Douglas Sirk on DVD
- charulata
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:19 pm
- Location: Blighty
- Contact:
Douglas Sirk on DVD
Due 15 Jan 2007 Universal Pictures Video R2 Seven Disc Box Set
All I Desire
All That Heaven Allows
Has Anyone Seen My Gal?
Imitation Of Life
Magnificent Obsession
The Tarnished Angels
Written On The Wind
The Tarnished Angels is new to DVD as far as I can tell...
Minimal info at MovieMail
All I Desire
All That Heaven Allows
Has Anyone Seen My Gal?
Imitation Of Life
Magnificent Obsession
The Tarnished Angels
Written On The Wind
The Tarnished Angels is new to DVD as far as I can tell...
Minimal info at MovieMail
Last edited by charulata on Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- foggy eyes
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:58 am
- Location: UK
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
I'll be glad to finally have The Tarnished Angels on DVD, but these Universal box sets are maddening. I end up with multiple copies of so many films. For example, instead of All I Desire, which is already available in R2 in another one of their box sets, they could have included There's Always Tomorow.
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- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:03 am
- Location: LA CA
So true. Say. Charulata's post seems to suggest there's a separate Magnificent Obsession disc out there. Tell me it's so.... these Universal box sets are maddening. I end up with multiple copies of so many films.
One of my favorites. I'm sure though that when it's finally released I'll have to by a 14 disc box set to own it.... they could have included There's Always Tomorow.
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
yoshimori wrote:Charulata's post seems to suggest there's a separate Magnificent Obsession disc out there. Tell me it's so.
There was a R6 release, but I have know idea what the quality of it is like, or where to buy it.
One of my favorites. I'm sure though that when it's finally released I'll have to by a 14 disc box set to own it.
What I don't understand is why Criterion didn't license more Sirk a long time ago. Universal let them license two of his best-known films so I'm not sure why they couldn't have done something like The Tarnished Angels or There's Always Tomorrow years ago. Then around about now Universal could still come out with their own releases like they've done with other titles. Maybe there's still reason to hope these will be announced in R1 in the Universal Cinema Classics line.
- Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
DVDTimes announcement.
No mention of extras, though. Or if new transfers are being offered. I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
No mention of extras, though. Or if new transfers are being offered. I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
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- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:03 am
- Location: LA CA
Thanks goodness. Magnificent Obsession is being released separately.
- Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
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- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:27 pm
- Location: London, UK
Saw this in HMV today - no extras listed on the packaging (which seems to be another foldout 7-disc digipak disaster), but the aspect ratios break down as follows:Lino wrote:DVDTimes announcement.
HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL? / ALL I DESIRE - 1.33:1
WRITTEN ON THE WIND / IMITATION OF LIFE - 1.85:1 anamorphic
MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION / ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS - 2.00:1 anamorphic
THE TARNISHED ANGELS - 2.35:1 anamorphic
I've no idea what they're playing at by listing the Wyman/Hudson films at 2.00:1, and if they've actually matted them to this ratio on the discs then that's ludicrous. WRITTEN ON THE WIND was also listed as 2.0 surround, whereas all the rest are mono.
- otis
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:43 am
According to DVDclassik, Carlotta are bringing out a Sirk box set on 21 November featuring:
Magnificent Obsession (2 versions)
All That Heaven Allows
A Time to Love and a Time to Die
Imitation of Life (2 versions)
Each film get 2 discs, so where there isn't an earlier John Stahl version, there should be a bunch of extras. They'll also be available to buy separately. No word on aspect ratios. David, why don't you email Carlotta to inquire?
Magnificent Obsession (2 versions)
All That Heaven Allows
A Time to Love and a Time to Die
Imitation of Life (2 versions)
Each film get 2 discs, so where there isn't an earlier John Stahl version, there should be a bunch of extras. They'll also be available to buy separately. No word on aspect ratios. David, why don't you email Carlotta to inquire?
- otis
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:43 am
PMed you the Carlotta link.
I think the R1 Sirk Imitation could be improved (though it's perfectly acceptable as is), but I second your praise for the Stahl version. And what a great film! Claudette is magnificent, and the whole thing is an example of 1930s Hollywood at its absolute best. And that's saying something!
I'm presuming (and hoping) they'll release both the Stahl and Sirk versions of Magnificent Obsession, but this has been announced as a Sirk set, so perhaps I'm jumping the gun. Fingers crossed...
I think the R1 Sirk Imitation could be improved (though it's perfectly acceptable as is), but I second your praise for the Stahl version. And what a great film! Claudette is magnificent, and the whole thing is an example of 1930s Hollywood at its absolute best. And that's saying something!
