Ran - Criterion Collection
Rating:
- At least you have subtitlesI watched this masterpiece in this new realese and I have to tell is great.
CRITERION's people maybe could be better in terms of image, BUT they think the other people in the world with a different lenguage than english are dumbs.
They NEVER adds subtiltles in other lenguage, it's time to feel happy there's other company wich let us undesrtand masterpieces like this one. I hope Studio Canal keep the control in this market.
Rating:
- Lions Gate "Ran" has subtitle problems...The new Lions Gate BR release of Ran is middling in terms of its PQ, but what I can't stand is the fact that the subtitles are below the visible screen image, and no amount of tinkering with my BR player (or plasma) settings will raise them to the level of readability. There's just enough of the tops of the English text to see it's there, but not to read it.
So this is the last Lions Gate/Studio Canal US BR release I'm buying. One strike and they're out.
Rating:
- Kurosawa classic arrives from Lionsgate with Subtitle errorsI love this movie/film/whatever. It floors me every time I experience it. The blu-ray sound & image was a revelation of possibilities for me! The extra features are pretty good. I even loved their package design. I think they took some queues from Criterion Collection. The issue here is with the English subtitles:
There are some grammatical/translation errors sprinkled throughout the movie that are distracting. One example is in the first scene, where Lord Fujimaki declares that he also wanted to offer his daughter as Saburo's wife; the "Studiocanal Collection" subtitle has him saying it was also his INVENTION instead of INTENTION. Yikes! The subtitles were downhill from there. Not sure if they rushed to get this released or they cut corners, and had the English subtitles imported from China. I've sent several polite e-mails to Lionsgate regarding the various English subtitle errors, but they never responded back. Customer service would mean corrected subtitles and disc exchange.
The devil's in the details, my friends. I'm sure someone at Lionsgate had a great idea that ended with a big "$" digitally projected onto the wall at a quarterly R&D meeting. But it takes real commitment and a sincere love of film to do what the Criterion Collection does. Will I ever hear back from Lionsgate or a "Studiocanal Collection" representative? Probably not. They already have my money so the relationship between company and consumer ends there. Not reassuring. In the end, I wish "Ran - Criterion Collection" could have STAYED with the Criterion Collection. I get the impression a few others out there feel the same way.
Rating:
- Blu-Ray Edition worth it for afficionados...Despite many complaints, this LionsGate blu-ray edition is a superior viewing experience compared to the two-disc Criterion standard edition. The Criterion was the former champ, but is now eclipsed by this blu-ray. If you do a side-by-side comparison, there is more clarity with the blu-ray and it's far more filmlike. Color saturation seems to favor the Criterion print, but you only need to look at the fabric textures on the blu-ray disc to see that's it a more accurate presentation. The blu-ray's discrete DTS soundtrack is warm and rich in fidelity compared with the boomy matrixed version presented on the Criterion disc.
With all due respect to Criterion, LionsGate has handled the blu-ray transfer of RAN far better than Criterion handled their own blu-ray transfer of THE LAST EMPEROR.
I would recommend the blu-ray edition of RAN to anyone wanting their own print, especially while the price remains at about $22.
Rating:
- If this is a sign of what's to come from Studio Canal Blu-Ray we are in real torubleDespite what some say, I honestly think the old Criterion release looks better with an up-converted DVD player. Studio Canal is trying to recast themselves as a new criterion-like lable, they are not off to a hot start. You are better off trying to find the old Criterion release (plus the Criterion has the audio commentary track which is missing from this disc) Shame on you Studio Canal for trying to compete with the best. Leave the Great films to the folks @ Criterion. Sad day for film lovers