Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray (includes (original) (raw)

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includes "Permanent Vacation" (1980) Criterion | 1980-1984 | 2 Movies | 89 min | Not rated | Apr 09, 2019

| | | VideoCodec: MPEG-4 AVCResolution: 1080pAspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1, 1.85:1 AudioEnglish: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit) English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit) (less) Subtitles English SDH English SDH (less) DiscsBlu-ray DiscSingle disc (1 BD-50) PackagingInner printBookletPlayback2K Blu-ray: Region A (locked) | | PriceList price: $39.95Amazon: $19.98 (Save 50%) New from: $19.98 (Save 50%) In Stock Rating 6.7/10 162 ratings **69%**popularity n/afans | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

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Stranger Than Paradise

(1980-1984)

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release

A couple of East Village loafers decide to embark on a road trip to Ohio to reteam up with one of theirs' female cousin. The trio then find themselves in Florida, looking for a get-rich-quick scheme.

For more about Stranger Than Paradise and the Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray release, see Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray Review published by Dr. Svet Atanasov on March 26, 2019 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Writer: Jim Jarmusch
Starring: John Lurie

, Richard Boes, Sara Driver, Chris Parker, Leila Gastil, Eszter Balint
Producers: Sara Driver, Jim Jarmusch

This Blu-ray bundle includes the following titles, see individual titles for specs and details:

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, March 26, 2019

Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger Than Paradise" (1984) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; the director's first feature film, "Permanent Vacation"; previously unreleased audio commentary track with the director and actor Richard Edson; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated booklet featuring writings on the two films and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Willie (John Lurie, Down By Law) isn't thrilled when he learns that his cousin Eva (Eszter Balint, Trees Lounge) from Budapest is coming to America and is going to stay with him for a week in his tiny apartment in New York. He has things to do and people to meet and he can't see how Eva won't be a distraction.

Soon after Eva knocks on his door and unpacks her bags, Willie gets seriously annoyed. In addition to asking too many questions, Eva just won't stop listening to her Screamin' Jay Hawkins tape. The poor girl also can't figure out why Willie would pay for a carry-out meal that looks like something a human being shouldn't be eating.

But the two warm up to each other and Willie even lets Eva answer the phone for him. Later on, he buys her a dress -- though not an expensive one -- which he thinks would look great on her. When Eva heads to Cleveland to stay with Aunt Lotte (Cecillia Stark), Willie nearly sheds a few tears.

After they cheat a few suckers in a friendly game of poker, Willie and his sidekick Eddy (Richard Edson, Strange Days) decide to visit Eva and see how she has settled down in Cleveland. They like Aunt Lotte's freshly cooked goulash, but the cold winter weather aggravates them. Then Willie suggests that Eva quits her job in the nearby fast-food restaurant and together they take a trip to sunny Florida.

Jim Jarmusch's second feature, Stranger Than Paradise, is a cheaply made minimalistic film whose heart is as big as the Grand Canyon. It quickly befriends you, lets you know that it can be trusted and then invites you to have a few laughs with its colorful characters. It is one of those films that are absolutely impossible to dislike.

Jarmusch divided it into three sections. The first is set in a shady area of Manhattan's Lower East Side, the second in Cleveland, and the third supposedly somewhere in Florida. It is incredibly relaxed and casual but unusually witty and cool. And it has to be said that it is not cool because Jarmusch kept trying until he got it right, the cool is part of the film's DNA. Everything, from the attitudes to the jokes to the parallel tracking shots, naturally came together really well and made the film what it is.

The acting is wonderful. In fact, it is hard to tell if the actors are actually acting. For the duration of the film the two hipsters and the goofy girl are two hipsters and a goofy girl that you believe never noticed the camera that followed them. The film oozes that kind of lightness and sincerity.

Jarmusch's initial intent was to shoot a short film, but later on the project was developed into a three-part feature. The entire film was lensed by Tom Di Cillo, who also collaborated with Jarmusch on his directorial debut, Permanent Vacation.

