Flicker Alley

[McCrutchy]

To address McCrutchy's post:

I haven't gotten round to my copy yet, but count me as another one perturbed by the yellow subtitles. And not to fan the flames, but I also thought we were past the lossy audio encodes as well. I realize full well that this is score for a silent film, but even with the long feature, they still had plenty of room for a lossless 2.0 track, and given the prices they charge, it's pretty lame that we're back to bog standard 192 kbps Dolby.

First, I'd like to address the yellow subtitles. This was an internal discussion that went on for a quite a while, and we eventually settled on yellow subtitles (not necessarily my personal preference), which was decided as it is more common among European releases and felt that was a bit more fitting, plus had more readability. However, we are taking into consideration moving to white subtitles for future projects, or possibly giving an option to change the subtitles to white.

Second, the audio track. This was another tough choice, as it was an option between doing a piano recording with a much better audio quality or using a beautiful live orchestral score by Timothy Brock which only recording we could find was at the Cinémathèque Française in 192kbps quality. As we all fell in love with how great the performance was, and how lively the 30 piece orchestra performed, we had to go with this recording.

Oh dear, I did not notice this post before, and my next post in this thread was unfortunately a complaint about the audio on Nanook of the North. It was only when reviewing the previous page that I saw and read the informative and helpful post from bdurden, and even though I'm months late, I just want to apologize for seeming not to acknowledge the response to my post about The Late Mathias Pascal. I can now appreciate the use of Dolby Digital on that release, since that was the only option for the score FA felt best.

[Ann Harding]

Here is my review of the boxset (in French) with : Le Brasier ardent, Kean, Gribiche, Les Nouveaux messieurs.
[The Blu-ray of Feu Mathias Pascal had been previously reviewed by another person].
Lots of screencaps here.

[RobertB]

I recently bought both The Late Mathias Pacal and Nanook of the North and I enjoyed them both a lot. They book look like excellent examples of hands-off blu-ray treatment. Some scratches exist, but then so does the grain. Nanook has the feel of a must for libraries and schools. It's really packed with films about the far north, and gives a good idea of how both documentaries and attitudes to "exotic" people has changed over time.

Mathias Pascal I found very entertaining! Much more than L'Argent. Having a score that is recorded with a live audience seems like an unusual choice, but it didn't disturb me. Very seldom do you hear the audience, and they do laugh at the right moment. The film has both tinting and toning and the pale yellow subs actually go quite well with it! I have posted a photo at http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/yd9n.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The tinting looks a bit redder on my pic than in the film, but the subtitle is about right. Some extras or a thicker booklet would have been nice, but I still recommend it highly.

I will not hesitate to blind-buy blu ray editions from Flicker in the future.

[krnash]

Cinerama Holiday and South Seas Adventure BD/DVD combo releases are up for pre-order. Release date in 10/22/13.

For those in the LA area, these are for sale at Arclight Hollywood and quite discounted at $24.

[Stuart Galbraith IV]

My review of CINERAMA HOLIDAY:

http://worldcinemaparadise.com/2013/12/ ... iday-1955/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gregory]

I don't see anything about it anywhere else but according to FA's email newsletter, they're getting for a February release of the Wallace Worsley Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Lon Chaney.

[swo17]

On Blu-ray.

[Gregory]

Yes. Might as well pass on all the details:

mastered from a multi-tinted 16mm print struck in 1926 from the original camera negative and represents the best condition in which this landmark films survives today. The edition includes a new symphonic score arranged by Donald Hunsberger.

[EddieLarkin]

One of my most wanted silents (along with most of Chaney's work). Hopefully The Lost World won't be much longer.

[Ashirg]

Hunchback is set to be released March 11, 2014. List Price: $44.95

Bonus materials include a long essay and an optional audio commentary by Chaney scholar Michael F. Blake, rare footage (in standard definition) of Chaney out of makeup on the Cathedral set, a 1913 film, Alas and Alack, in which Chaney plays a hunchback, and a dynamic HD photo gallery with over 50 original production and publicity stills.

[HerrSchreck]

Duplicates the extras in the excellent old Image disc (with 3D glasses and extras, costing a fraction of this)-- don't necc vet that huge price tag, but whatever.

Nothing new here-- Blake did the commentary for that edition, so everything is a port it seems.

[Orlac]

That price is absurd.

[HerrSchreck]

I'm certainly not disagreeing with you.

[tenia]

I'm about to pay at B&N.com a copy of Nanook of the North listed at $52. Fortunately, it's part of the B2G1 sale, but this is indeed completely absurd.

[swo17]

That one comes with six bonus films though.

[tenia]

I know it has loads of content to justify the price (it's already a 2-movie release anyway), but still, I find it pretty steep. I guess I'm getting used to $27.99 Criterion double features (like The Killing / Killer's Kiss).

[triodelover]

FWIW, Hunchback is currently available for pre-order at Amazon for $29.99.

[Gregory]

Still way too much, I think. I bought the Image "Ultimate Edition" (not my first DVD of this, incidentally) which had an SRP of $20 for what was a worthwhile restoration and cleanup at the time. What justifies an SRP of more than twice that now?

[captveg]

A far smaller Blu-ray market. We've been inching to niche laserdisc market for a number of years now.

[Minkin]

Still way too much, I think. I bought the Image "Ultimate Edition" (not my first DVD of this, incidentally) which had an SRP of $20 for what was a worthwhile restoration and cleanup at the time. What justifies an SRP of more than twice that now?

I might expect either MoC or the BFI to release this for about 1/4 of the price Flicker alley is asking. Seems this happens with most of their titles (most notable being the Chaplin at Keystone. Poor fellow whoever shelled out $80 for the Flicker Alley set vs the identical $15 BFI set - this overpricing is why I no longer buy any Flicker Alley titles).

[Jonathan S]

Re. the non-film extras, the blu-ray of Hunchback won't even have the 3-D stills or the souvenir program in the printed form (which I much prefer) of the Image DVD issue:

HUNCHBACK will have both Michael Blake's commentary and his essay (in a brochure). We will not have the 3-D stills but are adding a gallery of more than 100 stills. The souvenir program will be on the disc rather than a printed insert.

(The official press release above refers to "over 50" stills.)

[Gregory]

A far smaller Blu-ray market. We've been inching to niche laserdisc market for a number of years now.

It varies a lot from label to label. And what's generally true of Blu-ray vs. DVD is not as simple to apply to silent film, which was a small niche market all along (with the exception of a a few big titles). Out of all the masses that were buying DVDs but are not buying Blu-rays now, how many of them were buying Chaney silents? Also, the Image Hunchback DVD surely sold poorly among casual viewers, who would be likely to opt for the cheaper Alpha release or another PD release that claims "digitally remastered" on the cover.

Minkin makes a good observation about how UK releases are often less expensive than their North American counterparts. Yet the latter are made for a vastly larger market.
I also bought the BFI Chaplin at Keystone set for a mere £14 rather than $55 or $60 for the Flicker Alley counterpart, or whatever the price was at the time.

[captveg]

I too have wondered how the European markets can get more obscure titles more often. Maybe they do sell better despite a more varied market and lower populations per country?

[MichaelB]

A smaller market usually means that the rights cost less.

[perkizitore]

Lower distribution costs I guess, but maybe some companies are greedier than others?