Until the End of the World (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

I was searching Amazon for limited edition bluray steelbooks of my favorite movies and somehow stumbled upon this listing despite it not being an actual steelbook. I had never heard of this movie nor had I heard of the director, but I'm a HUGE fan of both Bill Hurt and Sam Niell, especially their older films from the 80s and 90s, so I absolutely had to snag this with a preorder the moment I read the description. This is one of the best bluray packages I've spent money on in my time collecting bluray films. There's a wonderful story/artbook included in the case, as well as the film being presented on two very high quality dual layer BDR's, the first being 2 hours and 11 minutes and the second being 2 hours and 37 minutes in length. Each disc also includes some very interesting documentary-style extras and the quality on most of them is surprisingly good, being transcoded into HDWS (hi-def widescr) 16:9 instead of the usual SDFS (standard def fullscr) 4:3 that I'm accustomed to seeing with bonus features for movies of this age. I would have been interested in seeing the entire film on a single quad-layer (128gb) BDR, but I'm sure compatibility issues steered them into the 2 part dual-layer bdr print decision. Each film stream is encoded in AVC (x264) with a VBR of approx. 32 MBp/s with audio presented in lossless DTS XLL-HD Master Audio 5.1 @ ~3.5MBp/s. There's nothing in the way of alternative language audio or PGS subtitles, and unfortunately that feels like a weakpoint for a special edition of this magnitude--especially when it's cut into two separate discs with ample space. I personally prefer to backup my bluray collection so I can have the option of watching it on home theater with any device from any location in my home. I was able to successfuly rip the film using MakeMKV to an external SSD and then I appended both Matroska containers to one another using the excellent GUI for MKVToolNix. After about 30 minutes of working and waiting, I successfully created a single streamable Matroska container with a 4 hour and ~48 minute run time, making for a fantastic and mellifluous viewing experience (just the thought of having to switch discs or files midviewing is ruinous to the continuity and ultimate cinematic immersion for me). The film itself is incredibly long; surprisingly longer than any Sergio Leone or Martin Scorsese film epic. At almost 5 hours, the film is a slow burn--but not so slow that you ever get bored or lost in incoherence (a trait most very long films suffer from). Most people will probably find this film a hard pill to swallow just on length alone, and the first half may be somewhat offputing because of its pace. I can promise you that patience is definitely a virtue that pays off here, because the film goes from slow and normal to intense and captivating right around the 1 hour and 57 minute mark when we get our first reel major plot reveal and character development. You will understand the buildup and appreciate its effectiveness once more after you pass this minute mark when watching the movie. I won't say more for fear of potentially spoiling it. If you are a fan of sci-fi and like your tension and narrative more intelligently laid out than the usual spoon-fed stories from Hollywood, UTEOTW is your type of sci-fi film epic. I was so convinced by William Hurt's performance in the sci-fi horror drama "Altered States" that I had to absolutely give "Until the End of the World" a shot, and I'm more the satisfied for it. The first half of the movie is a road mystery that, around the 1 hour 57 minute mark stated earlier, does a huge 180 and transforms into a stunning sci-fi technothriller that draws heavy influence from films like Cronenberg's "Videodrome," without all the gruesome body horror associated with Cronenberg's movies. Sometimes, it's nice to watch a sci-fi film and not want to throw up your lunch when seeing it :P Apart from the existentialist dialogue and acting from people who are now considered titans of the screen, UTEOTW's greatest selling point is its futuristic sort of culture-shock. Every few chapters, the viewer is introduced to a new part of the world and the characters are navigating each new culture with an unfamiliarity and curiosity that allows for some really cool filming opportunities. We're introduced to pre-Capitalist Moscow, the countryside of Japan, slums in France, the TransSiberian highway, and a whole host of other locations that really leave the viewer in awe at not only the scope of UTEOTW but just the sheer beauty of the planet we live on. What's really impressive is also the way in which the director is able to coherently splice all of this roadtripping fun together into a cohesive story that actually makes sense. In fact, I wouldn't be too far off the mark when saying that the cinematic world in UTEOTW feels nearly identical to the megacity we're presented with in the Blade Runner films, except the cultural melting pot is spread out instead of highly concentrated. The futuristic cars, video phone booths, holographic advertising, strange futuristic fashion predictions, and gritty atmosphere all feel like they were inspired in one way or another heavily from Blade Runner and other several prominent sci-fi flix from the 70s and 80s. UTEOTW's cinematic universe is definitely one that any sci-fi junkie or cinephile will remember fondly for years to come. My only complaint about the Criterion Collection is with the bonus features. Considering the soundtrack to this film is considered by critics to be one of the best of the entire decade of the 90s, it feels almost criminal that we weren't given a FLAC or OPUS mux of the soundtrack as an extra on the dual layer discs. I had to grab mine separately after hearing the incredible synth-laden soundtrack--a soundtrack that also really does an excellent job at giving the movie its futuristic, dream-like viewing quality over its 5 hour time span. This is money well spent, and the 4K downsampling for the original source material also means that you can rip the source material and upscale it into 2160P without much issue (which is what I did for mine), and it looks mindblowing. 5/5 definitely worth the +20$ it costs. PS. The first two images are the BDMV/Meta/ cover.jpg images attached to each BDR. The first one is on disc 1, second one on disc 2 (obviously). The next 5 images are from the sequence in Moscow when searching for Trevor McPhee on the Bear program, which I screengrabbed using MPV.NET player while watching my HQ encode that I made from the MakeMKV 1:1 rip. The last is a MediaInfo mouse-over tooltip showing the Matroska bitrate information of the raw source film from the first disc. The second file has a similar bitrate but is about ~1.5MBps lower than the first disc (to compensate for the additional 30 minutes of runtime on disc 2).

