criterionforum.org

Ruh Roh, Criterion drops the ball on being the first to release a Blu Ray Contempt.

That link also mentions a Blu-ray of Ran. 8-[

barrym71 wrote: I'd love to hear anyone's take on the quality of Optimum blu-rays.

I think these will be the first Optimum Blu-Rays, so we can't tell yet.

Great news about "Contempt".

tojoed wrote:

barrym71 wrote: I'd love to hear anyone's take on the quality of Optimum blu-rays.

I think these will be the first Optimum Blu-Rays, so we can't tell yet.

Great news about "Contempt".

They released "This is England" but I have not seen the Blu-ray.

Also wondering what the quality was like. I think Funny Games was released by Optimum on Blu-ray but this was taken from Tartan UK since they were going under right when the release was scheduled.

I've ordered CONTEMPT (Criterion have actually lost Blu-Ray rights to this title apparently)... This potentially could be hugely significant for Region B Blu insofar as Optimum/Studio Canal hold such a massive and rich catalogue...

Appears to be decent packaging...

This, or these, moment(s) make(s) me think of upgrading to BR...Le Mépris will be released in Germany via Arthaus/Studio Canal as well...hmmm,
means a new TV as well...fuck!

These are region-free? Incredible packaging.

Here's the artwork for all the Optimum September BluRays.

Uh, are those seriously slots in a Blu-ray package?

Is Optimum's DVD for The Trial missing the "Before the Law" pinscreen prologue? It's cheap on Amazon UK, but I'd like to confirm before I import it.

Oggilby wrote:Is Optimum's DVD for The Trial missing the "Before the Law" pinscreen prologue? It's cheap on Amazon UK, but I'd like to confirm before I import it.

Yes it is missing the prologue and reedited according to this post but it is a good transfer and there are some bonus features.

accatone wrote:This, or these, moment(s) make(s) me think of upgrading to BR...Le Mépris will be released in Germany via Arthaus/Studio Canal as well...hmmm,
means a new TV as well...fuck!

Come on Accatone, I know how big a Godard fan you are. If you don't go blu for one of his scope Technicolor films shot in the med; well you're never gonna go. Do it!

This might be my most anticipated release on the format yet. =P~

Dito! But as far as i am a complet (not completl, but) tech-zero i serously fear going to these electronic markets etc…i hate these and they stink
Plus i fear that i have misscalculated my trip/holiday to Sicilia next week because i did not consider all the vino and food that i will consume there…but when i am back…and the release is there - it will be too hard to resist!!

Ovader wrote:

Oggilby wrote:Is Optimum's DVD for The Trial missing the "Before the Law" pinscreen prologue? It's cheap on Amazon UK, but I'd like to confirm before I import it.

Yes it is missing the prologue and reedited according to this post but it is a good transfer and there are some bonus features.

I have the Optimum disc and can confirm the prologue is missing - though the credits for it are retained! I also have the earlier UK Warner disc which does include the prologue. PAL timings are 1:47:25 (Optimum) and 1:50:15 (Warner). Both editions have a 1983 copyright notice under the main title. I do think the Optimum is worth having for the hour's worth of bonus features: two documentaries (in French with English subs) including interviews with people who worked on the film, the trailer and a stills gallery. The extras are not even mentioned on Optimum's box!

domino harvey wrote:Uh, are those seriously slots in a Blu-ray package?

To take advantage of the anti-scratch coating.

I have a checkdisc of Optimum's release of Rider on the Rain, which is being released on 21 September.

It contains both the English and French versions (Le passager de la pluie) of the film (the latter with optional English subtitles, no subs on the former as per Optimum's policy with English-language films). These aren't the same transfer with different audio tracks, but separate transfers altogether, both anamorphic, with different running times - 109:33 and 113:00. I haven't watched either version all the way through, so couldn't tell you what's in the additional three and a half minutes in the French version.

On a first glance the French version is brighter, and fully matted into 1.85:1. The English version seems darker, and is 1.78:1 with very thin mattes top and bottom (1.80:1?). The sound is Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, as you might expect, and there are no extras.

Studio Canal Blurays

Now we can see why Ran and Contempt were cancelled. Says that when the discs are played, they first make you choose the company of choice.

On both Ran and Contempt, the Lionsgate logo opens up when clicked on USA, which leads to believe that Lionsgate is the current rightsholder in the USA.....

This is a most helpful thread, but Que la fête commence! seems to have been passed over. Amazon.fr does not list English subs on the Studio Canal DVD - can anyone confirm that?

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad that these turned out to be region free. A couple of my very favorite films that I might order before I get a BD player in the next couple of months.

Any word on whether The Ladykillers will be region free or not?

I don't think you'll find English subs on any Studio Canal, France DVD. I certainly don't know of any.

tojoed wrote:I don't think you'll find English subs on any Studio Canal, France DVD. I certainly don't know of any.

This may well be part of the deal with Optimum - they have the run of the Canal catalogue, but in exchange Canal promises not to put English subtitles on its own discs for non-English-speaking markets in region 2. Just speculation on my part, but I believe Artificial Eye and MK2 entered into a similar agreement.

^ That sounds very likely. I was in FNAC in Paris recently and there were no English subs on any Canal or MK2 DVD that I saw.