Tarsem's THE FALL

[KrugerIndustrial]

I'm dealing with mixed feelings here after just watching this film. It is breathtakingly beautiful, brilliantly filmed and includes above average acting performances. Overall visually speaking it is quite perfect.

Still there were times when I absolutely hated this film but then again times when I loved the cinematography and enjoyed the acting. I can't describe very well how I feel, there was just something that kept putting me off every now and then. I loved the visual appeal but the story was too childish and was just missing something. Maybe I should give it another try someday but right now, a bit disappointed.

[Rincewind78]

been looking forward to watching this for ages, liked The Cell and the reviews have been positive, so I did a blind buy on this.

well, it is visually stunning all the way through, but not as charming as I expected. and did feel it was missing something.

thought the Baraka "monkey chant" tribute was a badly copied poor man's version. and not as stunning as the original doco footage.

[shadowsip]

The visuals are Breathtaking no doubt A Blind buy that We love...

-Brian

[kashif]

I am very very confused that the UK release by Momentum Pictures is a 25GB BD while the US version by Sony is a 50GB BD so is the UK BD is as good as the US version? Its dirt cheap at the moment so I want to avail this opportunity but I just need to know the justification between the two versions, how can a 25GB BD would be as good as a 50GB disc? Is there anyone here have seen both versions? or any site from where I can see the difference between both versions, if any? I am going to get it if the UK BD PQ is identical to US BD!!!!

Please reply,
Thanks.

[kashif]

The problem is that I dont know much about codecs!!! The UK Disc has the VC-1 Video codec

The UK Disc:
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

and according to this site. THE US disc has MPEG-4 AVC Video codec.

The US Disc:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

So which one is superior ?

[Ray_Rogers]

I rented this title on Blu-ray last year and only liked the visuals on it. Was more of a Vacation Guide program compared to anything else. Not interested in owning this but I did like the effort from the director though.

[Shades_of_Gray]

Rented this the other day and I loved this film. This is one I will have to pick up later. The visuals were amazing and I found myself really into the story. A little silly at times, but that was part of its charm.

[FRAK]

Originally Posted by Shades_of_Gray

Rented this the other day and I loved this film. This is one I will have to pick up later. The visuals were amazing and I found myself really into the story. A little silly at times, but that was part of its charm.

Glad you liked it. This is one of our favorite films. We saw it in the theater, and it was one of the first Blu-rays my wife and I ever purchased when we switched to Blu.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by FRAK

Glad you liked it. This is one of our favorite films. We saw it in the theater, and it was one of the first Blu-rays my wife and I ever purchased when we switched to Blu.

Unfortunately, I missed this in theatres FRAK, but it was among my first half-dozen blind buys on Blu-ray. Since then, I've seen it 8 more times, and with Tarsem's Immortals due to open, it's been on my mind recently, so I watched it again this weekend.

Like the hallmark of any great film, The Fall is a near-perfect dreamstate, which I never tire of, and simply cannot watch in pieces. If I've seen 5 minutes of it, I've watched the whole darn thing. For two spellbinding hours, my pause button is a completely useless feature, and might as well not exist. The only other films that play that continuously and seamlessly for me are Citizen Kane, Wizard of Oz, 2001: a space odyssey, and strangely, Cronenberg's Dead Ringers. These works are so 'of a whole' that they exist for me only in their totality.

So much has been made of Tarsem's "visual indulgence" in The Fall, but I still don't get that criticism. All I saw was immense passion for the medium with an unapologetic quest for excellence on every level. This was an exceptionally "cinematic" undertaking, with so many of its ideas and emotions conveyed via some of the most richly imagined and elegantly designed mise-en-scene ever created. IMO, that attention to design detail was neither indulgent nor accidental...it's the very DNA of this reality vs. fantasy tale and no small part of its mystic spell. Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but when a talented filmmaker believes in his project enough to fund it entirely out of pocket...well...indulge away if that's what you want to call it. I prefer the word "vision."

So few film fans have yet to see this remarkable work that I'm reluctant to give away specific scenes via further discussion, but just consider the quality of the storytelling in the opening credits alone. Apart from its jaw-dropping cinematography and cutting, what a brilliantly simple way to establish the silent era story context and setting.

As for AQ and PQ, this Blu-ray is top tier and remains one of the finest I've ever seen.

[amoergosum]

I just ordered the German 3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition.

>>>



...can't wait to watch it.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by amoergosum

I just ordered the German 3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition.
...can't wait to watch it.

Do us a review when you have. What are the contents of the set? My single US BD50 has the film, director's commentary, a decent making of and lots of stills from the film.

[ROclockCK]

Originally Posted by amoergosum

I just ordered the German 3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition.

[Show spoiler]

...can't wait to watch it.

Ohhhhh...that is mighty tempting.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by amoergosum

I just ordered the German 3-Disc Limited Collector's Edition.

>>>



...can't wait to watch it.

Is the German blu-ray supposed to have better video/audio quality than the USA version or the same?

[amoergosum]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Is the German blu-ray supposed to have better video/audio quality than the USA version or the same?

I'm actually trying to find that out, too.
Since the German version is a 25GB Blu-ray I guess the pq of the
US Blu-ray (50GB) might look a little better?
Amazon.de currently offers the German special edition for only EUR 12,97 so
I had to order it.

EDIT:
Ok...after thinking about it I cancelled my order. It's highly unlikely that a 25GB Blu-ray can match the pq of a 50GB Blu-ray.

[ScarredLungs]

I see this movie got great reviews on this site, but I've not heard of it. For those who have seen how much do you recommend this as a blind buy?

[Squall835]

I thought it was a great movie, very visually stunning. This movie may not be for everyone though, so try and check out a few trailers to see if it's your thing.

[abbazappaplant]

I loved it. It's Tarsem's only movie where he is actually able to coherently tell the story all the way through. Visually, it is an amazing piece of eye candy. If you can pick it up cheap, i'd say blind buy it. If not, find a way to rent it before you buy. For the record, I have watched this disc probably 5 times since purchasing, so it has good replay value. (if you like it that is)

[ScarredLungs]

It is on sale for £4.86. It is region B (not sure if it is region B locked or not), but I am looking at getting a region free player.

[FRAK]

My wife and I consider this to be one of our all-time faves. Visually stunning, comical, heartbreaking, etc. etc. But it's not for everyone. We've suggested it to people and the response has been "love it" or "hate it."

[Bassaholic]

A/V is outstanding,..but I thought it was a huge downer movie. Not what I was expecting.