Press Release HTF EXCLUSIVE! Twilight Time July 2018 Release Announcements (1 Viewer)

[Peter Rohlfs]

I was hoping for more Marilyn Monroe.

Ditto

 

[RolandL]

In 70MM and six track stereo sound or mono?

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Maltin is a movie reviewer and not a film critic (there is a difference) and he also gave one and a half stars to the original Blade Runner (which makes it equal to Genghis Khan in Maltin's opinion) and a mere two stars to Taxi Driver. For what it's worth

Mystery Science Theater 3000 did an episode noting Maltin's star ratings, the movie under fire was "Laserblast," which Maltin gave 2.5 stars. "Being There - 2 stars": Scroll to 11:40 for the end titles where they detail the ratings.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

For what it's worth, Leonard Maltin gives it one and 1/2 stars and calls it "Laughable epic with gross miscasting and juvenile script." I guess none of us are 14 anymore. Cheers~~

The "respectable film critic" Leonard Maltin gives EVERY "peplum" and most "historical epics" one and a half stars. His scoring is SO ridiculous that I'm convinced he never actually saw any or most of them. After I discovered his "faux critique method", I would say it ain't worth much. If did did that to all unusual noirs, you might think of him in a different light.

 

[RolandL]

Filmed in 70mm? I don't think so.

 

[kinopanorama.widescreeen]

I was about the same age as Alan when I saw Genghis Khan and loved every minute of it. I have revisited it many times over the years and have always had fun with it. The music score is outstanding. I never imagined seeing this on Blu- thank you TT.
I am unfamiliar with Huang Shi but may give it a try.

 

[kinopanorama.widescreeen]

I am pleased to note that so many respondents mentioned the music score, which was the work of the Serbo-Croatian composer, Dusan Radic, who also composed the music for The Long Ships. He is mostly forgotten today. A considerable amount of his concert music is still performed in his home country.

 

[addisondewitt]

Let me say first that I love TLT's transfers. My problem is with their choice of film. I know there are many of you that think the '70's had the best films and others who feel that noir is all! Let me put in my two cents for Twilight Time upgrades of THIEF OF BAGDAD(1939) and SHOWBOAT (1936). The former has colors that would pop off the screen as well as a great Miklos Rozsa score, and the latter in glorious black and white looking like the most beautiful of woodcuts with superlative direction by James Whale and wonderful performances by Paul Robson and Hattie McDaniel. A few cringeworthy racist moments but all in all a magnificent work. P.S. And since Fox seems to be a favorite, how about a new print of CARMEN JONES?

 

[PMF]

Maltin is a movie reviewer and not a film critic (there is a difference) and he also gave one and a half stars to the original Blade Runner (which makes it equal to Genghis Khan in Maltin's opinion) and a mere two stars to Taxi Driver. For what it's worth

Holy Cow !!! Maltin gave "Taxi Driver" only 2 stars? Huh? What? This has to be a case of personal tastes; coming from the guy who got the brilliant "Disney Treasures" going and - back in the 70's - wrote an excellent and comprehensive book on comedy shorts. That's why its good to know the tastes of the critic/movie reviewer; as this it makes it easier to discern when dealing with your own tastes. But, with that said, what are the additional attributes (besides its music) that make Genghis Khan noteworthy in being a TT release? This is not at all a sarcasm; it's only a case of my not being familiar with the film, at all.

 

[Thomas T]

Holy Cow !!! Maltin gave "Taxi Driver" only 2 stars? Huh? What? This has to be a case of personal tastes; coming from the guy who got the brilliant "Disney Treasures" going and - back in the 70's - wrote an excellent and comprehensive book on comedy shorts. That's why its good to know the tastes of the critic/movie reviewer; as this it makes it easier to discern when dealing with your own tastes. But, with that said, what are the additional attributes (besides its music) that make Genghis Khan noteworthy in being a TT release? This is not at all a sarcasm; it's only a case of my not being familiar with the film, at all.

