UHD Review The Last Emperor – Criterion UHD Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[t1g3r5fan]

Let’s dig into The Last Emperor. After making his directorial debut with La commare secca (AKA The Grim Reaper) (1962) – literally right out of college – Bernardo Bertolucci attracted major notice with his second feature film Before the Revolution (1964). He really hit his stride during the 1970’s, attracting international praise with films like The Conformist (1970), Last Tango in Paris (1972), 1900 (1976) and La Luna (1979), though his career slowed in the early 1980’s, due to troubles trying to bring a screen adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest before the cameras. However, he would shelve that in favor of a project that would bring him his crowning achievement: the story of Puyi, The Last Emperor of China. Previously released on DVD and Blu-ray by Criterion – and overseas by Arrow Video last year on UHD Blu-ray – the company has given the film its UHD Blu-ray debut here in the US.



The Last Emperor (1987)



Released: 15 Apr 1988...

Continue reading...

 

[SD_Brian]

Interesting that Criterion went to the trouble of re-authoring the included Blu-ray of the theatrical release with the new transfer but decided to stick with the Univisium aspect ratio.

 

[JoshZ]

Continue reading...

One correction to note: Vittorio Storaro's goofy 2.00:1 format was called "Univisium," not "Univision."

Univisium - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[t1g3r5fan]

One correction to note: Vittorio Storaro's goofy 2.00:1 format was called "Univisium," not "Univision."

Univisium - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

OK, made the correction. I figured that was what it was called, but my memory failed me when I needed it.

Interesting that Criterion went to the trouble of re-authoring the included Blu-ray of the theatrical release with the new transfer but decided to stick with the Univision aspect ratio.

Yeah, I find that to be a real head scratcher too.

 

[JoshZ]

OK, made the correction. I figured that was what it was called, but my memory failed me when I needed it.

Happens to us all from time to time.

 

[jayembee]

Happens to us all from time to time.

For some, more times than for others.

 

[SD_Brian]

OK, made the correction. I figured that was what it was called, but my memory failed me when I needed it.

Since you corrected your post, I corrected mine as well! I feel we've all learned something about Univisium today!

 

[GerardoHP]

To me, Storaro's decision to crop the 2.35 AR to Univisium was akin to panning and scanning the picture. I'm glad the new Blu has the original scope AR.

 

[JoshZ]

To me, Storaro's decision to crop the 2.35 AR to Univisium was akin to panning and scanning the picture. I'm glad the new Blu has the original scope AR.

It seems that only the 4K disc (theatrical cut) has the full 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The accompanying Blu-rays for both the theatrical cut and extended cut are cropped to 2.00:1, according to the review.

Last year's release from Arrow Video offered the theatrical cut in 4K and the extended cut on Blu-ray, both in 2.35:1, but did not have the theatrical cut on regular Blu-ray. The extended cut Blu-ray was also locked to Region B.

 

[tenia]

Interesting that Criterion went to the trouble of re-authoring the included Blu-ray of the theatrical release with the new transfer but decided to stick with the Univisium aspect ratio.

Baffling, especially as it's repeated for the longer cut, and offers no alternative to either AR on BD, while most (every ?) other release from the 4K resto / TV cut re-release have both in 2.35, so Criterion actively cropped both cuts.
Oh well.

 

[Peter Neski]

I am hoping this is better then the Arrow set, but that did have the long version in 2:35:1 (as did the Japanese BR set)
Its a shame the reviewer had no knowledge of the Arrow 4k version or the latest Japanese BR

 

[Robert Harris]

The Universaliumae version is worthless. It turns every MLS into a MS, with incorrect information in the frame. I find it unwatchable.

 

[tenia]

Makes more sense, but still inferior to what any other label has done with this rerelease : the BD isn't from the new master, which explains the 2.00 format (and is way more consistant with Criterion's policy regarding the BDs included in their "combo" releases).

422 The Last Emperor - Page 11 - criterionforum.org

 

[Robert Crawford]

For many of us that have the Arrow 4K/UHD release, outside of different bonus material, I see no reason to purchase this Criterion 4K/UHD.

 

[Robert Harris]

For many of us that have the Arrow 4K/UHD release, outside of different bonus material, I see no reason to purchase this Criterion 4K/UHD.

Robert - Seems a pity that it appears no entity has released this great film in proper aspect ratio, 4k theatrical & 2k extended in 2.35 region A.

Is the Arrow extended region B locked, and actual uncropped 2.35? By that, I mean not 2.0 masking the top and bottom?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert - Seems a pity that it appears no entity has released this great film in proper aspect ratio, 4k theatrical & 2k extended in 2.35 region A.

Is the Arrow extended region B locked, and actual uncropped 2.35? By that, I mean not 2.0 masking the top and bottom?

 

[Angelo Colombus]

For many of us that have the Arrow 4K/UHD release, outside of different bonus material, I see no reason to purchase this Criterion 4K/UHD.

Have the Arrow 4K box set and very happy with the results.

 

[tenia]

Arrow indeed offer both cuts in 2.35 (like Metropolitan in France, but it only has French subs).

For many of us that have the Arrow 4K/UHD release, outside of different bonus material, I see no reason to purchase this Criterion 4K/UHD.

Well, to some extent, that's true for pretty much any Criterion UHD release that has a foreign, English-friendly counterpart (especially from Arrow), like, say, Time Bandits, The Servant, or Picnic at Hanging Rock.

But most US folks don't do import, so that does leave a good chunk of people behind when the domestic release (that no foreign release ever replaces) isn't as good an option as it could have been.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You’ll be surprised how many Americans that frequent this forum imports physical media.

 

[tenia]

You’ll be surprised how many Americans that frequent this forum imports physical media.

If you were to estimate it through figures, how many sales would we be talking about for this LE UHD UK release ?

I believe we're more likely to be talking about 100-200 purchases from the US than, say, 1000 (I mean : I doubt 20-33% of the LE run - probably between 3000 and 5000 copies - went to the US !).

What are Criterion's expectations on this UHD release ? A first print run of 4000 copies ? That'd bring the importers to around 2.5-5% of what the domestic release is aiming to sell at first (and of course, if I'm underestimating the US sales potential of this 4K release, the importers are going to be even more of a minority).