There are so many potentially apt ways to title this review: A Breathtaking Romp. A Meditation on Technology-Induced Narcissism. Like Several Intriguing Films in One. Both Way Ahead of, and Way Behind, Its Times. Incredible Footage of Incredible Experiences. Finally, a Film Worthy of the Soundtrack. After watching this full 287 minute (nearly 5 hours!) version in two different sittings several months apart, it's easy to understand why the theatrical release was a flop: they edited so much that it hollowed the soul of what Wim Wenders set out to create. And yet when it was first released, I still paid to watch that butchered version in theaters two or three times, as I was convinced this film (and its soundtrack) were crafted with gravity, dignity, and love. There is something profoundly human and humane underlying it all. This is nothing like an ordinary theatrical film and could never be made into one, as it would defeat the purpose. It certainly is not a standard action or drama or science fiction film -- the pace is slower and more deliberate, as Wenders' films tend to be. What really astonished me watching this version, particularly the second disc, was how incredibly crisp and vibrant the colors are, and how carefully composed the shots and camera vistas are. The old theatrical version, as with most DVDs of that era, seems a bit blurry and washed out by comparison. It's truly astonishing what the restoration team has accomplished here -- you really feel like you are there in the middle of the Australian outback, living amidst native people and refugees from a potential nuclear disaster. The spontaneous community they form through improvised music is a joy to behold and was completely absent from the theatrical edit. When they learn the world is still alive and launch into a technology-free musical celebration, it feels a bit like Adam and Eve about to bite into that scrumptious-looking apple. It feels like good news, but is it really? What do we lose of ourselves and our community for every technological leap we make? Watching Claire and Sam dissipate in the narcissistic addiction to watching their own dreams, I couldn't help but be reminded of the mom in the supermarket letting her kid play on her phone, or even my own kids wallowing in the ceaseless mire of YouTube drivel. Why do we do that? Wenders made this film well before internet and portable technology were ubiquitous, but he seems to have anticipated our present-day malaise. Investing the five hours it takes to meditate on this masterpiece -- and its ultimate celebration of the written word -- may provide much-needed balm for our sickened souls.

I have long felt that this is one of the best films ever made. As a US resident, I have long owned two Euro/Region 2 DVD versions of the film, one medium-length, and one rather long, that I have been able to watch on a region-free DVD player on my PC, but I have wished for many years to be able to view the really ong version, and in really high-res. video format. I was overjoyed when Criterion released this new long high-res. version, but quickly found, after having joined their Criterion Collection video streaming service online, that their very strict digital rights management protection system would not allow me to stream ANY of the films on their website, much less UTEOTW, to my Windows 10 PC, as it did not approved of the video card in my PC, nor of any of my five monitors. So, I was forced to cancel my new subscription to the Criterion Collection streaming service. Luckily, in short order, Criterion made this amazing video available in DVD Region 1 (US) format, and offered it for sale in the US, and, weirder yet, the price for the DVD was below $15 -- the reality is that I would have willingly paid over $50 to own this amazing DVD! I bought the DVD, and I have already gotten many hours of viewing pleasure from it. The quality is amazing! This is the very first time that I have ever been able to watch this film in high-resolution, and often hi-def, viewo quality, and it is amazing! So, Criterion, thank you very much for having made this amazing version of this amazing film available in Region 1 DVD video format!

