Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

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Aunt Peg
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:30 am

Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2126 Post by Aunt Peg » Mon Jan 18, 2021 5:37 am

AidanKing wrote:
Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:01 pm

I did contact Curzon Artificial Eye a while ago to inquire about the new direction and was advised, in a very considered and polite response to be fair, that whether a film would get a physical media release was entirely based on how many sales the company could project and that this approach was the result of the year on year decline in sales of DVDs and BluRays. They said they are still looking to release special editions when they feel it would be viable to do so, for example, Summer of 85 may be included in an Ozon Blu Ray set later this year.
Thanks for the update. Their releases, even just DVDs have become so scant in recent times. I suppose COVID has also pushed things to this state as well.

Was so hoping for The Country, Only the Animals, etc. Ah well....I get to save lots of and lots of money but there is no enjoyment from that.

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AidanKing
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:22 pm
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2127 Post by AidanKing » Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:15 am

I know it's no substitute for a decent BluRay, but 'Only the Animals' appears to be one of the films Curzon has sold on to Netflix in the UK.



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Aunt Peg
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:30 am

Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2128 Post by Aunt Peg » Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:57 pm

AidanKing wrote:
Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:15 am
I know it's no substitute for a decent BluRay, but 'Only the Animals' appears to be one of the films Curzon has sold on to Netflix in the UK.
That's interesting. Though being in Australia I can only hope that the Australian distributor will release the film on DVD. A Blu Ray won't be happening.

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rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2129 Post by rapta » Wed Jan 20, 2021 11:39 am

AidanKing wrote:
Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:01 pm
Andrei Konchalovsky's Dear Comrades!, positively reviewed by Michael B, appears to be another streaming-only release.

I did contact Curzon Artificial Eye a while ago to inquire about the new direction and was advised, in a very considered and polite response to be fair, that whether a film would get a physical media release was entirely based on how many sales the company could project and that this approach was the result of the year on year decline in sales of DVDs and BluRays. They said they are still looking to release special editions when they feel it would be viable to do so, for example, Summer of 85 may be included in an Ozon Blu Ray set later this year.

Quite a few Curzon films have turned up on Netflix, for example, At Eternity's Gate, Vox Lux and The Whistlers, but not everything the company has released recently, so no Transit or Young Ahmed.
A shame to hear that, but it seemed pretty obvious they've been handling releases in this way for a while. In fact I noticed they would often release films with 'big name actors' on Blu-ray (At Eternity's Gate, Loro, Vox Lux, Gloria Bell), and DVD or streaming only for films they clearly decided had less 'commercial appeal' but had done quite well at festivals (So Long My Son, The Whistlers) or were directed by renowned directors (Birds of Passage, Sunset, Transit, Non-Fiction, Guest of Honour). There were the odd anomalies and I hoped things would pick up once Cohen Media took over proceedings, but sounds like it's getting worse. They didn't even bother to assemble any extras for the Bong Joon-ho double-bill, which is frustrating when they're competing with labels like Criterion in a global sense.

Still, at least some of the harder-to-see titles I might've not been able to see at the cinema will be on Netflix, something most of us have access to. I just wish we'd see them translate some titles to Blu-ray - not just upgrades of many of their older DVD titles, but titles like Transit, Sunset and Birds of Passage would've benefitted from the HD presentation (I would've bought all three, Transit especially). I guess the only hope is they pick up more titles by some of those directors and release a small box set eventually, but that'd presumably be a long wait for not much (especially if they aren't producing new extras anymore).

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Aunt Peg
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:30 am

Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2130 Post by Aunt Peg » Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:06 am

I'm staggered that László Nemes' Sunset did not even receive a physical media release of any kind in the US or Australia - zip, straight to streaming.

I've also heard that Only the Animals is very likely to receive a DVD release in coming months in Australia. Whilst I'd prefer a Curzon Blu Ray release I'll settle for an Oz DVD if that is all I can get.

I didn't realise that Quest of Honour had even been released so I'll snap the US Blu Ray.