In 1984, Stranger Than Paradise was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Camera d'Or Award. Consequently, Entertainment Weekly placed it on its list of The Top 50 Cult Films.

In 2002, Stranger Than Paradise was also selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray, Video Quality

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The release appears to have been sourced from the same remaster that Soda Pictures worked with when it prepared this Region-B release in 2015. I like this remaster quite a lot. I believe that the only area where we can see some further meaningful improvements is density, though it is already very good and on a larger screen the visuals hold up quite well. Delineation, clarity, and fluidity are also very pleasing, but because of the nature of the original material some minor fluctuations remain. There are no traces of problematic digital work. Also, on this release grain is better exposed and distributed, though ideally a higher quality master with better density levels will obviously further improve grain exposure as well. The grading is convincing. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you mus have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray, Audio Quality

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lack of a prominent music score does have an impact on the range of dynamics that are heard throughout the film, but this isn't surprising because it is how many of Jim Jarmusch's films are shot. So, expect clear and clean dialog with some extremely small unevenness, plus plenty of organic sounds and noises that are left in to support the desired atmosphere. For the record, there are no audio dropouts or distortions to report in our review.

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

• Trailers - two original trailers for Stranger Than Paradise.
  1. U.S. trailer. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).
  2. Japanese trailer. In English, with printed Japanese subtitles. (3 min, 1080p).
• Permanent Vacation (1980) - presented here is Jim Jarmusch's first full-length feature film. Sourced from a high-definition remaster that was supervised by the director. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (75 min, 1080p/Dolby Digital 1.0).
• Kino '84: Jim Jarmusch - Martina Muller's documentary takes a closer look at the creative world of Jim Jarmusch. Included in it are interviews with cinematographer/director Tom DiCillo, producer Sara Driver, and actors Chris Parker, John Lurie, Richard Edson, and Eszter Balint. The documentary was produced by the West German television station WDR and first aired on November 29, 1984. In English, not subtitled. (42 min, 1080i).
• Some Days in January 1984 - this silent movie was shot and edited on Super 8 by filmmaker Tom Jarmusch, Jim Jarmusch's brother, during the filming of Stranger Than Paradise. (14 min, 1080i).
• Audio Commentary - this previously unreleased commentary track features Jim Jarmusch and actor Richard Edson. The director has some very interesting comments about his early days in New York during the 1970s and the local 'scene' that influenced his style, his time in Paris where he fell in love with cinema, punk rock and the impact that the Ramones had on him, the shooting of Stranger Than Paradise, etc. The commentary was recorded on March 13, 1996, for Criterion's laserdisc release of Stranger Than Paradise.
• Booklet - an illustrated booklet featuring Jim Jarmusch's 1984 "Some Notes on Stranger Than Paradise," critics Geoff Andrew and J. Hoberman on Stranger Than Paradise, and author and critic Luc Sante on Permanent Vacation.

Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

For me it is the unpretentious simplicity and casual sense of humor that transform Jim Jarmusch's second feature, Stranger Than Paradise, into a classic piece of Americana. I like it a lot, but every time I revisit it I become overwhelmed by nostalgia for the era that it emerged from because back then it was just a lot easier to be spontaneous and free. Criterion's upcoming release is sourced from a nice remaster and also features Jarmusch's directorial debut, Permanent Vacation as well as as a very good previously unreleased audio commentary with the director and actor Richard Edson. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Stranger Than Paradise Blu-ray, News and Updates

• This Week on Blu-ray: April 8-14

- April 8, 2019

For the week of April 8th, the Criterion Collection is offering HD upgrades to two films by the great Jim Jarmusch: Stranger Than Paradise and Night on Earth. Other titles include Robert Zemeckis' Welcome to Marwen and the Ruth Bader Ginsberg docudrama On the Basis ...

• Criterion Announces April Titles - January 15, 2019

The Criterion Collection has announced that it will add seven new titles to its Blu-ray catalog in April. Amongst them are Jackie Chan's Police Story and Police Story 2, Jim Jarmusch's Strange Than Paradise and Night on Earth, and Elia Kazan's A Face in the C ...

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