Michael Powell movies coming

[adamvbarker]

I read on www.dvdtimes.co.uk that two Michael Powell movies are coming soon from Carlton.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is justly famous and I'm looking forward to seeing a nice version of it. However there is also a criterion of it coming later this year.

49th Parallel (1941) is perhaps a little more obscure, but a look at Imdb shows a wealth of british talent contributing to the war effort. Starring Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook and Raymond Massey it was written by Pressburger and Rodney Ackland (who wrote a great play called Absolute Hell ), music by Vaughan Williams; it isn't shot by Jack Cardiff, but by Freddie Young who shot Lawrence of Arabia and Dr Zhivago - and given that it's no suprise to find it was edited by one David Lean.
At £9.99 I'm certainly going to get it.

[f_drew]

Blimp's appearing on Criterion later this year, along with 'The Tales of Hoffman'. Acording to a HTF chat a while ago these were delayed whilst extensive restoration was being performed.

edit - Oops, reread your original message that mentioned the Criterion version ! The intersesting thing about this one is the fact that it'll feature a commentary with Martin Scorses and Powell which is allegedly the first director commentary recorded !

[Ed Parsons]

Both Play and MVC have The Edge Of The World (Powell's 1937 film about the evacuation of an isolated Shetland island) up for pre-order. The RRP is £19.99 and it's due out on 20 October 2003. There's no other details given but MVC are quoting a BFI catalogue number so I expect this to be decent release using a good quality transfer. The previous VHS release also featured Return To The Edge Of The World chronicling Powell and John Laurie's return to the island in 1978. I think it's highly likely that it will also be included on this latest release. Let's hope BFI also splash out on a commentary track and a few more extras.

[JPMO]

Edge of the World is apparently to be graced by a commentary from Ian Christie & Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell, as well as Return to the Edge of the World and - I hear - An Airman's Letter to his Mother. And I'd be surprised if the BFI didn't use this opportunity to add the newly rediscovered 'Smith' as well.

[Art Vanderlay]

The Criterion of Blimp has been out for a while

[Squirrel God]

Originally posted by Art Vanderlay
The Criterion of Blimp has been out for a while
Check the date of the posts ;)


I saw Colonel Blimp and Matter of Life and Death for the first time a few months ago - really enjoyed them :)

[SimonI]

I've had the R1 of Edge of the world on order from DVD BO since January - it was originally supposed to be out in Feb 03 but was put back to this December. From the above it sounds as if it would be worth cancelling that and going for the R2 :thumbs:

[SimonI]

Originally posted by JPMO
Edge of the World is apparently to be graced by a commentary from Ian Christie & Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell, as well as Return to the Edge of the World and - I hear - An Airman's Letter to his Mother. And I'd be surprised if the BFI didn't use this opportunity to add the newly rediscovered 'Smith' as well. That'd be great - the Criterion of I know where I'm going! has an extract from The Edge of the World including a commentary from Ian Christie.

[John Hodson]

For those that haven't got these films, there's a nice triple film box up for pre-order, containing The Life A Death of Colonel Blimp / A Matter of Life and Death / I Know Where I'm Going, available at play.com (http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=132367) for £13.99 and at splash.com for £11.99 (or less with a voucher).

The transfer on TLADOCB is probably as good as the Criterion, though you are, of course, missing out on the Criterion extras, is does containa decent doco (if this follows previous Carlton incarnations). AMOLAD features a reasonable transfer, but Columbia are said to have a high-definition transfer DVD in the wings in R1. I haven't got a clue about the R2 transfer of IKNWIG.

I suppose it's a cheap way of trying the movies - Blimp and I Know Where I'm Going - if you haven't seen them and are tempted by the Criterions.

---
So many films, so little time...

[Art Vanderlay]

Originally posted by Squirrel God
Check the date of the posts ;)



Oops - thought there was something weird about the posts ;)

Just goes to show how long we have been waiting with still no sign of Tales of Hoffman :(

[Squirrel God]

Originally posted by John Hodson
The transfer on TLADOCB is probably as good as the Criterion, though you are, of course, missing out on the Criterion extras, is does containa decent doco (if this follows previous Carlton incarnations). AMOLAD features a reasonable transfer, but Columbia are said to have a high-definition transfer DVD in the wings in R1.
I dont know how the transfers compare to the Criterions but the soundtracks are an oddity on the Carlton Reg 2s. AMOLAD has a 3.0 mono soundtrack @ 320Kbps! Colonel Blimp has a 2.0 mono track @ 224Kbps! :eek:

[Ed Parsons]

Originally posted by Art Vanderlay
Just goes to show how long we have been waiting with still no sign of Tales of Hoffman :(
Criterion told me a month ago that they are still experiencing "problems with film elements" but they still hope to release The Tales of Hoffman sometime in the future. What are the chances of Criterion giving us a bells and whistles release of A Canterbury Tale, which I regard as one of Powell and Pressburger's best? It could feature both versions of the film, "luminous new print", audio commentary and documentary. That would be some DVD.

[SimonI]

Originally posted by Ed Parsons
What are the chances of Criterion giving us a bells and whistles release of A Canterbury Tale, which I regard as one of Powell and Pressburger's best? It could feature both versions of the film, "luminous new print", audio commentary and documentary. That would be some DVD. One of my all time favourite films! I didn't know there were different versions - any more info?

And, yes, that would be a dream DVD!

[Ed Parsons]

Originally posted by SimonI
I didn't know there were different versions - any more info?
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0036695/alternateversions

I think it's really just a substantially cut version but with added sequences featuring Kim Hunter. I don't think there'd be much demand for the cut version but the extra scenes starring Kim Hunter would certainly be a welcome extra on any future DVD.