A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I had bought the old Region 2 PAL DVD of the movie that didn't look that good, but from what I've heard the new release is an improvement. I wanted to rent it out on Netflix before buying it, but it's in the "long wait" section.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

a.k.a. "Stairway to Heaven" in the USA.

I don't care for the way they packaged this as a two-fer with Age of Consent, with no option to buy it alone. What if I don't want the other film?

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I agree and don't want to encourage the practice. That's why I'm Netflixing it.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

That will all depend on the price. If the price is good for AMoLaD alone, you can throw away the other disc if you like.
And perhaps they will be sold separately as well (or after some time).

I too have the R2 version (bought 4 years ago, after years and years of waiting) and it's very good news that it will finally be available in R1 as well.
Hopefully a fine transfer, as RAH already suggests.


Cees

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

It's an excellent transfer. Sony DVD's usually retail for $20 for a single title. I bought AMoLaD at Fry's for $20 - I have no interest in the other film, but the price probably wouldn't have been any less for a single disc with just one film since this is SONY

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

If Criterion had licensed this and released it at $29.95 s.r.p. they would have been hailed as heroes of the film community. Sony packages it with a 2nd feature from the same director for a very reasonable price and people complain as if they are being forced to buy Police Academy 2 as the second disc.

I firmly believe that someone at Sony who cares about film saw this as a way to release two important films from a major director and packaged the 2nd film with the first in order to amortize the cost of the project and allow a lesser known film to see the light of day in the only way it could be brought to market.

Bravo to Sony !

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I hadn't realized it is already out.

Exactly.
Indeed not the ultimate masterpiece, but after all based on a novel by Norman Lindsay (think 'Sirens') and certainly visually interesting.
With James Mason and Helen Mirren.

Here's a Spanish original poster of the film, BTW:




Cees

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I love when people say "I'm not interested in the other film" without actually having seen the other film.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Yes and I firmly believe that $ony packaged these two films together to make an extra buck and don't give a rat's ass about some lesser loved film being brought to the market.

Please drop the hyperbole about Police Academy 2 and the like or suggesting this is a good offering to consumers because it could have been more expensive if Criterion released it. That all falls in the category of 'it could have been worse', hardly a reasonable point of merit and sophistry at best.

If they offered a two-fer AND offered the titles individually it would have been fine. Criterion currently offers The Red Balloon and White Mane as a two-fer BUT they offer them individually as well. To my thinking as a consumer the same holds for box sets. Consumers should have the option of buying the full box set or individual titles. If someone wants Rear Window they shouldn't have to buy it in a two-fer with Topaz.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Age of Consent is a fine film... not as great as AMoLaD, but definitely worth checking out.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Just when you think you've seen it all...

You can get this excellent set for a very reasonable price, you don't want to watch Age of Consent (and I can't think of a reason why anyone who has the faintest interest in the films of Michael Powell wouldn't), then consider it a free coaster, or better still give it away to someone who will appreciate it.

The only reason I've held off is that I have A Matter of Life and Death (thank you Sony for resisting any temptation to use the U.S. release title) - courtesy of various R2 collections - three times already, and I'm keeping everything crossed for a BD version. Though my resistance is crumbling...

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Well, if you buy the pair, you can always throw away that disc.

Age of Consent is available at Amazon/UK for over $25 (£21.98), a Marketplace seller that is (meaning: higher shipping costs).

Here, you'd have it for below $23.


For those who always wanted to see Helen Mirren in Caligula, but were afraid to buy, you'll get this disc for free when buying the classic AMoLaD, and you'll not see less of her.


Cees

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

MATTER and CONSENT are the only two Powell films that are under the control of Columbia so I understand that this would be the only opportunity for CONSENT to be released. I wish that they would do a similar twofer for Borzage (NO GREATER GLORY and A MAN'S CASTLE) or Carol Reed (THE KEY and THE RUNNING MAN). If you are interested only in "seeing" MATTER and you are not interested in Powell, Netflix would be the way to go.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I already own Age of Consent too.


Quite so; I fancy Sony must have been tempted to market it as 'Uncut at last - Stairway to Heaven'; as I said, well done...

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I understand all these defenses of the packaging strategy, and I really don't care that much one way or the other. Just stating my opinion that something doesn't sit well with me when a studio decides that it can't release a classic title by itself. I can understand certain box sets where some films aren't available individually, but that rarely if ever happens for a recognized classic title. Just my opinion.