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Caligula
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2131 Post by Caligula » Thu Jan 21, 2021 2:25 am

For me them not releasing Foxtrot on blu was a huge disappointment. It appears unlikely that we'll see an English-friendly version on blu

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AidanKing
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:22 pm
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2132 Post by AidanKing » Sat Jan 23, 2021 6:19 am

'Shirley' appears to be getting a BluRay release, which fits in with rapta's point about films with stars.



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yoloswegmaster
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2133 Post by yoloswegmaster » Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:58 pm

Bong Joon-Ho Collection to be released on March 29. It will contain Barking Dogs Never Bite, Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer, and Parasite.

EDIT:
Roy Andersson Collection is also going to be released on March 29. It will contain A Swedish Love Story, Songs from the Second Floor, You the Living, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, About Endlessness, and Being A Human Person.

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chatterjees
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2134 Post by chatterjees » Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:33 pm

Why are they re-releasing Roy Anderson Collection Blu-ray set? Did the previous one go OOP? It is kind of weird.

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swo17
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2135 Post by swo17 » Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:39 pm

Well this adds two films. It would be nice if it also included a bunch of new shorts

Calvin
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2136 Post by Calvin » Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:01 am

And the old set has been OOP for a while now. This one will have new extras but they've yet to say what they'll be.

The Bong set is more surprising; I think it's actually quite disrespectful to their customers to release it so soon after they released the Barking Dogs / Memories of Murder double pack.

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rapta
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2137 Post by rapta » Fri Feb 19, 2021 6:38 pm

Calvin wrote:
Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:01 am
And the old set has been OOP for a while now. This one will have new extras but they've yet to say what they'll be.

The Bong set is more surprising; I think it's actually quite disrespectful to their customers to release it so soon after they released the Barking Dogs / Memories of Murder double pack.
Supposedly they'll be adding extras to the Andersson set as well. I missed the first set so will likely pick this one up (thankfully not bought A Pigeon as I was still umming and ahhing over the first set due to mixed reviews on the transfers).

Agreed that the Bong set is frustrating. I was looking to get the Barking Dogs/Memories of Murder double-bill at some point, having bought the Parasite steelbook, and even bought The Host and Snowpiercer recently too, so that all felt like a waste of time when I could've just got this set (and only have to double-dip on Mother, maybe Parasite as well). Always seems to be Artificial Eye's style to release loads of separate titles and then a box set some time afterwards though, rather than the other more logical way around. I remember them doing that with Satyajit Ray and Truffaut too (I'm still picking up the odd Truffaut disc as cheap as I can get them).

I'm slightly surprised they got Mother and Snowpiercer too - I suppose the former's rights with StudioCanal expired, but the latter is with Lionsgate (I'm guessing they had links to them through other titles such as Son of Saul). I don't get why they didn't get Mother before though and release it with Barking Dogs/Memories of Murder. Strange priorities within that label I think, but happy to see them doing more box sets - just wish they'd do them for Haneke, Denis etc.

yoshimori
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2138 Post by yoshimori » Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:16 pm

rapta wrote:
Fri Feb 19, 2021 6:38 pm
Supposedly they'll be adding extras to the Andersson set as well.
The list of extras is now posted on the amazon uk site. Looks like we're not getting the shorts - "Something Happened", "World of Glory" -- that are among RA's best work ... unless, though it seems highly unlikely, "excerpts from Andersson's other films" is code for shorts. How disappointing.

stevohimself
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2139 Post by stevohimself » Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:40 am

Can anyone speak for the quality of their Andrei Rublev BR? Is the 185 min cut generally considered the definitive (or at least an acceptable) version? Thanks

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domino harvey
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2140 Post by domino harvey » Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:40 pm

stevohimself wrote:
Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:40 am
Can anyone speak for the quality of their Andrei Rublev BR? Is the 185 min cut generally considered the definitive (or at least an acceptable) version? Thanks
Please consult the discussion in this thread and pursue any follow up questions there

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

Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2141 Post by Costa » Sun Oct 31, 2021 2:33 pm

Hello. I was wondering if anyone has any input on their Merchant/Ivory box.
Is Howards End that is included the new restoration with correct gamma and aspect ratio?

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L.A.
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2142 Post by L.A. » Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:44 pm

What are your opinions of Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter (1997)?

