from what I've noted over at bluray.com 'Ran' and 'The Elephant Man' are playable on region A players - someone else can chime in on the other titles.
NoirFan
09-29-09, 06:12 PM
Contempt is as well. I linked reviews for Contempt and Ran in this (http://forum.dvdtalk.com/hd-talk/546344-foreign-cinema-blu-part-2-a-5.html) thread. DVD Times will probably review the other titles soon.
EDIT: DVD Outsider's (positive) review of Deer Hunter lists the region code as 'unspecified'.
Sessa17
09-29-09, 06:38 PM
from what I've noted over at bluray.com 'Ran' and 'The Elephant Man' are playable on region A players - someone else can chime in on the other titles.
I got my shipping notice for Contempt, so I'll let you know for sure on that one& post some pics. I know the review NoirFan post listed it as all Region.
PopcornTreeCt
10-03-09, 01:14 PM
I received Le Mepris and and Belle de Jour. The cases are very small and thin. They are almost like the digipacks. I'm watching Le Mepris now and the quality is very good.
I tested both on the Playstation 3. Le Mepris played fine. Belle de Jour does not. On the case it actually says Le Mepris Region A and B. While Belle de Jour reads Region B only.
Another note about Le Mepris. When you play it and select USA as the country. You have to go into languages and set French and English subtitles. It defaults to an english dub track.
mooncat
10-03-09, 07:58 PM
yes elephant man is region a and b it says it on back of cover
NoirFan
10-03-09, 08:22 PM
While Belle de Jour reads Region B only.
Damn, was hoping to upgrade.
buckee1
10-03-09, 08:38 PM
From what I've read, <b>Ran's</b> transfer is subpar at best and does not boast any English language subs to date.
slop101
10-03-09, 10:59 PM
From what I've read, <b>Ran's</b> transfer is subpar at best and does not boast any English language subs to date.:hscratch:
It's for the UK and it doesn't have English subs?
HumanMedia
10-04-09, 03:27 AM
From what I've read, <b>Ran's</b> transfer is subpar at best and does not boast any English language subs to date.
Yes it does, but the menu is a bit confusing and has an icon to represent subtitles, so its easily missed/confused.
buckee1
10-04-09, 06:52 AM
From the DVDBeaver review, Feb. 2009:
"NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were ripped directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION Jesnet Blu-ray Feb 2009: This new Blu-ray seems flawed to me. Either it has come from a non-HD source (up-converts from SD sources!) or has been boosted and has heavy DNR. I have issues with the image quality. Click on the 2nd large capture below (with horses) and see how flat and plastic this dual-layered Blu-ray presents itself. Surely RAN should not look this hazy - colors seem frequently altered (although some will tell us more accurate to theatrical - I defer to them) and detail is uncompromisingly dampened with what appears to be compression artifacts. There are light damage speckles. Even the edge-enhanced French HD-DVD may have been superior.
On the positive colors do exhibit the striking vibrancy that I have heard was apparent in theatrical (at times look amazingly brilliant) but see in the last large capture both fire and flags appear boosted although this tends to support the Criterion scheme. It looks far better in motion - and the more I watch it the better I like it. I'd love to hear from individuals who have experience with seeing this theatrically.
Once again there are no English subtitles (only Japanese) and I can find no extra features on this disc.
At this point, this is a thumbs down - if the lack of English subtitles wasn't enough of a deterrent. Stick with the Criterion or Optimum DVD packages - as discussed below - and let's wait for someone to get this right - a premium choice for high-definition."
Gary Tooze
This review is for the Jesnet disc. There is an optimum release in the UK, so perhaps that is the one you are referring to. I have seen reviews for that one as well and while there are apparently English subs present, the video portion is as spotty as the Jesnet (Japanese released) disc.
Now the Optimum SD DVD Version of Ran is another story. It's a beautifully rendered set W/English subs but it is SD and not BD. To my knowledge, an outstanding or rather "good" transfer of this film does not yet exist on BD. I'm assuming that you have the UK BD version. How does it look to you?
buckee1
10-05-09, 09:22 AM
I've been having a look round and the review on the DVDTimes site is quite favorable with few exceptions. I took a chance and ordered it so, I'll let you know what I think once it gets here.
buckee1
10-07-09, 03:24 PM
Just got Ran, popped it in and man is it garbage. The transfer in my opinion is not even as good as the Criterion SD DVD version released a year or so ago. It really is one of the worst transfers I have ever seen on BD. Washed out colors. more grain than you can shake a stick at and almost unwatchable. I'm no expert but it's criminal to mar an excellent work such as Ran with a sub. sub par transfer. Absolute dreck.
slop101
10-07-09, 04:21 PM
Okay, so any word on Belle Du Jour, Elephant Man or Deer Hunter? Those are the ones I'm actually interested in.
GenPion
10-07-09, 04:28 PM
Okay, so any word on Belle Du Jour, Elephant Man or Deer Hunter? Those are the ones I'm actually interested in.
Belle Du Jour is region locked to Region B but is supposedly a good upgrade over the DVD. Elephant Man is supposed to be better than the DVD release but still somewhat problematic - the transfer is not supposed to be one of the best (though it is improved), and Deer Hunter is supposed to have a strong transfer but there is an audio-pitch problem from the way it was encoded... which makes it inaccurate audio.
I may wind up passing on all of these. Not sure. I still am thinking about getting Elephant Man and Contempt.
NoirFan
10-07-09, 05:08 PM
I still am thinking about getting Elephant Man and Contempt.
I'll definitely order Contempt at some point, but I'll wait until the discontinued Criterion DVD goes up in value on Amazon marketplace to sell it.
slop101
10-07-09, 05:32 PM
Well, that pretty much sucks across the board - the one good blu-ray is region-locked and the rest have various problems. Oh well...
Sessa17
10-07-09, 05:47 PM
Well, that pretty much sucks across the board - the one good blu-ray is region-locked and the rest have various problems. Oh well...
Are there problems with Contempt? I'll try to watch mine tonight. Here is a pic of the package. . .
Are there problems with Contempt? I'll try to watch mine tonight. It's just not one of the 3 I'm interested in - I have the Criterion of Contempt, and it's good enough.
zombeaner
10-07-09, 08:45 PM
They've run reviews on a few of these over at blu-ray.com
PopcornTreeCt
10-09-09, 07:32 PM
No problems that I know of with Contempt. I watched it and it looked good.
Make sure you set the language for French and subtitles to English. It will not default that way.
rexinnih
10-11-09, 09:36 AM
Just got Ran, popped it in and man is it garbage. The transfer in my opinion is not even as good as the Criterion SD DVD version released a year or so ago. It really is one of the worst transfers I have ever seen on BD. Washed out colors. more grain than you can shake a stick at and almost unwatchable. I'm no expert but it's criminal to mar an excellent work such as Ran with a sub. sub par transfer. Absolute dreck.
Thanks for the review. I'll be holding off on this one.
Buy: