LA ROUE – 4.5hr vs 7hr discs (Overview)

Nearly 100 years after the film was made, the epic French silent drama La Roue has finally been released on Blu-ray. This version, almost 7 hours long, closely-resembles the early-1924 cinematic experience. Without the detective work done for the 2008 DVD (nearly 4½ hours long), it is unlikely that the longer Blu-ray would have come to fruition. This review is both a plea to the powers that be in France to produce a similar set in English, and a comparison of the 2020 Blu-ray to the shorter 2008 DVD. This overview is a companion to my LA ROUE Screenshots supplementary page.

2020 4-disc Blu-ray set & booklet (L), 2008 DVD cover (R)
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LA ROUE – 4.5hr vs 7hr discs (Screenshots)

Supplement to LA ROUE – 4.5hr vs 7hr discs (Overview),” so go there first for a subjective review and technical details about the film. Below are screenshots comparing 2008 DVD and 2020 Blu-ray, including special features from the Blu-ray. They are of “fair use” resolution, to avoid any copyright issues. SPOILERS AHEAD: Skip the summary texts if you just want to see the screenshots.

Bonus Features title page: 2020 French Blu-ray (L) with 2008 English DVD overlay (R)
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Spring cleaning needed

I updated PHP on my website and it broke a few things, primarily the search and sidebar widgets. Sorry about that. Anyone got any theme recommendations? In 2017, I made some modifications to “Responsive II” from Cyberchimps.com, but it’s not agreeing with PHP 8 now.

Movies watched in 2022

These are my 19 favorite films this year. I’ve never been much of a superhero fan, but The Batman and new Doctor Strange were quite enjoyable, as well as the Werewolf by Night special. On the wave of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga, A24 added to the mayhem with Everything Everywhere All at Once. Disney’s other big universe, Star Wars, brought us several new series; I didn’t see them all, but Obi-Wan Kenobi was my favorite. In the Golden Globes nominations, Top Gun: Maverick deserves Best Drama, and Everything Everywhere as Best Musical/Comedy, although there are a number of nominees I have yet to see.

Film posters of my 10 favorite films, screenshot from Letterboxd

Previous years: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012.

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Federated social media is the future

Takeaway after using Mastodon for a few days: Federated social media is the future. The mass exodus from the birdsite this month shows that people are hungry to use tech that is not corporately owned.

But don’t expect free services to protect your data. Invest in a website where you have control of the content. From your home page, reach out through the fediverse to discover new worlds. Oh, and back up your data.

– From a 20-year IT professional

1914 Trans-Antarctic Expedition Map

It’s still baffling to me how Shackleton thought this was a good idea. Compare the size of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean around it to the Northern hemisphere. It’s over 2,100 miles on land alone; approximately the same distance as a dogsled trip from Seattle, WA, to northern Michigan.

Shackleton’s planned 1914 route
Northern hemisphere
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