Blu-ray News and Deals

[Wojo 2,453]

Ah. Well, forgive me for not being more specific when I asked the original question and speaking the unspoken qualifiers.

[Quintus 5,399]

Huh?

[Wojo 2,453]

Don't worry about it.

[filmmusic 1,916]

about Raiders Bluray:

New stereo surrounds were created using the original music tracks and original effects recorded in stereo but used previously only in mono. In addition, the sub bass was redone entirely up to modern specifications and care was taken to improve dialogue and correct small technical flaws to create the most complete and highest quality version of the sound possible while retaining the director's vision.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=9023

hmmmmm.....What does that mean? i didn't quite understand. That they recorded new sounds? I hope they retain the original too..

[Brock Lovett 6,507]

Who knows.

Here are some movies I would like on Blu-ray:

- Return to Oz (Disney will probably half-ass this in time for their new movie)

- The Thing Called Love (Criterion should do this one)

- Fire in the Sky

- Always

[Maglorfin 196]

I love my LG Blu Ray player

Which model do you have?

[Quintus 5,399]

Quick question, after adding Watchmen - director's cut (1 disc) blu ray to my basket for £7.97 (yes Ren), I'm looking to add Blade Runner to my order as well, but I'm only seeing the Final Cut edition and I'm buggered to remember which version it is that I like. Basically, the one without the narration and with the uncertain ending is the one I'm after. This final cut isn't yet another revision is it? Or am I okay to get it?

[Ren 77]

7.97!

Does this mean movie night!?

[Jay 37,573]

I love my LG Blu Ray player

Which model do you have?

I have the LG BD 390, I got it almost 3 years ago now (Christmas '09) so it's not the latest and greatest or anything, but it works great for me. It has wifi and ethernet, so I can use it to do netflix streaming or to stream movie files I've downloaded through my network or off an attached portable hard drive. I've since bought an WD Live Media Center box to do those things instead, but it was a nice feature while I used it. And it plays blu rays just fine!

Quick question, after adding Watchmen - director's cut (1 disc) blu ray to my basket for £7.97 (yes Ren), I'm looking to add Blade Runner to my order as well, but I'm only seeing the Final Cut edition and I'm buggered to remember which version it is that I like. Basically, the one without the narration and with the uncertain ending is the one I'm after. This final cut isn't yet another revision is it? Or am I okay to get it?

Long version: There's essentially 4 major versions of the film. The original workprint which is basically a bonus feature on the fancy set. The theatrical cut (which has a International cut with all violence and and r-rated cut with frames of violence removed). The 1992 'Director's Cut' and the 2007 'Final cut'. Out of all of those, ONLY the theatrical cut(s) has the narration and sappy ending. The difference between the 1992 DC and the 2007 FC is mainly that the 1992 was thrown together quickly - it's essentially the TC with narration removed, sappy ending chopped off, and unicorn scene added. This leads to there being shots that go on too long in a few spots because they were extended for the TC to fit the narration. The 2007 FC is more refined with tighter editing, best sound and picture quality, and also featured some cool tiny scenes from the work-print put back in. Also featured some brief newly shot things.

Short version: You want the Final Cut.

[Wojo 2,453]

I never had the nerve to make the final cut...

[Quintus 5,399]

Thanks for the full comprehensive information Jason

The Final Cut is ordered!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,269]

That is the final cut!

[Jay 37,573]

I've seen The Final Cut theatrically, it was a cool experience

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Duellists is coming to Blu on November 20th.

[A24 4,374]

The Duellists is coming to Blu on November 20th.

Yes! Finally!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Royal Tenenbaums is already $20 so I picked that one up. Also got Scorsese's Mean Streets and the digibook of Jaws.

[Brónach 1,303]

Thanks for the full comprehensive information Jason

The Final Cut is ordered!

The Final Cut is Blade Runner for me. I saw parts of The Theatrical Cut afterwards and ugh. No. Just no.

[A24 4,374]

The Theatrical Cut, sans unicorn reverie, is less explicit in some aspects.

Alex - seeing things clear

[Naïve Old Fart 9,765]

It's horses for courses, really. I have now seen all 5 versions of "BR", and the only version I don't watch is the Denver/Dalas preview version. It's the equivalent of listening to demos. No.

[Brónach 1,303]

The Theatrical Cut, sans unicorn reverie, is less explicit in some aspects.

