Cecil B DeMille's Cleopatra 1934

[bigshot]

Tonight I screened the Masters of Cinema blu-ray of Cleopatra with Claudette Colbert. WONDERFUL! The sets and camerawork were astonishing. Particularly a shot on Cleopatra's barge where the camera pulls back from the two lovers past dancing girls and galley slaves at oars to a drummer beating out time for the oar strokes. It was a shot that was just as amazing as anything Hitchcock ever pulled off. The costumes and sets were spectacular, with a bit of an art deco touch. The restoration done by UCLA was absolutely perfect with lots of detail and good sound. I haven't looked at the supplements, but they look interesting, particularly one on the Hayes Office. This film came in right under the wire for censorship and boy howdy! there's an awful lot of attractive undraped flesh to look at here. Another EU only gem of a blu-ray.

[CouncilSpectre]

Couldn't agree more. I picked up the steelbook last year and was massively impressed by how well presented this movie was, especially considering the age of the movie itself.

[ArnoldLayne56]

Originally Posted by bigshot

Tonight I screened the Masters of Cinema blu-ray of Cleopatra with Claudette Colbert. WONDERFUL! The sets and camerawork were astonishing. Particularly a shot on Cleopatra's barge where the camera pulls back from the two lovers past dancing girls and galley slaves at oars to a drummer beating out time for the oar strokes. It was a shot that was just as amazing as anything Hitchcock ever pulled off. The costumes and sets were spectacular, with a bit of an art deco touch. The restoration done by UCLA was absolutely perfect with lots of detail and good sound. I haven't looked at the supplements, but they look interesting, particularly one on the Hayes Office. This film came in right under the wire for censorship and boy howdy! there's an awful lot of attractive undraped flesh to look at here. Another EU only gem of a blu-ray.

Thanks for your comments Bigshot. I'm buying a used copy on amazon.uk right now....just checking around first.

[Ste7en]

It is a gorgeous steelbook. I picked it up with The Passion of Joan of Arc LE... both were 6.99!

[DefLeppard]

For anyone who missed this great edition, US is getting this film on BR through Universal.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=22843

Transfer will be same as Eureka has it licensed from Universal when it was released.

Originally Posted by Ste7en

It is a gorgeous steelbook. I picked it up with The Passion of Joan of Arc LE... both were 6.99!

Just checked my order now and it was £5.99!

[ravenus]

^The Universal announcement says "Brand new restoration". Anyhow, the Eureka transfer looks great to be sure, and it's a very snappy entertaining film, unlike the pompous balloons of production design and hot air De Mille was known for later.

[CrockettandTubbs]

[Show spoiler]

It is a very nice steelbook

[Si Parallel Universe]

I'm ready for my close up now ....


Yep I paid £5.99 in Fopp for the Steelie alongside The Passion of Joan Of Arc for the same price too. Initially thought the latter was a pricing error because of scalping prices on bay of e .

[DefLeppard]

Originally Posted by ravenus

^The Universal announcement says "Brand new restoration". Anyhow, the Eureka transfer looks great to be sure, and it's a very snappy entertaining film, unlike the pompous balloons of production design and hot air De Mille was known for later.

Overlooked that information, thank you. Yeah , Eureka has put up a great release so I wonder how the new restoration looks. Might get when this hits below $12.99 based on the review .

Originally Posted by Si Parallel Universe

I'm ready for my close up now ....


Yep I paid £5.99 in Fopp for the Steelie alongside The Passion of Joan Of Arc for the same price too. Initially thought the latter was a pricing error because of scalping prices on bay of e .

Really miss those flash deals . Even though Eureka's Amz store doesn't offer international shipping anymore,I am not missing the current deals as sales catalog is not that big as it once used to be . In another update, Amz took my payment for the Caligari steelbook [glad that Amz has reserved this for me even though it went OOP many months ago] bundled with one of the pre-order items; I was about to cancel as the price is some £20+ but noticed it has an extra BD for special futures.

[Si Parallel Universe]

Originally Posted by DefLeppard

Really miss those flash deals . Even though Eureka's Amz store doesn't offer international shipping anymore,I am not missing the current deals as sales catalog is not that big as it once used to be . In another update, Amz took my payment for the Caligari steelbook [glad that Amz has reserved this for me even though it went OOP many months ago] bundled with one of the pre-order items; I was about to cancel as the price is some £20+ but noticed it has an extra BD for special futures.

The sole reason I bought the Caligari Steel was because of the extra content and I even managed to get £20 for my old Blu thanks to HMV not reducing their price on the amaray and having still not opened it

[thinredline]

Originally Posted by ravenus

^The Universal announcement says "Brand new restoration".

Most of the times they mean "brand new" to the specific territory, and they use years old restorations.
Don't know if that's the case here too though.

[sjt]

The new Universal release is now available from Wow for £11.91 all-in, and exactly replicates the older Eureka edition in terms of extras, though without the 40-page booklet. The picture should look better, of course: but this is Universal, after all...