218 Le cercle rouge

[James]

(I'm French and we don't do much re-release in fact),

Cinémathèque française?

[Emilio]

This year I've seen a pretty good print of 'Le Cercle Rouge', here in Amsterdam. An english print actually. The color scheme was definately akin to the Criterion edition.

I'm not sure how I rate the film itself yet, I prefer the heist sequence in 'Rififi' for instance. And think I rate 'Army of Shadows' a little higher.

[Matt]

Studio Canal has announced a Blu-ray release for September 13. No word yet on what regions/countries this release covers. Ideally, this would signify a forthcoming Criterion BD, but I'm not optimistic.

[Feego]

So, does anyone think it wise to snag the Criterion DVD while it's still in print, or just wait for the Studio Canal Blu-ray when it comes out? I'm guessing the blu edition will have the correct color, but may or may not have decent features. Are the Criterion supplements especially worth owning?

And yes, I know about the issues with SC's releases of Ran and Contempt, but on the other hand, they seem to be getting good marks for titles like The Ladykillers and Belle de Jour.

[tojoed]

The Studio Canal Blu will probably have the same features as the BFI and Optimum DVDs, which are as numerous as the Criterion. I prefer the colour scheme on these as well. I should wait for the Blu if I were you.

[Feego]

The Studio Canal Blu will probably have the same features as the BFI and Optimum DVDs, which are as numerous as the Criterion. I prefer the colour scheme on these as well. I should wait for the Blu if I were you.

Thanks. I was kind of leaning toward that, especially since I have heard good things about the commentary from the OOP BFI disc. I actually have not seen the film, but based on the caps on DVD Beaver, I do prefer the color on the region 2 discs. Hopefully Studio Canal will do a good job with this one.

[tojoed]

I'm sure they will, and also that they will use the Ginette Vicendeau commentary. Here's what's on the Optimum DVD:
Vincendeau commentary and introduction.
Interview with AD Bernard Stora.
Rui Nogueira on Melville.
Original trailer.

[Matt]

In his statement on the color of Criterion's transfer of L'enfance nue, Lee Kline admits that they "may have gone a little too far with saturation" with their transfer of Le cercle rouge.

I still think the ideal is something like Criterion's contrast level and BFI's color balance. Let's hope there's a forthcoming Criterion BD that approaches this ideal.

[Zombie-Luv]

DVD Beaver loves the Studio Canal BD.

[atcolomb]

I could be wrong but will Lionsgate and not Criterion release this on blu-ray?....

[daniel p]

If there is no Criterion release planned, then this Studio Canal looks hard to pass up. One of their better releases seemingly...

[daniel p]

Does anybody know if Criterion has any plans to re-release this on Blu?

[knives]

Canal title, therefore will not happen. Wait for Lionsgate to release it in a better transfer.

[HistoryProf]

In his statement on the color of Criterion's transfer of L'enfance nue, Lee Kline admits that they "may have gone a little too far with saturation" with their transfer of Le cercle rouge.

I still think the ideal is something like Criterion's contrast level and BFI's color balance. Let's hope there's a forthcoming Criterion BD that approaches this ideal.

looking at the caps at Beaver it appears SC managed to not fuck this one up and achieved precisely that: A perfect blend of the less contrast and darker tones from the Criterion, without the color correction of that one or the atrocious hyper-contrast of the dvd they did. It looks perfect really.

I don't care if it's Criterion or SC/Lionsgate who put this out here....I just wish they'd do it already! I'll gladly trade in the 2disc criterion for the image quality I'm seeing in Gary's review.

[Bleddyn Williams]

Canal title, therefore will not happen. Wait for Lionsgate to release it in a better transfer.

But wouldn't the SC UK disc be region-free, or Region A/B, so if Lionsgate were to release it, the same disc could be used in other countries like North America? For example, Universal owns Mulholland Drive in Region A, so the SC blu is Region B. Could the Region B status of Le Cercle Rouge suggest a possible North American release from someone else, like Criterion?

I personally have no idea, just wondering... :-k

[carax09]

Yes, Lee Kline's recent admission of going too far with saturation, coupled with the SC being region coded, has given me hope that CC may get another crack at it. I mean Kline's unsolicited self-criticism makes more sense if he believed that the title was back in the pipeline, and that he'd have another chance to get it right.

[tojoed]

I don't know why SC would let Criterion have "Cercle Rouge" when everything else has been removed to be released by Lionsgate.
That was why none of the licences were renewed in the first place, because SC made a Press announcement a couple of years ago explaining that they were now releasing their own catalogue via Optimum, Kinowelt and Lionsgate.

[Matt]

Studio Canal probably can't release their own disc because Criterion still has the film under license. That license will probably expire soon, so Criterion won't spend time and money to release a Blu-ray if they just have to pull it out of print shortly thereafter. And so, everybody* loses.

[tojoed]

Not everbody, those in region B and those with region-free players should be happy with the SC Blu.

[Matt]

* region-locked North, Central, and South Americans; Central, South, and some Southeast Asians; Eastern Europeans; and those in territories dependent upon the aforementioned.

[Feego]

Once Criterion's license expires, however, won't SC be able to release it thorugh Lionsgate? I presume this is the same issue with Last Year at Marienbad?

[tojoed]

Yes , I'm sure they will. That has always been their plan.

[Antares]

Just finished watching this for the first time, and while I liked it, I'm confused as to one part of the film.

Spoiler

At the end of the film, when Corey goes to meet the fence, who turns out to be Mattei, how does Vogel know it's a trap and how does he get there?

[tenia]

Spoiler

Personally, I always thought that Vogel knew Mattei somehow, and that, in fact, Corey is the only one, unfornately, not to know him, or at least how he looks like.

[Person]

Vogel was the escorting cop at the start of the film! Am I getting confused here? I'll have to watch that scene again later.