Mr. Bongo Films
- Drucker
- Your Future our Drucker
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Does anyone else have the Mr. Bongo DVD of this film, from a few years ago? Honestly, the grading/color temperature (apologies for not using right terms) didn't seem drastically different than the Spanish restoration shown at Film Forum.
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
There are details on the Spanish restoration here. They worked from the original negative and based the grading of the English version on "the grading instructions of the print presented at Cannes in 1966," plus some post-Cannes changes that Welles made at some point or another in a print at the Swedish Film Institute. If this is really what the DCP looks like then I don't know what to think, since the restoration team seems to have done their due diligence—but I can't imagine the screen caps I've seen of the Bongo disc reflect what Welles had in mind.
- Cremildo
- Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:19 pm
- Location: Brazil
- Contact:
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Like hell you can remember such detail from a screening nearly half a century ago.david hare wrote:They don't reflect what I SAW in 1967.
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
I have a hard time believing this since the Filmoteca Española DCP has "cigarette burns" visible for every reel change in additional to the usual wear-and-tear you'd expect with a print that has been run through a projector numerous times. I saw the film twice projected from 35mm (in 1993 and 2006) and both times the film looked and sounded better than this current DCP making the rounds. I don't doubt that the restoration team were very careful in selecting the correct shots (a short documentary on the restoration I saw in late April noted how Welles requested certain shots to be flipped or zoomed in to hide a nearby highway), but I can't believe this is the best the film can look.The Fanciful Norwegian wrote:...They worked from the original negative...
- Drucker
- Your Future our Drucker
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 9:37 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
As has been repeatedly pointed out, the Spanish restoration certainly isn't perfect, and certainly doesn't have piercing blacks, but it certainly isn't that washed-out looking.david hare wrote:Here's Gielgud (compressed from 1080) from the BD:
- The Fanciful Norwegian
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:24 pm
- Location: Teegeeack
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Searching for more on this, I find that you made a post along these lines in a Wellesnet thread, which contains a useful follow-up from another poster speculating that the Filmoteca didn't have access to the negative materials (which ended up in the hands of the Saltzman estate). There's also a worrying comment that Michael Dawson has a negative for Chimes but (as of last month) had not been contacted by anyone at Criterion; granted that Dawson was producer of the understandably controversial Othello restoration, but if I were Criterion I certainly wouldn't forgo the possibility that he might have something superior to the Filmoteca restoration, which from the sound of things is no world-beater.Roger Ryan wrote:I have a hard time believing this since the Filmoteca Española DCP has "cigarette burns" visible for every reel change in additional to the usual wear-and-tear you'd expect with a print that has been run through a projector numerous times. I saw the film twice projected from 35mm (in 1993 and 2006) and both times the film looked and sounded better than this current DCP making the rounds. I don't doubt that the restoration team were very careful in selecting the correct shots (a short documentary on the restoration I saw in late April noted how Welles requested certain shots to be flipped or zoomed in to hide a nearby highway), but I can't believe this is the best the film can look.The Fanciful Norwegian wrote:...They worked from the original negative...
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
If it's any consolation, Dawson alerted Criterion's Issa Clubb (via Skype) on June 9th that he had possession of CHIMES elements. This exchange happened immediately following a panel presentation during the third day of a Welles Centenary celebration in Detroit/Ann Arbor (I was standing next to Dawson as he spoke with Clubb).The Fanciful Norwegian wrote: ...There's also a worrying comment that Michael Dawson has a negative for Chimes but (as of last month) had not been contacted by anyone at Criterion; granted that Dawson was producer of the understandably controversial Othello restoration, but if I were Criterion I certainly wouldn't forgo the possibility that he might have something superior to the Filmoteca restoration, which from the sound of things is no world-beater.
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
It seems Too Much Johnson BD suffers from the same overblown aspect than Chimes.
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Well, the Macbeth / Othello Carlotta package wasn't bad, and Criterion might be topping this for Othello at least, hopefully getting a bit around the 92 restoration.
The Carlotta Mr Arkadin BD also looks good, but it only has this version. I guess you can't have it all, but it's good start isn't it ?
But yes, as somebody too young to have been able to be aware earlier about Welles' movies like Chimes or Too Much Johnson, I was very eager about Bongo's BDs, and they're so disappointing it is frustrating.
I can now only hope the Immortal Story Gaumont restoration won't turn out too filtered.
The Carlotta Mr Arkadin BD also looks good, but it only has this version. I guess you can't have it all, but it's good start isn't it ?