I'm sure there are a number of people who would be interested in purchasing a classic film like AMoLaD from 1946, but who conversely have no interest in owning what would be considered a lesser unrelated (except for director) film from 1969, which also happens to be rated R for nudity, something many fans of 1940's classics may object to.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Never said I didn't see it - I just didn't want to own it.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Since I would gladly pay the list price of this twofer for "A Matter of Life and Death" on its own, I remain profoundly unmoved by anyone suggesting that Columbia mis-stepped by packaging both films together on a single release. From my perspective, it is value-added at no cost. Even if I hated "Age of Consent", it would be non-value added at no cost, which does not bother me either.

I also do not complain when Warner bundles a classic Warner or MGM title with a cartoon or vintage short that I do not like and would not consider refusing to buy such a title to discourage the practice.

Regards,

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

To compare this two-fer to what Warner did when they put a cartoon and a film short on the disc (to make it like a 1940's night out at the movies) is apples and oranges. And even those add-ons often have a common theme related to the feature film's subject matter. The only connections between these films is the filmmakers and the studio that currently owns the rights.

Now, if someone were to say, 'this is like a mini-boxset and I want both titles and at $11.25 per film, I'm a happy camper' ... I have no problems with it, as long as the films are released individually as well.

The facts are that attaching Age of Consent DOES comes at a cost. This is not like a catalog release streeting at an attractive price point. This is not like the release of Casino Royale (1967) with the TV version of Casino Royale as a special featurette and streeting at $14.99. This release is currently $22.49 at Amazon.

My guess is that this will be a dog of a release at its current price point. One could even make a case that $ony could have generated MORE money for themselves by releasing these films separately. Based on the cover poster that was posted earlier, one could guess that if they slapped that on the DVD cover for Age of Consent, it would have done more 'blind' (and I use that term loosely) sales of that DVD than the total of all those purchasing "A Matter of Life and Death."

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

If Criterion had released "A Matter of Life and Death" for an MSRP of $25 with no better presentation than appears on this release without "Age of Consent", and with no more extras, would you have bought it? Would you have been happy with it?

Regards,

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Unless it's a real favorite film of mine, I Netflix all Criterion releases that interest me before considering whether to purchase them. So it depends solely on that criteria and a guess as to how often I will want to see and/or refer to the film as to whether I purchase it. And even then I wait for a sale.

As I don't know this release, obviously I really can't say how happy I would be with it. I do know that if Sony had done a two-fer like Criterion did with The Red Balloon/White Mane, where both releases are also available separately ... we would not be having this discussion.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

It's likely this was the only way to get Age of Consent a true-to-its orginal-form release, under the helpful arm of the Film Foundation. And while the price may be tweaked a little on a single-film only release, this can be considered a bargain. aMoLaD deservedly received a first-rank presentation, and if it means you have to accept one of Powell's minor works (and I won't deny those who say he had none), you're grumbling to the wrong crowd.
I think you'd find a supportive audience at the Walmart dvd section, tho...

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

What is the difference in content between this "uncut" version and the previously released U.S. versions?
Is it the naked shepherd sitting on the hill, that I understand got a lot of censorship types uptight back in 1946?

DM

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Nope, it's you that are confused. This is an Internet DVD forum and grumbling or cheerleading releases is a regular occurrence here. And complaining about the complainers is ripe. Maybe, say after your 10th post here, you might have a better perspective of things.

Also, speak for yourself, I don't know what "crowd" you think you speak for but I'm here to tell you ... you don't. You only speak for yourself just like everyone else.

Now, what is this "Wal-mart DVD section" audience and how is that pertinent to the discussion?

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

Inside the case, behind the DVD itself, the movie is billed as "Stairway to Heaven" (Columbia Pictures presents David Niven in "Stairway to Heaven"), but that's OK with me - that's the title I grew up with.

I'm not sure, but I think the camera obscura scene may have been edited out of the American release. I don't remember that scene from those 40-year-old TV airings in New York City. Then again, maybe I don't remember it because it was 40 years ago.

"Age of Consent" can be annoying at times, like whenever Jack MacGowran and that crazy grandmother are on screen, but James Mason and Helen Mirren are both very good. And the special features, especially a short reminiscence by Helen, are well worth seeing even if you don't like the movie.

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I just ordered this title. It had slipped "under my radar" due to the packaging
and my focus on Blu-ray. I am more than happy to have another Powell film as part of the deal.

Thanks for the review!

Re: A few words about...™ A Matter of Life and Death

I'm a big fan of Michael Powell. Age of Concent wasn't my main reason to buy this set,but i wasn't unhappy about it being included either. Not a bad film. I can watch James Mason in most anything. And to top it off you get a young Helen Mirren running around in the buff. I was very pleased i bought this set.