The Before Trilogy (1995-2013)

[JokerBlu]

I noticed some banding on a dress in one scene on the first Before Midnight standalone blu release. On Criterion's Before Midnight blu the banding is gone.

[Drooch]

Just got these and it looks like the new German versions have better PQ than the Criterions. Annoying. Has anyone compared them in motion?

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a...107853&i=9&l=0

[BluProofie]

Originally Posted by Drooch

Just got these and it looks like the new German versions have better PQ than the Criterions. Annoying. Has anyone compared them in motion?

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a...107853&i=9&l=0

They look the same.

[Drooch]

Originally Posted by BluProofie

They look the same.

I’m seeing more grain and detail in the German, reflected in the higher bitrate picture (and sound).

[cash_black]

Hi can anyone tell me, when you watch these films do subtitles come up for the French and German bits of dialogue or are they not meant to be subtitled.
Thanks in advance

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by cash_black

Hi can anyone tell me, when you watch these films do subtitles come up for the French and German bits of dialogue or are they not meant to be subtitled.
Thanks in advance

The only French or German I remember in either film is the couple fighting in German in the opening scene of Sunrise, and their dialogue is intentionally not subtitled, because neither Jesse nor Celine can tell what they're arguing about - it's this fact that actually sets them to talking.

I think everyone else they encounter in both films speaks to them in English, I don't remember any other German or French in either film, unless maybe there's a random line tossed off.

[cash_black]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

The only French or German I remember in either film is the couple fighting in German in the opening scene of Sunrise, and their dialogue is intentionally not subtitled, because neither Jesse nor Celine can tell what they're arguing about - it's this fact that actually sets them to talking.

I think everyone else they encounter in both films speaks to them in English, I don't remember any other German or French in either film, unless maybe there's a random line tossed off.

There is some French spoken in both the other films. I’m pretty sure it’s all intentionally not subtitled was just looking for confirmation

[dex14]

Originally Posted by PrestonXI

I finally watched Before Sunrise last night. Was not impressed with the picture quality. The opening shots of the Austrian landscapes are flat and nothing pops while the couple walk around the city. I was especially unimpressed during the scene where the couple

[Show spoiler]is laying around in the park at night.

There was white grain swirling around the far left and white sides of that whole scene. The only other Blu-ray I have seen that has this kind of grain during night scenes is The Pit from Kino.

Did anyone else notice this issue? Or is there something wrong with my disc and/or setup?

I am playing the disc on an X Box One S connected to a 2016 55" LG 4K OLED.

EDIT - Here is a link to the DVDBeaver review where they have a screen shot of the scene where I saw the white grain / noise. Since the noise isn't present on the screen shot I assume there must be something wrong with my system. Can anybody guess a likely cause and/or offer a possible solution?

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-r...se_blu-ray.htm

I finally got around to watching the set and had this issue too during that scene. The right side of the frame had a hazy whiteness to it. You can faintly see it in the DVDBeaver shot, but it was much worse for me. Any others have the issue? Any solutions?

[gbm82]

Originally Posted by ArnoldLayne56

Good reason to ship to an Amazon Locker if possible ;-)

Does this work like their pre-orders? If the price goes down before you pick it up you get the lower price?

[laidbacklarkin]

Currently $39.99 after a 20% Prime Day discount on Amazon.com.

Choose slow shipping for an additional whopping $1.87 discount

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

I recently re-watched Before Sunrise & Before Sunset on the Criterion Disks; never seen the films back-to-back before, and am still waiting to watch Before Midnight, which I've never seen before. However, I wanted to post my thoughts on the first two films in the trilogy while they're still fresh in my mind.

First of all, I wanted to thank the poster who attached modern-day pictures of Vienna (from the locations seen in Before Sunrise) to this thread; this is post #558. Great pics.! These really want to make me visit that iconic European city (never been); also a big fan of the noir film The Third Man - which was also at least partially filmed there.

Second, I agree with another poster who mentioned that you should wait a while in between watching the three films. On this recent re-watch, I first watched Sunrise, and then about two weeks later (a couple of days ago) saw Sunset. And, I plan on waiting for at least two more weeks before re-watching Midnight. In many cases, when it comes to films/TV shows I like to binge-watch. But, in this case I really wanted to let each film "percolate" in my mind for a while before moving onto the next one.

General comments about the films:

Re: these movies, as I've gotten older I find myself relating to them even more than I did back in the day. I'm roughly the same age as Hawke/Delpy (pushing 50), so - while I couldn't specifically relate to the situation(s) presented, I could relate to the relationship themes, etc. at different times in their lives.

The cities of Vienna & Paris are as much characters in the film as Jesse & Celine. I love Europe, and while I haven't traveled there as much as I would like to, really enjoy the whole vibe/tone of European cities.

