The Long Good Friday (Optimum Home Entertainment)

[pro-bassoonist]

Set to be released on October 3.

The preliminary info is that this release will use a different transfer. I expect to see optional English SDH subtitles as well.

Pro-B

p.s.

The old release was produced by Stars/Anchor Bay-UK.

[Pyoko]

I just hope it's not another Don't Look Now.

[McCrutchy]

A new transfer would be most welcome. I held off on the first BD because of its lackluster transfer. Some new extras would also be nice--and a restoration would be wonderful--but I'll settle for something better than what we have now; this is one of the few titles I held off on upgrading from (the US Anchor Bay) DVD.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

A new transfer would be most welcome.

Be careful there -- the key word is different, no one has confirmed that it will be a new one

If I had to speculate, I would say that more than likely it will be a Canal transfer. We'll find out soon.

Pro-B

[The Driver]

This film was Criterion's worst ever Laserdisc/DVD (just a crappy letterbox port) so it's always been a bit of a rough transfer due to lack of elements/investment.

The UK Anchor Bay Blu-ray though was very nice IMO. It's got a shed load of film artefacts but that's how it should look. The UK disc also has lots of extras (unlike the USA Image release).

Not sure what Optimum will be doing with this but I'm expecting no optimisation of their asset

Look forward to a review and comments though!

[HotRats]

The US edition does have slightly better framing but both US and UK suffer from occasional colour fluctuations. Current preferred option is the US blu for picture and the old UK black boxed DVD for extras. I hope this edition is an improvement. I've bought this film so many times on so many formats that once more won't hurt

[bladelia]

It would be nice to see Mona Lisa, seeing as the US have had it for a while

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by HotRats

I've bought this film so many times on so many formats that once more won't hurt

Same here - one of my favourite films of all time and I don't begrudge its re-releases because each one might alert someone else to its existence. Having said that it can be expensive if you feel the need to buy them all out of love (not that anyone puts a gun to my head - or even hangs me up on a meat factory hook).

This time I might at least wait until it's cheap...

[djvaso]

Inclusion of subtitles on this release would be essential to me

[dvdmike]

Great cover art

[The Driver]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

Great cover art

Old is best here. That lit fuse artwork was used in all the newpapers here.

Very memorable.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by The Driver

Old is best here.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by The Driver

Old is best here. That lit fuse artwork was used in all the newpapers here.

Very memorable.

99% of my customs always have original drawn poster art.
It is a truly lost to the ages art form

[HotRats]

I notice Withnail & I is also up for a reissue, I wonder if Optimum have plans for any more Handmade films. Mona Lisa would be welcome as would an improved Time Bandits.

Long Good Friday is still a great film, a brilliant cast in a gripping thriller that foresaw the 80s Thatcherite property boom in Docklands. Pity the proposed follow-on was never made, Great Britain is bankrupt and the Mafia are willing to bail it out. Great Britain bankrupt? Who'd ever believe that.

A long time ago a reviewer said Britain had three truly great gangster films Michael Caine was in one, Get Carter, Bob Hoskins was in one, The Long Good Friday, and they were both in one, Mona Lisa. I wouldn't disagree

[penguin]

The differences between the US and UK Blu-rays is frustrating. Neither are ideal but the US release does have subtitles. Optimum got off to a terrible start on Blu-ray but are now coming good with some greatly improved releases and seem to have at long last realised that English subtitles are more than a minor extra, they are ESSENTIAL to millions of viewers who are hearing impaired and tens of miilions to whom English is a second language. I am optimistic they will do a decent job on this fantastic film. The best British gangster film ever in my view. I never clicked with Mona Lisa and Bob Hoskins was always a better mobster than Michael Caine. I wish someone would transfer The Dunera Boys to Blu-ray, another Bob Hoskins masterpiece.

[nitin]

The US blu is erviceable, so this will have to be better than that to upgrade.

th eprevious UK blu doesnt count

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by penguin

The differences between the US and UK Blu-rays is frustrating.

I bought the US Blu-ray since it wasn't double-cropped like the UK one. Unfortunately it only had the a 5.1 track and no original mono. Only paid $5 for it thought so I'll gladly replace it if this new edition is good.