A Few Words About A few words about...™ Midnight in Paris-- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

How can anyone not love Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris?

It's a beautiful little film with a sweet story, and a gem in every way.


But the news about this film is hidden far in the background. So deep in minutia, that few will ever notice.


For since his first films for Biograph, Mr. Allen has been working in very steady, technically stable environment. And suddenly, from simple roots, has risen a 21st century filmmaker.


Midnight in Paris is not cut on film.


What one is seeing on a Blu-ray is no longer a visualization on video of what the film looked like, but rather a clean port of the original 2k data, as derived from the S35/3 film negative.


Too much minutia.


Midnight is Paris, especially for those who love Woody Allen films, has a simplicity and purity that captures the imagination, and well, takes it to Paris. On Blu-ray it's perfect.


Very Highly Recommended.


RAH

 

[Paul Rossen]

Woody Allen is a national treasure. His films seem to be getting better and better as the years go by...

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Paul Rossen

Woody Allen is a national treasure. His films seem to be getting better and better as the years go by...

Woody Allen?


National treasure?


I could not agree more!


RAH

 

[Mark-P]

No one is a bigger fan of Woody Allen than I. I've never seen a post-Annie Hall Woody Allen picture that I didn't like. But "Midnight in Paris" is not his first stereo movie. It is his fifth. He finally acquiesced to use stereophonic sound in 2007 with "Casandra's Dream." However all five movies have been 3.0 channel only - "surround sound" is just too radical for Mr. Allen!

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Mark-P

No one is a bigger fan of Woody Allen than I. I've never seen a post-Annie Hall Woody Allen picture that I didn't like.
But "Midnight in Paris" is not his first stereo movie. It is his fifth. He finally acquiesced to use stereophonic sound in 2007 with "Casandra's Dream." However all five movies have been 3.0 channel only - "surround sound" is just too radical for Mr. Allen!

Interesting. I did a quick check on imdb, but apparently the packaging on various software tells a different story, ie. Whatever Works appears to be 5.1. I don't recall a great deal of low frequency information in WW. Must have been the blaster guns. VCB is 3.0

We'll settle for the first DI with Paris.


Glad to see someone is watching these things.


Thank you!


RAH

 

[rsmithjr]

As I recall, Woody's producers told him he had to use "stereo" some time ago, but for him, this simply meant sound that only used the C channel but would play on modern equipment. I recall hearing an anecdote about one film where it went through several stages of mixing until all signs of directionality had been expunged. The real question is what the usage is, not the conveyance technology.

 

[Mark-P]

I just popped in the Blu-ray of "Whatever Works" to verify this. Yes the encode in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (the receiver display verifies this) but the rear channels are completely silent throughout the entire movie. The mix is basically mono dialog with music and ambient effects spread across three channels. Woody keeps the stereo effect to the barest minimum.

  Interesting.  I did a quick check on imdb, but apparently the packaging on various software tells a different story, ie. Whatever Works appears to be 5.1.  I don't recall a great deal of low frequency information in WW.  Must have been the blaster guns.   VCB is 3.0   We'll settle for the first DI with Paris. Glad to see someone is watching these things. Thank you! RAH  

 

[AdrianTurner]

Sadly, we in the UK are not deemed worthy of a Blu-ray release and must satisfy ourselves with a mere DVD.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by AdrianTurner

Sadly, we in the UK are not deemed worthy of a Blu-ray release and must satisfy ourselves with a mere DVD.

That's both odd and a pity, but you're so much closer to Paris. Simply be in the correct place as the clock strikes.


RAH

 

[lark144]

As I recall, Woody's producers told him he had to use "stereo" some time ago, but for him, this simply meant sound that only used the C channel but would play on modern equipment. I recall hearing an anecdote about one film where it went through several stages of mixing until all signs of directionality had been expunged. The real question is what the usage is, not the conveyance technology.

