International BLU-RAY DISCS FROM GERMANY (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Thanks for the reply, i'm going to pose the question in the aspect ratio thread too.

As you already know, Bob F. has confirmed the correct ratio is 2:1

This weekend I watched the following BD titles from Germany.

My Darling Clementine

Destry Rides Again

Man Without a Star

I'm very happy with all three releases, I just wished the My Darling Clementine had the 104 minute version of the movie on it. Besides playing on my Region Free Oppo BD players this disc also plays on my Region B Panny BD player. Since, this is a Fox release in Germany, I expect a Region A release in NA some time in the near future.

 

[Sumnernor]

As you already know, Bob F. has confirmed the correct ratio is 2:1

What post was this stated in?

 

[FoxyMulder]

What post was this stated in?

This one in the aspect ratio thread.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/313215-aspect-ratio-documentation/page-158#entry3981457

Also check out these two posts.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/313215-aspect-ratio-documentation/?p=3981637

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/313215-aspect-ratio-documentation/?p=3981808

 

[Sumnernor]

I think my question brings up a point. IF someone has information that IS NOT NEAR the post making a comment, they should state WHERE they are quoting. In my case, it was NOT even in the current thread. When someone quotes something that is not near the current post. then they MUST state where,

 

[David Weicker]

I think my question brings up a point. IF someone has information that IS NOT NEAR the post making a comment, they should state WHERE they are quoting. In my case, it was NOT even in the current thread. When someone quotes something that is not near the current post. then they MUST state where,

I think has to do with a 'feature' (IT speak for bug) of the thread quoting process. If you quote a post that has a quote in it, it doesn't carry along the original post

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think my question brings up a point. IF someone has information that IS NOT NEAR the post making a comment, they should state WHERE they are quoting. In my case, it was NOT even in the current thread. When someone quotes something that is not near the current post. then they MUST state where,

Only if you ask with a pretty, pretty, please with sugar on top.

 

[Mark Mayes]

"Marnie"-grainy? Because that transfer is beyond belief.

Yeah, the colors look good, but it doesn't appear to be as smooth as the Criterion edition. It is better than the dvd still, but I am wondering about the company that releases these. There are no sub-titles (German or English) and they advertise them on the cover.

I like it when it has enough grain to look cinema-like and textured--but this looks rough.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Yeah, the colors look good, but it doesn't appear to be as smooth as the Criterion edition. It is better than the dvd still, but I am wondering about the company that releases these. There are no sub-titles (German or English) and they advertise them on the cover.

I like it when it has enough grain to look cinema-like and textured--but this looks rough.

They discuss Marnie here.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/318416-a-few-words-about%E2%84%A2-marnie-in-blu-ray/

I wouldn't be surprised if Universal played with their digital tools, perhaps de-grained it then put something unnatural back in.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched Gilda today and it looked very good. It also plays in Region A. This is a Sony release in Germany so the disc menu is in English.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched Backlash tonight and another good looking BD. Like Man Without a Star, it played in Region A too.

 

[Mark Mayes]

I thought the "Gilda" looked really nice, as well. So far, in my recent buys, I have only noticed the Sirk films being "B" locked.

 

[Alan Tully]

The remake of The Getaway (1994) is released in Germany on the 25th of September. No masterpiece, but I think it's a good movie & I just about prefer it to the original.

 

[Robin9]

I watched Fedora yesterday. In total it's a good Zone-free Blu-ray disc with two drawbacks.

According to the additional end credits, the film was restored in 2013. For the most part this is evidenced by the quality of the images, but the opening few shots are sub-standard and the closing shot of William Holden coming out of the chapel is completely out of focus.

The second "problem" is with the documentary which of course is a German production. All the subtitles are in German and cannot be switched off, not even with the remote control. The subtitles are for the people speaking English or French and naturally there are none for German-speaking contributors. I found it hard work keeping up with the documentary.

As the pattern now with European releases is that a Blu-ray disc will appear in one European country and then about eighteen months later in two other countries, it is probable that Fedora will appear on Blu-ray disc in the U. K. in the not-too-distant future. (In addition Olive Films have not yet cancelled their promise to release a Zone A disc) It is therefore possible that the documentary will eventually be available with subtitles that are useful for English speaking people. Those with patience and strong nerves may choose to wait for an alternative disc.

