Home :: DVD :: Drama  

African American Drama
Classics
Crime & Criminals
Cult Classics
Family Life
Gay & Lesbian
General
Love & Romance
Military & War
Murder & Mayhem
Period Piece
Religion
Sports
Television
Stanley Kubrick Collection

Stanley Kubrick Collection

List Price: $149.92
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 11 >>

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: New to DVD
Review: I only recently purchased a DVD machine, and the Kubrick collection quickly followed afterward on the shopping list. As my TV does not have an S video connection and I'm running the connection through an RF modulator, I'm probably not getting the best picture quality. Obviously I'm no video purist, still, I'm glad to have the collection. But I do wonder if Warner Bros. plans a DVD re-release of these films at some later date in more pristine condition. Some of the prints do look washed out. I have a feeling the Kubrick collection may have been rushed to market to capitialize on EWS, and complete care may not have been taken - this in spite the claims that Kubrick gave this collection his seal of approval. More likely Kubrick gave his approval to a marketing scheme that would allow gradually improved versions. But these are old films - We must remind ourselves that "Clockwork Orange" is almost thirty years old now - a bit of a shock to think about. And even the junkiest 1999 B film released on DVD will still look and sound better than a '71 masterpiece put out on DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Kubrick the great
Review: I have this video collection and I think I contain some of the greatest movie of all time. The masterpiece A Clockwork Orange who was found too controversial, The amazing 2001 A space Odyssey, the great Dr. Strangelove, and The good Lolita, Barry Lindon & Full Metal Jacket. I just watch them over and over again. I think this collection is realy worth it if you like Stanley Kubrick. Buy it now!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: blame kubrick
Review: Ok, the reason the sound is not as good as other dvd's is simple, kubrick. He did not beleive in steroe, i don't know why, but he didn't. this is done in mono. THe quality of these dvd's is as good as any other dvd of an older movie. the only small complaint i have is that there is not more bonus material in the dvds. And why isn't paths of glory in the collection? or Sparticus?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Controversial to the end...
Review: I read a number of reviews of the DVD release of thiscollection after I bought it, and feared the worst. Having onlyperused the discs, my review is premature at best, but I do want to share my views on what I saw. First off, the sound is better than I expected it would be. The mono mastering is actually quite good, and I found little difference between the 2001 disc (which is in 5.1 stereo) and the others, except that it was louder. I should say that I am viewing these with a stereo reciever, and not a surround sound system, which I imagine will account for much of the difference. Second, I found the video quality to be quite satisfactory, in fact, I was really happy to see the colors the way they should be (the brights aren't distorted on Clockwork Orange as it is on VHS). Most of these movies are over twenty years old, and I think some of graininess (ie, on Barry Lyndon) is due to superior mastering of older film. From someone coming from VHS, all I can say is that the picture is beautiful. It looks like FILM, not TV. The formatting and supplemental material controversy is overblown. Kubrick rarely shot in real widescreen, so we ARE getting the whole image he shot. And while Kubrick commentary would be wonderful, I won't hold it against him if it isn't there. While personally, I would love to have all these movies in 5.1 stereo (and if there are better prints of the film or superior mastering techniques--which I doubt--it would be nice to have those too I guess), I have no problem with the transfers. In fact, they are what I have been wishing for all these years, stuck with clunky, sloppy VHS tapes. Since these masters are appoved by THE master, any complaints should be taken up with him, I guess, and I'm not about to do that. Besides, any technical flaws I can't even detect are more than made up for by the ARTISTIC quality of these discs. The movies look and sound great. These DVDs bring the home viewer closer to Kubrick's vision than ever before, and for that reason, I recommend this collection without reservation.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You people are all crazy :P
Review: I have just finished watching through the last DVD in the Kubric Collection and aside from Barry Lyndon found all of the conversions to DVD to be wonderful. I don't see any signs of "bugs flying across the screen" or any kinds of "washed out colors" either... except of course on Barry Lyndon which was already "washed out" in theatres. The digital quality on these DVDs are certainly as good as any other DVD on the shelf and is _definately_ better quality than anything you can pick up off the VHS shelf. Of course I understand many peoples' views on Kubric's decision for The Shining and Full Metal Jacket to be re-mastered in pan & scan, but what I don't understand is how you people can sit here and hail Kubric as being one of your favorite directors and a complete genius and at the same time completely criticize his wishes he made in his final time with us. They are wonderful movies and it would be nice to see them in pan & scan, but the reality is that unless MGM decides one day that they don't respect Kubric's vision anymore and that they are going to do what they jolly well please and make those movies in widescreen, then pan & scan is what you they will make, and pan & scan is what you will get. Just quit your griping and sit back and watch movies from a legend.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Was Kubrick the Greatest Director?
Review: Well, here's your chance to find out. First off, you have to deal with the fact that these DVD's are as good a presentation as you're ever going to get. Most of his films were released in Mono, and many in matted formats, which means that when they're presented on TV, you don't get the black bars at the top and bottom. Complaints about this last bit are meaningless, as 2001 was his only film released in scope, and the ones that would really need it -- Lolita and Barry Lyndon included -- are released in widescreen. Kubrick deliberately shot The Shining and Full Metal Jacket in 1:1.37 for masking in the theatres and because he couldn't have forseen the letterboxing craze we're currently in. Many directors chose to release films not in widescreen because of this (read any one of the biographies for this info). So, what you're left with are seven of the greatest films ever made, and released on DVD for a relatively cheap price. How can you pass this up? Kubrick's view of the universe is dark, totally Hegellian, and sometimes too depressing for the average viewer. But, those who venture into the unknown presented within his films are rewarded with a series of brilliant images that resonate symbolically in ways very few directors could ever hope to achieve. Renoir, Welles, Kurosawa, Ozu, Tarkovsky -- these are the acknowledged masters. Add Kubrick to the pantheon. Nothing will ever equal the experience of seeing 2001 in a theatre, but this is as close as you'll get -- and it is in widescreen and 5.1 Dolby.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Great movies, horrible transfers
Review: Format debate aside, the transfer is horrible. Grainy, bad sound mixing, washed out color in the color pictures. It's worth waiting until someone who loved these wonderful films decides to put together DVDs worthy of the films on them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: True Genius
Review: It is amazing how people will jump on the bandwagon and complain that the films included in this set are wrongley formated, Is a director not allowed any artistic integraty anymore or should they sell out ther ideas to suit that mass demand.

This is the best collection of movies probably ever made from with out a doudth the best director ever, and these films are shown in the way that the Kubrick (God) wanted and there fore if you do not appreciate the formatting go buy some popcorn movies or go and watch barny I'm sure you would be happier.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great movies, can't help being a bit disappointed
Review: When I popped the first movie, Full Metal Jacket, into the DVD player, I'm sure the look of pure horror that came over my face was quite terrible for my wife who had just bought me the set for my birthday. I love the movies, but I just couldn't understand why I was getting pan/scan on a DVD. The "this movie has been reformatted to fit your screen" message almost brought me to my knees. Still, I love having these movies on DVD, and it appears this format is the only option they'll appear in, barring permission from the Kubrick estate. I recommend the set, but please brace yourself.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Kubrick's genius is evident throughout this collection.
Review: The sound may not be 5.1 digital but I could not wait for this to happen (if it EVER does). I am 62 years old and want to enjoy the DVD's NOW. I am more than pleased.


<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 11 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates