ITV: The Red Shoes Blu-ray

[tojoed]

The Red Shoes up for pre-order at Amazon. The BluRay does not have a pre-order date yet, just a " sign up to be notified when available".

[MichaelB]

I've put in a request for a review copy of the Blu-ray, and will report back when/if it arrives.

[Tommaso]

I don't want to nitpick, but I'm a bit disappointed that this will be a one-disc edition, which probably means that it will have only few, if any extras. With a film and restoration of that importance I hoped they would pull all registers. So, hurry up, Criterion!

[Davidspector]

Isn't The Red Shoes going to be Region B? I'll be glad to be contradicted on this.

[MichaelB]

Isn't The Red Shoes going to be Region B? I'll be glad to be contradicted on this.

As ever, this depends entirely on the rightsholder's wishes - though in this case I can easily see why they might favour region-coding on a title that's been restored at vast expense, especially if the US distributor is likely to release it several months after the UK one. So it wouldn't surprise me at all - especially as Brief Encounter had undergone similarly extensive and very recent restoration.

So I'd assume Region B unless proven otherwise.

[Matt]

The Red Shoes up for pre-order at Amazon. The BluRay does not have a pre-order date yet, just a " sign up to be notified when available".

It looks like the Blu-ray will be a HMV exclusive, at least initially.

[Matt]

It's up at a few sites now - This one is the cheapest so far.

That just shows Reds as the only search result for "the red shoes blu ray". A nice-looking film, to be sure, but Diane Keaton is no Moira Shearer.

[tojoed]

As Matt indicated, The Red Shoes is indeed an HMV exclusive. Pre-order at £17.99 delivered in the UK. Overseas shipping is available but the price is not stated.

EDIT: Moviemail offers £14.99 delivered.

[Cosmic Bus]

The listing on Moviemail appears to be gone now and doesn't show via a search either.

I'm prepared to be crushed by this being locked to B, but continue to hope until someone actually has a copy in hand to confirm...

[Forrest Taft]

Special Features.

[foggy eyes]

Apparently this isn't getting a theatrical release in the UK until December 11th, six months after the Blu-ray. I would have thought that an HD theatrical run would be first priority, but never mind - it'll be worth waiting for.

[jeff mccloud]

This is currently listed at HMV with a pre-order price of £13.99 (with free shipping in the UK).

[Nothing]

I would have thought that an HD theatrical run would be first priority, but never mind - it'll be worth waiting for.

An HD theatrical run?! Pardon me, but what the fuck is the point of that? This was restored at 4k res, correct, and surely they can afford to make at least one proper print (!)

[foggy eyes]

An HD theatrical run?! Pardon me, but what the fuck is the point of that? This was restored at 4k res, correct, and surely they can afford to make at least one proper print

I agree of course, but I'm being realistic. The distribution will be handled by BFI/Park Circus, and they send stuff around predominantly in digital form now - even the NFT seems to have started projecting restorations/new "prints" on HD as a rule. For example, the BFI are touring Pierrot le fou at the moment, and judging by the venues where it has been booked, less than a half dozen (if any at all) will screen it on film. So, if a new 35mm print is available, finding a place to see it across the UK can be extremely difficult! (On a more personal note, if it screens at my local picturehouse or nearby, it will be HD - no question.)

[MichaelB]

I can't speak for non-BFI titles, obviously, but I checked with the relevant technical supervisor, and he said that digital BFI prints are actually in uncompressed 2K, not HD.

To give two examples, Winstanley was distributed in uncompressed 2K and 35mm, and the same will be true of the restoration of Joseph Losey's Accident. It's BFI policy to avoid HD downconversions if at all possible (while retaining that option if the venue can't handle anything better, though most can).

From the horse's mouth:

We see no reason to show digital restorations that have been completed at 2K standard in downconverted and/or compressed versions. Although HD remains the current standard for many distributors when it comes to digital projection, we will do 2K whenever possible, and always if the title is one of our new digital restorations.

But The Red Shoes isn't a BFI title, so the above may not apply (but I'd hope it does). I can confirm that Canal's new restoration of Pierrot le fou is on uncompressed 2K and 35mm, so it's not exclusively a BFI policy.

[foggy eyes]

I can't speak for non-BFI titles, obviously, but I checked with the relevant technical supervisor, and he said that digital BFI prints are actually in uncompressed 2K, not HD.

Sorry, Michael & Nothing, when I said HD I meant whatever compressed/uncompressed digital form from which the film is projected - I'm not too hot on the particulars/terminology of all this yet, so tend to lump it under the banner of "HD" in my head...

[Nothing]

No wonder theatrical is dying a death.

[tojoed]

Here's the cover (of the SD version)

[Murdoch]

Remove the black border and that would be a gorgeous cover.

[Richard]

HMV now has a very tiny picture of the BD cover:



This is definitely this summer's most exciting release for me. I preordered almost without realising it.

[Person]

Ugh, drop those blue cases already, folks! Back to black.

[Richard]

Ugh, drop those blue cases already, folks! Back to black.

Another reason why I am stil mourning the death of HD DVD: a ruby red case would have looked so good with this release.

[Giulio]

news about this blu ray edition? it disappeared from amazon.co.uk

[kinjitsu]

It's there.

[peerpee]

Mine too, David. Probably gonna beat ya!

EDIT: btw. this was my 1080th post. Now I'm going for a pee.