El Sur

Discuss releases by the BFI and the films on them.

Moderator: MichaelB

Message
Author
User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: El Sur

#26 Post by zedz » Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:54 pm

Tommaso wrote:
rapta wrote: Hopefully this will encourage more Erice releases in the UK!
More importantly, hopefully this will encourage Erice to make a new feature film. Apart from some occasional shorts, he didn't make a new full-length film after "El sol del membrillo". What are the reasons for this absence?
One of the Spanish releases (maybe it's The Quince Tree Sun?) had a lengthy interview with Erice, and he seemed to indicate that it was simply a matter of financing rather than anything dramatic like a creative block or politics. Which makes it even more tragic.

User avatar
Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: El Sur

#27 Post by Tommaso » Tue Jan 03, 2017 3:11 pm

If that's the reason, it's tragic indeed. And it's somewhat ironic given that - for example - something as uncommercial as Greenaway's "Tulse Luper Suitcases" got funding from a large number of European film productions (probably also some state funding involved). Not that I'd ever complain about this, but I wonder why another Erice feature film couldn't be supported in a similar manner, given the status of his three former films.

User avatar
zedz
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm

Re: El Sur

#28 Post by zedz » Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:32 pm

I think Greenaway was extremely fortunate to have a very dedicated, resourceful and indulgent longterm producer in Kees Kasander, who somehow managed to keep his career ticking over year after year in the absence of commercial success (or critical success, really).

User avatar
Finch
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Re: El Sur

#29 Post by Finch » Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:47 pm

criterionsnob wrote:Beaver. Too bad about the edge enhancement. Hopefully Criterion releases this soon.
#-o Very frustrating, and single-layered too! Was going to pre-order this but now I think I'll wait for a sale.

User avatar
rapta
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:04 pm
Location: Hants, UK

Re: El Sur

#30 Post by rapta » Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:26 pm

Finch wrote:
criterionsnob wrote:Beaver. Too bad about the edge enhancement. Hopefully Criterion releases this soon.
#-o Very frustrating, and single-layered too! Was going to pre-order this but now I think I'll wait for a sale.
It is quite affordable on release (£10.99 from HMV) but I might do the same and wait a bit.

Single-layered releases are a rarity from BFI, so it's slightly surprising they did that with such an anticipated title as this - though it could be that this is just the master they were supplied with and the best they could deliver (there's still a bit of space left on the disc after the extras). I'm certainly grateful it's getting a release at all!

Pepsi
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:01 pm

Re: El Sur

#31 Post by Pepsi » Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:01 am

10.99 at Amazon.uk. Seems like the same transfer as the Spanish Vertice cine from 2012 (English subs).

User avatar
Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: El Sur

#32 Post by Tommaso » Wed Jun 14, 2017 6:45 pm

Pepsi wrote: Seems like the same transfer as the Spanish Vertice cine from 2012 (English subs).
Unfortunately not. I've just watched the BFI dvd, and I have to report that someone tried to get rid of some crackle on the audio - which is admittedly slightly annoying on the Vertice disc - and in the process ended up with a clearly rather filtered-sounding result. Anyone here who has followed similar discussions about audio filtering in the case of certain German films from the 30s and 40s will know what I'm talking about, and yes, it's pretty annoying, and not just in direct comparison to the Spanish disc.

It's not unlistenable and not as bad as some of those German discs, but it's still very clearly discernable (especially in some moments where there's only quiet music on the soundtrack). And all this reminds me of all the complaints that were voiced against the audio tracks of some of the recent BFI discs of older Chinese films in this respect, and I'm no longer sure that it's only the Chinese that were responsible for the "Spring in a Small Town" audio mess after comparing these two "El Sur" releases. Why can't dvd producers leave the audio alone, for God's sake?! Especially as the video of the BFI dvd (I still can't play the blu) is clearly superior to the Spanish disc.

Post Reply