Re: Deaf Crocodile
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2025 5:49 pm
Deaf Crocodile's upcoming release of The Devil's Bride now boasts a commentary by Michael Brooke.
RE: forced on subtitles. It's contractual. Sorry.Yakushima wrote: Wed May 28, 2025 5:18 am I received my copy of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 and couldn't resist watching the films right away. Very happy with the restorations and the encodings. My childhood favorite, The Mystery of the Third Planet, looks and sounds absolutely marvelous. The colors appear just a touch less saturated than I remember, but it's hard to say with certainty after 40 years.
One minor gripe - the English subtitles are forced and cannot be switched off, which is annoying to those of us who don't need them. I wonder if this was contractual or an oversight?
I am looking forward to the future volumes in this series. The first volume is truly a treasure - well done, DC!
Bill will be doing a signing at Night Owl Video in Brooklyn on June 28th! https://www.instagram.com/p/DK-IXA2OZNh/beamish14 wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 4:04 amHe’s wonderful. There is an amazing coffee table book on his career from being a newspaper cartoonist to poster child for independent animation in North AmericaMario G. wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 2:54 amPlympton stuck around a bit after his screening(s) at Metrograph today and I asked him if the plan was for Deaf Crocodile to release all his features and he said something along the lines of “I think that’s the plan?”TechnicolorAcid wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:01 pm
I watched an interview with Bill Plympton by James Hancock and he said that there’s not any plans, at the moment, for another release of any of his films.
I read that to mean it’s not totally his call, but he seems to think at least a couple more releases are coming. He also said he really enjoyed working with the DC team. I had him sign a trading card that came with one of the releases and he was really tickled by it, read the whole back and commented about being on a trading card.
Really delightful guy who was really generous with his time. I recommend attending any screenings advertising his appearance. He was even offering free personalized doodles! The person he works with mentioned they’re planning a couple more appearances this year.
Is this going to be the case for all volumes of this series?DeafCrocodile wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 1:46 amRE: forced on subtitles. It's contractual. Sorry.Yakushima wrote: Wed May 28, 2025 5:18 am I received my copy of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 and couldn't resist watching the films right away. Very happy with the restorations and the encodings. My childhood favorite, The Mystery of the Third Planet, looks and sounds absolutely marvelous. The colors appear just a touch less saturated than I remember, but it's hard to say with certainty after 40 years.
One minor gripe - the English subtitles are forced and cannot be switched off, which is annoying to those of us who don't need them. I wonder if this was contractual or an oversight?
I am looking forward to the future volumes in this series. The first volume is truly a treasure - well done, DC!
I can't answer your first question, but I've already seen them confirm (I think on social media somewhere) that the shorts won't be available independently.brundlefly wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 5:21 amIs this going to be the case for all volumes of this series?DeafCrocodile wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 1:46 amRE: forced on subtitles. It's contractual. Sorry.Yakushima wrote: Wed May 28, 2025 5:18 am I received my copy of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 and couldn't resist watching the films right away. Very happy with the restorations and the encodings. My childhood favorite, The Mystery of the Third Planet, looks and sounds absolutely marvelous. The colors appear just a touch less saturated than I remember, but it's hard to say with certainty after 40 years.
One minor gripe - the English subtitles are forced and cannot be switched off, which is annoying to those of us who don't need them. I wonder if this was contractual or an oversight?
I am looking forward to the future volumes in this series. The first volume is truly a treasure - well done, DC!
Also, will there be any opportunity to buy the disc with Barta shorts on its own?
Thanks.
I agree with all of this but I think the main reason they did this was just because their first stock of The Pied Piper from their Vinegar Syndrome days sold out and they needed to reprint it so they decided their best strategy was re-releasing it with some newly restored Jiri Barta shorts, especially since they already had one on their original disc. I think the best thing they could’ve done would be to release a version of the set with just the new packaging and the disc of shorts but I’m not entirely sure how feasible that would be in practice.Ribs wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 3:24 pm They explained on the other forum that having better releases and having to rebuy things is just part of collecting, it doesn’t matter that its only been two years and they could easily make a standalone disc with how its divided. A very odd position to take that seems to needlessly demean the people who let the first release be their biggest success ever by the print runs they proudly boast of on a page on their website.
