In The Mood For Love Criterion (1 Viewer)

[Donnie Eldridge]

Are there any early reviews out yet? I'm debating whether to wait or pick up the HK 2-disc set.

 

[PatrickM]

There's also a single disc Canadian version by Seville Pictures that has some extras and a decent transfer and its cheap. I think its less than $13 USD on Link Removed
Patrick

 

[Joseph Young]

Seville Version (available now):
SPECIAL FEATURES: Widescreen (2.35:1)
*English Stereo, English & French Subtitles
*19 minute Production featurette made by Wong Kar-wai, *Theatrical Trailer, Trailer Gallery, Cast & Director Profiles, Photo gallery presentation with music, *Interactive Motion Menus, "World of 'In the Mood for Love'" – exploration of costumes, design and traditional Chinese cuisine.
Criterion Version (available this month):
Take from the Criterion site.
*New digital transfer, enhanced for 16x9 televisions
*Dolby Surround 5.0 soundtrack
*Deleted scenes with director’s commentary
*The music of In the Mood for Love, presented in an interactive essay
*Hua Yang de Nian Hua, a short film by Wong Kar-wai
Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
DISC TWO
*In the Mood for Love, a documentary about the making of the film
*Interviews with Wong Kar-wai
*Toronto International Film Festival press conference with stars Maggie Cheung Man-yuk & Tony Leung Chiu-wai
*Essay by film scholar Gina Marchetti illuminating the film’s unique setting
*Trailers, TV spots, electronic press kit & promotional artwork & concepts
*Photo gallery
*Biographies of key cast & crew
*Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
In other words, this is an absolute no-brainer. Wait for the Criterion.
Joseph

 

[Barrie Maxwell]

For the record, the Seville version is an excellent new digital transfer also, 1.85:1 (not 2.35:1 - the film was originally made at 1.66:1 but released in N.A. at 1.85:1), anamorphic and understood to be the same transfer that Criterion will use. (See my review at dvdverdict.com) So it comes down to how much one wants the supplements which are obviously more extensive on the Criterion but at over twice the price.

Barrie

 

[Lance Nichols]

Barrie, are you sure about the transfer's ratio? I have been eyeballing it myself, and it looks like it is actually 1.66:1 to me. I could be right off my rocker though.

I picked mine up at DVD Wave, and the image looks great. I might still pick up the Criterion Edition as well, just for the extras.

 

[Mark McLeod]

Lance,

The Seville disc is indeed 1.66:1 as I noted in my review.

Barrie,

According to Glen at Seville their transfer should be exactly the same as Criterion's. Although I believe Criterion will use a dual layered disc so it's possible that it will look better over there.

 

[Jon Robertson]

I'm certainly highly in anticipation for Criterion's disc.

After Children of Paradise, and the promise of George Washington, Criterion are hitting an all-time high. Nearly every month they're releasing some kind of chiseled-in-stone classic in spectacular editions.

 

[Julian Lalor]

The Criterion version looks close to being identical to the French R2 release, which has been reviewed at www.dvdtimes.co.uk It's a 2 DVD set, with all extras subtitled in English. The transfer, however, is 1.66:1 anamorphic not 1.85:1.

 

[Mikko Rasinkangas]

There are many good versions of this: R1 US Criterion, R1 Canadian Seville, R2 UK Special Edition, R2 French SE… Which one is the best?

The R1 Criterion, R2 UK and R2 France seem to be the most comprehensive when it comes to features. Are there differences, like in the amount of deleted scenes, sound format or aspect ratio? I have browsed through a lot of websites and have found details for the various releases but lot of the stuff have different names so there isn’t really a way to tell which has the best features.

The Criterion details are already listed in one of these posts but here are the R2 UK and France discs' details:

************************************************** **********

R2 UK:

Dolby Digital Stereo

1.66:1 PAL Anamorphic

Original Trailer

Soundtrack

Deleted Scenes

Alternative Ending

Interview with Wong Kar-Wai

Wong Kar-Wai World Tour

On-set Report

Teaser Trailers

International Trailers

Promotional Trailers Reel

Cast and Crew Biographies & Filmgraphics

Poster & Stills Galleries

Costume & Styling Documentaries

Analysis & Reflections on the Music

Promotional Spot for Soundtrack

Composer Biographies

Interactive Mah-jong Game

Recipes

************************************************** **********

R2 French:

Anamorphic 1.66:1

French and Cantonese DD 5.1

Mandarin and Spanish DD2.0

Chapters by in sequence

Chapters by music

Presentation of songs and music

Original trailer

Unseen sequences and alternate ending .

