Your thoughts on Kino-Lorber Blu-rays (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Same title and same transfer?

Yes, if some kind of HDR is added.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Same title and same transfer?

Certainly, HDR can yield significantly different looking image, but whether it's truly better in terms of image fidelity vs more subjectively pleasing/stunning would be highly debatable in at least some cases. Plus some cases may actually yield PQ problems (like overly dark or possibly either too contrasty or too flat image by default) for some 4K displays/setups.

Unfortunately, HDR remains a bit of a wild west w/ lack of good, reliable standardization (in more ways than one, including who/what uses which variant across the streaming realm)...

_Man_

 

[Douglas R]

I very much enjoyed Kino's FRENCH NOIR COLLECTION which contains three films which I'd never seen before. Legendary Jean Gabin stars in the briskly paced "Speaking of Murder" doing what he does best as a gangster while "Back to the Wall" has a highly original plot full of twists with elements of black comedy but the highlight for me was "Witness in the City" with Lino Ventura giving a great performance as the protagonist who, instead of leaving well alone, takes precipitous action which leads him to be ever more reckless. Excellent picture quality with wonderfully crisp black and white photography of 1950s Paris in all three films. More Please!

 

[JoeDoakes]

Yes. I would particularly like to see:
Beau James (1957)
Here Come The Girls (1953)
Mating Season (1951)
Secret Of The Incas (1954)

And also

Casanova’s Big Night
When Worlds Collide
Donovan’s Reef
Lifeguard (1976)
Phase IV

Shane 4K UHD
Chinatown 4K UHD

Reacting to myself, I’m delighted to be getting Secret of the Incas. I know Worlds went elsewhere but the rest of these would be very welcome including Mating Season (never released on DVD) and Lifeguard (never on blu ray), which is really an outstanding film.

 

[commander richardson]

I very much enjoyed Kino's FRENCH NOIR COLLECTION which contains three films which I'd never seen before. Legendary Jean Gabin stars in the briskly paced "Speaking of Murder" doing what he does best as a gangster while "Back to the Wall" has a highly original plot full of twists with elements of black comedy but the highlight for me was "Witness in the City" with Lino Ventura giving a great performance as the protagonist who, instead of leaving well alone, takes precipitous action which leads him to be ever more reckless. Excellent picture quality with wonderfully crisp black and white photography of 1950s Paris in all three films. More Please!

I second that. A top tier release was this by KL.

 

[LeoA]

I see that Kino Lorber has announced a Hayley Mills movie that I was unaware of called 'The Truth About Spring'.

I wonder if it's for me. I love The Parent Trap, Pollyanna, The Trouble With Angels, and That Darn Cat. And I enjoy her other Disney roles, although they're not up there with The Parent Trap and Pollyanna.

But I couldn't get into most of her non-Disney films that I've watched, with the notable exception of The Trouble With Angels. I've seen Whistle Down the Wind, The Chalk Garden, Sky West and Crooked, and The Family Way.

Any recommendations?

 

[RobertMG]

Someone posted that Criterion has the rights from Universal on the Anna May Wong film Daughter Of The Dragon the film that would be missing from KINOs announced coming soon Anna May Wong set can anyone confirm - maybe Criterion if this is true would let KINO have the title?

 

[Beckford]

Someone posted that Criterion has the rights from Universal on the Anna May Wong film Daughter Of The Dragon the film that would be missing from KINOs announced coming soon Anna May Wong set can anyone confirm - maybe Criterion if this is true would let KINO have the title?

I believe the Anna May Wong film Kino tried to get but couldn't was Daughter of Shanghai (1937). It's the first of a series of four the actress made for Paramount between '37 and '39. It's very much of a piece with the other three, many of the same personnel involved on and offscreen. Anthony Quinn, for example, appears in all four. Daughter of the Dragon's a much earlier Anna May Wong picture (1931). From Paramount as well, but quite separate from the late 30's series. I don't know whether Criterion has plans for that one or not. It has a certain historical interest (both Warner Oland and Sessue Hayakawa are in it). But (and this is just my own opinion, having seen all five films), the 1931 movie is very slow and creaky and shows none of its stars off to much advantage. It's considerably less entertaining than the four late 30's pictures, which are all fast-moving cracker-jack little B's. That 3 film set that Kino's bringing out is a sure winner, bound to please a lot of fans.

 

[GaryP11111]

Someone posted that Criterion has the rights from Universal on the Anna May Wong film Daughter Of The Dragon the film that would be missing from KINOs announced coming soon Anna May Wong set can anyone confirm - maybe Criterion if this is true would let KINO have the title?

At the time when Kino was releasing their MYSTERIOUS DR. FU MANCHU & RETURN OF DR. FU MANCHU double feature blu they were asked about DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON on their Facebook page. Kino replied that there were clearance issues associated with that title.

 

[cda1143]

Someone posted that Criterion has the rights from Universal on the Anna May Wong film Daughter Of The Dragon the film that would be missing from KINOs announced coming soon Anna May Wong set can anyone confirm - maybe Criterion if this is true would let KINO have the title?

I don’t know what right Criterion has but they streamed it on the Criterion Channel for many months. It’s not currently up.

 

[timk1041]

I see that Kino Lorber has announced a Hayley Mills movie that I was unaware of called 'The Truth About Spring'.

I wonder if it's for me. I love The Parent Trap, Pollyanna, The Trouble With Angels, and That Darn Cat. And I enjoy her other Disney roles, although they're not up there with The Parent Trap and Pollyanna.

But I couldn't get into most of her non-Disney films that I've watched, with the notable exception of The Trouble With Angels. I've seen Whistle Down the Wind, The Chalk Garden, Sky West and Crooked, and The Family Way.

Any recommendations?

Truth About Spring is really quite good. It has a nice mix of adventure, action and romantic comedy. Hayley does a fine job as does John Mills and James MacArthur. Give it a try.

 

[cadavra]

Hey, as far as DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON goes, everybody be patient. In four years it'll be public domain and then the rights will no longer be an issue.

 

[Gerani53]

Truth About Spring is really quite good. It has a nice mix of adventure, action and romantic comedy. Hayley does a fine job as does John Mills and James MacArthur. Give it a try.

Couldn't agree more! Hope you enjoy my commentary...

 

[ScottHM]

Hey, as far as DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON goes, everybody be patient. In four years it'll be public domain and then the rights will no longer be an issue.

It doesn't matter if it's in the public domain or not if the people with good film elements don't want to release it.
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[Worth]

With Man on the Train coming, any chance for the underrated Girl on the Bridge?

 

[RichMurphy]

I wonder if this might open up the possibility of another Disney deal:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/h...ensing-Agreement-with-The-Walt-Disney-Company

 

[Worth]

I wonder if this might open up the possibility of another Disney deal:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230130005094/en/Alliance-Entertainment’s-Mill-Creek-Entertainment-Announces-New-Home-Entertainment-Licensing-Agreement-with-The-Walt-Disney-Company

That deal is only for titles that have already been released, many of them by Kino.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

That deal is only for titles that have already been released, many of them by Kino.

And many of those were formally Mill Creek titles before they became Kino titles.

 

[RichMurphy]

Oh well, at least Cabin Boy will have a future life on video. LOL

 

[cadavra]

It doesn't matter if it's in the public domain or not if the people with good film elements don't want to release it.
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It's owned by Universal, and they're pretty good about lending elements to titles they no longer own (e.g., the Green Hornet serials to VCI). They might ask for a small loan fee, but that's perfectly justifiable.