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Criterion Collection: Adventures of Baron Munchausen & The Fisher King (Released)

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Both of these Criterion laserdiscs have a slew of excellent features that were not carried over to DVD. Check out the list:

ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN

  • Audio commentary by director Terry Gilliam
  • Four deleted scenes
  • A detailed analysis of the film’s script and development
  • Storyboards documenting scenes never filmed
  • Production sketches, models and costume tests
  • Clips, stills, and notes from previous Munchausen film versions
  • Step-by-step presentation of special effects compositing
  • History of the film’s legendary production, with interviews and location video
  • Original theatrical trailer, posters, and advertising campaigns.
    (also of note is that the transfer is at a 1.75:1 ratio, presumably Gilliam’s preferred ratio)

THE FISHER KING

  • Audio Comentary by Terry Gilliam
  • Six deleted scenes
  • Original theatrical trailers
  • Key scene anlysis with storyboards, screenplay excerpts, behind the scenes pics, etc.
  • Costume test

I own both of these laserdisc sets and was wondering if there was anyone around willing to do a nice DVD version of both of these. They’re both completely excellent films that definitely should be preserved. Any interest here?

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Both DVD's are supposed to have excellent a/v... I have Baron and it looks/sounds terrific. Besides a trailer, it's barren, though.

It would be neat to port over the transfers and add back all the goodies.
"I was a perfect idiot to listen to you!"
"Listen here, there ain't nothing in this world that's perfect!"

- from The Bank Dick
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Yeah, exactly. It wouldn't be hard to sync up the commentary track to the movie. You could either make a 2-disc set or a dual-layer disc for each flick. I just hope some kind soul with the proper equipment will step up to transfer the bonus stuff. I don't even have a laserdisc player, I just have the discs cuz I was able to find them pretty cheap and hoped to find someone to transfer them later.

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I'm going to eventually buy the Region 2 Japan NTSC SuperBit of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/2348/sb117746my.jpg

I guess the disc could be re-authored and the commentary could be added. I figure you could relegate the second disc (either a DVD-5 or DVD-9) with the rest of the extras.

I can't think of any suggestions right now for The Fisher King though.
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Originally posted by: focuspuller
I am a HUGE fan of Terry Gilliam, and these films Baron moreso but they're both great. Anyway, I would be extremely interested in making dvds out of these films with those features.

Do you have laserdisc transferring capabilities?

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I'm afraid not, I was so excited by your post that I didn't realized you need someone else to do the actual transfer. I am however in the market for a laserdisc player, looking on ebay and such. If I get one before someone else I'll let you know.

Blade Runner: The Complete Collection

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I'm on the hunt for a great low price for the Region 2 Japanese NTSC SuperBit DVD for The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

I'm going to look on:

www.amazon.co.jp
www.cdjapan.co.jp
www.yesasia.com
www.play-asia.com

And other sites...

I'm not buying The Fisher King YET since it's a 1990's film and I'm working on building on my 1980's/prior decades portion of my collection.
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I think there should be a whole thread dedicated to criterion releases not on dvd.

Some that I can think of:

Jason and the argonauts

Akira criterion the one with all the special features.

Ghostbusters

Chasing Amy

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

Robocop

the princess bride

rashomon with alternate english audio track.

Taxi Driver

Raging Bull

2001 a SPACE ODYSSEY

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: skyjedi2005
I think there should be a whole thread dedicated to criterion releases not on dvd.

Some that I can think of:

Jason and the argonauts

Akira criterion the one with all the special features.

Ghostbusters

Chasing Amy

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

Robocop

the princess bride

rashomon with alternate english audio track.

Taxi Driver

Raging Bull

2001 a SPACE ODYSSEY



Wait just a damn minute...

Criterion did release RoboCop and Chasing Amy onto DVD. Although RoboCop is now out of print and Chasing Amy I believe is still in print though.
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"Criterion did release RoboCop and Chasing Amy onto DVD. Although RoboCop is now out of print and Chasing Amy I believe is still in print though."

consider me corrected on these 2 then.

but did they have all the same documentary or special features commentary as the laserdisc?

I still believe there are a great deal of releases not on dvd and some never will be because of obvious rights wrangling in hollywood.


“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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Originally posted by: skyjedi2005
"Criterion did release RoboCop and Chasing Amy onto DVD. Although RoboCop is now out of print and Chasing Amy I believe is still in print though."

consider me corrected on these 2 then.

but did they have all the same documentary or special features commentary as the laserdisc?

