Ragtime (1981)

[BrianSiano2]

Title: Ragtime

Tagline: The passion, the violence, the birth of America's Gilded Age.

Genre: Drama

Director: Miloš Forman

Cast: James Olson, Elizabeth McGovern, Howard Rollins, James Cagney, Moses Gunn, Brad Dourif, Kenneth McMillan, Pat O’Brien, Donald O'Connor, Mandy Patinkin, Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Jeffrey DeMunn, Robert Joy, Norman Mailer, Jeff Daniels, Frankie Faison, Samuel L. Jackson, John Ratzenberger, Jack Nicholson, Richard Griffiths, Bruce Boa, Hoolihand Burke, Norman Chancer, Edwin Cooper, Fran Drescher, Hal Galili, Alan Gifford, Michael Jeter, Calvin Levels, Bessie Love, Christopher Malcolm, Herman Meckler, Billy J. Mitchell, Jenny Nichols, Max Nichols, Zack Norman, Eloise Taylor, Don Plumley, Ted Ross, Dorsey Wright, Robert Arden, Robert Boyd, Thomas A. Carlin, John Clarkson, Brian F. Dean, Harry Ditson, Derek Martin, Al Matthews

Release: 1981-11-20

Runtime: 155

Plot: A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.

Yesterday on a France 24 news show, they had someone on talking about a "restored" rerelease of Milos Forman's 1981 film of _Ragtime_. But I've been unable to find any _other_ news sources talking about this.

I'm assuming that it's a restoration of the theatrical release, since Forman's passed away and he's unlikely to revisit his edit. But the film needs a Blu-Ray release. Has anyone else heard about this?

 

[Jimbo64]

Sadly it’s a Paramount picture so I can’t imagine we’ll see a Blu-ray

 

[Tino]

Bought it on iTunes in HD for $4.99 and it looks and sounds great.

A Blu would be nice but this will suffice nicely.

 

[Mark-P]

Bought it on iTunes in HD for $4.99 and it looks and sounds great.

A Blu would be nice but this will suffice nicely.

Yeah I bought it on iTunes when it was that price too. Only caveat, it is one of the few iTunes movies that is only 720p.

 

[Tino]

Yeah I bought it on iTunes when it was that price too. Only caveat, it is one of the few iTunes movies that is only 720p.

True. Still looks pretty good. Better than the DVD for sure.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Damn. This is a film I've really wanted on Blu.

Maybe this is the straw that breaks the camel's back and gets me into digital purchases??

 

[titch]

Anyone purchased the French blu-ray of Ragtime? It is reviewed in this month's Sight & Sound: "This newly restored version is released by the French label Arte Editions: booklet essays and interviews, as well as subtitles, are all in French. The second disc of supplements included interviews with cast and crew, a separate interview with Forman, a deleted scene showing a feminist intervention by Emma Goldman, and a trailer. Most precious of all, there's Vera Chytilova's feature-length documentary portrait of Forman, shot during the making of Ragtime at Shepperton.

I'm hoping that Criterion will pick this up but I might just go for the French edition.

See on Amazon

 

[David Weicker]

Anyone purchased the French blu-ray of Ragtime? It is reviewed in this month's Sight & Sound: "This newly restored version is released by the French label Arte Editions: booklet essays and interviews, as well as subtitles, are all in French. The second disc of supplements included interviews with cast and crew, a separate interview with Forman, a deleted scene showing a feminist intervention by Emma Goldman, and a trailer. Most precious of all, there's Vera Chytilova's feature-length documentary portrait of Forman, shot during the making of Ragtime at Shepperton.

I'm hoping that Criterion will pick this up but I might just go for the French edition.

See on Amazon

I never knew they filmed any of the Emma Goldman scenes that were in the book. Do you know who played her? I always had this thought that they should have used Maureen Stapleton.
She played Emma in Reds the same year and was nominated for Supporting Actress. Given the caliber of the acting in Ragtime, it would have been interesting to see someone nominated for two films to compete against themselves for playing the same person.

