Reply With QuoteGood news indeed.
Any word on the date of release?
I will be ready and waiting....
A Matter of Life and Death
Thelma Schoonmaker has said I can now tell you all ...
There is a region 1 (US) DVD of AMOLAD on the way!
[pause for deafening applause]
It'll be packaged with Age of Consent in their "Collectors Choice" series. An odd choice but Columbia have the rights to both of them in the States.
AMOLAD will have a commentary by Ian Christie and Martin Scorsese has done an interview and introduction to both films.
AoC will be the one with the original soundtrack restored and there are also interviews with some of the people involved in the making of it like Helen Mirren, Tony Buckley (editor), Peter Sculthorpe (composer), Ron and Valerie Taylor (underwater camera) and Kevin Powell.
Thelma and some friendly people at Columbia have worked hard to get all of this done. They've done some tidying up on the prints of both films and the soundtracks.
Steve
Good news indeed.
Any word on the date of release?
I will be ready and waiting....
Age of Consent comes from Sony in R2 next month; will it have the same extras as the R1 Steve?
name='John Hodson']Age of Consent comes from Sony in R2 next month; will it have the same extras as the R1 Steve?
I'm not so sure that one is region 2. It doesn't show a region on that page.
The AoC extras are just being done for the Sony region 1 release so unless this is a repackaging of that release, I wouldn't presume anything
Steve
Okay; it is definitely a UK R2 release BTW - as to extras, we'll have to wait and see then.
name='John Hodson']Okay; it is definitely a UK R2 release BTW - as to extras, we'll have to wait and see then.
As John says, Age of Consent is definitely Region 2 (have updated the website now), and as far as we know it's a vanilla DVD release with no extras.
FYI it's one of eight films that, for a while at least, are exclusive to MovieMail. Other titles include Take a Girl Like You (Oliver Reed and Hayley Mills) and Footsteps in the Fog (Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons) full details here.
Dan Hunter
MovieMail
Many thanks Dan.
The Digital Bits editor Bill Hunt reports:
Sony has set Pineapple Express for release as a single disc Unrated DVD,
a 2-disc Unrated Special Edition and an Unrated Blu-ray Disc all on
1/6/09 [American, so that's 6th January, not 1st June], along with The Wackness on DVD and Blu-ray and a Michael Powell
Double Feature (which includes Age of Consent and Stairway to Heaven) on
DVD.
That's the first time I've seen mention of a date
Steve
Sony Press Release
Two Classic Films from the Legendary Director on DVD for the First Time
THE FILMS OF MICHAEL POWELL
Age of Consent ~ A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven)
Bonus Features Include a Special Introduction by Academy Award� Winning Director Martin Scorsese and an Interview with Oscar� Winning Actress Helen Mirren
The Second Release in the "Collector's Choice" DVD Series with The Film Foundation Debuts January 6
CULVER CITY, CALIF. (October 27, 2008) � On January 6, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) honors a celebrated British director with The Films of Michael Powell, the second release under the creative partnership between SPHE and Martin Scorsese's non-profit film preservation organization, The Film Foundation, which seeks to make available newly restored classic films on DVD. This collection features two of the Academy Award� nominated Powell's (Best Original Screenplay, One of Our Aircraft is Missing, 1943) most acclaimed films making their DVD debuts: the original director's cut of Age of Consent and (co-directing with Emeric Pressburger) A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven). In addition, the bonus materials include a special introductions to both films by Academy Award� winning director Martin Scorsese (Best Director, The Departed, 2007), an interview with Academy Award� winner Helen Mirren (Best Actress, The Queen, 2007), and commentary by noted film historians Ian Christie (author of Powell, Pressburger and Others and Arrows of Desire) and Kent Jones. The two-disc set of The Films of Michael Powell will be available for $24.96 SRP.
About Michael Powell
British-born Michael Powell (1905-1990) entered the film industry in 1925 by working low level jobs for director Rex Ingram (Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) in France. After his return to England in 1928, he learned his craft by working various jobs for filmmakers (including Alfred Hitchcock) before debuting as a director of low budget films in 1931 with Two Crowded Hours.
In 1939, Powell met Emeric Pressburger on the film The Spy in Black and formed a creative partnership that spanned 19 films (credits on their films together were always listed as "Written, Produced and Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger"). In addition to A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven), other classics in their joint filmography include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), Black Narcissus (1947), The Red Shoes (1948) and The Tales of Hoffmann (1951). Their last collaboration was the 1957 war film Night Ambush.
While it has since become a classic and influenced a generation of filmmakers (Scorsese has described it as the "greatest intellectual influence" on his work), the twisted horror film Peeping Tom (1960) destroyed Powell's standing with mainstream reviewers and audiences; he made only a handful of films after. His rediscovery by film critics in the early 70s through a series of retrospectives led to his the resurrection of his reputation as a great filmmaker and in 2002, Entertainment Weekly ranked Powell at #22 on their list of all-time greatest directors.
"I make films for myself. What I express I hope most people will understand. For the rest, well, that's their problem." � Michael Powell
Age of Consent (1969) stars three-time Oscar� nominee James Mason (A Star is Born, Georgy Girl, The Verdict) and, in her first starring role, Helen Mirren (National Treasure: Book of Secrets). Disillusioned with his shallow New York lifestyle, an aging artist (Mason) moves to a remote Australian island where he seeks fresh inspiration. He finds it in vivacious, young Cora Ryan (Mirren) who agrees to pose for him. So begins their most unusual relationship, punctuated by the intervention of the island's rich assortment of quirky inhabitants.
A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven, 1946) stars Academy Award� winner Kim Hunter (Best Supporting Actress, A Streetcar Named Desire, 1952), Academy Award� winner David Niven (Best Actor, Separate Tables, 1959), Robert Coote (The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Prisoner of Zenda), and Academy Award� nominee Raymond Massey (Best Actor, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, 1941). The film was originally released as Stairway to Heaven in a censored version. This is the uncensored version with the correct title. Reality and fantasy are disarmingly commingled in this superb film about a WWII pilot who claims he was accidentally chosen to die and must now plead for his life in a heavenly court. Niven gets on the radio and shares what he believes to be his last words with an American WAC, with whom he falls hopelessly in love.
DVD Special Features**
� Age of Consent Includes:
� Introduction by Martin Scorsese
� Featurette: Making Age of Consent
� Featurette: Helen Mirren: A Conversation with Cora
� Featurette: Down Under with Ron & Valerie Taylor
� Commentary by Author/Film Historian Ian Christie
� A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven) Includes:
� Introduction by Martin Scorsese
� Commentary by Film Historian Kent Jones
** Special Features include rare behind-the-scenes photographs courtesy of the estate of Michael Powell.
Age of Consent has a running time of 98 minutes and is not rated. A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven) has a running time of 104 minutes and is not rated. Artwork is available at Welcome to SPHE Connect. Visit Sony Home Entertainment on the Web at Sony Pictures
DVD Catalog # 25919
UPC Code: 0-43396-259195
Order Date: 12/4/08
SLP: $24.96
ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at Sony Pictures. For more info on Blu-ray Disc�, visit hollywoodinhighdef.com.
The American DVD of AMOLAD / AoC now appears to be available for pre-order from Amazon.com
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IZNIV4/papas-20"]Amazon.com: The Films of Michael Powell (A Matter of Life and Death / Age of Consent - Director's Cut): Michael Powell: Movies & TV[/ame]
They've given it the title of "The Films of Michael Powell (A Matter of Life and Death / Age of Consent - Director's Cut) (1969)" which seems to be a bit confused and confusing. The "Director's Cut" referring to the restored soundtrack on AoC
Steve
I picked up Age of Consent from MovieMail. What a funny and yet sad movie. And Helen Mirren - wow. So gorgeous!
name='Steve Crook']The American DVD of AMOLAD / AoC now appears to be available for pre-order from Amazon.com
Amazon.com: The Films of Michael Powell (A Matter of Life and Death / Age of Consent - Director's Cut): Michael Powell: Movies & TV
They've given it the title of "The Films of Michael Powell (A Matter of Life and Death / Age of Consent - Director's Cut) (1969)" which seems to be a bit confused and confusing. The "Director's Cut" referring to the restored soundtrack on AoC
Steve
Amazon have just told me it's on the way
Steve
AMOLOD does seem to be an improvement over the current R2 - comparison (and shots of 'Age of Consent') here.
name='John Hodson']AMOLOD does seem to be an improvement over the current R2 - comparison (and shots of 'Age of Consent') here.
It depends very much on the equipment you're viewing them on.
I applaud DVD Beaver's work - but I often disagree with his results.
He sees differences that I just don't see.
Mainly when he plays DVDs from other regions on his American NTSC equipment. It does seem to give him some odd results. But it's useful for other Americans
They do say that NTSC really stands for Never The Same Color
Steve
In this case Steve, the differences are quite marked, PAL and NTSC are not *that* far apart; I agree that screenshots - from whatever the source - can only be a guide. But as said, the new R1 differs significantly from the current R2 - but I'm sure you'll see for yourself soon enough.
name='John Hodson']In this case Steve, the differences are quite marked, PAL and NTSC are not *that* far apart; I agree that screenshots - from whatever the source - can only be a guide. But as said, the new R1 differs significantly from the current R2 - but I'm sure you'll see for yourself soon enough.
I'll let you know after I've seen it
Steve
Amazon.com have dropped the price to $17.49 (+ postage)
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IZNIV4/papas-20]Amazon.com: Michael Powell Double Feature (Age of Consent, Stairway to Heaven): David Niven, Kim Hunter, Robert Coote, Kathleen Byron, Richard Attenborough, Bonar Colleano, Joan Maude, Marius Goring, Roger Livesey, Robert Atkins, Bob Roberts, Edwin M[/ame]
Steve
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