Audio commentary by Wong Kar-Wai

Interview of Wong Kar-Wai

Making-of/crew interviews

Trailers, teasers, and promotional clips

Wong Kar-Wai promotional tour

Costumes

Biographies and filmographies

Commentary on the original soundtrack (including unreleased music and an advertisement for the CD soundtrack).

Posters and photo gallery

4 cooking recipes.

Internet , screensavers, pictures, links.

Hidden features (clip, report, multi-angle, trailers)

************************************************** **********

So could someone help with some of the features and connecting various features from different regions...

For example is the "The music of In the Mood for Love, presented in an interactive essay" from the Criterion the same as the R2 French "Presentation of songs and music" and the R2 UK "Soundtrack"...

 

[Jussi Tarvainen]

The Mei Ah release has a DTS 5.1 audio track, but none of the extras on the disc is subtitled in English, so that pretty much rules it out for us westerners.
As for the Tartan (UK) and TFI (French) versions, they should indeed be exactly the same.
As previously stated, the Criterion release "only" has a DD 5.0 track. The transfer, however, might very well be a new one (the Criterion web site states "This new digital transfer was created from the 35mm interpositive"). I'm not sure so I'm asking Jon Mulvaney.
The Criterion disc mentions optional director's commentary on the deleted scenes. This might be an exclusive Criterion extra, and in my opinion quite a significant one.
The Criterion edition also features "Hua Yang de Nian Hua", a short film by Wong-Kar Wai. With this extra, the decision is not all that difficult. The Criterion disc will also contain "an essay by film scholar Gina Marchetti illuminating the film's unique setting".
The European discs seem to contain quite a lot of filler (recipes, postcards, "artistic credits", "technical credits", award listing, concepts for T-shirts, "Title Logo For The Forthcoming Film By Wong Kar-Wai", "Watch a game of Mahjong", play the game, etc). A lot (or all?) of this stuff will be on the Criterion edition, but I wouldn't miss any of it if they weren't on the disc.
I'm not sure whether the Hong Kong premiere footage is on the Criterion disc. Conversely, the Criterion will contain press conference footage (always interesting) from the Toronto Film Festival; this footage doesn't seem to be on any of the other releases.
The only extras whose absence would truly hinder the Criterion edition's superiority are in my opinion these two:
• Wong Kar-Wai World Tour (4 mins)
• Film Masterclass: A Multi-Angle Presentation (16 mins)
And just a reminded: the Criterion edition has been delayed slightly. It's coming out in March and not on 2/25/02.

 

[Julian Lalor]

The Criterion disc mentions optional director's commentary on the deleted scenes. This might be an exclusive Criterion extra, and in my opinion quite a significant one.

This is on the French disc. The short film is not. The extras on the French DVD run to 2 hours and there is little that is "filler". Also, if Criterion hold true to form, the transfer will be improperly framed at 1.85:1, where the French and UK DVDs were properly framed at 1.66:1. It's an annoying and avoidable habit which hurt their otherwise excellent DVDs of Discrete Charm and Ruling Class (among others) which turns me away from the Criterion DVD.

 

[Sebastian_A]

Hey there - as long-time WKW fan and proud (?) owner of the UK bare-bones set AND the French 2-DVD "edition limitée" I have to throw in that the reason how I can tell myself that a purchase is NECESSARY, is the fact that this Criterion release will have an ALL NEW digital transfer - how about that!
Sebastian.

 

[Julian Lalor]

I have to throw in that the reason how I can tell myself that a purchase is NECESSARY, is the fact that this Criterion release will have an ALL NEW digital transfer - how about that

How many "all new digital transfers" does a 2 year old film need? The French/UK DVD also has an "all new digital transfer".

 

[Sebastian_A]

Only this one, then we're all set!

 

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Also, if Criterion hold true to form, the transfer will be improperly framed at 1.85:1, where the French and UK DVDs were properly framed at 1.66:1.

That's a little harsh - it's very rare for Criterion to get the the aspect ratio wrong. And the web site specifically states 1.66:1. I know, they probably claimed this for Discreet Charm as well, but I'm confident they won't screw it up.

