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OliverB wrote:Has anyone seen the R2 Cinema Reserve edition of this?

If so, how does it look -- is it the same transfer?

:-s

Cinephrenic wrote:This is one of the greatest films of the 60's, great script, great performances.

Right on! YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

OliverB wrote:

OliverB wrote:Has anyone seen the R2 Cinema Reserve edition of this?

If so, how does it look -- is it the same transfer?

:-s

So are there ANY definitive versions of this film in ANY other region?

Though I was expecting a lot from the BD version of MC, it didn't seem that much (if any) better than the SE DVD version in terms of PQ - extremely dissapointing. Note that I haven't gone back and compared the two versions, but if the BD is superior to the regular SE DVD version, it wasn't readily apparent. Granted, this could very well be because of the original print's limitations.

Re: the film itself, MC is (along with Taxi Driver) one of the best cinematic depictions of what it's like to be alone in the big city. Also impressed by the film's themes of friendship, unrealistic & then deflated expectations, and renewal.

MC also has some of the best editing cuts I've ever seen in a movie.

One of my favorite scenes is directly after JB's romp with the SM character, when he is trying to "diplomatically" ask her that he expects to be paid. However, not only doesn't she pay him, but instead tearfully (and successfully) hustles him for $. Very ironic, and obviously not what he expected. This really sets the tone for what most of his experience in NYC will be like for the remainder of the film.

Spoiler

The ending of the film is both uplifting/hopeful & also extremely sad, a difficult dichotomy to achieve - however, it is pulled off very well here: JB sheds his "cowboy" persona (buying new clothes & throwing out his old ones) & the grim/cold/grimy winter in the big city is replaced by Florida's palm trees & sunshine; however, this is directly followed by the inevitable death of Ratso...

Side-note: The early scene when JB asked that old-timer on the bus if he knew who Woodsy Niles was seemed almost a throw-away line, and if I hadn't read the MC novel (by J.L.H.), I wouldn't have been aware who this character was (he was one of JB's grandmothers' boyfriends, and is seen in several?! of the early flash-backs).

LavaLamp wrote:Though I was expecting a lot from the BD version of MC, it didn't seem that much (if any) better than the SE DVD version in terms of PQ - extremely dissapointing. Note that I haven't gone back and compared the two versions, but if the BD is superior to the regular SE DVD version, it wasn't readily apparent. Granted, this could very well be because of the original print's limitations.

A new 4K restoration is said to be in preparation, along Rocky, Fargo and Platoon.

Oh good, now teams Il sorpasso and Midnight Cowboy can both be right and we can all put the animosity away. Glad that has been resolved.

Y'all act as if Ribs isn't going to have an existential crisis over this.

More on topic I haven't seen Midnight Cowboy since I was a Junior. Looking forward to seeing it again.

To the mod who changed the thread title and release info: bless you. I’ve screenshotted for posterity.

At this point I'm willing to admit that the clue may have actually been for Il sorpasso, but part of the reason I hung on so long (aside from the fact that that is not a possum face) was that old user Moe something had hinted at this coming, and he had previously dropped similar hints about It's a Mad World and Tootsie.

So I assume one reason for this delay was the desire to get Hoffman involved. And since he conveniently removed himself from adding any value to the release... tada!

Still laughing like a delirious child at this thread

Big Ben wrote:Y'all act as if Ribs isn't going to have an existential crisis over this.

I don't know what you mean by this

Early running for thread of the year.

Ribs wrote:

Big Ben wrote:Y'all act as if Ribs isn't going to have an existential crisis over this.

I don't know what you mean by this

You sly moon devil you.

For the record my stance is: the clue was clearly for Il Sorpasso; however, it was a terrible clue as it is a title that was basically totally unrecognizable as the film had never really gotten anything resembling any notoriety in the English-speaking world and therefore no one would possibly have ever thought of it except in retrospect months after the fact. Compare/contrast with fantastic clues like the angry clock for Mean Time. A title of such relative obscurity like Il Sorpasso is never the type that should get clues, particularly ones reliant on a title pun of its original language (which I don't think it was "recognized as" until Criterion released it, either)

Midnight Cowboy has now also come out, by sheer happenstance, meaning that Criterion is on an absolute tear for Best Picture winners, especially considering West Side Story is probably imminent as well.

Is the cover blue or gold?

Is this really what you people care about? That a movie that may have been hinted at in a vague clue from years ago is only being released now?How about the fact that this amazing movie is entering the collection at all? Like seriously, first world problems. Or rather, niche, nerd related inconveniences that most people in the real world don't even know what the big deal is about. It's like people complaining that The Breakfast Club is in the collection. Always something to talk about, something to complain about, otherwise the world stops. Sheesh.

Who has complained about Criterion releasing this?

Robespierre wrote:Is this really what you people care about? That a movie that may have been hinted at in a vague clue from years ago is only being released now?How about the fact that this amazing movie is entering the collection at all? Like seriously, first world problems. Or rather, niche, nerd related inconveniences that most people in the real world don't even know what the big deal is about. It's like people complaining that The Breakfast Club is in the collection. Always something to talk about, something to complain about, otherwise the world stops. Sheesh.

You obviously missed the sad, long joke around this that's gone back to 2014. Nobody is complaining about it being released (well, not many anyways). Also, this is a really odd thing to get (hate to use the word but it's suiting) triggered over.

I'm outraged that it took this long to get released, but I still plan on buying it day one and then letting it sit on my shelf unwatched for years.

Great, now Kevyip is going to have a crisis too.

Now all this thread needs is links to blu-ray.com's review titled Midnight Cowbassoonist and DVDBeev's inevitable boobie screenshot comparisons. The circle of forum in-jokes will be complete.

stevewhamola wrote:Now all this thread needs is links to blu-ray.com's review titled Midnight Cowbassoonist and DVDBeev's inevitable boobie screenshot comparisons. The circle of forum in-jokes will be complete.

Midnight Cowbassoonist?

(I’m usually good at keeping up with the inside jokes here, but I’m lost on that one)

I think blu-ray.com’s Dr. Svet has a doctorate is in music and he’s an actual bassoonist. Or something like that.

(Coupled with the naming puns when linking to said site).

From what I remember the only thing I didn't like about this film was the experimental scene. I thought it was out of place, since the rest of the film had a conventional narrative.