Tess (1979)

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by pathofneo99

The UK blu has PCM 2.0 and Criterion 5.1 audio. Which ones is more faithful to the original score? I can't figure out if this was mono or not, and generally like to hear older films without the surround (can be distracting) but wasn't sure about Tess.

It was one of the earliest Dolby Stereo releases originally, from what I've read. However Polanski himself supervised this restoration, including the new 5.1 mix, so this is his intended definitive version of the film.

It's also 16 mins shorter than the version that originally premiered in France in 1979, but which he was unhappy with, having been rushed to complete it. This is the 170 min American cut, released in 1980.

[pathofneo99]

Okay so it was supervised by Polanski, but is the 2.0 track still faithful? I'd like to know before pulling the trigger on UK version.

I guess there isn't a blu-ray anywhere in the world with the original cut so this will have to do.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by pathofneo99

Okay so it was supervised by Polanski, but is the 2.0 track still faithful? I'd like to know before pulling the trigger on UK version.

I guess there isn't a blu-ray anywhere in the world with the original cut so this will have to do.

I would imagine the 2.0 track is the original 1979 track, but I don't know for sure. It could be just a folded-down version of the new 5.1 track, since Polanski authorized that mix.

I don't know if the original cut has been released anywhere, except in French theaters in 1979. In fact, it might have been released there dubbed, so the original cut may never have been seen in its original language. I've certainly never heard of a video release of it.

[Knrsa333]

I really dont understand the hate for the bulkier packaging in these posts. I become absolutely ecstatic when I get a Criterion that is in the "deluxe" packaging.. they are all so beautiful.. dont understand at all why someone would rather have a standard case.

[drownsoda]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

I really dont understand the hate for the bulkier packaging in these posts. I become absolutely ecstatic when I get a Criterion that is in the "deluxe" packaging.. they are all so beautiful.. dont understand at all why someone would rather have a standard case.

I appreciate the artwork aspect of them, but personally, I don't favor them only because they are more prone to damage, as the artwork is printed onto the case itself. It's easier for them to get shelf wear, and it's just a fact that paper degrades faster than plastic. I've never been a fan of digipaks for this reason. I was slightly annoyed when all of David Lynch's Criterion releases were done this way; same with Salo, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Videodrome, Vampyr Last Year at Marienbad, and the Rossellini and Bergman set. At least with Criterion's standard clear Blu-ray cases, the artwork is protected by the plastic sleeve. It's more uniform as well, and takes up less shelf space.

[Knrsa333]

Originally Posted by drownsoda

I appreciate the artwork aspect them, but personally, I don't favor them only because they are more prone to damage, as the artwork is printed onto the case itself. It's easier for them to get shelf wear, and it's just a fact that paper degrades faster than plastic. I've never been a fan of digipaks for this reason. I was slightly annoyed when all of David Lynch's Criterion releases were done this way; same with Salo, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Videodrome, Vampyr Last Year at Marienbad, and the Rossellini and Bergman set. At least with Criterion's standard clear Blu-ray cases, the artwork is protected by the plastic sleeve. It's more uniform as well, and takes up less shelf space.

I get your point, but personally I am extremely careful with my collection, also, I dont care at all that these releases take up more shelf space because I LOVE the way they look on the shelf. Also the usually giant booklets included in these releases as well as the artwork are amazing.. I also just love the way they feel in my hand, it just feels premium to me. Hope we get many many more of the digipack releases in the future.

[James Luckard]

I know the cardboard cases have their fans, but I hate them, because they're so easily crushed or scratched or otherwise damaged.

Every time a title has been reissued (like Tess and Foreign Correspondent) I've repurchased it to get it in a plastic case.

And I sent my Sex Lies and Videotape back to Amazon when I discovered it was in that abominable plastic slipcovered cardboard case.

[drownsoda]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

I get your point, but personally I am extremely careful with my collection, also, I dont care at all that these releases take up more shelf space because I LOVE the way they look on the shelf. Also the usually giant booklets included in these releases as well as the artwork are amazing.. I also just love the way they feel in my hand, it just feels premium to me. Hope we get many many more of the digipack releases in the future.

I am extra gentle with the digipaks too, but even still, that sometimes isn't enough. Half of the time they get damaged in transit and stocking. You can end up with sealed copies that are bent, dogeared, or scraped up. The copy of Blue Velvet I got from Barnes & Noble the other day had the bottom back edge half-rubbed off just from friction of the shrink-wrap and ostensibly the shipment process. They had multiple copies on the shelf, and I examined all of them to see if I could find one that wasn't damaged, but they all had this problem. Not a huge deal (and not really visible unless you're looking at the bottom of the case), but a bit annoying.

[Bates_Motel]

Yeah, paper packaging is garbage, no matter how “careful” you are. Glue can easily come undone, corners tear, and accidents can destroy them. There’s really no place for them. In addition, they cost 2-3 times more to produce than a plastic case and sleeve, which only helps keep prices higher.

[Kyle15]

All my cardboard/paper cases that've been constructed with care worth a lick are still the same as when I got them. If y'alls stuff is falling apart you need to work on that handling.

[Knrsa333]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

All my cardboard/paper cases that've been constructed with care worth a lick are still the same as when I got them. If y'alls stuff is falling apart you need to work on that handling.

