Any reviews if Image's 4-disc set of WAR AND PEACE? (1 Viewer)

[Gordon McMurphy]

It was supposed to street on 31st of December - did it? Amazon list it as "Release date to be confirmed". Anyone seen any reviews?
Any info would be great.
Gordy

 

[Bob Cashill]

It didn't street on 12/31. Websites I've consulted say "release date to be announced," so we'll see.

 

[TimJS]

Digitally Obsessed...
Kultur presents Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (1965)
P&S :frowning:
& The 'other' W&P
Paramount Studios presents War and Peace (1956)
(Hope my hyperlinks work)
Tim

 

[Dick]

Pan and scan???? I can hardly believe this actually happened. What, did they imanine this was going to be a J6P Wal-Mart discount release? That soccer moms and little kids were going to sit for 6 hours watching this? Who the *$%# made the decision to release this epic in pan and scan? God, it just leaves me stunned.

 

[Patrick McCart]

One of the old other-region DVDs seemed to be P&S.

The Image/Russico R1 release WILL be 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen..complete with DD 5.1 sound.

That was on the press release...I repeat, IT WILL BE OAR.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Thanks to you all for your replies.
It's quite frustrating to see this release being delayed. Hopefully it won't be too long before it is in my hands!
Thanks again.
Gordy

 

[Gunnar Syren]

According to Ruscico's web site, their upcoming release is a 5 disc set! Unfortunately it gives very little info as to what the extras are.

Does anybody know if Ruscico have more extras, or is it just that Image have managed to squeeze in the same material on four discs?

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Ruscico is notorious for splitting movies that could fit comfortably onto a single disc onto two. I'd guess that they're putting each of the four parts onto its own disc, and possibly splitting the larger part I into two discs.

 

[Jay E]

I can't believe that Kultur released this in P&S on DVD. I remember around 10 years ago seeing the Kultur set of VHS tapes for this film in the video store, and even though I was dying to see it, I decided not to rent it since it was P&S. Looks like they haven't learned anything in 10 years. Thank God Russico is releasing their version through Image.

 

[Douglas R]

I pre-ordered the Image 4 disc set and have now been told by my supplier that it has been cancelled. Anyone else been told this?

 

[Rich Malloy]

Does anyone know whether Ruscico has learned their lesson about the lame 5.1 remixes... or does the inclusion of the original audio only happen (now, at long last) for their Tarkovsky DVDs?

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Got an e-mail reply from Image today:

Hmmm, "production problems". Glad to hear that it is coming though. I can hold on until April, for sure.
Hope this puts a few other minds at ease.
Gordy

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

http://www.enterprisesdvd.com/r1/view_title/18988
31st March?!
Could that be right? The cover-art sure isn't!
Link Removed isn't working at the moment.
I was told "April"... argh, this release has been a frustrating one for me. :frowning:
Hopefully, it will be released next month...
Gordy

 

[Holadem]

For those who have seen it, is it reasonnably faithful to the book? It's my second fav after LOTR...

--
Holadem

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Hol, it's almost too faithful to Tolstoy's epic masterpiece. Fearless filmmaking by Bondarchuk.
Bondarchuk's devastating 1959 WWII odyssey, Destiny Of A Man is due for release on April 22nd. It is also a must-buy for those appreciate great Russian filmmaking.
Gordy

 

[Randy A Salas]

It's heeere.
I got an advance copy today of the 5-disc set for War and Peace (Ruscico/Image, $79.99), coming June 3, according to the accompanying press release. I've just sampled the image on Disc 1 to verify that it is 2.35:1 anamorphic--and it is. First impression is that the source material looks kind of rough, akin to Kino's Ruscico release of "Tchaikovsky" (lots of shimmering brightness/contrast; a bit dingy), but this is nevertheless a momentous release.
Sound is Russian DD5.1 (also French and English dubs) and enough subtitle options to please anyone (Greek or Arabic, anyone?).
Here's the breakdown, according to the contents (bonus materials on Discs 1-4 appear to be largely just text):
Disc 1
Film 1: Andrei Bolkonsky, Parts 1 & 2
Bonus materials: Filmographies, Alexander I, Russian Manor-Houses
Disc 2
Film 2: Natasha Rostova
Bonus materials: National Liberation Movement, Filmographies, Sketches of the Sets
Disc 3
Film 3: 1812
Bonus materials: Filmographies, Amusements and Celebrations in the Country, Russian Classicism, Kutuzov, Sketches of the Sets
Disc 4
Film 4: Pierre Bezukhov
Bonus materials: Filmographies, Empire Style, Sketches of the Sets
Disc 5
Nothing but bonus material: Cast and crew interviews, interview with the president of Mosfilm Studio, video film about S. Bondarchuk, Tolstoy documentary, making the film, photo album.
That's all--barely enough to fill a weekend.

A note about the packaging: Disc 1 and Disc 2 are paired in a gatefold sleeve, as are Disc 3 and Disc 4. Disc 5 is in a disc-sized cardboard sleeve. They all slip into a nice box. It's a classy design.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Thanks Randy for the update

 

[Greg Krewet]

dvdbeaver.com had some screen samples and some bit rate displays for anyone interested.
Best
Greg

 

[Randy A Salas]

dvdbeaver.com had some screen samples and some bit rate displays for anyone interested.

Is the version under review there an early release from a non-U.S. source? I'm assuming that since it doesn't mention Image Entertainment.

The packaging shown there varies slightly from the copy that I have, which appears to be a final-production version. The Image release does not have the three gatefold sleeves that fit inside the slipcase, as shown at dvdbeaver.com. As I noted earlier, what I have is two gatefold sleeves plus the fifth disc inside its own little cardboard sleeve. There would be no room in the slipcase I have for a third gatefold sleeve. The artwork is largely the same.

For what it's worth, while that review comments that the image quality is a revelation because it looks better than it ever has (compared with a poor-quality version on Russian TV), the truth is that it still looks middling at best.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Great stuff, Randy!
Where did you get your 'advance copy' from, if you don't mind me asking?
I have had my copy on order from www.dvdenterprises.com - £49.99 ($75 US) since late December. June 3rd isn't far off, so I'll manage to wait a little longer.
Inwordly, I knew the transfer was never going to be perfect; the 65mm Russian film stock and processing in the Sixties wasn't exactly perfect and over the years, the neg and prints - which have been cut and re-cut many times - haven't been kept in pristine condition, but I'm sure that it will look better than it ever has.
I'm really looking forward to seeing for myself.
Thanks again, Randy!
Gordy