Thank you, Robert. That's a wonderful story! I saw MIDNIGHT IN PARIS at the Lincoln Plaza, and it seemed to me that this particular film had surround information, for I could swear I heard music and background noise coming from the speakers behind me. Then again, I wasn't really spending much time listening to the surrounds! My favorite part of the movie was Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein. Though she doesn't talk at all like the way Gertrude Stein has been documented as talking, she magnificently captures the essence of Gertrude Stein, especially her openness and generosity to others. There is also an extraordinary warmth that exudes from Ms. Bates in her portrayal of Ms. Stein that is inexpressible in words, but it brings to three-dimensional form that subtle feeling of humanity allied with intelligence which comes across in all of Ms. Stein's writings. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall during the filming of Ms. Bates scenes in order to study how Mr. Allen evoked that amazing performance.

 

[Lord Dalek]

IIRC Woody's rather begrudging adoption of stereo (albeit without surrounds) has a lot to do with Philip Glass forcing him to do so on Cassandra's Dream than anything else.


The fact that he hasn't reverted to his usual luddite act since then is pretty remarkable.

 

[Cinescott]

I'm really tempted to blind buy this one. I haven't seen many of Woody Allen's films, but two in particular stand out to me: "Annie Hall" and the fantastic "Crimes and Misdemeanors." The cast is so good in this film that it seems hard to go wrong.

 

[benbess]

I'm really tempted to blind buy this one. I haven't seen many of Woody Allen's films, but two in particular stand out to me: "Annie Hall" and the fantastic "Crimes and Misdemeanors." The cast is so good in this film that it seems hard to go wrong. 

If you like those two you'll probably like this one too. I'd say it's a fairly safe blind buy.

 

[Paul Rossen]

Sadly, we in the UK are not deemed worthy of a Blu-ray release and must satisfy ourselves with a mere DVD.

But I believe that the UK has a Blu-ray release of Match Point while we don't...

 

[ShellOilJunior]

Overall, I think the UK has us Yanks beat for Woody Allen on Blu-ray.

 

[AdrianTurner]

One of my favourite recent Woodys is Scoop which I think got terrible reviews. I think it's an absolute charmer, as cleverly plotted as Match Point and full of exquisite detail - and a lot of rare footage of one of Britain's finest and most definitely not-open-to-the-public gardens. The last time I looked, Scoop isn't available in the UK on DVD or Blu-ray or vinyl or toilet paper or anything.

 

[benbess]

One of my favourite recent Woodys is Scoop which I think got terrible reviews. I think it's an absolute charmer, as cleverly plotted as Match Point and full of exquisite detail - and a lot of rare footage of one of Britain's finest and most definitely not-open-to-the-public gardens. The last time I looked, Scoop isn't available in the UK on DVD or Blu-ray or vinyl or toilet paper or anything.

I loved Scoop too. One of his best comedies imho. I was seriously puzzled at the negative press that one got. Would buy it on blu in a heartbeat...

 

[MattAlbie60]

I also love SCOOP. I think people nowadays get put off when a Woody Allen comedy doesn't try to have some type of deeper meaning - SCOOP only tries to be funny, nothing more, and it delivers big time. Great performances by Scarlett Johannson and Hugh Jackman, and even Tony Head makes a (ridiculously tiny) appearance later on.

 

[PaulDA]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie (made me want to buy a plane ticket to Paris "tout de suite"). This will be added to the collection for sure.

 

[ShellOilJunior]

I also love SCOOP. I think people nowadays get put off when a Woody Allen comedy doesn't try to have some type of deeper meaning - SCOOP only tries to be funny, nothing more, and it delivers big time. Great performances by Scarlett Johannson and Hugh Jackman, and even Tony Head makes a (ridiculously tiny) appearance later on.

Agreed. I think Woody wrote the film in about 2 weeks. It's not top tier WA but it's enjoyable. I am excited for Nero Fiddled. Judy Davis is back! Edit: Seems Woody has re-named it again. THE ROME WITH LOVE.