'Brazil' in July (Universal)

[Ssnake]

Along with most of the other posters, am going to wait for a Criterion blu on this. Might be tempted to pick this one up if it also included the director's cut, but it doesn't.

[PowellPressburger]

Waiting for the Criterion release. Will stick with my 16:9 Criterion DVD until then.

[Jim Purcell]

I've never really heard of this film before (except for maybe in very casual passing) but the review has got my interest piqued (Dystopian films are an interest of mine). From the sound of this Universal Blu-ray, its not the best cut of the film available. And everyone keeps talking of a Criterion release being possible/probable. How probable is it really? Has it been announced? Because I'm willing to wait for a proper Final Director's Cut if its likely to appear in the near future.

[Jim Purcell]

I thought the review said it contained the half-way cut that the studio and director collaborated on. Not the full director's cut. I may have misread the review.

[Crimson King]

Originally Posted by chetripley80

Just a heads up... the second to last paragraph in the movie section of the review is repeated.

plus the reviewer mentions a Criterion 5-DVD set, it's actually 3-DVD set

pretty sure that Criterion could pack all 3 disc's content on one BD-50!

[42041]

Wow, that's like reference quality by Universal catalog standards... middling by any other standard, but that's the way it goes.

[Monroville]

PQ looks very good... I'm just disappointed that there are absolutely no extras.

[popeflick]

Originally Posted by captainjoe

The theatrical cut IS the director's cut. This is not the TV 'Love Conquers All" 90 minute cut of the movie. That cut only ever saw the light of day on the Criterion laserdisc and DVD set in a terrible edited for television fullframe transfer so there is no possible way that that is what we're getting on this blu-ray.

This Universal blu-ray has Terry Gilliam's true final cut of the movie so if you're only waiting for the inevitable Criterion release for the director's cut don't bother because this blu-ray has it. I'll be getting this and the Criterion whenever it's released since this is one of my favourite movies of all time

No, it's not and you really shouldn't make such certain statements about a movie you're clearly not familiar with nor a review you clearly haven't read. If his dad's friend doesn't show up in his cell in a Santa Claus outfit then it's not Gilliam's cut. Simple.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Originally Posted by captainjoe

The theatrical cut IS the director's cut.

The Criterion DVD included an 142 minute cut that Gilliam called the "fifth and final cut", that's the one referred to as the director's cut. The Universal Blu-ray has the 132 minute cut Gilliam did for US release in 1985, which Universal allowed him to do after the fight over the studio's 88 minute cut.

[captainjoe]

Originally Posted by popeflick

No, it's not and you really shouldn't make such certain statements about a movie you're clearly not familiar with nor a review you clearly haven't read. If his dad's friend doesn't show up in his cell in a Santa Claus outfit then it's not Gilliam's cut. Simple.

Whoops my bad I missed that in the review sorry guys I always thought there were only the two existing cuts

I deleted my post just so I don't confuse anyone else

[Jim Purcell]

Still. Is a Criterion Blu likely? Or just assumed?

[captainjoe]

It'll probably be similar to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas where it'll be released a year or so after the initial Universal bare-bones disc but that's just an assumption, there's nothing official yet

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Universal has a good track record of releasing quality blu-rays of older films:

Good:
Back to the Future
The Thing
Darkman
Psycho
The Breakfast Club
Flash Gordon
Out of Africa
Field of Dreams
Spartacus
Dune
Wild At Heart
An American Werewolf in London
Do the Right Thing

Questionable:
The Last Starfighter
Uncle Buck
Fletch
The Wiz

Just for the record, out of the ones you listed as Good, both The Thing and Spartacus has been widely maligned for it's transfer with excessive DNR (with some saying The Thing on HD-DVD looked better). The picture quality for Do The Right Thing is messed up due to the color timing (the film is supposed to have an orange tint to it, which adds to the feel that the movie is taking place during an excessive heatwave; it's a shame that this part of the transfer was botched; the PQ would have been flawless otherwise). There have been complaints about DNR for the Back To The Future trilogy as well (although I personally don't find it to be as noticeable an issue as it is on some films, like Patton and Spartacus). An American Werewolf In London managed to escape unscathed, due to John Landis personally supervising the transfer (something he intends to do with the rest of his films, which probably means both The Blues Brothers and Animal House will likely be safe).

