New transfer of "Days of Heaven" from Criterion

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

http://www.criterion.com/blog/

 

It's hard to imagine it with less gold or warm tones...but I guess we'll see.

[Max Jacoby]

I'm very happy that Criterion is releasing this film, they are simply the best company. Their dvds are always top notch quality, especially image and sound wise.

 

Thanks for the above blog by the way, I added it to my favourties already!

[David Mullen ASC]

I always thought that the existing home video versions were rather golden compared to the release prints from Metrocolor originally.

[Max Jacoby]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen 'Days of Heaven' on the big screen. Must keep an eye out if it ever gets screened anywhere.

[Ignacio Aguilar]

I hope they'll release it on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray as well.

[Max Jacoby]

Criterion apparently wants to wait until the Blue Ray vs HD-DVD issue has been settled, they don't want to bet on the wrong horse. I hope their contracts with the various distributors include a HD release as well.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

I'm not sure if I've ever seen 'Days of Heaven' on the big screen. Must keep an eye out if it ever gets screened anywhere.

 

It played recently at the Castro here in SF one night...I didn't know about it until the day after, d'oh!

[Wendell_Greene]

"Days of Heaven" -Ready for Radical Departure on DVD

 

Hollywood Elsewhere article

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

Does anyone know how the original timing was handled? Personnel wise I mean. Did Almendros or Wexler sit in on the sessions or was it something Malick oversaw without DP input?

 

Curious

[Mariano Nante]

Does anyone know how the original timing was handled? Personnel wise I mean. Did Almendros or Wexler sit in on the sessions or was it something Malick oversaw without DP input?

 

Curious

 

Well, for what I have read, Almendros was almost blind in the end of the shoot. That's why Wexler had to step in... And the funny thing is that Wexler is color blind! :blink:

But together they made a masterpiece of cinematography...

[David Mullen ASC]

Nestor Almendros had to leave the production because it went so long that it conflicted with a Truffaut (I believe) feature that he already promised to shoot, so Wexler came in to shoot the last few weeks.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

I love that part about Wexler watching the film with a stopwatch in hand to keep track of what percentage of the film he had actually shot...which by his calculations turned out to be more than half.

 

It's understandable that he'd want that credit for Days of Heaven ;)

[Max Jacoby]

Well, for what I have read, Almendros was almost blind in the end of the shoot. That's why Wexler had to step in...

This is taken from the article Wendell linked earlier:

 

"Of course, Biskind also claims that director of photography Nester Almendros was "slowly going blind" and would have "one of his assistants take Polaroids of the scene, then examined them through very strong glasses and made his adjustments." It must have been taken Almendros a very long time to go blind, since he continued working as a cinematographer (Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, Places in the Heart) until 1991. "

 

Cinematical article

[Ignacio Aguilar]

Almendros' blindness is a myth. He worked as a DP until his death in 1991 and managed to get some Academy Award nominations since he did "Days of Heaven" in 1976. That rumor probably started because another famous Spanish DP, Luis Cuadrado, was losing his eyesight while shooting the award winning & gorgeous looking "El Espiritu de la Colmena" (Víctor Erice, 1973). The cinematography is not too different from the French New Wave of the 60's and the big DPs from the UK in the early 70's, like John Alcott and David Watkin. Cuadrado had to quit shooting two years later, when he was 42 years old, and commit suicide when he was completely blind, at 46. He's still considered Spain's greatest cinematographer ever and "El Espiritu de la Colmena" has been chosen a few times as the best photographed Spanish film of all time. Everyone with an interest in film & cinematography should take it a look IMHO.

[Mitch Gross]

I know a number of people who worked with Alemendros on his final film, Billy Bathgate, and the stories of his poor vision while exaggerated were true. And yet the film looked great and looked like one of his films.

 

...and in New York we still refer to foamcore lightboxes as Nestors.

[Ignacio Aguilar]

Don't forget he died right after that film from AIDS. It may have affected his vision as well.

[Mitch Gross]

Don't forget he died right after that film from AIDS. It may have affected his vision as well.

I believe it was a bout of pneumonia that took him in the end. His immune system was weakened by his condition, but I don't know if it had anything to do with his vision.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

..."El Espiritu de la Colmena" has been chosen a few times as the best photographed Spanish film of all time. Everyone with an interest in film & cinematography should take it a look IMHO.

 

Gahhhh, such a gorgeous film.

[Michel Hafner]

I'm very happy that Criterion is releasing this film, they are simply the best company. Their dvds are always top notch quality, especially image and sound wise.

Not always. Like any other company they have issues with some of their titles.

[Michel Hafner]

http://www.criterion.com/blog/

It's hard to imagine it with less gold or warm tones...but I guess we'll see.

I deplore that they are not using the camera negative itself if they are talking definitve transfer and restoration. The IP already loses some detail. Since it's a 1978 negative on today's IP stock it's probably minimal, though.

[Chris Keth]

And the funny thing is that Wexler is color blind! :blink:

 

Really? I didn't know that.

[Mariano Nante]

Really? I didn't know that.

 

Yeah, it's true. You should check out "Tell Them Who You Are" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420952/

This documentary was directed by Haskell's own son. Halfway through the film he makes his father take the color-blind test and he fails it completely. Then he admits that he is color-blind and that he doesn't like to tell people about it because he wouldn't get as many jobs! ;)

On the other hand, his condition allowed him to have an extraordinary sense of tonal range...

 

I wonder what did he do while timing his movies...

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

I just got an email 2 minutes ago from Amazon.com to let me know the DVD has shipped.

 

Excited, I am.

 

By the way, yes, "Tell Them Who You Are" is a great doc. It's not so much about Haskell's career is it is about his relationship with his son.

Edited October 23, 2007 by Jonathan Bowerbank

[David Mullen ASC]

I deplore that they are not using the camera negative itself if they are talking definitve transfer and restoration. The IP already loses some detail. Since it's a 1978 negative on today's IP stock it's probably minimal, though.

 

There is a school of thought that what's questionable is putting an older original, irreplaceable, spliced negative on a telecine for a home video transfer. Also, some 35mm negs are not single-strand but have A-B rolls.

[Tom Lowe]

I am equally excited about the bonus features. DVD Beaver has had the Criterion vs original DVD screencaps up for a while, and the new transfer is notable for its decreased saturation and cooler temp.

 

I guess if the new transfer feels too different, you can always crank up the saturation and temp on your TV!

 

I also have to agree that the negative should be saved for a full-on 4K restoration and release on HD.

 

I wish more older movies would be released on HD. Especially the old Hitch Vista Vision movies, etc. This whole bluray/hd-dvd thing sucks for the consumer.