'Brazil' in July (Universal)

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by Stinky-Dinkins

Is it even known if Criterion still has the rights to the film?

Yes, they do. Their DVD is still in print indicating they still have their original rights, and they've answered emails and said they have a Brazil BD in the works indicating they've also secured rights for an eventual BD (most likely a year or so after the Universal BD release, similar to what they did for Fear And Loathing).

Originally Posted by Oblivion138

I believe that was the European Cut, not the Director's Cut.

Both run 142 minutes, but are slightly different.

Reviews I've read indicate it is the same cut as the Criterion DVD, i.e. the director's cut. It is possible the reviewers missed the finer points of the discrepancies between the European cut and the Director's cut, but I have no evidence to support that and as such default to the opinion that the reviews are correct.

Regardless, Criterion can't release ANY cut of the film without base rights to the film from Universal, so the point is moot.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by Majestyk

Is anyone actually going to buy the 132 min version?

Me. I quite like the theatrical version of Brazil.

[bigshot]

I saw Brazil in the theater when it came out. I thought they could have cut it by another ten minutes at the time. The 142 minute Criterion version totally exhausts me. I can't get through it without taking a break.

Criterion normally releases films with their original sound mix, but I noticed that on this movie, the mix was totally redone. I doubt if any release of the film has the original track.

[DeeEmEcks]

I have the criterion dvd, so I shall just wait for their blu ray version, but i want it nowwwww!!!!!!

[Chuck HD]

Another European with a Region B-only player here, so gonna have to wait til October... my only real concern is the DNR, just hope it's not too obtrusive. The review states that facial detail is good, but how does the grain structure hold up?

Not too worried about the lack of extras... just hoping for Gilliam's original cut!

[moviemaker]

Hilarious discussions going on here.

I'm so happy to FINALLY have the 132-minute version that appeared in theaters in the U.S. in 1985. And this Blu-ray is REGION FREE!

I actually find this 132-minute version is in many ways a superior cut of the film.

*In the 132-minute version you cut from Sam in bed with Jill, police sack goes
over head, then CUT TO Pull off police sack to reveal Sam in Torture
Chamber/Interrogation chair. This one cut is simply brilliant and very powerful.
In the Criterion Version you have the added scene of Mr. Helpman as Father
Christmas (completely out of charcater from the rest of the film) and the whole
interrogation scene of Sam hanging from the rack inside the police/mail pouch
which becomes narratively redundant and dilutes the impact of the final scene.

*To end it with cooling tower/interrogation room fade to clouds was a great Gilliam
wink of subversion and irreverence to the cliche Hollywood Ending. As opposed to
the European cut of just credits over cooling tower/interrogation room.

*The Samurai Scene is divided into 3 separate scenes in the 132-minute version
versus 1 LONG scene in the European cut. And you know what? Like most things,
it works better in 3's.

*The 132-minute version cuts straight to the Dinner Scene with Ida (his mother)
ordering numero deux, trois, etc. while the European version has the entrance to
the restaurant of going through the metal detector which really doesn't add
anything and is again a bit redundant when the bomb does eventually go off in
the restaurant. With the scene, you're signaling to the audience we are looking for a bomb, so we expect a bomb. Without the added scene, the bombing is unexpected and it actually shocks you so you're both horrified and laughing. The unexpectedness also works as it builds upon the bomb motif from the first explosion at the beginning of Brazil during the Ducts advert.

*And finally I just love that the 132-minute version opens on those clouds (outtakes
from The Never-Ending Story) then goes to the Central Services advert about
Ducts: "Are your ducts old-fashioned, out-of-date... " Now the Criterion version
also has the clouds opening (The Original European Cut didn't) but it's funny
because the Studio asked Gilliam to start off with the clouds for the US Cut and he
actually prefers it as quoted in his Director's commentary. Hilarious.

Little changes that add up to a tighter and overall, better film.


Or perhaps it's simply nostalgia. I saw the 132-minute version when I was about 9 or 10 and didn't completely understand it (and probably too young to be watching it in the first place), but visually I was floored and it is the movie that made me want to do what I do for living.


Finally, I find the 142 minute Director's Cut on Criterion "over-cooked" if you will. Terry Gilliam shouldn't fiddle with perfection. He also tends to hit you over the head in an attempt to get his point or theme across and he's unfortunately getting worse with age/films. Still, the completist in me will of course buy the Criterion Blu when it comes out.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by moviemaker

Hilarious discussions going on here.

[Show spoiler]
I'm so happy to FINALLY have the 132-minute version that appeared in theaters in the U.S. in 1985. And this Blu-ray is REGION FREE!

I actually find this 132-minute version is in many ways a superior cut of the film.

*In the 132-minute version you cut from Sam in bed with Jill, police sack goes
over head, then CUT TO Pull off police sack to reveal Sam in Torture
Chamber/Interrogation chair. This one cut is simply brilliant and very powerful.
In the Criterion Version you have the added scene of Mr. Helpman as Father
Christmas (completely out of charcater from the rest of the film) and the whole
interrogation scene of Sam hanging from the rack inside the police/mail pouch
which becomes narratively redundant and dilutes the impact of the final scene.

*To end it with cooling tower/interrogation room fade to clouds was a great Gilliam
wink of subversion and irreverence to the cliche Hollywood Ending. As opposed to
the European cut of just credits over cooling tower/interrogation room.

*The Samurai Scene is divided into 3 separate scenes in the 132-minute version
versus 1 LONG scene in the European cut. And you know what? Like most things,
it works better in 3's.

