pro-bassoonist

For those interested in Theo Angelopoulos and his work...

Greek production house New Star recently released 3 of his films- The Traveling Players, Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow, and Ulysses' Gaze. I have both The Weaping Meadow and Ulysses' Gaze with me tonight and wanted to let you know that all of these New Star prints are personally supervised by Theo Angelopoulos (in fact the clear double case is elegantly designed as to show his large signature right in the middle as a stamp of approval spreading over the entire back cover). I rushed to compare the print of the Greek disc to the one used by Artificial Eye and all I could say is that the Greek disc is vastly superior. Great picture quality indeed provided from the original 35mm negative print and approved by the director himself. All discs offer optional French and English subtitles. It is also worth pointing out that the menus for the discs are simply stunning (esp. the one for the Weeping Meadow is...perfect)!

Courtesy of Xploited cinema:
http://www.xploitedcinema.com/search...BMIT=Send+Data

I will have detailed reviews up by the end of the week. Needless to say however this is simply excellent news as the video quality delivered is spectacular.

Ciao,
Pro-B

DennyL

Thank you for this, ProB. The Travelling Players is THE film I've been waiting to appear on DVD practically since the beginning of the DVD era. Angelopoulos has now been saying for quite a long time, after having accepted reluctantly the notion of his films being seen anywhere but in a cinema, that he is supervising DVD editions of his films. At last some evidence of it! I do hope that DVDs of others of his early films, such as 'Days of 36',
and 'The Reconstruction' appear as well.

pro-bassoonist

From what I understand this new distro deal will bring a total of 13 films on the market. I saw the Weeping Meadow last night so I could write the review...the quality is just breathtaking. The image is tight to the frame, progressive, solid, and just brings the best out of the director's amazing vision. The subtitles are white (not yellow) very well done without a single mistake and both translations are of excellent quality (I played with the French and English subtitles and no matter what language you prefer you will be satisfied). I am just so happy that this small Greek company has gotten Angelopoulos involved directly!!


Highly recommended!

Ciao,
Pro-B

Giles

might as well rent 'The Weeping Trilogy' from Nicheflix, since I don't think New Yorker Home Video is going to release this anytime in the near future.

pro-bassoonist

Looks like the Cannes winner is also coming out but I would really hold out for a Greek release as these new NEW STAR discs are pure jewels!

http://www.madman.com.au/actions/cat...73&method=view

Ciao,
Pro-B

Seashellz

waiting for the ULYSSES GAZE review...

pro-bassoonist

I sent the review yesterday so it should be up shortly...

Ciao,
Pro-B

Ambassador

A most interesting review, Pro-B. I'll definitely have to check out the film when I'm able to cough up the cash. (There are several R2 discs I want to pick up.)

BTW, do you think that the New Star disc is significantly better than the Artificial Eye version of Trilogy? Artificial Eye is hit-and-miss, and New Star sounds as if they're really on the ball. But the Artificial Eye can be had for about 25% less -- AND it has a bonus interview. Any definitive advice would be appreciated, as I could probably spring for the Artificial Eye right away.

pro-bassoonist

Dear Ambassador:

I don't know what your criteria for “significantly better” are but I think that there is a visible difference between the two transfers. Certainly if you blow up the image you could see how strong the film frame of the Greek disc is (what I mean is that the image is so tight there is virtually a perfect film reproduction of the original source...)
One thing that is very impressive about the Trilogy disc is the color scheme...all of the colors, bright and dark, are so lush and deep that in my opinion it clearly shows that some very serious restoration work has been done. Though…we have to remember that this is not such an old film.

With the second film I thought for a long time how to describe the actual print and how to evaluate it. While colors and contrast are excellent (and again, it clearly shows that serious restoration work has been performed) I noticed a few dust dots here and there. But I think that I was clearly misled a bit, if I could say so, by the perfect Trilogy print. Furthermore, you have to keep in mind that Ulysses' Gaze was shot in a different manner. I actually saw the film at the local theater (I was still living in Europe) and the “true” color scheme was not that bright to begin with. Certainly not as striking as the color scheme of Trilogy where you could virtually "feel" all that fog coming out of the sea. With other words, Ulysses' Gaze has a very subdued color scheme which I believe this R2 Greek disc has preserved perfectly.

