Park Circus

[doc mccoy]

I wonder why Park went with separate DVD/Blu releases for Boudu, when it had opted for dual releases previously.

[ellipsis7]

Just to say the Park Circus Blu of the recently restored BOUDU is simply superb... What is apparent are the different diffusion filters and lagging focus pulls that Renoir uses on certain shots, contrasting with the sharper images of unfiltered shots and lovely deep focus tracking shots, the kind of fine detail that isn't so readily apparent on DVD...

[RossyG]

FWIW, the BBFC have just passed Patrice Leconte's La Veuve de Saint-Pierre as submitted by Park Circus.

[tojoed]

A rave for "Boudu" from BluRay.com.

[ellipsis7]

A rave for "Boudu" from BluRay.com.

Absolutely agree, as I say above, the Blu is revelation in terms of the depth and detail of the visual compositions it shows, whereas on the previous DVDs much of this is simply blurred and obscured in that lower resolution medium...

[antnield]

The Digital Fix on The Brothers and Floodtide.

[colinr0380]

Mondo Digital on The Pillow Book blu. I have not seen the previous DVD releases, but it does look absolutely stunning on Blu and on comparing it with an old television broadcast in which the aspect ratios were kept intact (On the night of Film4's launch back in 1998 - I think that also marked the last time that a Greenaway film was broadcast on British terrestrial television), nothing seems to be missing. In fact there even seems to be a little bit of extra information on the left hand side of the frame, though I cannot be too sure of that due to the pillarboxing of the Blu-Ray and overscanning of my television that I have simultaneously been playing the VHS on!

[Tommaso]

I have only seen the SD version, but can assure everyone that for the most part it looks stunning (especially colourwise), not only compared to the old dvd which was awful in every respect. The way they solved the aspect ratio problem looked convincing to me, with sometimes quite a lot of extra information now visible, and especially revealing how often the ratio actually changes. It's too long ago since I saw this theatrically that I really can't comment on how accurately the transfer represents the way the film was shown in the cinema, but I'm more than happy with the result here (and apparently the transfer was approved by Greenaway, anyhow). I really hope Park Circus can get the rights for "Prospero", too. That one still needs a fully satisfactory release.

[MichaelB]

It's inevitable that a film that underwent extensive postproduction using analogue video technology (albeit hi-def) can never look as pristine as a film-sourced 1080p transfer - I imagine the same will be true of Prospero's Books, which looked distinctly fuzzy on the big screen compared with a film that never strayed from 35mm in the path from camera negative to release print.

But it sounds as though the Park Circus edition is as good as it can realistically get.

[Hail_Cesar]

Any details on this?

[Calvin]

Any details on this?

In Q4 they're releasing Charlie Chaplin: The Collection which includes THE CHAPLIN REVUE, THE CIRCUS, CITY LIGHTS, THE GOLD RUSH, THE GREAT DICTATOR, THE KID, A KING IN NEW YORK, LIMELIGHT, MODERN TIMES, MONSIEUR VERDOUX and A WOMAN OF PARIS.

Park Circus are also releasing Stanley Donen's Charade on October 24th and Rupert Julian's The Phantom of the Opera (1925 & 1929) on November 21st. (Source: blu-ray.com)

[bigP]

Also on the October / November roster:
Der Rosenkavalier - October 24th [DVD]
Orphans - October 31st [DVD]
Taking Off - November 7th [DVD though keeping my fingers crossed for Blu or Dual announcment]
Chaplin Collection
Phantom of the Opera - November 21st [DVD] [Blu]
La Piscine - November 28th [DVD] [Blu]

[MichaelB]

Taking Off - November 7th [DVD though keeping my fingers crossed for Blu or Dual announcment]

Probably quite a safe bet, since it's out on Blu-ray in France.

[Calvin]

I hope that they'll release the Chaplin Collection on Blu-Ray. Most of the titles included in the DVD set have already received a Blu-Ray or Dual Format release and they could just exclude the ones that they don't have in HD.

[antnield]

Press release for Q4 discs...

We are pleased to announce our upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases in Q4.

In a brand new restoration, Jacques Deray’s sensual thriller LA PISCINE will be available for the very first time on DVD and Blu-ray. The Collector’s Edition Blu-ray features both the French and English versions, together with a host of extras.

Also newly restored and released for the first time on DVD in the UK is Milos Forman’s first US feature TAKING OFF, a funny, alternative coming-of-age tale, featuring exclusive performances by Tina & Ike Turner, Carly Simon and Kathy Bates (as ‘Bobo Bates’).

