The Last Emperor in 4k and 3D (1 Viewer)

The Last Emperor has apparently been converted to 4K 3D. It will be playing at the Castro in San Francisco in October. See

http://castrotheatre.com/s-events.html

for details. The Castro is a wonderful old theater, the best now extant in SFO.


Saw this many times in 70mm at the old Northpoint in San Francisco, best 60's-roadshow-style theater that was ever in the city. It has never looked the same since.

It would certainly be wonderful to get something to replace the cropped Criterion Blu-ray ("StorarroScope" I call it).

Not sure about the 3D.

Anybody else heard anything about this?

I'd heard it was being converted, then nothing else about it for a long while--
Apart from the Forbidden City scenes everyone remembers, there didn't really seem to be that much inherently 3D about it. ("See: Peter O'Toole ride a bicycle, in three glorious dimensions!") But I'd give it a shot for the restoration.

....Not seeing any mention of aspect ratio

If ever there was a nominee for first cab off the rank regarding 4k bluray discs for me, it would be this 3D version of "The Last Emperor".

I know Bernardo Bertolucci was promoting it a couple of years ago, saying the 3D conversion had been completed and was looking forward to it being back in theatres -- I suspect this may have been around the time 3D was beginning to lose its noteriety as the next big thing.

I know it would be the perfect demonstration disc for the new 4K monitors, players and sound systems come Christmas 2015. If studios were to rerelease classic large format movies in 4k, this movie would be tailor made for this new format (and another -- "The Alamo", naturally)

rsmithjr said:

Not sure about the 3D.

Anybody else heard anything about this?

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It's available, screencap comparison below, it's original aspect ratio.

http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/multi_comparison.php?disc1=3411&disc2=2003&hd_multiID=197#auswahl

Contrast/brightness boosting is insane in those caps. Cap #2 looks like a nuclear bomb went off just outside the Forbidden City. No way that's inherent in the 4k restoration, right?

JoHud said:

Contrast/brightness boosting is insane in those caps. Cap #2 looks like a nuclear bomb went off just outside the Forbidden City. No way that's inherent in the 4k restoration, right?

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That's the 3D edition, the brightness boosting may be there to compensate for the dimness of the glasses, not sure, i wouldn't buy it but then i'm not a fan of converting an older movie like this to 3D, i'd rather watch it in 2D.

FoxyMulder said:

That's the 3D edition, the brightness boosting may be there to compensate for the dimness of the glasses, not sure, i wouldn't buy it but then i'm not a fan of converting an older movie like this to 3D, i'd rather watch it in 2D.

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Yes, indeed.
Since the glasses darken the image, the brightness is boosted!

By the way, aside of the brightness, that seems the best transfer of Last Emperor (the grain structure looks much better even comparing to the Japanese release) and also it has the correct aspect ratio.
I hope this gets released in 2d.
I have held off buying the Last Emperor in anticipation of a proper release.
has anyone heard anything?

Interesting to see the change in AR. Also held off buying the Criterion, so hope they will re-release this. I'll take the 3D but hopefully this will also come with a correct 2D version as well.

Why would criterion crop it? I thought they didn't do that kind of stuff?

Three words: Vittorio Storaro. Univisium.

battlebeast said:

Why would criterion crop it? I thought they didn't do that kind of stuff?

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At the time, Storaro and Bertolucci forced them to as the film was allegedly composed to their Univisium 2:1 nonsense. Now that Blu-ray is a thing, Storaro apparently doesn't care anymore as demonstrated by the Apocalypse Now blu being in 2.35 for the first time ever.

I'll be first in line for a good new Blu release of TLE--in its proper aspect ratio.

Wild! I'll have to check my blu vs. DVD.

Lord Dalek said:

At the time, Storaro and Bertolucci forced them to as the film was allegedly composed to their Univisium 2:1 nonsense. Now that Blu-ray is a thing, Storaro apparently doesn't care anymore as demonstrated by the Apocalypse Now blu being in 2.35 for the first time ever.

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The Apocalypse Now Blu-ray was done without Vittorio Storaro's participation. Lionsgate went straight to Francis Coppola and begged him to let them transfer it in the original ratio. He took some convincing but eventually approved.

As far as I'm aware, Storaro still believes that every movie should be cropped to 2:1.

Stephen_J_H said:

Three words: Vittorio Storaro. Univisium.

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You forgot one word..."Boob".

Still waiting for a 2D Bluray of this 4K restoration.

Will we ever see it?

Konstantinos said:

Still waiting for a 2D Bluray of this 4K restoration.

Will we ever see it?

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Certainly can't believe this would be a title that UHD would hang it's hat on...

rsmithjr said:

Saw this many times in 70mm at the old Northpoint in San Francisco, best 60's-roadshow-style theater that was ever in the city. It has never looked the same since.

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So thats where I saw it. I was In San Francisco for a work conference. If I remember correctly the auditorium was large with no balcony.

I have it but can't watch on my projector. Too much ghosting going on. Needs a completely ghost free projector.