A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

[Questjonmark]

This could climb to the top of your P&P faves list!

[Questjonmark]

I remember when a region 1 dvd was non-existent and a vhs was near impossible to find or afford. Then when a disc finally arrived, it was less than stellar, and improved only slightly in the double-bill with Powell's "Age of Reason." Can't hardly imagine how heavenly this restored release will be...especially since I've read elsewhere--but now I can't find it to quote it--that there are even more special features than listed on Criterion's page for AMOLAD.
Day-One of Pre-Orderdom for this br-at.

[bigshot]

The French blu-ray was cheap and looked very good, but I'm sure Criterion will fix the color layer shrinkage issues in a few scenes.

[Jexes23]

Originally Posted by bigshot

The French blu-ray was cheap and looked very good, but I'm sure Criterion will fix the color layer shrinkage issues in a few scenes.

They seem to be fixing everything to extremely impressive levels lately. On a Facebook dicussion I was decried by quite a few members when I implied that there has been a change in quality from their early Blu Rays to the current ones, when it comes to much older films (what I tend to buy from them).

I had a lot of people tell me everything had to do with “source material”. But I find it hard to believe that all my Blu Ray Criterions from the earliest era of their Blu Ray catalogue don’t tend to look as perfect as the ones that have been coming out the last few years. They got new machines, they’ve got new computer programs, and almost all the remasters are in 4k. That’s not to say their previous restorations are bad, they’ve always been head and shoulders above the competition in the respective timeframes that they are competing in. But these newer cataloque releases of older films look on average better than the early catalogue releases of older film. And it seems that they can fix almost everything now, whereas before it looks like they fixed most things.

[bigshot]

It depends on what they have to work with. A print is different than three separate negatives.

[sarpedon2]

Originally Posted by lilboyblu

https://twitter.com/Criterion/status/985967762668335104

The difference is certainly illuminating.

[dpw81]

Anyone know if is likely to get a region B release, or does somebody else have the rights here (ITV?). I have the French release already so looking like a possible triple dip!

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by sarpedon2

The difference is certainly illuminating.

Nice! Much less washed out. Is your cap from the Sony DVD, or the Elephant Blu-ray?

[peschi]

Originally Posted by dpw81

Anyone know if is likely to get a region B release, or does somebody else have the rights here (ITV?). I have the French release already so looking like a possible triple dip!

Last christmas the BFI released the movie in the theaters, with a new 4k restoration (Im sort of guessing thats the print Criterion is now using), Im expecting them to release to bluray also this year.

They did the same in 2015 with Tales of Hoffmann, wich was released on Studiocanal bluray (and is great, 4k master, including the long lost end credits).

For me I still hope I can finally retire this boxset someday when they are all released on BR.

[Dubstar]

^ and we (the US) still don't have a bluray of the restored 'Tales of Hoffman' - damn it

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

^ and we (the US) still don't have a bluray of the restored 'Tales of Hoffman' - damn it

And probably never will. Get a region free player.

[peschi]

also Gone to Earth, recently saw it on dvd, why this isnt released yet in HD.

[dpw81]

Originally Posted by peschi

Last christmas the BFI released the movie in the theaters, with a new 4k restoration (Im sort of guessing thats the print Criterion is now using), Im expecting them to release to bluray also this year.

They did the same in 2015 with Tales of Hoffmann, wich was released on Studiocanal bluray (and is great, 4k master, including the long lost end credits).

For me I still hope I can finally retire this boxset someday when they are all released on BR.

I thought this might be a possibility. I have Tales of Hoffman, and you're right - it's a fantastic presentation. Fingers crossed we get news of a region B release soon then.

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by peschi

also gone to earth, recently saw it on dvd, why this isnt released yet in hd.

[peschi]

woah cheers, pre-order time it is!

[Questjonmark]

We can't believe everything we read surely; but I certainly hope we can believe this list, from makeminecriterion:
*New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
*Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie
*Martin Scorsese on A Matter of Life and Death
*Thelma Schoonmaker Powell and Grover Crisp on AMOLAD and its restoration
*Interview with cinematographer Jack Cardiff
*A Matter of Fried Onions, Diane Broadbent Friedman on the medical foundation of
AMOLAD
*Behind the scenes footage, filmed during a visit to Denham Studios by Canadian
soldiers
*“The King and the Stars,” a Front Page newsreel by British Pathé on the 1946 Royal
Command Film Performance screening, along with unused and unissued footage of
the event and the press reception
New interview with author J. K. Rowling and actor Daniel Radcliffe in appreciation of
the film
*Two Lux Radio Theatre productions from 1947 (starring Ray Milland, Ann Blyth, and
Nigel Bruce) and 1955 (starring David Niven and Barbara Rush)
*The Hedda Hooper Show – This is Hollywood‘s 30-minute radio adaptation, starring
David Niven, Kim Hunter, and Vincent Price
*Screen Director’s Playhouse radio production from 1951, starring Robert Cummings
and Julia Adams
*Kinescope of the “Stairway to Heaven” TV adaptation for Robert Montgomery Presents, starring Richard Green, Jean Gillespie, and Bramwell Fletcher
*Parody sketch from Big Train, featuring Simon Pegg, Kevin Eldon, Mark Heap, and Amelia Bullmore
*Gallery of sketches and stills of Alfred Junge’s production designs
*Sequence shot for Powell and Pressburger’s unmade The White Cockade, starring David Niven and Pamela Brown
*PLUS: A booklet featuring behind the scenes photos, the script, and new essays by film critics Dave Kehr, Robert Horton, and Mark Kermode

https://makeminecriterion.wordpress....ssburger-1946/

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

And probably never will. Get a region free player.

The 4K DCP toured 2-3 years ago and looked great. It was said to be coming soon but something must have delayed it.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

The 4K DCP toured 2-3 years ago and looked great. It was said to be coming soon but something must have delayed it.

Studiocanal has the rights, like so many other Criterion films that went out of print. So unless something changes between Criterion and SC, or SC/Lionsgate decide to wake up and start releasing in the US again, I don't see it coming here.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Jexes23

They seem to be fixing everything to extremely impressive levels lately. On a Facebook dicussion I was decried by quite a few members when I implied that there has been a change in quality from their early Blu Rays to the current ones, when it comes to much older films (what I tend to buy from them).

Well I dunno, but I thought Sony did the restoration & Criterion is just releasing it, as well as adding a ton of extras.

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by Timewaster

If we could just get IKWIG on bluray now ...

I was just about to say the same thing. I Know Where I'm Going! is pretty great and I'd love to see an upgrade.