An all-new restoration of horror masterpiece THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Rupert Julian, with the Bal Masque sequence in two-strip Technicolor and other scenes hand tinted, will be released in a special ‘2-disc Ultimate Edition’ on DVD and Blu-ray. Featuring both the 1925 and 1929 versions, this edition also includes a brand new score by The Alloy Orchestra.

Romantic suspense thriller CHARADE, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, has been beautifully restored and will receive a Dual Format release, including the theatrical trailer and a photo gallery as extras material.

Following the success of the Blu-ray release in 2010, classic opera DER ROSENKAVALIER will now be available on DVD in a new restoration.

A welcome addition to our Scottish Collection, Peter Mullan's directorial debut, multi award-winning black comedy/drama ORPHANS, will be available on DVD in a new digital transfer, together with a selection of early short films from the director and other extras.

Finally, Chaplin fans can look forward to the release of CHARLIE CHAPLIN: THE COLLECTION, a DVD Box Set which includes the following titles: THE CHAPLIN REVUE, THE CIRCUS, CITY LIGHTS, THE GOLD RUSH, THE GREAT DICTATOR, THE KID, A KING IN NEW YORK, LIMELIGHT, MODERN TIMES, MONSIEUR VERDOUX and A WOMAN OF PARIS.

[colinr0380]

I wonder what Park Circus will find for Orphans - I have the old MGM/Downtown Pictures DVD and Mullan's commentary for that was very good, with him not holding back on his opinion of the infamous blunder by Film4 that led to most of the deleted footage from the production being accidentally destroyed rather than preserved. Perhaps some more has been found since that time (however the old DVD still featured a good amount of material, including auditions and interviews), though the short films are enticing prospects by themselves!

Perhaps is has something to do with not being Catholic, but I much prefer Orphans (and Mullan's most recent film NEDS - Non-Educated Delinquents) to the more obviously celebrated Magdalene Sisters (although I love that even in the Magdalene Sisters there is still some black humour, especially in that scene of the abusers and their victims sitting down together to perform the annual ritual of watching the idealised world of The Bells of St Mary's). However I suppose that Orphans is just as 'Catholic' in its own way (albeit much more amusing in its use of a church roof getting blown off!), with its story of the trials the four children go through in one night before their mother's funeral.

[MichaelB]

I wonder what Park Circus will find for Orphans - I have the old MGM/Downtown Pictures DVD and Mullan's commentary for that was very good, with him not holding back on his opinion of the infamous blunder by Film4 that led to most of the deleted footage from the production being accidentally destroyed rather than preserved. Perhaps some more has been found since that time (however the old DVD still featured a good amount of material, including auditions and interviews), though the short films is an enticing prospect!

I still remember Mullan saying "To say I'm unhappy about this is an understatement" in a tone that suggested that the person responsible would be best advised not to come within a mile of him.

(I also remember the same commentary opening with "Welcome to the world of DVD, you sad anorak bastards"...)

One obvious improvement would be an anamorphic transfer, which I seem to remember was the MGM disc's main drawback. And I assume suitable materials at least survive to create that.

[eerik]

I wonder what Park Circus will find for Orphans.

From press release:

This edition features the film in a new digital transfer, together with a selection of early Peter Mullan short films: Fridge (1995), Close (1993) and Good Day for the Bad Guys (1995).

Extras include:
* Trailer
* Photo Gallery
* First reels Interview: Peter Mullan on Close

[eerik]

Facebook: Good news - we have now confirmed Blu-ray releases of both TAKING OFF and ORPHANS.

[Calvin]

Park Circus' "fiendishly difficult" Christmas Quiz

[bigP]

Park Circus' "fiendishly difficult" Christmas Quiz

Jesus. I'm out of my element. What a sneaky quiz.

[Calvin]

I know a few of them but certainly not all 20!

[starmanof51]

Well, let's have at it:

1. White Christmas
2. The Apartment
3. Purple Noon
4. All About Eve
5. Dr. Strangelove
6.
7. The African Queen
8.
9.
10. The Red Shoes
11.
12. Mean Streets
13.
14.
15. Charade
16. Casablanca
17. Black Narcissus
18.
19.
20.

edit: and I'm thinking Some Like it Hot for #8, but I'm sketchy on it. And Bicycle Thieves for 19? Certainly looks Italian and all neorealisty.

[joshua]

13. For a Few Dollars More

[souvenir]

There's a very nice prize package involved and the more people who get them all right, the worse odds there are to win it. So why post the answers in a highly public forum?