Cult Films

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reaky
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Cult Films

#26 Post by reaky » Wed Mar 11, 2020 4:37 pm

Has anyone seen Cult Films’s release of Battle of Algiers? I have the 2012 Argent/Cinema Classics release, but the yellow subtitles really bother me. Plus, it’s meant to be a new 4K restoration.

nitin
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:49 am

Re: Cult Films

#27 Post by nitin » Thu Mar 12, 2020 4:51 am


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reaky
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
Location: Cambridge, England

Re: Cult Films

#28 Post by reaky » Thu Mar 12, 2020 6:44 am

Thanks for that. Am I alone in being willing to accept inferior image quality if I can have white subs?

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JSC
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 9:17 am

Re: Cult Films

#29 Post by JSC » Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:32 am

Cult films is releasing Michelangelo Antonioni's Story of a Love affair
on April 20.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Story-of ... ay/265802/

nitin
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 6:49 am

Re: Cult Films

#30 Post by nitin » Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:44 am

Has that been restored recently?

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#31 Post by ellipsis7 » Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:34 am

Apparently so... From the specs...
CultFilm presents the WORLD FIRST BLURAY from a 2K restored source supervised by cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno
Sounds good - Enzo Serafin was the actual DOP for this & two other early Antonioni features, also for Rossellini's Viaggio in Italia, but he passed away in 1995...

UPDATE: Have looked further into this. The restoration actually dates from 2004 - the first Italian film to be digitally restored...
Con il restauro di 'Cronaca di un amore' di Michelangelo Antonioni si inaugura in Italia l'era del restauro digitale. E questo grazie all'Associazione Philip Morris Progetto Cinema che ha completato, in collaborazione con Cinecittà Studios, quello che può essere considerato il primo restauro nella storia cinematografica italiana realizzato appunto interamente in digitale.
Giuseppe Rotunno, che ha seguito la direzione del restauro ha dichiarato che soltanto grazie a questa nuova tecnologia è stato possibile recuperare e riportare all'antico splendore questo film opera prima di Antonioni realizzato nel 1950 e interpretata da Lucia Bosè e Massimo Girotti.
Essentially this seems to be the same package (feature & extras) as that which was released as a double DVD set in Italy & by NoShame in the USA in 2005... I'm just watching the 8 minute featurette with Rotunno on the restoration - significant efforts & resources were put into this pioneering piece of cinematic conservation by Cinecittà, mixing traditional & digital techniques. The original negative wasn't available, having been lost in a fire some years ago. But there did exist an interpositive or 'lavender print' & they worked from this. Obviously the end result of the restoration was a 2K source, which now is eventually reaching Blu Ray...

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#32 Post by ellipsis7 » Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:34 am

This now rescheduled for July 27th...

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isakorg2
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 11:43 am

Re: Cult Films

#33 Post by isakorg2 » Wed Jun 24, 2020 9:24 am

If I'm understanding you correctly, this doesn't augur well for this release. I have the NoShame disc and it may be that this was the best that could be done with the material, but, although I recall the visuals as being acceptable, the sound was a nightmare, with background noise being incredibly intrusive. Still, I can't imagine this being released again, in blu-ray no less, without that problem having been addressed. One can only hope -

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#34 Post by ellipsis7 » Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:06 am

The same restoration also appeared on Carlotta DVD in France & Alan Young Video/Surf Video/Associazione Philip Morris Progetto Cinema/Cinecittà Studios DVD in Italy (the latter in an identical 2-disc set to the NoShame) and, yes, the restored sound is not great, but still serviceable... I've just compared the PAL Italian disc with the NTSC US NoShame disc and suspect the problem was worsened by standards conversion, as the Italian version, while far from perfect, is perceptibly clearer...

At least it hopefully won't be the 1080i disappointment of Cult Films recent I VITELLONI & GIULIETTA DEGLI SPIRITI Blu Rays...

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#35 Post by ellipsis7 » Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:05 am

STORY OF A LOVE AFFAIR/CRONACA DI UN AMORE Blu Ray is actually not bad at all & a distinct improvement on the DVDs although obviously not without some of the imperfections inherent in the source material... It's great to see the film in High Def at last...

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#36 Post by ellipsis7 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:39 am

There you go... No sooner than this 2004 restoration reaches Blu Ray at long last, a brand new restoration of CRONACA DI UN AMORE by Cinema Ritrovato/Cineteca di Bologna is announced for Venezia Classici/Venice Classics @ Venice Film Festival 2020... All very puzzling!...
CRONACA DI UN AMORE
di Michelangelo ANTONIONI (Italia, 1950, B/N)
restauro: Cineteca di Bologna
And it's in 4K...
Per concessione di Surf Film di Bologna. Restaurato in 4K nel 2020 da Cineteca di Bologna in collaborazione con Surf Film presso il laboratorio L’Immagine Ritrovata, con il sostegno di MiBACT
Whoops! Looks like another own goal by Cult Films...

