A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Bird with the Crystal Plumage -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

Amazon is now showing this release as currently unavailable with no in-stock date.

I received an email from Amazon yesterday with an availability update stating my copy should arrive by the 22nd. Hopefully that will be the case.

 

[tenia]

If they don't have this knowledge - the majority, as you state - then they should stop posting as if they actually knew from whence they speak.

This means most of the dedicated boards' discussions would disappear because they're mostly comprised of self-educated person, and most of the reviewers (myself included) should retire for the same reasons.

This logic, to me, it's the technological equivalent of an argument from authority, which is far from being 100% trustworthy (and actually considered a sophism). It would take out all the self-educated people, who don't automatically have worthless knowledge.

On the contrary, I’ve read some very educated people having issues naming digital filtering when there is some or pin-pointing a very dated master being used for a release, as if their knowledge was precisely stopping at physical elements.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This means most of the dedicated boards' discussions would disappear because they're mostly comprised of self-educated person, and most of the reviewers (myself included) should retire for the same reasons.

This logic, to me, it's the technological equivalent of an argument from authority, which is far from being 100% trustworthy (and actually considered a sophism). It would take out all the self-educated people, who don't automatically have worthless knowledge.

On the contrary, I’ve read some very educated people having issues naming digital filtering when there is some or pin-pointing a very dated master being used for a release, as if their knowledge was precisely stopping at physical elements.

IMO, it's up to individuals to decide which stated opinion they value and trust. If you take any stated opinion on any board as gospel then that's on you, no matter the source of that stated opinion. Of course some people state their opinion as if its a fact. However, most of us been purchasing home video products for many years so we should know which sources of information/opinion are to be trusted or not. It goes back to what I was taught by my parents "don't believe everything you read".

 

[Robert Crawford]

I received an email from Amazon yesterday with an availability update stating my copy should arrive by the 22nd. Hopefully that will be the case.

That's good to know, what was that Amazon pricing?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

That's good to know, what was that Amazon pricing?

The lowest price after I ordered was $29.05. I normally will not buy a film priced over $20, but these are the exceptions for me, as they rarely (if ever) drop to that point, and waiting risks having the title go out of print. Thankfully, Amazon reward points take the sting out of the price for the few I do buy.

 

[Will*B]

My set arrived today. As expected the packaging is fantastic (as is the disc, of course).

On a side note, one of the film's wonderful Morricone cues plays over the menu. I can't hear it without thinking of the trailer for Make Them Die Slowly (aka Cannibal Ferox), which is where I first heard it!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I received a shipping notice from Amazon, and my copy should be here tomorrow. It was $29.02 plus tax. It's currently only available via 3rd party sellers on Amazon, so they must have sold all their initial allotment.

To get me in an Argento mood, last night I watched the BD of Inferno, which I hadn't watched in about six years. I'm still eagerly awaiting BD versions of Suspiria and Opera.

 

[haineshisway]

Well, another tempest in a teapot and the tempests have disappeared from the room This is a wonderful transfer - color is absolutely right, looks just like what Techniscope should look like. I'd read how "rough" the opening was and then how it settles down. Well, obviously the entire opening sequence is an optical - but "rough???" There's nothing rough - it's just an optical. Someone went on about marks and scratches - where are they? I saw none. As Mr. Harris said earlier, anyone comparing this to previous releases is playing a silly game. I enjoyed the Blue Underground Blu-ray but it is a weak sister compared to this new transfer. But since the excellent reviews have appeared a lot of those who canceled their order based on the tempests have suddenly been scrambling to order anew. Fun stuff. I enjoyed the genre in its innocent days - when it got hyper bloody and violent it was much less interesting to me. This isn't a great film but it's enjoyable and it sure does look great.

 

[Thomas T]

Not to digress but fans of The Bird With The Crystal Plumage may want to check out the 1958 Screaming Mimi with Anita Ekberg which uses the same source material as TBWTCP (a novel by Fredric Brown) albeit more loosely. Directed by Phil Karlson, it's a very well done "B" movie although it's disconcerting to hear Leonard Bernstein's underscore to On The Waterfront uncredited and recycled for Screaming Mimi.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I'd read how "rough" the opening was and then how it settles down. Well, obviously the entire opening sequence is an optical - but "rough???" There's nothing rough - it's just an optical. Someone went on about marks and scratches - where are they? I saw none.

