The Criterion Collection

[stobbart]

I love how Pro-B lurks everywhere and just appears when something needs to be said. Nice to see you away from your debate with HD Goofnut. Popping up here and in the Indian forums. But we could desperately use another Asian blu-ray review soon.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by retablo

Curious, but do you like films of the 40s and 50s?

Very much so, in particular film noir - where the cynicism tends to override the horrible,overly melodramatic writing and acting of romantic parts.

Rebecca is a particularly bad example; I loved the mystery/thriller elements but the romantic encounters are laughably overwrought

Originally Posted by retablo

Because even then, the acting was still a very stylized style where kisses were oh so dramatic and much of the dialogue was wink wink to the audience. It wasn't until the mid 50s, I guess with the Strasberg and Stanislavsky methods, that films got more "realistic."

Agree, but I'm a bit more willing to forgive the somewhat stilted style because it's easy to find gems from the 40s/50s that don't stray into melodramatics.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by Joe Dalek

I thought I might be able to hold off on Letter Never Sent until the B&N July sale but that seems out of the question now.

My recommendation months ago wasn't enough?

[Project-Zep]

I don't know if this was addressed already but I received a news letter for Februrary and it contained a drawing of a spalding basketball with the NBA logo, hint for a movie or just to celebrate all star weekend?

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Project-Zep

I don't know if this was addressed already but I received a news letter for Februrary and it contained a drawing of a spalding basketball with the NBA logo, hint for a movie or just to celebrate all star weekend?

You may want to look at the last three pages

[Darkcritic]

Originally Posted by TJS_Blu

They quit using blue in the hints in 2010. They haven't used a newletter hint for an upgrade in quite a while. The 2010/2011 wacky new year's drawing hinted at Diabolique without any blue in it...

Well, last month we received a hint for a BD upgrade , Grey Gardens.It was a racoon with a blue "hat" in the head. But yeah, I have seen almost every Newsletter hint pointing towards new films instead of upgrades.

[ShellOilJunior]

I'm not sure why anyone thought the hint was Hoop Dreams. If they were hinting Hoop Dreams they wouldn't arbitrarily put "Spalding" on a basketball.

[IronWaffle]

For personal reasons, Spalding Gray has been on my mind lately and several times I've almost pulled the trigger on some of his OOP titles. An Eclipse set comprised of his storytelling films would really hit the spot.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by Darkcritic

Well, last month we received a hint for a BD upgrade , Grey Gardens.It was a racoon with a blue "hat" in the head.

So it was. Maybe there's something to the blu=upgrade. Seems strange they would have one rule for newsletters and another for the New Year's cartoon.

[blkhrt]

While it seems pretty clear at this point that the clue isn't Hoop Dreams, there have been strong indications that there is a blu version of Hoop Dreams coming this year. I can't remember just now where I read about it, but it showed up in a future release inventory or something like that. It isn't clear if it was even for Criterion or not. I will try to track down the link in all my bookmarks...

[imnotready]

Quick update: if anyone else got a copy of Three Colors Blue with the disc art for Secret Sunshine, I emailed support and they're sending me a replacement disc this week.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by joie

After changing one player's output from 1024p to "direct," the display indicates 1080i. I should have written something like, "the site's review may be incorrect," if I did not.

Added: The other player (the one with the ghosting/judder) at 1:00:16 (for example) can be forced to output 1080i. If that is done, the display indicates 1080/60i. The ghosting/judder is still present. It is only present with that player ... the other one looks alright whether the output is "direct" or "1024p." The "ghosting/judder" has some short, horizontal black lines about the face of the actor at some of the frames in 1:00:16.

I put both players back to 1024p output.

Another thing to point out is the Bluray format outputs 24 fps. Most HDTV's will use a method called 3:2 pulldown to insert duplicate frames to reach 30fps. This is required since most TV's refresh at approx multiples of 60hz. Although many newer HDTV's allow you to change the refresh to multiples of 24hz for a smoother viewing experience.

While CRT's can display native interlace formats. Most all modern displays are progressive-scan. Interlaced content is deinterlaced by components typically in the TV and the image is displayed progressively. Its this process that can cause artifacts and other noise depending on the quality of the video components in your TV/player.

[Banned User]

Originally Posted by joie

Am convinced that it's the player, because it looks alright with one and not the other (with the TV indicating both are sending 1080i). I'll try changing to "source direct" and check whether an NTSC DVD gets upscaled like it does when the players' output 1024p ... if so, I'll leave them set that way. My TV isn't doing 3:2 pulldown with 24 fps content -- I think -- it's 120 hz and all the filtering, cinemotion, motionflow, etc. are off. With a 24 fps blu-ray, the TV indicates it's receiving 1080/24p.

