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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/wong.htm
China - France - Germany - Hong Kong 2004

 

"2046" is a melancholic and sad history of love and memory, of the time that passes; of the desire to recover time past, to recover lost love. A writer seduces women and eventually abandons them when they ask for his love. The women are at first offended and hurt, but reacting with pride. Nevertheless they continue to live in an all-embracing wish to get him and his love back. At later occasions the women try to avoid the memories, not wanting the memories, but him. For his part, the memories are all that are left to him in his solitary existence, where he avoids the enduring relationship with one woman.

When leaving Bai Ling for the last time after she asked him to stay, he takes her hand and says: “… there is one thing, I never lend to anyone”. He turns around and leaves her. He is like the "bird without legs that can only fly and fly, and sleep in the wind when it is tired. The bird only lands once in its life... that's when it dies.", a history that appears again and again in the films of WKW.

2046 is an imaginary place and time. It is the number of the hotel room, where he and Su Li-zhen met in “In the Mood for Love”, now transformed into an imaginary place of a memory of lost love. When he once more in "2046" comes across a hotel room with the same number he wants to move in, but is given the room number 2047.

From the room number 2047 he begins to write the story of the future, an imaginary world of the year 2046 where all the memories are found in a never-changing state. He leaves for 2046, not as himself, but in the body of a Japanese. What he finds is a never-changing world of androids. 2046 is also the year when Hong Kong will be returned to China, perhaps converting the metropolis into a never-changing, imaginary place in the memory of the Hongkongese part of the population.

But the film is not science fiction. It revolves around the present moment, showing how it is in a continuous flux, turning present moments into time past. In the mind, the lost love, represented by gestures, feelings, persons and movements, are not bound to the past, but can reappear in the future. When the protagonist writes the story of 2046, persons from his life tend to reappear in the futuristic world. This imaginary world does not comprise the everyday linear time, but is rather a reservoir, from which the present, ever passing moments can materialize.

The circular movement between the present and the non-present is not only a matter of 2046, but is valid for the films of WKW as such. The movie "2046" circles in time and space, back and forth between the former “worlds” of WKW’s earlier movies, mostly “Days of Being Wild”, “Fallen Angels” and “In the Mood for Love”. Words and gestures are repeated, places and persons reappear, stories are retold – yet a little different. So the world is moving in circles, but the circles are spiraling – always the same, yet a little different.

WKW is famous for finishing his unfinished movies. "2046" is a very accomplished unfinished movie.

"2046" is a very impressive and beautiful movie, photographed by cinematographer Christopher Doyle, with entrancing, sometimes hypnotic, music. The time of the present and the memories are very darkly photographed with large, shadowy frames and glowing colors. Contrary to this, the travel of 2046 is bright with strong vibrant colors. out of

Peter Frost-Olsen & Rigmor Kappel Schmidt

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 20, 2004 (Cannes Film Festival)

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Sony - Region 1- NTSC vs. Tartan - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion (2021 - 'World of Wong Kar Wai') - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Only sold presently as part of Criterion's Blu-ray package of World of Wong Kar Wai with As Tears Go By / Days of Being Wild / Chungking Express / Fallen Angels / Happy Together / In the Mood for Love / and 2046

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution

Sony Pictures

Region 1- NTSC

Tartan

Region 2 - PAL

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:08:12         2:03:16 (4% PAL speedup) 2:08:52.1416 
Video 2.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.57 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.40:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.58 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,977,948,208 bytes

Feature: 33,760,960,512 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.58 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Sony:

Bitrate Tartan:

Bitrate Criterion Blu-ray:

Audio 5.1 Dolby Digital Cantonese 2.0 Dolby Digital Cantonese, 5.1 Dolby Digital Cantonese, DTS Dolby Digital Cantonese

DTS-HD Master Audio Chinese 3555 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3555 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Subtitles English, Spanish, None English, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Sony

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.37:1

Edition Details:
• Behind the Scenes of 2046 (36:20 /16:9)
• Deleted Scenes and Alternate Ending

- Black Spider visits Chow (5:03/ widescreen/4:3)

- The Android Visits the Writer (4:09 / 16:9)

- Alternate Ending - The Writer Visits the Future Bar (:40/ widescreen 4:3)

•  Crossed Looks - interviews with Zhang Ziyi, Tony Leung and Wong Kar-wai (16:17 / 4:3)

