CriterionCast

Wong Kar-Wai’s Fallen Angels Coming To Kino Blu-ray [Blu-ray New Releases]

This March, Kino will be releasing another in it’s line of recent additions to their Blu-ray library: Wong Kar-wai’s Fallen Angels. Personally, I can’t wait. While I haven’t seen this, I loved Chungking Express, and can’t wait to get some more of his films in high definition. From the sound of things, Kino may be releasing another Wong Kar-wai film on Blu-ray in the near future as well.

The Fallen Angels Blu-ray will be released on March 16th, with an SRP of $29.95.

Check out our very first episode, discussing Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express (remember, this is our first episode, we had no idea what we were doing).

From the Kino Press Release:

New York, January 21, 2010 – Kino International, a division of the newly created Kino Lorber, is proud to release the director-approved, 5.1 Stereo Surround edition of Wong Kar-Wai’s Fallen Angels (1997), on Blu-ray.

Featuring some of the most spellbinding and decade-defining visuals of the 1990s, Wong Kar-Wai’s classic film was restored to optimal condition in late 2008, using high-def technology. Under the strict supervision of Wong Kar-Wai, scratches and dust spots were digitally removed and the film’s color gradings were completely reviewed in this new transfer of the film.

After this restoration was made available to the general public on DVD in early 2009, Kino International is now proud to present this film on a format that displays the final restoration work as it was meant to be seen – in high-def. As special features, this blu-ray edition of Fallen Angels bring trailers, a stills gallery, an exclusive interview with director of photography Christopher Doyle, and other behind-the-scene featurettes.

Made of a series of elliptic exchanges and plot twists, together with carefully chosen songs and perfectionist camera work, Days of Being Wild introduced a fully mature filmmaker to the international art scene; this time, it was obvious that everything in a Wong Kar-Wai film (from music   to lighting and dialogue) was thoroughly orchestrated by its director.

FALLEN ANGELS

Set in the neon-washed underworld of present day Hong Kong, Fallen Angels intertwines exhilarating tales of love and isolation, primarily the unconsummated love affair between a contract Killer (Leon Lai Ming) and the ravishing female Agent (Michele Reis) who books his assignments and cleans up after his jobs.

Special Features:

Three Behind-the-scenes Featuretters

Interview with d.p. Christopher Doyle

Trailers

Stills Gallery

Presented in 5.1 Stereo Surround

1995 / Hong Kong / 96 Minutes
Color / Letterboxed (1.85:1) / Not Rated
Written, Produced and Directed by Wong Kar-Wai

Photo Credit: Kino International

Ryan Gallagher

Ryan is the Editor-In-Chief / Founder of CriterionCast.com, and the host / co-founder / producer of the various podcasts here on the site. You can find his website at RyanGallagher.org, follow him on Twitter (@RyanGallagher), or send him an email: [email protected].

2 comments

  • Put it at the top of your Netflix queue right now I say. It'll leave you moved and mesmerized as only a wonderful piece of cinema can. I'd say it's my second favorite film from Wong Kar-Wai.

    The other Blu-Ray will probably be Happy Together given that Kino released a restoration last year on standard-def DVD. I'd be glad if they surprised us with a new print of Days of Being Wild though. The Blu-Ray of that film's been on the overseas market for some time now.

  • Put it at the top of your Netflix queue right now I say. It'll leave you moved and mesmerized as only a wonderful piece of cinema can. I'd say it's my second favorite film from Wong Kar-Wai.

    The other Blu-Ray will probably be Happy Together given that Kino released a restoration last year on standard-def DVD. I'd be glad if they surprised us with a new print of Days of Being Wild though. The Blu-Ray of that film's been on the overseas market for some time now.