Going through Norstein’s filmography in preparation for the release and all of his other shorts at least charming and well composed (although Seasons desperately needs an HD upgrade) but Tale of Tales is not only his greatest work but maybe THE greatest animated short I’ve ever seen and I regret using my Tarkovsky mention for Hedgehog because this is essentially Mirror as an animated film. It’s a nonlinear, deeply personal, very dreamlike, very poetic take on the memories of a Post-War Russia told with beautiful animation that Norstein and his crew developed over the course of the decade through their other works. I hesitate saying more though because it’s not only a film that people should go in as blind as possible to fully experience but also a film that deserves a much, much longer and thorough analysis than I am capable of giving it.TechnicolorAcid wrote: Sat Mar 15, 2025 1:28 am Can’t speak for Norstein’s other works but Hedgehog in the Fog is genuinely one of my favorite animated shorts of all time with such a visceral, haunting, and yet almost calming atmosphere that dwarves our adorable hedgehog lead that turns into something deeply beautiful and meditative by the end of it’s runtime. Like if Tarkovsky made an animated film.
I can’t share exact details because it’s classified info from the Discord but I can confirm that most of his catalogue will be available in the set.
Just a heads up, it will unfortunately come with forced subs. Per Craig via the Discord server:brundlefly wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 6:51 am Are the subtitles going to be burned-in on the Norstein release?
I still trust that it will be a remarkable improvement over the old DVD and hope it allows more people to be introduced to Norstein’s work though so I do still recommend supporting the release either way.Yes. I don't understand it, but the Russian licensors always insist that the English subs be forced on.
Ahead of its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Deaf Crocodile and Cartuna announced today they have jointly acquired the North American rights to Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark, the long-awaited sequel to the underground anime landmark Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space. The psychedelic cyber-noir will be released theatrically next year.
Written, directed, and composed by the mysterious duo K. and kuno — collectively known as t.o.L.— Tamala 2030 picks up the existential thread of its iconic feline anti-hero. Set in Cat Tokyo in the year 2030, the film follows the incorrigible Tamala—a pint-sized, chain-smoking, time-hopping cat—as she impulsively joins her detective friend Michelangelo in investigating a string of bizarre disappearances across Cat Japan. Their search uncovers an intricate pattern tied to ancient occult forces, cosmic prophecy, and a shadowy megacorporation with a familiar name: Catty & Co. The deeper the mystery unravels, the clearer it becomes that Tamala may be more than just a wayward mascot—she may be a messiah, a myth, or the end of everything.
If Tamala 2010 was a subversive take on kawaii culture through a punk sci-fi lens, Tamala 2030 is a futuristic Neo-Noir, doubling down on the first film’s metaphysical mayhem. Inspired in part by the sudden disappearance of loved ones and friends during the COVID pandemic, the film is a kaleidoscope of surreal satire, pop iconography, and mind-bending narrative fragments, fusing influences from Philip K. Dick, David Lynch, and Thomas Pynchon with the aesthetics of Hello Kitty and post-internet paranoia. The result is a visually and philosophically radical experience—part art film, part cosmic joke, and wholly singular.
“The film ‘TAMALA 2010,’ starring PunkCat ‘TAMALA’ was produced in the early 21st century. This chronicle and strange animation has been loved by the founders of DEAF CROCODILE for 20 years,” comments the co-directing team of t.o.L. “Then, in 2025 , when the new film ‘TAMALA 2030’ was produced, we met our new friend, CARTUNA. toL , the director of the ‘TAMALA’ series, is very excited about this upcoming collaboration with the trusted DEAF CROCODILE and CARTUNA !!!!”
“I’ve been a huge fan of t.o.L’s visionary animation since the original Tamala 2010, which Craig and I re-released last year,” says Dennis Bartok, Deaf Crocodile’s Co-Founder. “During work on that, t.o.L let it slip they were nearing completion on a new film continuing Tamala’s cyberpunk adventures, and our jaws hit the floor!”
Deaf Crocodile Co-Founder Craig Rogers adds, ‘We fell in love with Tamala as soon as we met her. It took 23 years, but to quote the sassy cat herself, “Another f*cking day is about to begin.” Let’s do this!“
“Tamala is back, and she’s weirder, wiser, and more dangerous than ever,” said James Belfer, Founder and CEO of Cartuna. “Tamala 2030 is a gorgeous, mystifying, mind-altering work. This is not just a sequel—it’s a cosmic escalation of everything that made Tamala 2010 a cult obsession.”
This marks the first co-acquisition between Cartuna and Deaf Crocodile, two companies with deep ties to genre-defying animation and international cult cinema. Cartuna continues to build out its slate of theatrical distribution, which includes Boys Go to Jupiter and Dead Lover. Deaf Crocodile continues its acclaimed mission as a leading curator of restored and rediscovered global animation and world cinema.
TechnicolorAcid wrote: Fri Jul 18, 2025 7:15 pm Apparently Deaf Crocodile have also partnered with Cartuna to release Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark, per the Email:Ahead of its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Deaf Crocodile and Cartuna announced today they have jointly acquired the North American rights to Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark, the long-awaited sequel to the underground anime landmark Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space. The psychedelic cyber-noir will be released theatrically next year.
