384 Vengeance Is Mine
- Scharphedin2
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 7:37 am
- Location: Denmark/Sweden
I own the LD; the first Imamura film I ever saw. Imamura fared comparatively better on LD, than he has so far on DVD. Aside from Vengeance, I own Eijanaika, Insect Woman and Black Rain on LD. The latter two, as I recall, looked very good (for the time and format) and were in correct aspect ratio (I believe). Eijanaika, on the other hand, was a mess.
The Vengeance Is Mine LD is full frame, and it was a CAV encoded disc (so you could do perfect stills -- and the film was spread to five sides!), hence the high price point. However, I have not looked at it in ages, so can't comment on the colors. The only (other) extra being liner notes on the back of the box by our forum colleague David Ehrenstein.
EDIT: And the cover did feature Ogata sitting in a black suit in front of a nude woman stretched out on the floor behind him. The photo is from the same session as the one that graces the MoC cover. I like the LD cover, however, I actually think the new CC DVD cover captures the spirit of the film better.
The Vengeance Is Mine LD is full frame, and it was a CAV encoded disc (so you could do perfect stills -- and the film was spread to five sides!), hence the high price point. However, I have not looked at it in ages, so can't comment on the colors. The only (other) extra being liner notes on the back of the box by our forum colleague David Ehrenstein.
EDIT: And the cover did feature Ogata sitting in a black suit in front of a nude woman stretched out on the floor behind him. The photo is from the same session as the one that graces the MoC cover. I like the LD cover, however, I actually think the new CC DVD cover captures the spirit of the film better.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
- nick
- grace thought I was a failure
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:42 am
- Location: Rochester, NY
I'm curious about the correct aspect ratio as well. I recently purchased the MOC and am very pleased with the transfer.perpee wrote:imdb says "Vistavision 1.96:1" -- but it's pretty clear that the OAR is 1.85:1 on this film. Our sleeve says 1.78:1, but this is because it was printed a month before we finalised the transfer. The ratio on the disc is 1.85:1 anamorphic.
- denti alligator
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- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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- sevenarts
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- lazier than a toad
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- skuhn8
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:46 pm
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm
- Location: London, UK
Yes - add my support for the MoC. 1.66:1 is clearly too opened up - there's gallons of headroom there. Elegant 1.85:1 compositions are pretty much ruined and the nearly-flourescent colours are not in keeping with the dour, everyday tone of the film. It's another Good Morning/Le Cercle Rouge colour standardisation hackjob.
- Michael Kerpan
- Spelling Bee Champeen
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- TheGodfather
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:39 pm
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- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
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- arsonfilms
- Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:53 pm
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- Steven H
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:30 pm
- Location: NC
They both seem to contain the same amount of detail though both have defects. I seriously doubt Imamura meant for white paper to be glowing blue (as in the fourth capture, Criterion) or that the courtroom sequence took place in the middle of the night (as in the third capture, MoC). In my book, they both even out on coloring and brightness negatives. I'll *definitely* stick with the MoC for the correct aspect ratio, commentary, and book (but I'll gladly rent the Criterion for the interview).
I wonder if Criterion's booklet is, other than the new essay, mostly reprinted material from Quandt's book (already reprinted from other sources)?
I wonder if Criterion's booklet is, other than the new essay, mostly reprinted material from Quandt's book (already reprinted from other sources)?
- thechallenger
- Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:56 pm
- Location: New York
Hi,
I'm new to this board.
After viewing the screen comparsions on the DVDBeaver website - I don't see what's so wrong with the image-quality of the Criterion release? To me - it looks a heck of a lot better than I would have expected.
I've seen some folks on here say that the MOC version doesn't look as bad as the screen captures would have us believe - then why isn't the Criterion edition given the same benefit of the doubt? Maybe the Criterion edition doesn't look as bad as some of you folks seem to think it is?
I'm new to this board.
After viewing the screen comparsions on the DVDBeaver website - I don't see what's so wrong with the image-quality of the Criterion release? To me - it looks a heck of a lot better than I would have expected.
I've seen some folks on here say that the MOC version doesn't look as bad as the screen captures would have us believe - then why isn't the Criterion edition given the same benefit of the doubt? Maybe the Criterion edition doesn't look as bad as some of you folks seem to think it is?
- lazier than a toad
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- Tribe
- The Bastard Spawn of Hank Williams
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- kinjitsu
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:39 pm
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- denti alligator
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:36 pm
- Location: "born in heaven, raised in hell"
Can we get peerpee/Nick to chime in here? I'd like to know about how the decision was made with respect to brightness, etc. on the MoC edition.
I repeat that I really loved the dark look of the film when I first watched the MoC disc and that it only next to the Criterion that I question this. The Criterion definitely seems too bright; the tone, color, and light in the last cap, however, looks best on the Criterion.
I repeat that I really loved the dark look of the film when I first watched the MoC disc and that it only next to the Criterion that I question this. The Criterion definitely seems too bright; the tone, color, and light in the last cap, however, looks best on the Criterion.
- kinjitsu
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:39 pm
- Location: Uffa!
It's been a while, but I don't recall the film being that dark on the big screen. Mind you, the MoC maintains an esteemed place in my collection and I wouldn't consider letting it go any more than I would consider getting rid of any of their other discs just because a Criterion looks this way or that. What we apparently have here is a case of different source materials.
This new high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit 2k Datacine from a new 35mm low-contrast print made from the original camera negative.