Films (Almost Entirely Surround)

[4-earredwonder]

One of AmazonUS' FLASH SALES??????
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Nostalghia-4K-Blu-ray/351618/

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Wow, number one best-seller in movies, 700 pre-orders already with lowest price guarantee.

I became acquainted with Tarnovsky from my Criterion Channel subscription, but never saw this one.
His original version of Stanislaw Lem's sci-fi story Solaris from 1971, which was re-made in English starring George Clooney, is a trip.

 

[cdheer]

Wow, number one best-seller in movies, 700 pre-orders already with lowest price guarantee.

I became acquainted with Tarnovsky from my Criterion Channel subscription, but never saw this one.
His original version of Stanislaw Lem's sci-fi story Solaris from 1971, which was re-made in English starring George Clooney, is a trip.

View attachment 102261

I haven't seen this one yet, but at that price I didn't have to think about it very long.

 

[4-earredwonder]

From BFI Films and French director Henri~Georges Clouzot THE WAGES OF FEAR [Native UHD4K/HDR10/Dolby Vision/DTS~HD MA 2.0 MONO]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Wages-of-Fear-4K-Blu-ray/348747/#Review

 

[hafquark]

From BFI Films and French director Henri~Georges Clouzot THE WAGES OF FEAR [Native UHD4K/HDR10/Dolby Vision/DTS~HD MA 2.0 MONO]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Wages-of-Fear-4K-Blu-ray/348747/#Review

An excellent film. I also like Friedkin's gritty, big budget 1977 spin-off version, Sorcerer. Would be nice to see a UHD of that one, too.

 

[4-earredwonder]

An excellent film. I also like Friedkin's gritty, big budget 1977 spin-off version, Sorcerer. Would be nice to see a UHD of that one, too.

I watched Warner's 2016 BD~V of Sorcerer recently and it can sure use a Native UHD 4K upgrade as it was replicated on a BD25 disc at a rather low bit rate but was still quite serviceable. Still packs a whallop and Roy Scheider was excellent! One of Friedkin's very best!

 

[DuncanS]

From BFI Films and French director Henri~Georges Clouzot THE WAGES OF FEAR [Native UHD4K/HDR10/Dolby Vision/DTS~HD MA 2.0 MONO]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Wages-of-Fear-4K-Blu-ray/348747/#Review

That picture reminds me of one weekend lunchtime sitting outside the Pandora Inn on Restronquet Creek, enjoying a beer, when there was some children's screams, a bit of adults shouting, and a muddy figure crawls out of the river (wearing a dress if I remember correctly!) and wanders into the pub - he was the local 'character' who rather liked his beer! Never did find out why he did what he did!

 

[timothyemerson]

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) 4K: https://www.amazon.com.au/Ferris-Bu...&qid=1708972312&sprefix=ferris,aps,294&sr=8-2

1. Image is superb and a new Atmos mix which has more front/rear separation, more discrete surround action and is very clear with way less hiss than the previous BD.

2. Such a fun flick and well worth the upgrade. I got the English release and the case was smashed to bits but the disc ripped OK after a jolly good clean with warm water and dishwashing liquid.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

An excellent film. I also like Friedkin's gritty, big budget 1977 spin-off version, Sorcerer. Would be nice to see a UHD of that one, too.

I watched Warner's 2016 BD~V of Sorcerer recently and it can sure use a Native UHD 4K upgrade as it was replicated on a BD25 disc at a rather low bit rate but was still quite serviceable. Still packs a whallop and Roy Scheider was excellent! One of Friedkin's very best!

The EMI import soundtrack album was the first thing I bought by Tangerine Dream.
The DVD I have of the film is only Dolby Digital 5.1, very center-centric.

How's the blu ray soundtrack?

 

[~dave~~wave~]

This is a much better take on the film than the poor bluray.com review. Lone Star is stellar, and easily in my top ten list of dramatic movies. Also, the 4K not only looks miles better than I've ever seen, but sports clearly defined sound effects and dialogue. It's a must-have disc for me.

Highdefdigest's HIGHLY RECOMMENDED review of director John Sayles LONE STAR [Native UHD4K/HDR10/Dolby VISION/DTS~HD MA 2.0 SURROUND}

https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/123569/lonestarthecriterioncollection4kultrahdbluray.html

Comments from John Sayles & Chris Cooper on the occasion of the new release: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/feb/26/texas-border-wall-lone-star-conflict

 

[~dave~~wave~]

50% off flash sale at Criterion.com, ten dollar code from my Criterion Channel subscription covered shipping & tax, Lone Star is on the way.

 

[JediJoker]

50% off flash sale at Criterion.com, ten dollar code from my Criterion Channel subscription covered shipping & tax, Lone Star is on the way.

I picked up 4K UHDs of:

• Blood Simple
• Mean Streets
• The Seventh Seal
• Videodrome

Used two $10 codes (Channel and holiday sale) to bring it to ~$20 per movie and free shipping. It's the only way to buy from Criterion!

 

[JediJoker]

I picked up 4K UHDs of:

• Blood Simple
• Mean Streets
• The Seventh Seal
• Videodrome

Used two $10 codes (Channel and holiday sale) to bring it to ~$20 per movie and free shipping. It's the only way to buy from Criterion!

Also, I just received a $50 code in my inbox! Apparently, I've finally hit $500 in purchases. Not a feat I care to repeat anytime soon.

 

[Albert Dagger]

I picked up 4K UHDs of:

• Blood Simple
• Mean Streets
• The Seventh Seal
• Videodrome

Used two $10 codes (Channel and holiday sale) to bring it to ~$20 per movie and free shipping. It's the only way to buy from Criterion!

