How can Blu-ray news be so amazing yet so damned tragic all at the same time? I’ll tell you how – when a bunch of films you love get announced for Blu-ray but not in the editions you were hoping and praying for. Case in point – the Studio Canal Collection distributed in North America by Lionsgate.
On the surface this is an amazing idea. A collection of films already popular in France and the UK now making their way over to this side of the Atlantic for we cinephiles to gobble up! Sounds great. Here’s my issue – a bunch of these titles were, until recently controlled by The Criterion Collection. A label which produces not only the best supplemental material for home video but also gives the films the absolute, no-questions-asked, best-of-the-best restorations, transfers and encodes in the business. Now, that’s not to say that the Studio Canal versions won’t be good. They seem amazing. I’m just a little disappointed that the version of Akira Kurasawa‘s Ran that will be on my shelf won’t be Criterion’s. Especially after Criterion had their Blu-ray edition of the film ready to hit the market until this deal pulled the carpet out from under them.
Let’s hope for the best!
All the images below are from the UK editions of the Studio Canal Collection.
RAN
(February 16, 2010 – MSRP $TBA)
Video: 1080p AVC video
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
20-page collectible book
Special Features:
- “A.K.” – the acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of the film
- “Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate” – documentary on the director
- A Portrait of Akira Kurosawa by Japanese cinema expert and interpreter Catherine Cadou
- “The Samurai” – documentary on Samurai art
- “Art of the Samurai” – an interview with a Japanese art of war expert
- BD-Live
THE LADYKILLERS
(February 16, 2010 – MSRP $TBA)
Video: 1080p AVC video
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
20-page collectible book
Special Features:
- introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam
- “Forever Ealing” – a documentary on the famed British studio
- Audio commentary with film historian Philip Kemp
- Interviews with British filmmakers Allan Scott and Terence Davies and writer Ronald Harwood on the film
- BD-Live (including a bonus interview with British filmmaker James Mangold)
CONTEMPT (LE MÉPRIS)
(February 16, 2010 – MSRP $TBA)
Video: 1080p AVC video
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
20-page collectible book
Special Features:
- Introduction by British film producer and Godard expert Colin MacCabe
- A “making-of” documentary “One Upon a Time There Was…Contempt”
- A documentary on Godard’s legacy in film “Contempt…Tenderly”
- A discussion between Godard and director Fritz Lang “The Dinosaur and the Baby”
- Theatrical trailer
- BD-Live
Previously on The Blu-ray Blog: Criterion Brings Kurosawa’s Ran to Blu-ray in May
[...] titles. I’m aghast. From the sounds of things, all of these titles will now be a part of the Studio Canal/Lionsgate deal which has recently brought us the less-than-spectacular Blu-ray release of Akira Kurosawa’s [...]
[...] more here: Lionsgate Announces Studio Canal Collection: Ran, The Ladykillers, Contempt on Blu-ray Amazon: Ran $22.99 The Ladykillers: $25.99 Contempt: [...]