• Anatomy of Memories (4:49 / 16:9)
• Music Montage (7:05/ 16:0)
• Numerology of 2046 (15 click thru static screens with images and text)
• International Exploration poster gallery (57 posters in click-thru format)
• Previews of 8 other films


DVD Release Date: December 26th, 2005
Keep Case  

Chapters 28

Release Information:
Studio: Tartan

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.40:1

Edition Details:
• UK Exclusive Director Interview (16:29 /4:3)
• Zhang Ziyi Interview (11:50 / 4:3)
• Casta Diva Music Video (7:05 / 4:3)
• Zhang Ziyi on set (3:04 / 4:3)
• 2003 Promo (7:00 / 4:3)
• Hong Kong Teaser (1:23 / 4:3)
• Hong Kong Trailer (2:27 / 4:3)
• Original Theatrical Trailer (2:29 / 16x9)
• 4 page insert with liner notes by James Mottram

DVD Release Date: May 23, 2005
Keep Case inside handsome cardboard box

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion Collection
 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,977,948,208 bytes

Feature: 33,760,960,512 bytes

Video Bitrate: 29.58 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• The Hand (56:31)
• Making of 2046 (37:59)
• Ziyi Zhang (3:11)
• "CastaDiva" Music Video (7:26)
• Deleted Scenes (Bai Ling Christmas Eve - 1:45 Black Spider Visits Chow- 5:23)
Promo Reel (8:28)
• Trailer (2:40)
• World of WkW (1:54)
PLUS: Deluxe packaging, including a perfect-bound, French-fold book featuring lavish photography, an essay by critic John Powers, a director’s note, and six collectible art prints

 

Blu-ray Release Date: March 23rd, 2021
Custom Blu-ray Case (see below)
Chapters:
15

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Package

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion (2021) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (January 2021): "2046" is debatably the coveted title in Criterion's upcoming World of Wong Kar Wai Blu-ray set. This has a "New 4K digital restoration approved by director Wong Kar Wai".

Wong Kar Wai on his New Restorations: "During the process of restoring the pictures that you are about to watch, we were caught in a dilemma between restoring these films to the form in which the audience had remembered them and how I had originally envisioned them. There was so much that we could change, and I decided to take the second path as it would represent my most vivid vision of these films.

As the saying goes: “no man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

Since the beginning of this process, these words have reminded me to treat this as an opportunity to present these restorations as a new work from a different vantage point in my career.

Having arrived at the end of this process, these words still hold true.

I invite the audience to join me on starting afresh, as these are not the same films, and we are no longer the same audience.
"

This new 2021 4K restoration Blu-ray of 2046, may have the least amount of change from the rest of the World of Wong Kar Wai set. It maintains a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and there is some color variance with occasional reds gaining depth and other colors fading into the film-like thickness of the visuals. Flesh tones warm. It's a pretty obvious upgrade over more harsh SD appearance - a generally 'lighter' image with detail rising and depth present. It's on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate and the 1080P looks great in-motion. A solid improvement.  

NOTE: We have added 40 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

The audio is still lossless 5.1 surround - often underused separation, but impressively robust - very notable in the score by Shigeru Umebayashi (The Grandmaster, Yumeji, The House of Flying Daggers.) Credited with the '2046 Main Theme' and a few additional support pieces, there is plenty of other varied music in 2046 from Sway performed by Dean Martin, Georges Delerue's Julien et Barbara (from trom Truffanut's "Vivement dimanche! (1983)"), Angela Gheorghiu with London Symphony Orchestra performing Vincenzo Bellini's Casta diva (from the opera "Norma"), you'll hear plenty of Christmas music sampling, plus Xavier Cugat, Maria Callas, Nat 'King' Cole and more. It sounds very impressive. Criterion add optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Criterion's 2046 Blu-ray disc includes the extended version of Wong Kar Wai's short film The Hand (in 1080P, 9.5 Gig - 18 Mbps, DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese audio and optional English subtitles), the director's entry in the 2004 anthology film Eros, stars Gong Li and Chang Chen. "The Hand" tells of the desire that builds in the several years long largely professional relationship (his profession) between Xiao Zhang, the apprentice to tailor Mr. Jin, and Ms. Hua, a prostitute, the two who meet when he is first sent to take her measurements for a new dress. It runs 56.5-minutes. There is a 38-minute Making of 2046 - a 2004 documentary detailing the making of 2046 featuring interviews with director Wong Kar Wai, actors Chang Chen, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Faye Wong, Ziyi Zhang, and others. We get 3-minutes of a montage of behind-the-scenes footage from 2046 focuses on actor Ziyi Zhang as the character Bai Ling. "CastaDiva" is a Music Video created for 2046 running 7.5 minutes. There are two deleted scenes (Bai Ling Christmas Eve - 1:45 Black Spider Visits Chow- 5:23), an 8-minute 'Promotional Reel' made in 2003 - this English-narrated program features footage absent from the final cut of 2046. Lastly is a 2-minute World of WkW trailer and a trailer for the film.  

