A Trip to the Moon / The Extraordinary Voyage - Review

[bboisvert]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

It is only going to be available with them?

All of their other titles are available at other retailers (Amazon, etc.) The steelbook may be unique to the FA site, I'm not sure.

We've got time before it comes out, so I'm just going to wait and see. I suspect we'll have an Amazon preorder link in a few days.

[nateynate87]

Are we sure this is a blu ray though?

Flicker alley has only released 1 blu ray to date.

Edit: oops nevermind. I see in the email they sent it says combo

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by bboisvert

All of their other titles are available at other retailers (Amazon, etc.) The steelbook may be unique to the FA site, I'm not sure.

We've got time before it comes out, so I'm just going to wait and see. I suspect we'll have an Amazon preorder link in a few days.

Thanks! I am just not that interested in a steelbook, just the movies so I am hoping to have them from Amazon but I was scared this is like Twillight releases where it's limited and you can only get them from the website.

[Adrock]

I'm very excited for this release. My favorite musical duo, Air, is reported to have created a soundtrack for the film.

‘Le Voyage Dans La Lune’ (A Trip To The Moon) is a classic black & white silent film by revered French director Georges Méliès.
Released in 1902, this legendary 16-minute film is widely considered one of the most important works in film history, and the very first to use science fiction as its theme, incorporating special effects that were very state-of-the-art at the turn of the 19th century. It was loosely based on two popular novels of the time: Jules Verne's ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ and H. G. Wells ‘The First Men In The Moon’.
A hand-coloured print, the only one known to survive, was rediscovered in 1993 by the Filmoteca de Catalunya. It was in a state of almost total decomposition, and many years of painstaking, manual restoration took place until 2010, when digital technology finally came to the rescue. Following another year at the Technicolor Lab of Los Angeles, it was finally ready to share with the world. Eager to put a contemporary spin on this classic silent film, the producers decided to approach AIR’s Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel, to compose an original modern soundtrack, an enormous honour for French musicians, considering the film’s place in the canon of French cinema.
Spurred on by their work on this short movie, AIR decided to develop the project into a full album inspired by the film. Expanding the original musical themes beyond cinematic instrumentals, the album also features the vocal talents and lyrics of Au Revoir Simone and Victoria Legrand (Beach House). The band’s lunar fascinations have been evident since the beginning of their career with the release of the seminal 1998 classic Moon Safari. Now in 2012 Nicolas and JB have returned to explore the further regions of their very unique musical “space.”

Source: Air's website Aircheology

[HyperRealist]

The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight - YouTube

[jceperley]

I wonder if they might tie this release in with Hugo? I was actually hoping this would come as a bonus on the Hugo release, but I'll be happy even if its a seperate day and date release.

[Arkadin]

this was announced for France recently also.
if it's Flicker Alley we know it will be very pricey. I might just get an import version. not sure about paying $35 for a 10 minute film no matter how classic it is. Maybe MoC will get this for the UK or Bfi.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

this was announced for France recently also.
if it's Flicker Alley we know it will be very pricey. I might just get an import version. not sure about paying $35 for a 10 minute film no matter how classic it is. Maybe MoC will get this for the UK or Bfi.

It's pre-orderable now from Flicker Alley for $29.96 shipped in the USA.

[dumb_dutchman]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

this was announced for France recently also.
if it's Flicker Alley we know it will be very pricey. I might just get an import version. not sure about paying $35 for a 10 minute film no matter how classic it is. Maybe MoC will get this for the UK or Bfi.

Ok, help me out. I recall reading about the French version, but cant seem to remember where (was it this site, Nitrateville, Criterion Forum)? I did a search here and couldn't find it. Wasn't the version from France also going to include additional shorts?

[Yami]

Yes but they probably could put a dozen or so shorts on, not just A Trip to the Moon (HD) and The Eclipse / The Astronomer's Dream (presumably SD).

[rezpekt]

Originally Posted by Yami

Yes but they probably could put a dozen or so shorts on, not just A Trip to the Moon (HD) and The Eclipse / The Astronomer's Dream (presumably SD).

Why should they? This is A Trip to the Moon release, not Melies Collection vol. something.

[Yami]

Originally Posted by rezpekt

Why should they? This is A Trip to the Moon release, not Melies Collection vol. something.

Because (as demonstrated in this thread), some consumers won't pay $30 for three shorts and a documentary. Of course, they have the choice whether to buy it or not but looking on, it doesn't seem good value for money. The French release looks much more appealing.

[bboisvert]

Originally Posted by rezpekt

Why should they? This is A Trip to the Moon release, not Melies Collection vol. something.

Because the price seems very high for what you get. You're right, we don't have to buy it. Many might not.

Doesn't seem like that's the best result, for consumers or Flicker Alley.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight - YouTube

It was this video that got me interested in Mi'li'es work. When I had first seen the video I knew i'd seen that moon face somewhere before.

I'd never been able to find the original film before now, so, hopefully, once the price goes down a little, i'll order it then...
Thank you for the video by the way.

[retablo]

The movie is cool and all, I just want to see what price point they set a 14 minute film. Yeah, I know it also has a documentary, but that's kind of like release one Chaplin short on a blu-ray.

Still, happy to see it restored and presumably looking better than the film prints I've seen of this.

[bboisvert]

Originally Posted by retablo

I just want to see what price point they set a 14 minute film.

It's $30.


Yeah, I'm a little surprised they didn't include other Melies stuff on here, beyond the documentary. They've got a great DVD set of his shorts and they could have upped the content considerably... I'm taking a wait-and-see approach between this one and the French set.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by bboisvert

It's $30.


Yeah, I'm a little surprised they didn't include other Melies stuff on here, beyond the documentary. They've got a great DVD set of his shorts and they could have upped the content considerably... I'm taking a wait-and-see approach between this one and the French set.

Yeah I see that now... noticed it wasn't on Amazon or any other site.

$30 is way too much for a 14 minute film that I'll watch once, IMO. I realize someone has to make their money back off the restoration, etc... but that's like paying $2 a minute. Can't I call certain women for that price? LOL

[Yami]

I find it very surprising that they're not going to include some of Melies' other work in SD. I'll enquire on twitter

[prkprkprk]

Mine, mine, mine!!!

[BouCoupDinkyDau]

Never seen more than just clips of this movie, but that cover is SICK-AWESOME.