New Australian DVD and BD Releases

[Tim]

A word of praise for Madman, who responded to my complaint about the sync problems on Kings of the Road by sending me a replacement disc with profuse apologies. This despite the fact that I live in the UK. I have now received the disc and can report that the sync problems have indeed been corrected.

[Solaris]

I didn't get the original Weird Mob disc so I'll pick this one up - the price is right. Now if they would only release Age of Consent...

Madman will be releasing Nosferatu in April, seems to contain same extras as Kino plus commentary by Aussie historians/critics.

Anybody know anything about this disc?

[devlinnn]

The Herzog disc includes Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices and The Transformation of the World into Music.

[devlinnn]

Just some nods and glances over bits and pieces...

- Gertrud looks to be 1:66:1 (so it says, along with 'restored print'), with 'Palladium Danmark' logo. Includes 'They Caught the Ferry' short and Adrian Martin commentary
- Master of the House includes three shorts - ...Ferry / Fight Against Cancer / Good Mothers
- Sawdust & Tinsel, according to the box, is in colour. I can only presume an error - what happened to proof-readers? It also has optional white / yellow subtitles - is this a first?
- looks like Fox has slipped out a special edition 2-disc set of The Seven Year Itch with very little fanfare. Includes commentary, The Final Days doc, The Legend...doc. (the one John Huston narrates), deleted scenes, etc. Just picked this up (under $15), although I'm sure the transfer will be the same.
- Warner has the Kubrick BluRays up and running again in April - with a $5 increase in price. No sign of Blade Runner.
- Umbrella have Shoah (4-disc set), Mouchette, Au Hasard Balthazar out in May.

[devlinnn]

Someone needs to change the drugs at Universal. They give Madman Imitation of Life to release, and keep for themselves DeSica's woeful Woman Times Seven (out in May).

[Rich Malloy]

Not sure if mentioned before but Shock are putting Godard's WEEKEND out in their Distinction series on March 17. Will this be the BFI transfer?

I'm also very interested to know whether this might be a new, superior transfer!

[devlinnn]

'Film Noir Collection', from Aztec via Madman, due this May, to include The Big Clock, The Glass Key, The Blue Dahlia, This Gun For Hire.

[carax09]

in case it hasn't already been noted:

JB's have got the Herzog Doco's box set on at $60 both in store and web site

Wow! What's a "JB's", and how do I find them?

[Darth Lavender]

JB Hi-Fi. There's a lot of them around. I've had some excellent experiences from these people with a few incidents like refunds, etc. So I can recommend them very highly.

The Herzog set is actually $65 (down from $150) until April. Another $5 P&H if you're ordering it online. Bought the set yesterday, but haven't watched them yet. I'll report back on the quality.

As to the Tarkovsky set, it's basically a collection of the five Ruscico releases. I think I remember reading somewere on this forum or dvdbeaver that the French and Australian "Mirror" and "Ivan's Childhood" were superior to the original Ruscicos.

If you don't have the movies, I'd say get it. Even if you already have one or two, getting the set probably works out cheaper than getting the other movies seperately.

[Gregor Samsa]

I just picked up the Herzog set from my local JBs. One small thing to note is that 'Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe' isn't on the local version, but that's on Burden of Dreams anyway.

[Solaris]

Herzog did not direct that short, hence it is not in the set. I believe the short is on the Criterion Burden of Dreams only, not on the local disc. But with the current US and AUD exchange rate, why would you bother with the local disc?

Also notably missing is one of his first shorts "Game in the Sand". I believe he does not want that film seen while he is still alive.

[DDillaman]

The Herzog set is actually $65 (down from $150) until April. Another $5 P&H if you're ordering it online. Bought the set yesterday, but haven't watched them yet. I'll report back on the quality.

It leaves more than a bit to be desired in terms of quality of the source material, but it also houses a huge number of otherwise incredibly difficult to see films. I imported it to NZ at twice the price happily. At that price, as essential as oxygen for the serious Herzog fan.

[carax09]

Oh, I know. I've been wanting to see these for quite some time. I've always felt a greater affinity for Herzog's documentary work, and at this price, I can finally justify the purchase. Here's hoping they can handle an international order, because David's comments don't exactly put me at ease...

[carax09]

David I'm not saying it's going to work, but jbhifionline.com.au let me register and put the Herzog box in my cart. They're going to charge me $17 for shipping to the states which only brings the grand total to $82 which is still pretty damn good for this set. I was going to use "streisand" as my password, but thought better of it at the last second...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Herzog did not direct that short, hence it is not in the set.

However there is a documentary about Herzog on one of the discs that was not directed by him.

