Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

post #1 of 28
11/16/07 at 1:07pm
Thread Starter 
It seems that the rumours were true.
Dvd Beaver has announced that Eclipse is releasing a Lubitsch 4 disc box set on February 12th for a $59.95 list price.
The collection contains the aleready mentioned:Te Love Parade (1929), Monte Carlo (1930), The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) and One Hour With You (1932).
And I just checked on the Criterion home page and the box is already available for pre order.
Now we can really celebrate!
Reply
post #2 of 28
11/16/07 at 1:37pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Awesome News!!

The more Lubitsch the better!
Reply
post #3 of 28
11/16/07 at 1:49pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

This just made my freakin' day. I'm not even kidding - best news ever. I knew we were getting at least one of these thanks to the newsletter hint, but the fact that The Smiling Lieutenant is included in the deal is absolutely incredible - I'm going to go right ahead and say that this is the most exciting and important release announced for 2008 for me - more so than any of the Warners stuff (which I'm also supremely stoked for). I love Criterion.
Reply
post #4 of 28
11/16/07 at 4:18pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

This is unbelievably great news!

Now, if Criterion could find a way to wrangle (from Universal) and package some of the many other fine Paramount pre-Codes--think more Miriam Hopkins, Mae West, Claudette Colbert, Fredric March, Kay Francis, Sylvia Sidney, Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper--the good times would really continue...

Paramount Before the Code at Film Forum
Reply
post #5 of 28
11/16/07 at 7:33pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Agreed, great news here, and more Universal-owned Paramount films would make terrific "Eclipse" box sets! In addition to those that Jon has mentioned, for me an even better prize would be the rumored box set of von Sternberg silents coming from Criterion. (Which are still owned by Paramount.) And maybe, just maybe, WEDDING MARCH and WINGS at last!
Reply
post #6 of 28
11/17/07 at 8:27am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny Burk
Agreed, great news here, and more Universal-owned Paramount films would make terrific "Eclipse" box sets! In addition to those that Jon has mentioned, for me an even better prize would be the rumored box set of von Sternberg silents coming from Criterion. (Which are still owned by Paramount.) And maybe, just maybe, WEDDING MARCH and WINGS at last!

Agreed, Danny. As for von Sternberg, there was a restored print of Underworld shown at this year's New York Film Festival so hopefully this bodes wells for the rumored von Sternberg set.

In the same spirit, I would love to see Criterion wrangle additional pre-Codes from the Fox coffers, for either Criterion or Eclipse release. If non-director Eclipse sets can be considered, a box devoted to Spencer Tracy's pre-Code Fox output would be excellent.

Also, a huge void would be filled, if there is any way to package the films of the mysterious (and sadly neglected) Rowland Brown: Quick Millions (Fox, with Tracy), Hell's Highway (RKO), and Blood Money (Fox, with George Bancroft).

Film Forum's Fox Before the Code

Re: Film Forum's Tracy at Fox sidebar, The Power and the Glory (written by Preston Sturges and co-starring Colleen Moore) should be added to any such discussion.
Reply
post #7 of 28
11/17/07 at 8:57pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Maybe Criterion could bring out the remaining Marlene Dietrich/Josef von Sternberg films.
Reply
post #8 of 28
11/18/07 at 7:07am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Tucker
Maybe Criterion could bring out the remaining Marlene Dietrich/Josef von Sternberg films.

They're all available in R2, although SHANGHAI EXPRESS could certainly be improved with restoration work.
Reply
post #9 of 28
11/18/07 at 5:12pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Great News!!
Reply
post #10 of 28
11/18/07 at 5:21pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

SHANGHAI EXPRESS was once announced as coming out on DVD from Criterion, but it was pulled as a result of print quality issues.
Reply
post #11 of 28
11/18/07 at 6:38pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hertzberg
Also, a huge void would be filled, if there is any way to package the films of the mysterious (and sadly neglected) Rowland Brown: Quick Millions (Fox, with Tracy), Hell's Highway (RKO), and Blood Money (Fox, with George Bancroft).

How has Blood Money looked on FMC? It has been scheduled at least twice since the beginning of September. One showing was set for this past week, and it was apparently replaced. It's still scheduled for 6 a.m. ET Dec. 1, though.
Reply
post #12 of 28
11/18/07 at 7:00pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles H
SHANGHAI EXPRESS was once announced as coming out on DVD from Criterion, but it was pulled as a result of print quality issues.
Given the quality of Criterion's The Scarlet Empress, it must have been in terrible shape.
Reply
post #13 of 28
11/18/07 at 7:16pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan McW
How has Blood Money looked on FMC? It has been scheduled at least twice since the beginning of September. One showing was set for this past week, and it was apparently replaced. It's still scheduled for 6 a.m. ET Dec. 1, though.

I don't know since I don't have FMC. I am curious, too. Have they also shown Quick Millions?

Film Forum showed a new print of Blood Money during their "Fox Before the Code" series, which was in the last year. Perhaps the FMC transfer is sourced from the same print?
Reply
post #14 of 28
11/18/07 at 9:55pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Hertzberg
I am curious, too. Have they also shown Quick Millions?

