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Aox, only Contempt and Ran are to be avoided, the other discs range from decent to excellent!

subliminac wrote:

evillights wrote:So, regarding Contempt... Unless I missed it, no-one else (including DVDBeaver) has noticed that on this StudioCanal BD release, something between half and one-third of the feature is in up-rezzed SD? Leaping from HD and up-rezzed SD from one shot to the next, often within the same scene? In the sequence that takes place within the couple's flat, the couches, flowers, and Bardot's towel will shift from primary red (in the gorgeous HD shots) to a reddish orange (in all the SD shots).

You're absolutely right. I was suprised no one else mentioned this as well. About a third of the movie looks no better than the Criterion DVD, and the way it leaps about in quality (even within the same scene!) makes me wish I would have kept it instead of "upgrading." At least then I could watch and enjoy the film without distraction.

I'd also be interested to know if anyone had issues with playback of the feature at around the 1h 24m mark, at the moment where Bardot leans in to kiss Palance at the windowsill in the villa. The disc froze, then leapt forward to the 1h 27m mark. I ejected and examined, and didn't see any smudges or scratch on the disc surface... Put it back in, and same problem, same place. Hmm.

At least the first reel of THE LADYKILLERS BD is a number of frames out of synch with the audio. It makes the film look badly dubbed, it's pretty sloppy and unnecessary, but it kicks into synch for long stretches.

The restoration demonstration on the same BD suffers from very noticeable frame stutter (on 'before' *and* 'after') rendering the demonstration a bit confusing.

It would be good if StudioCanal spent a bit more time getting these BDs right before they farmed them off to be ported for all territories in the universe. I'd much, much rather purchase a Criterion BD due to their monstrously high quality control.

peerpee wrote:
It would be good if StudioCanal spent a bit more time getting these BDs right before they farmed them off to be ported for all territories in the universe. I'd much, much rather purchase a Criterion BD due to their monstrously high quality control.

Its cool. You could have tooted your own horn here. I haven't been disappointed with a MoC Blu yet.

I only have the Katharina Blum Blu-ray from them and I didn't notice anything wrong with this release.

evillights wrote: I'd also be interested to know if anyone had issues with playback of the feature at around the 1h 24m mark, at the moment where Bardot leans in to kiss Palance at the windowsill in the villa. The disc froze, then leapt forward to the 1h 27m mark. I ejected and examined, and didn't see any smudges or scratch on the disc surface... Put it back in, and same problem, same place. Hmm.

I encountered the same problem on release day. I had to request a replacement copy from Amazon after I experienced it on two standalone players and a PS3. The replacement disc did not have this issue. I tested the 1 h 24 m 58 sec mark shortly before writing this post and the replacement still plays correctly.

Does anyone know if the Studio Canal Blu-Ray of À bout de souffle/Breathless released in France has English subtitles?

Matt wrote:Yes, it does. And it's region A + B.

That's the UK edition not the French I think you'll find

They're all the same disc in slightly different packaging. When you put the disc in, it asks you to select your country and then gives you the logos and piracy warnings appropriate to the country you selected. See comment #10 on this page for the first verification we got of that. Gary's review on the page I linked to above also says:

Gary Tooze wrote:The Optimum / Kinowelt / Studio Canal editions appear to be the exact same Blu-ray disc. Packaging language for liner notes will differ but this seems to be the same video transfer, audio options and supplements. Like other Studio Canal Collection releases this starts with a list of country options (Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom and an Asian language that I suspect might be Thai). Before the main menu - both the Optimum Releasing and Studio Canal Collection logos appear.

He also speculates on the reason the UK Optimum edition has been delayed while the German Kinowelt and French Studio Canal editions are available.

(Not trying to be pedantic here, Nabob, I just want to make sure that this information is included in this thread somewhere).

Yes Matt you're right; here's a complete overview of the french specs.
http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f151793-a-bout-de-souffle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mind you, it's also the same source for specs of the Blu of Bresson's Condamné which on the Gaumont thread now seems to have been thrown into doubt.

Well, you may laugh, but I recently ordered The Optimum PIERROT LE FOU Blu, and on popping it in the machine found the disc contents were actually the BREATHLESS disc - feature, extras and all. Very nice, but I'm happy with my Criterion DVD, so I've returned it.

New releases in September!







Source: Studio Canal Collection's Facebook Page

I am excited for Delicatessen and Mulholland Drive, but where is Peeping Tom and Grand Illusion?

Mulholland Drive, The Pianist and The Graduate have already been released on Blu-ray or HD DVD by Studio Canal/Optimum. Unless they have properly remastered them, these are going to look horrible. And since they have already used the same old transfers as HD DVDs for The Elephant Man and Ran, it is highly unlikely. ](*,)

The Graduate and Elephant Man blu-rays are decent. I have to admit i am concerned about Mulholland Drive, though 8-[
EDIT: I just noticed 'The Pianiste' artwork =P~
It seems designing theme fonts for multiple languages has a harmful effect!
It's nice that a Polanski film is re-released, it seems in the US many DVDs of his films are OOP now.

It's nice that a Polanski film is re-released

But what was the point of releasing it in a bare bones Blu-Ray edition (which I foolishly bought) in the first place? I really don't understand this...
Next they'll do the same thing with Elephant.

I both the Graduate and Mulholland Drive HD-DVDs, and they're fine. The Graduate could look better, true. Mulholland Drive only has the pitch-problem, which I don''t hear so it doesn't bother me.

They have now confirmed that the exact release date for the new releases is 13th September. UK release of "Breathless" is also coming along with new titles.

The Melville, Lynch, Jeunet/Caro are all must-buys for me if reviews are good, quite possible the Polanski as well. Might get The Third Man when it goes down in price and if A/V holds up with the OOP Crit.

Over at their Facebook page, Studio Canal have revealed the next wave in the Blu-ray Collection is coming September 13, alongside the postponed Breathless. The titles are (links to the images of the box art):

Le cercle rouge
Delicatessen
The Graduate
The Pianist
The Third Man
Mulholland Drive

Fingers crossed for no cockups, though I wouldn't hold my breath(less).

No need to double post it...

I beg pardon.

EDIT; I see mods have stepped in to ease the confusion...

It's surprising that Le Cercle rouge gets a release ahead of Army Of Shadows!

They had prepared a release on HD-DVD a few years ago, but canceled it when the format died, so it's probably just the same transfer. Despite the big splash that Army of Shadows made in the US upon its decades-late premiere, I think Le Cercle Rouge remains Studio Canal's marquee Melville title. Plus, there is the remake tie-in to consider.