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2143 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:12 pm

L.A. wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:44 pm
What are your opinions of Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter (1997)?
The film or the transfer?

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L.A.
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2144 Post by L.A. » Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:45 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:12 pm
L.A. wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:44 pm
What are your opinions of Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter (1997)?
The film or the transfer?
Both actually.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2145 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:41 pm

I can't comment on the transfer but I think it's Atom Egoyan's last great film (other than Where the Truth Lies, but that's more subjective), and one that made a larger impact on me this time around, having binged his filmography across the last few weeks (this was the only Egoyan film that I had seen before two weeks ago). It's a deeply empathetic and yet restrained look at how we engage with grief and loss through fraudulent tangible 'solutions', the 'why' of our actions and non-actions less simplistically conclusive than the emotions are raw and internally logical. Ebert's meditation on the nebulous nature of why Sarah Polley does what she does is the heart of the film in many respects, particularly because even though we know or can insinuate the details surrounding the 'why', the dynamics are treated with the ineffable respect they deserve. At his best, this is what Egoyan does better than most filmmakers. It's an incredibly emotional film but also a cerebral one in its composite, where the more is unveiled and the longer I reflect upon it, I find Bruce Greenwood's character to be one of the most sympathetic and in many ways the most mature and altruistic vehicle in town. He's deceptively pitched as aggressively thwarting opportunities at catharsis and investigative cooperation for self-gain, but he also has experience with the lack of catharsis from these attempts to hold off on the grieving process compared to others in town, and so his perceived avoidance is actually a coercive willingness to engage on behalf of his peers who are not.

I don't love Egoyan as much as many here, but I'd say this is probably his third best movie after Exotica and The Adjuster, but that whole first period is solid at worst.

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L.A.
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2146 Post by L.A. » Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:37 pm

therewillbeblus wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:41 pm
I can't comment on the transfer but I think it's Atom Egoyan's last great film (other than Where the Truth Lies, but that's more subjective), and one that made a larger impact on me this time around, having binged his filmography across the last few weeks (this was the only Egoyan film that I had seen before two weeks ago). It's a deeply empathetic and yet restrained look at how we engage with grief and loss through fraudulent tangible 'solutions', the 'why' of our actions and non-actions less simplistically conclusive than the emotions are raw and internally logical. Ebert's meditation on the nebulous nature of why Sarah Polley does what she does is the heart of the film in many respects, particularly because even though we know or can insinuate the details surrounding the 'why', the dynamics are treated with the ineffable respect they deserve. At his best, this is what Egoyan does better than most filmmakers. It's an incredibly emotional film but also a cerebral one in its composite, where the more is unveiled and the longer I reflect upon it, I find Bruce Greenwood's character to be one of the most sympathetic and in many ways the most mature and altruistic vehicle in town. He's deceptively pitched as aggressively thwarting opportunities at catharsis and investigative cooperation for self-gain, but he also has experience with the lack of catharsis from these attempts to hold off on the grieving process compared to others in town, and so his perceived avoidance is actually a coercive willingness to engage on behalf of his peers who are not.

I don't love Egoyan as much as many here, but I'd say this is probably his third best movie after Exotica and The Adjuster, but that whole first period is solid at worst.
Very nice reading from you, thank you. What also intriqued me was the music when watching scenes very briefly on YouTube. I have only seen The Adjuster from the director and I liked it, Elias Koteas is good in it.

I just remembered that I also a 5£ off coupon for Amazon UK. If still valid I’ll order the AE Blu, has a short film as an extra too.

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2147 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:12 pm

I think the whole AE set is a great deal, since all seven films are good and even if you're going to double-dip on the Exotica/Calendar Criterion release and eliminate those two from the math when calculating the value, that's still ~$12 a movie if you buy off Rarewaves


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senseabove
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2149 Post by senseabove » Mon Oct 03, 2022 3:17 pm

As well as a giant, 22-film box set (though the Wings of Desire UHD is only sold separately):
Image

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therewillbeblus
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Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World

#2150 Post by therewillbeblus » Mon Oct 03, 2022 3:34 pm

So lame that Land of Plenty didn't make the cut in favor of some that did...

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