criterionforum.org

Park Circus, long time distributor of classic and back catalogue films in cinemas has started a DVD label, the first two titles of which were out last week (20/07):

Marlene (1984) Dir. Max Schell
Requiem for Billy The Kid (2006) Dir. Anne Feinsilber

More information can be found at http://www.parkcircusdvd.co.uk

Future titles are TBC with more details to follow.

Upcoming Park Circus slate has been announced.

HENRI GEORGES CLOUZOT’S INFERNO DVD – APRIL 12
VIGO DVD – APRIL 19
THE BEST INTENTIONS DVD – APRIL 26
THE GREAT DICTATOR DVD/BLU-RAY – MAY 10
THE KID DVD/BLU-RAY – MAY 10

PhilHoile wrote:Upcoming Park Circus slate has been announced.

HENRI GEORGES CLOUZOT’S INFERNO DVD – APRIL 12
VIGO DVD – APRIL 19
THE BEST INTENTIONS DVD – APRIL 26
THE GREAT DICTATOR DVD/BLU-RAY – MAY 10
THE KID DVD/BLU-RAY – MAY 10

Good to see a 'missing' Bergman in the form of 'Best Intentions' coming at last to Dvd but unfortunately it is not the full-length TV version. I have e-mailed them to ask whether it would be possible to include or replace with the 5 hour TV version and I urge any like minded types to do the same.

I heard back from Park Circus today. Unfortunately 'The Best Intentions' is the shorter theatrical version and therefore not a port of the longer TV 5 hour cut released last year in Sweden. It is however a HD restoration and to their knowledge not previously released. Any swedish posters out there (Is ola t still lurking somewhere?) able to check on the swedish release ?

To tie in with the new restored PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN which is doing the rounds in the UK, according to their Facebook page Park Circus will also be releasing the film on Blu-ray and DVD in August.

What are people's opinion on the film, i've never seen it myself.

Slight cock-up on The Kid; from Park Circus -

THE KID Blu-Ray Manufacturing Issue
It has come to our attention that there is an issue with the initial batch of THE KID Blu-Ray, released on 10 May. The product should include two discs: a Blu-Ray (with the feature in high definition) and a DVD (with standard definition feature and the extras). Unfortunately, there was an error in the first batch assembled, and the DVD was left out. All retailers are aware of the issue and their stock has been now replaced with the correct package. If you have been affected by this issue, please contact your retailer and they will be able to replace it for you. This issue only affects the Blu-Ray release of THE KID. We apologise for inconvenience caused.

It seems that they changed from separate releases to a dual-format set, left out the DVD and that was the only disc that had any extras on it!

Fortunately, they sent me separate Blu-ray and DVD review copies, because I was quite surprised that a fully-authored Blu-ray checkdisc had no extras - but this explains it.

david hare wrote:Christ! This just arrived and = of course= there's only one disc. So I have to return the fucking thing to Amazon and pay for return postage on a replacement?

I doubt Amazon would charge you any postage surely? Either they'll find a way for you to return it to them FOC or they'll refund your postage, or they may not even ask for the disc back and simply send out a replacement; at least that's my experience.

Park Circus have just announced Q3 releases - GOLD RUSH (Blu Ray/DVD), MODERN TIMES (Blu Ray/DVD), PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (Blu Ray/DVD), BENT (Blu Ray/DVD), LAST NIGHT (DVD) and WETHERBY (DVD).

Can't wait for Pandora, Jack Cardiff is a master!

cineman2002 wrote:LAST NIGHT (DVD)

Pleeeeeeease be anamorphic and a nice transfer...

NABOB OF NOWHERE wrote:Unfortunately 'The Best Intentions' is the shorter theatrical version and therefore not a port of the longer TV 5 hour cut released last year in Sweden. It is however a HD restoration and to their knowledge not previously released. Any swedish posters out there (Is ola t still lurking somewhere?) able to check on the swedish release ?

Oh! I am, but much less frequently than I'd like, and I've never read this thread before, so I didn't see your post until now! The Swedish disc is indeed the long version, but it doesn't have English subtitles, and yeah, it's probably not sourced from a restoration. It doesn't show much damage as far as I've noticed (haven't watched the whole film yet), but it's not exactly eye-popping. It's also in 1.33:1 ratio which probably isn't correct (Swedish Film Institute says it should be 1.66:1), but I would guess, just from some quick glances, that it's open-matte, not cropped. Maybe this is how it was shown on television back in 1991, but, well, I did see it then but don't remember the ratio!

ola t wrote:it doesn't have English subtitles...