It's been a while since I watched the set, but I recall a few oddities with the subtitling. I think in some circumstances the selection of subtitles wasn't carried forward from film to film, so one has to press the subtitle button on the remote to see them. Also for some films which have both German and English audio there are no subs, so unless you speak German you have to listen to the English audio. And the slipcase is quite flimsy (mine has come apart). Despite these issues the set is more than worth the asking price - there are some great films in it.

[Solaris]

It's been a while since I watched the set, but I recall a few oddities with the subtitling. I think in some circumstances the selection of subtitles wasn't carried forward from film to film, so one has to press the subtitle button on the remote to see them. Also for some films which have both German and English audio there are no subs, so unless you speak German you have to listen to the English audio. And the slipcase is quite flimsy (mine has come apart). Despite these issues the set is more than worth the asking price - there are some great films in it.

Yes, that subproblem I remember I had on Lessons in Darkness (and maybe a few others). My box has also fallen apart!
The quality does range on the films, but there are many gems in the set. I found the short "La Soufrière" to absolutely breathtaking - easily one of the greatest shorts I have ever seen!

[devlinnn]

More drug induced hallucinatory madness from Universal Oz:

There's Always Tomorrow (Director's Suite)!!!!!! and Magnificent Obsession(Director's Suite) the same day; Madman May 21!!!!!!!

This will of course include the incredibly rare 35 Stahl version and presumably port the 1.37 54 version.

Prices steep at AUD35 but that's still less than paying for import from France or Germany.

I doubt these two are happening at the moment. The Madman May releases on their own website don't list 'em, 'tis a pity.

Speaking of Madman, they list the recently released Control with a 5.1 mix. The DVD itself is only 2-track dolby.

[devlinnn]

Oh, I'm sure it's going to be released, I just think Madman/Ezydvd blew their load a little early. It'll probably be released June/July for around $40, in line with Imitation of Life.

Off to catch up with Catherine Deneuve in the flesh on Tuesday night - life's really a bitch sometimes. If she does her Tristana bit, I doubt I'll never need to come home again.

Warner in June -
* Badlands
* Bird
* Hit the Deck
* Kismet
* The Last Days of Disco
* Rich and Famous

[Person]

I found the short "La Soufrière" to absolutely breathtaking - easily one of the greatest shorts I have ever seen!

La Soufrière is insane. One of the greatest documentaries ever made, I feel. The Dark Glow of the Mountains is amazing, too - have you watched it yet?

[Solaris]

I found the short "La Soufrière" to absolutely breathtaking - easily one of the greatest shorts I have ever seen!

La Soufrière is insane. One of the greatest documentaries ever made, I feel. The Dark Glow of the Mountains is amazing, too - have you watched it yet?

Yep, absolutely beautiful films. Also, The Strange Ecstasy of Stonecarver Steiner with amazing imagery and brilliant Popol Vuh soundtrack.

[Person]

I found the short "La Soufrière" to absolutely breathtaking - easily one of the greatest shorts I have ever seen!

La Soufrière is insane. One of the greatest documentaries ever made, I feel. The Dark Glow of the Mountains is amazing, too - have you watched it yet?

Yep, absolutely beautiful films. Also, The Strange Ecstasy of Stonecarver Steiner with amazing imagery and brilliant Popol Vuh soundtrack.

The ultra-slow-motion images of Walter Steiner flying through the air to Popol Vuh's haunting music are among my favourite moments in all of Cinema. The same goes for Jonathan Harker journeying to Dracula's castle set to Wagner's Rheingold Prelude.

This is the kind of stuff that pulls you into the world of Cinema as child and holds you there for the rest of your days.

[Darth Lavender]

Last Emperor - two disc SE including "newly restored" (i.e. Criterion version) Director's cut 24 bucks

Shame it's only worth 2.00 dollars [rimshot]

Actually, I might pick this one up, depending on the extras.
Meanwhile, any word on the Australian Nosferatu release? How's the commentary and framing?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Madman's June releases include Sirk's A Time to Love and a Time to Die and All I Desire and, er, that's about it.

[Solaris]

Can anyone tell me if the new Umbrella discs of Oshima's In the Realm of the Senses and Realm of Passions are uncut/uncensored?

[kinjitsu]

Can anyone tell me if the new Umbrella discs of Oshima's In the Realm of the Senses and Realm of Passions are uncut/uncensored?

You can see for yourself, here and here.

IMDb Runtime listing: 105 min / UK:109 min / Argentina:103 min / Australia:107 min (2000 re-release) / Norway:104 min / USA:101 min