48 / BD 46-49 Hungarian Masters

[Bikey]

Hungarian Masters Boxset



Second Run DVD proudly presents this specially-priced collection of remarkable films from three of Hungary’s most renowned filmmakers: Miklós Jancsó, Károly Makk and Márta Mészáros. A perfect introduction and opportunity to experience the variety, veracity and genius of classic Hungarian cinema.

Box Set contains:

My Way Home (Így jöttem) (Miklós Jancsó, 1964)
Love (Szerelem) (Károly Makk, 1971)
Diary for My Children (Napló gyermekeimnek) (Márta Mészáros, 1982)

This Limited Edition Box Set contains director-approved presentations of all the films, and includes filmed interviews with directors Károly Makk and Márta Mészáros; booklets featuring essay by author Catherine Portuges on Márta Mészáros and a reprint of Penelope Houston’s seminal 1969 Sight & Sound article on Miklós Jancsó. Also and includes Máramaros the second film in Miklós Jancsó’s renowned but rarely-seen documentary series Message of Stones (A kövek üzenete).

Special Features

• Director-approved presentations of all the films.
• Anamorphic 16.9 enhanced transfers with restored picture and sound.
• Filmed interviews with directors Károly Makk and Márta Mészáros.
• The inclusion of Máramaros, the second film in Miklós Jancsó's renowned but rarely-seen documentary series Message of Stones (A kövek üzenete).
• Improved English subtitle translation.
• Booklets featuring essay by author Catherine Portuges on Márta Mészáros and a reprint of Penelope Houston's seminal 1969 Sight & Sound article on Miklós Jancsó.

[Landjorden]

The Hungarian Masters Collection Box is released on June 21 and looks like this.

Whatever happened to this box? I ordered it from Amazon.co.uk a month ago and today I got a mail saying "We regret to inform you that the following items have been delayed as we are still awaiting stock from our supplier"

Has anyone been able to order it at all?

/Cheers

[MichaelB]

I have a copy sitting mere feet away from me, so it definitely exists.

[Bikey]

There seems to be some problem relating to Amazon and stock for this title.
There is new stock coming - but if you want it now you can order direct from the Second Run website shop, I can assure we have stock here.

[Landjorden]

Well today Amazon cancelled the order claiming the supplier had told them it was unavailable. I didn´t want to do it myself since it was part of an order to get me free shipment. Just wanted to inform you about that and now I´m off to your website to get me a copy

[Bikey]

Well today Amazon cancelled the order claiming the supplier had told them it was unavailable. I didn´t want to do it myself since it was part of an order to get me free shipment. Just wanted to inform you about that and now I´m off to your website to get me a copy

Thanks for letting us know, Landjorden. Not sure why the problem persists there in respect of this title, since new stock has definitely arrived and we've also always had it in stock at our website shop. Perhaps it's just a problem until these holidays are over and proper stocking by retailers resumes... in the meantime, our website is at your service!

[Bikey]

The Hungarian Masters Box is now back in stock at Amazon

[TMDaines]

Is this now OOP? No-one seems to have any stock and I've had it on backorder with Sainsbury's Entertainment for a few weeks.

[Bikey]

We are out of stock at the moment - but I see Amazon have it in stock still.

[TMDaines]

That's not Amazon who are selling it: it's just a single marketplace seller.

[TMDaines]

Are more of these going to be produced? If so, I can wait. If not, I'll pick the titles up in an alternative manner?

[What A Disgrace]

Second Run's December 2021release is a boxed set containing Zoltan Fabri's Merry Go Round, Istvan Gaal's Current, and Miklos Jancso's Agnes Dei.

[swo17]

Awesome!

[zedz]

Wow!

Can we dare hope for a little "Volume One" on the finished product?

[Ribs]

Unbelievably exciting that finally Fabri will appear from one of the US or UK labels after so many years of being told he was one of the great masters from so many places. That it’s accompanied by two other extremely exciting titles is just icing on the cake - and it’s also nice the Jancso is not one that Kino will be releasing whenever they finally get around to their series touring and getting a release (as they finally premiered the Round-Up at NYFF I must hope it will be coming soon in the new year). Three cheers for Second Run!

