Imprint

[swo17]

April announcements:

John Farrow box
Tales of Adventure box
Kim Novak box

[domino harvey]

Kim Novak box

Still no Strangers When We Meet, sadly

[charal]

Got my copy of FACE TO FACE a couple of days ago. A big thank you to Michael Brooke who has presented us with yet another excellent audio commentary. I’ve always wanted more information on what is missing from the theatrical cut and Michael explains it all in great detail. The image is an improvement over the Olive DVD. I haven’t listened to the Swedish or English audio tracks yet but I’m sure they will be better than the awful Olive release.

[MichaelB]

Thank you! That's the first feedback that I've had of any kind - including from Imprint! - so it's good to know that it worked as intended.

[charal]

It was interesting to discover that the theatrical version was pre-planned unlike SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE. I can appreciate it as a film more whereas I can never watch the film version of SCENES. I always watch the TV version and it never disappoints (when one is in a Bergman mood obviously).

[MichaelB]

Yes, Scenes from a Marriage was originally only intended to be a six-part TV series shot on 16mm, and Sven Nykvist was somewhat annoyed when it was blown up to 35mm because he said he'd have lit it differently had he known.

But Face to Face was conceived from the outset as both a film and a TV series, shot in 35mm, and the running-time gap between them is much less - I think it's only about 45 minutes, as opposed to the two hours or thereabouts separating the theatrical and TV versions of Scenes from a Marriage. And, unlike Scenes, both versions of Face to Face were edited in tandem - Bergman started cutting the TV version, but didn't sign off on it until he'd substantially completed the theatrical cut.

[swo17]

May announcements (all horror of course):

The Uninvited/The Unseen
Woman Who Came Back
The Queen of Spades
Catacombs (The Woman Who Wouldn't Die)
The Man Who Haunted Himself
Black Moon (1934)

[kekid]

Is the TV series version of Face too Face available anywhere on physical media?
Who owns rights for it in the US?

[MichaelB]

Not to my knowledge, but you can watch the restored version on Vimeo (for a rental or purchase fee).

[kekid]

Not to my knowledge, but you can watch the restored version on Vimeo (for a rental or purchase fee).

Thanks, MichaelB.

[ryannichols7]

May announcements (all horror of course):

The Uninvited/The Unseen

was going to point out The Uninvited has a commentary (Alan K. Rode) and video essay (Kat Ellinger) that put it over the Criterion, with the extra film (that has its own extras), but didn't realize Criterion had actually priced it at 29.99 MSRP, which makes it a lot more fair. seems to be a pretty substantial package from Imprint though

SpoilerShow

The Uninvited (1944) – Imprint Collection #313
A pair of siblings from London purchase a surprisingly affordable, lonely cliff-top house in Cornwall, only to discover that it actually carries a ghostly price – and soon they’re caught up in a bizarre romantic triangle from beyond the grave.

Starring Academy Award winner Ray Milland (Dial M For Murder) and Ruth Hussey, this haunting adaptation of Dorothy Macardle’s novel Uneasy Freehold was praised by critics on release, one of the highest-grossing films of 1944.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

1080p High-definition 2K digital transfer from a 35mm duplicate negative
NEW Audio Commentary by noir expert and Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode
NEW Supernatural Elements – Video Essay by Kat Ellinger
Two Original Radio Adaptations Starring Ray Milland
Lady Astor Screen Guild play with Ruth Hussey & Betty Field (1944)
Screen Director’s Playhouse with director Lewis Allen (1949)
Theatrical Trailer
Audio English LCPM 2.0 Mono
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Optional English HOH Subtitles
______________________________________

The Unseen Title

The Unseen (1945) – Imprint Collection #314
Worldwide first on Blu-ray!

Widower David Fielding has long been suspected of bringing about his wife’s death. It helps not at all when a series of murders coincides with Fielding’s move into a new neighbourhood. Elizabeth Howard, governess to Fielding’s children, takes it upon herself to either clear her boss’ name or prove him a murderer.

Based on Ethel Lina White’s novel Midnight House, and starring actor Joel McCrea, best known for his starring roles in Western films.