Ho acquistato questo film dall'Italia, poiché nella descrizione è indicato che "Questo non può essere riprodotto dalla maggior parte dei lettori Blu-ray venduti in Nord America, America centrale, Sud America, Giappone, Corea del Nord, Corea del Sud, Taiwan, Hong Kong e Sud-Est asiatico. Ottieni maggiori informazioni sulle specifiche della regione Blu-ray" e nella descrizione il Blu-ray è indicato come PAL (il sistema utilizzato in Italia e nel resto d'Europa) ho dato per scontato fosse visibile nel mio lettore (Regione B), il film è invece Regione A (Nord America), informazione assolutamente non riportata. Ma la cosa più seccante è che l'assistenza non solo non mi rimborsa le spese di spedizione in caso di reso ma continua anche ad indicarmi la nota come se fosse un errore mio, ove invece un Blu-ray regione A (Nord America) viene venduto con nota che riporta che il disco non è leggibile in Nord America! SERVIZIO IMBARAZZANTE I purchased this movie from Italy, as the description states that "This cannot be played by most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan , Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Get more information on Blu-ray region specifications" and in the description the Blu-ray is indicated as PAL (the system used in Italy and the rest of Europe) I assumed it was viewable in my player (Region B), the film is instead Region A (North America), information absolutely not reported. But the most annoying thing is that support not only doesn't refund me for shipping costs in the event of a return but also continues to show me the note as if it were my mistake, where instead a Region A Blu-ray (North America) is sold with note that the disc is not playable in North America! TERRIBLE SERVICE

A really brilliant 5-hour version of this Vim Wenders original. Remastered sound and vision make this a must-see. Just make sure that you have a Region 1 DVD player, or be prepared to pay a lot and see nothing!

This Blu Ray of Wim Wenders, Until The End Of The World is more like a Directors Cut! The original DVD release runs for 151 mins. This Blu Ray runs for 287 mins, on 2 Blu Ray discs! It stars William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin, Sam Neil and Ernie Dingo! It was billed as the ultimate road movie / pursuit, and it is certainly up there with the best! Shot by DOP Robbie Muller and if filmed beautifully, in excellent locations! With superb acting and an excellent soundtrack, I'd recommend it, all songs are great, with artists such as David Byrne, Julie Cruise, Neneh Cherry, Crime and the City Solution who song The Adversery, was actually the last song the band recorded and is a beauty, Lou Reed, CAN, R.E.M., Elvis Costello, Graeme Revell & David Darling, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Patti and Fred Smith, Depeche Men tode, Jane Siberry & k.d. Lang, T-Bone Burnett, Daeniel Lanois and U2. It's actually worth tracking done a copy! It's about Claire who encounters Sam on a dangerous mission, for his father, actually a deadly race and chase around the World, at a time when the World is on the brink of a global confrontation! It is and excellent movie, long but always involving with great locations! The Blu Ray is worth buying because it adds so much to the DVDs version!

This film is the best film I've ever seen and has been hard to get. I've had a video copy for years and it is the only copy I ever saw. I bought it from a video store when they went out of business. On video it is 2 hours and 45 minutes, but this original copy is 4 hours and 40 minutes. . I've waited for years to get it on d.v.d and to have it not cost $100 or more. Now I see the original film it is even more incredible than the video. I wish millions more people would see this film and also enjoy William Hurt in his best role.It was written by the director in the late 1970's and has romance, adventure, and amazing inventions like ipads , and tracking devices which didn't exist in the late 1970's . Part of the film is filming dreams and had to look different so they used the first digital pictures and speed them up for the effect. Amazing!! GOOD FOR YOU WIM WENDERS that it can now be seen as you intented it to be.I own about 2000 films and would get rid of the lot but never lose this film. ENJOY.

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