A Few Thoughts About....LOVE ACTUALLY in Blu-ray (A MUST BUY!) (1 Viewer)

[gomezfan69]

There seem to be a couple of odd music changes on the blu-ray compared to the dvd. At the beginning of the Christmas party scene the dvd used "The Trouble With Love Is" by Kelly Clarkson whereas the blu-ray has a song by Sugababes called "Too Lost In You". This song was in the end credits on the dvd but is replaced by a cover of The Pointer Sisters "Jump" on the blu-ray.
I can understand if the song in the end credits had to be changed for the dvd because of rights issues but I can't fathom why the other change was made since both songs appear in both versions. I'm hoping that the blu-ray is the original version that played in theaters and not the other way around. I don't suppose anyone here saw the film in it's initial release?

 

[Christian Preischl]

Jason,

it appears that what we have on the Blu-ray is the original UK version of the film. The US version has been modified (possibly already for its theatrical release) to include the Kelly Clarkson song.

I'm glad that the Blu-ray features the UK version to be honest. Since it's first and foremost a British film I consider this the original version, plus the inclusion of the Clarkson song is such an obvious promotional tie-in for US audiences (what with her being the first American idol winner and her first album being released a few months prior).

 

[Mike Frezon]

This film--ever since I read Ron's OP in this thread (six years ago!)--has become an annual Christmas tradition for my wife and I.


We just finished it--again--and I must say, everything about this movie works. The performances are top notch. It is always fun to watch as all the separate plot lines meld into a smaller universe as we find out how the characters are connected in one way or another. The music selections are important. The score is very good. The well-known cast is good. The unknown cast is good (HOW cute is the kid who plays Liam Neeson's son?).


Always a treat. And one of which I will never tire. Quite an uplifting film.


And each year, my wife and I comment on the sadness which permeates the Alan Rickman/Emma Thompson story arc. It moves us each time.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Wow, spot on, Mike --- particularly the Alan Rickman/Emma Thompson story.


I have the remake of Judy Collins' All Sides Now on my iPod. Every time I hear that song, I visualize the Emma Thompson scene.


And, there is something about Alan Rickman that I just love. I think it's his crunching facial expressions along with his accent. I love him as an actor.


Funny, Christmas is almost here and I have not yet made my annual watch.


I bought the 7.1 re-release two years ago and it still remains wrapped.


So, I am going to definitely watch LOVE ACTUALLY this week. First time in my new home theater. Should look great on the big screen.


It's quite astonishing how renowned this film has become over the years. It has also become the butt of many comedian jokes I have heard due to its schmaltzy popularity.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'll go ya one better, Ron.


I've actually got the DVD-A(!) of that Joni Mitchell release. I had it before I ever saw the movie. So, imagine my surprise when it played an integral role in the film!


Listening to the director comment on the music choices for the film in the bonus features, he is exactly right about her re-release of that song. It takes on a whole new meaning as she recorded it here as a seasoned artist as opposed to her earlier recording of it as a young woman.

 

[AshJW]

Funny, I have this DVD-A too.

When Emmy Thompson is alone in her bedroom and listens to this CD, I get always tears in my eyes.


I love this film too, especially the story with Colin Firth and the Portuguese housekeeper.

"Alone again, naturally"

 

[Will Krupp]

I've actually got the DVD-A(!) of that Joni Mitchell release. I had it before I ever saw the movie. So, imagine my surprise when it played an integral role in the film!

It's a perfect melding of song and visual and very wise to use the later, mature version of Joni's recording rather than the original version she recorded in 1969. The haunting later version, full of heartbreak and the disappointments of a life lived, perfectly matches Emma Thompson's state of mind at that particular moment. Being a life long Joni Mitchell fan, she would have been extremely familiar with the 1969 original but here Joni, Emma, and the song itself have all grown older and sadder together. It's such an inspired moment and it shatters me during our annual viewing every year (especially as I'm getting older too!) Whoever chose it deserves a medal.

 

[atfree]

Just a coincidence....whole family watching this tonight! Love this flick!

 

[battlebeast]

One of my all time favourite films, I watch this every dec 23rd, and have since 2003. Such a wonderful piece of British filmmaking. The entire cast is amazing. Although a tad long, I would have taken out one story line and added more about the others. But nit picky as this may seem, I still love this film to death. Maybe it's because I'm part British.

