HMV Chasing Amy *IS* the Criterion version

[mikegray]

Just in case anyone's interested, the £17.99 Chasing Amy from HMV is the exact same as the Criterion version. The menus on the back of the box are inaccurated [d'oh!] - it actually has a big "The Criterion Collection" thing on the menu, and is the same!

I know it's available cheaper elsewhere, but I had a gift voucher for HMV to use! :)

[Gozer]

Are you sure the contents are 100% the same as the Criterion? I had that before but the disc was faulty so I had to take it back. Nearly picked this up today from HMV but wanted to be sure before getting it. Is the picture quality an improvement over the Criterion? Still stuck whether to get this or the R1, the R2 cover art is crap.

[mikegray]

It's *definitely* the same as the Criterion, because it *is* the Criterion! The menus are the same and everything, the shot on the back of the box is totally wrong!

I haven't watched the film yet, so can't comment on picture quality, sorry!

[Gozer]

Post when you know about the picture quality. The Criterion looked dodgy when that girl was wearing a white shirt in the club, it was messy and full of purple bits. This was fine on the C4 broadcast.

[rsykes2000]

i have the criterion laserdisc. is the dvd better quality ?

cheers.

[Gozer]

The picture on the Crit DVD is dodgy, especially compared to when I watched it on Channel 4 (digitial). Isn't the transfer almost identical to the laserdisc other than being anamorphic???

[mikegray]

Originally posted by Gozer
The picture on the Crit DVD is dodgy, especially compared to when I watched it on Channel 4 (digitial). Isn't the transfer almost identical to the laserdisc other than being anamorphic???

I can confirm ropey picture on the R2 too. :(

Mike

[MichaelPalmer]

I know it's available cheaper elsewhere, but I had a gift voucher for HMV to use!

Actually I work for HMV as a Video/DVD buyer and Chasing Amy is actually exclusive to us until October Mike

[Gozer]

Looks like I'll stick to getting the Criterion, at least it has some smart cover art as opposed to the dodgy HMV edition.

Actually I work for HMV as a Video/DVD buyer and Chasing Amy is actually exclusive to us until October Mike

Think he meant that you can get the R1 cheaper, for around £14 in some places.

[MichaelPalmer]

ah, ok. i thought CC discs were expensive thats all (never checked the price)

[mikegray]

Originally posted by MichaelPalmer


Actually I work for HMV as a Video/DVD buyer and Chasing Amy is actually exclusive to us until October Mike

I know. I'm just saying that the only reason I bought the R2 copy *at all* was that I had a HMV voucher from Christmas I wanted to offload, plus student discount. :) Otherwise I'd have picked up the R1 which you can get for about £14 delivered.

The R2 is definitely encoded to R2, BTW, unlike the Criterion, which I presume is R0.

Mike

[DavidMcGowan]

Originally posted by mikegray
The R2 is definitely encoded to R2, BTW, unlike the Criterion, which I presume is R0.

The Criterion edition is R1 encoded - at the request of Mirimax, I believe.

[ASHOKP]

Acoording to Rewind, the HMV exclusive does not have the following extras:

Special video introductions from the cast and crew
The Askewniverse Legend: a guide to the characters in the "New Jersey Trilogy"

[mikegray]

Originally posted by ASHOKP
Acoording to Rewind, the HMV exclusive does not have the following extras:

Special video introductions from the cast and crew
The Askewniverse Legend: a guide to the characters in the "New Jersey Trilogy"

Well, they're wrong. The cast & crew video introductions are certainly there. How do I access the other one from the menu of the Criterion, and I'll check if that's there too.

[Brian Blessed Badger]

>The Askewniverse Legend: a guide to the characters in >the "New Jersey Trilogy

This is actually an insert - it's got a little map describing where everyone went to school and the dates

Phil

[Matchstick]

Does the R2 also include the infamous colour bars sequence ? :)

[mikegray]

Originally posted by Matchstick
Does the R2 also include the infamous colour bars sequence ? :)

To answer the questions - there's no insert, unfortunately other than one showing chapter stops.

The colour bars are, however, present and correct.

Mike

[silverpenguin7]

Originally posted by rsykes2000
i have the criterion laserdisc. is the dvd better quality ?

cheers.
The DVD is the Laserdisc version! Thats why the picture looks a bit crappy in places. When I first watched it I was shocked at how Laserdisc like the picture was (speckles, noise on white things etc) so I posted in the forums. The reply was as I mentioned above, the DVD is sourced from the Laserdisc, although I have read the DVD version is a little brighter.

Someone else will be able to fill you in on the technical side as they did for me.
Hope that solves the problem for ya! :)

[Brian Blessed Badger]

Originally posted by silverpenguin7

The DVD is the Laserdisc version! Thats why the picture looks a bit crappy in places. When I first watched it I was shocked at how Laserdisc like the picture was (speckles, noise on white things etc) so I posted in the forums. The reply was as I mentioned above, the DVD is sourced from the Laserdisc, although I have read the DVD version is a little brighter.


I'm not convinced - it was stated when the CC edition came out that it had a new transfer - it's also Anamorphic, which i'm not sure LD transfers could be. The other transfer problem was that one sequence is framed wrong, which I don't think was wrong on the LD - where Banky is in the train station the top of his head gets cut off.

Part of the problem will be that it was shot on 16mm film and blown up - therefore it'll look grainy (this is mentioned in the dvdtimes review I think).

Is the disc NTSC, a fresh transfer or an NTSC to PAL conversion ?

Phil

[mikegray]

Originally posted by Brian Blessed Badger


Is the disc NTSC, a fresh transfer or an NTSC to PAL conversion ?

Phil

Back of the box says PAL, so I assume NTSC>PAL

[Chyna Tsui]

Has the R2 corrected the framing problem?