Twilight Time / Redwind

[tenia]

I posted something about it on FB and here is Julie Kirgo's answer :

I'm frankly baffled by how you've interpreted this interview. In fact, here--and in previous interview after previous interview--Nick, as a rep of TT, has stated again and again how much he admires Criterion--as do we all--and has in fact called the label "the Rolls Royce of home video." They're the gold standard, the high-set bar. Further, I am absolutely positive that when Nick mentioned a few "not important" titles, he wasn't referring to Bergman or Antonioni! Clearly, like every label, Criterion has to put out a few less cinematically significant if popular titles in order to make its ongoing mission possible--and TT does the same!

[captveg]

Redman is clearly also not a fan of Tiny Furniture...

[tenia]

Redman is clearly also not a fan of Tiny Furniture...

I can understand that, but in that case, the transcript of the interview should specify what he's talking about exactly. As it is today, it reads as he's bashing all of Criterion's output, or at least a majority of it, but movies like Tiny Furniture certainly don't represent more than 5-6% of Criterion's total output.

This vagueness certainly is the source of why the paragraph reads as it does.

[Ribs]

Courtesy HTF

SCORPIO (1973) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

SHADOWS AND FOG (1991) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

BROKEN LANCE (1954) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

FATHERLAND (1986) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

BORN FREE (1966) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1984) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

KINGS GO FORTH (1958) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

THE DETECTIVE (1968) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

CAPTAIN HARLOCK SPACE PIRATE (2013) BLU-RAY (3D / 2D) - Dec 8th

[FrauBlucher]

I posted something about it on FB and here is Julie Kirgo's answer :

I'm frankly baffled by how you've interpreted this interview. In fact, here--and in previous interview after previous interview--Nick, as a rep of TT, has stated again and again how much he admires Criterion--as do we all--and has in fact called the label "the Rolls Royce of home video." They're the gold standard, the high-set bar. Further, I am absolutely positive that when Nick mentioned a few "not important" titles, he wasn't referring to Bergman or Antonioni! Clearly, like every label, Criterion has to put out a few less cinematically significant if popular titles in order to make its ongoing mission possible--and TT does the same!

Sounds like good cop, bad cop to me.

One other thing that TT will never have that Criterion does is the respect for their customers. Maybe Redman could learn from CC that is not an attractive quality to engage the public in a snarky, argumentative way. When CC gets criticized they never take to social media to belittle the customer.

[adavis53]

It actually says a lot about the business model TT has created : one in which custumers are buying stuff not because of the movie itself but by fear of missing the release because it sold out or because how much you can make of it on eBay once it's sold out.

likely an idiotic question, but as someone new to TT's business model, are their licenses with their films exclusive or is it a possibility that these could eventually come out via somewhere else? Now that they're starting to reissue past releases i'm not exactly excited to pay 100$ for The Train but it seems unlikely for it to be rereleased by a more pleasant company.

[Drucker]

I'm not sure 100% about TT, but their licenses are generally for three years. I suppose after 3 years, they could sub-license it to a different third party company, re-up the license to Twilight Time, or the original rightsholder could release the film themselves (like Sony are doing with Christine).

With regards to The Train, Arrow put it out in the UK. Many people on this forum have region-free blu ray players, and would likely say we couldn't live without it. That's your best bet for this title, and a wise investment in general if you want to enjoy all the fantastic DVDs and Blu rays that never hit American soil!

[chatterjees]

It actually says a lot about the business model TT has created : one in which custumers are buying stuff not because of the movie itself but by fear of missing the release because it sold out or because how much you can make of it on eBay once it's sold out.

likely an idiotic question, but as someone new to TT's business model, are their licenses with their films exclusive or is it a possibility that these could eventually come out via somewhere else? Now that they're starting to reissue past releases i'm not exactly excited to pay 100$ for The Train but it seems unlikely for it to be rereleased by a more pleasant company.

The Train has been released by Arrow in a much superior edition (extra wise). You can get that for much cheaper price. If you are region locked, then you are in trouble. TT's re-issue deal is only with Sony/Columbia and for only 4 titles (now only 3, after Christine has been snatched back from TT for a better deal!). They don't have any re-issue deal with MGM.

