BD 85 Too Late Blues
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
BD 85 Too Late Blues
Too Late Blues
The supreme master John Cassavetes followed up his earth-shaking 1959 debut Shadows with this, his first directorial effort for a major studio. Positioned somewhere between Cassavetes' ferocious independent productions and the Hollywood fare of the early 1960s, Too Late Blues represents a glimpse at a road not taken neither by the director himself, nor by mainstream American cinema in the era of the studio system's collapse - a parallel-universe of the movies that never came to pass... except in rare instances such as Too Late Blues.
Legendary American singer Bobby Darin (of "Beyond the Sea" fame) plays the leader of a jazz band whose peripatetic performances ultimately lead him to cross paths with a singer (Stella Stevens, later of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor) with whom he falls in love. Drama ensues when Darin's masculinity is thrown into question following a violent brawl, and the film lurches towards its gripping conclusion.
The critic Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that Cassavetes' film is a portrait of "the self-laceration and other forms of emotional brought about when a footloose jazz musician decides to sell out and go commercial," that it "has moments that are indelible and heartbreaking," and that "if you care a lot about Cassavetes, you should definitely see this." The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present John Cassavetes' Too Late Blues for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK.
DUAL FORMAT RELEASE INCLUDING BLU-RAY AND DVD VERSIONS OF THE FILM
• Gorgeous high-definition 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray, progressive encode on the DVD
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• New and exclusive video discussion of the film by critic David Cairns
• 52-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay by critic and scholar David Sterritt, a 1961 interview profile with John Cassavetes, an excerpt from composer David Raksin’s autobiography, and a 2007 interview with actor Stella Stevens.
The supreme master John Cassavetes followed up his earth-shaking 1959 debut Shadows with this, his first directorial effort for a major studio. Positioned somewhere between Cassavetes' ferocious independent productions and the Hollywood fare of the early 1960s, Too Late Blues represents a glimpse at a road not taken neither by the director himself, nor by mainstream American cinema in the era of the studio system's collapse - a parallel-universe of the movies that never came to pass... except in rare instances such as Too Late Blues.
Legendary American singer Bobby Darin (of "Beyond the Sea" fame) plays the leader of a jazz band whose peripatetic performances ultimately lead him to cross paths with a singer (Stella Stevens, later of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor) with whom he falls in love. Drama ensues when Darin's masculinity is thrown into question following a violent brawl, and the film lurches towards its gripping conclusion.
The critic Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that Cassavetes' film is a portrait of "the self-laceration and other forms of emotional brought about when a footloose jazz musician decides to sell out and go commercial," that it "has moments that are indelible and heartbreaking," and that "if you care a lot about Cassavetes, you should definitely see this." The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present John Cassavetes' Too Late Blues for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK.
DUAL FORMAT RELEASE INCLUDING BLU-RAY AND DVD VERSIONS OF THE FILM
• Gorgeous high-definition 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray, progressive encode on the DVD
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• New and exclusive video discussion of the film by critic David Cairns
• 52-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay by critic and scholar David Sterritt, a 1961 interview profile with John Cassavetes, an excerpt from composer David Raksin’s autobiography, and a 2007 interview with actor Stella Stevens.
- chatterjees
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:08 pm
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
So, that's all? I guess, they are probably not gonna add any more extra feature. I will probably double dip for that booklet.
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
So far, they only state the booklet for each new release, but I'm quite sure some of them will have on-disc video (If, for instance).
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- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:49 pm
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
Everett Chambers, the legendary Benny Flowers, is still alive. MOC should interview him (and Stella Stevens).
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
How does this film hold up to Cassavetes' other works? I've only seen the five films included in the Criterion box set, but I loved all of them, and so I might give this a blind buy (it does seem to be better than the Oliver release).
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
In Cassavetes's case, it should be remembered that we mainly have Stanley Kramer to thank for that, as he used his enormous influence in Hollywood to wreck Cassavetes's career as retaliation for their conflict over the editing of A Child Is Waiting. I hope I don't raise any hackles for saying that about Kramer; I know he's a big favorite on this forum!Eureka wrote:Too Late Blues represents a glimpse at a road not taken neither by the director himself, nor by mainstream American cinema in the era of the studio system's collapse - a parallel-universe of the movies that never came to pass... except in rare instances such as Too Late Blues.
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- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:55 am
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
Thanks for the reminder Gregory. You know, every time I start to get somewhat warm and fuzzy re Kramer I'm brought up short by his treatment of Cassavettes. And Hubert Cornfield. And Val Lewton. I'm I forgetting anyone else?
- knives
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
You forgot Carl Foreman for whom only Gary Cooper defended. As to this film itself (as questioned by criterion10) it is a really fascinating meta-exercise on the cost of working in the mainstream while aiming for personal projects. It's not his best film, but I still recommend it to all fans.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
Eureka wrote:This fully stacked edition will be the first blu-ray release anywhere in the world for the film and will be available in a Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition as part of Eureka’s award-winning The Masters of Cinema Series.
- EddieLarkin
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
C'mon guys, the American release has been available for over 2 years!
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
specs up
• Gorgeous high-definition 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray, progressive encode on the DVD
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• New and exclusive video discussion of the film by critic David Cairns
• 52-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay by critic and scholar David Sterritt, a 1961 interview profile with John Cassavetes, an excerpt from composer David Raksin’s autobiography, and a 2007
interview with actor Stella Stevens.
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:13 am
Re: BD 85 Too Late Blues
I guess it's a very long video discussion, because otherwise I don't see where it's fully stacked.
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan
- manicsounds
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
- Location: Tokyo, Japan