Andrei Rublev (Андрей Рублев) (Andrei Tarkovsky)

[McCrutchy]

Russian giant Mosfilm has released Andrei Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev [sic] (Russian: Андрей Рублев) on Blu-ray as of April 2010. English subtitles are provided and the disc is Region ABC.

Note that this is the 183-minute domestic U.S.S.R. version and not the 205-minute version that is available on DVD in the USA from Criterion.

Andrei Rublev (Андрей Рублев) Blu-ray

[McCrutchy]

FYI--For those outside Russia who wish to order a copy of Mosfilm's Andrei Rublev Blu-ray...

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

With the aid of pro-bassoonist, I found a Russian vendor that should ship Andrei Rublev to the USA:

http://www.kniga.ru/dvd/595811

I used Google Translate and created an account. Kniga.ru has three shipping options for international orders: Ground (2-3 weeks), Airmail (14 days) and EMS (Express Mail Service) (7 days). EMS, however costs 2088 RUR/71 USD so I chose Airmail, which is only 163 RUR/6 USD.

The total with Airmail to the USA was about 21.00 USD.

I had a tough time getting the payment processor (secure-assist.ru) web page to show up in Firefox, and I had to re-do the order about four times, creating four different orders in the process. but once I got in, the payment was verified (I was brave and used a Visa card), and it has even showed up unflagged on my online banking statement. I only paid for the one order, and I got an e-mail confirmation confirming that, so hopefully the other three will be removed from my Order History on Kniga.ru.

I have never ordered from anywhere in Russia before, and I have no idea what to expect from this transaction, so please realize that you order at your own risk.

This being said, hopefully I will receive my copy in two weeks or so and be able to post an update in triumph.

[kemalettin]

[GeorgeP12]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Note that this is the 186-minute domestic U.S.S.R. version and not the 205-minute version that is available on DVD in the USA from Criterion.

Shortest version is the best one according to Andrei Tarkovsky:
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=2609
"Nobody has ever cut anything from Andrei Rublov. Nobody except me. I made some cuts myself. In the first version the film was 3 hours 20 minutes long (192:00 PAL). In the second — 3 hours 15 minutes (187:12 PAL). I shortened the final version to 3 hours 6 minutes (178:34 PAL). I am convinced the latest version is the best, the most successful. And I only cut certain overly long scenes. The viewer doesn't even notice their absence. The cuts have in no way changed neither the subject matter nor what was for us important in the film. In other words, we removed overly long scenes which had no significance."

Screenshorts:
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...125f38c900.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...f6c5e2c1d6.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...20062fb782.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...82bbbde312.png

Discussion (in Russian):
http://www.vobzor.com/page.php?id=575

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by GeorgeP12

Shortest version is the best one according to Andrei Tarkovsky:
http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=2609
"Nobody has ever cut anything from Andrei Rublov. Nobody except me. I made some cuts myself. In the first version the film was 3 hours 20 minutes long (192:00 PAL). In the second — 3 hours 15 minutes (187:12 PAL). I shortened the final version to 3 hours 6 minutes (178:34 PAL). I am convinced the latest version is the best, the most successful. And I only cut certain overly long scenes. The viewer doesn't even notice their absence. The cuts have in no way changed neither the subject matter nor what was for us important in the film. In other words, we removed overly long scenes which had no significance."

Screenshorts:
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...125f38c900.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...f6c5e2c1d6.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...20062fb782.png
http://www.vobzor.com/datas/users/1/...82bbbde312.png

Discussion (in Russian):
http://www.vobzor.com/page.php?id=575

Yes, from what I can gather, it seems that Tarkovsky was ambivalent towards which version of the film is "better", although the 205-minute version came first in 1966, and Tarkovsky's comments about the shortened version may have been influenced by the political climate of the U.S.S.R.

It is also interesting to note that it is apparently not the 205-minute version (now known in English as The Passion of Andrei) that won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes in 1969, although I do not know if that is the same version presented on the Blu-ray, as it is unclear to me if a third, different version was shown to Cannes or if it was indeed the 186-minute version. Moreover, I'm still unclear about whether the 186-minute version itself was censored in the U.S.S.R. upon initial release and if that was the case, if the Blu-ray still retains the U.S.S.R. censorship.

[schweizergarde]

Originally Posted by GeorgeP12

I am convinced the latest version is the best, the most successful. And I only cut certain overly long scenes. ...The cuts have in no way changed neither the subject matter nor what was for us important in the film.

I always saw this statement with suspect, because the two cuts were demanded by Goskino. I doubt they objected to overly long scenes. Although the statement does mean that the cuts were not made by third party, and anyhow the final version was not approved either.