 

[davidmatychuk]

People like to say they don't make classic movies anymore, but I think that "Love Actually" is a classic, like "Casablanca", a bit corny, very knowing about it, with every element in balance. "Casablanca" is from, and very much of, 1943, but it continues to delight audiences to this day. When people watch "Love Actually" decades from now, and they will, they will be equally delighted by this wonderful, heartfelt, saucy, hilarious, touching Christmas artifact from, and of, 2003. That's my opinion, anyhow. Here's a link to a very amusing account by Emma Freud of a recent midnight showing she attended:


https://storify.com/Dante_Banks/story-of-the-midnight-showing

 

[Ronald Epstein]

One of my all time favourite films, I watch this every dec 23rd, and have since 2003. Such a wonderful piece of British filmmaking. The entire cast is amazing. Although a tad long, I would have taken out one story line and added more about the others. But nit picky as this may seem, I still love this film to death. Maybe it's because I'm part British.

Funny you say this.


I have talked about this before...


The first time I saw LOVE ACTUALLY was on a flight to Los Angeles.


Of course, they had to cut out most of the storyline concerning the porn stars.


So, when I saw the film uncut on Blu-ray a year later, I was actually somewhat disappointed.


The film worked so much better without the porn star sequences.


When I watched the uncut version, I suppose the nudity was appreciated, but that whole storyline just seemed....awkward.


So, for me, the perfect edit of this film was the airline version, surprisingly.

 

[Will Krupp]

Here's a link to a very amusing account by Emma Freud of a recent midnight showing she attended:


https://storify.com/Dante_Banks/story-of-the-midnight-showing

OMG that's wonderful!! Thank you!

 

[Mike Frezon]

One of the really strong elements of this film--and it could owe to the fact that the original cut was 3 1/2 hours long--is that it never lags. This things keeps advancing like Sherman's army.


It is relentless in its pace...yet takes time to linger over some of the defining moments: Hugh Grant's dance routine to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump", the Emma Thompson/Joni Mitchell moment, the prime minister going door-to-door looking for Natalie and singing Christmas carols with his security. You've really got to pay attention--which ain't hard since it's so enjoyable.


And then there's the fact that for the next few days, I'm stuck with this earworm:


"I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes.

Christmas is all around us. And so the feeling grows...:


(with all of Bill Nighy's inflections, natch!)

 

[GlennF]

I really enjoy this movie. The last 1/2 hour is a real uplifter and the Craig Armstrong score is great! (However THE scene with Emma Thompson is a heartbreaker - especially since my parents split over something like this.) This is one Blu-ray where the extras are well worth checking out - especially the deleted scenes where you see whole plot lines that got edited out. Must be tough when you are the performers. After reading Emma Freud's comments I am now a little wiser about a couple of other things like the glitter in Sam's hands at the end. Guess I have to sneak this in again in the next couple of days.

 

[Mike Frezon]

The Emma Freud tweets and subsequent interviews about the film were great.


While it was very interesting to read her thoughts on the resolution of the Emma Thompson/Alan Rickman characters, I would also love to know a little bit more about the Laura Linney character. She kinda gets lost in the final half of the movie. What was the resolution there? Did she and her dream guy ever/never get together?

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I think I bought the DVD when it was first released and have yet to get around to it. . .one of these days. . .

 

[Mike Frezon]

 

[Will Krupp]

Did she and her dream guy ever/never get together?

I've decided they DO!!!!




(though it's far more likely that they don't. I think, once Karl tells her to maybe not answer the phone, that we're supposed to realize that he'll never really understand her.)

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Strangely enough, I quite like the 'porn' filming sequences. But then I've always had a liking for a spot of nudity, and it works well here.

It's a lovely movie .. the only bits I really really hate are the sequences with Liam Neeson, the school concert at the end with the girl who screams instead of sings, and the sequences with the photographer and the truly awful puffer-fish actress whose name I can't force myself to recall.....

 

[Mark Booth]

'Love Actually' is an annual tradition for Cathy and me too. It's, far and away, my favorite holiday movie (followed closely by Santa Clause 1 and Home Alone 1).


My only gripe with the film is with Laura Linney's character, Sarah.

Spoiler

While it is simply awesome that a sister would be so devoted to her mentally ill brother, it strains credulity that she'd interrupt the throws of sex with her dream man to answer multiple phone calls from her brother. It's just not realistic that she wouldn't turn that phone off.

Mark