1 / BD 1 Sunrise

[Ben Cheshire]

Best. Blu. Ever.

[T99]

I think the two screenplays work well as digital supplements, since only the hardcore Murnau fans will read them. Still I would have hoped that Dudley Andrew's text would have been included in the booklet.

Anyway, I guess it's just useless complaining anymore at this point...

[so lightly here]

Am I missing a line on the MOC site for Sunrise BR that says it is region 0? I did buy it from Amazon.uk because everyone here is saying it is region 0 (just like I bought Contempt - which has shipped but not arrived). I really wish these official websites would clearly include important tidbits like that - would sure help sales in the US for people who don't have a vast army of people how find out about these things. Not all of us have region free BR players for god's sake.

[Feego]

DVDBeaver is a good source for this information. Their review of the "Sunrise" Blu-ray confirmed that it is region free. According to their site, however (they haven't reviewed it), the "Contempt" Blu-ray is locked for Region B, and therefore will not play on US players.

EDIT: Okay, it looks like "Contempt" is region free after all (I haven't been paying much attention to the Optimum threads as I initially thought these were Region B. Yeah, you're right. It would be fantastic if the actual MoC, Optimum, etc. sites listed the region coding.

[Florinaldo]

Bottom of the SPECIAL FEATURES column on the left: http://eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/catalogue/sunrise/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was looking for that link yesterday and it was not apparent enough for me (I must be getting older than I thought!) without this hint which I saw this morning. Suggestion: could you make it a little more visible for the visually challenged people like me? The screenplays woudl have been a bit much for a booklet, but are a great addition for us harcdore film geeks. The Andrews essay looks very interesting, even if the customer has to print it himself and then find a way to keep it clean and sharp (a plastic sleeve should do it).

I received the disc this morning and had time to have a quick look at it before going to work. The Czech version does indeed look stunning, but something was fishy about the aspect ratio, as the image looked much too squeezed on each side on my widescreen TV, especially when compared to the sample provided a the end of the booklet. It's the first BR I have experienced this with. I will have to fiddle with some settings when I get back home, with some screen captures from Beaver and other sources to guide me.

Anyone else had this problem upon first loading the disc?

Looks like a real contender for BR of the year, nay of the century!

[cdnchris]

I know how you feel. I ordered it from amazon.co.uk and most things I order from there takes four days, which is completely bizarre. It shipped the Saturday before it was released and over a week later I haven't received it yet. Getting a little fidgety.

[cdnchris]

Aggggh! You're freaking me out, man but I'm still hoping I'll have it tomorrow.

[Feego]

Hmm, mine also shipped the Saturday before it was released and arrived last Friday.

[Florinaldo]

I know how you feel. I ordered it from amazon.co.uk and most things I order from there takes four days, which is completely bizarre. It shipped the Saturday before it was released and over a week later I haven't received it yet. Getting a little fidgety.

My copy arrived yesterday, while another title came in the day before on Monday. They were both shipped on the 20th. Usually it takes 4 or 5 days to make it over here to Canada as you say, but a few days more is not unheard of. And remember that although they usually sail through customs without any problem, once in a while the authorities decide to intercept one and slap duties on it, which may also delay delivery by a day or two.

[Arn777]

That cute little piggy has never looked so good than in this Czech 1080p version! Well done MOC, great job!

[MichaelB]

DVDBeaver is a good source for this information. Their review of the "Sunrise" Blu-ray confirmed that it is region free. According to their site, however (they haven't reviewed it), the "Contempt" Blu-ray is locked for Region B, and therefore will not play on US players.

EDIT: Okay, it looks like "Contempt" is region free after all (I haven't been paying much attention to the Optimum threads as I initially thought these were Region B. Yeah, you're right. It would be fantastic if the actual MoC, Optimum, etc. sites listed the region coding.

DVD Beaver isn't reliable - they wrongly called Winstanley as Region B a few months ago. It turned out that the checkdisc was mistakenly coded for Region B while the retail version was region-free - but Gary didn't make it clear that he wasn't reviewing the full retail version until I asked him.

As for the Optimum discs, my understanding is that they're Region A/B, not region-free. But I also understand that all the extras are in 480p, so should be compatible with all US and European players.

[Fierias]

As someone who has never seen either cut of Sunrise, and now holds the MoC blu-ray in his hands, I'd like to know which version to watch first. Any help?

[Fierias]

Czech cut won the coin flip. But seriously, there's nothing substantial missing in those 14 detached minutes?

[Feego]

Definitely watch the Movietone version first. There are several bits and actions (and in at least one case, even a character) that are missing from the Czech version. Also, because Fox edited the Movietone score for the Czech version, the music expectedly doesn't flow as smoothly. While the image quality is breathtaking, I view the Czech version more as a curiosity than as a good alternative to the Movietone. It just doesn't feel complete, and as a consequence, is not as moving.

This thread on the IMDb highlights several differences between the two versions and includes screenshots. The posters discuss several plot details, though, so don't read it until after you have seen the movie.

[NeoF]

I ordered my copy yesterday from Amazon.uk and I got an email a couple of hours ago telling me that it has already shipped. Anxiously waiting to have it in my hands. It is my first Blu-ray movie ever.

Nick, what do you mean exactly by: "Yes, as far as we can work out, our edition of SUNRISE is the first silent feature film released on Blu-ray"

[manicsounds]

"Yes, as far as we can work out, our edition of SUNRISE is the first silent feature film released on Blu-ray"

meaning, if there is some company in some other country that released one and slipped under everyone's radar completely, then it's "as far as we can work out".

[NeoF]

meaning, if there is some company in some other country that released one and slipped under everyone's radar completely, then it's "as far as we can work out".

Wouldn't "The Man from Beyond" from Restored Serials count as the first instead? I'm confused.

A guy pointed that out a couple of posts ago. It seems that "The Man from Beyond" was released before "Sunrise" (MoC). I just want to know for sure.

[swo17]

Dual format release available 9/12.

[HerrSchreck]

Very interesting video seminar by Janet Bergstrom at UCLA called Murnau’s Sunrise: In-Camera Effects and Effects Specialists. Despite some hiccups in the beginning via some microphone red herrings, it's a good talk worthy of a DVD extra on its own.

[ianthemovie]

I just received a copy of the dual-format version of this, and I'm seriously confused: it very clearly says on the back that the Blu-ray is Region B (and the DVD is Region 2). Every source I can find online says this edition is region free; can anyone confirm that it is in fact region-free, even if it's labeled as Region B on the back cover?

Part of me wants to just tear it open and try to play it, but I don't want to take it out of the shrinkwrap in case it needs to be returned.

[cdnchris]

The Blu ray ONLY version is definitely region free. I'm unsure if that changed for the dual format release.

[ianthemovie]

This link gives you an example of what my edition looks like (and why I'm confused). The back cover specifies Region B; meanwhile, the site itself claims it's region free.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Sunrise-Blu-ray/28821/

It's looking more like I'm going to have to just open this...

[swo17]

I have the dual edition, labeled as Region B locked. I just verified that it plays in a Region A player.

[ianthemovie]

Thank you! I'll try mine to make sure it works, but that gives me hope.

UPDATE: It works. Still have no idea why it's listed as Region B on the case, though.