Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - The Conformist -- in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

A documentary!!!
No way!!
You’re doing it?

what large format Technologies are you looking for?
Is this for interviews or for other purposes in the documentary?

A friend decided to do one. Joking about large format.

 

[Wes Candela]

On the list, I have seen all but 4:

I am Cuba
Raise the Red Lantern
Baraka
In the Mood for Love

The last three have been on my to see list I just never have got to them. It's a fantastic list. I was looking at the names on it and I wondered as I was reading through it what picture from Deakins' work they would choose. I don't think Shawshank is his best work but I don't fault the choice. I think I probably would have gone with No Country for Old Men over that but that's what lists are about. (edit: Ha, I did it again, I see the list content is only through the year 2000) The fun thing is to go through the names and then go see what else they shot and see if you find any gems in there because I bet there are.

I think they were picking not just beautifully photographed films but high quality pictures as well.

On The Conformist, well, it is maybe more relevant now than when it was made. Kind of perfect timing for people that are discovering it or watching it again now. It really resonates in these times. So, in some ways, I think you are really lucky to be seeing it for the first time now. I hope you enjoy it! I actually think you'd lose nothing watching this on a Blu-ray over 4K but I guess that depends upon the person. On Blu-ray this will be just as amazing I would think. Not sure how much more 4K would squeeze out of it. Mr. Harris could comment on that.

On Deakins I was thinking Skyfall or Blade Runner or 1917
its a mixed bag though you’re right.

and where is RUMBLE FISH?
FIGHT CLUB?

so you’ve seen 97 of them.
awesome.
I have some watching to do.
baraka is great visually
it’s jaw dropping …however it is not visual storytelling.

well, it is

you’ll sit there with mouth ajar for 90 mins.

im fine with conformist though in blu ray.
great list though right?!

 

[Wes Candela]

A friend decided to do one. Joking about large format.

You're dry British sense of humor
was gonna ask if you needed a medium-format camera to shoot the footage.


Honestly, this is excellent to hear.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

On Deakins I was thinking Skyfall or Blade Runner or 1917
its a mixed bag though you’re right.

and where is RUMBLE FISH?
FIGHT CLUB?

As he noted, the list only intended to go to year 2000 as mentioned in the article, ie. only "films of the 20th century", so Skyfall and 1917 won't qualify. IF you actually meant BR 2049 (since you're talking Deakins), that won't qualify either of course -- the actual/original Blade Runner is #2 on the list however.

_Man_

 

[PMF]

[…]But two days ago @PMF kindly sent me the following link to the 100 milestone films in cinematography from the American Society of Cinematographers (see below)

Top 100 films by the American society of cinematographers


Which began a mission

How many of these films have I seen and how many I must hunt down.

[…]I'm looking for the best copies visually […]

Wes,

Your exuberance is refreshing and inspires. With the sent ASC Top 100 list, we both responded in the same exact way. I, too, set out to find the best transfers on disc and ate the list up. Cinematography is THE most important aspects of my enjoying physical media, restorations and a 4K display. With this triad available, there is no better list to explore our advancements with than through the ASC 100.

I have but one title remaining. Raise the Red Lantern. I won’t pay a crazy eBay price for it and am holding out for a 4K/UHD release.

I found it quizzical that The Conformist restoration and new transfer was only on a BD. How could this ASC title ranked in the top 10 not be on a 4K/UHD disc stateside? It demands a 4K/UHD release…so, I supported a country that was clever enough to do the obvious.

 

[Robert Harris]

Wes,

Your exuberance is refreshing and inspires. With the sent ASC Top 100 list, we both responded in the same exact way. I, too, set out to find the best transfers on disc and ate the list up. Cinematography is THE most important aspects of my enjoying physical media, restorations and a 4K display. With this triad available, there is no better list to explore our advancements with than through the ASC 100.

I have but one title remaining. Raise the Red Lantern. I won’t pay a crazy eBay price for it and am holding out for a 4K/UHD release.

I found it quizzical that The Conformist restoration and new transfer was only on a BD. How could this ASC title ranked in the top 10 not be on a 4K/UHD disc stateside? It demands a 4K/UHD release…so, I supported a country that was clever enough to do the obvious.

Not certain how much would be gained in 4k. Keep in mind it was dye transfer.

 

[PMF]

Not certain how much would be gained in 4k. Keep in mind it was dye transfer.

