Scent of Green Papaya dvd Full Screen?
 

Has anyone bought the Columbia/Tristar release of The Scent of Green Papaya? They recently released this and Vertical Ray of the Sun but they released Scent of Green Papaya as a full screen edition and Vertical Ray w/anamorphic widescreen. Does this make sense to anyone? Why would Columbia release a full screen edition like that. I'm almost positive the film's OAR isn't full screen. If anyone has this dvd please give me a review. Thanks for any info!

Nope, releasing one film with a gorgeous anamorphic transfer while the other gets butchered with a pan and scan treatment makes no sense. It's especially disconcerting, because Tran Anh Hung is an exceptional composer of images -- I'd go so far as to say that there's no active filmmaker who takes such care in the way he constructs his shots.

I haven't seen the Columbia/TriStar edition of The Scent of Green Papaya, but the trailer for it found on The Vertical Ray of the Sun DVD shows a picture that's heavily cropped. That's ruinous to a film whose story is communicated primarily through its images.

There's a nice widescreen edition of Green Papaya available from France, so anyone capable of playing R2 discs should seek that out instead of suffering through the inexplicably botched R1 edition.

Scent of Green Papaya's OAR is 1:33 to 1

-Spider

Donald-does the french edition have eng subs? Did you view Vertical Ray of the Sun? How does this movie look? I haven't seen it yet but saw the trailer at the local indie theater and thought it looked beautiful.

Spider-are you sure because i was looking for the OAR before, it's not listedo n imdb but I though i saw somewhere else that it was 1:85. Plus if it's out on widescreen in France I would assume they would keep the OAR since Europeans seem to be smarter than Americans when it comes to releasing dvd's : )

...the French DVD (which carries an anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer of Cyclo on the flip side) is letterboxed at 1.85:1 - which , if you watch the "Making of..." also included on the disc, is clearly the intended AR...

...optional French, English, Dutch & German subtitles...

http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=1074

NOTE 1: I own the previously released two-disc edition - the 'new' release is a repeat of the first, but without the two short movies by the director

NOTE 2: both films feature an MPEG2(*) 1.0 soundtrack (not DD)

(*)...since - mercifully! - abandoned by all but the most knuckleheaded European DVD-makers...

...the Vertical Rays... disc is anamorphic 1.85:1, French subtitles only...

http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=3031

. . . :o . . .

Does it have Eng subs though. Okay, so maybe the Europeans aren't better, just seems like they put out some movies that get overlooked here. At any rate I would still like to have the dvd with the OAR as long as it has eng subs. Please let me know. Thanks, biggen

...re-read my -amended - post, above...

. . . :o . . .

The French edition does have English subs, and as Hendrik mentioned, it also includes Tran's masterful Cyclo. This 2-disc set also includes a making-of documentary for each film, two short films by Tran, and a commentary track for Cyclo. Unfortunately, all of the extras are without English subs.

The Vertical Ray of the Sun DVD is stunning -- great sound, perfect contrast, spot-on color.

Again, The Scent of Green Papaya was most definitely filmed in widescreen. The R1 disc isn't an open-matte transfer, it's cropped, pan-n-scanned, butchered, as a simple comparison between Columbia's trailer and the French DVD reveals. There's more info seen on the letterboxed French disc, while there's no more info at the top and bottom of the Columbia version. It's clear what's happened.

Thanks Hendrick. I'll probably stick with the Columbia/tristar version of Vertical Ray of the Sun but I'm going to have to get this french double set for Scent and Cyclo. What is the edition you have like? Is it just a se of Scent of green papaya? Is it still available anywhere? Thanks again for all your help and steering me in the right direction. big

Donald-thanks for your help as well. Since I don't speak a lick of French are there any good e-tailers I can buy this from that have sites in English or just Amazon.fr? Can you buy through dvdfrance or is that just a reference site? Thanks again for all help? ps. I hate it when they don't include subs on extras-i just don't understand unless it's a "rights" issue. big

Try here.

Or here.

And here's a site that can translate French text into English to aid you in placing an order.

Sweet, thanks Donald. I guess while i'm looking at French sites are there any other good french dvd editions of asian movies w/english subs. note-I'm waiting for the Criterion of In the mood for Love. big

AHA!!! ...so it appears CinéStore still has copies of the 'old' two-disc (=one DVD-10 plus one DVD-5) Film Office release in stock... (the 'new' release, from arte is one DVD-10 with the two features - only)

. . . :o . . .

Hendrick-where is the old version listed? I did not see it, only the new one w/cyclo on it. Or are both movies on both editions and i'm not looking at it right? Thanks, big

...ahh... BOTH movies are on one DVD-10, one title to a side... look again at the fiche http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/fiche.php3?id=394 which mentions both titles Cyclo and L'Odeur de la papaye verte...

...the 'old' (TWO-DISC) version is (still) available from CinéStore, the site previously indicated by Donald Brown...

Right? Right!

. . . ;) . . .

I think I'll be ordering this. Unfortunately I found some other movies I want w/o english subs.

being a french dvd, it's probably in PAL though right?

...ahh... well... ahh... yes... as are, basically, all Region2/Europe DVDs... (Region2/Japan DVDs are NTSC)

. . . :o . . .

I bought my copy of the old version early last November from cinestore. They were out-of-stock on this title for awhile but somehow were able to procure a few more copies from Arte.