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L.A.
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: Cult Films

#37 Post by L.A. » Tue Aug 04, 2020 12:27 pm

ellipsis7 wrote:
Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:34 am
This now rescheduled for July 27th...

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Beaver.

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am

Re: Cult Films

#38 Post by tenia » Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:54 am

I've seen some other caps on top of these, and this clearly is sourced from an old master, meaning this release will be obsolete as soon as the 4K resto gets a BD release somewhere.

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#39 Post by ellipsis7 » Mon Oct 25, 2021 7:10 am

That new Cineteca di Bologna L'Immagine Ritrovata 4K restoration of CRONACA DI UN AMORE just out on BluRay in Italy from CG Entertainment/Surf Film...

Image Image

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#40 Post by ellipsis7 » Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:37 am

tenia wrote:
Fri Aug 07, 2020 4:54 am
I've seen some other caps on top of these, and this clearly is sourced from an old master, meaning this release will be obsolete as soon as the 4K resto gets a BD release somewhere.
Obsolescence is here, the new 4K resto is a significant improvement in terms of sound and vision, as evidenced on the new BluRay, which I'm watching now... In fact it is positively visceral!... The film appears in a whole new light...

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cj-535
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2017 5:12 am

Re: Cult Films

#41 Post by cj-535 » Wed May 18, 2022 11:22 am

Does anyone know if the AV issues for I Vitteloni and Juliet of the Spirits were fixed for the newer Fellini: Four Films box set? If they're using newer masters, it looks like it would be quite a cost effective way to get the four films (the set's currently going for £20 in hmv/fopp).

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JSC
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 9:17 am

Re: Cult Films

#42 Post by JSC » Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:51 pm

Identification of a Woman is being released September 12. Not exactly my favorite Antonioni, but
it does state that this is from a more recent 2K restoration, so I'd assume it's different from Criterion's
which was a high-definition remaster.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=31138

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andyli
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:46 pm

Re: Cult Films

#43 Post by andyli » Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:59 pm

Likely the same remaster Gaumont used for their blu-ray.

Robin Davies
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:00 am

Re: Cult Films

#44 Post by Robin Davies » Thu Aug 11, 2022 7:50 am

I'm rather fond of this film so I'm glad it's been released with some decent extras at last.
I wonder what colour it will be though. The difference between the Mr Bongo and Criterion releases is staggering.

Robin Davies
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:00 am

Re: Cult Films

#45 Post by Robin Davies » Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:18 am

It's a shame there is no footage of the making of the film but otherwise the extras on Identification of a Woman are pretty good, especially the fascinating half-hour interview with Enrica Antonioni which reveals a lot about Michelangelo’s work and the autobiographical nature of this film. Judging by this and other interviews such as this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXCAKv0 ... WL&index=3
I reckon she could write a marvellous book about her time with the maestro.
The “Video Diary” is an intimate view of Antonioni’s life post-stroke. It seems he did a lot of abstract painting, with the help of assistants.

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Quote Perf Unquote
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2022 2:57 pm

Re: Cult Films

#46 Post by Quote Perf Unquote » Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:15 pm

Robin Davies wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:18 am
I reckon she could write a marvellous book about her time with the maestro.
Her husband is "The Maestro"? Seriously? Who uses that word without sniggering?

Maybe a biopic is in order, perhaps Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mark Metcalf can fit it into their schedule.

Robin Davies
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:00 am

Re: Cult Films

#47 Post by Robin Davies » Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:01 am

Quote Perf Unquote wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:15 pm
Robin Davies wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:18 am
I reckon she could write a marvellous book about her time with the maestro.
Her husband is "The Maestro"? Seriously? Who uses that word without sniggering?
I don't think she used the term, but I did because I seem to remember that great Italian directors were often referred to in that way. It's interesting that the assistants who help Antonioni's painting in the video diary all call him "maestro".

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ellipsis7
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 1:56 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Cult Films

#48 Post by ellipsis7 » Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:47 am

IDENTIFICATION OF A WOMAN Cult Films BR just arrived... It's fair to say the rendering of the 2K restoration looks not bad at all... A decent set of extras too...

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Quote Perf Unquote
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2022 2:57 pm

Re: Cult Films

#49 Post by Quote Perf Unquote » Thu Aug 25, 2022 3:49 pm

Robin Davies wrote:
Wed Aug 24, 2022 8:01 am
Quote Perf Unquote wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 1:15 pm
Robin Davies wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 8:18 am
I reckon she could write a marvellous book about her time with the maestro.
Her husband is "The Maestro"? Seriously? Who uses that word without sniggering?
I don't think she used the term, but I did because I seem to remember that great Italian directors were often referred to in that way. It's interesting that the assistants who help Antonioni's painting in the video diary all call him "maestro".
Any artist in any medium who allows themselves to be referred to as "Maestro" is a pompous buffoon. And I say that as someone who thinks Antonioni is one of the 5-10 greatest directors who ever lived.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Cult Films

#50 Post by domino harvey » Thu Aug 25, 2022 11:32 pm

Do enough people even use the word to necessitate gatekeeping and/or having an opinion on this

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