Eclipse Series 3: Late Ozu
- Jun-Dai
- 監督
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:34 am
- Location: London, UK
- Contact:
Holy fucking shit, this is awesome!
I guess I should have started with that. I was a little surprised by the list, as I was under the impression that Eclipse was going to be primarily for "minor" films, a la the Bergman set, but this set indicates that they are not hesitating to sweep middle-tier films into the Eclipse line, which is very good (because they are getting released and probably in quality that would put most of their first 150 releases to shame) and bad (because they're not scheduled for "special treatment"). Frankly, if the transfers are going to be about the same, then I don't really feel the need to see them on the Criterion label, as the only real downside is that the films are probably going to attract less attention (fewer reviews, etc.). I also hope that they can accelerate the Eclipse line, 'cause if their working on these, when will they have the time for Ozu's more minor stuff? and Naruse's? and Mizoguchi's? and all the other Japanese directors'? and all the non-Japanese directors'?
But yeah, all these comments should be taken within the context of Holy fucking shit, this is awesome!
I guess I should have started with that. I was a little surprised by the list, as I was under the impression that Eclipse was going to be primarily for "minor" films, a la the Bergman set, but this set indicates that they are not hesitating to sweep middle-tier films into the Eclipse line, which is very good (because they are getting released and probably in quality that would put most of their first 150 releases to shame) and bad (because they're not scheduled for "special treatment"). Frankly, if the transfers are going to be about the same, then I don't really feel the need to see them on the Criterion label, as the only real downside is that the films are probably going to attract less attention (fewer reviews, etc.). I also hope that they can accelerate the Eclipse line, 'cause if their working on these, when will they have the time for Ozu's more minor stuff? and Naruse's? and Mizoguchi's? and all the other Japanese directors'? and all the non-Japanese directors'?
But yeah, all these comments should be taken within the context of Holy fucking shit, this is awesome!
- davida2
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:16 am
- Location: chapel hill, nc, usa
There's more Ozu. More Ozu for people who don't already know Ozu, and would LOVE Ozu. This is a good thing.montgomery wrote:I am honestly shocked by all the negative and lukewarm responses about this set. I can't believe anybody would think anything other than "Holy fucking shit, this is awesome," or at least, "God Bless Eclipse." The number of US Ozu DVD releases just shot from 6 up to 11. I don't know what there is to complain about.
Eclipse is already shaping up to be something great - of the 4 releases confirmed, there isn't anything included in any of them that would cause me to do any kvetching. I think - just to cite one example - the mere possibility of multiple Naruse releases in short order on DVD in R1 is more than any of us would have expected just a few years ago, and that would now seem to be simply the tip of an iceberg. I got no complaints.
Well...almost. They really should get on to some Oshima. Roundabout the late 60s/early 70s, the man was creating some 5-star films...but that's another thread.
- feckless boy
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:38 pm
- Location: Stockholm
Sorry if my posts are getting repetitive. I backed up (DVD9) my copy of Higanbana (Equinox Flower). Thank you ellipsis7 for the missing lines!
Criterion
Shochiku
Criterion
Shochiku
I recently acquired the Shochiku disc (having been swamped in work it has been shrink-wrapped until this evening). And as you can see the contrast isn't as boosted as the Criterion. But it is decidedly softer and unfortunately it is interlaced (not progressive as the Criterion).
Since this isn't a PAL-NTSC-port, I guess the evident combing is related to the fact that it's interlaced. Correct me if this is an incorrect assumption.
Shochiku
Well, here they are (Criterion vs Shochiku):denti alligator wrote:Can you post some caps to show the differences between these editions?
Criterion
Shochiku
Criterion
Shochiku
I recently acquired the Shochiku disc (having been swamped in work it has been shrink-wrapped until this evening). And as you can see the contrast isn't as boosted as the Criterion. But it is decidedly softer and unfortunately it is interlaced (not progressive as the Criterion).
Since this isn't a PAL-NTSC-port, I guess the evident combing is related to the fact that it's interlaced. Correct me if this is an incorrect assumption.
Shochiku
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
Possibly it's just a matter of taste -- I find the Criterion harsh and unpleasant to look at -- because of the excess sharpness (which I doubt Ozu would have intended in this film -- whereas it was something he deliberately sought in some of his early films).
Our television/DVD player can't tell the difference between interlaced and not -- so this is not an issue for us.
Our television/DVD player can't tell the difference between interlaced and not -- so this is not an issue for us.
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- Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:43 am
- Jean-Luc Garbo
- Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:55 am
- Contact:
- teddyleevin
- Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:25 pm
- Location: New York City
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- TheRanchHand
- Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:18 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- TheRanchHand
- Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:18 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
- tryavna
- Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:38 pm
- Location: North Carolina
That really is disappointing, but to my eyes, only Equinox Flower seems to look really bad. (End of Summer to a somewhat lesser extent.) The colors on Late Autumn look virtually the same to me. Or are my contacts playing tricks on me?Michael Kerpan wrote:Criterion's DVDs of the color films all seem to give the character's reddish skin. I guess I'll have to pass. They really seem to be doing this on purpose.
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:20 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
I think one would need to see more comparisons on "Late Autumn", but if the one comparison is truly representative -- this DVD came through okay. "End of Summer" is vastly better than the dreadful AE release, but definitely pinker than the Toho version -- possibly acceptable, if not ideal. "Equinox Flower" looks like it uses a color balance comparable to the cruddy old New Yorker video. I'd rate this one as almost certainly not acceptable. The colors may be more "brighter" in the Eclipse version, but they are just plain wrong.
- Steven H
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:30 pm
- Location: NC
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- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 10:28 pm
The colors on Equinox Flower look appalling. And why no comparison to the Tartan on that one?
Colorwise, Late Autumn looks okay, but End of Summer is definitely also worrying. Has anyone raised this issue with Criterion directly? With all the moaning and groaning that goes on about pictureboxing, this is a much bigger problem.
Between this and the non-progressive Tokyo Twilight, my enthusiasm for this set has been somewhat dampened.
Colorwise, Late Autumn looks okay, but End of Summer is definitely also worrying. Has anyone raised this issue with Criterion directly? With all the moaning and groaning that goes on about pictureboxing, this is a much bigger problem.
Between this and the non-progressive Tokyo Twilight, my enthusiasm for this set has been somewhat dampened.
- Donald Brown
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:21 pm
- Location: a long the riverrun
- arsonfilms
- Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:53 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
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- GringoTex
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:57 am
With the original color-timed answer print being long gone, it's impossible to know exactly what Ozu wanted. But I agree it probably wasn't Martians. The set looks great.Donald Brown wrote:Yeah, everyone knows people in Asian films are supposed to look snot green rather than hued like humans.
This set looks absolutely fine, as does Criterion's Vengeance is Mine.