Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2012 0:52:41 GMT -5
I am reposting this bit of news here, I think it deserves its own thread: Harold and Maude released on Criterion: SYNOPSIS: With the idiosyncratic American fable Harold and Maude, countercultural director Hal Ashby fashioned what would become the cult classic of its era. Working from a script by Colin Higgins, Ashby tells the story of the emotional and romantic bond between a death-obsessed young man (Bud Cort) from a wealthy family and a devil-may-care, bohemian octogenarian (Ruth Gordon). Equal parts gallows humor and romantic innocence, Harold and Maude dissolves the line between darkness and light along with the ones that separate people by class, gender, and age, and it features indelible performances and a remarkable soundtrack by Cat Stevens. Disc Features * New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition * Optional remastered stereo soundtrack * Audio commentary by Hal Ashby biographer Nick Dawson and producer Charles B. Mulvehill * Illustrated audio excerpts of seminars by Ashby and writer-producer Colin Higgins * New interview with songwriter Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) * PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Michael Wood; a 1971 New York Times profile of star Ruth Gordon; and excerpted transcripts of two interviews, one from 1997 with star Bud Cort and director of photography John Alonzo and one from 2001 with executive producer Mildred Lewis Relase date: April 17, 2012 www.criterion.com/films/27896-harold-and-maude |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2012 0:58:30 GMT -5
Flipping through the channels tonite I found "Harold And Maude" playing on a French-Canadian specialty station. It was the first time I ever saw it in HD. What a splendor to see this in its original format. It wasn't a restored version and yet it was amazing to watch. Makes you appreciate the work of the cinematographer, set designer, etc. And of course the talent of Hal Ashby.
I'm really looking forward to the Criterion release.
This film always seems to spring up on me when I need to hear its message again.....
|
|
|
|
Post by jonathanjzero on Feb 18, 2012 12:58:04 GMT -5
Really great news about the bluray release. I just wish I could buy it AND watch it. I looked around at my usual places and only could see it here at cdwow: www.cdwow.us/blu-ray/harold-and-maude/dp/27309161#bc=38e9 US$35.99 free shipping www.cdwow.com/blu-ray/harold-and-maude/dp/27309161#bc=38e9 £25.99 free shipping fr.cdwow.com//blu-ray/harold-and-maude/dp/27309161#bc=38e926,99 € Livraison Gratuite (free delivery) Looking at your link I see it's a bit cheaper but only good for local residents. The other big shame is that it's only available in Region A coding, which is bad for everybody else outside of the U.S. certain parts of Asia and... whoever else with region A territory coding. So silly really. Anyone who owns a multi region encoded bluray player can see it so this of itself makes region coded restrictions absolutely pointless. I bought my bluray player because it could play SACDs. It even plays multi region dvds, but it wont play multi region blurays. So so so silly! It's a Sony, it also plays mkv files (unlike the Sony PS3), but where the PS3 plays DIVX, the Sony bluray player wont play DIVX - only Xvid. And the early models of the PS3 would play SACDs, but now they don't... It'll be nice for you though and glad that being a fan of this movie, you can see and hear it in exceptional quality. I'll await your review  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2012 23:08:53 GMT -5
Release date has been postponed to June 12, 2012. Ah well.......
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2012 1:42:00 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Novim on Jun 11, 2012 4:04:24 GMT -5
Wow! Thanks, Charles. Great packaging. I already have the DVD but it looks like I might have to buy another to add to the 6 Tea for the Tillermans I have! I have had to buy so many things multiple times. Never mind it's a really good film.
