You're doing amazing things at the current rate, man. Don't worry too much!

I wish I could get more excited about this batch of Hollywood studio licenses and inevitable Criterion Blu-ray upgrade overlap. Without an Eclipse or Flipside equivalent, MOC is kind of leaving me behind, or vice versa.

Muriel on Blu, though ... that'd be tempting.

This is probably impossible for a UK label, thanks to the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act. From what I hear, the hotel room scene almost certainly infringes it, which makes the uncut version legally unreleasable in Britain.

Just to thank Eureka for the Mizoguchi's. I have them all in DVD, but will double dip whatever you release. Chikamatsu would look wonderful. I hope everybody buys the first two titles and you keep on 'Mizogushing'. Thanks anyway.

PS: What about Oharu which has only had mediocre DVDs at best?

Criterion is likely releasing this in 2012.

Great! Thanks

Swo17,

I've been on the lookout for a Criterion Oharu for quite a while, but haven't seen any hint that one is coming, at least in an immediate future. Did I miss something?

It's one of the more easily read clues in this photo, originally discussed here.

Unfortunately, I feel the same way. Apart from "A man vanishes" and "Coeur fidele", I really can't remember what was the last film that MoC released which wasn't already available, even in an English friendly release. Of course I'm looking forward to some of the upgrades, particularly the Pasolinis, but still I'm looking back yearningly to those days when MoC blew my socks with first time releases like the Mizos, Ichikawas or Franjus, not to speak of "Asphalt" or "Michael"...

Four out of the five versions of Touch of Evil included in the MoC package?

All three widescreen versions are in the later R1 edition.

Two out of the five versions, then?

Not that I disapprove of MOC's Touch of Evil package in any way, but that's hardly the same thing as debuting an obscure film on home video, which is what Tommaso is getting at.

Aren't both of the extra movies on the Imamura discs otherwise unavailable? Were Comizi d'amore or Sopralluoghi in Palestina, or the wartime Hitch shorts on Lifeboat available?

I don't see why we should restrict ourselves to the main feature on a disc for this little game.

Indeed, those "second features" on the Imamura double bills are a big deal, much like the lesser-known Ozu films buried on the BFI Blu-rays. I'll probably get around to buying some of both, mainly for the more obscure film.

The extra Imamuras were not available, but if you have the CC set, getting them means double dipping. "Sopralluoghi" is available in a truly excellent Italian release with English subs (which includes the best documentary on Pasolini I've ever seen, 2 hours long).

Just make everyone happy and release a bunch of Grémillon.

I'd preferably like a balance. I'm loving the titles that are coming out right now but my heart yearns for some Eustache, Uchida, A Page of Madness and Limite (in fact, any of the titles that the World Cinema Foundation released would be welcome!).

I think having 'minor' works as extras is a great practice. To me, they massively increase the value of the product as it feels like a '2 for the price of 1' deal or 3 for the price of 1 in the case of Lifeboat. I'd love if MoC could track down Renee Falconetti's previous work for inclusion in their Passion of Joan of Arc Blu-Ray. I can't find any conclusive evidence if they survive or not but a poster at NitrateVille reported that they apparently reside at the Cinematheque Francaise.

Hellman's The Road to Nowhere from MoC? Was this already known?

The wartime Hitchcock shorts are still available. (Although the forthcoming MoC release is of course a much better deal all round for those who haven't already bought them...)

We've been getting a lot of films from the US and Japan lately. It would be sweet if MoC released stuff from, let's say Eastern Europe or Scandinavia.

Cheers!

This most recent batch of announcements has finally pushed me over into getting a region-free blu ray player. Certainly great stuff has been accumulating, but this group pushed me over the edge.

Whoohoo! - Great!

Touch of Evil did this to me. I own it, and about 10 MoC releases in full. I still won't have enough saved up for the Oppo I want until March...but it's great to stock up. (Just sending you s'more positive feedback!)

We've all been there. The release of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? did it to me. I couldn't resist.