 

[titch]

I never knew they filmed any of the Emma Goldman scenes that were in the book. Do you know who played her? I always had this thought that they should have used Maureen Stapleton.
She played Emma in Reds the same year and was nominated for Supporting Actress. Given the caliber of the acting in Ragtime, it would have been interesting to see someone nominated for two films to compete against themselves for playing the same person.

Apparently, it was Mariclare Costello.

WHEN EMMA GOLDMAN HIT CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR (Published 1981)

www.nytimes.com

 

[Mike Frezon]

Anyone purchased the French blu-ray of Ragtime? It is reviewed in this month's Sight & Sound: "This newly restored version is released by the French label Arte Editions: booklet essays and interviews, as well as subtitles, are all in French. The second disc of supplements included interviews with cast and crew, a separate interview with Forman, a deleted scene showing a feminist intervention by Emma Goldman, and a trailer. Most precious of all, there's Vera Chytilova's feature-length documentary portrait of Forman, shot during the making of Ragtime at Shepperton.

I'm hoping that Criterion will pick this up but I might just go for the French edition.

I've purchased the French Blu of Ragtime, Kevin.

Looks and sounds GREAT!

 

[Doug Pyle]

I've purchased the French Blu of Ragtime, Kevin.

Looks and sounds GREAT!

Is it region B locked?

Is the menu only in French? The special features: what language(s)?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Anyone purchased the French blu-ray of Ragtime? It is reviewed in this month's Sight & Sound: "This newly restored version is released by the French label Arte Editions: booklet essays and interviews, as well as subtitles, are all in French. The second disc of supplements included interviews with cast and crew, a separate interview with Forman, a deleted scene showing a feminist intervention by Emma Goldman, and a trailer. Most precious of all, there's Vera Chytilova's feature-length documentary portrait of Forman, shot during the making of Ragtime at Shepperton.

Is it region B locked?

Is the menu only in French? The special features: what language(s)?

NOT Region B blocked.

As Kevin notes, the booklet is entirely in French.

The menu is in French,,,but easily understandable.

The disc has two versions of the film to pick from (this is what it says on screen):

Version Francaise 2.0/DTS HD Master Audio

Version Originale 5.1/DTS HD Master Audio/Sous-titree Francais

So version 2 is the original English language version and my Oppo 203 turned off the French subtitles with no problem.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I forgot about the special features (on their own separate Blu disc).

The trailer (Band-Annonce) is in English but with french subs I could NOT turn off.

The Emma Goldman clip (Sequence Coupee) is in English with French subs that CAN be turned off.

The feature "American Tapestry" is in English with French subs that CAN be turned off.

The feature "Remembering Ragtime" is in English with French subs that CAN be turned off.

And the feature "Forman versus Chytilova" is in English with French subs that CAN be turned off.

Hope that all helps.

 

[Doug Pyle]

NOT Region B blocked.

Thanks for all the info Mike.

By this, do you mean it plays on region A player? I do have my Oppo 93 configured for Region B, but I'm curious if my region A Oppo 205 can play it too, without mod.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Yes. It plays on a Region A player.

 

[Waldo Lydecker]

At the time apparently “Grace Slick” was offered and declined to play the radical Emma Goldman role...

 

[David Weicker]

I just noticed a listing on Bullmoose for a new release of Ragtime on Blu-Ray.

It is listed as coming from Paramount, with a release date of 11/16/21

 

[Doug Pyle]

NOT Region B blocked.

As Kevin notes, the booklet is entirely in French.

The menu is in French,,,but easily understandable.

The disc has two versions of the film to pick from (this is what it says on screen):

Version Francaise 2.0/DTS HD Master Audio

Version Originale 5.1/DTS HD Master Audio/Sous-titree Francais

So version 2 is the original English language version and my Oppo 203 turned off the French subtitles with no problem.

Thanks for all the info about the French release - I purchased and enjoyed all those extras. Interesting outtakes, some a bit rough but others would have enhanced an already very good film.

And yes no issues on a Region A player.

Nice to hear rumblings of a possible US release. If it doesn't come out with these features, the French version is a good one to get.