Bottom line, I hate giving definitive words when it comes to film transfers as there is always room for improvement but allow me to point out that even if one is not familiar with the manner in which an Angelopoulos' film is supposed to look it clearly shows that a lot of time and precious efforts have been invested in these Greek discs. With other words (and I clearly take into consideration the French interview) I would not hesitate giving the 2 discs I was sent my highest recommendation (as I already did).

Hope this helps, and please do not hesitate to request more info should you need any.




Ciao,
Pro-B

pro-bassoonist

edit

DennyL

Yesterday I received The Travelling Players. I have had the opportunity to watch only the first half hour of so, but from that I can echo ProB's decription of the image quality. I have seen this film at least five times in movie theaters, and the colour gradation of the image on this DVD seems seems more subtle, less course, less contrasty, and with more finely-graded tones, than I remember seeing in movie theaters. I noticed no evidence of damage on the source print.

The optional English subtitles are are in good English, in a slightly 'fat' typeface, and quite large, but not too large. Their colour seemed to me white, but slightly on the creamy side of white, slightly going towards yellow, but not at all yellow (I don't like yellow subs).

The run time is stated as 222 minutes (from memory, I'll look again this evening), fitted onto one DVD.

I note that allmovie.com states that several versions of this film exist and that the preferred one runs 230 minutes. If anyone here knows anything about the debates about different versions of the film I would be pleased to read them.

For people wanting to know Angelopoulos movies I don't think I'm going much out on a limb in saying that The Travelling Players is his masterpiece, and a good place to start.

pro-bassoonist

DennyL:

Angelopoulos was a firm opponent of having his film transfered on any home-video medium (VHS back in the days). I know for a fact that he did some edits for the Greek television broadcast on some of his films...but these are all recent developments. With this said, unless we hear specifically from the Angelopoulos' estate that somewhere there is a better and longer cut (and why would there be one as he personally supervised the restoration work on these first 3 Greek discs) I would assume that what you have in your hands is the definitive version of Traveling Players.

Ciao,
Pro-B

Ambassador

Many thanks for all the info, Pro-B. It was indeed helpful. Looks like I'll just have to tighten the belt a bit and go with the Greek editions.

DennyL

You are of course right, ProB. From now on these editions, approved by Angelopoulos, with be the defintive ones, and IMO they leave us no choice as to which DVD version to buy.

At the London Film Festival, when he took questions after a showing of The Weeping Meadow, I asked him about DVDs of his work, and he again expressed his feeling that he prefers his films to be seen in a cinema, before saying that he was working on DVD editions.

Seashellz

FINALLY got around to reading the review of ULYSSES GAZE, ProB.
Good job;
Now, if only Criterion....

pro-bassoonist

Batch 2:





Ciao,
Pro-B

DennyL

For those who don't find it so obvious, batch 2 consists of Eternity and a Day (top left), The Suspended Step of the Stork (top right), Days of 36 (bottom left), and Landscape in the Mist. New Star, their publisher, have said that they should hit the shops in July.

pro-bassoonist

The recent Aussie disc of Eternity and a Day is not shabby at all but given the magnificent quality of the first Greek batch I am willing to wait. Days of 36 should be the event of the year!

Ciao,
Pro-B

Moon33

Where I can order the Greek dvds?

BuddhaWake

I believe xploited had the ones from the first batch.

Giles

which of his films would people recommend. My friend who sees a lot and I mean alot of cinema including world cinema - doesn't hold much regard or concentration in his films.

siegfried

I'm hoping that New Star will release the trilogy in a package with a slightly reduced price, but if not, I will break down and buy all 3.

pro-bassoonist

From what is available on the market so far (English friendly) Eternity and a Day is probably your best bet if you have never seen any of his films. I tend to agree with the Cannes jury (imagine that) and their evalutaion. Second...liked how he filmed the Balkan countries in Ulysses' Gaze....

Ok, Ciao,
Pro-B

idjit dragon

I saw Landscapes In The Mist at the Melbourne Fim Festival many years ago and loved it - where else can one aquire these DVDs, particularly places that are freight friendly to Australia?

Cheers


Martin

pro-bassoonist

I am not quite so sure as I do not know what the rates to Aussie land are? Sazuma is not going to be any cheaper.

Ciao,
Pro-B