Cleopatra (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Budgell]

I see Fox getting it right the first time. Apparently those who have seen the restored print say it's breathtaking. There's also a beautiful box set planned for Japan. Lately Fox has been waiting 6 weeks before street date to announce their titles, so I think we might get an announcement next week.

 

[Alan Tully]

Since it has been announced in the UK, has there been any promotion of the movie over there? The less they promote it, the more suspicious I become that there's a planned double-dip in the future. Maybe they really do have more lost footage available and they are holding it back?

Well that's the thing, it hasn't been announced by Fox, just a lot of online retailers in the UK have it for pre-order. I think one of them jumped the gun, so the others had to, so as to not lose pre-orders. I think Fox should announce it very soon. I'm interested to see if America gets the deluxe box option like Japan.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

This is the French cover art:

 

[Johnny Angell]

Please don't let this be only available as a Big Box 'O Stuff.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angell /t/316256/cleopatra#post_3877173

 

[Johnny Angell]

Don't you want the pet asp and replica of her barge?   

I'm afraid I'd get mad at the asp and say "bite me!"

 

[Everett S.]

You can't know that until the disc is released. Even discs that are explicitly labelled as region "B" are sometimes region "A" compatible.

You are right. I just ordered a code free Blu-Ray player & pre-ordered Cleopatra!

 

[Everett S.]

I see Fox getting it right the first time. Apparently those who have seen the restored print say it's breathtaking. There's also a beautiful box set planned for Japan. Lately Fox has been waiting 6 weeks before street date to announce their titles, so I think we might get an announcement next week.

Oops It looks like I should have waited.

 

Oops It looks like I should have waited.

You won't regret your code-free player. I haven't.

 

[TheVid]

Good news about the UK blu-ray of CLEOPATRA: The double-disc set is a stunner, and no one waiting for this big one will be disappointed. It's glorious and looks to be mastered from the latest Todd-AO 70mm source. Colors are rich and detail and depth are superb. The DTS HD 6-track master offers up splendid fidelity and the original, discrete 4-track stems are offered as a Dolby-digital audio option. The Overture, Entr'acte and Exit music are intact, but once again, the intermezzo music is misplaced at the end of the first disc. The distraction of this alteration isn't too bad since the second disc starts immediately with a continuation of the film as soon as it loads (there is not a pause for menu startup). All the musical interludes are played against a card displaying red velvet curtains, instead of a black screen as in the theatrical prints. The curtain cards worked for me because they actually look pretty cool. I haven't watched the extras, but they are the same as the Fox DVD sets, along with the inclusion of some new material especially for the blu-ray. Extras are spread across both discs. There is one entitled CLEOPATRA'S Missing Footage - which should probably offer up the latest on the original 6-hour intent. CLEOPATRA gets a wonderful 50th Anniversary release and fans will find it worth the wait. Last, but not least, the UK blu-ray is region free (A,B and C).

 

Why are so many Overtures, Intermissions, etc. being fudged up lately?

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by eric scott richard /t/316256/cleopatra/30#post_3893449

 

[john a hunter]

Can only agree with Gary that this is overall a stunner. The titles are somewhat desaturated but immediately the film proper knicks in the colours are gorgeous. Occasionally they may seem a bit on the coolside but more often than not they look as beautiful as I remember them. All the shades of red are accurately reproduced, blacks are deep, golds glisten. And those violet eyes! However the most extraordinary aspect for me is the sheer detail that almost overwhelms you. The opening scene on the palace steps in Alexandria ,the detail of every piece of costume, jewellery,and set take your breath away. The sound is also first rate enabling Alex North's score to bloom with maximum effectiveness.The orchestra sound fabulous. Dialogue is fully directional. The main nit pick is of course the Entr'acte not being at the beginning of disc 2. Unlike Warners, Fox thankfully doesn't inflict more corporate logos and a menu at the beginning of a second disc, but with the music missing, Part 2 starts with a sudden jump not the proper musical introduction. Also but less of a problem is why Fox removed the blank screen over the overture, etc when that had always used a blank screen before and giving us red curtains and a note saying "Overture"etc. At least they did not reuse a title card thereby ruining the impact of a film's opening and many, I am sure, will like to be reminded of the days, long ago, when cinemas had curtains in front of the screen! And with the Oppo you can get rid of them if you wish. Viewed on a 63 inch Samsung plasma -isf certified.

 

[rsmithjr]

I found the placement of the overture on the DVD odd, to be sure, but not super-offensive. At least it is all there.

 

[Charles Smith]

Is there anyone here with appropriate contact(s) at Fox who can urgently request that the placement of the Entr'Acte be FIXED before the US release?


And in support of that, can someone please post a name and address or email or phone number where the rest of us can likewise express concern -- politely but urgently -- before it's too late?

 

[GMpasqua]

Is it at all possible, the reason the music appears on disc one and not disc two is due to time? "Cleopatra" is a long film. Maybe putting the music on disc one frees up space to increase space on the second disc (and increased bit rate)


Didn't SONY do something similar with "Lawrence of Arabia" (DVD) The intermission comes about 10 minutes into the start of disc two.

I would prefer to have the music on disc one if placing it on disc two compromises the image.

How long does the US have to wait? Sept? Christmas? (like it really makes a difference with a catalog title)

 

[TheVid]

The second half of the disc goes past the two-hour mark, while the first half is just under two hours, so it could be a reasonable decision to include the entr'acte on disc one to even out the pressing. Purists have a right to complain, but it's not too much of an inconvenience with a dual-disc set playing in a home theater - after the intermission card, quests can shuffle around, do their thing, and the second disc can be loaded once everyone is re-seated - instantly going into the burial montage that starts the second half. Anyway, I wish the studio would have used a different musical interlude for the intermission instead of rehashing the main title music. Maybe Fox will change the positioning of the entr'acte music prior to a USA blu-ray package - particularly since they have not set a pre-release date for it like they have for Europe and Japan; after all, they did oblige correcting the missing exit music after the first five-star dvd pressing.

 

[rsmithjr]

Anyway, I wish the studio would have used a different musical interlude for the intermission instead of rehashing the main title music.

Isn't this the original intermission music? I do remember that there was intermission music on the 70mm prints, I cannot say for certain that the DVD and LD had the correct music but I think so. In any case, I want what we had originally.

 

[Ernest]

It has been reported by those that have purchased from Amazon UK the Cleopatra BluRay is region-free. I saw a picture of the back of the insert on another site and it showed A,B,C. The one I ordered is in the mail from the UK should arrive next week I can confirm then. I am not concerned one of my players is region-free for DVD as well as BluRay. If it weren't for the burned in French subtitles I would have ordered Exodus.

 

[Paul Rossen]

The second half of the disc goes past the two-hour mark, while the first half is just under two hours, so it could be a reasonable decision to include the entr'acte on disc one to even out the pressing. Purists have a right to complain, but it's not too much of an inconvenience with a dual-disc set playing in a home theater - after the intermission card, quests can shuffle around, do their thing, and the second disc can be loaded once everyone is re-seated - instantly going into the burial montage that starts the second half. Anyway, I wish the studio would have used a different musical interlude for the intermission instead of rehashing the main title music. Maybe Fox will change the positioning of the entr'acte music prior to a USA blu-ray package - particularly since they have not set a pre-release date for it like they have for Europe and Japan; after all, they did oblige correcting the missing exit music after the first five-star dvd pressing.

The Intermission Entr'acte music on the disc(at least the DVD) is indeed the original music as composed by Alex North for that purpose. Why would you want the 'studio' to change this?