Collaborations: The Cinema of Zhang Yimou & Gong Li - 20 October 2021 - Imprint Films

[Aunt Peg]

Got my shipping advice today.

Given the COVID outbreak I don't expect it anytime soon. A Blu Ray player I ordered from Melbourne took 10 working days to arrive recently and a pillow I ordered from Melbourne took 5 working days. So 5 to 10 days hopefully.

[darry]

Originally Posted by Aunt Peg

Got my shipping advice today.

Given the COVID outbreak I don't expect it anytime soon. A Blu Ray player I ordered from Melbourne took 10 working days to arrive recently and a pillow I ordered from Melbourne took 5 working days. So 5 to 10 days hopefully.

It should be quicker given they've offered to post express.

[Aunt Peg]

Originally Posted by darry

It should be quicker given they've offered to post express.

I didn't realise that. Either way looking forward to getting this set.

[beantherio]

Apparently mine shipped as well. Was a bit surprised to receive the e-mail because the release day I had noted was the 20th. A bit confusing but in a good way: very much looking forward to this release.

[useless watcher]

Can’t wait to hear some impressions from those whose orders have shipped! I’ve ordered from Deep Discount here in the US but a bit anxious since I know Imprint seems to be a lot more prone to releasing less-than-ideal transfers than most boutique labels…

[Mose Harper]

Yeah, I probably should have waited for feedback first, but the price at ImportCDs was a few bucks lower than even direct from ViaVision. I decided to lock an order in lest the price goes up in the next couple weeks.

Hopefully there will still be enough lead time to see some in hand reactions and cancel if need be.

[themp3000]

The sticking point for me is — is there really no viable alternative to this box set? And by a quick cursory glance, no… not really. So I mean, if it turns out great it’s a big win but if it doesn’t, I guess it’ll just have to work. I’m really hoping this is the former and not the latter case.

[Mose Harper]

More than once I've been proven wrong thinking a label wouldn't go to so much obvious trouble to assemble a robust package for a set of films, without making sure the films themselves were presented in state of the art fashion.

Dropping the ball on the most elemental aspects of a release like this, does happen. Even with labels like Criterion and Arrow, they have to take what they are given.

If Imprint does deliver something sorely lacking in light of the steep price tag, and I don't have time to cancel it, at least I know my retailer accepts returns.
Deep Discount does as well.

[darry]

Mine came about two hours ago. I’d imagine others are getting theirs today as well. I’m at work so I’ve only had time to look at the picture quality of the first two. Red Sorghum doesn’t look that great (weird grain and some blurring around moving characters, telecine wobble doing my head in), but it’s the oldest so I’m assuming has the worst source material? Ju Dou looks decent.

[themp3000]

Originally Posted by darry

Mine came about two hours ago. I’d imagine others are getting theirs today as well. I’m at work so I’ve only had time to look at the picture quality of the first two. Red Sorghum doesn’t look that great (weird grain and some blurring around moving characters, telecine wobble doing my head in), but it’s the oldest so I’m assuming has the worst source material? Ju Dou looks decent.

It’s probably the same scan as the WCL blu from a few years back, and I recall it came from a second generation source or some such. But I don’t recall it being that bad. Sounds like a disc or encode thing maybe? Which would be a shame.

[darry]

Originally Posted by themp3000

It’s probably the same scan as the WCL blu from a few years back, and I recall it came from a second generation source or some such. But I don’t recall it being that bad. Sounds like a disc or encode thing maybe? Which would be a shame.

WCL got a good review on here so will have to wait to see the comparisons. Hopefully it’s just as good. I watched the whole movie tonight and it’s perfectly watachable for me as I’m not too picky. The telecine wobble will certainly piss people off I think. It’s not even there on the YouTube versions.

[useless watcher]

Originally Posted by darry

WCL got a good review on here so will have to wait to see the comparisons. Hopefully it’s just as good. I watched the whole movie tonight and it’s perfectly watachable for me as I’m not too picky. The telecine wobble will certainly piss people off I think. It’s not even there on the YouTube versions.

Uh oh. I was looking at

this YouTube version

(which I assume is from the WCL release?) and saying to myself, “this seems to have some telecine wobble and I generally like how it looks, so if Imprint used this transfer I’ll be happy.” But if you’re saying the wobble is more severe on the new blu, then I guess I don’t know if anything else about this other transfer carries over.

[darry]

Originally Posted by useless watcher

Uh oh. I was looking at this YouTube version (which I assume is from the WCL release?) and saying to myself, “this seems to have some telecine wobble and I generally like how it looks, so if Imprint used this transfer I’ll be happy.” But if you’re saying the wobble is more severe on the new blu, then I guess I don’t know if anything else about this other transfer carries over.

I can't see any telecine wobble on that vid, even on full screen. Imprint has it throughout, on every bit of text, including the titles. The Chinese text for when they sing is also less chunky and is not the same as that vid from what I recall.

[darry]

Watched To Live tonight and think it looks really good. Colours are a lot richer than any version I’ve seen before and look nice and clean and I hardly noticed any grain. I think people will be happy with it.

Anyone watched any of these yet?

[useless watcher]

Originally Posted by darry

Watched To Live tonight and think it looks really good. Colours are a lot richer than any version I’ve seen before and look nice and clean and I hardly noticed any grain. I think people will be happy with it.

Anyone watched any of these yet?

Mine hasn’t been shipped from Deep Discount yet, and at the risk of being annoying I’ve been watching this thread in case the word of mouth gives me reason to cancel my order. To that end, unfortunately your positive take on To Live also gives me major pause, since I would expect an accurate, not-heavily-DNR’d transfer of a film shot on 35mm to have grain! For context, were you glad not to notice it because you usually don’t notice grain if it’s fine and well-resolved, or do you prefer a transfer that actually has it scrubbed out? Or, more directly if you remember, which would you say describes this transfer more?

But I totally understand if you don’t feel like answering in this level of detail, as it’s not your responsibility as someone who happened to get this set already to help some other random person figure out what to do with their money. I’m just happy there’s someone posting about it at all, at any pace, and I hope you enjoy the whole set!

[darry]

Originally Posted by useless watcher

Mine hasn’t been shipped from Deep Discount yet, and at the risk of being annoying I’ve been watching this thread in case the word of mouth gives me reason to cancel my order. To that end, unfortunately your positive take on To Live also gives me major pause, since I would expect an accurate, not-heavily-DNR’d transfer of a film shot on 35mm to have grain! For context, were you glad not to notice it because you usually don’t notice grain if it’s fine and well-resolved, or do you prefer a transfer that actually has it scrubbed out? Or, more directly if you remember, which would you say describes this transfer more?

But I totally understand if you don’t feel like answering in this level of detail, as it’s not your responsibility as someone who happened to get this set already to help some other random person figure out what to do with their money. I’m just happy there’s someone posting about it at all, at any pace, and I hope you enjoy the whole set!

No, the grain is not scrubbed out. I think the grain looks good. I just meant it’s not obtrusive.

[useless watcher]

Originally Posted by darry

No, the grain is not scrubbed out. I think the grain looks good. I just meant it’s not obtrusive.

Ah, thanks a lot, that’s great to hear!

[hiwilliam]

I received my copy today, so I will upload some screenshots.

Red Sorghum:

[hiwilliam]

Ju Dou:

[hiwilliam]

Raise the Red Lantern: