captainsolo said:
Notorious
The Criterion DVD is the best way to see the film, as it was struck from the nitrate OCN, IP and a fine grain master. It has more fine detail than the MGM disc or Blu-ray with great 1.0 mono. My favorite classic era DVD mastering period.
Really? I was about to order the BD for this, but I stopped once I read this. Judging by your comments, I'm better off getting the Criterion DVD. So, the BD was taken from an inferior source? It really strikes me as awful whenever a BD has less detail than a DVD release. Out of curiosity, have you compared both directly?
In any case, I decided to go on a Danny Boyle Triple Feature:
28 Days Later
The movie still honestly holds up to me. I enjoyed it. It's certainly a stark contrast to Romero's films. The fast moving "zombies" are menacing without being over the top. The scenes in a deserted London are especially frightening. You really get a good sense of isolation and desperation. All the actors did admirable jobs in their respective roles, in my opinion. Unlike others, I have absolutely no problem with the social commentary once they reached the military base; it simply enriches the movie.
Truly, a pinnacle in horror. The visual style is intriguing and unfortunate at the same time. This is a movie that barely benefitted from the BD.
9 out of 10 balls.
Trainspotting
This was the first time I'd seen the movie. It was fantastic to be honest. I got a very A Clockwork Orange-vibe from it; I suppose that was intentional, considering the visual references at the club. Ewan McGregor's performance was excellent: just the right amount of repulsiveness and sympatheticness. All the supporting actors were excellent too. The mix of comedy and tragedy is really effective here; the dark humor was razor sharp. To be absolutely honest though, I failed to truly empathize with any of the characters, even Renton. It was interesting watching their story, but, in no way, did it reach to me emotionally. For a director's second film, it certainly is astounding. I'd be interested in them adapting the sequel; if capably made, it could be great.
The Japanese BD is the best, as it's uncut.
9.5 out of 10 balls.
Shallow Grave
This one caught me by surprise. I never saw it before and never heard anything about it. Out of the three movies I watched, this is my favorite. It explores the classic theme of money's corrupting effect, yet it manages to feel undeniably fresh and at times shocking. The movie is stylistic and active but never to a point of being obnoxious. There were few characters, a fact that I relished since I could really have the time to understand each one of them. All of them had devilishly dark sides, yet were completely believable. The dark humor here worked better, for me, than the humor in Trainspotting. This is the most spectacular directorial debut I can remember since Citizen Kane. After the film ended, I had Andy Williams stuck in my head for days. If you've got the chance watch this movie.
The Criterion BD's picture looks great: vivid with good contrast. I understand this was shot under relatively low budget circumstances, so it doesn't look quite as professional as contemporary big budget productions.
10 out of 10 balls.