[Arrow]

You could buy a region free player and Arrow's The Train for less money than a copy of Twilight Time's blu ray.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

It's neat telling your friends, "Sure, you can buy Fright Night, I hope you're ready to pay over $150 though!" That's always fun.

It sure is!

If I said that to my friends they would fill my mouth with sand and shove the disc up my arse.
This thread also encouraged me to surf the scummy vortex of Facebook and look at the TT page. Luckily I bailed out quickly before I got a personal e-mail exhorting me to drink the Cola with the rest of the zealots.

[domino harvey]

Courtesy HTF

SCORPIO (1973) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

SHADOWS AND FOG (1991) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

BROKEN LANCE (1954) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

FATHERLAND (1986) BLU-RAY - Nov 10th

BORN FREE (1966) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (1984) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

KINGS GO FORTH (1958) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

THE DETECTIVE (1968) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961) BLU-RAY - Dec 8th

CAPTAIN HARLOCK SPACE PIRATE (2013) BLU-RAY (3D / 2D) - Dec 8th

Another weak TT slate. In for the Allen and maybe Broken Lance in a future $20 sale. That particular Allen is a bit of a surprise announcement, since previously they didn't seem to have titles from the third MGM Allen slate, so I guess this means they've licensed them all.

Sense and Sensibility is available on a REGION FREE Blu-ray from the UK for all of five pounds right now. Let me know if you're planning to pick up the TT so I can direct someone in your local area to come up behind you and smack you in the head

[cdnchris]

Sense and Sensibility is a bit of a surprise since Lee and Schamus both seemed to be Criterion fans and I thought for sure that would end up there. I guess I'll finally just import the other Blu-ray.

I like TT's model more for the idea of getting films out there on Blu-ray that no one else would ever consider putting out, and there's some interesting obscure stuff that I probably wouldn't have come across if it wasn't for them. I'm living with the idea of the Allens being released through them since it's obvious MGM/Fox don't give a crap, and I've gladly bought a few from them. There are questionable titles that don't really fit that, and then of course there's some really awful stuff. But I think what kills me is that their model doesn't allow for new scans or masters, or any real restoration since they would never recoup the costs. I think it's great that they were able to get Heaven & Earth from Warners and then get new participation from Oliver Stone, but Jesus, that thing was barely better than the DVD. If you're really only going to be selling an over glorified DVD because you can't afford to do a new restoration (or at least a new scan, since it's obvious what they used was made for the old DVD) then what's the friggin' point? They did that with Titus as well.

[Ribs]

TT said to have 13 Allen films licensed including the Front, and Shadows and Fog makes eight. At various points they've confirmed Stardust Memories and Zelig as forthcoming.

Which leaves 3 of the following five to come from TT assuming no additional deals have been signed:
Alice
Another Woman
Bananas
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* But Were Afraid to Ask
September

[movielocke]

Clearly Redman meant Esoteric but not important ala Border Radio or koko.

Do people here appreciate that as an extra? (Genuinely curious.)

isolated score is something of a holy grail extra amongst film score buffs, they rip them and add them to their collection as the orchestration is often very different from a score album.

[knives]

Koko's esoteric? That's probably one of the most seen in the collection thanks to lazy elementary school science teachers.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Sense and Sensibility is available on a REGION FREE Blu-ray from the UK for all of five pounds right now. Let me know if you're planning to pick up the TT so I can direct someone in your local area to come up behind you and smack you in the head

Not planning on picking it up in any form, but the UK disc drops both of the commentaries from the DVD, which I suspect will be reinstated on the TT disc. (This has already happened with several TT titles that Sony has released in Europe—I've no idea why, particularly since in most/all cases the European DVDs did have the commentaries, including Sense and Sensibility.)

[PfR73]

Do people here appreciate that as an extra? (Genuinely curious.)

It depends on the film/composer/score. For instance, I'm definitely glad to have it on Philadelphia, Christine, The Fury, Body Double, American Buffalo, & Used Cars (especially since they also included the rejected Ernest Gold score). I'm glad they included it on almost every release, even when I end up not being that personally enthralled by the particular score.

[djproject]

And I have a feeling Nineteen Eighty-Four will be the usual "director's version": Dominic Mulvaney's score only and no bleach bypass colour timing.

