Mike Leigh on DVD

[ltfontaine]

I've struggled to sort out the best available versions of Leigh's films, which appear to be the R2 editions, some of which, at least, contain director commentaries and anamorphic presentations. But they are offered in a confusing array of single, double and triple disc sets that overlap in various combinations. Some of these are offered on the cheap by an outfit called Cinema Club, and which may or may not provide commentaries and anamorphic presentation (?) Detailed reviews are scarce via the usual sources (Beaver, Basen, etc.), and the descriptions at the amazon UK website are inconclusive. Can anyone vouch for the quality of, and/or features contained on, these R2 releases? The same question applies to the R2 discs of Ken Loach's films, which are offered in similar multiple disc configurations. Can anyone propose a "best way to buy" the Leigh and Loach films on DVD?

(Wasn't sure whether to post my question in this active Leigh thread, or in the International section. Be merciful!)

[devlinnn]

The R4, Aust. Universal Topsy-Turvy is excellent - Mike Leigh commentary included, at around US$14rrp.

[kazantzakis]

I know Martha moved the thread here because most comments concerned non R1 dvds, but I was wondering if anyone can comment on the quality of all those WaterBearer R1s from Mike Leigh. I know the company has botched releases before...thanks.

[Ishmael]

I know the company has botched releases before...

... and they've botched them this time, too.

[Anthony]

I know Martha moved the thread here because most comments concerned non R1 dvds, but I was wondering if anyone can comment on the quality of all those WaterBearer R1s from Mike Leigh. I know the company has botched releases before...thanks.

I have seen all of them. The picture quality is quite poor, but you get over it about 5 minutes into the films cause they are soooooooo good.

[ltfontaine]

I was wondering if anyone can comment on the quality of all those WaterBearer R1s from Mike Leigh. I know the company has botched releases before...thanks.

The WaterBearer DVDS of Leigh's films feature sub-par transfers and no commentaries. As I recall, they also lack English subtitles, which would be most useful to some of us hearing-impaired Yanks. If someone could endorse the image quality of the U.K. releases, at least some of which include director commentaries, and confirm the presence of subs, the choice would be a snap.

[iangj]

The WaterBearer DVDS of Leigh's films feature sub-par transfers and no commentaries.

Of the UK DVDs I've seen, I'd definitely recommend Abigail's Party (Eng subs, some interviews), Secrets and Lies (Eng subs only), and of course All Or Nothing (Eng subs, a commentary). Neither Life Is Sweet nor Career Girls has Eng subs and the transfers are less than top-notch - though still acceptable unless you're really picky.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Secrets and Lies is out in the U.S. It's anamorphic with English and Spanish subtitles. No extras (like the UK version) but it only retails for $10. Not sure if the transfer is better or worse than the UK edition, it looks fine to my admittedly untrained eye. Also the cover is far less awful than the UK cover, which is so bad it's going in the "worst dvd covers" thread as soon as I finish this post.

[Michael]

I bought Secrets & Lies at Best Buy for 6 bucks! I watched it for the first time last night...the DVD transfer is utterly pristine and breathtaking. Best deal since Paris, Texas.

The film itself: Oh my gahhh! Great, great, great!

[ltfontaine]

I bought Secrets & Lies at Best Buy for 6 bucks! I watched it for the first time last night...the DVD transfer is utterly pristine and breathtaking

Good call, Michael. After your recommendation, I picked up this newly released DVD and watched it again the other night. The print and transfer are flawless, as you say. Since the R2 edition offers nothing more than the US edition, the quality and price make this an excellent value for R1 viewers.

[Gregory]

Does anyone have any idea when we can hope to see High Hopes in any region?

[What A Disgrace]

Mike Leigh Collection - 4/7/08

Spirit Entertainment, who released the two Ken Loach collections last year, is releasing a Mike Leigh boxed set, containing his nine theatrical features, and the televised feature Meantime. Specs from Amazon as follows:

Fans will be thrilled that Leigh’s award-winning classic Naked makes its first UK DVD appearance, as does his 1971 feature Bleak Moments. Also included is the recently unavailable Career Girls. The box set includes a 56-page companion booklet with a complete filmography, stills and quotes, plus a bonus DVD. This comprises specially commissioned footage of Mike Leigh in conversation with twelve of his actors, the 2002 broadcast South Bank Show on Leigh, and his controversial 1991 London Film Festival trailer.

Films included are: Vera Drake (2004) • Special Features: Cast & Crew documentary, trailer. All or Nothing (2002) • Special Features: Commentary by Mike Leigh, Interviews and Trailer. Topsy-Turvy (1999) • Special Features: Commentary by Mike Leigh, Trailer. Career Girls (1997) • Special Features: Trailer. Secrets & Lies (1996) • Special Features: Interview with Mike Leigh, short film - A Sense of History, Trailer. Naked (1993) • Special Features: Commentary by Mike Leigh, David Thewlis and Katrin Cartlidge. Trailer Life Is Sweet (1990) • Special Features: Short The Short & Curlies, Trailer. High Hopes (1988) • Special Features: Interview with Mike Leigh and On Set Footage, Production Notes and Biographies. Meantime (1984) • Special Features: Interviews with Mike Leigh, Tim Roth and Marion Bailey. Bleak Moments (1971) • Special Features: None

Synopsis
This box set celebrates the groundbreaking career of acclaimed British director Mike Leigh. Includes VERA DRAKE, ALL OR NOTHING, TOPSY-TURVY, CAREER GIRLS, SECRETS AND LIES, NAKED, LIFE IS SWEET, HIGH HOPES, MEANTIME and BLEAK MOMENTS.

