Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I have rented CHE

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-06-2009, 02:38 PM:

CHE was just released exclusively on DVD at Blockbuster and I have both Part One and Part two in my hands after I rented it online and will watch them this weekend. I recall both #1 and #2 of CHE playing at Reading's Kahala 8 here in Honolulu about two months ago and it is already out on DVD. I understand this is one of the first release from a film distribution company called IFC and other films from them will have the same distribution pattern including a brief theatrical run in a limited amount of theatres as well as VOD and finally of DVD and Bly Ray.

CHE is a dramatization about the life of Che Guevera and starring Benecio Del Toro in the title. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and have received luke warm reviews. I do not pay attention to reviews and look forward to seeing the film tonight and tomorrow night. I was amazed how fortunate I was able to get the DVD right away from Blockbuster on line. It could be due to the fact that most people do not know anything about the movie and not aware that Blockbuster has a six months exclusive on it.

-Claude

Posted by Victor Liorentas (Member # 5272) on 06-06-2009, 05:35 PM:

Che pt 1 is scope and pt 2 is flat but they were shot with the red camera and looked very crisp on film.

The give away that it was shot with the red camera was in the whites which looked a bit like video white.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-06-2009, 06:34 PM:

#1 is in scope and #2 is flat ?????? Why did they do that ? Even if they are not in the same aspect ratio, I think I will enjoy the movie and will post my comments after I watch the film. Although CHE was already released elsewhere in Bly Ray and DVD, Blockbuster sent me a DVD copy and not BD. Darn!

-Claude

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 06-06-2009, 08:01 PM:

Claude, do those discs have audio commentaries?

The different aspect ratios actually work pretty well. The two halves have very different styles, and the choice of aspect ratio compliments that.

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 06-07-2009, 04:35 AM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
one of the first release from a film distribution company called IFC

Actually, IFC has been around awhile, they were behind My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Transamerica, Fahrenheit 9/11, Me And You And Everyone We Know, Y Tu Mama Tambien and quite a few others. They also operate the former Waverly Theater in New York's Greenwich Village as a three screen arthouse. They are owned by Cablevision and are a sister company to both Clearview Cinemas and the Independent Film Channel, which is available on many cable systems. They often play their releases on a VOD basis at the same time they are in theaters.

As far as the dual aspect ratio for Che, it was a stylistic decision by Soderberg. The first part of the film deals with Che's arrival in Cuba from Mexico and the revolution that toppled Batista, and is in scope. The second part deals with his journey to Boliva and his attempt to spread the revolution and . . . well, you know what happened. Soderberg stated that he switched to flat because he wanted to give that part of the film a more claustrophobic "boxed-in" feeling, since everything was going to hell. The whole color scheme changes too, as you will see. I agree with Mike, it was a move that works out well. If you saw the film in a theater all in one shot, as I did, then the switch to flat from scope is pretty unnerving, even after an intermission. I'm sure that was just the intention.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-08-2009, 08:53 AM:

Even seen in two parts, as we showed it, the change is striking. Pay attention, too, to the color differences. In Pt 1 the jungles are a lush, inviting green, whereas in Pt 2 the take on a a grayish, suffocating color.

Both parts actually stand alone well. And for an epic movie, it is surprisingly narrow focused on the (contextual) here and now, as opposed to the "big picture" you would expect from a war/political film, which it turns out Che is not.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-09-2009, 01:45 PM:

I had hoped to watch CHE over the weekend but had other things to do and was not able to sit down and watch the two part film until last night. I had only enough enough time to watch part one and the first couple of minutes of part two but what I saw was very good. Part one was about the rebels lead by Che Gueverra fight to topple the Bautista regime and ended in victory for his forces. I guess part two will cover Che's involvement in helping Fidel Castro establish the still existing government and ending with his death.

Yes, the first part is in scope and the 2nd part is flat. Although I have the movies on DVD, what I saw last night was gorgeous and it looked like I was watching it in Blu Ray. The 5.1 sound is also great and very enveloping with fantastic surround sound including activity from my rear speakers. I heard CHE was shot in high definition video and this might be the reason it looks great on my high definition screen. The DVD did not seem to have a directors or other commentary but I could be wrong.

-Claude

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-09-2009, 03:34 PM:

I was wrong about the 2nd part of CHE. Most of the action I understand takes place in Bolivia with more fighting.

-Claude

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-10-2009, 09:06 AM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
CHE was just released exclusively on DVD at Blockbuster

Probably because no one else wanted it!

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-10-2009, 09:30 AM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
CHE was just released exclusively on DVD at Blockbuster

And they say irony is dead [evil]

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-10-2009, 07:21 PM:

Why the negative comment about this film when you probably had not seen it? There is a possibility Criterion will release a special edition of the movie on both DVD and Blu Ray in the fall and they are known to be selective what they put out.

-Claude

Posted by Ross Oba (Member # 3433) on 06-11-2009, 02:28 PM:

Exclusivity with Blockbuster has been around for the past year or so. I am pretty sure Blockbuster is doing it because of lackluster sales after Netflix became popular. Not a bad strategy, just not very effective IMO.