Hi All Can someone someone fill me in on Woody Allen movies on blu-ray. Are they worth picking up yet? I'm replacing whatever I can on blu-ray and it seems that not many of his movies have made the transition yet.
You can find the Woody Allen titles on Blu-ray at Blu-ray.com. Scroll down towards the bottom of the first page of list for the films he directed. Blu-ray.com has good reviews of Blu-ray titles. http://www.blu-ray.com/Woody-Allen/71876/?show=bluray
Twilight Time/Screen Archives is also releasing "Crimes and Misdemeanors" on Blu-ray in 2014. Twilight Time's releases are limited to 3,000 copies, and their license usually locks up the title for some years. I was hoping that someone would eventually do a Blu-ray box collection of Woody's titles, like the sets that came out on DVD. I held off on buying Annie Hall and Manhattan on Blu-ray in hopes of an eventual bigger box set. With Twilight Time doing "Crimes and Misdemeanors" as a limited release, though, I wonder how Woody Allen films will come out on Blu-ray in the future. Twilight Time Entertainment blu-ray releases for 2/11/14... http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ray-releases-for-2-11-14.337536/#post-9780471
I'm always wishing that Criterion would do a Woody Allen box set. I know that a Woody Allen commentary would never ever happen, but maybe features with interviews with various production and crew members to give insight into the movies would be great. Considering how most of his movies don't have much at all in terms of extras, as a fan I'd appreciate anything. Outtakes, gag reels, etc. Imagine an Annie Hall set that included the original murder-mystery cut! That's got to exist somewhere.
Be careful blindly buying some of Woody's older films on Blu-ray. MGM found a decrepit film print for their BD of Hannah and Her Sisters: http://www.doblu.com/2013/02/18/hannah-and-her-sisters-review/
I have imports of Match Point and Small Time Crooks. Match Point is so-so and not particularly impressive as a blu ray. Small Time Crooks is stunningly sharp.
A bunch of his films not on that Blu-Ray.com are available in Japan ,they are region A but are a bit more money http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/search/movi...ody+Allen/target_MOVIES/type_sr/?fmtBluray=on
There are some Blu-ray reissues of older movies available in Europe. Unfortunately the english subtitles were removed in order to make them less interesting for the english-speaking market. A german box has just been released, it has - Small time crooks - Mighty Aphrodite - Everybody says I love you - Bullets over Broadway - Celebrity with english sound but only german subtitles (optinal) http://www.amazon.de/The-Woody-Allen-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B00FZ8CW4O/ There are also some Norvegian releases: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?studioid=458 (you need to browse through the list to find them)
Since so much of his work is story and not visually driven, IMO there are better places to spend your blu-ray dollars. Not to mention most of his sound mixes are still mono and sound like optical tracks from 1950's second features until about 2005, when I'm sure the releasing company forced him to step it up.
true to some degree ,but a lot of his films have very nice transfers ,and he uses some of the Top DPs and therefore benefit from Blue Rays 1080p I haven't seen any of these Japanese ones ,but the US ones I got look excellent he's not really much of a visual artist that's not his strong point ,but few directors are
Looks like The Front will be available on limited Blu-ray as well..Love this movie.. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Front-Blu-ray/87747/
Even back in LaserDisc days,Criterion could only get the rights to 'Annie Hall' and 'Crimes And Misdemeanors', and they were both CLV editions with zero extras. I'm sure Criterion wish they could do a box set as well, but it's only ever gonna be a fantasy. Maybe the success of 'Her' will spark a demand for a domestic BD of 'Match Point.' Or maybe not.
So I'm not familiar with Screen Archives. Is it that they have the rights to release certain movies in the US so if I don't buy The Front or Crimes and Misdemeanors now, it may take years before another studio releases them? Also regarding the ones that have been released overseas, should I go ahead and pick them up now or be a little patient for a domestic release. My Blu-Ray player plays all regions so that isn't my hang-up; the cost is.
Screen Archives is just a retailer, but they happen to be one of only two retailers where you can purchase titles released by Twilight Time (the other being TCM Shop). I believe I read that Twilight Time has exclusive U.S. rights for three years for most titles, but don't quote me on that.
http://cdon.fi/elokuvat/cassandra's..._medium=cpo&utm_campaign=tradedoubler_2078213 has anyone purchased off this site before? seems pretty inexpensive for this but without a proper translation, I'm kind of lost..ha
Twilight Time has an exclusive, three-year window for all of their Blu-ray releases in the United States. They can't prevent a European release, but any other American company is blocked from releasing those movies on Blu-ray.
The Japanese Blu's of Bullets and Crooks arrived. Bullets has a few minor issues but is head and shoulders better than the current non-anomorphic DVD. Crooks looks very good indeed. Went ahead and ordered Mighty and Love You.
I made a list of all movies available from one country or another (or about to be) with Woody Allen's involvement on Blu-Ray . I didn't include stuff like Antz or Scenes from a Mall that I personally have no interest in. Please let me know if I missed anything 1967 - Casino Royale 1973 - Sleeper 1976 - The Front 1977 - Annie Hall 1979 - Manhattan 1984 - Broadway Danny Rose (4/8/14 release date per blu-ray.com) 1986 - Hannah And Her Sisters 1989 - New York Stories 1989 - Crimes and Misdemeanors 1994 - Bullets Over Broadway 1995 - Mighty Aphrodite 1996 - Everyone Says I Love You 1998 - Celebrity 2000 - Small Time Crooks 2001 - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion 2002 - Hollywood Ending 2005 - Match Point 2006 - Scoop 2007 - Casandra’s Dream 2008 - Vicky, Christina, Barcelona 2009 - Whatever Works 2010 - You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger 2011 - Midnight In Paris 2012 - To Rome With Love 2013 - Blue Jasmine