The Shohei Imamura Masterpiece Collection

[What A Disgrace]

No book/lets, no sale.

[rapta]

Indeed, Kevin just confirmed there will be no booklets (nor a collected thick book) as it would push the RRP for the set up quite significantly - it's more economically viable to put them all on a CD in PDF form, which I think is a pretty smart idea. He also said that the cases will not be the standard clear Amarays we're used to, and they'll be using thin cases - whether they're clear or just blue, and whether they're the Viva Elite style (some varieties of which have two disc holders) or super slim (which would probably hold only one disc per case), we don't know yet. It sounds like this will be a lean and concise set with no nonsense (unless you count the lack of physical booklets as nonsense...in which case, you would have to scout out the separate titles instead). The quality of the packaging will in no way be worse though - take a look at the Complete Lone Wolf & Cub DVD set they once released.

[Orlac]

- take a look at the Complete Lone Wolf & Cub DVD set they once released.

Hope we get an MOC/Eureka blu of that soon!

[rapta]

I think people have been asking for it for years but somehow I don't see it happening. The DVD set is great as it is, and you can already get Shogun Assassin on Blu-ray from them (which looks fantastic). Also, I'm guessing it wouldn't be MoC but most probably Eureka Classics instead.

I'd actually rather they continued releasing new titles and box sets, and if they do upgrade any Japanese titles I think there a few filmmakers that should take priority (Shinoda, Kobayashi, Teshigahara, Ichikawa...plus Hausu/House if possible). We're apparently getting two brand new MoC box sets at the end of the year/beginning of next year, so that's exciting...I'm itching for the rest of the year's announcements.

[tenia]

it's more economically viable to put them all on a CD in PDF form, which I think is a pretty smart idea.

I strongly believe that this should be the way for labels like MoC or Arrow that wants to keep written materials while keeping the costs down. It certainly isn't as premium, practical and nice looking than a regular printed booklet, but I prefer this to nothing at all.

[domino harvey]

Well, yes of course it's better than nothing, but that's a pretty low bar. The fact that I'd be giving up the actual printed content in favor of a CD of PDFs is what tipped me over into not buying this box, and I suspect a fair number of others who value physical media and the deluxe treatment this company usually provides are likewise disappointed in what by all appearances looks to be a last-minute cash-grab before their rights expire

[Arrow]

I would've prefered a Mizoguchi like set as well, but this was a no brainier preorder for me because I own none of titles and have only seen one. For $8 a title it seems like a great way to be introduced to the director.

[Gregory]

If anyone who owns MoC's Insect Woman Dual Format release is upgrading to this set and wants to sell their copy at a non scalper price, please PM me.

EDIT: One of our local knights has helped me out with my request

I'd like to be next in line for this please. Already bought everything in the forthcoming set except for Insect Woman Blu, and bought that film on DVD twice. It was never a high-priority upgrade for me but I'd like to fill in the gap if anyone has one to sell at a reasonable price (or has a trade want list if it'd be easier to work something out that way).

[Zot!]

I don't like being the target audience for this hated thing, but I've somehow put off buying the individual releases until now despite my affection for Imamura, and don't care enough about the booklets to be bothered. Honestly, for essays I really don't mind reading them electronically, though stills or production images I miss seeing as part of a package. I just bought La Dolce Vita from criterion, and the cheap and paltry fold-out for such an incredibly popular movie is definitely a foul surprise.

[PfR73]

Well, yes of course it's better than nothing, but that's a pretty low bar. The fact that I'd be giving up the actual printed content in favor of a CD of PDFs is what tipped me over into not buying this box, and I suspect a fair number of others who value physical media and the deluxe treatment this company usually provides are likewise disappointed

I'm with you on this. I actually read the materials if they're printed. If they're a computer file, I can't imagine ever reading them.

[rapta]

Probably a last update from Kevin I thought I'd share here - apparently the cases will be slim cases, the 10mm ones (often called Viva Elite...I think those are the ones he means). Two discs per case, and will be clear and not blue (which I haven't seen before but they must exist).

it's more economically viable to put them all on a CD in PDF form, which I think is a pretty smart idea.

I strongly believe that this should be the way for labels like MoC or Arrow that wants to keep written materials while keeping the costs down. It certainly isn't as premium, practical and nice looking than a regular printed booklet, but I prefer this to nothing at all.

I agree, particularly in the case of Arrow who are making booklets limited more frequently...especially concerning their Academy releases - Hard To Be A God, The Firemen's Ball and Closely Observed Trains will all have a limited print run of booklets (I think they said 1000, from memory). If they could include a CD copy for the remainder, that would be excellent...in the case of a Dual Format release though they would have to change the swing tray in production which may prove tricky. Who knows, there's probably an easy way of doing it.