If your TV is 120hz it is doing 3:2 pulldown. Unless you have a feature to do multiples of 24hz. I think on my TV its called 24p mode. 3:2 pulldown is standard on most HDTV's. The feature name depends on what type of TV you have. I think on Sony TV's its called 24p True Cinema.

[ccfixx]

Posted from criterionforum.org...

For those interested in Criterion's DVD-only set, Pearls of the Czech New Wave...

Since my company, The Film Office, was instrumental in selling the top 16 Czech New Wave films to Criterion (a three year long process) I know that there will be many more treasures still coming in the future months. The plan is for a release of three box sets total.

For those of you complaining of overlap with other companies, just one note: CRITERION COLLECTION/JANUS is the only US company legally assigned distribution rights to all these films. Yes, that is exactly where the other companies stand. Sad and shocking.

I have known or know most of the filmmakers involved in these films personally, some were my teachers at the Prague Film Academy, I worked with others as an assistant director. Please do not miss these films, they are among the treasures of the World Cinema, and the only reason they are not know in the US is that most of them were shut for 20+ years in communist safes.

This is FANTASTIC news! A total of three sets will be released at some point! Also, be sure to note that the user indicates that it was "a three year long process" getting these films in the hands of Criterion.

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by blkhrt

there have been strong indications that there is a blu version of Hoop Dreams coming this year. I can't remember just now where I read about it

You may be thinking of a different title, the source elements for Hoop Dreams wouldn't benefit from hidef.

[BohemianGraham]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

Posted from criterionforum.org...

For those interested in Criterion's DVD-only set, Pearls of the Czech New Wave...



This is FANTASTIC news! A total of three sets will be released at some point! Also, be sure to note that the user indicates that it was "a three year long process" getting these films in the hands of Criterion.

cue the "that's not good enough, they are lying, Criterion is only interesting in releasing shit like tiny Furniture, and aren't releasing this stuff as quick as possible, they probably had it for 3 years, and just sat on their hands as usual, and blah blah blah"

It's interesting to note as well that many of these films were verboten due to the Communists, so I would imagine there's still quite a bit of legal red tape surrounding them.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

Posted from criterionforum.org...

For those interested in Criterion's DVD-only set, Pearls of the Czech New Wave...



This is FANTASTIC news! A total of three sets will be released at some point! Also, be sure to note that the user indicates that it was "a three year long process" getting these films in the hands of Criterion.

Bro,:

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

According to a post on CForum, Criterion MIGHT release 2 MORE Czech New Wave sets. I am super excited for this to happen and for Criterion to release these films. On the other hand, so many of these films outshine most of the mainline releases (not to mention, like Daisies, some of these have R1 releases already and other region releases with extras), so it sucks they won't be getting the treatment other films get.

Here is the rumored list:

Koreny ceske nove vlny / Roots of Czech New Wave, containing:
- O necem jinem / Something Different
- Transport z raje / Transport from Paradise
- Demanty noci / Diamonds of the Night
- Krik / The Cry
- Kazdy den odvahu / Courage for Every Day

Dozvuky ceske nove vlny / Echos of Czech New Wave
- Vsichni dobri rodaci / All My Good Countrymen
- Spalovac mrtvol / The Cremator
- Ucho / The Ear
- Valerie a tyden divu / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

add to these a mainline release of Marketa Lazarová and you have your 16. I am actually wanting more (Fruit of Paradise, Happy End, and Hotel for Strangers being 3).

[TJS_Blu]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

This is FANTASTIC news! A total of three sets will be released at some point! Also, be sure to note that the user indicates that it was "a three year long process" getting these films in the hands of Criterion.

Yes, indeed. Hope there are some that get blu-ray treatment as well.

edit I was going to mention Spiderbaby's previous post, but looks like someone took care of that.

[ccfixx]

Originally Posted by SpiderBaby

Bro,:

How did I miss your post? When did you post that?

Well, at least, my post is relevant to today and from the source responsible for these films making it to Criterion.

[SpiderBaby]

Originally Posted by ccfixx

How did I miss your post? When did you post that?

Well, at least, my post is relevant to today and from the source responsible for these films making it to Criterion.

yeah, it was about a month ago when someone posted something on Cforum about it. Add a Marketa Lazarová blu-ray to that list and you have the 16. There are other Czech New Wave films that I have seen that I would love, so there are tons more that needs releases.

I'm laughing at Valerie and Her Week of Wonders not being a blu-ray, but hey if Daisies and Putney Swope can't get blu-rays.....