The opening credits show some thin vertical lines and a few small marks. I wouldn't call the credits "rough" but they do show a few defects...

 

[haineshisway]

The opening credits show some thin vertical lines and a few small marks. I wouldn't call the credits "rough" but they do show a few defects...

Well, perhaps I need to get out a microscope or shove my nose up against the screen because I didn't see anything untoward - if there are any of what you suggest they're baked into the optical - that's how it goes with opticals. Looked like an ordinary optical to me and I was looking for all these lines and marks - they must be VERY fleeting.

 

[Will Krupp]

Well, perhaps I need to get out a microscope or shove my nose up against the screen

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Well, perhaps I need to get out a microscope or shove my nose up against the screen because I didn't see anything untoward - if there are any of what you suggest they're baked into the optical - that's how it goes with opticals. Looked like an ordinary optical to me and I was looking for all these lines and marks - they must be VERY fleeting.

No, the vertical lines are onscreen for a good few seconds - they're not "blink and you'll miss them" territory.

Overall it's a good-looking presentation, and as I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't call the opening credits "rough", but they're also clearly not pristine.

I watched from about 10 feet on my 60" plasma and saw them without trouble...

 

[haineshisway]

Ah, but even if what you saw is there, it's STILL pristine - this is the problem with calling out this stuff - IF there are these lines you speak of then they're baked into the optical, which is dupe. So, nothing to be done about it, but, you know, I'll go watch it again.

 

[Robin9]

Not to digress but fans of The Bird With The Crystal Plumage may want to check out the 1958 Screaming Mimi with Anita Ekberg which uses the same source material as TBWTCP (a novel by Fredric Brown) albeit more loosely. Directed by Phil Karlson, it's a very well done "B" movie although it's disconcerting to hear Leonard Bernstein's underscore to On The Waterfront uncredited and recycled for Screaming Mimi.

I didn't know that. I've never seen The Bird With The Crystal Plumage and I doubt I ever will, but I've always enjoyed Screaming Mimi.

 

[Will*B]

This really is a great release.

I've said it before - now really is a great time to be a collector of genre cinema. The more physical media becomes a so-called 'niche' market, the more collectors and fans of 'niche' cinema, like me, are catered for. In my 25 years of collecting (VHS, LD, DVD, now BD), I think I'm buying more physical media now than at any point in the past. Never new releases, always special or limited rereleases of classic (to my eyes) films.

Definitely a very exciting time for collectors.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Screaming Mimi was mentioned prominently in one of the extras on this Arrow release. I may have to check out that film, as I'm not familiar with it.

I watched my copy last night, and I agree with Bruce that this is a great looking release, especially when you consider how some of the past versions looked on home video -- now there were some "rough" transfers!

I also broke down and bought the Synapse limited edition release of Phenomena, which arrived yesterday. Along with their limited edition of Tenebrae, it's the most I've ever spent on a single film release, but their non-limited edition will only be $5 less and there were less than 300 copies of this one still available.

 

[Charles Smith]

Yes -- thanks to Synapse for getting me started, I've been spending more than I'd ever have dreamed on these Argentos. But it's a fun niche in the collection.

 

[TravisR]

...I've been spending more than I'd ever have dreamed on these Argentos.

I'm scared to think what Suspiria is going to cost but the screencaps that Synapse has shown look incredible.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Ah, but even if what you saw is there, it's STILL pristine - this is the problem with calling out this stuff - IF there are these lines you speak of then they're baked into the optical, which is dupe. So, nothing to be done about it, but, you know, I'll go watch it again.

Here's the dilemma of the Blu-ray critic: how to rate something as it is vs. how it could be.

If I write up "Bird" and say "it's pristine", I look like a dope, because it isn't. There are clearly lines and marks during the opening credits.

If I write up "Bird" and say "it has print flaws", I get criticized as being ignorant to what's unavoidable because it's "baked in".

I really try my best to balance the 2. I understand some films are going to look worse than others and grade on a curve, but I also don't feel comfortable giving something an "A" grade if it has objective defects - unavoidable or not...