I still believe there are a great deal of releases not on dvd and some never will be because of obvious rights wrangling in hollywood.


Here is what I could find from the Laserdisc Database concerning the extras for RoboCop:

# Unrated director's cut master in THX, including "excessively violent" shots, cut from the theatrical release to avoid an X rating.
# Screen-specific stereo audio commentary with director Paul Verhoeven, co-writer Ed Neumeier, producer Jon Davison, and Robocop expert Paul Sammon
# Film-to-storyboards comparison
# Extensive still frame supplement chronicling the production of RoboCop

And then here is the back cover for the DVD release for RoboCop:

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/3808/715515009324o4xk.jpg

If the Criterion DVD of RoboCop wasn't so difficult to find, I'd already own it. I should've purchased it when I had the opportunity back in early 2002.
What I'd do, I'd use the best of both worlds and use both the discs from the MGM RoboCop Trilogy (also available individually from Japan as a Special Edition of which I'm eventually buying) and from the Criterion. I'd even make it in the same type of calibre as FOX Japan's "Ultimate Edition" 2-Disc set releases.

Disc 1-
The film with both commentaries. I'd probably use the MGM 1.85:1 Anamorphic transfer. Use both the 5.1 remix and the original 2.0 Dolby surround mix. Only have English subtitles.

Disc 2-
Probably a DVD-9 with all the extras from both releases.

The last time I owned the Criterion for Chasing Amy I only bought it for $15.99. I figure I should repurchase it.
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I have the Rocop disc. it's a carbon copy of the laserdisc. and the sound mix in my opinion is beter than the 5.1 hands down!

I have chasing Amy too, again, a carbon copy.


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I've been meaning to request a Baron Munchausen DVD for a loooong time.

Fisher King would be really awesome too, but Munchausen is asking for it a lot more.

Thanks in advance to all involved!
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yes! another terry gilliam fan around here is a plus

i'm a big supporter of getting these great criterion LDs on DVD

also, another source for robocop unrated is the trilogy box set (and it is even anamorphic)
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I've gotten word that a friend of Garrett's (ocpmovie's) has already transferred the special features from The Fisher King and is going to do Munchausen when he gets back from his vacation, and when I send him the laserdiscs. Sweet!

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Also got word that that person is using a set-top DVD recorder to do the transfer. That's good enough, if nothing else is available, but I'd really like if someone with a laserdisc player and a good capture card and computer capabilities to do this transfer to step up.

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Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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Have been a severe lurker for a long time but I think it's time to come out on this one - the Munchausen laserdisc is something I've long been looking for and never been able to afford. Have recently been reading a book called Losing the Light which is about all the problems that Gilliam was beset by throughout the filming - well worth a look if you haven't read it already.

At a recent press show for Brothers Grimm a journalist friend of mine got to speak to Gilliam, told him that it was (and is) my favourite film... Gilliam was suitably nice about the compliment and proceeded to sign a very old book from the 70's he did called Animations of Mortality. He drew a cartoon in it and signed it:
"To Adam,
Yellowed with age (not you - the book)
Terry Gilliam"

How happy was I?

Anyway excellent news on the LD transfer
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Animations of Mortality is great, well worth a grab from the "used" bin at amazon.com.


Dave West is doing the set-top transfers of this material. He has indeed done all the Fisher King material (apart from a "production audio" pass on the deleted scenes). He's on holiday or something, but will be doing Munchausen also. Good times.
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definitely agree on the Animations of Mortality - it is a great book for its time as well as offering interesting insight into animation that can easily be used in Flash animation these days!
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inspired by this thread I have just finished wathcing Munchausen AGAIN and have just realised that it was Terry Gilliam and not the Wachowski Brothers who invented 'bullet time' just watch Berthold in the final act start running, he catches up with the bullet, grabs a piece of armour and redirects it away from the Baron... far more impressive than simply dodging the damn thing.

Neo - you should be embarrassed, you are positively slow in comparison to Berthold.

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How is this project going? I too just read Losing The Light (WOW. Just Wow, man),and would love to see some of that great LD material. I was in the Long Island test screening years ago for the movie, and wish I could recall what I saw that didn't make the final cut. MOst of the audience didn't dig it much, but part of that was because we were told we were going to see 'the new Sting movie.' A lot of people were disappointed as a result, but I totally dug it.
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I've gotta get off my lazy ass and find some appropriate packing material for the Munchausen discs, but I will soon.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.