 

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Got some addition info from Jon Mulvaney. Here it is:

1. Criterion's ITMFL does include an exclusive transfer.
2. We are releasing ITMFL as 5.0 because the DA-88 master we received
from Europe had no audio information on the LFE track (the .1 track).
3. The Wong Kar-Wai World Tour is actually the last four minutes of a
longer piece called @ In The Mood For Love. The entirety of this
documentary appears on the Criterion release (I think it's about 50
minutes). The Cannes Film Masterclass also appears on the Criterion
release. However, it is not multi-angle on our version.

This certainly clears some things up, and to me the Criterion is now the way to go.

 

[Jon Robertson]

RE: Discreet Charm - I know some of you might find the idea of the slight cropping annoying, but Bunuel was legendarily one of the least technically-concerned directors of all time. Therefore, his frames were hardly composed with the greatest of skill, and there really doesn't appear to be any real evidence of cropping when the disc is actually viewed.

As for The Ruling Class, the transfer, and therefore the AR, was director-approved, and again, it's hardly cutting off heads.

Anyway, this is spectacular news about the supplements on the Criterion edition of In The Mood for Love - one of the most spellbinding films I've seen in years. Please, don't deny yourself this delectable cinematic pleasure.

 

[Adam_S]

About George Washington and In the Mood for love, what are the films themselves like? I seem to vaguely remember hearing about both of them, but since none of them ever garnered a wide release I've never seen them. So what are they about/like? other than that the criterion disc certainly looks like a winner.

Adam

 

[Joseph Young]

Disclaimer: I cannot speak for the coveted French/UK R2 release, as I own the R1 Criterion edition of In the Mood for Love. I don't want this to turn into a 'which region is better' debate. Having gotten that out of the way...
What a stunning transfer! I don't often find myself actually calling a film or transfer 'gorgeous' or 'spellbinding,' but I was utterly entranced by the smoothness and detail in every scene. Not only that, but the 5.0 sountrack is superb. Again, I own many films considered 'reference' quality, but there is so much clarity, in both the audio and video here, that I was frankly blown away.
In regards to the deleted scenes: I am very pleased they were removed from the film, as some actually appear to be earlier interpretations of the script, played out in a completely different context and removing much of the lyrical beauty and ambiguity evident in the final cut. Two deleted scenes that stand out in my mind are An apparent 'consummation' of their affair, played out through a dark, rainy window; and the final Act in Cambodia being stretched out to include a(IMO) 'final encounter' between Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chen.
In my opinion, some of these scenes take the focus from a haunting meditation on loss and memory and shift it more towards the ruminations on the themes of diffusion of family and culture in Asia when Wong Kar-wai was growing up, themes already evident in the final cut but given more emphasis through these deleted scenes.
I was also moved by Hua Yang de Nian Hua, the short montage by the director which emphasizes the need for careful preservation of nitrate film stock. I consider it a blessing that the discovery of many of these films in LA unearthed China's tragically forgotten classic cinema and major stars in their day.
Major, major kudos to Criteroin and Wong Kar-wai for their passionate approach to oft-neglected cinema history.
Cheers,
Joseph

 

[Matt_P]

I thought I'd resurrect this old thread (so I don't have to start a new one), and maybe get some discussion going on this title again.

I just recently saw this disc...and I am floored by both the film and Criterion's exquisite presentation. Some may find this to be languid and pretentious filmmaking, but I was riveted. Subtlety is an attribute seemingly long forgotton in film today. Wong Kar-Wai's improvisational film (only a premise was established, not a full script) is not only visually stunning, but captures the emotion of love, and personal connection like no other film I've seen. Some things are better expressed without words. Gestures are captured. Simple glances emote paragraphs. Acting is suberb, as well (it has to be for it to work). Fabulous use of music (albeit a bit repetitive in spots), and camera movement.

Criterion's disc is amazing. The audio/video presentation is breathtaking: Crystal clear, vibrant anamorphic transfer, and a well-designed Dolby 5.0 track (great atmosphere). The packaging is superb. The booklet is about 50 pages long (!), and the menus feature the most extensive animation I've seen on a Criterion disc. The supplements are comprehensive, interesting, and informative (I haven't seen them all yet). It is certainly one of the best DVDs I have ever seen....if you haven't seen this one, at least rent it!!!!

Anyone else discover this gem recently?