Adventures
Of Baron Munchausen 4K
(1988/Sony/Columbia/Criterion 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/And
Just Like That: The Complete First Season
(2022/HBO/Warner DVD Set)/Ticket
To Paradise
(2022/Universal Blu-ray w/DVD)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: A- Picture: B/C+/B & C+ Sound: B/C+/B &
C+ Extras: B/D/C Main Programs: B-/C+/C+
Here
are three major name releases that include comedy and more...
We
start with Terry Gilliam's The
Adventures Of Baron Munchausen 4K
(1988,) which is at least a minor classic in the Fantasy film genre,
from how well it has aged to how many such film that followed (like
The
Hobbit Trilogy)
just do not work or hold up that well. Here is a review of the 20th
Anniversary Blu-ray edition from another one of our writers who loves
the film at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6869/The+Adventures+of+Baron+Munchausen
Now,
we have The Criterion Collection picking it up and issuing it in 4K
and with the 4K especially being impressive, it is now the only way
to see the film outside of a mint-condition 35mm or 70mm film print.
No doubt John Neville is outstanding in the title role or supporting
turns by Oliver Reed, Eric Idle, Jack Purvis, Uma Thurman, Ray
Cooper, Sting (in one of the few good films he has been able to get
into,) Sarah Polley, Jonathan Pryce, Robin Williams and one of my
personal favorites, Peter Jeffrey, make for a very strong supporting
cast.
The
look of the film and nearly all of its (non-digital) visual effects
were shockingly strong and effective then and save the odd video used
for the Robin Williams sequence, makes the film timeless. Gilliam is
one of the only directors (Guillermo del Toro is one of the few
others) who has the knowledge, talent, heart and soul to make such a
film and he did. Again, I am not a megafan of the film, but I was
glad to revisit it because it was built to last and last it does.
Definitely catch this one!
Extras
include a paper foldout on the film, including art, stills, tech
info, an
essay by critic and author Michael Koresky
and more, while the discs add
a feature-length audio commentary track featuring Gilliam and his
co-screenwriter, Charles McKeown
A
documentary on the making of the film
New
video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns about the history
of the Baron Munchausen character
Behind-the-scenes
footage of the film's special effects, narrated by Gilliam
Deleted
scenes with commentary by Gilliam
Storyboards
for unfilmed scenes, narrated by Gilliam and McKeown
Original
marketing materials including a trailer and electronic-press-kit
featurettes, as well as preview cards and advertising proposals read
by Gilliam
Miracle
of Flight (1974), an animated short film by Gilliam
and
an episode of The South Bank Show from 1991 on Gilliam.
And
Just Like That: The Complete First Season
(2022) is the surprise revival of the popular hit HBO series Sex
And The City,
though it is sadly missing Kim Catrall (due to conflicts from the
past with a co-star) whose character is written out in the first
scene as having taken a new job (better than killing her off!) and
the show jumps right back into its sometimes gross (non?)humor and we
are back in the world these ladies have always inhabited. They still
have money, but now they have to deal with a post-COVID world and the
fact that they are older. Still, they know they look good.
Though
I was never the biggest fan of the original show, I understood its
success, in part because a show about this particular world to, of
and for women had never been shown before (nighttime soap operas, of
which this is not, do not count) so it was new territory and could
even shock in its time. The actresses (Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica
Parker, Kristin Davis) have zero problems becoming their characters
again, like a music group that has not played for a decade or so, but
still has the knack of who they are and the chemistry remains.
We
get ten episodes and they are good enough for what they are and meant
to be, but this is mostly still a for-fans-only affair and at least
HBO has put the money into the show, though it would be hard to do
this one on a budget considering who they play. Still, fans should
be happy and this will be a curio for others. The original show has
been remastered (4K scans of the Super 16mm original full color
camera negatives, Dolby Atmos sound from the original soundmasters)
so we'll see how they compare down the line. Otherwise, it will be
interesting to see where this new show goes.
There
are no extras.
Lastly,
we have Ol Parker's Ticket
To Paradise
(2022) bringing back the duo of George Clooney and Julia Roberts as a
divorced couple whose daughter is getting married, but they have more
insults for each other and regrets about each other than you can
imagine. Having to face each other for the first time in years,
they've been building their artillery of snide comments and
criticisms of each other and it is not pretty.
However,
when they see the nice guy in a land far away she is going to marry,
they start to consider sabotaging the whole thing. Of course, so
much of this is obvious and safe, but even I was impressed how good
Roberts and Clooney, great friends in real life, are able to put that
aside and just go after each other in character like an old screwball
comedy from the 1930s and 1940s. Yes, they are that good and have
that much chemistry, one fo the few couples anywhere who could pull
this off.
So
even when it gets silly or corny, there are also some authentic
laughs here and they more than prove their star power again, making
this one of the biggest hits of the year. If you are interested, it
is worth a good look.
Extras
are limited, but (per the press release) include: Return of the
Dynamic Duo: Back together at last! In this fun-loving
featurette, celebrate the big screen return of two of the world's
most beloved stars, Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
Destination
Wedding: It's a beautiful day for a wedding in paradise - and
you're invited! Take a deep dive into all the details of Lily's
magical day.
Production
in Paradise: From Balinese marriage customs, to filming in the
Whitsundays, discover how filmmakers were able to bring a slice of
paradise to audiences around the world in this making-of.
and
Keep a Straight Face: It's hard to keep a straight face with
a best friend by your side. Spend a day on set with real life pals
Kaitlyn Dever and Billie Lourd as they try not to distract each
other too much.
Now
for playback performance. The 2160p
HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Munchausen
was one we expected to be good and better than any previous edition
of the film, but this 4K scan off of the original 35mm camera
negative is far stronger and richer than expected. It compares
greatly with the 35mm version I saw back in its original 1988
theatrical release and even if you ado not like the film or are only
so impressed like I am, it has plenty of demo material and the color
range is terrific!
The
1080p Blu-ray edition is good for what it is and at least as good as
the older Blu-ray version, but no match for the 4K's amazing
performance.
The
film was original issued in Dolby's advanced analog SR (Spectral
Recording) noise reduction system and in a year that did not have a
great number of great sounding feature films, was one of the best.
Apparently also issued in 6-track magnetic stereo in 70mm blow-up
prints, the film, was upgraded to 5.1 back in 2004 and the DTS-HD MA
(Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix featured on both the 4K and regular
Blu-ray editions just sounds a little better than the 5.1 on the
older 20th
Anniversary Blu-ray. This is the best this film will ever sound and
in 4K, probably ever look.
The
1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer on Paradise
is not bad, consistent and professional enough, though it does not
necessarily offer any demo material, it is color-consistent and the
leads are always lit well. The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image DVD version is comparatively
softer and with less color range, but is just good enough for the old
format.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on the Blu-ray is
well-recorded and mixed enough, with decent music placement, but
nothing socially stunning,
as expected. The lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 on the DVD is not as good,
but adequate for hearing the film, but the DVD just lessens what does
work.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on That can be a little
soft in places, but looks good enough in this old format, while the
lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 sound on each episode is passable, but it
also sounds like it would sound better in a lossless format. Could
it be reissued on Blu-ray in DTS:X or Dolby Atmos?
-
Nicholas Sheffo
