AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON is one of the most beautiful (and often heartbreaking) movies I've ever seen. Ozu's traditional tatame camerawork is enhanced by some stunning Technicolor images.

This is one of my favorite films. Ever. I can't wait! EeeEEeeEEeeeEeEEeeeEEEeeeEEe!

Picnic At Hanging Rock is slated for a re-release?! Do you have anything to support this?!

Peter Weir confirmed it in an interview with DVD Talk Radio, but that was three years ago. Last year, Criterion stated they had no current plans to revisit the film. In the mean time, the R2 Second Sight edition released last month looks quite nice - a 3 disc affair with both cuts of the film and a two hour documentary.

From Mulvaney email: "To the best of my knowledge we have no plans to package the 3 upcoming Ophuls titles in a box set."

DVDBeaver on La Plaisir. Quite surprised to see the Criterion transfer isn't noticibly superior to the R2 Second Sight, which includes a 54 minute documentary that Criterion haven't ported over.

as I noted in Movie Talk, Lola Montes, is debuting in a restored print this month at the New York Film Festival, then get released theatrical, more than likely at the end of the year, or early 2009. I wouldn't expect to see this on dvd/bluray until next summer.

With Criterion possibly issuing a four film Ophuls box set next fall. The R2 of Le Plaisir is only £7.97 from Amazon UK right now, so I might just go ahead and order that one.

Some of the caps look a lot better on the Criterion while in others the R2 looks better. I'm still keeping my preorder.

The 4 disc box set makes sense why there isn't a box set for the 3 films now.

DVDBeaver on La Ronde. The transfer, like that of La Plaisir, does not look all that impressive, though the disc is fully stacked with extras.

DVDBeaver on Earrings..... Transfer is a marked improvement on the Second Sight.

DVDBeaver on Autumn Afternoon. Other than the color placing it post-Tokyo Twilight, this could be a screencap from any Ozu film ever:

So, I got all 3 Ophuls films today. 2 of them (Le Plaisir and La Ronde) are in slim digipacks. Really crappy. I've never complained about Criterion packaging before, but this certainly merits it. The packaging is like the DVDs in their box sets (Cassavetes, Truffaut, Paul Robeson) except there's no box set? WTF Criterion! The Earrings of Madame De... is in a little bit better packaging because of a booklet included. But seriously, they looks nice but are very fragile.

WTF? I have to say, Criterion routinely gets on my nerves with this BS. All I want is a uniform packaging that looks nice on the shelf but they continue to come up with new ways to screw up the continuity of their DVD's.

So the box set packaging arrived a year in advance of the box itself. That is pretty Ophul of them.

So, how much are you going to pay for these, you, Ship Ophuls ?

I got mine today and it was worse than you described... Ugh.

IMO the beginning of the end was when Criterion switched from the double Alpha cases to weird two-disc cases like the one used for Rules of the Game

Anyone know which movie is hinted at in the new newsletter? Is the 'discreet' dinner indicating 'My Dinner with Andre'? Anyone?

The Exterminating Angel

Rialto Pictures posted the poster art for the Lola Montès theatrical re-release. It matches the style of the other three Ophuls titles released this week. I still hope Criterion releases all four as a box set despite the email from Mulvaney.

^^ Very nice art.

I hope they eventually release Letters from an Unknown Woman.

Lionsgate owns the rights to that one. The R2 Second Sight edition is solid, and only £7.97 right now from Amazon UK.