Investing in my home education, I shall also purchase a second disc from “the colonies” just to see what I might learn. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[jayembee]

On the list, I have seen all but 4:

I am Cuba
Raise the Red Lantern
Baraka
In the Mood for Love

I was surprised to see that I've seen all but two, both of which are also on your list: I Am Cuba and Baraka.

Raise the Red Lantern and In the Mood for Love are both terrific films overall, and with respect to cinematography beautifully shot.

 

[bujaki]

I Am Cuba is an amazing film. Unfortunately it's been available only on DVD in the USA. I don't know whether there is a better release elsewhere. I own the original Milestone release from 2000, and the cigar-box release (also Milestone) from 2007.

 

[titch]

I Am Cuba is an amazing film. Unfortunately it's been available only on DVD in the USA. I don't know whether there is a better release elsewhere. I own the original Milestone release from 2000, and the cigar-box release (also Milestone) from 2007.

I have the Criterion LaserDisc - it must have been one of the last LaserDisc releases they did. It's had a recent 4K restoration by Milestone, so seeing as Criterion have Letter Never Sent and The Cranes Are Flying on blu-ray......

But back to Il conformista - strangely, never released by Criterion!

 

[Wes Candela]

Wes,

Your exuberance is refreshing and inspires. With the sent ASC Top 100 list, we both responded in the same exact way. I, too, set out to find the best transfers on disc and ate the list up. Cinematography is THE most important aspects of my enjoying physical media, restorations and a 4K display. With this triad available, there is no better list to explore our advancements with than through the ASC 100.

I have but one title remaining. Raise the Red Lantern. I won’t pay a crazy eBay price for it and am holding out for a 4K/UHD release.

I found it quizzical that The Conformist restoration and new transfer was only on a BD. How could this ASC title ranked in the top 10 not be on a 4K/UHD disc stateside? It demands a 4K/UHD release…so, I supported a country that was clever enough to do the obvious.

PMF,
I'm a little speechless here. Thanks so very much for your kind comments.

it's nice to hear I'm not the only one out there that took that list so seriously.
I also consider the source when a film is recommended to me.


and it took me about four years to finally cave in and upgrade my equipment to 4K

Money.
and I had to do it right

do you know after you sent me that list (Thank you!!) and after @Robert Harris referred me to an article I should read in ASC, I paid for a digital subscription to allow me to access the digital archives.

Oh, I immediately began the hunt to find the 31 titles I had yet to see on that list.
I was surprised I had seen so many!

And yet I would watch the entire list over again in 4K,
Your comments on cinematography are so eloquently put, I agree completely

how do you describe the importance of cinematography when it comes to watching film?
I think you just did it.

For me, I never would've picked up a camera if I had not stared at the television watching movies in letterbox format for years on laser discs in the 80s and 90s. those black bars taught me how to compose photographs.

something about watching them on a small screen, helped me see the picture clearer, and separated me from the movie when I needed to be. To me, it felt like watching the movie through the viewfinder of a camera of the cinematographers camera.

and the conformist, just what I've seen so far is a blast of beauty and lighting

but I was also a bit puzzled as it seems many people are here about why the release was only done overseas in 4K

???

but again, your comments. Thank you so very much. You guys make my day here I enjoy this forum so greatly.

And the information here is priceless. The respect for FILM is at the upmost on this site.

cinematography, God bless cinematography and the greats that painted the films we watch and love with color and light

 

[PMF]

At HTF, I don’t know of a single solitary member on board that hasn’t expanded my knowledge of film and the many forms of technology in which we are able enjoy our viewings. Even when the splitting of hairs occurs on a topic, there is always a takeaway where something is learned.

No doubts, HTF is my Number #1 resource and this platform has enriched my life, with gratitude.

As for cinematography, my earliest memory of anything to do with life, itself, was a movie. I was three. It was a theatrical showing of The Music Man. It was the footbridge scene between Harold and Marian. It was also Robert Burks; although I had years to go before becoming fully conscious of such finer details, which had irreversibly left its visual markings upon me.

 

[Wes Candela]

As he noted, the list only intended to go to year 2000 as mentioned in the article, ie. only "films of the 20th century", so Skyfall and 1917 won't qualify. IF you actually meant BR 2049 (since you're talking Deakins), that won't qualify either of course -- the actual/original Blade Runner is #2 on the list however.

_Man_

I was giving props to Blade Runner 2049 yeah
fight club though 1999 buddy where is it?
Rumble fish
That movie has inspired me on so many levels visually

That’s one Criterion release that I was thrilled to receive, along with the black stallion and Malcolm X

 

[Wes Candela]

At HTF, I don’t know of a single solitary member on board that hasn’t expanded my knowledge of film and the many forms of technology in which we are able enjoy our viewings. Even when the sometimes splitting of both hair and follicle occurs, there is always a takeaway where something is learned.