Also impressed by how unself-consious Hawke & Delpy are here. You genuinely feel like you're watching two people talking IRL without a camera on them - despite the fact that you know it's a film. In too many other movies/TV shows I feel that actors/actresses are "reacting" to the camera; but, in these films it really feels like we're watching two people interacting - without being aware they're being watched/filmed.

Specific comments:

-In the first film, the two characters are in their 20's - and are still somewhat idealistic about life/relationships.

-In the second film, they are in their 30's & have lived life somewhat. And, while they both seem to have solid professional careers (Celine works in the Environmental field, and Jesse is a successful author), they have both become somewhat cynical re: relationships. Celine is seeing a guy who seems to always be out of the country/area - and, though she states that she's an independent woman & doesn't mind this, her brief break-down in the cab (when she complains about all of the guys she dates breaking up with her & marrying other women) shows that she is somewhat unhappy with her life as well. Jesse isn't doing much better; the romance seems to have fizzled out of his marriage, and there's a good chance he just got married because his girlfriend (now wife) got pregnant. You also get the strong impression he's only staying in the marriage because of his young son.

I think this just reflects the reality of a lot of people, especially as you reach your 30's - i.e., that life didn't really work out the way you wanted or expected it to, but you're just accepting this because there's really nothing else to be done.

-The plot device that was used to "reunite" Jesse & Celine in 2004's Sunset was completely believable. I.e., as seen in the first film, they did not exchange phone numbers/addresses, but were planning to meet in Vienna in 6 months (in December of that year). However, that never happened. And, when Jesse saw Celine in the bookstore (off to the side), they obviously hadn't seen each other since we last saw them in the first film. And, the only reason they met was because Celine had read Jesse's book (in which he wrote about their encounter in the first film) & found he was doing a book signing in Paris; it seems obvious that she wanted to see him to possibly "rekindle" the romance she had with him almost 10 years earlier - maybe.

In any case, my take on this was that if it wasn't for this specific set of circumstances, they would never have met up again. This was a lot more believable than having them randomly run into each other on the street. Sure, that does happen - but, even if you're living in the same big city as someone else - you may rarely/never see them. In fact, during a conversation in Sunset, Jesse realizes that Celine was living in NYC at the same time he was there (in the late '90's), and that he may have caught a fleeting glimpse of her at the time - maybe.

I will post more after I re-watch Midnight. Looking forward to this.

[Bluyoda]

@AnamorphicWidescreen
You should really come to Vienna (my hometown), as it's a fantastic city that has a lot to offer, and it offers a 'Third Man' tour, which is very popular.
I love the Before Trilogy, since it encapsulates the various stages so elegantly.
I have to rewatch it again soon.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[Magikor]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

-The plot device that was used to "reunite" Jesse & Celine in 2004's Before Sunset was completely believable. I.e., as seen in the first film, they did not exchange phone numbers/addresses, but were planning to meet in Vienna in 6 months (in December of that year). However, that never happened. And, in Before Sunset, when Jesse saw Celine in the bookstore, they obviously hadn't seen each other since we last saw them in the first film. And, the only reason they met was because Celine had read Jesse's book (which he wrote about their encounter in the first film) & found he was doing a book signing in Paris; it seems obvious that she wanted to see him to possibly "rekindle" the romance she had with him almost 10 years earlier - maybe.

It's been a while since I've watched any of these films (I just snagged the trilogy from B&N with their 50% off sale), but I loved this aspect of the story in the second. Did he not say at one point that he specifically wrote the book and came to a signing tour in Paris because he couldn't think of any other way to get ahold of her?

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Glad these films have so many fans. I don't usually like watching/talking about romance films, but have made a definite exception for this trilogy.

To add to my earlier post, I also wanted to mention another aspect of the films I also really liked & felt added to the realism:

-The fact that German (in Sunrise) and French (in Sunset) wasn't subtitled. I myself only speak & understand English fluently, and when I've gone to Europe don't understand much of what is being said - not that this bothers me. So, I suspect the non-English languages weren't subtitled because it was supposed to mirror the experience(s) of tourists who go to these countries & don't understand the language(s). I.e., there are no subtitles in real life.

Going along with this, I also liked the fact that Celine (in Sunrise) didn't really speak/understand German (being French), as evidenced by the fact that she & Jesse were wondering what the couple on the train were arguing about (in the very beginning of the film).

This is a far cry from the unrealistic movies set in Europe where everyone miraculously only speaks & understands English.

-Trivia: In Before Sunset, when Jesse & Celine go to her Paris apartment, one of her neighbors is an older guy cooking on the grill in the courtyard area. That was Albert Delpy, Julie's real-life father. Cool cameo.

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

@AnamorphicWidescreen You should really come to Vienna (my hometown), as it's a fantastic city that has a lot to offer, and it offers a 'Third Man' tour, which is very popular. I love the Before Trilogy, since it encapsulates the various stages so elegantly. I have to rewatch it again soon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Thanks. I was in Paris about 6 years ago and loved it; it's my favorite city in the world.