I'm presuming (and hoping) they'll release both the Stahl and Sirk versions of Magnificent Obsession, but this has been announced as a Sirk set, so perhaps I'm jumping the gun. Fingers crossed...
- subliminac
- Joined: Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:21 am
- Location: Columbus, OH
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- Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:14 am
None of the other films are cropped, I think. But they are all noticeably a little dull in their colour compared to the two Criterion discs. It's noticeable but it isn't a death knell as far as I'm concerned. Would post screen caps but I'm away & haven't got discs with me.
At full price this was ridiculous - but as a budget set very acceptable, even if you considered it as 4 films, excluding the two Criterion duplications and MO.
At full price this was ridiculous - but as a budget set very acceptable, even if you considered it as 4 films, excluding the two Criterion duplications and MO.
- Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
Well, according to this link, you might just get your wishes granted.davidhare wrote:I am still holding out for the Carlotta/Gaumont box from France. They never replied to my email questioning "formats d'ecran" but I note the release date was put back to November. And I am frankly tantalized by the voluminous extras discs which suggest "alternate" versions, if not the Stahl originals of Imitation (this a certainly) and Magnificent Obsession (this a real rarity) - these could indeed include full frame, plus masked widescreen.
- otis
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:43 am
Good news, David! From the caps at dvdrama.com, it looks like the Carlotta coffret has Magnificent Obsession at 1.33:
And they've included the Stahl version:
And they've included the Stahl version:
- 4LOM
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 pm
- Location: Rheda-Wiedenbrueck / Germany
- Contact:
German quality label Koch Media will release a "Douglas Sirk Collection" on 02/08/08.
Regarding the French set: Robert Fischer, who delivered four of the documentaries, confirms that it has optional French subtitles, no forced one.
- "All I Desire [USA 1953, Douglas Sirk]
- "There's Always Tomorrow" [USA 1956, Douglas Sirk]
- "Interlude" [USA 1957, Douglas Sirk]
- German + English DD 2.0
- 1.33:1 + 1.33:1 + 2.35:1 anamorphic
- Photo gallery
- Two titles available for the first time on DVD.
Regarding the French set: Robert Fischer, who delivered four of the documentaries, confirms that it has optional French subtitles, no forced one.
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- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 10:28 pm
David, what are the extras on All That Heaven Allows and Imitation of Life? Is there anything on the latter apart from the Stahl film? As I own these in R1, is there anything that would recommend the box over cherry-picking the other two titles? I'm inclined to think not, but want to be sure before I go ahead and order.
- Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
- reaky
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: Cambridge, England
David, your screen caps raise an interesting question. I have both the UK Universal Sirk set and the Criterions, and, aspect ratios aside, I cannot decide which colour scheme is truer to Sirk's intentions. In the Halliday interview book Sirk states that he designed the WRITTEN ON THE WIND palette to be bright, violent. This the Criterion certainly is - compare the deep blue night scenes of the opening with the mere dusk of the Universal - but I can't help wondering if the Criterions are too garish. In places the colour is positively thick, and seems excessively red, particularly the skin tones. At the opening of ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS, poor Agnes Moorhead is the colour of a satsuma ! A warm but more muted colour scheme would also seem to be more appropriate to ATHA's less operatic mode (the Carlotta caps actually look a lot more like the Universal than the Criterion). It might be something of a cliche to think Sirk=melodrama=florid Technicolor; he is clearly a more subtle artist than that. ATHA is not TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER.
There is also the fact that Criterion have occasionally in the past gone a bit heavy on the red - I'm thinking of the colour Melvilles, in contrast with the BFI and Rene Chateau editions.
I'd appreciate people's thoughts on this question.
There is also the fact that Criterion have occasionally in the past gone a bit heavy on the red - I'm thinking of the colour Melvilles, in contrast with the BFI and Rene Chateau editions.
I'd appreciate people's thoughts on this question.
- Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
They really are two different beasts. And I can't make up my mind to which one looks the more accurate (I'm not that old to have seen them theatrically, either!).
Still, neither looks satisfying enough: the Criterion looks too phony in parts, as if someone's been fiddling with the palette too much and the Carlotta, on the other hand, looks too drab in places, uninspiring even.
I wonder if Universal in the US will re-release this title. That would also prove to be interesting to see. Although, I admit it would only raise even more confusion if the transfer'd turn out to be drastically different.
Still, neither looks satisfying enough: the Criterion looks too phony in parts, as if someone's been fiddling with the palette too much and the Carlotta, on the other hand, looks too drab in places, uninspiring even.
I wonder if Universal in the US will re-release this title. That would also prove to be interesting to see. Although, I admit it would only raise even more confusion if the transfer'd turn out to be drastically different.