I enjoy Genghis Khan moderately enough to own it on DVD but not enough to upgrade to blu ray though if it pops up at $9.99 at some TT sale I might bite as I did with Secret Of Santa Vittoria, another film I like well enough but don't love. So I'm not the one to come to Khan's defense . I merely responded with that tidbit to show that Matlin's tastes are not definitive (even he calls them opinions). Personally, I think he's pretty much a hack but hey, that's just me. Not as bad as Rex Reed (who is?) but pretty low on the critical scale for me. I prefer real critics like Pauline Kael, Andrew Sarris, Roger Ebert and Manohla Dargis which is not to say I take their word as gospel either but at least I respect their opinions even if I don't agree with them (which I often don't). I would imagine TT decided to release Genghis Khan because the film elements are in good shape and the film does have a cult following of sorts.

 

[RMajidi]

Let me put in my two cents for Twilight Time upgrades of THIEF OF BAGDAD(1939)... colors that would pop off the screen as well as a great Miklos Rozsa score

I resemble that remark.

[Criterion released TOB on DVD, so that’s the direction I’ve been looking to for any US Blu-ray release. I have the region-free Oz release and the region B UK Network release - both feature the same fine transfer; however, I’d pay top dollar for a full-scale restoration]

 

[PMF]

I enjoy Genghis Khan moderately enough to own it on DVD but not enough to upgrade to blu ray though if it pops up at $9.99 at some TT sale I might bite as I did with Secret Of Santa Vittoria, another film I like well enough but don't love. So I'm not the one to come to Khan's defense . I merely responded with that tidbit to show that Matlin's tastes are not definitive (even he calls them opinions). Personally, I think he's pretty much a hack but hey, that's just me. Not as bad as Rex Reed (who is?) but pretty low on the critical scale for me. I prefer real critics like Pauline Kael, Andrew Sarris, Roger Ebert and Manohla Dargis which is not to say I take their word as gospel either but at least I respect their opinions even if I don't agree with them (which I often don't). I would imagine TT decided to release Genghis Khan because the film elements are in good shape and the film does have a cult following of sorts.

I have issues only with Pauline Kael and had wished that once in her own career she knew what it was like to be washed away for 14 years by a single giant wave. A "moderately enough" on "Genghis Khan" in conjunction to my thorough enjoyment of "Santa Vittoria" works enough for me; as I don't even have the DVD and will delve into a purchase in order to expand my knowledge of another composer and his ways of scoring of the film.

Nice write-up Thomas T. Or is that Thomas TT?

 

[PMF]

Whoa there, whoa...stop the presses!
I just did some further research on "Genghis".
This offering of Khan, in conjunction with my other July purchase of Caan, has catapulted its way up to a category Must Buy.
The cinematographer was none other than Geoffrey Unsworth.
Too many reasons right there; especially when one also discovers that its from Columbia Pictures.
Unsworth, Columbia and TT;
now there's a visually Crisp and perfect triad.

P.S.
Hey, wait a minute...
Is there a hidden clue in there about a future TT release?
Could it be that Khan-Caan will soon turn into Can-Can?

 

[Thomas T]

I have issues only with Pauline Kael and had wished that once in her own career she knew what it was like to be washed away for 14 years by a single giant wave. A "moderately enough" on "Genghis Khan" in conjunction to my thorough enjoyment of "Santa Vittoria" works enough for me; as I don't even have the DVD and will delve into a purchase in order to expand my knowledge of another composer and his ways of scoring of the film.

Nice write-up Thomas T. Or is that Thomas TT?

I absolutely love Ryan's Daughter and disagreed with Kael's appraisal of it. But as much as I admire David Lean, c'mon, negative reviews are part of the game when you're a film maker so it's unfair to blame his 14 year absence on Kael's so called "power". And without Kael championing them, some great films like Bonnie And Clyde, Nashville and Last Tango In Paris might not have had the success they did. What I loved about Kael was her complete belief in her own critical faculties and it didn't matter if she wasn't in step with her peers. A film could get rave notices from every other critic but she would say, "It stinks!" or a film could get panned by all the critics and she would say, "I love it!". I loved that maverick sensibility. As someone who detests some sacred cows (Grapes Of Wrath, It's A Wonderful Life), Oscar's darlings (Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan) but loves some detested films (1973's Lost Horizon, Myra Breckinridge), I march to my own drum too!

