332 Viridiana

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Gordon · #76 Post by **Gordon** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:07 pm

About the Transfer
Viridiana is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. On standard 4:3 televisions, the image will appear letterboxed. On standard and widescreen televisions, black bars may also be visible on the left and right to maintain the proper screen format. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a C-Reality Datacine from the 35mm duplicate negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. To maintain optimal image quality through the compression process, the picture on this dual-layer DVD-9 was encoded at the highest-possible bit rate for the quantity of material included. The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm optical soundtrack print, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle. The Dolby Digital 1.0 signal will be directed to the center channel on 5.1-channel sound systems, but some viewers may prefer to switch to two-channel playback for a wider dispersal of the mono sound.

Hurray!

yukiyuki · #77 Post by **yukiyuki** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:58 pm

who love the new cover?

jorencain · #78 Post by **jorencain** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:34 pm

yukiyuki wrote:who love the new cover?

Should we tell him?

OK....here are 10 pages of who does and does not like the cover.

Jem · #79 Post by **Jem** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:27 pm

Yukiyuki if you couldn't be bothered reading the ten pages (and who could blame you) it goes a little something like this...
"I hate it, I like it, I hate it, I like it, I hate it, I like it, I hate it, I like it, I hate it, I like it, I really hate it, I like it, etc."

stroszeck · #80 Post by **stroszeck** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:07 am

Is there any indication that some of bunuel's other notable works will be upcoming or projected for this year? TRISTANA, EXTERMINATING ANGEL, EL, LOS OLVIDADOS, MILKY WAY, SUSANA are still all unavailable on DVD. I would hate to think that a non-CC company would release these.

justeleblanc · #81 Post by **justeleblanc** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:48 pm

stroszeck wrote:Is there any indication that some of bunuel's other notable works will be upcoming or projected for this year? TRISTANA, EXTERMINATING ANGEL, EL, LOS OLVIDADOS, MILKY WAY, SUSANA are still all unavailable on DVD. I would hate to think that a non-CC company would release these.

I think Tristana, Exterminating, Milky Way and Simon are all Janus, however Criterion seems to only want to release about one Bunuel a year, if that. The last Bunuel they released was last May's Phantom, and then before that it was Obscure which was in 2002.

tryavna · #82 Post by **tryavna** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:25 pm

Koch Lorber has been trying to get a release of Los Olvidados together for a year or so. Apparently, they've encountered some rights disputes, but they say that they remain committed to releasing it in the future.

loplop · #83 Post by **loplop** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:08 pm

stroszeck wrote:Is there any indication that some of bunuel's other notable works will be upcoming or projected for this year? TRISTANA, EXTERMINATING ANGEL, EL, LOS OLVIDADOS, MILKY WAY, SUSANA are still all unavailable on DVD. I would hate to think that a non-CC company would release these.

TRISTANA was released in the UK by the bfi last year and is certainly still available (not viewed a copy myself yet though), but perhaps you mean in the States ?

As for EXTERMINATING ANGEL, EL, and LOS OLVIDADOS, how i'd love to see those on DVD....true masterpieces all.

Cinephrenic · #84 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:17 pm

Obvious Criterion Bunuels:

The Exterminating Angel (Janus)
Tristana (Janus)
The Milky Way (Rialto)
Simon of the Desert (Janus)

more Mexican era?

GringoTex · #85 Post by **GringoTex** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:45 pm

loplop wrote:TRISTANA was released in the UK by the bfi last year and is certainly still available (not viewed a copy myself yet though)

Not a good transfer.

Michael Kerpan · #86 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:04 pm

Langlois68 wrote:
loplop wrote:TRISTANA was released in the UK by the bfi last year and is certainly still available (not viewed a copy myself yet though)
Not a good transfer.

Agree completely. Even worse than Miramax's "Belle du Jour"

stroszeck · #87 Post by **stroszeck** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:42 am

The Miramax Belle Du Jour -- AN ABOMINATION!

Michael Kerpan · #88 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:43 pm

stroszeck wrote:The Miramax Belle Du Jour -- AN ABOMINATION!

Yep -- and that's why it was such a shock that the BFI Tristana was even worse.

;~{

kinjitsu · #89 Post by **kinjitsu** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:54 pm

Michael Kerpan wrote:Yep -- and that's why it was such a shock that the BFI Tristana was even worse.

And the reason I steered clear of that disc.

