Subway (Luc Besson)

[pro-bassoonist]

Luc Besson's Subway (1985) is set to be released in the United Kingdom on September 14.

Variety:

Subway brings to mind Orson Welles' quip about the cinema being the greatest electric train set a boy could have. Its director, Luc Besson, only 26, showed resourcefulness and a sense of filmmaking fun with his 1982 low-budget sci-fier Le Dernier Combat. For his second feature, Gaumont (distrib of Combat) gave him over 15 million francs, Christopher Lambert and Isabelle Adjani as stars, and let him go play in the Paris Metro.

Result may disappoint some for its singular lack of ambition or purpose and its ragged narrative, but still proves a charmingly cartoonish escapade, strong on humor and rock rhythms.

Pic's hero is Lambert, a dynamite-toting, punk-coiffed eccentric who has stolen some compromising documents belonging to Adjani's influential husband. Lambert takes refuge in the subway at the moment of its early morning closing.

There he befriends some of the subterranean denizens - a young roller-skating purse-snatcher (Jean-Hugues Anglade), a shady flower-seller (Richard Bohringer) and a black muscleman who works out with spare subway car parts - and decides to realize his dream of managing a rock band, by recruiting the Metro's itinerant musicians. In the meantime he is sought by the thugs, the Paris transport police (headed by Michel Galabru), and Adjani.

Film went through heavy cutting in final editing stages, with 40 minutes shorn away to get it down to average commercial length, which explains the lapses in plot and sometimes disjointed continuity. But the roughness feels right in a film that resolutely refuses to take itself seriously.

Pro-B

[Hugh K. David]

So THIS was THE cult film, along with Highlander, when I was in high school in French-speaking Switzerland. Not sure how well it has aged - I know that almost nobody remembers that the opening car chase with music is actually a parody of a car advert on French TV at the time, which is why when the tape deck craps out on Lambert, it got a big laugh in cinemas.

Be very interesting to see it again.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Hugh K. David

So THIS was THE cult film...

...together with Jean-Jacques Beineix's Diva

Pro-B

[Hugh K. David]

Of course, DIVA!

[GenPion]

Seriously?! On Blu-ray? AWESOME!

[pro-bassoonist]

It will be indeed a small event as far as I am concerned.

And then...



Pro-B

[Hugh K. David]

oooh, La Reine Margot. Verrry nice....

An Adjani fan, then, Pro-B? But then, who wouldn't be?

[pro-bassoonist]

Blu-ray.com Review

Pro-B

[nazdar]

Ordered Le Grand Blu w/ Atlantis BD set. Described as having DTS MA but being weak. Is it PMC in DTS clothes? I also 'think' I remember the longer version (on DVD) as French with some English. After reading the DVD Times review of the new Brit BD, I'm a tad confused; plus there are at least 3 versions in length and since the longest French language version has some English, the “Besson’s first English Language production” comment has me wondering of phantom memories; now I find this http://www.mondo-digital.com/bigblue.html history and realize I know little.

Also wondering about the region of the Brit GWTW and WOOz as I don't want a 70th Anniversary Watch in the US Warner Forced Bundle Sets. But I would go for an SE of The Prisoner if it's OK for North America.
Thanks
L

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by nazdar

Ordered Le Grand Blu w/ Atlantis BD set. Described as having DTS MA but being weak. Is it PMC in DTS clothes? I also 'think' I remember the longer version (on DVD) as French with some English. After reading the DVD Times review of the new Brit BD, I'm a tad confused; plus there are at least 3 versions in length and since the longest French language version has some English, the “Besson’s first English Language production” comment has me wondering of phantom memories; now I find this http://www.mondo-digital.com/bigblue.html history and realize I know little.

Also wondering about the region of the Brit GWTW and WOOz as I don't want a 70th Anniversary Watch in the US Warner Forced Bundle Sets. But I would go for an SE of The Prisoner if it's OK for North America.
Thanks
L

Hello Lynn,

I emailed you back. This said:

"You should not order Le Grand Bleu - it is region-B locked, and also missing the original English track. Essentially, it contains only a French dub.". Until Optimum fixes the issues, avoid!