Now if you'll excuse me, my blu ray of TT's No Down Payment arrived in today's mail and it has been one of my Holy Grails for decades so I'm in heaven and watching it is going to be Christmas, Thanksgiving and the 4th of July rolled into one!

 

[PMF]

I absolutely love Ryan's Daughter and disagreed with Kael's appraisal of it.[...]

Which is the very reason I prefer to read a Thomas T review.

 

[PMF]

Now if you'll excuse me, my blu ray of TT's No Down Payment arrived in today's mail [...]

No Down Payment, yes; but did it arrive C.O.D.?

 

[Worth]

I absolutely love Ryan's Daughter and disagreed with Kael's appraisal of it. But as much as I admire David Lean, c'mon, negative reviews are part of the game when you're a film maker so it's unfair to blame his 14 year absence on Kael's so called "power".

I think Ryan's Daughter is a good film, but one of Lean's lesser works. It's very scale and scope seem to work against the story somehow. But I think it's poor reception had less to do with the quality of the film and more to do with the fact that it was very much out of sync with the times when it was released.

 

[Thomas T]

I think Ryan's Daughter is a good film, but one of Lean's lesser works. It's very scale and scope seem to work against the story somehow. But I think it's poor reception had less to do with the quality of the film and more to do with the fact that it was very much out of sync with the times when it was released.

I'd agree with the assessment that it did seem out of sync with other (more topical) films of that year like Five Easy Pieces, MASH, Little Big Man, Zabriskie Point, Woodstock, Performance, Catch 22, Where's Poppa? etc. But on the other hand, Patton and Airport were huge hits and they were just as "old fashioned" as Ryan's Daughter so .....

But posterity has been kind to many films of that era which were dismissed for being old fashioned and not relevant while the more acclaimed films seem so dated and of their time. Films like Ryan's Daughter, Hello Dolly and Doctor Dolittle hold up surprisingly well today while Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy and The Graduate seem like museum pieces and as our generation (the baby boomers) die off, I suspect they'll get even less love.

 

[Steve...O]

Let me say first that I love TLT's transfers. My problem is with their choice of film. I know there are many of you that think the '70's had the best films and others who feel that noir is all! Let me put in my two cents for Twilight Time upgrades of THIEF OF BAGDAD(1939) and SHOWBOAT (1936). The former has colors that would pop off the screen as well as a great Miklos Rozsa score, and the latter in glorious black and white looking like the most beautiful of woodcuts with superlative direction by James Whale and wonderful performances by Paul Robson and Hattie McDaniel. A few cringeworthy racist moments but all in all a magnificent work. P.S. And since Fox seems to be a favorite, how about a new print of CARMEN JONES?

Keep in mind that TT does not do restorations; they issue what the studios provide to them. Also, they can't release titles from studios that don't license films or ones that they don't have a relationship with. Warners and Universal for example don't license films to TT. Finally, a film has have a suitable HD master to be released.

Personally, I like their varied choice of film. It's encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone at times with my blind buys to experience films I wouldn't normally have seen. Fox and Columbia do exemplary work and I can buy a TT film from one of those studios with a high degree of confidence that the presentation will be first rate.

 

[Alan Tully]

For what it's worth, Leonard Maltin gives it one and 1/2 stars and calls it "Laughable epic with gross miscasting and juvenile script." I guess none of us are 14 anymore. Cheers~~

Actually I don't have problem with that rating, it is a daft film (along with The Long Ships & Taras Bulba & a lot of the films that I loved, or at least liked at the time). These kind of films aren't made with critics in mind, & a lot of my enjoyment now is nostalgia based.