Haven't seen that one on the schedule. Blood Money seemed like a "new" film for FMC. I've had the channel for about 3 1/2 years, and that's one of the few older titles that hasn't been aired and rerun periodically during that time.
Reply
post #15 of 28
11/19/07 at 4:57am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Great news about the Lubitsch box set! I never expected those films to ever see the light of day on DVD!

I taped Blood Money off of FMC last week. The print was less than steller. It looked like a first generation dupe; picture was dark and unsharp. Very little restoration was done on it.
Reply
post #16 of 28
11/19/07 at 5:40am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Really thrilled about this - best Criterion news ever for me!!!
Reply
post #17 of 28
11/30/07 at 9:10am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

I know 2008 is not yet even here but for me this will already be one of the year's top releases. I checked the Criterion website but I have not yet seen an announcement of the details, and I am particularly interested in finding out if the The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) , once thought to be a "lost" film, is being presented without the Danish subtitles found on the existing print. (The film was re-discovered in a Danish archive, and even the print MOMA is showing this week will have the Danish subtitles.)
Reply
post #18 of 28
11/30/07 at 9:56am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard M S
I know 2008 is not yet even here but for me this will already be one of the year's top releases. I checked the Criterion website but I have not yet seen an announcement of the details, and I am particularly interested in finding out if the The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) , once thought to be a "lost" film, is being presented without the Danish subtitles found on the existing print. (The film was re-discovered in a Danish archive, and even the print MOMA is showing this week will have the Danish subtitles.)

I've seen The Smiling Lieutenant at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago and on Turner Classic Movies, and it definitely didn't have Danish subtitles either time.
Reply
post #19 of 28
11/30/07 at 10:51am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Thanks, I guess the sub-titled print MOMA is showing is their only one.

However at least that means the DVD should be free of subtitles.
Reply
post #20 of 28
11/30/07 at 11:33am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Yeah I caught this on TCM about two years back, and their print definitely didn't have subs, so I'll assume the Criterion version won't have 'em.

Is it Feb. 5 yet?
Reply
post #21 of 28
11/30/07 at 2:48pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Yes, this is great news! And "Wings" would please me even more. :-)
Reply
post #22 of 28
2/6/08 at 10:25am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Really looking forward to this set! Both those who loves musicals and those who love pre-codes will be in sheer cinematic heaven I think. The Beaver has some screen shots on his site and there is also a review on DVDTalk. I can hardly wait!!! I can finally get rid of my old TV-taped copies!
Reply
post #23 of 28
2/19/08 at 5:05pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Now that the collection has been released, I presume it meets the expectations of the people who have commented about the set. It has received favorable reviews by Leonard Maltin, Mike La Salle in the S.F. Chronicle and on NPR's FreshAir. While it is only February, any comments about the set being on any of the 2008 Top 10 DVD or Box Set lists?
Reply
post #24 of 28
2/19/08 at 8:26pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

A set was requested for me to review, but Criterion was not forthcoming, sad to say.
Reply
post #25 of 28
2/20/08 at 8:10am

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

I picked it up last week. It's a bare-bones set, with each film on its own disc, no extras and and some of the dullest artwork you'll ever find.

But it's the films themselves that count and each one is gloriously transferred, with film grain reflecting the films' age but with shimmering black and white photography and that wonderfully crisp early Paramount sound. As with the old laserdisc transfers, "The Smiling Lieutenant" looks the best, probably since rights problems kept the negatives untouched for decades.

My only complaint, and its a mixed one, is with "One Hour With You." The laserdisc used UCLA's restoration print, with many tinted scenes and exit music. The print here is a beautiful, digitally cleaned-up black and white print with no exit music.
Reply
post #26 of 28
2/20/08 at 2:04pm

Re: Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February

Quote:
Originally Posted by haroldS
Now that the collection has been released, I presume it meets the expectations of the people who have commented about the set. It has received favorable reviews by Leonard Maltin, Mike La Salle in the S.F. Chronicle and on NPR's FreshAir. While it is only February, any comments about the set being on any of the 2008 Top 10 DVD or Box Set lists?

I'm very happy with the set- it'll certainly be on MY top ten list!
Reply
post #27 of 28
9/6/10 at 1:18pm

I only have one problem with the Lubitsch set. I watched One Hour with You several times on a 35mm print from a restoration done by UCLA (which I think is the source for the DVD as well). The image wasn't plain black & white film in that print: it was tinted like some films of the silent era (blue for exterior night scenes, brown for interior scenes etc.) I guess this is the way the film was originally shown and I wonder why Criterion decided to eliminate the tinting and make the image on the DVD just black & white.

 

Otherwise, beautiful collection.

Reply
post #28 of 28
9/6/10 at 1:29pm

Interesting - you could probably send an email / post a question on Criterion's Facebook page and they'll respond with some kind of answer.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming Video and Digital Downloads › DVD › Lubitsch Musicals box set by Eclipse (Criterion) in February