Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
- jsteffe
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:00 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
This is very encouraging! I'll order the Blu-ray of The Sacrifice, since it's available separately from the rest of the set.
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- Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 1:13 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
That they did. Though I realise that I accidentally wrote positive in that thread rather than interpositive which my notes say it was.jsteffe wrote:In the Kino thread, Berzeli noted that the Swedish Film Institute performed a digital restoration a few years back. (After the Kino Blu-ray came out.) Let's hope that Artificial Eye is using this restoration since it supposedly looked good.
And it looks like that is what is the basis of the AE blu. Won't swear on it since caps (and beaver caps at that) aren't the best way to accurately judge these things.FrauBlucher wrote:Beaver...SacrificeTooze wrote:The Sacrifice could be from The Swedish Film Institute source(?!) although does not resemble that 2004 DVDs color scheme - nor the Kino Blu-ray.
Also, Gary if you read this, the restoration was done in 2013/14 the DVD is from 2004. So it definitely can be from The Swedish Film Institute and look nothing like the DVD.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
When the box? If 4 out of 7 films are good (Rublev, Mirror, Solaris, Sacrifice), box may still be the preferable option.
- jegharfangetmigenmyg
- Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:52 am
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
The rumor is that it'll be out in time for Christmas sale, isn't it?
Hopefully, someone will add the AE for comparison with the Japanese blu-ray which blows the US edition out of the water even more than does the AE, IMO: http://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=2441" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it doesn't best the Japanese blu-ray, we're down to 3 (2 if you already own the Criterions of Ivan and Solaris) out of 7 titles, and then it'll certainly be cheaper to buy Rublev and Mirror on stand alone discs... Very disappointing overall, I must say.
Hopefully, someone will add the AE for comparison with the Japanese blu-ray which blows the US edition out of the water even more than does the AE, IMO: http://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=2441" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If it doesn't best the Japanese blu-ray, we're down to 3 (2 if you already own the Criterions of Ivan and Solaris) out of 7 titles, and then it'll certainly be cheaper to buy Rublev and Mirror on stand alone discs... Very disappointing overall, I must say.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
Any update on the Tarkovsky box this year?
- jsteffe
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:00 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
I finally ordered the Artificial Eye Blu-ray of Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice, and it's a huge improvement over the old Kino Blu-ray. They must have used the restoration, though it's not mentioned anywhere that I can see in the package. Detail, contrast and color are all dramatically more refined and delineated. I felt that a couple of shots here and there looked overly digital, but nothing outside the norm for what you occasionally find in digital restorations like this, and nothing too serious, either. The film's carefully designed scheme of subtle gradations of color and monochrome comes through clearly and precisely.
This particular Blu-ray is a must-buy, regardless of whether you've seen the film before or not!
This particular Blu-ray is a must-buy, regardless of whether you've seen the film before or not!
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- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:01 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
The AE Tarkovsky BD's are in Base.com 8,69 £ for UK, and for EU approx. 12€ (including shipping).
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:55 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
Do we still believe AE is going to release their Tarkovsky blu-rays as a box set?
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
Have they ever said they would?
- rapta
- Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
- Location: Hants, UK
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
Yes, they repeatedly informed Blu-ray.com that a box set would follow (as with their other filmmaker collections).
- GaryC
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:56 pm
- Location: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
I haven't seen the new Blu-ray of Andrei Rublev but I presume the horse falling down the stairs has been precut? The BBFC recertified it in 2016 without cuts and there's no mention of the scene in the consumer advice.
I ask as this scene was in Artificial Eye's previous DVD, which was a port of Ruscico's edition. I suspect that was accidental. AE had precut the scene before submitting the film to the BBFC for their cinema reissue in 1991 (I confirmed this with them at the time) and presumably did with their VHS release certified the same year, also passed uncut. So I guess that when they released the DVD someone assumed that because they already had a video certificate they didn't need to resubmit it, not realising that they had a version with a scene which was in clear breach of the Animals Act.
I ask as this scene was in Artificial Eye's previous DVD, which was a port of Ruscico's edition. I suspect that was accidental. AE had precut the scene before submitting the film to the BBFC for their cinema reissue in 1991 (I confirmed this with them at the time) and presumably did with their VHS release certified the same year, also passed uncut. So I guess that when they released the DVD someone assumed that because they already had a video certificate they didn't need to resubmit it, not realising that they had a version with a scene which was in clear breach of the Animals Act.
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Artificial Eye/Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
I have not seen the Artificial Eye Blu-ray release, but could the actual shot in contention be the one that followed in the initial 205 minute edit of the film: the horse being impaled by the spear? The Blu-ray is a transfer of the 183 minute re-edit (done by Tarkovsky) which retained the shot of the horse falling from the stairs but deletes the subsequent, more violent shot. Perhaps the version you mention screening in 1991 was the 205 minute edit that demanded the impaling shot be cut to avoid breaching the animal cruelty act, but allowed the tumble down the stairs shot? The more recent releases of this film have all been the 183 minute edit since superior elements exist for this version whereas the Criterion-released 205 minute edit was based on a washed-out print.