But, pet peeve, this is arguable already Volume 2; the box consisting of My Way Home, Diary for My Children, and Szerelem was previously named Hungarian Masters as well (dear lord would an upgrade of that set also be a treat, though!)

[jbeall]

Already up on SR's "coming soon" page, fwiw. This set looks amazing.

And yes, I realize this is their first (so far) blu-ray boxset of Hungarian films, but a little more continuity between their DVD and blu-ray lines would be nice. This oughta be vol. 2.

[swo17]

Except the first one was an after-the-fact gift box, simply gathering together three previous releases.

Presumably I'll have to keep my MNFA DVD of Sodrásban for the excellent short Tisza - öszi vázlatok, but feel free to surprise me, Second Run!

[MichaelB]

I’m also very happy to be able to confirm first-hand (I’ve had a sneak preview of the feature transfers) that Merry-Go-Round is framed at the correct 1.37:1 aspect ratio - at least two DVD editions were cropped to 16:9, which did the film no favours whatsoever.

[L.A.]

Presumably I'll have to keep my MNFA DVD of Sodrásban for the excellent short Tisza - öszi vázlatok, but feel free to surprise me, Second Run!

If I recall the PQ on the Hungarian DVD of Current is terrible to say the least.

Limited Edition, eh? Better hurry then. Hopefully a follow-up set comes up with Sándor Sára’s The Upthrown Stone, MaNDA’s old DVD looked great. Sára is one of Hungary’s greatest cinematographers. Also perhaps more Gaál like The Falcons.

There is simply too much to list from the Hungarian film canon so whatever a potential number two set includes, I am happy.

[L.A.]

What to expect:

BLU-RAY 3-DISC LIMITED EDITION BOX-SET CONTENTS
• Merry-Go-Round (Körhinta), Current (Sodrásban), and Agnus Dei (Égi bárány) presented from new 4K restorations by the National Film Institute Film Archive, Hungary
• Merry-Go-Round 1955 screen tests
• An archival interview with Miklós Jancsó (1987)
• Award-winning Hungarian filmmaker István Szabó on the influence and cinematic legacy of Zoltán Fábri
• Tisza - Autumn Sketches (Tisza - Őszi vázlatok, 1962): director István Gaál’s acclaimed short film observing autumn descend along the river Tisza.
• A new filmed appreciation of Current
• The restoration of Merry-Go-Round
• Trailers
• Individual booklets with new writing on each film by Hungarian cinema experts John Cunningham, Peter Hames and Tony Rayns
• New and improved English subtitle translations
• World premieres release on Blu-ray
• Region-free Blu-rays (A/B/C)
• + MORE TBC


Technical details:
• Language: Hungarian
• Subtitles: English
• Aspect Ratios: 1.37:1 / 1.85:1 / 1.66:1
• Video: BD25 / BD50 / 1080p / 24fps
• Audio: 2.0 Dual Mono LPCM (48k/16-bit)
• Discs: 3
• Black and white / Colour
• Region A/B/C (Region Free)

[swo17]

• Tisza - Autumn Sketches (Tisza - Őszi vázlatok, 1962): director István Gaál’s acclaimed short film observing autumn descend along the river Tisza.

Thank you for surprising me, Second Run!

For my next request, please reissue Szindbád with every Huszárik short film possible

[L.A.]

Probably no point owning those ancient old Hungarian DVDs anymore, except The Red and the White from late 2011 which is a delight.

[MichaelB]

Probably no point owning those ancient old Hungarian DVDs anymore, except The Red and the White from late 2011 which is a delight.

That's currently the best presentation of the film anywhere (it's not even close), but it desperately needs an HD upgrade.

[swo17]

Probably no point owning those ancient old Hungarian DVDs anymore, except The Red and the White from late 2011 which is a delight.

That's currently the best presentation of the film anywhere (it's not even close), but it desperately needs an HD upgrade.

It's supposed to be forthcoming from Kino

[L.A.]

Hopefully they can best the extras found on the two-disc edition.