loss leaders for some time, but I admire Criterion for taking the plunge.

[fiddlesticks]

Ah, a new SE of Walkabout in 1080p - another reason for me to get my act together and get a Blu-Ray player. But the region hacking for Blu-Ray discs remains at an impasse.

HKFlix.com has players that will play both Region A and B (as well as SD 1 and 2), which covers most of the BD world. They're quite expensive, but at least it's a start. Why they chose to limit these machines to SD regions 1 & 2 is a mystery to me.

(For those, like me, who need a primer, there are 3 BD regions:
A = Americas, East and Southeast Asia
B = Europe, Australia/NZ, Africa...and Greenland
C = Russia, India, China, and everything in between)

[Antoine Doinel]

Damn, it looks like I'll be getting that PS3 sooner than expected. They are rumored to be coming out with 80 and 120 GB editions in the not too distant future.

[keeproductions]

I finally gave in last week and bought a PS3 for the Blu-Ray only (much to the chagrin of my kids who can't understand why I won't buy any games for it), and have been going through NetFlix BDs like crazy.

Just finishing watching "Before the Devil Knows Your Dead" this way and logged on to see this great news.

Glad to see Criterion took my lead!

[Jun-Dai]

The Leopard
Kwaidan
Jigoku
Ran
Kagemusha

I'd put Playtime at the top of this list. Actually, it'd be pretty sweet if they did a "70mm on Blu-Ray" month with The Leopard, Playtime, Spartacus, and maybe some titles they don't currently own.

[Feego]

I have absolutely no qualms about buying Vampyr on standard def.

Why, if you had the choice?

If I had the choice, I would definitely go Blu-Ray. What I am saying is that, since there is as yet no indication that Vampyr is being released in high def, I will happily pick it up in standard def. I have no doubt that it will look better in high def, but it will most likely never be a mind-blowing high def feast in the way that a film like Mishima will.