The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Is The Last Metro good?

[retablo]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

They "could"? Probably won't but they could buy the rights back and while they are at it get the rights to Peeping Tom back as well and get that on BR for us.

But they managed to grab Badlands from Warner so I am happy!

They can't just "buy" the rights back when another company owns them now.

[silentblu]

Originally Posted by iScottie

I just bought "The Third Man".

It was sort of a deal. It was the OOP DigiPack version and it was listed at $210 and I got it for $170 with Free Shipping.

The Studio Canal version is just as good maybe better. Plus it is less than $30.

[kinggoji]

Hopefully I finally get Godzilla and A Night to Remember this year. The later, I was so disappointed that I did not get it during the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic. They were selling it at Barnes & Nobles and at a reasonable price too!

[joie]

Originally Posted by captveg

That's what "First Pressing", "Second Pressing", etc. on the back of the packaging is for.

But the upcoming DVD (Jan '13) is not a 2nd pressing is it? Wouldn't a 2nd pressing occur when they run out of stock of a 1st pressing and order another batch of discs? Well, maybe not, because somewhere here it was mentioned that corrected audio on a disc was marked 2nd pressing. But I am not so sure that a pressing of a different cut with a new transfer is just a 2nd pressing.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

They "could"? Probably won't but they could buy the rights back and while they are at it get the rights to Peeping Tom back as well and get that on BR for us.

Peeping Tom is out of print??!! I had no idea!

Originally Posted by iScottie

Is The Last Metro good?

Yeah! I haven't seen it on a long time and barely remember it, but I do remember liking it a lot.

[oildude]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Is The Last Metro good?

The Last Metro is one of the very few Criterions I blind bought and found to be a bit disappointing. I bought it mainly because it is directed by Truffaut, and overall I liked it, but it has some problems that bother me enough to rank it lower than I would many other films in the collection.

For more than 3/4 of the film, I loved it - great acting, beautiful cinematography, an interesting story about a theater company operating under the confines of the German occupation of Paris, whose Jewish director hides in the basement. He continues to exert influence from his hiding place through his non-Jewish wife, who is the new director. Criterion's transfer is top notch, with glowing, warm colors and fine detail.

But then toward the end of the film an event occurs that seemingly comes out of nowhere and left me thinking WTF? I think the problem is that The Last Metro suffers from some sloppy writing so that this event is not developed as well as it should leading up to the reveal. It almost seems as if the film, as long as it is, has some things cut out of it that would have made for a better narrative flow. One of the reasons for its length is the time given to several different characters, but this is done at the expense of a main plot thread that is not given the attention it deserves.

Despite the problems, I still think it is overall a good film. I just think it could have been so much better.

[EddieLarkin]

Originally Posted by silentblu

The Studio Canal version is just as good maybe better. Plus it is less than $30.

Obviously it's a matter of opinion, but people who want a more faithful and filmic presentation, need to go with the Criterion:

http://i.imgur.com/rjDUr.jpg

I'm sure it's obvious which is which. $150 worth of difference? Probably not, but some of us just need to have the best version.

I'm just glad I got mine for less than $70 a couple of years ago.

[joie]

Originally Posted by EddieLarkin

Obviously it's a matter of opinion, but people who want a more faithful and filmic presentation, need to go with the Criterion:

http://i.imgur.com/rjDUr.jpg

I'm sure it's obvious which is which. $150 worth of difference? Probably not, but some of us just need to have the best version.

I'm just glad I got mine for less than $70 a couple of years ago.

I don't know, I've never seen the Criterion. My UK Studio Canal release was pleasing to watch and has some nice extras.
Whether one is better (visually) than the other can depend on how large your screen is and where you sit (how far away).
The most important scenes, visually, for me, were toward the end, in the streets and waterworks at night.
In the screenshots, it does appear that the Criterion is grainier (noisier? ) -- were the same frames grabbed from both releases? -- but my eyes are only about 18-24 inched away from my monitor (20 inch, 1600 pixels horizontally, with pixels significantly smaller than the TV's). I do look at the 1080 screen shots and have to scroll them. I don't watch movies on the computer's monitor, even though smaller pixels are better for seeing fine details.

All that matters is whether people are happy with whatever release they have. If you sit far enough away, DVDs (upscaled) can look very good, too, assuming the transfer is good (for a DVD).

[EddieLarkin]

Some more comparisons here:

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergl...ID=642#auswahl

The SC release is "zoomboxed" and loses information on all 4 sides compared to the Criterion.

[DarkRyder]

I'm thinking of buying Contempt on blu-ray from Studio Canal, I was just wondering if anyone else from here has seen it and thinks it's best to watch the upgrade or just stay with the DVD for now.

[rock, stone]

Originally Posted by silentblu

The Studio Canal version is just as good maybe better. Plus it is less than $30.

SC's release is a good release, but the CC is still clearly better in every category except audio (which I would call a draw).

However, the under 30 bucks makes a strong argument for itself.

[DarkRyder]

True, but I know my university library has the CC DVD, and I have seen it twice before, but I really wanted to get it to watch it again. I was curious if I should actually just get the upgrade or stick with checking out the DVD.

[dan21]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Both are pretty awesome IMO. In fact it's an interesting combo since both films rely more on visuals rather than dialog and plot events to sell the story.

It's what I was after really, after watching Days Of Heaven it is a type of film I am attempting to watch more of.

[Brad1107]

Originally Posted by DarkRyder

True, but I know my university library has the CC DVD, and I have seen it twice before, but I really wanted to get it to watch it again. I was curious if I should actually just get the upgrade or stick with checking out the DVD.

I think Rock,Stone was still talking about the The Third Man releases.

[drbikeshorts]

Originally Posted by DarkRyder

I'm thinking of buying Contempt on blu-ray from Studio Canal, I was just wondering if anyone else from here has seen it and thinks it's best to watch the upgrade or just stay with the DVD for now.

I've been very happy with my Studio Canal version.
I've never seen the Criterion DVD, so I'm not sure how much they differ.

[SolidRaider]

I just called my local Barnes and Noble and they told me there won't be a 50% on the CC. Is it only online or am I missing something?

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by SolidRaider

I just called my local Barnes and Noble and they told me there won't be a 50% on the CC. Is it only online or am I missing something?

Are you sure that location still has a media department?

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by SolidRaider

I just called my local Barnes and Noble and they told me there won't be a 50% on the CC. Is it only online or am I missing something?

Most stores have mentioned it when asked.

I think your store just doesn't know yet?

[SolidRaider]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Most stores have mentioned it when asked.

I think your store just doesn't know yet?

I hope so. The dude said on the phone there won't be one but he also said come in on Tuesday to make sure.

If my store doesn't have it, which would be odd since they do have a huge DVD section, I could still get 50% off online, right? I'm also a BN member, by the way.