Fedora remains what it has always been: a marvellous film, astonishingly underrated. It has a superb story and a brilliant cast, all of whom are good and some of whom are more than good. William Holden was always excellent - offhand, I can't recall a bad Holden performance - and is so here, playing an ageing man whose career is sliding downhill. Marthe Keller and Hildegard Knef are both really good but are outshone by Frances Sternhagen and Jose Ferrer. Ferrer was always a most charismatic actor with enormous screen presence but he sometimes overplayed his roles. In Fedora he is more subdued but the star quality is still there by the bucket-load.

I'm delighted to have this disc in my collection. That low-quality Spanish DVD will be given away!

UPDATE

I had a second look last night and noticed that the German subtitles on the documentary can be turned off via the disc menu. There is also a second "extra"; an interview with actor Mario Adorf which is in German. For those not fluent in German, this is likely to be of little value.

 

[Douglas R]

I watched Fedora yesterday. In total it's a good Zone-free Blu-ray disc with two drawbacks. According to the additional end credits, the film was restored in 2013. For the most part this is evidenced by the quality of the images, but the opening few shots are sub-standard and the closing shot of William Holden coming out of the chapel is completely out of focus.The second "problem" is with the documentary which of course is a German production. All the subtitles are in German and cannot be switched off, not even with the remote control. The subtitles are for the people speaking English or French and naturally there are none for German-speaking contributors. I found it hard work keeping up with the documentary. As the pattern now with European releases is that a Blu-ray disc will appear in one European country and then about eighteen months later in two other countries, it is probable that Fedora will appear on Blu-ray disc in the U. K. in the not-too-distant future. (In addition Olive Films have not yet cancelled their promise to release a Zone A disc) It is therefore possible that the documentary will eventually be available with subtitles that are useful for English speaking people. Those with patience and strong nerves may choose to wait for an alternative disc.Fedora remains what it has always been: a marvellous film, astonishingly underrated. It has a superb story and a brilliant cast, all of whom are good and some of whom are more than good. William Holden was always excellent - offhand, I can't recall a bad Holden performance - and is so here, playing an ageing man whose career is sliding downhill. Marthe Keller and Hildegard Knef are both really good but are outshone by Frances Sternhagen and Jose Ferrer. Ferrer was always a most charismatic actor with enormous screen presence but he sometimes overplayed his roles. In Fedora he is more subdued but the star quality is still there by the bucket-load.I'm delighted to have this disc in my collection. That low-quality Spanish DVD will be given away!

Thanks for that. I've been dithering about getting the German disc but the language/subtitles on the documentary makes me think that I should wait for Olive's version which Rex McGee, on the other FEDORA thread, says will include the deleted scenes. Trouble is, that release may still be some time away. I've already sold off my Spanish version!

 

[Bob Cashill]

Better yet vacation in NY next month, when a new print of Fedora will be screened at Film Forum.

 

[Robin9]

Better yet vacation in NY next month, when a new print of Fedora will be screened at Film Forum.

If anyone does see that new print in New York, I'd be interested to hear their opinion about the picture quality of the very early scene in the TV studio and the very last scene.

 

[Robin9]

I watched Coogan's Bluff yesterday. The DVD is almost unwatchable, a total grain storm, and I'm not a grain enthusiast. The German Blu-ray disc goes to the other extreme and much of the time has no grain. This is particularly noticeable with Susan Clark's close-ups.

Universal is of course now famous for using DNR on their HD masters. If they have applied DNR to Coogan's Bluff, then I have to say their technique has improved enormously. Despite the suspicious absence of grain, there is none of that waxy smoothness, none of that lack of detail that previously accompanied DNR. On this German Blu-ray disc Coogan's Bluff looks really good.

 

[Thomas T]

re: Coogan's Bluff. I like grain, it has a film look, DNR gives it a "video" look. The "cleaning up" of film grain is one of the reasons I hesitated going blu in the first place.

 

[Mark-P]

Just wondering, does anybody else have trouble receiving orders to the US from Amazon.de?
I placed an order for 3 items including the Woody Allen Box set and it shipped out on July 5th. After a month I notified them that I had still not received it. So they reshipped the order at no charge on August 6th. Around August 15th they let me know that the first shipment had been returned to them (no reason why was given). Now it's almost 3 weeks since they reshipped and I'm beginning to get nervous that this shipment may also fail. What gives? I guarantee they have the correct address.

 

[Thomas T]

Personally, I've never had a problem receiving product from Amazon.de ... or Amazon.fr, Amazon.it or Amazon.uk.