Sunrise



This new 2009 reissue of Sunrise (for the first time anywhere in the world in 1080p HD on Blu-ray, in addition to a newly mastered 2 x DVD set) contains two versions of the film: the previously released Movietone version, and an alternate silent version of the film recently discovered in the Czech Republic. The Blu-ray edition includes both versions in 1080p HD.

The culmination of one of the greatest careers in film history, F. W. Murnau’s Sunrise blends a story of fable-like simplicity with unparalleled visual imagination and technical ingenuity. Invited to Hollywood by William Fox and given total artistic freedom on any project he wished, Murnau’s tale of the idyllic marriage of a peasant couple (George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor) threatened by a Machiavellian seductress from the city (Margaret Livingston) created a milestone of film expressionism.

Made in the twilight of the silent era, it became both a swan song for a vanishing medium and one of the few films to instantly achieve legendary status. Winner of three Oscars for Best Actress (Gaynor), Cinematography, and a never-repeated award for “Unique and Artistic Picture”, its influence and stature has only grown with each passing year. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present a new 2xDVD and Blu-ray special edition of the film, including an all-new alternate version recently discovered in a Czech archive of a higher visual quality than any other known source.

DUAL FORMAT RELEASE INCLUDING BLU-RAY AND DVD VERSIONS OF THE FILM

• Restored high-definition transfers of two different versions: the American Movietone version, and the silent Czech version.
• Original English intertitles on the Movietone version, and optional English subtitles on the silent Czech version.
• Original Movietone score (mono) and alternate Olympic Chamber Orchestra score (stereo)
• Full-length audio commentary by ASC cinematographer John Bailey on the Movietone version
• Outtakes with either John Bailey commentary or intertitles
• Murnau’s 4 Devils: Traces of a Lost Film — Janet Bergstrom’s updated 40-minute documentary about the lost Murnau film
• Original theatrical trailer
• Original Photoplay script by Carl Mayer with Murnau’s handwritten annotations (150 pages in pdf format)
• 16-page illustrated booklet with film restoration and DVD/Blu-ray transfer information, along with a comparison between the two versions..

I'm feeling bad, having bought the Fox Classics Box for a DVD9 Sunrise and therefore having A Gentleman's Agreement in my collection. If I had only waited... .

Is this going to be a progressive transfer? or identical to the Eureka in every way?

According to the website (which includes some delays in the schedule) it will be No. 1. I wonder how "fat" said "fat booklet" will be (the deciding factor in my purchasing.)

The MoC edition of SUNRISE will be 1 x 7.8GB DVD9. The Eureka edition was two 3.xGB x DVD5s. So the MoC edition could be termed "the environmentally friendly edition" (if it weren't for the fact that the MoC edition has a thick booklet) (but it *is* 80% recycled paper).

The initially rather nice Eureka menus, which turn out to be extremely time-consuming and cumbersome, will be redone.

The transfer will be redone progressively.

The booklet will be 36-pages fat (we can't go fatter and still get them in the cases, and we're not prepared to dick about with different cases for different releases).

-
We're getting a handful of grumpy letters for "double-dipping on SUNRISE". However, MoC weren't working with Eureka when their SUNRISE came out, and we both want SUNRISE in the MoC Series, so instead of cynically reissuing the old version with an MoC sleeve, we're spending as much money as we would on a new release, with new authoring, and doing it properly.

It *is* unfortunate that Eureka's SUNRISE only came out 18 months ago, but... (without intending to sound mercenary), I guess that's what eBay's for.

This new version *will* be better in almost every way.

Nick, any plans to include the Lambchop soundtrack that was added in the second edition of Sunrise done by Carlotta last year? Also the 43 minutes documentary from Jean Douchet that is on the Carlotta DVD is really among the best film analysis ever, any plans to include it too?

yipee! This release will be one to savour.

Fair enough. 36 is plenty, and the only other larger booklet I can think of that's not specially fitted is Criterion's In the Mood For Love (though there are different versions of cases floating around) and it *doesn't fit* and breaks the case with continual use (or at least mine.)

Aspirant, I can understand the complaint that this is not a special "release," but if spine numbers aren't important to you, just think about that 4-disc Keaton Short films box set coming up, right?

The cover's up:



Very good, even by MoC's high standards!

can't wait to see the final specs for this one - so I can decide if I should double dip or not...

I know Nick didn't agree with me at the time but I bought the R4 Accent version which is a dual layer single disc port of the Eureka version, including the extras, and found quite a bit of macro blocking during the movie, particularly visible on a projection system (which was undoubtedly a compression issue.) Reprocessing the movie DL and progressive should cure this.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S
-Restored high-definition transfer, progressively encoded

-Original English intertitles

-Original Movietone score (mono) and alternate Olympic Chamber Orchestra score (stereo)

-Full-length audio commentary by ASC cinematographer John Bailey

-Outtakes with either John Bailey commentary or intertitles

-Murnau's 4 Devils: Traces of a Lost Film — Janet Bergstrom's 40-minute documentary about the lost film Murnau made for Fox after Sunrise.

-Original theatrical trailer

-Original 'photoplay' script by Carl Mayer with Murnau's handwritten annotations (150 pages in pdf format)

-32-page booklet with essays, reprints, and rare production stills

I own the R1 Fox disc...but I may still buy this.

Is the price at amazon.co.uk right? 22.99 pounds. Why is this one a little more?

The price at amazon is wrong. The new MoC Series SUNRISE edition should be 19.99 list price.

btw. NIGHTMARE ALLEY will be 16.99 list price.

SUNRISE booklet =

40-page illustrated booklet with essays by Robin Wood, Lotte H. Eisner, R. Dixon Smith, Lucy Fischer and David Pierce.

And very good it looks too! By the way, it's a banal point I know, but where else should spine # 1 begin but with a sunrise?

Correction - NIGHTMARE ALLEY will list for GBP£15.99.

Anyway could you tell them to fix that price? I'd like to pre-order it before their 25% off disappears. Since amazon doesn't charge taxes to US customers their prices are overall the best.

Amazon also dispenses with the tax for Australian buyers. They usually end up cheaper than Bensons.

Yes, they are cheaper than Bensons. If only Bensons would subtract the tax.

Also, if only amazon had Punishment Park for pre-order!

(I'll cross-post this in the thread on "cheapest prices")

The beaver's comparison review:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare/sunrise.htm

Amazon.co.uk now have the correct listing and the correct price for SUNRISE - http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000Z0I20

Finally! I sent them three emails about this. They didn't seem to understand what I was talking about at first. Glad they got their shit together.

I'd definitely fire them an email to be sure, we've heard allsorts of reports from folk - including one saying that SEND IT told them the new version was "exactly the same as the old version, apart from the cover".

It's a fulltime job dealing with all these etailers, and we're concentrating on making the discs at the moment.

Despite giving this release a new cat no., a new barcode, and sending out new press releases, many places just assume this is the same release but with a new cover and are thus selling the cut-out old version for "not much".

DVDtimes review:

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=58848