Matrix box set shaping up (1 Viewer)

[Kramer Lowry]

 

[StuR]

Also from IGN's link in the above post:

explain this, reloaded is as the directors of the film want if cut....but its not the director's cut....

 

[Chad R]

I've always thought this would be a fascinating way to do commentaries. The only change I would make is have opposing viewpoints, i.e. one critic who disliked it and one critic who liked it. That would be more fascinating than hearing yet another director talk about the day the craft service table ran out of crackers.

Some of the best commentaries done were for some early Criterion laserdiscs by film historians. They can really talk about a film's "literary" impact more so than the filmmakers and not sound pompous or pretentious.

 

[John Alderson]

Actually, that means it IS the director's cut. Occasionally, directors are happy with their films, it seems

Might have to rent this for that critics commentary. The W's just rose a notch in my book (though I still won't buy the 10 disc set). I like TMR & TMR2 fine how they are, anyway, and see no reason to upgrade.

 

[StuR]

that was my point. seems a lot whom have posted here and that quote from IGN seem to think because the brothers didnt change the cut, they are somehow missing the "Director's" cut of the film....

 

[DanMarquardt]

I agree that the earlier criterion stuff with film historians are extremely interesting.... this matrix selections just seem like a lark. it sounds like it'll be a savaging instead of just critiquing.


oh well. I'm probably going to get it anyway.

 

[Kami]

The box set is pretty cool but not enough for me to double dip. I just want a new transfer of the original Matrix - is the box set the only way to get this?

Also too bad the Neo bust is the worst one in the whole line - looks nothing like Keanu.

Cool case though.

 

[Tony_Ramos]

Just FYI, the Digital Bits is reporting that the Matrix Reloaded is not a director's cut, but will instead have the deleted scenes separate on the Reloaded Revisited disc.



The only reason to purchase this set is the new transfer of Matrix. The Cinefex magazine already told you all you ever need to know about the effects in Reloaded, and the Revisited Disc included as much behind-the-effects as I need.

as for the philosophy section, the films are so broad/vague that basically any philosophical argument / comment you could make would apply, and no one is ever going to agree with your interpretation anyway.

I'll wait for the Hi Def format version b4 I purchase a second set of these films, thx. at least then i'll hopefully be getting transfers that do justice.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Cinefex told YOU everything YOU needed to know. There are a lot more filmmaking aspects to this trilogy than contained in an SFX mag like Cinefex. I am extremely interested in the featurettes. Whether you like them or not, the films are as meticulously crafted as any film in history.

I am more than willing to pay $60 for such a set.

YMMV,
Chuck

 

[TomWoodward]

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but the release date is the 7th December and the prices have been bumped to $79.92 for the standard edition and $129.92 for the giftset...

 

[Michael Martin]

Understood. I'm not saying the W Bros owe us different versions of the movies. But I'll skip double dipping (already own the first two movies) and simply buy Revolutions by itself. The extras on the boxed set aren't enough to make me want to buy it.

 

[Brian Thibodeau]

We'll have to wait and see if this would've been a good idea for the philosophers' track as well, since I really don't see Wilber or West disagreeing over the content of the films. But you never know...

 

[jonathan_govols]

Quote from TomWoodward:

"Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but the release date is the 7th December and the prices have been bumped to $79.92 for the standard edition and $129.92 for the giftset..."

Hmmm. Holding out and waiting is now looking like a better possibility. Hopefully they will go the Alien Quadrilogy route and release 2 disk editions of the three films after the release of this box set. I was planning on getting this for the original $59.99 price (with it possibly being even lower during the first week), but since I'm not really that interested in anything but discs 1-6, I might hold out AGAIN on the Matrix titles.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

I'll admit $80 and $130 are a bit steep. I love the trilogy, and I want the goodies, but $130 is very pricey right before X-Mas. $80 looks a little better. We'll see what they sell for, though.

Take care,
Chuck

 

[Shane Martin]

Ditto. Is the box set the only way to get a new transfer of The Matrix. If this is the case I still don't think it's enough. The PQ on the first disc is still pretty good.

 

[Paul.S]

Brian:

Surely you must've known I (or anyone familiar with at least West) would respond.

This is an inaccurate, trivializing, gross oversimplification of West's scholarship.

To the extent your own comments about Wilber's theories are accurate (again, I'm not familiar with him), it seems inappropriate to so broadly cast them both as similarly disingenuous pastiche hacks.

-p

 

[Brian Thibodeau]

My phrasing in the post you're referring to is admittedly sloppy, Paul. I realized someone was liable to take it the wrong way after I wrote it, but I didn't have the time to re-write it, and there's no point now as you've brought it up.

In fact, I wasn't referring to Cornel West at all, but to both Ken Wilber and the Matrix trilogy when I was talking about picking and choosing from a variety of dogmas and doctrines. I stand by my opinion of Wilber and actually believe West will probably come off as the more refined of the two.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. My hands type faster than my brain sometimes.

 

[Grant H]

Yup, definitley just want a new transfer of the first movie. The transfers for the sequels will likely be better on the original releases since the boxset discs will be filled to the brim with commentaries.

I loved the Matrix. Liked Reloaded. Barely accept Revolutions. If I have to wait for HD to get the new Matrix transfer that's what I'll do. WB will probably be smart and only release it in a boxset again. If I have to buy the sequels (2x and 3x the prentiousness of the first film) again, it will only be on HD.

If you want my money before then, Warner, you'll release a SE of The Matrix by its lonesome.

 

[Tony_Ramos]

Chuck:

I'm not saying don't buy it, i said there were some ok reasons to buy it. The problems that will dissuade me from buying, to be more precise:

1.) The new behind the scenes Revisited stuff will probably just give you more of Keanu and Laurence talking about the depth of their characters and how they identified with the philosophy, w/o really coming to a conclusion about any plot points/meanings in the films. Then, you'll have producers talk about how amazing the effects are and how the location was so hard to film in b/c they didn't have AC or something like that. The first Matrix was revolutionary, but the production of these was basically more of the same with less entertainment value.

2.) the behind the effects are covered pretty well on the previous discs, and computer graphics are basically just applied algorithms, which is too dry to discuss in a docu and was faithfully detailed in Cinefex, which I highly recommend.

3.) the philosophy section will basically be a superficial eastern philosophy course, which many of us learned in school anyway. then, the philosophers will talk about the profound ramificatiosn of the matrix on futurist thought and metaphysics, yadda yadda. I actually highly recommend Metaphilms view of the first movie, it is a well-founded and detailed thesis and I think ti captures the essence of the mythology.


Now, if they did a behind the white rabbit feature on the last two movies, I'd be in heaven. As it is... it's going to take HD formats to top the already terrific transfers of the 2nd two. The first, I've watched so much I will wait for as well.

 

[Matt Stone]

Lookslike I'll be getting the standard version. At $80, Amazon should have it for ~$56, making the price around $50 with STL. Not bad for 10 discs.