[tryavna]

Just a side-note to Disgrace's post above: I have the two Ken Loach boxsets from Spirit, and if anyone doesn't know, they are largely repackagings of pre-existing DVD releases. So I suspect that Spirit will be doing much the same with the Leigh Collection.

[Gregory]

I have a question for someone who's seen Bleak Moments. I just watched a library copy that was badly scratched up. Incidentally, people who contribute to this phenomenon make me think of "I've Got a Little List" from The Mikado, which could easily be updated at a thousand times its original length to cover the past century.
But back to my question. It froze up repeatedly toward the end. I had to skip past about a minute of the film right near the end, between the van taking Norman away after he moves out and the superstitious co-worker sobbing in Sylvia's living room, saying "I don't think we should talk about it." What happened?

[MichaelB]

Does this Screenonline synopsis help?

[charal]

Leigh's commentary on the Soda release is well worth a listen.

If anyone is bothered by the dark bands that occur throughout the film on the R2 DVD (more noticable in dark scenes) then let me assure you that the alternate print used by Water Bearer has the same 'problem.' My conclusion is that it is not a transfer fault. The Soda image is far superior in terms of clarity and colour.

My only gripe is with the price. No discount on this Soda disc at all.

[GaryC]

I was wondering if anyone can comment on the quality of all those WaterBearer R1s from Mike Leigh. I know the company has botched releases before...thanks.

The WaterBearer DVDS of Leigh's films feature sub-par transfers and no commentaries.

Leaving aside Abigail's Party and Bleak Moments, seven of them are films made for the BBC on 16mm (4:3) which aren't otherwise available. Hard Labour had a repeat showing on BBC4 earlier this year (as part of a tribute to Liz Smith), but outside archives they're hard to see. The only one of those that has been released on DVD in the UK is Nuts in May. I think that's now been deleted.

Given their origins, I doubt they'll ever look particularly great. Point taken about the subtitles - I suspect the strong London accents in most of Leigh's work (Northern Irish accents in Four Days in July) might be hard on non-British ears.

I'm torn between buying these discs or waiting until 2Entertain do the right thing and put them on DVD - preferably with some input from Leigh (interview or commentary), and the shorts The Permissive Society and the five Five Minute films included as extras. The 1982 Arena profile of Leigh would be a good inclusion as well. The thirty-minute Knock for Knock was sadly junked by the BBC, but a PDF of the screenplay would be nice. As the films aren't especially long, you should be able to get all of that on a four- or five-disc set. I can dream, can't I?

[Gregory]

Does this Screenonline synopsis help?

Yes, that at least tells me what she was crying about. Thanks you.

[GaryC]

I'm torn between buying these discs or waiting until 2Entertain do the right thing and put them on DVD - preferably with some input from Leigh (interview or commentary), and the shorts The Permissive Society and the five Five Minute films included as extras. The 1982 Arena profile of Leigh would be a good inclusion as well. The thirty-minute Knock for Knock was sadly junked by the BBC, but a PDF of the screenplay would be nice. As the films aren't especially long, you should be able to get all of that on a four- or five-disc set. I can dream, can't I?

Something like this might indeed be happening. The BBFC have just passed Four Days in July, Hard Labour, Nuts in May (with commentary) and Grown Ups (with commentary), for DVD release by 2Entertain. No release date that I can find as yet.

[colinr0380]

Hard Labour also received a surprise screening on BBC4 earlier this year as part of a night of programmes dedicated to Liz Smith, so I was hoping that this would be a harbringer of a DVD release!

[GaryC]

The remaining three feature-length BBC films (Home Sweet Home; The Kiss of Death; Who's Who) have now all been passed by the BBFC, along with some extras (interviews, one with Will Self and Leigh, and commentaries). I've not seen any announcement from 2Entertain, so I don't know whether these will be all separate discs or/and a box set.

[MaxCastle]

The remaining three feature-length BBC films (Home Sweet Home; The Kiss of Death; Who's Who) have now all been passed by the BBFC, along with some extras (interviews, one with Will Self and Leigh, and commentaries). I've not seen any announcement from 2Entertain, so I don't know whether these will be all separate discs or/and a box set.

Box set, it seems, and a very nice-looking one at that.

[sidehacker]

Even if these are re-packages of previous releases, it'll still be nice for folks like myself who don't any of Leigh films and are getting pretty irritated by Water Bearer Film's "treatment." I'll definitely be getting this.

[GaryC]

The only films/plays in the set that have been released on DVD before in the UK are Abigail's Party (which I own) and Nuts in May. I don't own the latter, which has been long since deleted. The others haven't even had a VHS release over here.

[Cronenfly]

High Hopes comes to R1 DVD courtesy of BFS(?) on June 23.