Ugh.....

While I like Tran's works, he's no Bela Tarr.

The sumptuous photography in The Vertical Ray of the Sun is atrributed to Mark Li-Ping Bin, Hou Hsiao Hsien's favorite photographer. The same luminous quality can be seen in Hou's "Flowers of Shanghai", as well as In the Mood for Love, both of which Mark Li-Ping Bin was involved in.

I am looking for the 2 DVD set also.
Anyone know for sure if it's still available?

Cinestore says 2 weeks for delivery, but is it in stock?
Link here

Alapage seems to list it, but the specs does not show 2 DVDs
Alapage link


any comments of these links?


J.T.

So what is it now???
 

Now, is it "FULLSCREEN", that this film is intended to be seen in or 1.85:1 Widescreen?

Hendrik, are you able to capture a screenshot and someone that has the R1 release does the same at the same spot so we could see which one actually looks "right"?

Thank you very much,

Sebastian. :)

PS: Vertical Ray Of The Sun is in the correct AR, right?

Cinéstore.... L'ordeur de la papaya verte et Cyclo avec 2 courts métrages...
 

Juss got mine in the mail yesterday evening!!!! watched it this morning.... lovely LOVELY stuff. will go watch more of Tran....

simply spectacular... Every self-respecting film aficionado should have this in his collection..... Kudos to ARTE! :) ARtE is cool enuff to despatch this to me 1st despite the delay for my TRAFFIC is only 3 days!!!!! Im a pleased client. :)


and yes, it is wif the 2 SHORTS!!!! Get it while it lasts, no?

Blessthemess,
How many days did it take for your DVD to arrive from Cinestore??


J.T.

;) cinéstore plug
 

Shipping details fetish.... ;)

1. Placed my order for both SCENT & TRAFFIC on the 13th this month. Both the status were on "Immédiate" availability.

2. SCENT was Expediée on the 15th.

3. Arrived here (i live in Singapour Pays!) on the 22nd.

~Shipping Europe to Asia = 6 bizness days!~

4. TRAFFIC left france on the 18th. im still awaiting her arrival....


Its a huge White Package wif ur details scribbled wif marker via REGISTERED MAIL.


its definitely wiser to purchase more than 1 title....



Hope this helps...... ;)

It seemed to take less than a week for mine to arrive in Michigan, but I didn't pay too much attention. They included a Huge! 300+ page catalog that must have cost a fortune to ship. Nice set BTW.

- Jeff

I was going to order this but I didn't see the United States in the drop down country menu that's in the check out section. Does anyone know what I select to get it shipped to the USA. Thanks, Big

.

...Etats Unis...

. . . :o . . .

Thanks! I think I ordered it sucessfully. I was using altavista translation and it was stating "plain states" for the US. Thanks for your help everyone!

puzzled! is "papaya" full screen or not?
it say on the website
"DVD 1 : 2 faces, 1 couche. Chapitrage des scènes. Face A : L'odeur de la papaye verte (4/3) Face B

That "(4:3)" simply means the disc isn't 16:9 enhanced, but it is widescreen.

Re: Cinéstore.... L'ordeur de la papaya verte et Cyclo avec 2 courts métrages...
 

So, you bought the new edition from arte and you found all the extra there were on the old edition?
I hope so, 'cause I ordered the disc from amazon.fr before reading this thread and amazon.fr sells the new one...

For the other title, see that it will be realised on region 2 uk (so with englis subtitles) on next 25-3-2002 with the title of At The Height Of Summer.

Federica

I sent an email to Amazon.fr asking what version they are selling, and here is their answer:

So, if this is NOT the 2-DVD-set, then they will have to cover shipping the other way, since I don't think "double DVD" means ONE DVD, right? I ordered it this morning, and I will let you know what I get!

Hope this helps,

Sebastian. :)

Mmm. I'm not so sure, reading their answer it is possible they mean that the edition has the two films and not only one. Of course I hope it is the 2DVD edition. I'm waiting for it (they shipped it to me this morning), and leaving in Europe I would receive it in a few days. I'll tell you.


Federica

Re: Re: Cinéstore.... L'ordeur de la papaya verte et Cyclo avec 2 courts métrages...
 

i meant "KUDOS TO CINESTORE" in me last comment... freudian slip.... ;)

It says here... "ARTE VIDEO" & "1999".... the keyword here is "Les 2 courts métrages de...." (The 2 "Shorts" of Tran) ...... email amazon.fr.... ;)


whats At The Height Of Summer about?

"...whats At The Height Of Summer about?"

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/2001_09/summer.html

. . . :o . . .

At The Height Of Summer aka The Verticle Ray Of The Sun.....

R1 DVD of The Verticle Ray... is excellent.....


J.T.

Re: Re: Re: Cinéstore.... L'ordeur de la papaya verte et Cyclo avec 2 courts métrages
 

Thanks for your answer. The friend above wrote to amazon.fr, but I really don't consider their answer satisfying. We must wait and hope.
For At The Height, it is the english title of A la vertical de l'ete. Region 2Uk version, anamorphic widescreen and with english subs, will be realised on next month. See amazon.co.uk to preorder it.

Re: Re: Re: Cinéstore.... L'ordeur de la papaya verte et Cyclo avec 2 courts métrages
 

Sorry, another thing: Cinestore has the scan of the arte edition, and the back says it has TWO discs not only one. :-?