Well, yes of course it's better than nothing, but that's a pretty low bar. The fact that I'd be giving up the actual printed content in favor of a CD of PDFs is what tipped me over into not buying this box, and I suspect a fair number of others who value physical media and the deluxe treatment this company usually provides are likewise disappointed in what by all appearances looks to be a last-minute cash-grab before their rights expire

It's not low bar - they would have to compile them together into a thicker booklet (like the Late Mizoguchi one) which would push up production costs as well as the price consumers pay. If you desperately wanted to the physical booklets and cared about the films so much, you would buy the separate titles. It's clearly a response to the fact that these are fairly slow sellers and they want to minimise costs as much as possible - Arrow are doing the same thing on a much smaller scale with more and more of their single-title releases, and with an alternative PDF disc, so many people will buy their releases and wonder where the booklet has gone. I personally think that's much more concerning than a compilation of previously-released titles that have been readily available for years now (a couple of which were released in a Blu-ray-only run, and then followed up with a Dual Format release as well).

In my opinion, with this release they are purely making these titles available to people who might not have picked them up before now as the separate releases are starting to go OOP. So it's a 'now or never' approach rather than a 'quick, let's get these out there and make a quick buck', and rather than reissue them separately they've compiled a simple box set (which is an entirely logical decision). Of course they want to try and sell as many as they can as early as possible (before they start cutting the price to try and make it sell out...I was very lucky and paid only £38 last-minute for my Late Mizoguchi set the week before it went OOP), so making them limited and numbered and in a nice box set volume will help with that, and of course you're going to get people interested in titles they possibly didn't consider getting before. This particular director deserves the attention, and they could've easily just done away with this set entirely if they wanted to, but they haven't.

[neilist]

I agree, particularly in the case of Arrow who are making booklets limited more frequently...especially concerning their Academy releases - Hard To Be A God, The Firemen's Ball and Closely Observed Trains will all have a limited print run of booklets (I think they said 1000, from memory).

2000 copies with booklets, according to Facebook.

[Drucker]

They said in that Facebook thread that they are unlikely to sell-out on pre-order. More likely than not they would announce when copies would start coming out without the booklet.

[Orlac]

Is this limited in terms of numbers - e.g 3000?

[rapta]

Is this limited in terms of numbers - e.g 3000?

They haven't said yet but Kevin was suggesting more like only 1000. I reckon 2000 maximum if there's enough interest (or 1200/1500 if they decide to do a little bit more than first quoted).

[Murdoch]

How I hate these announcements, partially because I've now dropped $60 on the individual releases of Gods, Pigs and Insect Woman out of fear! Thus is the life of a collector I suppose. At least I managed to pick up the Imamura Icarus set cheap last week.

[AK]

Any conjecture or insight as to what happens to the licensing of the films after MoC lets them go? I’ve always assumed they also had Intentions of Murder, although that might just be me knowing nothing at all.

Would be great if some decent distributor picked them up.

[Gregory]

They passed on releasing Intentions because the available materials weren't up to par.

[rapta]

They passed on releasing Intentions because the available materials weren't up to par.

That's a shame. In that case I do hope they have The Pornographers. Maybe they were planning to release this set first (to pique general interest in Imamura again) and then release one (or two...could be a double-bill with Endless Desire or My Second Brother) new Imamura titles? That might be wishful thinking though.

Surely The Pornographers would be fine for MoC to license if it's getting an upcoming French release? That is assuming Nikkatsu supplied them with a decent master...

[Michael Kerpan]

No, I think we have to assume this is a last hurrah for Imamura at MOC.

Thanks, MOC for giving his work great support for as long as you did.

[zedz]

Agreed. This is pretty much they same as what they did with Mizoguchi, and it's a pretty classy way to do a farewell, much as we might wish there were enough of a market to support more of these titles (or a Naruse Volume 2).

[Der Spieler]

I'm probably in the minority here but I actually think I'll read the booklets more if they're in PDF form. I'll just leave the disc in my computer for a week and read through it all during my downtime.

[manicsounds]

Plus if you download the PDFs to a smartphone or tablet, they are useful. I like booklets or downloadable pdf booklets equally, but I'm not a fan of stillframe text essays on early Criterion discs or Discotek discs.

[FrauBlucher]

A bit redundant but here it goes nonetheless DVDBeaver

[senseabove]

Would anyone be willing to send me the PDF booklets? I have the set, but for some reason the DVD won't read in my ancient Mac mini, which is the only CD drive I have access to.