[Arkadin]

McCrutchy--I noticed you got your blu-ray from Russia today.
that's really incredible.
Congrats on that achievement!
as far as getting a hard to get bd, that will be hard to top imo.
you are a true dedicated bd obsessive.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

I noticed you got your blu-ray from Russia today.
that's really incredible.
Congrats on that achievement!

Yes, as far as I'm concerned it IS an achievement!

For everyone who does not read the Criterion thread:

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Hey kids,

So since the interest is just overwhelming, I thought I'd share that I received my Russian BD of Andrei Rublev today, though it arrived on Thursday (5/13) and I wasn't around to sign for it. Took 17 days from the date of order to package received and cost $21 total to the USA. English subtitles are the only subtitles provided. It does seem that Kniga.ru source items they ship, so your item may take a couple of days to arrive to them before they pack it an ship it.

The shrink-wrapped Blu-ray came bubble-wrapped and inside a cardboard packing sleeve which itself was wrapped with tape, and the whole thing was inside a Russian Post "bag" style package which was entirely sealed and showed no evidence of customs tampering.

Kniga.ru did not provide any sort of tracking and as far as their site knows, this item is still with the Russian Post. When I inquired as to the status of the item, I did receive a brief, seemingly translated response in English on one occasion, which seemed to state that they were waiting for the Russian Post to provide a tracking number, but by and large, do not expect Kniga.ru to be able to assist you with orders in English.

It looks great in 1080p, and I'm going to watch it soon.

[McCrutchy]

I just finished watching it all the way through, and what struck me was the incredible clarity of the print. The credits state that Mosfim had Andrei Rublev restored in 2004, and this is no doubt why it appears massively clearer than even before--in fact, it is difficult to believe that the film in now over 40 years old. The black and white cinematography really brings 15th century settings alive in 1080p.

The film still very much frustrates me and the plot is still not entirely clear to me, but I enjoyed this viewing far more than the last one years ago.

[GeorgeP12]

Originally Posted by papamarg

but i don't think it ships worldwide.

OT: I guess there is a law that restricts Russian shops from the shipping of DVD and video outside Russia. For example, Ozon.ru (the biggest Russian internet-shop) delivers the shipments worldwide except for some products including video. Copyright warning before a movie says in Russian: "It's prohibited to export of these products from the Russian Federation". It's funny that exactly the same warning exists on discs printed and sold outside Russia (e.g. in US or UK) if a disc contains Russian language. I think it's a legacy of old pirate's times. Kniga.ru seems to ignore this restriction but it's rather an exception.

[apollo828]

Hi. Does anybody know if Close Up's 2018 reissue of this film is the same as their 2011 release? I'd imagine so. Either way, can anybody help me obtain a copy of either release? eBay and Amazon are both no help. Thanks.


EDIT: I found somebody in Russia who's willing to help. I'll report back when I receive a copy of the 2018 version, which I hope is the same as the 2011 version. The only reason I'm going to such ridiculous lengths is because the Close Up disc reportedly has the best audio of all releases out there.

[moreorless]

Originally Posted by apollo828

Hi. Does anybody know if Close Up's 2018 reissue of this film is the same as their 2011 release? I'd imagine so. Either way, can anybody help me obtain a copy of either release? eBay and Amazon are both no help. Thanks.

I'v not heard any talk about it being new, there was some talk of showing last year being from a 4K restoration but I'v not heard anything about it being released on disk anywhere.

[nils]

apollo828, it's re-issue of old Close-Up release. And, - yes: it's still best blu-ray by PQ and sound.

[strom]

Please be warned that all the new Close-Up releases (and re-issues, as well) are on BD-R.

[apollo828]

Hi. I finally received a copy of the 2018 Close Up reissue, ordered direct from Ozon. Strangely, the info here is incorrect all around, and the disc itself is an odd one.

First off, the disc is pressed. However, unlike the 2011 release, it's a BD25! Yes, they crammed a three hour film and ~2 hours of SD footage onto a BD25! Even stranger is the fact that they didn't touch the audio! It appears to be the exact same audio from the original release. DTS-HD MA 5.1, DD 5.1, LPCM mono. So, the video bitrate is ~1/3 the bitrate of the 2011 disc and is a bit lower than the average 1080p stream on Amazon. Very strange.

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Label: ANDREY_RUBLEV
Disc Size: 24,992,030,416 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00003.MPLS
Size: 20,228,222,976 bytes
Length: 3:03:00.052
Total Bitrate: 14.74 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 7650 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Russian / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz /  3360 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Audio: Russian / Dolby Digital Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -31dB
Audio: Russian / LPCM Audio / 1.0 / 48 kHz /  1152 kbps / 24-bit

I haven't watched the disc all the way through yet but I did spot check the video. Nothing terrible but I'm sure it'll break up and look nasty during more active scenes. As is, the only reason to get this release, IMO, is for the audio. It doesn't sync terribly well with the Criterion release but I suspect the main culprit is some extra blank frames before the second part.