*The 132-minute version cuts straight to the Dinner Scene with Ida (his mother)
ordering numero deux, trois, etc. while the European version has the entrance to
the restaurant of going through the metal detector which really doesn't add
anything and is again a bit redundant when the bomb does eventually go off in
the restaurant. With the scene, you're signaling to the audience we are looking for a bomb, so we expect a bomb. Without the added scene, the bombing is unexpected and it actually shocks you so you're both horrified and laughing. The unexpectedness also works as it builds upon the bomb motif from the first explosion at the beginning of Brazil during the Ducts advert.

*And finally I just love that the 132-minute version opens on those clouds (outtakes
from The Never-Ending Story) then goes to the Central Services advert about
Ducts: "Are your ducts old-fashioned, out-of-date... " Now the Criterion version
also has the clouds opening (The Original European Cut didn't) but it's funny
because the Studio asked Gilliam to start off with the clouds for the US Cut and he
actually prefers it as quoted in his Director's commentary. Hilarious.

Little changes that add up to a tighter and overall, better film.


Or perhaps it's simply nostalgia. I saw the 132-minute version when I was about 9 or 10 and didn't completely understand it (and probably too young to be watching it in the first place), but visually I was floored and it is the movie that made me want to do what I do for living.


Finally, I find the 142 minute Director's Cut on Criterion "over-cooked" if you will. Terry Gilliam shouldn't fiddle with perfection. He also tends to hit you over the head in an attempt to get his point or theme across and he's unfortunately getting worse with age/films. Still, the completist in me will of course buy the Criterion Blu when it comes out.

I initially thought I'd just stick with the eventual Criterion release, but now I'm wondering if I should get this Universal one as well and have all the available cuts. I'm going to have to do some serious thinking about this one...

[karlosfunkster]

I'm a bit dissapointed with the transfer on the movie. In the final scene (The wide of interrogation/dream/end credits) theres a big blob in the middle left of screen, very distracting! :-( It deserves a meticulous restoration. Also to echo the sentiment above, this version of the film is my favourite.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by karlosfunkster

I'm a bit dissapointed with the transfer on the movie. In the final scene (The wide of interrogation/dream/end credits) theres a big blob in the middle left of screen, very distracting! :-( It deserves a meticulous restoration. Also to echo the sentiment above, this version of the film is my favourite.

You really wouldn't want a restoration job by Universal....

I plan on exactly what Al The Strange is contemplating.


I should have ordered this one when Amazon had the Buy 2 Get $8 Back sale. I want it to go on sale. $15 and Universal has a sale.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by Brian81

You really wouldn't want a restoration job by Universal....

An actual restoration, like they did on Psycho...yeah, who wouldn't want that? What we wouldn't want is a lame, half-hearted remaster, like say, The Thing.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by Oblivion138

An actual restoration, like they did on Psycho...yeah, who wouldn't want that? What we wouldn't want is a lame, half-hearted remaster, like say, The Thing.

I thought the thing looked spectacular.What was wrong with the transfer?

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by Oblivion138

An actual restoration, like they did on Psycho...yeah, who wouldn't want that? What we wouldn't want is a lame, half-hearted remaster, like say, The Thing.

PSYCHO looks kinda waxy, and there's edge enhancement. If I'm remembering correclty, it wasn't so much a new restoration as it was from the same source as the HDTV broadcast.

I don't own THE THING on BD but I do own the HD DVD and it looked better than PSYCHO.

[andyman1970]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

I thought the thing looked spectacular.What was wrong with the transfer?

I thought it looked great also. Can't imagine someone who thought it was half-assed.

[Stinky-Dinkins]

The Thing BD was overly DNR'd. The HDDVD wasn't though, which is annoying.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by Brian81

PSYCHO looks kinda waxy, and there's edge enhancement. If I'm remembering correclty, it wasn't so much a new restoration as it was from the same source as the HDTV broadcast.

I don't own THE THING on BD but I do own the HD DVD and it looked better than PSYCHO.

Somewhere between the HD-DVD and the BD, they DNR'ed the shit out of The Thing. Psycho has some of DNR and EE here and there, no denying it...but "waxy" is a misnomer. Not so for The Thing, which is pretty damn textureless.

Originally Posted by Mahatma

I thought the thing looked spectacular.What was wrong with the transfer?

See above.

[Brian81]

Just watched the disc, I can understand the complaints about dirt and hairs, they do pop up, especially in the credits. It looks like no restoration work was done, but it doesn't bother me. It really looks as if I was watching it at an indie theater who got the film for some screenings. Very filmlike.

[DNinja]

I just watched this film for the first time last night. I really liked it, but man I did not know what I was getting into! Definitely one of the strangest films I've seen.

[ambient_indie]

Agreed on Psycho. It looks too polished. Practically intended to be seen on a small 32' inch or less HDTV. The transfer screams digital video than a faithful film-like transfer. Universal's efforts are usually pretty tacky. They look either DNR'd or artificially sharpened. Sometimes both. Same goes when they clean up top catalog titles (Back to the Future, Jurassic Park etc). I haven't seen Brazil yet, however if they kept the transfer as is, I may bite. Blues Brothers has a strong video transfer for a Universal title.

[Takeshi666]

Originally Posted by retablo

Hopefully Universal doesn't pull a Spartacus

Or worse, Videodrome

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Takeshi666

Or worse, Videodrome

why? what was wrong with Videodrome?

In regards to 'Spartacus' from what I can tell, Universal didn't use the 4K transfer for the bluray release but was used for the DCI package cinema version that was shown at the last TCM film festival in L.A

One hopes Criterion can pony up the cash and time to transfer that version for their bluray release (with all it's bells and whistles)