All the best,
Chris
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2012 16:25:57 GMT -5
Can't wait to get this. The blu-ray should be here tomorrow. I'm reserving tomorrow afternoon for this! Three reasons why The Criterion Collection loves "Harold and Maude": My main three reasons: 1- The Cast 2- Cat Stevens 3- The Message What are yours? |
|
|
|
Post by JaneB on Jun 12, 2012 16:43:37 GMT -5
I haven't stepped up to blu-ray just yet, but this new artwork and supplements might just force me to buy the DVD - again! Oh, who amongst us does not have multiples of many Cat/Yusuf items?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2012 18:49:14 GMT -5
I spent the afternoon watching this. The blu ray version. A few thoughts and observations on this release: The high definition transfer is excellent for colors and details but it is quite grainy. Sometimes HD can be too much HD for olders films. That's the case here. I got around this by using the noise reduction adjustment on my player. Sound on the other hand is amazing. The stereo uncompressed LPCM track is excellent. It was created using the 35 mm magnetic track and the original stereo soundtrack as indicated in the booklet. The songs sounds almost like they do on their respective albums. The Hal Ashby and Colin Higgins audio interview are very interesting but leave you to expect more. They are accompanied by fantastic on-set stills. Yusuf's interview is 11 minute long. Interesting tid bits. He wanted to produce "Don't be Shy" and "If you want to sing out" properly in studio but with time constraint, Ashby used the demo versions for the film and Steve wasn't really happy about that. Special thanks include Yoriyos Adamos, Aminah Yusuf, Barry Krost and of course, Yusuf himself. Haven't had time to listen to the commentary track yet or read the essays and interviews in the booklet. All in all, it was a pleasurable experience to re-discover the movie in this form and with supplements. I give it a 3.5/5 stars. Now a few stills for you:   Colin Higgins. Something familiar?  Hal Ashby, Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon   Yusuf talking about Hal Ashby (smoking something!) |
|
|
|
Post by aurarisma on Jun 14, 2012 3:14:56 GMT -5
ty so much glaucus for sharing your views and the photos as well. this last one is toooo much..."memories.. light the corners of his mind" heheheheeee I believe that is one of my favorite photos of yusuf .. because he looks like he is "there" as he is talking .. those eyes ... especially his right one .. xo peace xo
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 12:42:57 GMT -5
ty so much glaucus for sharing your views and the photos as well. this last one is toooo much... You're very welcomed! Coincidence? Right now, ARTV is showing the French dub of H&M !! That's one thing I forgot to mention yesterday. It would have been nice to have a fourth audio track on the blu-ray/DVD with the French dub. Usually, the film majors have the sensibility (and the means) to release DVDs here with a French track. I mention it because I grew up on both version, English and French. The French dub was very well done, with play on words and little bits of dialogue different from the english version. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2012 14:51:58 GMT -5
One more thing about this release. It has been noted on other reviews I've read that one major thing missing is a video interview with Bud Cort. There is a 1997 written interview with Bud in the booklet. But since Ashby, Higgins are gone, it would have been great to have something visual and more recent from Bud. Why it didn't happened? no idea. I know it has been said that Bud is pretty reclusive and reluctant to give interviews. Is that true, not sure... Something with Vivian Pickles would have been great. Not sure if she is in good health, she's 80 years old.
Back when I was in high school a friend of mine called me to let me know that Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon were interviewed on what I think was the Dick Cavett Show. I caught most of it, long interview and it was lovely to see them together again. That was around 1979. That's another thing I would love to see again and could have been included if it still exists.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2012 15:47:56 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2013 0:03:14 GMT -5
You may have in the past followed the link to the Colin Higgins Foundation found in my signature below. Well, the website honoring the author of "Harold and Maude" and publicizing the humanitarian work done in his memory for the LGBT community, has been updated (major overhaul in fact) and now includes a bio of Colin, films he directed and great pictures like this one:  Harold and Maude reunion, 1981 Also, this video of the 2013 Youth Courage Awards set to a very familiar (and appropriate) tune: colinhiggins.orgInteresting to note that Colin hitchhiked to Montreal in 1967 for the World's fair and was influenced to become a filmmaker. 4 years later, his UCLA master's thesis, the scrip of "Harold And Maude", was bought by Paramount and the rest is history. Just tought I'd share this. |
|
;D