And that's one of the problems. Not only it doesn't drive the point home that strongly to start with, it drowns it in a boring narratioon that goes to the point of ruining one of the greatest scenes in cinema history, and of injecting in a happy ending with unused footage from The Shining instead of the awesome ending of The Final Cut. I was like, what the fuck?

[A24 4,374]

And that's one of the problems. Not only it doesn't drive the point home that strongly to start with,

1) Ambiguity is not a problem, but a plus. People can decide for themselves. It's not pushed down the throat or handed on a silver platter. 2) It's not the point of the movie.

It's horses for courses, really. I have now seen all 5 versions of "BR", and the only version I don't watch is the Denver/Dalas preview version. It's the equivalent of listening to demos. No.

I agree. Never watched it even though I'm probably the world's biggest fan of the film.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,269]

You like having DECKART IS A REPLICANT! in big letters in the film?

The Final Cut gives the viewer less chance to make up their own minds.

Not saying I'm a fan of the happy ending of the original cut though.

[Brónach 1,303]

I'm afraid ambiguity and anticlimaxes don't make me cry. I am touched by cold hard truths, even if they're fiction.

[A24 4,374]

Personally, I don't like it when it's spelled out. And Deckard being a replicant or not is not even in the script, so I wouldn't call it 'what Blade Runner is about'. In fact, most people think BR is about 'what it means to be human'. Deckard being a rep goes right against that.

[Brónach 1,303]

And Deckard being a replicant or not is not even in the script, so I wouldn't call it 'what Blade Runner is about'.

1) Who cares about the script at this point?

2) I'm not saying Blade Runner is about Deckard being or not a replicant. I think Deckard being a replicant is the narrative mechanism that states what Blade Runner is about.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,269]

The most interesting thing about this issue is the juxtaposition between Scott, who considered Deckard a Replicant and Ford, who considered him, and played him as human.

The Final Cut stacks the deck in Scott's favor.

[Jay 37,573]

The theatrical cut is underrated.

[Brónach 1,303]

Ford played him as a human... and that would be the point.

In the end, what an actor is thinking inside is irrelevant! The director makes it be anything if he's good enough.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,269]

The theatrical cut is underrated.

And since you can't buy it separately it will remain underrated.

[A24 4,374]

1) Who cares about the script at this point?

2) I'm not saying Blade Runner is about Deckard being or not a replicant. I think Deckard being a replicant is the narrative mechanism that states what Blade Runner is about.

1) If the issue is not in the script then how can it be what the film is about? Also, you are ignoring that the very issue is said to go against the actual theme of the film, namely, what it means to be human.

2) I don't know what you mean.

[Jay 37,573]

yea I didn't follow what he was trying to say either

[Quintus 5,399]

Deckard is a Cylon, end of.

[A24 4,374]

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/7586/heavens_gate.html

Now Koray will have no other choice but to love it.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Roshomon and Godard's Weekend for me.

[Wojo 2,453]

2) I'm not saying Blade Runner is about Deckard being or not a replicant. I think Deckard being a replicant is the narrative mechanism that states what Blade Runner is about.

I don't follow either. Lemme translate it into other context.

I'm not saying Star Wars is about Luke Skywalker being or not a Jedi. I think Luke Skywalker being a Jedi is the narrative mechanism that states what Star Wars is about.

Hmmm. But that was never in question.

I'm not saying Revenge of the Sith is about Palpatine being or not a Sith Lord. I think Palpatine being a Sith Lord is the narrative mechanism that states what Revenge of the Sith is about.

Whoa.

I still don't get it.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

sometimes a shark is just a shark,

[Brónach 1,303]

2) I'm not saying Blade Runner is about Deckard being or not a replicant. I think Deckard being a replicant is the narrative mechanism that states what Blade Runner is about.

I don't follow either. Lemme translate it into other context.

I'm not saying Star Wars is about Luke Skywalker being or not a Jedi. I think Luke Skywalker being a Jedi is the narrative mechanism that states what Star Wars is about.

Hmmm. But that was never in question.

I'm not saying Revenge of the Sith is about Palpatine being or not a Sith Lord. I think Palpatine being a Sith Lord is the narrative mechanism that states what Revenge of the Sith is about.

Whoa.

I still don't get it.

Alexcremers thinks of it as twist for plot sake with the intention to surprise lowly audience who want plot. (This is probably not true, but a general representation of many of his thoughts here.)