Pro-B

[nazdar]

I ordered the French Le Grand Bleu w/ Atlantis BD set through this http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ue_blu-ray.htm
site which directs you to this site http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B001H8VBUC?l...29&camp=211189

Not the new UK one, It is region FREE but I'm starting to wonder about the sound, can't cancel, can return and can't speak French to communicate with amazon.fr

I just found the US Sony DVD which may be the missing link. (Full length and more English) I need to check it,

Thanks; but do you see this is different from the UK release? The picture on Gary's site is different from the French amazon site

Thanks so much
let me know what you think
and if you are still sure about the Brit GWTW and WOOz sets, I'll order.

Thanks again; same letter sent as e-mail
Lynn

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by nazdar

I ordered the French Le Grand Bleu w/ Atlantis BD set.

Not the new UK one, It is region FREE but I'm starting to wonder about the sound, can't cancel, can return and can't speak French to communicate with amazon.fr

I just found the US Sony DVD which may be the missing link. (Full length and more English) I need to check it,

Thanks; but do you see this is different from the UK release? The picture on Gary's site is different from the French amazon site

Thanks so much
let me know what you think
and if you are still sure about the Brit GWTW and WOOz sets, I'll order.

Thanks again; same letter sent as e-mail
Lynn

The French release of Le Grand Bleu DOES NOT include the film's original English audio track. If possible, you should return the disc as I don't believe it would be of any use to you.

As always, Lynn, if you ever have any doubts, PM or email me, I would be glad to assist you with whatever I could

Pro-B

[nazdar]

I just checked out the Sony/Colombia /TriStar DVD and it is The Desired Longest Version in mostly all english (even iF it's looped, the actors are speaking english) The DVD looks like it needs a lot of improvement but 3 hrs of unnecessary subs can spoil a film. A BD would be nice. Anyway amazon.fr sent it so fast I couldn't stop it. I'll have to send it back or refuse delivery
I have company, I'll write later

you sure about UK GWTW and OZ
thanks

[psicon]

I really have to get a region free player. Optimum are releasing too much I want.

[nazdar]

If I hadn't spent a grand on my Denon (and like it) and if was buying my first BD player and "knew what I know now" ( that US Studios release swill as a standard and the rest of the world gets better titles not marketed to a low common denominator )...I would ( and will ) get a region free player. But then I'll have no money nor time to watch all the stuff I'll get.

[GGX]

Originally Posted by nazdar

If I hadn't spent a grand on my Denon (and like it) and if was buying my first BD player and "knew what I know now" ( that US Studios release swill as a standard and the rest of the world gets better titles not marketed to a low common denominator )...I would ( and will ) get a region free player. But then I'll have no money nor time to watch all the stuff I'll get.

Thats funny since the Criteron Collection is only released Region A...

[nazdar]

I get it. But wonderful Criterion is not a studio and isn't enough to feed a cat...or did you want a debate. I don't; I want those off the mainstream and quality titles that are all over Europe and Asia

[nitin]

I saw this for the first time last night and what an original, gonzo, stylish and energetic film! In that respect, it reminded me a little of Alex Cox’s Repo Man. The pluses and minuses of the two films different but both tap into the same blend of fun IMHO.

The 10 yr old disc still holds up pretty well IMHO, there is some noticeable noise in quite a few shots but I would agree with the review on this site that otherwise the master is pretty good.

[Spiderwalk]

Wow! 10 year thread bump.

I would love it if SudioCanal revisited their Besson films with brand new 4K restorations, especially The Big Blue.

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by Spiderwalk

Wow! 10 year thread bump.

I would love it if SudioCanal revisited their Besson films with brand new 4K restorations, especially The Big Blue.

That and Nikita would be awesome to upgrade.

Never got round to getting The Last Battle, Subway, or Atlantis from the "Luc Besson Collection". Must rectify this