BD 196 Laura

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Ribs
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BD 196 Laura

#1 Post by Ribs » Wed Oct 31, 2018 2:56 pm

Listed on Amazon, being announced formally tomorrow.

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domino harvey
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Re: BD ??? Laura

#2 Post by domino harvey » Wed Oct 31, 2018 3:12 pm

Interesting. Wonder what they'll add to the existing Fox Blu-ray. It would be great if they could include the TV remake with George Sanders in the Clifton Webb role, which is just as much fun as it sounds!

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FrauBlucher
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Re: BD ??? Laura

#3 Post by FrauBlucher » Wed Oct 31, 2018 5:10 pm

Plus, a booklet, which is always welcomed.

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FrauBlucher
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#4 Post by FrauBlucher » Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:36 pm

Image

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:
1080p presentation on Blu-ray of both the extended and original theatrical versions of the film | LPCM mono Audio | Optional English SDH subtitles | Audio commentary by composer David Raksin and film professor Jeanine Basinger | Audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer | Laura: The Lux Radio Theater broadcasts – Two radio adaptations of Laura from 1945 [59 mins] and 1954 [57 mins], starring Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney and Vincent Price in the 1945 version, and Gene Tierney and Victor Mature in the 1954 version | Laura: The Screen Guild Theater broadcast – Adaptation of Laura from radio anthology series, The Screen Guild Theater, originally aired in 1945 [30 mins], starring Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney and Clifton Webb | Laura: The Ford Theater broadcast – A further radio adaptation of Laura from 1948, starring Virginia Gilmore and John Larkin | A Tune for Laura: David Raksin Remembers – an archival interview with the renowned composer | The Obsession – an archival featurette on Laura | Deleted Scene | PLUS: A collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by Phil Hoad, alongside a selection of rare archival imagery

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domino harvey
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#5 Post by domino harvey » Thu Nov 01, 2018 4:19 pm

So, nothing new but the essay. Disappointing, but also surprising this never got a UK release in the first place!

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Fred Holywell
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Re: BD ??? Laura

#6 Post by Fred Holywell » Thu Nov 01, 2018 4:29 pm

domino harvey wrote:
Wed Oct 31, 2018 3:12 pm
Interesting. Wonder what they'll add to the existing Fox Blu-ray. It would be great if they could include the TV remake with George Sanders in the Clifton Webb role, which is just as much fun as it sounds!
There are actually two TV remakes of Laura with George Sanders. The first was made in 1955 (as "A Portrait of Murder") for the CBS anthology series "The 20th Century-Fox Hour," featuring Dana Wynter as "Laura." The other is the 1968 Truman Capote adaptation for ABC, with Jackie O's sister Lee Radziwell in the title role. Not only did Sanders play "Waldo Lydecker" in the two versions, but Robert Stack appeared as "Mark McPherson" (the Dana Andrews role) in both.

Image

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domino harvey
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#7 Post by domino harvey » Thu Nov 01, 2018 4:45 pm

(Also) Interesting! I've only seen the earlier one with Dana Wynter (who, to put it mildly, is no Gene Tierney), and Sanders is where the interest begins and ends with it, so it makes sense that they just cast him again!

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FrauBlucher
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#8 Post by FrauBlucher » Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:41 pm

Too much radio supps for me on the MoC. The US version has a Tierney and Price docs. I can't imagine the PQ to be any better than the US release. I'll hold on to the US version.

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andyli
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#9 Post by andyli » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:24 pm

Laura is a great film, but ... Isn't MoC's output getting more and more mediocre, with main focus placed on releasing Hollywood classics available elsewhere? The last bold and interesting release was Michael back in February. I feel nowadays even Eureka Classics have more guts than MoC to produce someting different.

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Drucker
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#10 Post by Drucker » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:49 pm

I mean they remarked a while back they had been outbid on some high profile titles. The label has also seen turnover in personnel.

The best UK home videos over the last dthere you are.ecade or so seems mostly dictated by people, not label. And those people mostly appear to be at Indicator these days, so...