I definitely want to go to Vienna at some point.

Originally Posted by Magikor

....but I loved this aspect of the story in the second. Did he not say at one point that he specifically wrote the book and came to a signing tour in Paris because he couldn't think of any other way to get ahold of her?

Yes, I think that's right. Obviously, Jesse had no way of knowing whether Celine would read the book and/or whether she would want to see him again, but that was the only way he could think to get ahold of her. He didn't even know if she still lived in Paris 9 years later.

[Magikor]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

...Obviously, Jesse had no way of knowing whether Celine would read the book and/or whether she would want to see him again, but that was the only way he could think to get ahold of her. He didn't even know if she still lived in Paris 9 years later.

I love that these films are sort of time capsules as well. The story wouldn't work as well these days what with social media, and the internet being what it is. Sunset came out JUST before that explosion happened so that their separation was still agonizingly correct.

As a side note, I confess that I still haven't seen Midnight. Sunrise is my favorite between it and Sunset, but it was also the first I watched back MANY years ago. I really need to revisit the first two and check out the third to see how my own aging affects my perception.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by Magikor

I love that these films are sort of time capsules as well. The story wouldn't work as well these days what with social media, and the internet being what it is. Sunset came out JUST before that explosion happened so that their separation was still agonizingly correct.

Exactly! Sunrise came out in '95 (so was probably filmed in '94), and they didn't even mention the possibility of e-mailing each other, given that this technology was in it's infancy at that time/wasn't widely used. Yes, they had decided not to exchange personal info. at the time; but, e-mailing wasn't even mentioned/thought about.

And, Sunset came out in 2004 (so was probably filmed in 2003), which was - as you said - right before social media like FB became popular.

Re: dated technology, one of the other little touches I appreciated in Sunset was when Jesse asked Celine to call his car using her cell phone - so it could meet them when their sight-seeing boat docked. Obviously, Jesse didn't have a cell phone (or it didn't work in Europe). I liked this attention to detail, and it made perfect sense; I went to Europe in 2013 and my cell phone didn't work there - something I had done research on ahead of time. I.e., US cell phones don't (or at least didn't) work well in Europe for a long time; or, if they did, you had to pay outrageous fees.

[Bluyoda]

SPOILER ALERT!

I re-watched the entire trilogy, followed by all the extras, aside from the commmentary tracks.

This truly is unique trilogy on love, life, romance, etc.. It's so rich in content.

Before Midnight is a hard-watch, even though only the end-argument is kind of gut-wrenching, the rest is actually quite wonderful, but it's so realistic.

I sincerely hope there will be an After trilogy as well, until they day they die, if they stay together that is.

My favourite is probably Before Sunrise, as it takes place in my hometown, and perfectly encapsulates the excitement and vitality of getting to know someone, and falling in love, etc.. It's so beautiful and magical.

I am glad I understand the bickering between the two Austrians on the train, but it's not essential to do so, as it's pretty apparent that they are having an argument about something. It's pretty funny and spot-on though.

Regarding the PQ: Did anyone else notice that after the night in the park, when it's the next day, the scenes seem to have been DNR'd? It definitely looks waxy and flat to me.
The only distracing, besides those is the night in the park scene, which is terribly grainy/noisy. Otherwise, it's quite alright, and better than I remembered.
I should really go and visit all those locations.
The extras also inspired me to pick up A Letter From An Unknown Woman, which takes place in Vienna too.

Before Sunset is amazing too though, as it finally re-unites them, and I have been in this situation myself, and again, it's depicted immaculately.

Before Midnight is the stage in a relationship rarely shown in movies, and for good reason, as it lacks the act of discovery, but rather portrays the stage of being sick and tired of each other's bad habits/faults, etc., but it's great to have.
This one easily looks the best, for obvious reasons.

The extras are very interesting and insightful.

I never thought that the director of Dazed & Confused could be so introspective and philosophical, although the "nerds" in that film are probably a good indicator.

This trilogy is such a treasure.

[RazorwireRyan]

Was looking at my disc for Before Sunset and noticed in this shot, there's some weird black blob artefacts in the bushes. Does anyone else have these? I haven't seen it anywhere else in the film (yet).

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[FilmFreakosaurus]

Criterion isn't exactly known for their stellar compression jobs... maybe not as bad as some Studio Canal titles, but not premium price quality either.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by RazorwireRyan

Was looking at my disc for Before Sunset and noticed in this shot, there's some weird black blob artefacts in the bushes. Does anyone else have these? I haven't seen it anywhere else in the film (yet).

[Show spoiler]

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That scene has always had technical issues. Those blobs are present on the original 2005 DVD as well.

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect they could be artifacts of early digital post work being done on the scene due to some error with the negative.