The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz (1955)
Ensayo de un crimen
Comedy, Drama, Crime • 1h 31m
Director: Luis Buñuel
Cast: Ernesto Alonso, Miroslava, Rita Macedo, Andrea Palma, Rodolfo Landa, Ariadna Welter, José María Linares Rivas, Leonor Llausás, Eva Calvo, Enrique Díaz 'Indiano', Carlos Riquelme, Carlos Martínez Baena, Manuel Dondé, Armando Velasco, Armando Acosta, Eduardo Alcaraz, Janet Alcoriza, Rafael Banquells hijo, Antonio Bravo, Emilio Brillas, Lupe Carriles, Jorge Casanova, Jorge Chesterking, Ángel Di Stefani, Enedina Díaz de León, Enrique García Álvarez, Jesús Gómez, Leonor Gómez, Elodia Hernández, Francisco Ledesma, Salvador Lozano, Ángel Merino, Roberto Meyer, José Peña, Ignacio Peón, Chabela Durán
Best English-friendly & video release · updated 4 months ago
Overview
A bizarre black comedy about a man whose overwhelming ambition in life is to be a renowned serial killer of women, and will stop at nothing to achieve it - but not everything goes according to plan...
Director: Luis Buñuel
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Director: Luis Buñuel
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
StudioCanal 50th Anniversary Blu-ray uses a newer 4k scan than Criterion Blu-ray or older StudioCanal Blu-ray see https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=4373
Director: Luis Buñuel
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · filmlinc.org (opens in a new tab)
4k transfer, no disc https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2019/films/lage-dor/
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
StudioCanal has 4k, good encode, accuracy of the color grading is debatable vs Criterion
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Luis Buñuel
Sources: caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
Cohen restored themselves, significantly better than StudioCanal https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=11902&d2=11795&c=4648
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Director: Rudolph Maté
Director: William Beaudine
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray
Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray are both MP2 encoded, most likely from the same master. Judging from the size and the caps from DVDBeaver or BR for VCI or caps-a-holic for Filmjuwelen, they are probably very similar.
Director: Victor Halperin
Kino Lorber "raw' version or VCI replacement Blu-ray
Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)
No comparison available
See DVDBeaver for the whole fiasco but Kino Lorber's main feature was a DNR mess but it fortunately included the "raw" version. VCI initially had a bitrate < 10 Mbps but have sent out new disc with bitrate around 35 Mbps.
UCLA has a new restoration done in 2015, but no release yet
Only VCI has optional subtitle and commentaries, while Kino Lorber doesn't
More Comedy on Blu-ray
TV series
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative for all episodes
Director: Norman Taurog
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Delbert Mann
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Garson Kanin
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Only Streaming has 1080p
Director: Preston Sturges
No information on French Elephant Films Blu-ray
Director: Ralph Bakshi
Director: Tommy O'Haver
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Eureka UK are considering doing a 4K and actively exploring the possibility: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24363810&postcount=264
Wonderful underlying remaster by Criterion and Resillion, but NexSpec encode has clipped highlights with the occasional blockiness. The Criterion Blu-Ray, sourced from their 4K remaster, ironically makes for a more consistent and overall pleasing experience.
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