No doubts, HTF is my Number #1 resource and this platform has enriched my life, with gratitude.

As for cinematography, my earliest memory of anything to do with life, itself, was a movie. I was three. It was a theatrical showing of The Music Man. It was the footbridge scene between Harold and Marion. It was Robert Burks; although I had years to go before becoming fully conscious of such finer details that already left its indelible markings on me.

Oh completely agreed

At HTF, I don’t know of a single solitary member on board that hasn’t expanded my knowledge of film and the many forms of technology in which we are able enjoy our viewings. Even when the sometimes splitting of both hair and follicle occurs, there is always a takeaway where something is learned.

No doubts, HTF is my Number #1 resource and this platform has enriched my life, with gratitude.

As for cinematography, my earliest memory of anything to do with life, itself, was a movie. I was three. It was a theatrical showing of The Music Man. It was the footbridge scene between Harold and Marion. It was Robert Burks; although I had years to go before becoming fully conscious of such finer details that already left its indelible markings on me.

so one of my earliest memories of FILM

was my mom, God bless her, and her artistic love for movies.

Among the movies we watched together when something called cable TV came out

Gigi
My fair Lady
The music man

And prior to her death
She showed me Excalibur
Now I was seven when she passed so my mother saw this movie, saw the art of it and the beauty and new she wanted to watch it with me so we watched it as many times as it aired. Then a few friends of hers told her the movie was rated R and that her five-year-old son should not be watching it with her.

And she had to break the news to me that we couldn’t watch it anymore

The look on her face I will never forget

She was so confused because all she wanted to do was celebrate the art of that movie, which is still among my top five favorite movies of all time, and I will always remember my mother and I watching that together

it altered my life.
she didn’t see nudity she didn’t see violence she saw art, and she knew I had to see it


Now THE MUSIC MAN

ROBERT PRESTON
we’ve got trouble right here in River city with a capital T that rhymes with P that stands for pool!

Or the opening

Scene: THE MUSIC MAN

What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk?

The Music Man is a celebration of music and life

i’m laughing as I write this, because we have more in common than I realized

…

 

[Wes Candela]

Not certain how much would be gained in 4k. Keep in mind it was dye transfer.

It was dye transfer.
I’m gonna need to look up what that means don’t mind me

However, what I did see in 4K looked beautiful, but I think that’s because it was a restoration and it was clean, vibrant

But that wasn’t due to the HDR because there is none on the copy I watched it was released with the color space .709

 

[Wes Candela]

Keep in mind it was dye transfer

Hey Mr. Harris morning or almost afternoon
I think you’re in New York like I am

The conformist was Dye transfer
Don’t wanna bother you here, but is there anyway you could explain how that affects the final product?

What I just read, said that it allows for much more color, is this a negative thing or a positive thing

 

[mskaye]

Hey Mr. Harris morning or almost afternoon
I think you’re in New York like I am

The conformist was Dye transfer
Don’t wanna bother you here, but is there anyway you could explain how that affects the final product?

What I just read, said that it allows for much more color, is this a negative thing or a positive thing

Dye-transfer process - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

its all here.

 

[Wes Candela]

At HTF, I don’t know of a single solitary member on board that hasn’t expanded my knowledge of film and the many forms of technology in which we are able enjoy our viewings. Even when the sometimes splitting of both hair and follicle occurs, there is always a takeaway where something is learned.

Amen.
well said.

being a film lover is one thing
but being a diehard cinephile, as so many of us here are, is a Kin to being a soldier in an army where you are sworn to defend FILM till you're dying breath.

Cinema is a kingdom, we Cinephiles are soldiers that defend the realm.

 

[Robert Harris]

Hey Mr. Harris morning or almost afternoon
I think you’re in New York like I am

The conformist was Dye transfer
Don’t wanna bother you here, but is there anyway you could explain how that affects the final product?

What I just read, said that it allows for much more color, is this a negative thing or a positive thing

In overall resolution, a softer overall appearance with more velvety grain.

 

[Wes Candela]

In overall resolution, a softer overall appearance with more velvety grain.

Thank you . ok.
From what I did watch, I saw and felt that In the way the lighting was being utilized, and captured.

“Softer” struck me immediately.
Thanks…always…Mr Harris.