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Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 4:10 pm
by Gary Tooze
New...
Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC "
The Third Man" vs. Criterion (2-disc RE-Issue) - Region 1 - NTSC
Original Criterion Edition
New 2-disc REISSUE
One new....
Strand Releasing - Region 0 - NTSC "
Blissfully Yours" vs. La-ong Dao - Region 0 - PAL vs. Second Run - Region 0 - PAL vs. MK2 - Region 2- PAL
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 6:17 pm
by Rich Malloy
The Strand "BLISSFULLY YOURS" is 14 minutes shorter than the PAL sped-up Second Run and MK2?? Wha...?!
(Gary, did you account for the speed-up when you did that math? I notice that the runtime is listed as only about 6 minutes shorter... heh, "only" 6 minutes.)
This is positively insane. Or at least inexplicable. I mean, 6 or 14 minutes is quite a long time either way, and - at least going on memory - I don't recall the explicit scenes lasting that long. Not that there's any reason to cut the explicit scenes anyway. So, color me perplexed (a putrid shade of mauve, most likely).
Once again, a completely fucked-up Weerasethakul R1 release. I'm not crazy about the interlaced transfer on the Second Run disc, but at least it contains the complete film.
Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 8:25 pm
by Gary Tooze
(Gary, did you account for the speed-up when you did that math? I notice that the runtime is listed as only about 6 minutes shorter... heh, "only" 6 minutes.)
Yes Rich. It should be about 8 minutes longer (PAL 4% speedup).
I'm waiting for some one from Stand to respond. It's a real screw-up when they have the director introducing the film as the 'uncensored version'... I still keep thinking I've made a mistake somewhere. ?!?!?
New...
BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. "
Army of Shadows" Criterion (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC
Two new...
Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - NTSC "
Grey Gardens" vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion (Package with The Beals of Grey Gardens) - Region 1 - NTSC
Optimum Classics (Western Classics) - Region 2 - PAL "
Broken Arrow" vs. 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC
Have a great weekend,
Gary
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:53 pm
by Gary Tooze
One and...
Universal (lone edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "
Scarface" (1932) vs. Universal - 83' Deluxe Giftset - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal - Region 2,4,5 - PAL
Plus in Henrik's review of Tartan's Region 2 "
The Alejandro Jodorowsky Collection", he has compared it to the new region 1 release of April 30th.
One new...
Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC "
True Grit" vs. Paramount (Special Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC
One new... finally back in print!
HBO Home Video - Region 0 - NTSC "
Ball of Fire" vs. MGM - Region 1 - NTSC
New...
Artificial-Eye - Region 2 - PAL "
Regular Lovers" vs. Zeitgeist Films - Region 1 - NTSC
On deck -
Rio Bravo and a review of
The Chantal Akerman Boxset (the one with Eng subs!).
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 12:21 am
by Gary Tooze
As promised....
Warner - Region 1 - NTSC "
Rio Bravo" vs. Warner (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1, 2, 3, 4 - NTSC
Original
2-disc Special Edition
Posted
MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "
Duck, You Sucker" vs. MGM (UK) (Old) - Region 2 - PAL vs. MGM (Europe) (Special Edition) - Region 2 - PAL
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 8:28 am
by skuhn8
I just watched the old Rio Bravo DVD the day before the Beaver posts. No regrets with that purchase. Warner seems to hate Westerns. How on earth did that happen?
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 6:31 pm
by Gary Tooze
Hello,
In our posted review of
Eclipse's Late Ozu boxset, we have compared it to the existing Pamorama and Artificial Eye DVD edition counterparts.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:26 pm
by tryavna
Gary Tooze wrote:MGM (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "Duck, You Sucker" vs. MGM (UK) (Old) - Region 2 - PAL vs. MGM (Europe) (Special Edition) - Region 2 - PAL
Gary, I'm surprised you didn't emphasize more strongly that the R1 boasts the original mono soundtrack. (At least, I'm assuming that that's the
original mono.) This has been a bone of contention for many fans, and I'm sure I'm not alone in being extremely grateful that MGM aren't forcing the remixes on us for all the new titles -- though I guess GBU will still have just the 5.1 remix and original
Italian mono.
It does make a huge difference, especially for that uniquely Leone-esque gunfire!
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 8:40 pm
by Michael Kerpan
Gary Tooze wrote:In our posted review of
Eclipse's Late Ozu boxset, we have compared it to the existing Pamorama and Artificial Eye DVD edition counterparts.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
For Criterion, the song should be, "It's all too easy being red(dish)". Too bad.
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 1:58 am
by Gary Tooze
Autumn afternoon certainly looks a lot nicer to me than the Oz disc.
David, Autumn Afternoon is not in the Late Ozu boxset.
It has Early Spring (1956), Tokyo Twilight (1957),Equinox Flower (1958),
Late Autumn (1960) and The End of Summer (1961) - also known as Early Autumn.
Autumn Afternoon (1962) was Ozu's last film, but it is not in this collection.
Best,
Gary
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 6:05 pm
by Michael Kerpan
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:02 am
by Gary Tooze
New...
Union Square Music - Region 0 - PAL "
Slade in Flame" vs. Union Square Music (CE) - Region 0 - PAL
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Cheers,
Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:27 pm
by Person
Slade on the Criterion Forum - I've seen it all now! Awesome band and an awesome movie. I never knew it was shot in scope - it looks gorgeous.
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:36 am
by Gary Tooze
3 new...
