Raro Video

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L.A.
Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 7:33 am
Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: Raro Video

#351 Post by L.A. » Sun Apr 24, 2016 1:31 pm


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TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: Raro Video

#352 Post by TMDaines » Mon Oct 30, 2017 4:25 pm

It looks like I cannibali was another one of their DNR'd messes, a few years ago. Not exact frame, but look at the detail on the waffle towel compared to the Italian DVD.

Does anyone have this disc? I can hardly find any reviews of it online, at least not those that are actually not just waving the transfer through on the basis that HD + Blu-ray = stunning. The Digital Bits condemns it but does not provide screenshots.

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Colpeper
I Am the Glueman
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

Re: Raro Video

#353 Post by Colpeper » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:41 pm

I picked up I Cannibali following Glenn Erickson's review for DVD Savant (in which he was very complimentary of the technical aspects of the disc) but only got around to checking it now (watched just the 1st 20 minutes).

With the caveat that I never saw the film projected, so have no direct comparison, the colour was convincing for a film of its era and probably the best thing about the transfer. As the diaboliquemagazine review points out, sharpness and grain are surprisingly variable. At times the variability is distracting, however, I only occasionally noticed the image straying into the uncanny alleys of waxiness or blockiness. One time was in the early scene at the swimming pool, featured in diaboliquemagazine's 2nd capture. Interiors generally fared worse and are rather flatly lit, such that I gained the impression the DP was more of a location specialist.

The film was shot in Techniscope, so I'd expect the image to be around the same resolution as for other films made in that process at the end of the 1960s. The nearest I possess for reference is the Criterion Two-Lane Blacktop, photographed around 18 months after I Cannibali. The Raro BRD is perhaps slightly inferior to that, with less grain visible on average. Another comparison might be Madigan, shot around 18 months before I Cannibali. The former looked almost like 16mm in the (SD) UK TV showing I sampled a few years ago. Probably not fair, but at least the I Cannibali BRD is far superior to that! Incidentally, I notice there is a Japanese Blu Ray of Madigan, but no reviews at all which I could find.

English subtitles are not forced, but seemed awkwardly worded once or twice.

It's also worth mentioning that the Cavani interview is quite bad technically, with microphone interference and on low grade video, which even looks like it might have been through a standards conversion.

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371229
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:28 am

Re: Raro Video

#354 Post by 371229 » Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:39 pm

I understand Raro was suppose to release Kapo. Does anyone know what happened? Does Raro still have the rights? And why didn't Criterion put this on Blu ray? Are the original elements in poor shape?

Saimo
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 5:30 am
Location: journeys-italy.blogspot.com
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Re: Raro Video

#355 Post by Saimo » Sat Feb 02, 2019 10:59 am

371229 wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:39 pm
I understand Raro was suppose to release Kapo. Does anyone know what happened? Does Raro still have the rights?
Kapò belongs to Cristaldifilm, so I don't see Rarovideo releasing it anytime soon.

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: Raro Video

#356 Post by Minkin » Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:22 am

Janus' website has a listing for Kapo - so I'd assume Criterion still has theatrical rights (and likely homevideo as well). Not sure if it was a weird rights situation, or if Raro temporarily had them, or what happened.

Arrow
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:02 pm

Re: Raro Video

#357 Post by Arrow » Sat Feb 02, 2019 1:10 pm

I preordered and paid for Kapò I think in late 2017 and forgot about it until this recent thread bump. I can’t find any communication from Raro about this release but I’ll assume they refunded whenever they lost the rights.

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Adam X
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:04 am

Re: Raro Video

#358 Post by Adam X » Sun Feb 03, 2019 12:38 am

In my experience, I think you'd find Raro did nothing of the sort.

merzbau
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Re: Raro Video

#359 Post by merzbau » Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:46 pm

Has anyone had luck communicating with them about outstanding orders? I placed an order with them during their last 50% off sale a month ago (and, throwing good money after bad, again during the latest one this past weekend) and not only have I heard nothing from them past the initial order confirmation, they’ve not responded to emails or Facebook comments.

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Raro Video

#360 Post by domino harvey » Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:49 pm

Assuming you paid with PayPal, threaten to escalate it to their refund process if you don’t receive a response. I promise you, no etailer wants to deal with PayPal withdrawing their money and threatening to suspend their account. And of course if they do ignore it, you can then escalate in good conscience

merzbau
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Re: Raro Video

#361 Post by merzbau » Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:40 pm

Ah, damn. I was hoping not to have to use the nuclear option, mostly because I do still want the discs at the advertised sale price (and especially now that the Fernando di Leo box sets are getting a little harder to find).

merzbau
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Re: Raro Video

#362 Post by merzbau » Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:16 pm

I’ve emailed them at the address that received my payments and given them an ultimatum of this coming Monday before I go through PayPal. I want to support independent labels by buying directly instead of through Amazon where possible but I cannot recommend anyone purchase from Raro under any circumstances- comments from other customers on Facebook and Twitter make it pretty clear that this is standard operating procedure for them.

merzbau
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Re: Raro Video

#363 Post by merzbau » Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:24 pm

UPDATE: the email bounced, I’m going to PayPal now.

For real, DO NOT BUY FROM RARO

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: Raro Video

#364 Post by domino harvey » Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:31 pm

And this is why you don’t piss off customers in this modern internet age. Plenty of people here will see your warning and not bother with Raro direct from now on

merzbau
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Re: Raro Video

#365 Post by merzbau » Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:11 pm

One, hopefully last, update for a while- I sent a Facebook message when I filed the first Paypal report, since that's the only way they've ever responded (with a very perfunctory "can you remind us of your order number" and no reply; every other message had been left to their auto-reply). I actually got a response this time; it turns out threats (of a sort) do work. They let me know there's a real (secret, hidden) email address to use- Info@rarovideousa.com , which confusingly seems to appear in the SEO metadata of their pages but nowhere on the actual pages themselves, which use a contact form that apparently no one ever reads, or in any order confirmation emails- so I sent a copy there as well. They've promised to ship my orders by the end of next week, and I'm holding them to it- if I haven't received an email notification by then I'm going back to dealing with Paypal, and if the stuff hasn't arrived by the 23rd, the last date I can escalate with Paypal, I'm going to do so.

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TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
Location: Stretford, Manchester

Re: Raro Video

#366 Post by TMDaines » Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:39 am

Raro US have plenty of dodgy history. I think this thread will contain a lot of it.

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