The Piano 4K UHD (1993)

[BunyipPouch]

The Piano 4K Blu-ray The Piano 4K Blu-ray

Releasing January 25, 2022 from the Criterion Collection

With this sublimely stirring fable of desire and creativity, Jane Campion became the first woman to win a Palme d’Or at Cannes. Holly Hunter is achingly eloquent through silence in her Academy Award–winning performance as Ada, an electively mute Scottish woman who expresses her innermost feelings through her beloved piano. When an arranged marriage brings Ada and her spirited daughter (Anna Paquin, in her Oscar-winning debut) to the wilderness of nineteenth-century New Zealand, she finds herself locked in a battle of wills with both her ineffectual husband (Sam Neill) and a rugged frontiersman (Harvey Keitel) to whom she develops a forbidden attraction. With its sensuously moody cinematography, dramatic coastal landscapes, and sweeping score, this uniquely timeless evocation of a woman’s inner awakening is an intoxicating sensory experience that burns with the twin fires of music and erotic passion.

• New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director of photography Stuart Dryburgh and approved by director Jane Campion, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• New conversation between Campion and film critic Amy Taubin
• New interviews with Dryburgh and production designer Andrew McAlpine
• Interview with actor Holly Hunter on working with Campion
• “The Piano” at 25, a program featuring a conversation between Campion and producer Jan Chapman
• Excerpts from an interview with costume designer Janet Patterson
• Water Diary, a 2006 short film by Campion
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Plus: An essay by critic Carmen Gray
• New cover by Greg Ruth

[JackTwist]

Next to Casablanca, this is my favorite film of all time. A movie that changed the way I view cinema. It has inspired me as a filmmaker more than perhaps any other work. I never thought it would get a 4K release, or even a Criterion release given that Miramax has been the US rights holder. Such incredible news.

[yoloswegmaster420]

Something interesting of note is that this is a Miramax/Paramount title. I wonder if this means if they have signed a deal that includes UHD rights with Paramount or if this is a one off.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

Something interesting of note is that this is a Miramax/Paramount title. I wonder if this means if they have signed a deal that includes UHD rights with Paramount or if this is a one off.

Miramax still have a controlling interest in the company, no? Viacom have 49% and got Par to distribute their stuff into the bargain, but it may not be Par's call to make when it comes to licensing. Just like MGM, they've had their stuff distributed by Fox and then Warners for years now but when labels arrange a license from them they go to the organ grinder, not the monkey.

On the other hand, it'd be awesome if Par were about to start licensing UHDs. Or it could've just been Criterion's star power that made it happen in this case.

[Jafar]

So will the 4K feature both - the teal (Lionsgate) and the green (Studio Canal) versions? Nevertheless I'm in, day one!

[Mosley likes BFDI]

Does Criterion own the UK Blu-ray rights to this movie?

[DAT_JB]

Originally Posted by Mosley likes BFDI

Does Criterion own the UK Blu-ray rights to this movie?

Just recently bought the Studio Canal version so rights should be with them.

[Mosley likes BFDI]

Originally Posted by DAT_JB

Just recently bought the Studio Canal version so rights should be with them.

If StudioCanal holds the UK rights to The Piano, they should be doing a 4K Blu-ray as well. Also doesn't Paramount own some of the pre-2010 Miramax library? Paramount should release The Piano on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray in the US, not Criterion!

[dj_intrepid]

Out of all the first wave 4K titles that Criterion announced, The Plano is the one I am most excited about. It hasn't been given the release it deserves here in the US, which is a shame. So glad Criterion is correcting that mistake!

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by dj_intrepid

Out of all the first wave 4K titles that Criterion announced, The Plano is the one I am most excited about. It hasn't been given the release it deserves here in the US, which is a shame. So glad Criterion is correcting that mistake!

me too !!

[yoloswegmaster420]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Miramax still have a controlling interest in the company, no? Viacom have 49% and got Par to distribute their stuff into the bargain, but it may not be Par's call to make when it comes to licensing. Just like MGM, they've had their stuff distributed by Fox and then Warners for years now but when labels arrange a license from them they go to the organ grinder, not the monkey.

On the other hand, it'd be awesome if Par were about to start licensing UHDs. Or it could've just been Criterion's star power that made it happen in this case.

I have no idea who's in charge of the Miramax titles as I'm only assuming that Paramount control the, solely on the fact that Paramount have been re-releasing Miramax titles under their name (e.g. Jackie Brown). Regardless, this is very exciting to see a boutique label grabbing UHD rights from a company that's been said to not be open to licensing to third parties.

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by dj_intrepid

Out of all the first wave 4K titles that Criterion announced, The Plano is the one I am most excited about. It hasn't been given the release it deserves here in the US, which is a shame. So glad Criterion is correcting that mistake!

As in plain ol' what? Like the person in Plano, TX who got a letter addressed to them with NO city, just "TX"; they called CS who said "well you DID say 'plain ol' Texas' ".

That said, The Piano is my No. 2 on the Criterion 4K list after Citizen Kane.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

I have no idea who's in charge of the Miramax titles as I'm only assuming that Paramount control the, solely on the fact that Paramount have been re-releasing Miramax titles under their name (e.g. Jackie Brown). Regardless, this is very exciting to see a boutique label grabbing UHD rights from a company that's been said to not be open to licensing to third parties.

But that's what the distributor does, it's not like they're forbidden to put their indicia all over the package. Just look at any of MGM's stuff that was released by Fox, it was styled to match the rest of Fox's releases, had Fox logos on startup etc etc....but they still didn't own/control the content itself. So if this is Miramax making the call then it's not as amazing as it might seem.

[Hindustani]

could've gone for A THIN RED LINE instead

[yoloswegmaster420]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

But that's what the distributor does, it's not like they're forbidden to put their indicia all over the package. Just look at any of MGM's stuff that was released by Fox, it was styled to match the rest of Fox's releases, had Fox logos on startup etc etc....but they still didn't own/control the content itself. So if this is Miramax making the call then it's not as amazing as it might seem.

As I said earlier, I have no idea who the license holder is but I won't consider it a loss if it's coming straight from Miramax. Miramax might not have the extensive catalogue that Paramount have but they still do have some amazing films that are ripe for picking, whether it be Blu-ray only or 4K, including Ju Dou, Farewell My Concubine, or even Citizen Ruth.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Hindustani

could've gone for A THIN RED LINE instead

Jane Campion directed that ?!?

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by Hindustani

could've gone for A THIN RED LINE instead

And they still could.

[bookcase]

Originally Posted by dj_intrepid

Out of all the first wave 4K titles that Criterion announced, The Plano is the one I am most excited about. It hasn't been given the release it deserves here in the US, which is a shame. So glad Criterion is correcting that mistake!

Same here. I'm also interested in Citizen Kane, but I'm most excited about The Piano!

[Leonidas King]

No way! Love this movie. Great performances all around.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

As I said earlier, I have no idea who the license holder is but I won't consider it a loss if it's coming straight from Miramax. Miramax might not have the extensive catalogue that Paramount have but they still do have some amazing films that are ripe for picking, whether it be Blu-ray only or 4K, including Ju Dou, Farewell My Concubine, or even Citizen Ruth.

Oh you were talking about Miramax, my bad. No argument there, I'd love to see plenty of stuff from Miramax get the 4K UHD treatment. QT put out Pulp Fiction on a Criterion LD many moons ago, it'd be amazing if he went through them to put Pulp on a 4K (that's if he even knows what UHD is, lol).