I've recently watched Videodrome 4K and Mean Streets 4K. Both great and I would say clear upgrades from previous releases (I had the Arrow for Videodrome). Cronenberg's commentary is also very good and complementary to the second commentary included. In the Arrow release, there's Tim Lucas' commentary, which provides plenty of information but not much in terms of film concepts. So, the Criterion release is the definitive one in my view. I'm waiting to receive Blood Simple, so I can't comment on that. In Australia, we have to import from the US and it takes weeks. Criterion releases are impossible to find at prices below AU$80/90 minimum.

 

[4-earredwonder]

ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT?

With much anticipation, I watched Sofia Coppola's PRISCILLA last night [streaming on HBO/MAX] based on Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir ELVIS AND ME outlining her courtship and eventual marriage to the KING OF ROCK 'N Roll one Elvis Aaron Presley!

While Elvis was stationed in Germany after being drafted he met 9th Grader Priscilla Beaulieu who was then 14 at one of his frequent parties at his rented house off base and was immediately stricken with her beauty and innocence. Against the protestations of her parents, she pursued the relationship and thus began her whirlwind intro into the world of an iconic superstar who BTW, didn't believe in sex until marriage .... something his doting mother instilled in him since childhood.

Always Southern gentlemanly respectful of her wants and needs Elvis was nonetheless always doting on her physical appearance demanding that she dye her hair black...as he did [ironically, he was blond as a child] and wear more eye make up to enhance her beautiful eyes. He was also insistent on choosing her wardrobe.

But behind the image, Elvis was a chronic pill popper, ate the most nefarious of foods [like P & J & Banana sandwiches fried in butter] and was constantly surrounded by his male cronies whom he seemed to enjoy more than his doting girlfriend.

In Coppola's low budgeted film [$20M] Elvis who stood 5'11 3/4" [according to his Army Stats] is portrayed by 6'5" Jacob Elordi who literally mumbles his way through the production but does succeed in inhabiting the King's idiosyncratic mannerisms and in the role of Priscilla, that honor goes to Cailee Spaeny who embodies the youthful Priscilla's relative naivete in assuming that her relationshop with him would be anything but normal!

What ensues is a life of quiet desperation in which Priscilla is constantly confronted with her boyfriend's pill popping, infidelity with countless woman, constant touring and film career [without her present] and realization that after they finally get married in Vegas in 1967 and giving birth to their only child, Lisa Marie, Elvis no longer wants to have sex with her! In his mind...she's been 'tainted!'

The film abruptly ends with Priscilla announcing her disenchantment with the marriage and her driving away from Graceland with Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" gracing the soundtrack. A year later they officially divorced and Priscilla went on to live with her Yoga instructor.

Because of legal entanglements, none of Elvis' music was used in the actual production.

My honest take on the movie ....... Meh! Even though it has received accolades from many circles, I found it to be tedious and even though the two leads did a credible job, I expected MORE from Coppola whose previous work I have greatly admired.

Life with the King without a true Queen can be frustratingly mundane but the silver lining is that Priscilla Beaulieu Presley did go on to a successful career as an entrepreneur and appeared in occasional film roles and poor Elvis died alone on his Graceland boudoir 'throne' of a drug overdose [the official cause of his death] at age 42!

THE END




Trivia: Elvis wanted to record I Will Always Love You but the greedy Colonel insisted on 50% of the publishing rights and Dolly reneged! Good for her as when Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard soundtrack, Miss Parton made millions from the royalties!

 

[4-earredwonder]

From Criterion BO WIDERBERG'S NEW SWEDISH CINEMA [1080p/LPCM 2.0 MONO]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bo-Widerbergs-New-Swedish-Cinema-Blu-ray/338228/#Review

ELVIRA MADIGAN

THE BABY CARRIAGE

RAVEN'S END

ADALEN 31

 

[timothyemerson]

Lets hope so! According to http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film11/blu-ray_review_173/twilight_blu-ray.htm, the file on the new BD is only about 3GB larger than the previous one but I'll see what's what when it arrives. Then they'll probably release it on 4K so I guess I'll have to buy it a third time!

Twilight (1990) BD: https://www.amazon.com.au/Twilight-...=1709144713&sprefix=twilight+4,aps,246&sr=8-6

1. Mine arrived yesterday, I backed it up to MKV (which was 3GB larger than the previous Second Run BD although both are from the same 4K restoration) and watched it last night.

2. I'm happy to report that what colour banding and ghosting there was on the Second Run BD are gone from this newer Arbelos BD.

3. Audio is the same 24-bit LPCM mono which still packs a punch and was rattling some tins in the kitchen!

4. Such a gem of a flick and worth the purchase. Get the Arbelos BD.

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Just got back from seeing Dune: Part Two at the Alamo Drafthouse’s “The Big Show” screen. Big screen, big Atmos setup. I highly recommend it.
https://boxd.it/5WJRAt

 

[Marplot]

watching Part 1 with a friend this weekend on my new 7.1.4 ATMOS system then off to see Part 2 in ~week.
The kid in me is crying at having to wait.

 

[DuncanS]

Just got back from seeing Dune: Part Two at the Alamo Drafthouse’s “The Big Show” screen. Big screen, big Atmos setup. I highly recommend it.
https://boxd.it/5WJRAt

watching Part 1 with a friend this weekend on my new 7.1.4 ATMOS system then off to see Part 2 in ~week.
The kid in me is crying at having to wait.

I read all the Dune books (about 3 times!), and thought this new film Part-1 was wonderful, eagerly waiting for Part-2 to emerge on BD