But yes, as somebody too young to have been able to be aware earlier about Welles' movies like Chimes or Too Much Johnson, I was very eager about Bongo's BDs, and they're so disappointing it is frustrating.
I can now only hope the Immortal Story Gaumont restoration won't turn out too filtered.
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- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
It's very disappointing as Mr. Bongo's previous Blu-Ray releases (albeit there are only two of them) are technically fine so I had hopes that they wouldn't regress back to the standards - or lack of - of their DVD releases.
While it's probably worth waiting for Criterion, Mr. Bongo did say that they are releasing a box set with extras later in the year so hopefully they're aware of this cock up and take steps to rectify it when it comes to re-authoring discs.
While it's probably worth waiting for Criterion, Mr. Bongo did say that they are releasing a box set with extras later in the year so hopefully they're aware of this cock up and take steps to rectify it when it comes to re-authoring discs.
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Issa Clubb noted last month that Criterion has done its own HD scan of THE IMMORTAL STORY, so if the Gaumont restoration turns out flawed than it's likely Criterion will release an alternate.tenia wrote:...I can now only hope the Immortal Story Gaumont restoration won't turn out too filtered.
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- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 1:51 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Apparently they are also releasing Fellini's Casanova in the U.S. on August 7.
I thought for sure Criterion would've grabbed this.
I thought for sure Criterion would've grabbed this.
- chatterjees
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:08 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- Contact:
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
I saw that listing last week and thought that there must be a glitch or something. I did not see any official announcement for Mr. Bongo coming to USA anywhere. blu-ray.com has done some random listings before. I could be wrong too. May be they are coming. There is another page for The Saragossa Manuscript Blu-ray.vidussoni wrote:Apparently they are also releasing Fellini's Casanova in the U.S. on August 7.
I thought for sure Criterion would've grabbed this.
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
There are Amazon US listings for many Mr Bongo releases, and the release date will probably be bumped. I don't think this is a release specifically for the US market or there wouldn't be the BBFC labelling on the cover.
- solaris72
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:03 pm
- Location: Baltimore, MD
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Weird, there's also a Best Buy listing for Hourglass Sanatorium...$15, gonna pre-order and see what happens.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Does anyone know how the Bongo Blu Ray of The Immortal Story compares with the Gaumont version?
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
The Gaumont will only be released in a few weeks so it's hard to know yet.
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- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:12 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
A Blu-Ray release of Tomás Gutiérrez Alea's Memories of Underdevelopment has been announced for February 17th.
- feckless boy
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:38 pm
- Location: Stockholm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Review by dvdcompare. Mostly positive but, as per usual with Mr Bongo, questions about the encode's origin.Calvin wrote:A Blu-Ray release of Tomás Gutiérrez Alea's Memories of Underdevelopment has been announced for February 17th.
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- not perpee
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Are people still giving these clowns money? Mr Pongo have been limping along like a lame, diarrhoeic horse since they began. They're a disgrace to the industry – and probably the last standing truly disreputable label in the UK.
- knives
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Anyone who bought the recent Welles blues from Crit are technically giving them money.
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- not perpee
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Yes, that hook-up took my breath away. Which is why their abysmal business practices need to be more widely known. They're the biggest chancers on the block and they've proven time and time again they don't give a fuck.
- rapta
- Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
- Location: Hants, UK
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
Beaver review
I'll get it eventually, but will wait for it to drop to the £5-6 mark. You're right that Mr. Bongo don't really deserve our money - their home video arm has always felt like an afterthought, and especially since the whole Welles debacle I've been quite wary of them.
I'll get it eventually, but will wait for it to drop to the £5-6 mark. You're right that Mr. Bongo don't really deserve our money - their home video arm has always felt like an afterthought, and especially since the whole Welles debacle I've been quite wary of them.
- bugsy_pal
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 1:28 am
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
I have been tempted to buy a couple of Bunuel DVDs they released a while back - Susana and El Bruto - but have not pulled the trigger.
Not sure if there are any other English-friendly versions around...
Not sure if there are any other English-friendly versions around...
- DeprongMori
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:59 am
- Location: San Francisco
Re: Mr. Bongo Films
What exactly is so sleazy about Mr Bongo? It sounds like they are notorious. I had read that they issued things they weren't quite licensed for, but nothing beyond that. And if they were issuing things that they didn't quite have the licensing for, how in the world did they get their name all over Criterion's release of Chimes at Midnight?