Studio Canal / Kinowelt / Optimum

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1476 Post by hearthesilence » Wed Dec 07, 2016 6:16 pm

tenia wrote:
hearthesilence wrote:But it's tough getting a mass group of individuals to collectively do something in their best interest.
That's quite a simplistic take. It's tough to anticipate a brand new 4K restoration from the OCN being worse-looking that an out-of-date IP-sourced HD restoration.
When pre-release word-of-mouth gets around fast, I'm not sure if anticipation is really a factor. Even if you do buy one, if it looks shoddy, you could always mail it back to the manufacturer for a refund or credit, and that will probably get their attention a lot more than a non-purchase. Not sure what Studio Canal's policy is, but this has happened with other specialty labels, and it does shape what they do with future releases.

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1477 Post by tenia » Thu Dec 08, 2016 3:33 am

There hasn't been any pre-release technical word of mouth on that one. The first feedbacks available were after the release date, when the people (like me) who pre ordered it started talking about it. Sure, I could have waited but why should I ? I like a lot the movie, and there was no particular reason for the restoration to be disappointing. What you're doing here is judging through information people didn't have at the time of pre-order and early release days.

Again, most of their previous restorations were very good, why should I have been cautious about that one ?
hearthesilence wrote:Even if you do buy one, if it looks shoddy, you could always mail it back to the manufacturer for a refund or credit, and that will probably get their attention a lot more than a non-purchase
On which ground ? "Hey, the restoration is bad, I want a refund" ?

kekid
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1478 Post by kekid » Fri Jan 20, 2017 6:36 pm

I have been reading with some interest views of various members on the StudioCanal restoration of "The Man Who Fell To Earth". There seems to be a fair consensus in this forum that the restoration is problematic. Therefore I was quite surprised to read a glowing review of the same in the February issue of Sight and Sound magazine.
And the debate goes on regarding the upcoming Criterion rendition of "The Tree of Wooden Clogs", a film very important to me.
And as a non-technical person I wonder about these dramatic differences of opinions.
The following possibilities exist:
(1) The reviewers have personal stake or bias in the material they review.
(2) People review a restoration based on their memory of what it looked like when they saw it in the (sometimes remote) past. The recollections of different reviewers/commentators often differ.
(3) Some people review a restoration based on what seems good to them now, irrespective of how it might have looked in the past. Clearly different people may have different preferences. The fact that many directors/cinematographers choose to change the look of their films from the original suggests that this is perhaps not a completely inappropriate way to evaluate a particular product.
(4) Some technically well-informed viewers evaluate alternatives based on numerical measures.
There may be more considerations than the ones listed above.
Finally, individual viewers have their own preferences as to how they judge a restoration.
I think it is good in forums like this to expose the viewers of different views, and provide the supporting evidence when possible. I feel that people who provide such information, here and elsewhere, are providing a useful service. We can form individual opinions about which sources we tend to agree with more often. I thank reviewers with whom I agree and those with whom I disagree often. They give me a rounded perspective. Therefore I find occasional hostile comments about certain reviewers a little troubling.

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Drucker
Your Future our Drucker
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1479 Post by Drucker » Fri Jan 20, 2017 7:52 pm

I think it's fair to assume those of us on this and other like minded forums are in the minority by a truly significant margin. The notion i that DVD reviewers are going to even armchair experts in encoding and restoration issues is a far cry from reality.

For what it's worth: I've seen three IB tech screenings in my life. Two of them were introduced and did so by basically saying "Today's print is an IB Tech print, which I don't really 'get' but I assure you is very rare!" With perhaps an additional comment about great color.

Most of the people who obsess about films don't go crazy about encoding, restoration quality, accuracy vs. release prints. They just love movies.

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eerik
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:53 pm
Location: Estonia

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1480 Post by eerik » Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:14 pm


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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1481 Post by hearthesilence » Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:37 pm

tenia wrote:
hearthesilence wrote:Even if you do buy one, if it looks shoddy, you could always mail it back to the manufacturer for a refund or credit, and that will probably get their attention a lot more than a non-purchase
On which ground ? "Hey, the restoration is bad, I want a refund" ?
I haven't tried this with a DVD yet, but on two occasions I've returned expensive reissues of music pretty much on those grounds - i.e. terrible mastering. Not for a refund though, in both cases I exchanged it for another item that I knew to be of better quality (mastering-wise).

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domino harvey
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1482 Post by domino harvey » Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:39 pm

Your record store either really loves you or really hates you

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1483 Post by hearthesilence » Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:39 pm

Hah, it's mostly mail order for me. Here in NY, I don't even go to record stores anymore - every single one I've frequented is now closed! (Kim's, Other Music, Bleecker Street, etc., even Virgin - all gone)

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FrauBlucher
Joined: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:28 pm
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1484 Post by FrauBlucher » Thu Feb 23, 2017 12:49 pm

Oh how I miss the Tower Records on Broadway and East 4th Street.

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whaleallright
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:56 am

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1485 Post by whaleallright » Thu Feb 23, 2017 10:24 pm

Other than Academy, how many record stores are left in Manhattan? (There's now a predictable glut of vinyl-only stores in Brooklyn.)

(sorry, off-topic I know, but I'm curious)

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1486 Post by hearthesilence » Thu Feb 23, 2017 10:54 pm

Not sure but record businesses elsewhere (Amoeba in California, Newbury in Boston, Reckless in Chicago) have had better luck, in some cases thriving rather than just surviving. I’m almost certain NYC’s outrageous rent prices are primarily to blame for this difference.

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Drucker
Your Future our Drucker
Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1487 Post by Drucker » Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:47 pm

whaleallright wrote:Other than Academy, how many record stores are left in Manhattan? (There's now a predictable glut of vinyl-only stores in Brooklyn.)

(sorry, off-topic I know, but I'm curious)
I wandered into one two blocks south of St. Mark's a few months ago and scored some great vinyl. Apparently the guy had been there for years.

There's some great stores in the suburbs of NJ and Delaware. Jupiter Records in particular in Delaware is ace.

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rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1488 Post by rockysds » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:58 am

Waris Hussein's Melody (1971) on blu-ray April 17th.

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rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
Location: Hants, UK

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1489 Post by rapta » Thu Mar 02, 2017 9:03 am

New 2K restored Blu-ray edition of Fellini's La Strada arriving on June 5th (after a theatrical run in May).

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rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1490 Post by rockysds » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:06 pm

Trio of Jacques Becker blus coming as well in May and June:Le Trou, Édouard et Caroline and Touchez pas le grisbi + a new release of Castle d'Or that might well just be a repackage.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1491 Post by domino harvey » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:11 pm

rockysds wrote:Waris Hussein's Melody (1971) on blu-ray April 17th.
Saw this for the first time a couple weeks ago. There are some good moments and observations but the film is kinda a mess, more of a love story of friendship between the two boys than a notable heterosexual romance and the infamous climactic matrimony comes out of nowhere-- the film feels like it's missing forty minutes of footage somewhere in the back half. Plus the songs are surprisingly bad, and I say this as someone who generally likes the Bee Gees

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criterionsnob
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:23 am
Location: Canada

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1492 Post by criterionsnob » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:15 pm

Wes Anderson has cited Melody as an inspiration for Moonrise Kingdom, so I'm intrigued.

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rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1493 Post by rapta » Thu Mar 02, 2017 9:39 pm

rockysds wrote:Trio of Jacques Becker blus coming as well in May and June:Le Trou, Édouard et Caroline and Touchez pas le grisbi + a new release of Castle d'Or that might well just be a repackage.
I hope Casque d'Or is indeed a reissue of the same disc, just so I can ignore that one and focus on the other three (i.e. I already have it). Very happy they're doing more Becker, but never expected 3 or 4 at once!

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rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
Location: Denmark

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1494 Post by rockysds » Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:32 am

Alexander Mackendrick's Mandy on blu-ray in June.

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rockysds
Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 11:25 am
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1495 Post by rockysds » Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:57 am

Ealing comedy The Goose Steps Out on blu-ray in May.

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Dr Amicus
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:20 am
Location: Guernsey

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1496 Post by Dr Amicus » Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:19 am

Fantastic news. Is this the first Will Hay film on Blu?

Costa
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1497 Post by Costa » Tue Mar 21, 2017 10:46 pm

Hello.
I'd like to ask, who releases Studio Canal Blurays in USA?
I saw screenshots from Indochine, and getting past the "Ritrovata colors", I see there's much compression (especially evident in dark places)

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dwk
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:10 pm

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1498 Post by dwk » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:25 pm

Lionsgate has the StudioCanal titles in the US and their releases are always straight ports of StudioCanal's releases.

kekid
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm

Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1499 Post by kekid » Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:09 am

Blu-ray version of "Diva" has been released by Studio Canal with German subtitles. Who has rights to release this in UK? Any chance Arrow or Eureka MoC might issue it? Could Criterion get in in Region A?

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MichaelB
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Re: Studio Canal/Kinowelt/Optimum

#1500 Post by MichaelB » Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:35 am

kekid wrote:Blu-ray version of "Diva" has been released by Studio Canal with German subtitles. Who has rights to release this in UK? Any chance Arrow or Eureka MoC might issue it? Could Criterion get in in Region A?
The thread title might give a teensy clue as to who owns the UK rights...

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