Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
#29
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
Thanks for this info. I bought one from Amazon yesterday.
So Criterion basically wasted their time and money preparing the Blu Ray release? That sucks.
So Criterion basically wasted their time and money preparing the Blu Ray release? That sucks.
#30
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
Well, it'll probably come out once Criterion gets the rights back (assuming they do get them back). It sucks, but worse things have happened.
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
I'd assume they'd get them back..I mean..they love their Kurosawa. Really wished they'd kept Hard Boiled and The Killer. Were they to still have them...it'd be everything we'd want of them at this time. I mean they did another Seven Samurai (that being probably a very very popular title), they'd do another of those Woo flicks too I'd assume.
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
I'd assume they'd get them back..I mean..they love their Kurosawa. Really wished they'd kept Hard Boiled and The Killer. Were they to still have them...it'd be everything we'd want of them at this time. I mean they did another Seven Samurai (that being probably a very very popular title), they'd do another of those Woo flicks too I'd assume.
#33
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
#35
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
Nope. Criterion acquired those from Toho. Ran was license was owned by Wellspring who was recently acquired by Genius. There are other Kurosawa films are spread around like Dreams which WB has, Rhapsody in August that MGM has and BCI had the Quiet Duel until they close shop.
#38
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
Luckily this disc was one of the few deals I ever got from Circuit City. 7.99 plus tax out the door for this Criterion.
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
You obviously haven't seen the BCI disc then, because it has a great picture, pretty good audio, excellent subtitles, some nice supplements like lengthy interviews with cast and crew members, and even an essay in the booklet by Stuart Galbraith IV. It might as well be a Criterion DVD, only for a much lower price. I was hoping that BCI would pick up some other Kurosawa films as well. There's no need for Criterion to rerelease it, unless it is out of print now.
#40
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
I don't want to tell Criterion how to do business, but how do you prepare a title for release on Blu-Ray without considering the kind of major fact that you aren't going to have the rights anymore when the time comes to release it? Was this title supposed to have come out earlier and just got delayed or something?
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
#42
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
I don't want to tell Criterion how to do business, but how do you prepare a title for release on Blu-Ray without considering the kind of major fact that you aren't going to have the rights anymore when the time comes to release it? Was this title supposed to have come out earlier and just got delayed or something?
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
From Digital Bits:
Also today, we've learned a little more about Criterion's cancellation of Ran on Blu-ray, but just so you know this is NOT official, so it should be considered Rumor Mill-worthy. It seems that the U.S. home video release rights to the film are owned by Wellspring (who have released it on DVD in the past), the parent company of which is Genius Products, now 70% owned by The Weinstein Company. There have been industry rumors over the last year that Weinstein Co. is in some financial difficulty, so it's possible the Brothers want a better deal with Criterion (i.e. more or too much money) from Criterion to licence the title for Blu-ray. Hopefully, a deal of some kind will be struck soon, because (I'll say again) nobody would do better by this title in high-definition than Criterion. We are SO dying to see Kurosawa films in 1080p...
Also today, we've learned a little more about Criterion's cancellation of Ran on Blu-ray, but just so you know this is NOT official, so it should be considered Rumor Mill-worthy. It seems that the U.S. home video release rights to the film are owned by Wellspring (who have released it on DVD in the past), the parent company of which is Genius Products, now 70% owned by The Weinstein Company. There have been industry rumors over the last year that Weinstein Co. is in some financial difficulty, so it's possible the Brothers want a better deal with Criterion (i.e. more or too much money) from Criterion to licence the title for Blu-ray. Hopefully, a deal of some kind will be struck soon, because (I'll say again) nobody would do better by this title in high-definition than Criterion. We are SO dying to see Kurosawa films in 1080p...
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
For sure...when I get a player, All Kurosawa films will be upgraded. Oh man...Ran looks amazing on DVD I can only imagine wtf it'll be like on Blu-Ray.
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Re: Criterion Kurosawa's "Ran" DVD OOP, Blu Ray cancelled
Probably better.
Thanks to the OP for the news. I gave in and ordered a copy from SecondSpin. It was $22, minus 20% and FS with the recent SS screwup/makeup code, SSFSTWENTYMAKEUP. It was the last one they had at the moment, but it's been popping in and out of stock recently, probably due to lots of people planning to upgrade to the Blu-ray, so if anybody wants it, try checking SS once in a while. I already have the Masterworks Edition, but after checking out the screenshots of the version comparison on DVDBeaver, I can understand Stuart Galbraith's review of the Criterion on this site that condemns the Masterworks Edition's color "enhancements."
Thanks to the OP for the news. I gave in and ordered a copy from SecondSpin. It was $22, minus 20% and FS with the recent SS screwup/makeup code, SSFSTWENTYMAKEUP. It was the last one they had at the moment, but it's been popping in and out of stock recently, probably due to lots of people planning to upgrade to the Blu-ray, so if anybody wants it, try checking SS once in a while. I already have the Masterworks Edition, but after checking out the screenshots of the version comparison on DVDBeaver, I can understand Stuart Galbraith's review of the Criterion on this site that condemns the Masterworks Edition's color "enhancements."