That's one bitter Last Emperor Espresso
I'm glad that unlike most DP Vittorio Storaro have fully embraced the digital HD medium. That being said, cropping the original aspect ratio for the films that he shot for DVD release is terrible. See the Criterion DVD release for The Last Emperor, VS approved version has been cropped and zoomed to fit 2.20:1 from it's original 2.35:1 to accommodate your HD TV sets of 1.78:1 AR. This is sacrilege. I know, I know, who I am to say this, it's more his work than mine (or ours - the fans and the viewing masses), but being a fan and one of the viewing masses, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, it has become a collectively shared, cherished aesthetic property. When others poke fun or scrutinizes the film, the fans are the first to champion the piece, therefore, there's a level of mutual responsibility by the film makers and the film fans to respect the original work of art on all levels. Star Wars shouldn't be retouched and re-shot with new scene 20 years later for the sake of commercial appeal to a new generation, screw the new generation! It won't mean as much to them as it means to the generation that first experienced it fresh. It's a different time, different social, political, economic culture; people think differently, no matter what you do to the film(s), it will be accepted, or rejected in a different manner under different times and situation. Secondly, if you (VS) really intended for the film to be 2.20:1 then why did you shoot in 2.35:1? Then you should have shot it in 2.20:1 or at least matted the 2.35:1 down to 2.20:1 for the theatrical projection. This is a bunch of BS, I was mad, but ok, I'll accept directors going back to old materials and editing in previously un-used scene(s), but DPs butchering the frame and composition to sell DVDs, forget it. I'm really sad that Bertolucci or even Criterion themselves gave no opposition to such an obviously anti-scholastic decision, especially since there are very few "decent" (even half-way decent) editions of this film available on DVD. Please see the screen shot comparison at http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/lastemperor.htm and you will see the extent of the damage. It's heart breaking because the transfer of the criterion is so amazing, as always. Dear Mr. Storaro, since you find it so easy, non-nonchalantly even, to defecate on your previous works, not just The Last Emperor (I've heard you also re-framed Apocalypse Now and Reds for DVD release), may I suggest not to waste other people's money and time, including community of fans and admirers of your work, first, acquire all remaining prints, including negatives, inter-positives, etc., of your work, and you will have an unlimited supply of floss for your teeth, so much so you can even sell your own brand of dental floss, dental hygiene is very important, and there's just too much money on the table for you to waste time with petty, drop-in-the-well, DVD releases. Perhaps your own brand of toilet paper. I wonder how brilliantly photographed film will feel on my ass; perhaps blissful,
please don't squeeze the Last Emperor can be your commercial tag line. Perhaps you can poke holes in it and make a coffee filter, espresso of course. Or baby diapers for your grand kids (or yourself in a few years), or perhaps recycle them to be reuse to film such modern classics as Meet the Spartans or any of the gems directed by Tyler Perry. Please use your imagination, oh...excuse me, you have obviously already filed bankruptcy in the imagination department.
Labels: Films on DVD
