Rating: Summary: I gave it a star because I couldn't rate it lower Review: What a waste. The transfers on these disks are among the worst I own. Great movies but save your money and wait for Criterion editions. I'd return these if I could.
Rating: Summary: This package is a crime against these great films. Review: For true movie lovers the release of a new Stanley Kubrick movie (Eyes Wide Shut) and a DVD "Stanley Kubrick Collection" were the most anticipated movie events of 1999 (far far surpassing that space prequel thing). The job Warner Bros did on the collection,however, is an example of all the things to do wrong when releasing movies on DVD. Everything about this screams cheap-from the packaging-to the transfers-to the sound-it's just a mess. The really sad thing is that these are arguably 7 of the best movies ever made. What a waste.
Rating: Summary: Shining with Laser Rot? Review: I was totally excited when the box set arrived. I couldn't wait to put on the Shining and it totally blew me away. What is this transfer? The most horrible transfer I've ever seen on DVD. From the very beginning, the video transfer looks like covered with laser rot. It's not the usual sharp and smooth transfer that I expected from Warner. On top of that, it's presented in cropped standard version with mono sound. A total disappointment to say the least. Warner, you must go back and redo, remaster or restore this movie to all its glories.
Rating: Summary: Kubrick Great, DVD Leaves Much to be Desired.. Review: I eagerly anticipated this collection and was dismayed at the comments from other customers. Well, before I buy again, I will read them. I am not hard to please but the quality is either equal or worse than video. Barry Lyndon was grainy and the background in one scene jumped around the screen. Sound quality was lamentable as well. I felt like I was watching an old movie that had been restored to the best condition that technology permitted.
Rating: Summary: Dolby Digital 1.0?A very disappointing release! Review: Don't get me wrong,the films of Stanley Kubrick are GREAT! I am disappointed with the PRODUCTION TEAM that MASTEREDand released this BOX SET.It is OBVIOUSthat these films were RUSHED to DVD to beat the OPENING of "EYES WIDE SHUT".Most of the films have NO BONUS stuff!ONLY "THE SHINING" & "2001" haveanything EXTRA.But mostly what stood out to me was the treatment that these Landmark films audio got.Dolby Digital 1.0!(CENTER CHANNEL ONLY!)I don't know about you but once you've heard VERTIGO...an original MONURAL movie REMASTERED for 5.1 surround DVD release,you EXPECT ALL WORTHWHILE CLASSICS to get the SAME TREATMENT!Another HORRIBLE BLUNDER happens on "THE SHINING",the films AUDIO TRACK at some point(if not the ENTIRE film)gets at least 1 SECOND OUT-OF-SINC with the picture!How does this kind of MASTERING SNAFU HAPPEN?At this time of review,I have not seen ALL 7 DVD releases.(Oh I can't wait to see what OTHER TECHNICAL BLUNDERS there are.)Stanley Kubrick should get the same treatment that Hitchcock got.This was and IS a HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RELEASE and you would think the so-called executives at WARNER BROS. could have delivered a BETTER PRODUCT.I EXPECT there will or should be a RECALL by WB once they are INUNDATED with COMPLAINTS!This is why I am giving this release ONLY 1 STAR.Come on WB,I expect BETTER from you.
Rating: Summary: WB's specs are wrong. 2 films are NOT in widescreen format. Review: Given the anticipation with which my friends and I awaited this collection, it is infuriating that two of the films - Full Metal Jacket and The Shining - are NOT in widescreen (or letterbox) format, but the much inferior pan-and-scan. Even Clockwork Orange can't truly claim widescreen status, though there is minimal matting (the laserdisc version had the same problem) If this doesn't bother you, the collection is a reasonably good buy, especially at Amazon.com's discount. Even though the DVD transfers are not bad, if format matters to you, you will be annoyed. Warner Bros. should make good on its own pre-release hype and issue the version that Kubrick fans and students really wanted.
Rating: Summary: Avoid buying this at all costs!!! (0 stars if I could do it) Review: Poor transfer, all the movies are VHS dubs to DVD, no enhancement whatsoever, and with Shining and Full Metal Jacket in Mono and pan and scan (two of the better movies), This set just isn't worth it.This is a serious rip off, and isn't worth more than $70 for the whole set. I don't see how warner can expect $100 for this set with poor, low quality transfers that are almost completely lacking in extras. I would ask for my money back, but I bought it at 50% off, which makes it mildly worth the price paid.
Rating: Summary: Blame Stanley if you don't like the DVD set - Part 2 Review: It always helps to know the actual history of the film(s) before you start ranting about the transfers to video tape or DVD. The subject is the mono sound on films in "The Stanley Kubrick Collection". With the exception of "2001", all of Kubrick's films were released to the movie theaters in mono. Kubrick even forced Warner Brothers to pull the initial release of "A Clockwork Orange" on laser disk because he discovered the studio had replaced the mono tracks with stereo mixes. Kubrick apparently felt that since film images are two-dimensional, the sound should be just as flat. It will be interesting to see if he moved into the Nineties sound-wise with "Eyes Wide Shut; my guess is no.
Rating: Summary: DO NOT BUY THESE DVDs Review: I hope a Warner executive is reading this right now. In my opinion you can get better versions of these movies if you waited until they were shown on TV and taped them on your VHS machine. I saw the movies "proudly" on display at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square here in NYC and at first I thought that the store hadn't cleaned their monitors in years! Dust, scratches, overall blurry and grainy pictures; horrible matting and sound, etc. I had visions in my mind of Warner executives cheerfully celebrating the demise of Stanley Kubrick with dollar signs in there eyes as they rushed this piece of junk into the stores to make a quick buck. The press releases and news clips you are reading on DVD sales sites about the "unprecedented" quality of this set is typical, vile, corporate spin control. Ask any editor of an independent DVD review site and he will tell you he was denied a review copy of the set until after its release. This proves to the intelligent moviegoer and consumer that not only is the set bad, but Warner knew the set was bad, which is even worse. Spend your money elswhere, anywhere. Put it in the bank.
Rating: Summary: Blame Stanley if you don't like the DVD set! Review: My understanding of "The Stanley Kubrick Collection" is that Stanley Kubrick himself oversaw the transfers, or at least gave the results his blessing. He participated in the design of the artwork and packaging, in the tradition of his participation in the promotional campaigns of his movies at the times of their original releases. Kubrick is specifically responsible for the reformatting of "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket" to fill the 4:3 ratio of a standard television screen in this collection. The "letterboxing" we're getting in at least "A Clockwork Orange" and "Barry Lyndon" is only 1.66:1 -- precious little additional image area (the black bands at the top and bottom of the screen are miniscule). "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket" being the more recent films in the collection would in all likelihood have been projected/matted to 1.85:1, so their reformatting is a pity, but once again it was Kubrick's decision.
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