But it's the way to express more strongly that the replicants and the humans are essentially the same (which has a lot of implications). That's a cool way of doing it, and not Deckard's lazy evident narration at Batty's death.

So we get to the point where Alex is wrong. Deckard being a replicant doesn't go against the theme of the film. Deckard, who believes to be human (like the audience) by default, yet isn't, is the theme of what it means to be human.

[A24 4,374]

Alexcremers thinks of it as twist for plot sake with the intention to surprise lowly audience who want plot.

I never said this. In fact, we were talking about 'subtle and ambiguous' versus 'explicit and obvious'. Your standpoint is that the former is not a virtue but a problem but you failed to explain why. It's called 'chaacing'. You do it all the time. If I said it's black, you would say it's white. If I said it's white, you would say it's black.

In any case, I've never heard someone say that they actually like it when things are spelled out to him. I believe Hampton Fancher, the writer, once said, "It's the question that is interesting, the answer itself is boring". I can identify with that. 'Ambiguity' means 'multiple possibities', which leads to a more layered and rich experience. The questions in Blade Runner were probably the reason why it became one of my favorite movies. What makes this movie great and timeless is the endless stream of ideas, thoughts and emotions people are extracting from the mood and atmosphere. On the surface, it's a simple story, but underneath it lies a vast world of allegory and metaphor. Blade Runner dropped these ideas like land mines all over the movie and left them there for the viewer to step upon, to ponder about. It took me several viewings before I even picked up the 'Deckard might be a replicant' suggestion. It thrilled me to no end that I had discovered it on my own. A new perspective was born. Needless to say I was shocked when I saw the DC in 1992. The subtle suggestion was replaced with a blunt statement that required nothing from the viewer at all.

And about the narration, I often have the feeling people are just saying they hate it because they heard it's the right thing to do. It's a simple story and unless you happen to think that "Sushi, that's how my ex-wife called me" is exposition, the voiceover doesn't add or detract that much. What the voiceover does do is give the film a different vibe. The narration adds to the Film Noir atmosphere. The text itself is only a part of the story. And while the story certainly holds everything together, it's the storytelling itself, the imagery, the palpable mood, the strong atmosphere and the many underlying themes and questions that makes Blade Runner. 'Explicitness' (that what you want) only works against that.

The funny thing is that you are commenting on a version of a film that you didn't see.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

according to bluray.com forums Walmart has a 6.00 blu ray display in addition to the 7.88 bluray display. I want to find From Hell with Johnny Depp. Never seen it but have heard good things.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

And blu-ray.com is right. Found Clerks there. :-)

[Koray Savas 2,251]

according to bluray.com forums Walmart has a 6.00 blu ray display in addition to the 7.88 bluray display. I want to find From Hell with Johnny Depp. Never seen it but have heard good things.

I remember liking it back when it came out but don't think I've seen it since. I think it was a bit stylized in cinematography. Ian Holm is great.

[Marian Schedenig 8,278]

As far as I remember, it was ok, but not really more than that. I think the music was nice, and as Koray said, Holm was great (as usual).

[Jay 37,573]

If you've never seen it why wouldn't you just rent it instead of buying it blind?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

If you've never seen it why wouldn't you just rent it instead of buying it blind?

because rental options consist of Redbox and they do not carry it.

that's why I ask a lot of questions and research a movie before I make a blind purchase. Most of my blind purchases have been successful.

then there are the notorious failures like Friday Night Lights, and Saw.

[indy4 155]

It's not really a blind buy if you've researched it.

[Jay 37,573]

Netflix?

[Admiral Holdo 16]

There's nothing inherently wrong with blind buys. I got Once Upon A Time In The West on a friend's recommendation; ended up being a pretty decent idea.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Netflix?

for the cost of one month's netflix I could buy it,

and I have no desire to mess with netflix unless I like watching 3 second of show then 20 seconds of frozen picture and 6 seconds of show. Streaming isn't always great in rural areas

[Jay 37,573]

Oh god, i wasn't talking about streaming - netflix streaming sucks. I was talking about having them mail blu rays to you.

It's $10/month for all the blu rays you can watch

[Wojo 2,453]

Netflix's streaming selection is what sucks. Shows and movies disappear with little warning and less reason. If you have highspeed, the quality and convenience are perfectly acceptable. I've been able watch a good number of shows that I wouldn't watch again so I don't want to actually own them.