I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba) 4K UHD (1964) Criterion Collection

[MifuneFan]

I am Cuba (aka Soy Cuba) coming to 4K from Criterion on April 23rd!

I Am Cuba 4K UHD

https://www.criterion.com/films/33466-i-am-cuba

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• “I Am Cuba,” the Siberian Mammoth, a 2004 documentary on the making of the film featuring key participants
• Interview from 2003 with filmmaker Martin Scorsese
• New appreciation of the film by cinematographer Bradford Young
• Trailer
• Alternate Russian-dubbed soundtrack
• New English subtitle translation
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Juan Antonio García Borrero

New cover by Century

[ryantoyota]

Very cool, this has been on my watchlist for quite a while. Considering its legendary reputation for cinematography, seems like a fitting blind buy to be able to watch it in 4K for my first time.

[steel_breeze]

This is huuuuuge!!! One of the upgrades I've been waiting for!!!!

This upgrade will leave only two standard-def DVDs left in my collection: David Lean's Oliver Twist and Unbearable Lightness of Being.

So excited; I Am Cuba has some of the most spectacular visuals ever put on film.

[Dragun]

I assumed we'd get a Blu from Milestone, but this is even better! I'm still keeping my cigar box DVD from Milestone Films, since it has a few things not on the Criterion release, like the Kalatozov doc. And because it's a cool package.

[Poya]

Paul Thomas Anderson's favorite movie

[Gacivory]

Super excited for this!!!!

[Gacivory]

I had dreamed this would get a 4K and was prepared for just a Blu, but this is amazing!

[Rizor]

Been trying to see this, so very welcome news.

[PNguyen]

never watched it so ill blind buy it

[KubrickKurasawa]

Does this have anything to do with JFK assassination?

[oubukibun]

As a Cuban, I must admit, this is one of the most pretentious 'narratives' ever committed to celluloid. But, much like Russian Ark, once you remove the narration: the images, as they are the only things left, suddenly shine brighter than any diamond forged from the stars.

[oubukibun]

Hmm, someone able to do so should merge this thread with the other on this title.

[Sommerswerd]

Comparing to the 3-disc cigar-box ultimate edition DVD that Milestone released years ago, it appears the following extras aren't ported over:
"A Film About Mikhail Kalatozov" 2006 documentary (101:51)
CUNY City Cinematheque interview with screenwriter Yevgeny Yevtushenko (30:33)
Cuban version of the opening credits (4:57)
3 stills galleries:
- “I Am Cuba 1964" (1:27)
- "I Am Cuba Today" (1:07)
- "I Am Cuba: A Photo Essay by Mikhail Evastafiev" (6:36)

What is added:
New appreciation of the film by cinematographer Bradford Young

[PullBackCamera]

Sounds like they've dropped the HDR again. This is getting to be a major problem with Criterion.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Sommerswerd

Comparing to the 3-disc cigar-box ultimate edition DVD that Milestone released years ago, it appears the following extras aren't ported over:
"A Film About Mikhail Kalatozov" 2006 documentary (101:51)
CUNY City Cinematheque interview with screenwriter Yevgeny Yevtushenko (30:33)
Cuban version of the opening credits (4:57)
3 stills galleries:
- “I Am Cuba 1964" (1:27)
- "I Am Cuba Today" (1:07)
- "I Am Cuba: A Photo Essay by Mikhail Evastafiev" (6:36)

What is added:
New appreciation of the film by cinematographer Bradford Young

I'm glad I was able to check out the Milestone set from the library a few years back.

[Grinningcat_o3]

wow this is awesome

[Sommerswerd]

I hope Criterion will eventually upgrade The Cranes are Flying and Letter Never Sent to 4K UHD. Both films already have a 4K version streaming on Mosfilm's YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rINnJat-5k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPScCOavuY8

[edmoney]

I'm thrilled that this is finally getting released - and in 4K UHD no less!

I'm surprised it's being released by Criterion, though, as all previous indications were that it was coming from Milestone. Anyone know if Criterion has ever licensed titles from Milestone before?

[nicwood]

The 4K master is SDR and therefore should be fine from an encoding standpoint. The Apu Trilogy looks very good and the grayscale is convincing. Great choice for a UHD - I’m looking forward to getting rid of the Potemkine BD.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by edmoney

I'm thrilled that this is finally getting released - and in 4K UHD no less!

I'm surprised it's being released by Criterion, though, as all previous indications were that it was coming from Milestone. Anyone know if Criterion has ever licensed titles from Milestone before?

Milestone definitely controlled it for a while. They put the restoration up streaming for free on their website when the pandemic hit in March 2020, like a number of other media groups did with their content in that first lockdown. It was either 1080p or 4K streaming, I can't remember which.