Far From The Madding Crowd (John Schlesinger) - 1st June 2015

[grahams76]

Originally Posted by orac1971

Not if this version is what you have grown up with in the UK.

Await to see what the transfer is like - the US one didn't look great.

Cool. I'm not going to criticise anyone who's happy with this release, but for me knowing it's cut when there's an uncut version easily available, regardless of the quality dip, means it's redundant.

[orac1971]

Originally Posted by grahams76

Cool. I'm not going to criticise anyone who's happy with this release, but for me knowing it's cut when there's an uncut version easily available, regardless of the quality dip, means it's redundant.

See how the UK one reviews (I can wait, not paying full price) - the US one doesn't look great - even if its uncut..

http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleich...ess=#vergleich

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by grahams76

Cool. I'm not going to criticise anyone who's happy with this release, but for me knowing it's cut when there's an uncut version easily available, regardless of the quality dip, means it's redundant.

I can forego a cock-fighting scene (being something of an animal lover) in exchange for a simply beautiful transfer that is the best available.

It certainly isn't redundant.

[James78]

Originally Posted by Olmo

I can forego a cock-fighting scene (being something of an animal lover) in exchange for a simply beautiful transfer that is the best available.

Hi Olmo. I watched the whole film on Sunday night and just to warn you, the cock-fighting scene is present. However, the parts showing the cockerels actually hurting each other have been removed.

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by James78

Hi Olmo. I watched the whole film on Sunday night and just to warn you, the cock-fighting scene is present. However, the parts showing the cockerels actually hurting each other have been removed.

Thanks, I appreciate the sentiment. I've probably sat through worse (I say probably in that I haven't seen the uncut scene) in watching the pigs and caribou slaughter sequence in Hearts of Darkness and also a full pig slaughter in Bertolucci's 1900.

If I do have prior warning and it isn't integral to the film, I prefer not to watch actual animal cruelty though.

[Alex DeLarge]

I watched the US Warner Blu-ray and quite looking forwards to this release to import. In retrospect, I believe the cockerel fighting scene is important to the story as it could stand as metaphor for the men (or Stamp's character projecting his violence). But the analogy can be made without having to see the bloody battle where real animals were harmed, maybe through sound and reaction shots of the characters. Follow up with clumps of (fake) blood/feathers and the point is made. I wasn't expecting the scene and cringed when we see the actual violence and it most definitely wasn't faked. If this A/V presentation is much improved (and the Warner is mediocre at best) I'll watch again and enjoy the edited version. I wish the UK would include the intro music though; it makes it feel truly epic like one of Lean's classics.

[marsbars]

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

I watched the US Warner Blu-ray and quite looking forwards to this release to import. In retrospect, I believe the cockerel fighting scene is important to the story as it could stand as metaphor for the men (or Stamp's character projecting his violence). But the analogy can be made without having to see the bloody battle where real animals were harmed, maybe through sound and reaction shots of the characters. Follow up with clumps of (fake) blood/feathers and the point is made. I wasn't expecting the scene and cringed when we see the actual violence and it most definitely wasn't faked. If this A/V presentation is much improved (and the Warner is mediocre at best) I'll watch again and enjoy the edited version. I wish the UK would include the intro music though; it makes it feel truly epic like one of Lean's classics.

Amen.

A little imagination goes a long way. Lean managed it in Zhivago by cutting to Sharif and letting us see the slaughter of the protestors through his eyes instead of rubbing our noses in it. Cheaper, too.

[orac1971]

Quite a difference:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-r...wd_blu-ray.htm

[oslouk]

Thing is the cinematographer might have signed off on this edition but is the colour timing the same as how it originally appeared theatrically ?? Somehow I doubt it, as looking at the dvdbeaver screencaps on my acer laptop, Julie Christie's hair appears to be GREY in the valentine's card cap

Suspect the original colour timing was closer to the WAC edition which I prefer if the dvdbeaver caps are accurate

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by oslouk

Thing is the cinematographer might have signed off on this edition but is the colour timing the same as how it originally appeared theatrically ?? Somehow I doubt it, as looking at the dvdbeaver screencaps on my acer laptop, Julie Christie's hair appears to be GREY in the valentine's card cap

Suspect the original colour timing was closer to the WAC edition which I prefer if the dvdbeaver caps are accurate

Yes, looking at the Terence Stamp cap, his hair is blue, that can't be right, & the close-up of the letter, shouldn't the paper be white or grey, not blue. But I see it's on BBC4 in HD next Sunday week, I suppose it's the new transfer, I've set it to record anyway.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Yes, looking at the Terence Stamp cap, his hair is blue, that can't be right, & the close-up of the letter, shouldn't the paper be white or grey, not blue. But I see it's on BBC4 in HD next Sunday week, I suppose it's the new transfer, I've set it to record anyway.