From the DVD Talk review:

The static menus and scratchy credits don't inspire the greatest of faiths, but Tristana is thereafter granted with a reasonable presentation. Transferred non-anamorphically at a ratio of 1.66:1, the film is blighted by intermittent damage but largely impresses with its mostly crisp imagery and rich colours. The reel changes also prove cumbersome, but this is never less than watchable, even if hardly remarkable.

Michael Kerpan · #90 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:23 pm

> rich colours.

Not in my book. the colors looked pretty pallid. Maybe that's the way the film was supposed to look -- but I doubt it.

In any event, I think Bunuel's b&w films are generally much more visually gorgeous that his color ones (he's rather like Naruse in this respect). ;~}

People seem to rag on "Chambermaid" -- but I find its b&w cinematography so visually satisfying that it makes up for any minor narrative deficits.

backstreetsbackalright · Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:02 pm

Michael Kerpan wrote:People seem to rag on "Chambermaid" -- but I find its b&w cinematography so visually satisfying that it makes up for any minor narrative deficits.

Agreed! And actually the narrative suits me just fine.

Floyd · #92 Post by **Floyd** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:50 am

I think Diary of a Chambermaid is tremendous! I have the framed poster that is similar to the Criterion cover hanging on my wall. There is just something so offputting and unfamiliarly bizarre throughout Chambermaid that I just find very alluring. Bunuel is obviously good at this but I think Chambermaid is Bunuel at his best controlling the sensuality and the just purely off kilter story. Sorry that was off topic I suppose. I am also looking highly forward to Viridiana. It has been on TCM a few times and I caught it every time.

justeleblanc · #93 Post by **justeleblanc** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:17 am

Does anyone know when Miramax will lose the rights to Belle de jour? I'm sure it will have to happen at some point.

FilmFanSea · #94 Post by **FilmFanSea** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:01 am

justeleblanc wrote:Does anyone know when Miramax will lose the rights to Belle de jour? I'm sure it will have to happen at some point.

What's sad is that Criterion already HAS a working relationship with Miramax. I can't imagine that Buena Vista would be too protective of the licensing rights to this "obscure" French art film. I suspect that Criterion has chosen to concentrate on the BuÃ±uel films it already has the rights to (via Janus/Rialto).

First review is up at Slant Magazine:

God bless The Criterion Collection for bringing Viridiana to DVD but damn the condition of the original negative. As usual, the company has meticulously removed thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches from the duplicate negative they struck. The work shows, and this is a lovely transfer for the most part, boasting strong blacks and very little in the way of edge enhancement, but some scenes are marred by vertical lines, suggesting perhaps an angry censor shredded the film using a crown of thorns.

justeleblanc · #95 Post by **justeleblanc** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:56 am

I'll hold him with a grain of salt, this Ed Gonzalas guy. The print I saw on TCM a year ago was great and my guess Criterion used the same print.

Gigi M. · #96 Post by **Gigi M.** » Sat May 06, 2006 7:39 pm

Savant's review

Back cover and Spine

Gregory · #97 Post by **Gregory** » Sat May 06, 2006 7:51 pm

I'll be interested to hear the interview with Richard Porton and to hear what he has to say and how he says it. While I haven't read Cineaste very frequently I bought Porton's book Film and the Anarchist Imagination out of interest in the book's subject and have read the sections on the films I've seen. It's a worthwhile read but I was a little put off by the book's dour tone and at times stilted prose.
Has he done any other interviews or commentary tracks before this?

justeleblanc · #98 Post by **justeleblanc** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:37 pm

I'm really dying for this release more than anything. Let's hope Best Buy releases it a week earlier than they should again.

thethirdman · #99 Post by **thethirdman** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:29 pm

Best Buy may not be carrying this one in stores. Usually they list the Criterions that they will be carrying as "coming soon" on their website prior to the release date as they did with the recent Malle releases, The 400 Blows, and Mr. Arkadin. However, they list Viridiana as "not available." This was the status of The Children Are Watching Us, La bete humaine, and Fists in the Pocket. I have not seen them in Best Buy stores.

Anonymous · #100 Post by **Anonymous** » Sat May 13, 2006 11:58 am

Paying 40 bucks is kind of worth it if they give Virdiana a proper release much like they've given other Bunuel pics. It's better than the early spine numbers of Bergman and others when Criterion was finding its own. I'm very excited for the release.

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