The Handmaiden (Park Chan-wook 2016)

[Pecker]

Standard release:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XWWS1...maiden+blu+ray

Special Edition (both cuts):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XX16B...maiden+blu+ray

My apologies if this has been mentioned already.

[elbarkl]

I hope that SE artwork sticks.

[Pecker]

There's been a lot of talk about the subtitle colours on the US release. Curzon Artificial Eye are usually pretty reverential, so I'm hoping this won't be an issue here.

[rapta]

Listings for both here and here.

Release has been discussed in the Artificial Eye thread, but I assume this thread is okay as it'll be mostly chat about the film and/or Park Chan-wook in general.

Love the look of the Special Edition artwork, utilising the original poster (one of the best film posters of recent years). Bit confused about the packaging though - are they going for a slipcover/slipbox, or is that a Scanavo case (in the second pic on Amazon)?

[elbarkl]

Zooming in, it looks like a white or clear case to me.

[crazyman]

Hopefully this is a special edition loaded with features and not a barebones release!

[rapta]

Originally Posted by elbarkl

Zooming in, it looks like a white or clear case to me.

Well the first image for the SE shows now Blu-ray case, implying this will be a slipbox/slipcover situation, but the second case seems to display a clear Scanavo case (albeit very thick). It's clearly Scanavo because it shows full artwork.

However, it also says "artwork TBC" so we shouldn't take this too literally. Artificial Eye releases have always used blue Viva Elite slim cases, some of the early ones being in blue Amarays, and box sets using ultra-slim cases. The only 'special edition' titles with different cases were the Tarkovsky ones, which had black Amarays on release (and I think I've seen them in blue Amarays since) and a couple of HMV exclusives used Amarays too (Frank, Nymphomaniac).

I'd be surprised if they do move onto Scanavo for some special releases - although labels like Indicator, 88 Films and 101 Films have started using them, so you never know. I reckon it'll just end up being a single Amaray with a slipcover though (or two slim/ultra-slim cases in a slipbox).

[Foggy]

Any reason for the special edition? Is it going to be limited?

[logboy]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Any reason for the special edition? Is it going to be limited?

longer cut of the film is included, but isn't on the standard edition.

only subbed appearance of this cut so far - no K disc, not on USA or CAD discs.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Any reason for the special edition? Is it going to be limited?

I assume so, yes. It's special edition because it includes 2 discs, with the Director's Cut and artwork/packaging presumably being the limited element.

[CavebobSpongeman]

Looks great. Seeing the DC when they're showing it at my local.

[tylergfoster]

Note that the theatrical cut is the DC, not the extended cut. The EC should be considered a bonus and a curiosity.

[88mph]

Cinemas are labelling the extended cut as the Director's Cut!

[CavebobSpongeman]

Originally Posted by 88mph

Cinemas are labelling the extended cut as the Director's Cut!

Does it really matter that much? As long as it has more content it's all good. Awesomely, my cinema is showing both versions.

[88mph]

Nah doesn't matter much to me. I was just responding to Tyler foster' comment

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

Note that the theatrical cut is the DC, not the extended cut. The EC should be considered a bonus and a curiosity.

Originally Posted by 88mph

Cinemas are labelling the extended cut as the Director's Cut!

Any official confirmation on which is the DC? Not interested in an unnecessary extended cut.
Oh wait, confirmed HERE

Please note that I’m not referring to my extended version as a director’s cut. Someone might see it and find it to be very lengthy and boring. Probably a lot of the audience may think that, in my mind. But what this extended version is all about is actually for those people who have seen the release version, for them to find even more details to enjoy. It’s not really for, I don’t think, an audience who’s never seen the film to find the film through the extended version. It might be a burdensome engagement.

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

Does it really matter that much? As long as it has more content it's all good.

Going by that logic, films shouldn't have editors
Good film-making can be about how much is held back as much as about how much is shown.

[Dougling]

I actually saw the "Director's Cut" in the cinema last weekend, and haven't seen the theatrical version. I'm going to do that too (as the extended cut was amazing, I felt) so that I can see which version I prefer, but now I feel like maybe I've done it the wrong way around.

[zombeaner]

While this is often true, there are definitely cases where it is spectacularly untrue

Originally Posted by CavebobSpongeman

Does it really matter that much? As long as it has more content it's all good. Awesomely, my cinema is showing both versions.

[CavebobSpongeman]

Planning to see both cuts on Friday, one after the other.

[Zen_Amako]

I'd like to hear from someone familiar with the theatrical cut about how the longer cut compares. Longer doesn't always mean better, and the film is pretty long as it is. Often scenes are deleted because they bog down the film. It is in cases where the studio or producer interfered and compromised the director's vision that I prefer the extended "director's cut." But I don't think that was the case here. It sounds like the "director's cut" basically adds more footage for the fans who enjoyed the theatrical version.