[PfR73]

And I have a feeling Nineteen Eighty-Four will be the usual "director's version": Dominic Mulvaney's score only and no bleach bypass colour timing.

They've already confirmed it will have the desaturated color timing, and they say they are working on including both scores.

[pointless]

10 to Midnight (J. Lee Thompson, 1983)

Release Date: September 8th, 2015
Pre-order date: Wednesday, August 26th at 4 pm EST.

Special Features:

• Isolated Score Track (with some effects)
  Audio Commentary with Producer Pancho Kohner, Casting Director John Crowther, and Film Historian David Del Valle
  Radio Spots
  Original Theatrical Trailer

Booklet artwork:

[djproject]

And I have a feeling Nineteen Eighty-Four will be the usual "director's version": Dominic Mulvaney's score only and no bleach bypass colour timing.

They've already confirmed it will have the desaturated color timing, and they say they are working on including both scores.

You made my day =D

[pointless]

Emperor of the North (Robert Aldrich, 1973)

Release Date: September 8th, 2015.
Pre-order date: Wednesday, August 26th at 4pm EST.

Special Features:

• Isolated Score Track
  Audio Commentary with Film Historian Dana Polan
  TV Spots
  Original Theatrical Trailer
  Brand new 4K restoration

Booklet artwork:

[felipe]

Maybe it's a silly question, but there's something I still don't get about Twilight Time and the studios that license to it.

Take a film like Oliver!, for instance. Sony released it themselves in several territories. I assume then the bd was basically ready for US release and not a lot of work would be necessary for it. Instead, Sony license it to TT. Does it mean Sony assumed an American release of Oliver! wouldn't generate enough profit? If so, then why would it be expected to make money back in Spain or Italy but not on the biggest BD-buying country?

[eerik]

Do people here appreciate that as an extra? (Genuinely curious.)

When Twilight Time first started releasing films on DVD and Blu-ray I read comments that isolated score track was actually the main feature and having a film to go along it was the special feature. I'm not kidding.

[Gregory]

My two cents about them: For the past 20 years I've been a kind of film score buff—the kind that listens to film music on soundtrack recordings and of course while watching films, in the music's intended context, but not the kind that accumulates hard drives full of isolated music and effects tracks. I'm obsessed with certain composers but am choosy and IMO 95% or more of the film scores out there are just not any good, including many of films that I love.
If I listed my top 500 favorite scores, how many of them would be films TT has released? I'd guess one or two. The main isolated music track that I'd like to hear would be Herrmann's The Bride Wore Black score, but I'm waiting to pick it up for ~$20 in the next sale. The isolated score alone wouldn't convince me to upgrade to the TT Blu-ray, and the far more exciting feature to me is the bonus CD with the Herrmann interview.
In a perfect world, all Blu-rays would include isolated music and effects tracks for those that want them, just like ideally all discs released in North America would include optional English subs for those who need them, but neither should be considered a major feather in the cap of any release, in my view. They're basic disc features of the kind that are usually listed near the end of a bullet list of special features, not at the beginning.
I don't rip anything from any Blu-ray. I have three computers running in our house, all Macs, and none will play Blu-rays. I know that there are ways around that limitation, but so far it's never been a priority to do that. I need to keep things to a manageable level of simplicity, and for me a Blu-ray is something to play in a Blu-ray player, plus I have piles of LPs and CDs to help me further explore the world of film music, many of which are for films that will never be released on home video and are much more interesting to me than any isolated music and effects tracks that I could get from TT releases.
To persuade me to purchase a TT disc and get excited about the isolated music and effects track, not only would enjoyment of the latter need to be more practical for me, but more of TT's releases would have to be films that I already like that also have scores that I care about. That occurrence is very rare with the films they're licensing and the way that they're releasing them.
Here's an example: my latest soundtrack purchase was Morricone's complete soundtrack to Veruschka, which I bought on an Italian 2LP reissue that (brand new) cost me about half the price of a TT release. Veruschka is one of many examples of a fascinating score for a movie I'd probably never go out of my way to own, and listening to it on this vinyl reissue has already given me more enjoyment than probably any isolated music and effects track available to me. To each their own.