UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Funny Girl -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Cineman]

I assume the songs are subtitled too, right?

Yes, including "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Happy With Somebody Else)", which as I recall did not show Subtitles for it in an earlier blu-ray.

Again, maybe this is just the way Criterion does it with the Subtitles. But when I go to the Menu, if I scroll down to choose, say, the Subtitles option it will look like this:

MOVIE
CHAPTERS
SUBTITLES
MAIN

When I highlight it as above and hit Enter, it takes me to:

SUBTITLES
OFF
ON

If I leave OFF highlighted, the movie will play with the Subtitles on.

But if I tap to highlight ON thus:

SUBTITLES
OFF
ON

The movie will play with the Subtitles off.

If that is normal for a Criterion disc, fine. I just think it is kinda' strange.

P.S. - I had forgotten the options for Subtitles is OFF/ON, not YES/NO. But I don't think that makes much of a difference, does it?

 

[JPCinema]

Fiddler on the Roof Cinematographer Oswald Morris also shot much of the film through silk stockings

 

[JPCinema]

Interesting. You would think with digital you could see the results instantly and avoid this sort of thing.

I don't suppose you could give us a hint about what movie it was?

Fiddler on the Roof

 

[Konstantinos]

Again, maybe this is just the way Criterion does it with the Subtitles.

Apparently there is an error in authoring the disc..

 

[Garysb]

Disappointing as this film cries out for one for many reasons. It should have been the exception as they rarely release classic musicals.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony does one in the future and also isolates the music score for a future release of their own ie in a Classics’ box release to get a double dip. I still don’t understand why this hasn’t been already in one already considering Annie. Would Sony have paid for this mastering or Criterion? I understand Prime has been showing one without Dolby vision a few years now.

Just a guess but maybe fear of piracy of the music? I remember the Twilight Time blu ray of "The Way We Were" was one of the few of their blu rays that did not have an isolated score.

 

[Cineman]

Apparently there is an error in authoring the disc..

It seems that way to me as well. And the same Subtitle OFF/ON issue exists on the blu-ray disc in this set.

Since there is only an English (SDH) option, I doubt many English-speaking people who have no need for the (SDH) assistance would turn the Subtitles on anyway. However, as I mentioned, I have a special case interest in having them on.

Still, if someone goes into the Menu simply because they are curious to know what kind of Subtitle options are available or to make sure the Subtitles are OFF before they start the movie, they very well might choose SUBTITLES OFF just to be sure they are off. Then, well into the start of movie, at "Hello, gorgeous" to be exact, they will discover the Subtitles are ON, not OFF and have to reach for their remote and somewhat spoil or miss the important facial reaction to those words and feeling as Fanny/Barbra gives herself a hard look in the mirror. Hmm..

Therefore, for subsequent viewings further down the road when I have forgotten all about that issue on this set, I have tucked a small hand-written note to myself inside the disc case to remind me that if I want the Subtitles ON I must go into the Menu and choose
SUBTITLES OFF.

 

[Konstantinos]

I need subtitles since English is not my main language.
I wonder if there could be a replacement program for this issue. I guess not!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I need subtitles since English is not my main language.
I wonder if there could be a replacement program for this issue. I guess not!

I doubt it since subtitles are still available to activate on the disc.

 

[tenia]

It still is a QC issue from an authoring stand-point, as checking that the menu buttons do what they're supposed if part of it.

It indeed isn't a big deal in the way a menu can be screwed up much more, but, would you be ok with, say, having to click on the Alicia Malone and David Wyler discussion to get to Directed by William Wyler, and vice-versa ?

I'm unsure what Criterion will do, but I think some labels would deem it eligible for a replacement program.

 

[Robert Crawford]

TBH, if it wasn't for this thread, I wouldn't have known there was a subtitle problem because when I sampled the 4K/UHD back on its release date, I used the subtitle button on my player remote and the subtitles activated as normal. We're talking Criterion here so they might do a replacement program. We'll see...

 

[tenia]

We're talking Criterion here so they might do a replacement program.

Some labels would definitely NOT do one, but yes, I can picture Criterion deeming it worthy of one. It's not a deal-breaker and can easily be bypassed, so we'll see (and since it's an English-speaking movie and SDH subs, it's likely a lot of people won't notice it).

 

[Konstantinos]

Does anyone know who to contact with at Criterion for such problems?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Does anyone know who to contact with at Criterion for such problems?

Jon Mulvaney.

 

[Konstantinos]

Jon Mulvaney.

yeah, thanks! I meant to what email address...

 

[Robert Crawford]

yeah, thanks! I meant to what email address...

[email protected]

 

[Konstantinos]

OK, I got a reply!
Apparently, if I understood it correctly, the highlighted option, is the gray one! Not the black one. Maybe that's why @Cineman it was confusing?

Hi,

Thank you for writing to us. I can confirm that there's no issue with the subtitles selection on FUNNY GIRL and that what you're seeing is consistent with the visuals on all our disc menus.

The selection should be grayed out like this to be active (examples from two other discs):

To select this, you will want to toggle down to the ON option (after going to the MENU > SUBTITLES) and then press ENTER or similar.

As an alternative option, on most player remotes a button like "subs", "display", or "audio" will turn on the SDH or subtitles during playback.

I hope this is helpful but do let us know if you're still having trouble with the process. Best,
Jon Mulvaney

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

If it takes written instructions and two screenshots, one of them with an item circled, it could be Criterion's UI is the problem. I've always found menu designs with two options difficult to sort out. Just put an arrow pointing at the selected option and this issue goes away. Highlighting and colors changing never make sense when there are only two options available.

 

[Indy Guy]

That is counter-intuitive. It's not technically a flaw, but it is poor protocol.

 

[Mark B]

I'm not sure why clicking "Subtitle" on the remote control isn't sufficient. You can do it while the film is playing. No need to access the disc menu.

 

[JoshZ]

I'm not sure why clicking "Subtitle" on the remote control isn't sufficient. You can do it while the film is playing. No need to access the disc menu.

In my case, I use a universal remote that handles most of my video sources, including the Blu-ray player. I'll be damned if I can ever remember which numerical button I programmed the Subtitle command into when I bought it ten years ago. If I need subtitles, I'm going to go through the disc menus to turn them on.