Tjänare Ola, is there any other subs than Swedish HoH (svenska för hörselskadade)?

claude wrote:

ola t wrote:it doesn't have English subtitles...

Tjänare Ola, is there any other subs than Swedish HoH (svenska för hörselskadade)?

Nope -- not even the other Scandinavian languages.

JamesF wrote:

cineman2002 wrote:LAST NIGHT (DVD)

Pleeeeeeease be anamorphic and a nice transfer...

That is our intention.

ola t wrote:The Swedish disc is indeed the long version, but it doesn't have English subtitles, and yeah, it's probably not sourced from a restoration. It doesn't show much damage as far as I've noticed (haven't watched the whole film yet), but it's not exactly eye-popping. It's also in 1.33:1 ratio which probably isn't correct (Swedish Film Institute says it should be 1.66:1), but I would guess, just from some quick glances, that it's open-matte, not cropped. Maybe this is how it was shown on television back in 1991, but, well, I did see it then but don't remember the ratio!

The Swedish release is pan/scan unfortunately. I've posted some screencaps on a Danish board (comparing with a vhs rip):
http://www.dahf.dk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(It may have been shown in pan/scan on television, but I don't know for sure. The vhs rip is off the 3 hour film version).

martin wrote:The Swedish release is pan/scan unfortunately. I've posted some screencaps on a Danish board (comparing with a vhs rip):
http://www.dahf.dk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36094" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You're obviously right -- I stand corrected. Let's hope the long version will be released somewhere else soon, and in acceptable form.

Has anyone compared the Park Circus BD of PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN with the Kino BD?

The Park Circus BD is entirely without any digital cleanup. There is very noticeable damage on almost every frame and the cumulative effect is quite distracting. While I'm a strong advocate of light touch restoration, this amount of damage on a Blu-ray does cross the line. It looks like a 2hr "before" restoration example.

Looking at Beaver's review of the Kino BD it doesn't sound to suffer from as much damage?

Has an unrestored HD master been used by Park Circus in error? Have Kino tidied up most of this damage on their BD?

There's also a bloody gigantic digital audio glitch at 00:23:14 -- and while I'm sticking the boot in, no subs on a Blu-ray = shabby. It all contributes to this being a pretty big letdown.

The film is so fucking fantastic -- and there's obviously been a big push pulling together the film restoration (the tireless legend that is Scorsese, et al) -- but anyone can get an unrestored HD master, and put it out on BD with no subtitles, and no proofing. From a disc authoring/publishing perspective, the whole job looks like it took Park Circus a morning.

I assumed they had the same damage. Gary does mention it but there's no evidence in the caps. The PC disc is also noticeably darker.

The film itself is very alluring, and unlike anything I've ever seen, but doesn't come into 'masterpiece' territory for me. The mise en scene never quite rises to the challenge. It could've used some amping up of the dreamy/surrealness, especially in the latter half when Pandora realises her situation. Instead there's a strange flatness to certain scenes that doesn't sell the very literal-minded plot. Absolutely everything has a rather clunky explanation behind it and the 'working out' of the narrative in the middle portion really drags.

Still loved it overall If I thought the Kino had better cleanup I'd double dip.

Briefly comparing the BD and DVD, I'd say the colour fluctuations and damage are more apparent in HD. From the Beaver caps the Kino clearly has purer whites and is brighter throughout. Sounds like it might have similar issues though:

There are a few weaknesses - which I won't blame on the transfer. Colors unnaturally shift in a few scenes and there is some damage remaining that was probably not able to be removed.

Anybody got the Kino BD?

The Park Circus BD is getting ripped apart in the amazon.co.uk customer reviews...

I almost saw this in London in May, but missed out in the end. It'd be nice to have another point of comparison.

All told I'm reasonably happy with the PC blu. It's just that we're so spoiled now with the other Cardiff restos!

Having said that.. the constant flecks of green(!) do take me out of the film a bit (and what does Pandora have apart from sensuality?). The no-frills presentation doesn't help either, and it'd certainly be nice to have some more info/commentary on the film.

I would buy the Kino if they had included some interviews or a documentary, but they didn't even include subs!!! Maybe buying it at a sale would be more wise (i am getting French Cancan instead)

The most startling difference between the two editions (based on these shots and Beaver comparison), is the red colour on the third screenshot!