Special Features & Technical Specs:

1080p high-definition presentation of a NEW 2K scan from the original camera negative by Imprint Films
NEW Audio Commentary by noir expert and Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode
NEW Interview with critic Imogen Sara Smith on the career of Gail Russell
NEW Video Essay about the influence of Henry James’ Turn of the Screw
Theatrical Trailer
Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1
Optional English HOH Subtitles

[Ribs]

Good news - The Dresser looks pretty good in motion. It’s almost certain its from an older master and would certainly look better if handled by someone like Indicator (which I think is very likely given their renewed Sony interests) but this is definitely a pretty good HD presentation, not like some of the other Columbia titles Imprint have been first in the world on with some excruciatingly poor VHS-era masters.

[M Sanderson]

I had been asking further up whether The Offence's presentation (from Lumet Box 1) was going to be closer to the Kino or the Eureka release. Both appear from the same remaster but Eureka's is unfortunately too dark. A frustrating release, not as good as perhaps it could have been. Looking at the review which finally appeared on Blu-ray.com yesterday, Imprint's looks the same as the Eureka. The Kino had gone OOP and I had paid a considerable amount for it. Glad that I did, rather than splashing on the Imprint set (can't afford any more, after the 2 After Dark: Neo Noir sets and Directed by Sidney J Furie), as it's a more appealing and healthy presentation of this remarkable film.

[swo17]

The Prisoner

[swo17]

June announcements:

After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema 3 (Homicide, White Sands, The Crossing Guard, Heaven's Prisoners, Under Suspicion, Dirty Pretty Things)
Martin Scorsese: Films of Faith (The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, Silence)
Secretary
Fresh
The United States of Leland
Rambling Rose

[domino harvey]

Of course Homicide would be buried in a big box. Fresh has been going for big bux for the OOP Blu-ray, so it's nice that's coming back. Maybe they'll license Heaven too

[therewillbeblus]

If the pattern tracks, this is promising news for a Homicide upgrade elsewhere though, so chag sameach

[jazzo]

Hopefully that means things are moving for a North American release of Rambling Rose, too. Big fan of that one, Criterion, and if you could include Coolidge's lost film, The City Girl, with it, that would be amazing.

[beamish14]

Hopefully that means things are moving for a North American release of Rambling Rose, too. Big fan of that one, Criterion, and if you could include Coolidge's lost film, The City Girl, with it, that would be amazing.

Amen to this.

Heaven’s Prisoners is solid. Sweaty, sexy fun in the Bayou

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Fresh has been going for big bux for the OOP Blu-ray, so it's nice that's coming back.

I'd never heard of that one but now I'm really interested. Glad to see another edition of Secretary on the way. Stuart Galbraith is on Silence with a commentary btw but that's still not enough for me to buy the box.

[therewillbeblus]

I'm glad Coolidge's work is getting more recognition, though it's sad to be occurring so late in life for her, in part because I don't believe she's in much of a place to be contributing to releases

[Maltic]

The Scorsese box at least makes sense as a collection and the commentaries seem interesting, but am I really going to invest in a non-UHD, not-even-new-transfers boxset of Scorsese films at this point?

[TechnicolorAcid]

I might invest in it but purely because I missed out on the Kino Blu-Ray of Kundun and the extras seem a bit worthwhile for that.

[beamish14]

I'm glad Coolidge's work is getting more recognition, though it's sad to be occurring so late in life for her, in part because I don't believe she's in much of a place to be contributing to releases

Is she having some health issues? She attended screenings of Rambling Rose and Not a Pretty Picture in Los Angeles within the last 2 years

[domino harvey]

Fresh has been going for big bux for the OOP Blu-ray, so it's nice that's coming back.

I'd never heard of that one but now I'm really interested.

I first heard about it because of Ebert's massively effusive praise for the film (it placed in his Top 10 for 1994). I don't like it at the level Ebert does, but it's a fun, murderous variation on Emma-type manipulations, and the lead is very strong (and he would go on to play the only other speaking role in American Buffalo with Hoffman and Franz after getting attention here)