2046 is described as a "loose sequel to In the Mood for Love". It's the culmination of the director's ability to express memory in subtle gestures, pivotal moments, lust, beautiful happenstance... it's magnificent. We have reviewed the entire World of Wong Kar Wai set of films now and it's an essential set - so wonderful to revisit these films and the director's artistic changes. Our highest recommendation!      

Gary Tooze

ADDITION: - Sony NTSC - Dec 05' - The Sony image is only a negligibly small degree below the Wong Kar-wai approved Tartan. They both appear to have the coveted green-filter missing from some of the alternate editions compared HERE. The Tartan is minutely sharper in certain instances and slightly brighter, but it would be mostly unnoticeable in regular viewing. I see no examples of infringing cropping. Overall, this NTSC edition is quite strong, only missing out on a commentary. It has stacked extras - mostly of value. Many on the director will be keen on the 35 minute 'Behind the Scenes' as well as the interviews, deleted sequences and alternate ending. I lean toward the Sony as I feel the relevant extras eclipse the image discrepancy. Both releases are very strong progressive and anamorphic releases with ample extra features... and for some - both will be worth owning.

Gary W. Tooze   

***

Image
In regards to other releases of this film on DVD in the comparison located HERE - the images differ a great deal. Only Tartan and Fox R3 has the true OAR of 2.40:1. Mei Ah is stretched approx 2.9% horizontally to 2.47:1 AR, while Guang is squeezed approx 3.8% horizontally and cropped additionally approx 0.75% left / right to 2.29:1 AR.

Comparing Tartan versus Fox R3 (see large capture #5) , they are basically identical in sharpness and detail. When zooming to 500%, Tartan is marginally more detailed in pixels, while Fox R3 becomes very "edgy", but for normal viewing, such minute differences are negligible. Neither shows any signs of compression artifacts. Simply flawless and breathtaking images.

The main difference is, that Tartan has a green-ish quality (filter) to the color palette, where as Fox R3 appears a bit contrast boosted. As with Wong Kar-wai's "Days of Being Wild" it is possible that it was shot intentionally greenish - SEE HERE -
From a new interview with Christopher Doyle (in regards to Days...):

"The color is wrong on this one. It's not green enough. It was all green, but then they kind of 'corrected' it when I wasn't there. They took away the green because they thought I didn't know what I was doing."
 

Sound
The Tartan offers original Cantonese audio with three options, DTS, 5.1 and 2.0.

Noting upon the differences between the three tracks, dialogue is clear as can be in all. Where the 5.1 Dolby Digital, and especially the DTS, note upon are subtle use of the rears to enhance environment, such as background talk and rain. I couldn't detect any significant differences between the two tracks.

Extras
Sadly Tartan is missing both the feature and the "Making of". Instead, Tartan has two interviews.

The first is with Wong Kar-Wai (in English), exclusively made for the Tartan edition, where Wong answers on questions towards "2046" in relation to "In the Mood for Love", Hong Kong in the sixties, in what ways the Cannes version differs from the Theatrical version and finally briefly noting upon "The Lady from Shanghai". In relation to the film, good questions and elaborating answers.

The second interview is with Zhang Ziyi (subtitled in English), where Zhang talks about working with Wong versus working with Zhang, about the film and her character. It is very much about her as an actress.

The remaining of Tartans additional material is basically fillers. "Zhang Ziyi on set" is basically B-roll footage of little interest, a music video, a 7-minute promotion video and different trailers.

 - Henrik Sylow

 


Sony - Region 1 - NTSC

 

Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC  TOP

2) Tartan (UK) Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

Only sold presently as part of Criterion's Blu-ray package of World of Wong Kar Wai with As Tears Go By / Days of Being Wild / Chungking Express / Fallen Angels / Happy Together / In the Mood for Love / and 2046

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution

Sony Pictures

Region 1- NTSC

Tartan

Region 2 - PAL

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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Gary Tooze

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