The overall point is that Universal has been less than stellar with their transfers for catalog titles.

Originally Posted by Jim Purcell

I've never really heard of this film before (except for maybe in very casual passing) but the review has got my interest piqued (Dystopian films are an interest of mine). From the sound of this Universal Blu-ray, its not the best cut of the film available. And everyone keeps talking of a Criterion release being possible/probable. How probable is it really? Has it been announced? Because I'm willing to wait for a proper Final Director's Cut if its likely to appear in the near future.

A Blu-Ray from Criterion hasn't been officially announced, but it is likely. They already have a 3-Disc SE that they released on DVD, and they have a good working relationship with Universal; so much that Videodrome was directly released as a Criterion Blu-Ray, and that Fear And Loathing got a Criterion Blu-Ray about a year after Universal had released their own.

In cases where Universal releases their own Blu-Ray "SEs" of their titles (like Do The Right Thing, which did carry over plenty of the Criterion extras, or Spartacus), it's unlikely they will license those back out for Blu-Ray. Titles that are essentially ports of Universal's DVDs (like Dazed And Confused or Brazil) are much more likely of a rerelease.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by MTRodaba2468

The picture quality for Do The Right Thing is messed up due to the color timing (the film is supposed to have an orange tint to it, which adds to the feel that the movie is taking place during an excessive heatwave; it's a shame that this part of the transfer was botched; the PQ would have been flawless otherwise).

I don't know what you're talking about because it looks plenty tinted to me. Plus the picture has a high bit rate, which I really have no idea how they did next to all the extras. Do The Right Thing is flat out one of the best Blu Ray releases ever, if you look at all the categories. Insane amount of extras.

As for this Brazil review, I am really disappointed that there are no extras. Since I live in Europe, getting the region locked Criterion release will not be an option for me. I wish I knew whether this release is getting extras:

http://uk.blu-ray.com/movies/Brazil-Blu-ray/25567/

[Oblivion138]

Holding out for a potential Criterion release, as I did with Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. Paid off with that film...hopefully, it will pay off here, as well.

[Strevlac]

Just to be clear, this is the theatrical cut? All past Criterion versions only had the directors cut and love conquers all versions, right?

[benricci]

Originally Posted by Strevlac

Just to be clear, this is the theatrical cut? All past Criterion versions only had the directors cut and love conquers all versions, right?

According to the review, it's the theatrical cut (132 minutes) and not the director's cut (142 minutes). Criterion has only released the 142 minute version and the 90 minute "Love Conquers All" TV edit.

In fact, won't this be the first time that the US theatrical cut has been released on disc? The old Universal DVD was actually the 142 minute cut, although it wasn't labeled as such.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by Oblivion138

Holding out for a potential Criterion release, as I did with Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. Paid off with that film...hopefully, it will pay off here, as well.

Nothing 'potential' here. Criterion already said that they would be releasing Brazil. It's just a matter of time. Until then, the Criterion DVD will hold up nicely.

[Oblivion138]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

I don't know what you're talking about because it looks plenty tinted to me. Plus the picture has a high bit rate, which I really have no idea how they did next to all the extras. Do The Right Thing is flat out one of the best Blu Ray releases ever, if you look at all the categories. Insane amount of extras.

Your eyes need checked...the BD totally lacks Spike's original color timing:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ng_blu-ray.htm

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Nothing 'potential' here. Criterion already said that they would be releasing Brazil. It's just a matter of time. Until then, the Criterion DVD will hold up nicely.

Everything is "potential" until I see cover art and a release date.

[bigrob]

FYI, The 142 min Director's Cut is licensed to Criterion and Criterion only since they were the company that funded Terry Gilliam to put it together.