Actually, putting a person in the shade would make dark hair like that appear bluish. That's the color of "shade," and he's clearly not in direct sun.

And in regard to the letter, the UK version is nowhere near blue. Grabbing color straight from the cap, Photoshop reads it as pure gray, whereas the WB disc is actually a light green. So again, if you're going by what's most "natural", the Uk is correct.

The UK version actually has blue skies, too, where the WB is mostly white, and pushed extremely warm.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

Actually, putting a person in the shade would make dark hair like that appear bluish. That's the color of "shade," and he's clearly not in direct sun.

And in regard to the letter, the UK version is nowhere near blue. Grabbing color straight from the cap, Photoshop reads it as pure gray, whereas the WB disc is actually a light green. So again, if you're going by what's most "natural", the Uk is correct.

The UK version actually has blue skies, too, where the WB is mostly white, and pushed extremely warm.

I'd disagree about shade, it should be neutral, but it is hard to judge from caps (& they do look so much better on my tablet than they do on my laptop), so it's very handy that it's on BBC4 next Sunday.

[DMRI2006]

The UK release is much better than the WAC edition, which looks like it came from an aged source compared to the Studiocanal Roeg restoration. Especially in motion, it is far superior IMO, more detailed and healthy, and the audio is also better.

[oslouk]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Yes, looking at the Terence Stamp cap, his hair is blue, that can't be right, & the close-up of the letter, shouldn't the paper be white or grey, not blue. But I see it's on BBC4 in HD next Sunday week, I suppose it's the new transfer, I've set it to record anyway.

Hey cheers for the heads-up reference BBC4, I will record that as well and will be interesting to see; dvdbeaver is a good site but their caps have been known to be incorrect on some occasions (or certainly different to how they appear on my 55-inch plasma anyway).....we shall see !!

Looks like the beeb are running a bit of a Nic Roeg showcase as I note they are showing Walkabout tonight - can't beat a bit of Agutter in my book !

[Olmo]

Just finished watching it, the blue hair screencaps are misleading, there really isn't a problem as it looks sensational.

Watched all of the extras too, Raphael speaks very well (he is given the longest input) and gives some lovely insights.

I think this is Schlesinger's masterpiece, and I say that as a huge fan of Billy Liar & Midnight Cowboy.

[orac1971]

Will get this when price drops a bit, interested to see what the BBC broadcast is like on sunday.

[Douglas R]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

I see it's on BBC4 in HD next Sunday week, I suppose it's the new transfer, I've set it to record anyway.

The Radio Times says it may be edited for nudity. Eh? This originally had a U certificate. What nudity? Nude sheep?

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by Douglas R

The Radio Times says it may be edited for nudity. Eh? This originally had a U certificate. What nudity? Nude sheep?

There obviously isn't any, but I have to say I was surprised at the U certificate. Even with the omission of the uncensored cock-fighting sequence, it could be upsetting for people of a certain disposition.

[Show spoiler]The sheep being herded off the cliff, the puncturing of the sick livestock and most of all the dead babies corpse

.

Would have thought it would have merited a PG certainly. I watched Antonioni's The Passenger the other week on dvd, it has a 12 certificate and it features the f-bomb, and a scene of 'actual death' as far as I can tell

[Show spoiler]on the documentary Jenny Runacre's character is viewing.

The BBFC has some strange criteria on certification.

[jwf]

Originally Posted by Douglas R

The Radio Times says it may be edited for nudity. Eh? This originally had a U certificate. What nudity? Nude sheep?

It's been years since I watched it, but (without writing more and creating a spoiler) isn't there a scene with Terence Stamp's character on a beach which features some arse-nudity?

[Olmo]

Originally Posted by jwf

It's been years since I watched it, but (without writing more and creating a spoiler) isn't there a scene with Terence Stamp's character on a beach which features some arse-nudity?

Yes, you're right. When Sgt Troy does his Reggie Perrin.

It's half a second of arse-cheek, think it would be plain daft to cut that. I seriously doubt it's enough to put middle England off their Earl Grey & crumpets.