Chinatown & The Two Jakes R1 SCEs coming November

John Hodson · 07-24-2007, 01:54 PM

And I was hoping against hope that they would turn up as, if not Criterions, Criterion standard releases:

DVD Times on Chinatown & The Two Jakes R1 SCEs in November

Marc Colella · 07-24-2007, 01:58 PM

With Days of Heaven getting licensed to Criterion, I thought other Paramount titles had a good chance... I guess Paramount didn't think a Days of Heaven re-release would sell well.

However, where's the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray announcement? Why not release in HD at the same time as DVD?

dana martin · 07-24-2007, 02:24 PM

What would have made this set bette is if Paramount would have gotten Nicholson and Polanski to do commentary tracks for their films, odd also that Nicholson hasnt directed anythings since the two jakes. aside from that i whish that they would have had the good sense to use the original poster artwork for both as opposed to the photoshop that we are getting

Richard--W · 07-24-2007, 03:37 PM

Special editions are long overdue and most welcome. Particularly CHINATOWN, one of the best and most important films ever made. It's a monument of a film.

The cover art is less than inspired. Putting the stars in a picture frame tells buyers this is an OLD movie that your grandparents might like. The kids running promotion at Paramount these days are just plain dumb.

Are these remastered or the same prints as before in a new package?

Why not include some of the videotaped seminars conducted by the AFI as supplements? Writer Robert Towne, designer Richard Sylbert, dp Stanley Cortez and his replacement dp John Alonzo, producer Robert Evans, the actors, and Roman Polanski all talked about CHINATOWN in front of the classes at the AFI. The transcripts fill a thick file and the videotapes are archived there. There is much to learn and enjoy in these informative seminars taught by the some of the greatest film makers.

Then there is the promotional art. In 1974 CHINATOWN had one of the most brilliant promotional campaigns I'd ever seen. There's a fine supplement in how this film was promoted. The original poster should be the cover art.

An achievement like CHINATOWN deserves nothing less than the same treatment afforded CASABLANCA or TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. Commentaries and supplements on a second disc.

I could write a book about this movie.

Bradley-E · 07-24-2007, 03:39 PM

How about a HD or BD release of CHINATOWN? Common Paramount get with it? Your Hi Def titles have been lacking.

**HTF Ads**

Aaron Silverman · 07-24-2007, 07:34 PM

Actually, if they're going to replace the original artwork with "stars heads," they could have done a heck of a lot worse. I think the new cover art is OK (although I'd still prefer the vintage stuff).

Hopefully they'll announce more extra features (or that the handful of featurettes add up to something really substantive).

Marc Colella · 07-24-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman

Actually, if they're going to replace the original artwork with "stars heads," they could have done a heck of a lot worse. I think the new cover art is OK (although I'd still prefer the vintage stuff).

I agree. While I definitely prefer the theatrical poster, they did a very good job of keeping the intergrity of the original while doing the "floating heads" thing. It took me a bit to notice that it wasn't the original artwork, since they style felt the same.

Stephen_J_H · 07-24-2007, 08:37 PM

I've definitely seen worse as far as cover art goes, although I too, would have preferred original poster art.

MarcoBiscotti · 07-25-2007, 06:37 AM

I hate Paramount, they are clearly utterly clueless when it comes to releasing anything other than teen comedies. This long overdue Special Edition looks less than inspired and the cover art is hideous. Talk about a disappointment... I just hope the new transfer fares better than everything else.

Charles Ellis · 07-25-2007, 07:44 AM

You'd think they'd include something on the aborted earlier version of the sequel with Robert Evans and Kelly McGillis- footage, photos. Probably we'll only get a brief mention of it in the featurette mentioned in the ne package of The Two Jakes.