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
I just watched the Artificial Eye Blu-ray and, having never seen the film before, I can tell you that we see the horse fall over the railings of the staircase and land, and within the same shot we briefly see the horse on the ground. The film then cuts to the face of an older woman in a new scene. The music cue is unaltered from horse to woman, so I presume this was precut or configured this way in advance. I do not recall a scene of a horse being impaled with a spear, but I wasn't looking for it either, whereas the stairs bit I remembered from these posts. Hope this helps!
- Roger Ryan
- Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
The shot of the horse being impaled with a spear is only present in Tarkovsky's initial 205 minute edit (often called The Passion of Andrei Rublev) which is the version Criterion released (Spine #34). Tarkovsky edited the film down to 183 minutes himself, both to appease Soviet censorship and because he came to feel that the film would play better at a shorter length. He removed the spear/horse shot himself.domino harvey wrote:...I do not recall a scene of a horse being impaled with a spear, but I wasn't looking for it either...
Interestingly, the notes regarding this film on Criterion's website do not acknowledge that the director himself oversaw what could be called the "final cut": "Too experimental, too frightening, too violent, and too politically complicated to be released officially, Andrei Rublev has existed only in shortened, censored versions until the Criterion Collection created this complete 205-minute director’s cut special edition."
If a Blu-ray of this film ever comes out on Criterion, it will almost certainly be the shorter version that was restored by Mosfilm although I could see the 205 minute edit being included as a bonus version.
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
Whatever Criterion says, all evidence suggests that the 183-minute cut is Tarkovsky's final and preferred one. It was initially carried out due to censorship requests, but Tarkovsky also took the opportunity to refine and tighten several sequences, very much to their benefit. (I'm thinking of the prologue in particular.)
There's obviously a good case for including both cuts in a single edition, but as far as I'm concerned it's the 183-minute cut that's the definitive one. Longer doesn't always mean better.
There's obviously a good case for including both cuts in a single edition, but as far as I'm concerned it's the 183-minute cut that's the definitive one. Longer doesn't always mean better.
- chatterjees
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:08 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- Contact:
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
They just announced it on their FB page. The The Deluxe Collection box is coming out on April 10.kekid wrote:Do we still believe AE is going to release their Tarkovsky blu-rays as a box set?
Special features:
• Andrei Tarkovsky’s metaphysical dream zone: Selected scene commentary for all seven films by psychoanalyst Mary Wild
• 177-page book
• Ivan’s Childhood: Interviews with composer Vyaaheslav Ovchinnikov, cinematographer Vadim Usov and actor Evgeniy Zharikov
• Andrei Rublev: Making-of featurette; interview with actor Yuriy Nazarov
• Mirror: Interviews with screenwriter A. Misharin, composer Eduard Artemev and actor Oleg Yankovskiy; featurette
• Solaris: Interview with actor Natalia Bondarchuk; Donatas Banionis featurette
• Stalker: Interviews with cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinsky and set designer Rashit Safiullin
• Nostalgia: Interviews with co-writer Tonino Guerra and Marina Tarkovsky
• The Sacrifice: Video essay ‘Poetic Harmony’; audio commentary with author and translator Layla Alexander-Garrett and James King from Curzon Artificial Eye
FILMS:
Ivan's Childhood
Andrei Rublev
Mirror
Solaris
Stalker
Nostalgia
The Sacrifice
http://www.curzonartificialeye.com/andr ... VGh15TL.99
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon Film World
This limited-edition Blu-ray box set brings together all the seven features from the true master of cinema, Andrei Tarkovsky.
- dda1996a
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
Who is the master for you then?
Wondering how much this will cost. Considering all the backlash against the transfer I'm hesitant to buy it, but for the right price anything is possible.
Are all the extras from the individual releases available here as well?
Wondering how much this will cost. Considering all the backlash against the transfer I'm hesitant to buy it, but for the right price anything is possible.
Are all the extras from the individual releases available here as well?
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
Does there have to be only one?
- dda1996a
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
There isn't obviously one master to rule them all... I was just interested in hearing who domino considers masters of cinema
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
I once saw Jess Franco at the top of his list, though it could have been in reverse order.
- Dr Amicus
- Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:20 am
- Location: Guernsey
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
Stanley Kramer.
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- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
I would object to any director, even one I loved, being referred to as "the true master of cinema," as it implies there could ever be just one. I am sure that even the most fervent lovers of Tarkovsky would admit that other directors have as much a claim on the title as their man here. I know it's just lazy ad copy, but still!dda1996a wrote:There isn't obviously one master to rule them all... I was just interested in hearing who domino considers masters of cinema
It's also entirely possible that I fell victim to this brand of Oneism myself in the past with regards to naming either Hitchcock or Godard as such (which itself is of course defeating the purpose of only picking one), so there's your actual answer as well!
- dda1996a
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:14 am
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
So in reading Sculpting in Time and rewatching (probably the most visceral theater experience I ever had) The Sacrifice on the big screen, I really want to have all his films on Blu Ray. So I wasn't entirely sure, what AE Tarkovsky blus are worth buying? I'm guessing I should wait for Criterion's Stalker, but other than that how good are the rest?
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Artificial Eye / Curzon: Andrei Tarkovsky Collection
Avoid Nostalghia. Other than that and Stalker, they're pretty good - and The Sacrifice is meant to be the best edition available anywhere.