criterionforum.org

No offense to Gary because his site is just so invaluable (and still going after all these years!), but I just head directly to my bookmarked link in my toolbar whenever he announces a new comparison: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/compare.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for all the input - I'll do my best to revamp the site (the comparison page may actually 'go'- it's a pain to update and all those links are in our master alphabetic lists anyway). Honestly, I am doing my very best - I work on this site (content) about 60hrs/week. The hompage takes a few seconds to download (with high speed) and the new reviews/comparisons are, always in the exact same place, right in the middle - linked with text and covers. Trust me, there is a method to our madness with all the text links.
Googling won't get you the updated infromation but subscribing to our FREE newsletter would probably be a nice alternative as it has direct links to the reviews/comparisons that you may be looking for (no surfing to a search engine - no typing).
The hompage gets 100,000 more people each month more than it did last year.
I greatly appreciate the opinions - you may send to me at gary AT 2ze DOT com so as not to change the focus of this thread. Thanks guys.
Cheers,

New...

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC "Little Miss Sunshine" vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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Cheers,

New...

MGM - Region FREE Blu-ray "Raging Bull" vs. MGM (S.E.- 2 disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM (1.85:1) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM (20th Anv.) - Region 2 - PAL

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Cheers,

New...

In our Blu-ray review of Donnie Darko we've compared 5 screen caps including various older DVD editions.

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Best,

Gary, any chance of getting the 2 reissued Artificial Eye R2 Wong Kar Wai's up?
according to dvdtimes, the new "Happy Together" blows away the old one.

I'm curious about the new Chungking Express.

Good god that Raging Bull BD looks stunning. Grain heaven...

This is how a film should be treated on BD-- re the HD vs film grain thread.

Hey Gary, on your "Raging Bull" BR review, you state "region free" because of the subtitle and language options, but looking through, most, if not all 20th Century Fox Blu-Rays are NOT region free. There might be a Turkish dub, but all the subtitles are for Region A countries.

manicsounds wrote:Hey Gary, on your "Raging Bull" BR review, you state "region free" because of the subtitle and language options, but looking through, most, if not all 20th Century Fox Blu-Rays are NOT region free. There might be a Turkish dub, but all the subtitles are for Region A countries.

According to Blu-ray.com it's Region A. Are those folks reliable?

skuhn8 wrote:

manicsounds wrote:Hey Gary, on your "Raging Bull" BR review, you state "region free" because of the subtitle and language options, but looking through, most, if not all 20th Century Fox Blu-Rays are NOT region free. There might be a Turkish dub, but all the subtitles are for Region A countries.

According to Blu-ray.com it's Region A. Are those folks reliable?

Dunno, but this site is, and it says it´s region free.

A few sites I've checked say Region FREE. I don't have a Region B or C player to verify but the reliable site I use most has never let me down. They also say Region FREE.
Best,
Gary

But....
Despite information to the contrary – the UK Blu-ray of Brief Encounter is region ‘B’ locked.
Best,
Gary

New...

ITV - Region 'B' - Blu-ray "Brief Encounter" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Carlton - Region 2 - PAL

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Cheers,

New...

Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC "Happy Together" vs. Kino - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Artificial Eye (NEW) - Region 2- PAL vs. Kino (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Artificial Eye (OLD) - Region 2 - PAL

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Cheers,

It's been nothing less than a full-on Wong-fest lately. Finally, an acceptable "Happy Together", the long-promised revisit to "Ashes of Tiime", the HK BDs of "Tears" and "Days", the CC "Chungking" BD (and perhaps AE's)...

I'm trying to play the smart consumer and wait until Kino releases its "Happy Together" disc next month - and crossing my fingers about that Kino announcement that "Fallen Angels" would be its first blu-ray - but I confess that I'm having some difficulty being patient when it comes to "Happy Together". Usually when there's an excellent PAL master out there, I'm safe in assuming that Kino will ruin it by releasing their typical un-preconverted PAL>NTSC ghost-fest. But someone in the Kino thread pointed out that the company might be working from a hi-res master, which would *NOT* result in the usual PAL>NTSC issues that generally plague Kino's second-rate transfers. Sound plausible? Likely?

Generally speaking, patience prevails for me. That said, I wouldn't want to wait a month or more to confirm a foregone conclusion. Does anyone think Kino's release is worth waiting for here?

Rich Malloy wrote:Does anyone think Kino's release is worth waiting for here?

Although it may turn out to be just as good, I see no reason to anticipate that the Kino will be better than the (new) AE release. Since that release is selling at Amazon.co.uk for £9.98 (at the current exchange rate, that's ~US$13, after VAT removal but before shipping), I see no reason to wait. I'd assume the Kino would cost at least as much if not more when it is released.

Gary,

Any chance you could do a comparison of that new R1 edition of The Lodger with the version of the Carlton Hitchcock box set (which you have reviewed).

Sorry, what 'Carlton Hitchcock box set' are you referring to?

Gary Tooze wrote:Sorry, what 'Carlton Hitchcock box set' are you referring to?

Sorry, Gary, I switched out the names. I meant the German Concorde Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years box set, which you use in your Lady Vanishes comparison, for example.

Don't own it Denti...
Thanks to Steffen Bieker for the Concorde screen caps
I haven't talked to him in years...
Best,
Gary

New...

UFA - Region FREE - Blu-ray "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region 1 - NTSC

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Cheers,

Fun...

Shock - Region 0 - PAL "I Served the King of England" vs. Sony Region 1 - NTSC

Jesnet - Region 'A' Blu-ray "RAN" vs. Optimum (Double Disc Special Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC vs. Twister Digital Video (Russia) - Region 0 - PAL vs. Universal (1 disc rental) - Region 2- PAL vs. Warner Bros. (UK) - Region 2 - PAL vs. WellSpring (MasterWorks Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Fox Lorber - Region 1 - NTSC

Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC "Madadayo" vs. Fox / Lorber - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Jesnet - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

In our review of the Blu-ray of In Cold Blood we've compared three captures with the DVD.


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Cheers,

Those blu-ray Kuroswa's look like someone turned the DNR up to 11. Clay face ago-go.

Yes, I wouldn't mind some opinions on the colors of RAN though...
Thanks,

New...

(Canadian Alliance Release) - Region 1 - NTSC "Good Will Hunting" vs. Alliance - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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Cheers,