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tenia
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#11 Post by tenia » Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:51 am

Drucker wrote:
Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:49 pm
I mean they remarked a while back they had been outbid on some high profile titles.
But is it really the issue ? I mean, while I understand they're probably not making for tons of sale (and thus money), it seems to me like MoC is mostly beloved for releasing rather specific (silent, notably) movies, not high profile ones.
As for the turnover, I'm unsure it has such a specific individual effect on the label as such. I mean, some of the freelances working for UK labels have been collaborating with multiple ones during the past years, so it doesn't strike me as being something of a problem in itself.

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knives
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#12 Post by knives » Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:35 am

MoC has always been very small. At one point it was literally just three employees. At that scale a change of staff is dramatic.

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Finch
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#13 Post by Finch » Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:08 pm

I agree about the radio adaptations. Realistically, how often do you listen to those?

As for MoC: I'm sure they'd have loved to get, say, Nightmare Alley UNLESS it didn't sell all that well as a DVD and/or Signal One outbid them (though I can't fathom the latter since Eureka is a bigger company than Signal One, no? Signal One is just one individual as far as I'm aware but feel free to correct me!). The UK market is so much more competitive now than during Nick Wrigley's time so I don't blame Eureka for expanding their efforts significantly into Eureka Classics and their Montage line (would be interesting to know how that is doing financially: evidently it can't be too bad since they're still acquiring titles for that line) but it'd be a shame if MoC going forward means almost exclusively canon titles like Laura. Mind, at least it's not Twilight's Last Gleaming (I love Robert Aldrich but come on).

Now if MoC was to get Page of Madness or more WCF titles, that'd generate some excitement...

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Mr. Deltoid
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#14 Post by Mr. Deltoid » Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:11 pm

I think this looks to be a solid, much-needed, region B release. I'll take those radio adaptations over those cheesy A&E Biographies any day. Here's to original cover-art as well! That Fox cover makes it look as though Tierney is in Kabuki-theatre!

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rapta
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#15 Post by rapta » Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:05 pm

andyli wrote:
Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:24 pm
Laura is a great film, but ... Isn't MoC's output getting more and more mediocre, with main focus placed on releasing Hollywood classics available elsewhere? The last bold and interesting release was Michael back in February. I feel nowadays even Eureka Classics have more guts than MoC to produce someting different.
Early Hou Hsiao-hsien or Cure weren't interesting enough? And Legend of the Mountain, which they released almost two months before Kino or Carlotta? Or the upcoming The White Reindeer, which I was sure Second Run would be pursuing?

I think as much as MoC still tries to find 'interesting' stuff, it's getting less and less financially viable for a label of their size to do so as often, hence these major studio deals, the increased emphasis on Eureka Classics and theatrical acquisitions (e.g. Lucky, Montage Pictures stuff). I think they're often given a hard time being compared to labels like Criterion, Arrow or BFI who have the ability/funding to produce in-house restorations, but to my mind they always have something of note up their sleeve.

Perhaps it's because I'm region locked and haven't imported every single Preminger, Aldrich, Wilder, Frankenheimer title that I'm a bit more grateful when they announce some of the more 'obvious' titles.

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L.A.
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#16 Post by L.A. » Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:10 pm

If these radio adaptations would have chapter stops, then it would be convenient to listen to these.

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TMDaines
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#17 Post by TMDaines » Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:10 am

I'd much prefer the radio adaptation to the missing things from the US Blu-ray. I agree they are more convenient to just download from the net and listen on the go, but much of this old radio is a blast to listen to if you're interested in classic film.

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dda1996a
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#18 Post by dda1996a » Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:53 pm

rapta wrote:
Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:05 pm
Early Hou Hsiao-hsien or Cure weren't interesting enough? And Legend of the Mountain, which they released almost two months before Kino or Carlotta? Or the upcoming The White Reindeer, which I was sure Second Run would be pursuing?

I think as much as MoC still tries to find 'interesting' stuff, it's getting less and less financially viable for a label of their size to do so as often, hence these major studio deals, the increased emphasis on Eureka Classics and theatrical acquisitions (e.g. Lucky, Montage Pictures stuff). I think they're often given a hard time being compared to labels like Criterion, Arrow or BFI who have the ability/funding to produce in-house restorations, but to my mind they always have something of note up their sleeve.

Perhaps it's because I'm region locked and haven't imported every single Preminger, Aldrich, Wilder, Frankenheimer title that I'm a bit more grateful when they announce some of the more 'obvious' titles.
Yes, but Hou-Hsien was released a while ago. It's not only MoC that is a bit dissapointing lately, I haven't really gotten interested in any new Arrow release. But it feels like MoC is even fading from memory. I much rather they go the Second Run route and release on major film a month. I pre-order Hou and King Hu and will continue to do so if they release more of their films for sure

M Sanderson
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#19 Post by M Sanderson » Fri Nov 09, 2018 3:26 am

Between them Arrow and Indicator seem to have all my tastes catered for. The blurring line between art/exploitation of Arrow. And Indicator’s balance of the cinematic/literary/theatrical worlds, no to mention focus on British oddities/forgotten films.

BFI and Eureka haven’t been intriguing me as much. Yet they still come up with great stuff. Laura is nowhere near my favourite Preminger, lacking as it does the sinuous camera movement, the great walking shots, the unity of space even during scene transitions. It hasn’t the fully developed Preminger aesthetic although still marvellous. And, although from an older master I believe it is regarded as an outstanding one.

nitin
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#20 Post by nitin » Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:16 am

Pretty sure Laura was from a 2k or 4k scan at the time of the Fox release.

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stevewhamola
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#21 Post by stevewhamola » Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:33 pm

Mr. Deltoid wrote:
Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:11 pm
I think this looks to be a solid, much-needed, region B release. I'll take those radio adaptations over those cheesy A&E Biographies any day. Here's to original cover-art as well! That Fox cover makes it look as though Tierney is in Kabuki-theatre!
I've just finished going through the extras on the US disc and thought I'd offer a bit of a defense for these programs. While the biographies do get a tiny bit schmaltzy in spots they are mostly classy affairs with some interesting choices of interview participants; Dennis Hopper talking about Price, for instance. Having not known her life story I was endlessly fascinated by the one on Tierney. Unless MoC's presentation of the film is markedly superior (which if coming from the same source, I doubt) I will happily stick with the Fox BD.

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Mr. Deltoid
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#22 Post by Mr. Deltoid » Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:00 am

stevewhamola wrote:
Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:33 pm
Mr. Deltoid wrote:
Fri Nov 02, 2018 7:11 pm
I think this looks to be a solid, much-needed, region B release. I'll take those radio adaptations over those cheesy A&E Biographies any day. Here's to original cover-art as well! That Fox cover makes it look as though Tierney is in Kabuki-theatre!
I've just finished going through the extras on the US disc and thought I'd offer a bit of a defense for these programs. While the biographies do get a tiny bit schmaltzy in spots they are mostly classy affairs with some interesting choices of interview participants; Dennis Hopper talking about Price, for instance. Having not known her life story I was endlessly fascinated by the one on Tierney. Unless MoC's presentation of the film is markedly superior (which if coming from the same source, I doubt) I will happily stick with the Fox BD.
That's fair enough. Gene Tierney is a fascinating figure. There's a recent documentary that's been playing one of the Arts channels here in the U.K. called Gene Tierney: A Forgotten Star that's well worth seeking out if you can. Lots of great candid-photographs and home-movie footage as well as contributions from Martin Scorsese, Molly Haskell, etc. A turbulent life for sure, but god! - what a stunning beauty! I won't hold my breath for MoC to include that one though!

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domino harvey
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Re: BD 196 Laura

#23 Post by domino harvey » Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:53 am

Both Biography programs are also on TT's Blu of Dragonwyck

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