112 Playtime

[AMalickLensFlare]

FYI for anyone who's not looking to get the Tati set for a long time but who still wants Playtime on BD, you can get it very cheaply on the Amazon marketplace right now (~$17 used, ~$29 new).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B002AFX5 ... dition=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hearthesilence]

That's very cheap. I remember selling mine on Amazon a few years ago for $60 opened (but in like new condition).

[Noiradelic]

Probably could get it cheap from someone on here looking to unload it if you start a Want to Buy thread. But since you can get a new digital restoration of Playtime, 5 other full-length films and 7 shorts for $62.50 at the next B&N sale, what's the point?

[rrenault]

Or you can buy the new French standalone BD release of the 4K restoration on Amazon France, and it does have English subs.

[criterion10]

Probably could get it cheap from someone on here looking to unload it if you start a Want to Buy thread.

I'm selling mine for $10 used in the Trades section of this forum, if anyone is interested :-"

[aox]

blu-ray.com

he's not happy. inferior to even the old CC BD in their opinion

[Minkin]

he's not happy. inferior to even the old CC BD in their opinion

He rather takes issue to the color timing - the new transfer being quite warmer than the previous edition. Seems needlessly harsh, especially when there's nothing else "wrong" with the image.

I seem to recall people complaining about the original bluray's color back when that came out. If you toggle between the DVDbeaver caps, the resolution improvement is very dramatic, there's no reason to avoid this release (or give it less than 5 stars, let alone 3.5, sheesh).

[Stefan Andersson]

Re: Play Time -- the sequence showing M. Hulot´s visit to Schneller´s apartment was added by Tati in 1982 when he reedited the film. Go here and scroll down for brief info: http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.net/2014/0 ... ircles-tk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Drucker]

he's not happy. inferior to even the old CC BD in their opinion

He rather takes issue to the color timing - the new transfer being quite warmer than the previous edition. Seems needlessly harsh, especially when there's nothing else "wrong" with the image.

I seem to recall people complaining about the original bluray's color back when that came out. If you toggle between the DVDbeaver caps, the resolution improvement is very dramatic, there's no reason to avoid this release (or give it less than 5 stars, let alone 3.5, sheesh).

Agreed, for those who don't read the whole review:

All in all, I have mixed feelings about the new 4K restoration of PlayTime. I like the improved fluidity and clarity it brings, but I am not convinced that the new color scheme is entirely appropriate.

Considering the flack the old color timing got, and considering many of Criterions restored-in-house color films had a negative bias towards more traditional colors (Ozu), and considering the involvement of the Tati estate and the fact that Mon Oncle's color timing has gone from more traditional to a little more ...pale(?) in the new disc versus the BFI...I'm fine with the Playtime color scheme. I really think you'd have to call out the whole color timing of the new set (someone more qualified than I, feel free to!). The colors seem consistent to me.

[aox]

I just got a negative tone (or maybe disappointment would be a better word) from the review.

This is one of my favorite films and I am purchasing the Tati box Day 1.

[Drucker]

Many people who have posted in this thread seem to have had the opportunity to see it in 70MM over the last few years. Anybody like to chime in?

[krnash]

I saw Playtime a year or two ago in 70mm and my thoughts when I first saw the Beaver caps for this release were: "They nailed it". When I see them, especially compared to the past caps, they just look and feel right. It's an extension of the Mon Oncle color palette. I'll have to see this thing in person, but I am very happy.

I'm no expert though, not by a long shot.

[hearthesilence]

Many people who have posted in this thread seem to have had the opportunity to see it in 70MM over the last few years. Anybody like to chime in?

FWIW, I posted this within a few hours of seeing it in 70mm at Lincoln Center (and soon after comparing that experience to the earlier BD from Criterion):

In terms of visual quality, I was really impressed. I popped in Criterion's Blu-Ray disc when I got home and was disappointed at how much cleaner the 70mm print looked. (FWIW, the Criterion disc seems cooler than the print we saw - I know the BFI Blu-Ray is supposed to be a touch "greener" and from what I can tell from the screen captures I've found, the BFI disc looks more like the print we saw.) True, a Blu-Ray disc isn't going to match a 70mm projection, but the disc was transferred from 35mm film, was it not? I wonder if a transfer from 70mm would've been a huge benefit, albeit an expensive one.

So if the new Criterion BD accompanying the Tati box set actually matches the color of the BFI BD instead of the previous Criterion BD, then YES, they got it right.

[Drucker]

It's actually even more greenish than the BFI.

Criterion new versus BFI.

[aox]

Excellent news

[hearthesilence]

Wow, that's substantially greener. Can't comment on which is more accurate, my memory of the color is no longer fresh, but FWIW, the new Criterion is definitely an improvement in terms of the grain. That movie looked really, REALLY clean when projected in 70mm, I still remember that distinctly, especially the impact that had on catching the fine details of the dense compositions. So the new transfer definitely has that going for it.