The French Connection Blu-ray or DVD?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Mar 2009, 14:06

I've been reading incredibly bad reports of how The French Connection looks on BD. Should I? -

A: Get the BD Box set
B: Get the DVD of Part 1 and BD of Part 2 (which would have to be the USA BD seeing as Part 2 doesn't seem to be out in The UK)

I've never seen either film, so have never seen how Part 1 originally looked but I hear the DVD looks a lot better.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Mar 2009, 14:08

According to the review he plans to do the same for The Exorcist:

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1916/fr ... ction.html

Check out the video section, it seems Friedkin had a massive falling out of this new BD with the DP.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 12 Mar 2009, 15:17

Option B.

The documentary feel of French Connection I's original cinematography is an integral part of the film, IMO.

luckystars · Post by **luckystars** » 12 Mar 2009, 16:04

Save your cash for a better movie?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Mar 2009, 17:00

Thanks Eva. Anyone else? I'd like a few opinions here. Have you seen the BD Eva? I presume not.

It's such a shame, as I was literally waiting for the BD before seeing it, after I almost bought it a few months back.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 12 Mar 2009, 17:49

Just get the dvd box set of parts 1 and 2 for a few quid, save yourself loads of cash and the sight of the shit HD transfers, do not support any Director who thinks making a film look like shit is a good thing. The mans a twonk from head to toe, he may make some great films, but still a total loon.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 12 Mar 2009, 19:25

I made comments previously about Friedkin being a has-been reduced to tampering with his old classics (ala Lucas).

Seems I was bang-on.

Buy the 2-disc DVD.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 12 Mar 2009, 19:29

The really pathetic thing is watching the Fanboys say things like The Director wants it to look that way so its the only way we should see it

the sad twonks.

If a Director says you have to watch a film in the nude with a cucumber up your ass would they do it? bullshit they would (well some of them anyway).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Mar 2009, 19:43

romerojpg wrote:The really pathetic thing is watching the Fanboys say things like The Director wants it to look that way so its the only way we should see it

To be fair, I have read that so many times on this forum, by most members from one time or another

.

Thanks Mark and Romero. I am edging towards the DVD, it's much cheaper too.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 12 Mar 2009, 22:24

romerojpg wrote:If a Director says you have to watch a film in the nude with a cucumber up your ass would they do it?

What's the film?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 12 Mar 2009, 22:27

bradavon wrote:Thanks Mark and Romero. I am edging towards the DVD, it's much cheaper too.

The UK release is missing the original mono track (if you care...?)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Mar 2009, 23:10

Thanks for the info on the UK DVD. I'll probably prefer the 5.1. I imagine/hope it's more like Stereo than an "Anchor Bay" 5.1 remix.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Mar 2009, 03:19

Markgway wrote:I made comments previously about Friedkin being a has-been reduced to tampering with his old classics (ala Lucas).

Bug

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Mar 2009, 15:16

EvaUnit02 wrote:Bug

I shit my pants at the tooth moment

now thats what I call pain. :thumbleft: Shame the film is largley unseen by people still.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 13 Mar 2009, 16:46

Never heard of it. Did it get released anywhere?

EDIT: Just checked the BBFC and it was passed for cinema and DVD releases with an '18' cert.

I think this passed most people by as I don't recall even reading any reviews at the time.

So is it good?

Not that it would make up for tampering with his old movies.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Mar 2009, 17:03

BUG is very good indeed, best not to read much about it as really its hard to even describe it, except its bloody scary brutal and soo brilliantly acted

I paid £2 I think for the dvd, well worth it

They kept it low ley when it came to cinema release, it was probibly on 1 screen as I know it never came anywhere near me, then they stuck it on dvd and dumped it,.

I think it was a bit hardcore

people were probibly expecting a monster film or horror from the trailers, what they got was a fucking scary little film, and nothing like the advertising said it was, I think they promoted it very badly. I know Mr Friedkin hated all the advertising at the time, they had no clue what to do with it I guess as its such an oddball punch in the face film

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 13 Mar 2009, 18:14

romerojpg wrote:The really pathetic thing is watching the Fanboys

Aren't you a bit of a fanboy? You certainly have a thing going for Uwe Boll & Resident Evil movies

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Mar 2009, 18:32

Nope, a fanboy will defend no matter what anyone says

I couldnt care less what anyone says about films I like, I dont even bother defending most of them ever

if someone hates a film I like, good for them, I still like it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Mar 2009, 21:52

Here are some screenshots (1280x720 if clicked on) showing how French Connection now looks:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.ph ... creenshots

As said, I've never seen it but it doesn't take a genius to see how much of a mess it looks (compared to DVD captures). And French Connection 2:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.ph ... creenshots

I've just bid on the UK DVD Box set. I've heard mixed reports of the sequel and the USA BD costs a bomb.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 18 Mar 2009, 22:40

The fact Red objects bleed out of the object into other parts of the screen makes the transfer a joke

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 18 Mar 2009, 23:22

The sequel is quite good from what I remember.

Hackman is on great form.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 19 Mar 2009, 13:55

Maybe not a BD keeper though, just DVD plus owning the first on DVD and second BD would be really weird.

The USA BD also obviously costs a bomb too.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 19 Mar 2009, 19:38

I wouldn't buy a BD of a film I've never seen unless it was cheap.

luckystars · Post by **luckystars** » 19 Mar 2009, 20:16

I think Brad's a bit of a fruitcake though...Tesco have a 2 pack of both films for a fiver...but go for the BD's if you want

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 19 Mar 2009, 20:39

Markgway wrote:I wouldn't buy a BD of a film I've never seen unless it was cheap.

I would. I see no point having to buy it twice. I can usually tell if I'll like or dislike a film and can always sell it.

In this case I won the UK box set for a fiver from eBay, it's the OOP digi-pack version too.

luckystars wrote:I think Brad's a bit of a fruitcake though...Tesco have a 2 pack of both films for a fiver...but go for the BD's if you want

Fruitcake, most definitely

. I bet that's the 2 disc double pack and not the 3 disc SE. I want the French Connection SE.