20th Century Fox (2-disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "
The Hustler" vs. 20th Century Fox (Special Edition) - Region 1- NTSC vs. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Special Edition) - Region 2, 4 - PAL
MGM (Lenticular Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "
Robocop" vs. MGM (Trilogy) - Region 1- NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL
20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC "
The Verdict" vs. 20th Century Fox (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC
New... great film!
Weinstein Company (Special Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "
The 36 Chamber of Shaolin" vs. Crash Cinema (USA) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Celestial Pictures (Hongkong) - Region 3 - NTSC
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:48 am
by Gary Tooze
New...
Buena Vista - Region 1 - NTSC "
Infernal Affairs" vs. Media Asia (Limited Edition 8-Disc Box Set) - Region 0 - NTSC
Warner - Region 1 - NTSC "
The Searchers" vs. Warner (Ultimate Collector's Edition) - Region 1,4 - NTSC vs. Warner
HD-DVD.
Still digital photography I'm afraid, but some relevant observations I think...
CE
HD-DVD
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:03 am
by exte
Pretty stunning, actually... I can't get over how soft dvd looks, and yet when it first came out there was nothing better. Now component cables are taken for granted, but all for the better, really...
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:17 am
by Ornette
davidhare wrote:I don't know of any review sites that have yet accessed the crack codes to actually capture images from HD or BD discs on the computer...
These guys did it all right:
http://hdmovies.co.nz/index.html (and some more
here that not up on their site yet).
There was some discussion regarding this in the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray thread and I think that in an early incarnation of either PowerDVD or WinDVD this was possible before they "corrected" it in a later version. So I guess that the only things that are needed are a HD DVD optical drive (the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive, for example) and the right version of either software.
BTW, David, I suppose this is the same thing that you're describing in your review:
DVD Times Mulholland Dr. HD DVD Review
While the grain is rendered beautifully in the daylight sequences, those that take place at night or in shadow reduce the grain to a swathe of smeared or frozen blocks. This is an incredibly distracting effect and one that really hampers the enjoyment of these scenes.
Mainly at night or in shadows, would you agree on that?
Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 4:25 pm
by Gary Tooze
New DVD from Ki-duk Kim (Tartan)...
KD Media - Region 3 - NTSC "
The Bow" vs. Tartan - Region 1 - NTSC
If anyone is curious I have done a review of the
HD-DVD version of Kurosawa's
RAN from Studio Canal in France. We posted some captures comparing it to the Criterion and Optimum (UK) SD DVDs.
For those unaware - HD-DVDs do not have region or standard coding. This DVD will play on any HD-player (firmware upgraded) in the world. The link is on our homepage. But this particular HD-DVD has many limitations.
New...
Warner - Region 1 - NTSC "
Blood Diamond" vs. Warner
HD-DVD (no standard or region coding)
SD - Version
HD-DVD
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Best,
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:53 pm
by ellipsis7
Well I like the SD version of that one best... The HD version while slightly crisper has colours tending towards fluorescence...
Gary, while the HDDVD/Blue-Ray is an interesting side spat and an indicator of how things will eventually go in a big way, it has totally skewed the Beaver's reviews...
The point about SD is diversity and all the films that need DVD release, or better versions... Neither of the 2 rival HD formats will give us that, they will release surefire high profile titles, not the eclectic stuff we're really interested in...
So don't stray too far from your proven patch, that of reviewing the quality of the films on DVD, not the technology... i.e. stick with the SD reviews while giving us occasional glimpses of things to come, and crucify what looks not up to standard like that HD Blood Diamond capture!!...
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:01 pm
by Gary Tooze
Thanks ellipsis7,
This was posted on our homepage a few days back:
Fear not: Just to satisfy several emails regarding DVDBeaver and our recent new format (HD + Blu-ray) reviews listed
HERE: We are not dismissing SD reviews and will continue to review all formats - of all regions - wherever possible. This past week we have had a bit of catch up to do with HD + Blu-ray. SD will remain our major focus.
Classic Fritz Lang...
Kino - Region 1 - NTSC "
House by the River" vs. Wild Side Video (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL
New...
Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL "
La Jetée / Sans Soleil" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC
Madman - Region 4 - PAL "
High and Low" vs. BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion Region 0 - NTSC vs. MEI AH (Hong Kong) Region 0 - NTSC
Eureka - Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL "
Diary of a Lost Girl" vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC
New.... (an improvement!)
Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC "
Princess Raccoon" vs. Geneon [Pioneer] - Region 1 - NTSC
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/
Cheers,
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:55 pm
by Michael Kerpan
Gary Tooze wrote:New.... (an improvement!)
Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC "Princess Raccoon" vs. Geneon [Pioneer] - Region 1 - NTSC
Well, the skin colors are more accurate on the Mei Ah....
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:38 pm
by Gary Tooze
Hard to say for sure Michael... I like the Geneon. I prefer to think of Zhang Ziyi as more milky white.
Mei Ah
Geneon
She certainly looks more pale in the interviews... or are you going to give us some caps that show otherwise? I'm quite willing to admit that I am wrong - I never saw it theatrically, but the Mei Ah's colors
ARE manipulated.
Best,
Gary
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:10 pm
by Michael Kerpan
I guess one needs to see the Japanese DVD -- colors being manipulated in a Suzuki film can be colors being manipulated by Suzuki. ;~}
I don't recall ZHANG Ziyi having milky white skin in "Road Home" (for instance).
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:25 pm
by Gary Tooze
I don't recall ZHANG Ziyi having milky white skin in "Road Home" (for instance).
True but that was last century
Gary
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:37 pm
by Daze73
HERE is a comparison of the R3HK and R2JP releases and as you can see the skin colors are accurate on the R1 Geneon release which is exactly the same as the R2JP release...
