Page 4 of 7
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 11:07 pm
by Gordon
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!
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:58 pm
by yukiyuki
who love the new cover?
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:34 pm
by jorencain
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.
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:27 pm
by Jem
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."
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:07 am
by stroszeck
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:48 pm
by justeleblanc
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:25 pm
by tryavna
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:08 pm
by loplop
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:17 pm
by Cinephrenic
Obvious Criterion Bunuels:
The Exterminating Angel (Janus)
Tristana (Janus)
The Milky Way (Rialto)
Simon of the Desert (Janus)
more Mexican era?
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:45 pm
by GringoTex
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.
Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:04 pm
by Michael Kerpan
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"
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:42 am
by stroszeck
The Miramax Belle Du Jour -- AN ABOMINATION!
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:43 pm
by Michael Kerpan
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.
;~{
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:54 pm
by kinjitsu
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.
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:23 pm
by Michael Kerpan
> 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.
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:02 pm
by backstreetsbackalright
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.
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:50 am
by Floyd
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.
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:17 am
by justeleblanc
Does anyone know when Miramax will lose the rights to Belle de jour? I'm sure it will have to happen at some point.
Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 5:01 am
by FilmFanSea
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 Buñuel 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.
Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 5:56 am
by justeleblanc
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.
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 7:39 pm
by Gigi M.
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 7:51 pm
by Gregory
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?
Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 4:37 pm
by justeleblanc
I'm really dying for this release more than anything. Let's hope Best Buy releases it a week earlier than they should again.
Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 10:29 pm
by thethirdman
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.
Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 11:58 am
by Anonymous
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.