I second this

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

All my cardboard/paper cases that've been constructed with care worth a lick are still the same as when I got them. If y'alls stuff is falling apart you need to work on that handling.

Part of the issue is the chance getting something with cardboard packaging in mint condition in the first place. I've been at B&N on the day they opened huge cases of Criterions for their 50% off sale multiple times and seen almost every new copy crushed in some way if it came in cardboard packaging (The New World comes to mind, as does the Jacques Demy set, though that's admittedly a boxset).

I buy almost all my BDs from Amazon, and cardboard packaging gets more easily damaged in transit. It's also 1000x more susceptible to moisture in shipping, and we all know the Post office leaves whole tubs of mail out in the rain sometimes.

Plastic cases are more durable, and match 99% of the other packaging out there. The cardboard cases stick out further and make it difficult to see the title of anything on either side.

I don't think anyone from either side of this debate will be convinced to switch, but mercifully Criterion releases very few titles in cardboard anymore, after their nightmarish period of 6 months or so when everything came in a cardboard case as a BD/DVD combo, like the first pressing of Tess.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

I get your point, but personally I am extremely careful with my collection, also, I dont care at all that these releases take up more shelf space because I LOVE the way they look on the shelf. Also the usually giant booklets included in these releases as well as the artwork are amazing.. I also just love the way they feel in my hand, it just feels premium to me. Hope we get many many more of the digipack releases in the future.

agree and I super love the new Criterion large book, very high quality, cool stuff every page release for Godzilla set

[Kyle15]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

Part of the issue is the chance getting something with cardboard packaging in mint condition in the first place. I've been at B&N on the day they opened huge cases of Criterions for their 50% off sale multiple times and seen almost every new copy crushed in some way if it came in cardboard packaging (The New World comes to mind, as does the Jacques Demy set, though that's admittedly a boxset).

Well, I can counter your anecdote with one of mine, in which I've never had that experience with any media at all outside of minor outliers I can't even remember, which is my honest experience. A number of those were plastic cases. I've had numerous plastic cases damaged in the mail too.

The problem will always be handling. There is flimsy cardboard packaging just as there's flimsy plastic packaging.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

All my cardboard/paper cases that've been constructed with care worth a lick are still the same as when I got them. If y'alls stuff is falling apart you need to work on that handling.

My copy of Repo Man is the oldest Criterion digipack I have and even though it spends 98% of its life on a shelf the cardboard flap on the end of it is starting to pull away a bit, just with age I guess. I also had a digipack back in the DVD era where the glue aged or dried out or something so the plastic tray part came loose from the cardboard backing.

And I know there a lot of people who love to boast about the fact that they keep all their blu-rays in a hermetically sealed room and only handle them while wearing non-abrasive soft-cotton gloves at all times, but for the rest of us normies sometimes accidents happen. If you drop a blu-ray in a regular plastic case, you can toss the case out and transfer the cover art and disc to another case, drop a digibook by accident and you're pretty much f*cked.

[Kyle15]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

My copy of Repo Man is the oldest Criterion digipack I have and even though it spends 98% of its life on a shelf the cardboard flap on the end of it is starting to pull away a bit, just with age I guess. I also had a digipack back in the DVD era where the glue aged or dried out or something so the plastic tray part came loose from the cardboard backing.

And I know there a lot of people who love to boast about the fact that they keep all their blu-rays in a hermetically sealed room and only handle them while wearing non-abrasive soft-cotton gloves at all times, but for the rest of us normies sometimes accidents happen. If you drop a blu-ray in a regular plastic case, you can toss the case out and transfer the cover art and disc to another case, drop a digibook by accident and you're pretty much f*cked.

I just keep mine on a shelf and they're fine. But of course accidents happen, like in store settings too. That isn't to say I've never had trouble with any sort of cases or no accidents.

My point is, if you treat your stuff nice (obviously not barring accidents) it's fine unless it was shoddily put together in the first place. Problems in retail settings happen with every form of media. Obviously the more paper the case is the more risk it's at.

[Nielsb90]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

All my cardboard/paper cases that've been constructed with care worth a lick are still the same as when I got them. If y'alls stuff is falling apart you need to work on that handling.

Its not that easy! I love the look of them but importing them can be a real pain! My apartment building also has silverfish - those b*stards gnaw on all the digipacks that have that cardboard texture. It drives me nuts when I discover another ruined corner.

The New World is one of the prettiest blu-ray editions ever created though so theres that.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by drownsoda

It's more uniform as well, and takes up less shelf space.

Biggest offender of this is Red River. Great movie, hilariously-obnoxious packaging.

[Knrsa333]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Biggest offender of this is Red River. Great movie, hilariously-obnoxious packaging.

I disagree about it being obnoxious, as it includes both a hefty booklet as well as the novel, which is a beautiful read. I think the Red River set is gorgeous.

[SeanJoyce]

Originally Posted by Knrsa333

I disagree about it being obnoxious, as it includes both a hefty booklet as well as the novel, which is a beautiful read. I think the Red River set is gorgeous.

Seeing as how you've become this thread's most fervent defender of Criterion's cardboard digipacks, I'm not exactly shocked to hear this.