538 Paths of Glory
- Matt
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
538 Paths of Glory
Paths of Glory
[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/3025/538_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img] [img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/3022/538_BD_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img]
A pivotal work by Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory is among the most powerful antiwar films ever made. A fiery Kirk Douglas stars as a French colonel serving in World War I who goes head-to-head with the army’s ruthless top brass when his men are accused of cowardice after being unable to carry out an impossible mission. This haunting, exquisitely photographed dissection of the military machine in all its absurdity and capacity for dehumanization (a theme Kubrick would continue to explore throughout his career) is assembled with its legendary director’s customary precision, from its tense trench warfare sequences to its gripping courtroom climax to its ravaging final scene.
DISC FEATURES
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
- New audio commentary by critic Gary Giddins
- Television interview from 1979 with star Kirk Douglas
- New video interviews with Kubrick’s longtime executive producer Jan Harlan, Paths of Glory producer James B. Harris, and actress Christiane Kubrick
- Excerpt from a French television program about real-life World War I executions similar to the events dramatized in Paths of Glory
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: An essay by Kubrick scholar James Naremore
Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
DVD
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[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/3025/538_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img] [img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/3022/538_BD_box_348x490_w128.jpg[/img]
A pivotal work by Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory is among the most powerful antiwar films ever made. A fiery Kirk Douglas stars as a French colonel serving in World War I who goes head-to-head with the army’s ruthless top brass when his men are accused of cowardice after being unable to carry out an impossible mission. This haunting, exquisitely photographed dissection of the military machine in all its absurdity and capacity for dehumanization (a theme Kubrick would continue to explore throughout his career) is assembled with its legendary director’s customary precision, from its tense trench warfare sequences to its gripping courtroom climax to its ravaging final scene.
DISC FEATURES
- New, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
- New audio commentary by critic Gary Giddins
- Television interview from 1979 with star Kirk Douglas
- New video interviews with Kubrick’s longtime executive producer Jan Harlan, Paths of Glory producer James B. Harris, and actress Christiane Kubrick
- Excerpt from a French television program about real-life World War I executions similar to the events dramatized in Paths of Glory
- Theatrical trailer
- PLUS: An essay by Kubrick scholar James Naremore
Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
DVD
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
Feature currently disabled
Blu-ra7
Criterionforum.org user rating averages
Feature currently disabled
- aox
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:02 pm
- Location: nYc
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Kubrick in the modern CC! I haven't been into or seen much of Kubrick's films in years but I remember this being perhaps his most effective film.
- Brian C
- I hate to be That Pedantic Guy but...
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58 am
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Yes, yes. I knew this was rumored but I always thought of it as a distant pipe dream. I never, never expected to get it so soon.
- aox
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:02 pm
- Location: nYc
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I wonder if they will work on The Killing next in 2011.
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Interestingly, the aspect ratio is listed as 1.66:1, so I suppose we're in for a veritable crapstorm of complaints from full-frame fans. The original MGM DVD release was "Standard" or full-frame, but I think it was clear from Kubrick's framing that he planned for the top and bottom to be masked during theatrical showings.
Put me down as one who is happy Criterion is choosing to go with 1.66:1 (although it would be kind of cool to have the full-frame version on there as well ).
Put me down as one who is happy Criterion is choosing to go with 1.66:1 (although it would be kind of cool to have the full-frame version on there as well ).
- Oedipax
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:48 am
- Location: Atlanta
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Totally taken by surprise on this one. Great news!
As an aside, when I first read it I was thinking to myself "Oh man, Kubrick on bluray!" then remembered I already have the bulk of his filmography on said format. (I fully expect the same sequence of thought to take place when Barry Lyndon finally gets announced)
As an aside, when I first read it I was thinking to myself "Oh man, Kubrick on bluray!" then remembered I already have the bulk of his filmography on said format. (I fully expect the same sequence of thought to take place when Barry Lyndon finally gets announced)
- scotty2
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:24 am
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Please, please can we not do the Kubrick aspect ratio debate this time around? Nothing wrong with giving it a bye for once, right? Everyone can catch a breather that way and rearm themselves for the next release.
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I'm happy to never mention it againscotty2 wrote:Please, please can we not do the Kubrick aspect ratio debate this time around? Nothing wrong with giving it a bye for once, right? Everyone can catch a breather that way and rearm themselves for the next release.
- Oedipax
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:48 am
- Location: Atlanta
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Said debate really only covers the last 3 films anyway, right?
- Brian C
- I hate to be That Pedantic Guy but...
- Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58 am
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Anyone have any reactions to the Giddins commentary? I'm not familiar with him at all.
- willoneill
- Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:10 am
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I don't want to be the guy to keep the aspect ratio debate going ('cause I'm not as picky about those thinsg, film heathen that I am), but I saw this at a theatre last November, and it was definitely 1.33. But it was also an obviously foreign print, because it had French subtitles the whole way through.
- scotty2
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:24 am
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Gary Giddins made his name writing about jazz for the Village Voice for about thirty years. His book Visions of Jazz and his new one co-authored with Scott DeVeaux, Jazz, represent some of the most thoughtful nonacademic writing on the music over the past few years. He has also written biographies of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby. He has a book of film criticism out too. I believe he wrote an essay for Cassavetes's Shadows and was involved in the Elevator to the Gallows set (Miles Davis's music being prominent in that film).
- Svevan
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:49 pm
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I wish I could remember what aspect ratio the film was projected in when I saw it in Portland for a Kubrick retro, but the print was much sharper and cleaner than the pretty good (but kinda flat) MGM DVD. I think UCLA restored the film after that DVD was released, so this transfer should be improved.
- gubbelsj
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:44 pm
- Location: San Diego
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
In addition to what Scotty2 mentions, Giddis has a video interview on the recent Make Way For Tomorrow disc that I found pretty enjoyable. He's a great writer and a sharp critic, and I think he makes a really nice non-obvious choice for a dvd commentary.Brian C wrote:Anyone have any reactions to the Giddins commentary? I'm not familiar with him at all.
- Jeff
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:49 pm
- Location: Denver, CO
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
U.A. was the one American major who was exhibiting lots of stuff in the U.S. at 1.66 from the mid-to-late 50s. The upcoming discs of Sweet Smell of Success, Night of the Hunter, and The Killing should all be framed at 1.66 too.
- movielocke
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:44 am
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I know this forum hates first hand sources and original documentation on aspect ratio but I'm sure it was a relatively easy task for Criterion to find concrete proof of how the film was supposed to be projected, I trust they're doing the right thing with Kubrick.willoneill wrote:I don't want to be the guy to keep the aspect ratio debate going ('cause I'm not as picky about those thinsg, film heathen that I am), but I saw this at a theatre last November, and it was definitely 1.33. But it was also an obviously foreign print, because it had French subtitles the whole way through.
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
That's a really unfair and inaccurate statement, not to mention unclear (what specific "concrete proof" are you referring to, and what relationship does it have to Kubrick's intentions?).movielocke wrote:I know this forum hates first hand sources and original documentation on aspect ratio . . .
But don't worry, I don't plan to start any debates. God forbid there'd be a discussion that some members are not interested in having and would have to take all the trouble to avoid reading that thread.
- scotty2
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:24 am
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I'm convinced that discussions of Stanley Kubrick's aspect ratios generate more internet traffic than anything short of porn. I believe that while residing Beyond the Infinite Kubrick watched with interest for some time, following the various arguments until his face contorted with the look Jack got in The Shining--then he reached an epiphany of sorts and smiled, because he understood for the first time that he had in fact gone to Heaven. "Ha! They'll never figure it out!" he sometimes chuckles to himself. "I died happy after all!"
- Cinephrenic
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
- Location: Paris, Texas
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Two great war films added to collection. The Thin Black Line and now this.
- Matt
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
The Thin Black Line is one of my favorite movies, right up there with The Black Shoes, Black Desert, and Le Cercle noir.Cinephrenic wrote:Two great war films added to collection. The Thin Black Line and now this.
- CSM126
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:22 am
- Location: The Room
- Contact:
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I put it right up there with Red Narcissus myself.
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
He's clearly taking a swipe at Criterion's INDEFENSIBLE decision to not put a literal thin red line on the cover of the same.
- John Hodson
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:25 pm
- Location: Near dark satanic mills...
- Contact:
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Paths of Glory was recently broadcast in 1080i on C4HD in the UK - in 1.66:1 - and it was absolutely stunningly beautiful, nigh on perfection. Really looking forward to this.
- tajmahal
- Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 11:10 pm
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
Yellow Brick Road of GloryMatt wrote:The Thin Black Line is one of my favorite movies, right up there with The Black Shoes, Black Desert, and Le Cercle noir.Cinephrenic wrote:Two great war films added to collection. The Thin Black Line and now this.
- Cinephrenic
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:58 pm
- Location: Paris, Texas
Re: 538 Paths of Glory
I take it you guys forgot their cover.