Written, directed, and composed by the mysterious duo K. and kuno — collectively known as t.o.L.— Tamala 2030 picks up the existential thread of its iconic feline anti-hero. Set in Cat Tokyo in the year 2030, the film follows the incorrigible Tamala—a pint-sized, chain-smoking, time-hopping cat—as she impulsively joins her detective friend Michelangelo in investigating a string of bizarre disappearances across Cat Japan. Their search uncovers an intricate pattern tied to ancient occult forces, cosmic prophecy, and a shadowy megacorporation with a familiar name: Catty & Co. The deeper the mystery unravels, the clearer it becomes that Tamala may be more than just a wayward mascot—she may be a messiah, a myth, or the end of everything.
If Tamala 2010 was a subversive take on kawaii culture through a punk sci-fi lens, Tamala 2030 is a futuristic Neo-Noir, doubling down on the first film’s metaphysical mayhem. Inspired in part by the sudden disappearance of loved ones and friends during the COVID pandemic, the film is a kaleidoscope of surreal satire, pop iconography, and mind-bending narrative fragments, fusing influences from Philip K. Dick, David Lynch, and Thomas Pynchon with the aesthetics of Hello Kitty and post-internet paranoia. The result is a visually and philosophically radical experience—part art film, part cosmic joke, and wholly singular.
“The film ‘TAMALA 2010,’ starring PunkCat ‘TAMALA’ was produced in the early 21st century. This chronicle and strange animation has been loved by the founders of DEAF CROCODILE for 20 years,” comments the co-directing team of t.o.L. “Then, in 2025 , when the new film ‘TAMALA 2030’ was produced, we met our new friend, CARTUNA. toL , the director of the ‘TAMALA’ series, is very excited about this upcoming collaboration with the trusted DEAF CROCODILE and CARTUNA !!!!”
“I’ve been a huge fan of t.o.L’s visionary animation since the original Tamala 2010, which Craig and I re-released last year,” says Dennis Bartok, Deaf Crocodile’s Co-Founder. “During work on that, t.o.L let it slip they were nearing completion on a new film continuing Tamala’s cyberpunk adventures, and our jaws hit the floor!”
Deaf Crocodile Co-Founder Craig Rogers adds, ‘We fell in love with Tamala as soon as we met her. It took 23 years, but to quote the sassy cat herself, “Another f*cking day is about to begin.” Let’s do this!“
“Tamala is back, and she’s weirder, wiser, and more dangerous than ever,” said James Belfer, Founder and CEO of Cartuna. “Tamala 2030 is a gorgeous, mystifying, mind-altering work. This is not just a sequel—it’s a cosmic escalation of everything that made Tamala 2010 a cult obsession.”
This marks the first co-acquisition between Cartuna and Deaf Crocodile, two companies with deep ties to genre-defying animation and international cult cinema. Cartuna continues to build out its slate of theatrical distribution, which includes Boys Go to Jupiter and Dead Lover. Deaf Crocodile continues its acclaimed mission as a leading curator of restored and rediscovered global animation and world cinema.
I should hope by ‘forced’ they mean it’s unlockable by the usual way?brundlefly wrote:Thanks for the follow-up on this! Frustrating.
Interesting that these seem to be lesser seen adaptations of more well known films. I kind of like that!Finch wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 4:22 pm Silent October is coming.
In silent cinema, no one can hear you scream.
THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE (1926)
DER STUDENT VON PRAG (THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE), 1926, Filmmuseum München, 133 min. Dir. Henrik Galeen. Conrad Veidt (THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, CASABLANCA) stars as a hellraising student who sells his soul to the Devil. But Veidt hasn’t bargained on meeting his own evil doppelgänger who literally steps out of a mirror, Cocteau-like, and starts to take over his life. Galeen’s eerily compelling FAUST-like fantasy / horror is driven by Veidt‘s impressive dual performance as the student and his strange, unsettling twin. Score by Stephen Horne.
ALRAUNE (1928)
ALRAUNE (A WOMAN OF DESTINY), 1928, Filmmuseum München,131 min. Dir. Henrik Galeen. Deranged Weimar Era erotic sci-fi / horror starring Brigitte Helm (METROPOLIS) as the unholy offspring of a genetics experiment conducted by her scientist “father” Paul Wegener, who implants the semen of a hanged man in the womb of a prostitute. As an adult, the lithe, sinuous Helm drives men to suicide and madness – including her own pseudo-father Wegener who succumbs to incestuous obsession with her. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Franz Planer with gorgeous restored color tinting. Score by Sabrina Zimmermann and Mark Pogolski.